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What Does Physically Fit Mean?

March 17, 2009 By Leave a Comment

To be physically fit means to be in a state of health and well-being. Physical fitness is defined as the body’s ability to function efficiently and effectively in work and leisure activities, to be healthy, to resist disease and to react to emergency situations.

How Does one Tell If They Are Physically Fit?

You can determine how physically fit you are by having a fitness assessment. We offer fitness assessments at Fit for Life. Our assessment includes a full medical history, blood pressure/heart rate test, body composition analysis including body fat percentage and circumferential measurements, flexibility assessment and a graded exercise test (GXT). The GXT is performed on a treadmill and determines your estimated volume of oxygen consumption. From this test we can determine how “fit” you are in comparison with others in your age group and determine your target heart rate zone/MET level. These numbers are vital in setting up an appropriate exercise prescription and therefore, fitness assessments are highly recommended before you begin an exercise program.

Come join us at Fit for Life and we will help you get “physically fit“.

Sheila Rolling, Personal Fitness Trainer and Owner of Fit for Life – Fitness Club in Faribault, MN.

Filed Under: Health and Fitness Tagged With:

Jumpstart Your Metabolism!

February 25, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Are there certain foods that will help increase metabolism?

The answer is YES!

The types of foods that boost metabolism are known as negative calorie foods. This means that you burn more calories from digesting the food than the food is actually worth.

For example, if you eat a food containing 100 calories and you find out that the food will burn 120 calories, you have burned a net of 20 calories just by eating that food. AWESOME!

Negative Calorie Foods

Foods that are capable of producing negative calorie results include:

Fruits

  • apples
  • blueberries
  • raspberries
  • strawberries
  • grapefruit
  • lemons
  • mangos
  • pineapple
  • oranges
  • tangerines

Vegetables

  • carrots
  • broccoli
  • cauliflower
  • lettuce
  • cabbage
  • asparagus
  • beets
  • spinach
  • onions
  • celery
  • zucchini

Warning: Avoid “empty calories” (junk food) or calories from foods with poor vitamin and nutrient content. These types of foods have a reverse effect on our metabolism; they add more to our body fat because they require fewer calories to digest than the amount of calories they contain. End result – slower metabolism.

The best way to jumpstart your Metabolism is Exercise!

Sheila Rolling, Personal Fitness Trainer and Owner of Fit for Life – Fitness Club in Faribault, MN.

Filed Under: Diet, Health and Fitness, Weight Loss Tagged With: , ,

Drinking Water vs High Energy Drinks

February 12, 2009 By Leave a Comment

We all know that drinking water is beneficial in an exercise regimen – what about high energy drinks?

One can of high-energy drink, such as Red Bull, Wired, Fixx, No Fear, or Monster Rockstar contain an average of 14 times the caffeine of a regular can of soda or are equivalent to 7 cups of very strong coffee. These types of drinks are sold as supplementary drinks instead of soft drinks, therefore, warning labels that note the caffeine content and the health risks associated with drinking them are not displayed.

Health risks to ingesting these types of drinks include nervousness, anxiety, dizziness, numbness, insomnia, rapid heartbeat and tremors. High energy drinks may help you to exercise, but they also raise heart rates and blood pressure which can make them dangerous for people with cardiovascular disease or for those taking drugs to lower heart rate or blood pressure.

Regular exercise, drinking plenty of water, eating from all 5 food groups and controlling food portions are more likely to protect our hearts than the amount of caffeine we consume.

Filed Under: Health and Fitness Tagged With: ,

Faribault Fitness Center Videos – Fit for Life is on YouTube!

January 31, 2009 By 1 Comment

Fit for Life has created a YouTube Channel for our Fitness Center. Julie Fox of Fox Video Productions recently produced 7 videos of our fitness classes. You can visit our Fit for Life MN Videos here on our website or on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/fitforlifemn If you visit YouTube, be sure to leave a comment and subscribe to our channel.

We have 4 videos of our aerobics classes and 3 videos of our SilverSneakers classes.

Sheila Rolling leading a Combo: Step and Pump class

Rosalie Ihde Teaching Us to Kickbox

Theresa Vold Leading Our SilverSneakers Through A Workout

See the rest of our videos on our Fit for Life Video page under the Information tab.

Filed Under: aerobics, Health and Fitness, videos Tagged With: , ,

Lifesteps Weight Management Program Starts in January

January 3, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Picked up a few pounds over the holidays? A new Lifesteps 16-week Weight Management Program is forming in January at Fit for Life.

ACT NOW! The next class begins with individual interviews the week of Jan. 12th.

Participants have the choice of Wed. noon class or Thurs. 5:15 p.m. class.  Step 1 begins on either Wed. the 21st or Thurs. the 22nd of Jan. depending on which day of the week you choose.  We meet for 1 hour each week thereafter for a total of 16 weeks in a group setting (about 8-12 people per class).

Group classes are small to allow you to feel comfortable sharing information and ideas. If you are committed to losing weight and keeping it off.

Most weight loss programs restrict you from eating certain foods, encourage harmful practices to promote quick weight loss or offer over-the-counter weight loss drugs. You must recognize that these types of programs are “temporary fixes” to a lifelong problem and unless you increase your awareness of what you eat, how much you eat, how you eat and why you eat, there’s a high risk of gaining your weight back.

Lifesteps recognizes that weight loss is hard work. It contains strategies for making lifestyle changes in both eating and exercise habits. Our leaders work in partnership with you to help you develop an individual plan that meets your needs. There is no special diet – you eat the foods you enjoy, the same foods your family eats and there are no marathon exercises – you choose activities that fit your schedule and your fitness level. Information is presented sequentially and each step builds on the previous one.

You will develop healthy eating and exercise habits that will help you lose weight and keep it off for the rest of your life!

Please see our Lifesteps page for more information about this program or contact Sheila Rolling at our fitness center, by phone at (507) 333-5430 or use our online contact form 24 ours a day.

Filed Under: Lifesteps, Weight Loss Tagged With: ,

Fitness Center Group Classes – Faribault, MN 55021

December 27, 2008 By Leave a Comment

18 Group Classes Offered at Fit for Life

Fit for Life offers 18 group classes each week. They include Spinning Classes, Combo Step & Pump Classes, Kick boxing Class, Interval Class, Yoga / Pilates Classes, Core Strengthening Classes and even Seniors Classes. Come join the fun in a clean and safe environment. Each group class is lead by a professional fitness instructor.

Aerobics Classes

Combo: Boot Camp – Cardio Circuit

A total body work-out that includes a variety of aerobic and strength exercises.

Combo: Step and Pump

Choreographed aerobics, kick boxing and step work-out.

Silver Sneakers I

Strength and range of movement for seniors.

Silver Sneakers II

Cardio conditioning for seniors.

Silver Sneakers Yoga Stretch

Yoga stretch exercises for seniors.

Spinning

Intense spinning class open to all.

Total Body Works

Yoga – Pilates work-out that that focuses on the whole body.

For more details see our Aerobic Class descriptions or our Events Calendar for dates and times of classes.

Filed Under: aerobics, Health and Fitness Tagged With:

Get Started Program – Just for Beginners

December 11, 2008 By Leave a Comment

I am often asked how to Get Started on a path to physical fitness. It usually goes something like this:

I know nothing about which exercises are right for me.  I just want to be healthier.  Do you have someone who will help me “make a plan”?

Yes!  I’ve created a “Get Started” Program that has been very popular and is the ultimate way to have a program designed specifically for you. The program includes 4 sessions with an Exercise Physiologist.

First Session

The first session includes a medical history, body fat analysis, circumference measurements, a flexibility assessment and a cardiovascular assessment performed on a treadmill to determine your current fitness level.

Second Session

The second session involves designing a cardiovascular and weight training program for you based on the results received from the assessment.

Third Session

Two weeks later we meet again to review what you’ve been doing and to add more exercises to your routine. You work independently for 2 more weeks.

Fourth Session

We meet for our 4th session to review, add new exercises to your routine, review goals and reassess. Everything is outlined for you.

It’s easy, it’s effective and it’s designed specifically for you.  Come see me and I’ll help you “Get Started”.

Sheila Rolling, Personal Fitness Trainer and Owner of Fit for Life – Fitness Club in Faribault, MN.

Filed Under: Health and Fitness Tagged With: ,

Will My Appetite Increase If I Exercise?

September 24, 2008 By 2 Comments

Yes and No.

Exercise may increase your appetite to begin with, but this is perfectly natural. However, as your body adjusts to exercise and you begin working at higher intensities, you should experience a decrease in appetite.

Research shows that the more intense the exercise, the higher your body temperature and the more likely your appetite will be suppressed for several hours following exercise. Exercising at a low intensity and working out in cold temperatures will have less effect on hunger and post-exercise appetite.

Start slow and gradually increase your exercise intensity, be consistent and most importantly, BE PATIENT!! Give your body the time it needs to adjust and it will respond appropriately.

Sheila Rolling, Personal Fitness Trainer and Owner of Fit for Life – Fitness Club in Faribault, MN.

Filed Under: Health and Fitness Tagged With: ,

Getting Started and the Lack of Motivation

September 12, 2008 By Leave a Comment

Lack of motivation to exercise is many times related to inexperience… not knowing what to do to get started. Getting from point A (home) to point B (the “gym”) is often the hardest part.

Get Started Program

At Fit for Life we offer a Get Started Program, an instructional based program where you are taught what to do, your program is designed specifically for you and you carry it out on your own. You know what you’ll be doing every time to come to the gym … the perfect motivator.

Personal Trainer

If you struggle on your own, try Personal Training. You work side by side with a professional trainer who designs each session for you based on your current fitness level and provides motivation throughout your entire workout.

Group Programs

If you prefer to work out with a group, we offer a variety of Group Programs at Fit for Life. The possibilities are endless and we at Fit for Life are here to help you get motivated to become a healthier you!

Sheila Rolling, Personal Fitness Trainer and Owner of Fit for Life – Fitness Club in Faribault, MN.

Filed Under: Health and Fitness Tagged With: , , ,

What is Aerobic Exercise?

August 8, 2008 By Leave a Comment

Aerobics = Cardiovascular Exercise

Aerobic exercise, also known as cardiovascular exercise, is any sustained, rhythmic activity that involves large muscle groups. Examples include walking, jogging, cross training, cycling, climbing and swimming. Aerobic exercise makes the lungs work harder as the body’s need for oxygen is increased.

Do you lose weight faster with this kind of exercise?

Weight is lost by creating a calorie deficit, burning more calories than you take in, so performing activities that burn large amounts of calories is an excellent accompaniment to a calorie controlled diet to help shift those unwanted pounds. For example, half an hour of high paced walking or low paced jogging can burn around 300 calories. This can make a substantial contribution towards achieving the necessary calorie deficit to lose weight, or it can even earn you a bar of chocolate that you feel less guilty about eating.

Aerobic Options

Fit for Life provides a wide variety of aerobic options, such as treadmills, cross trainers, exercise bikes and stairclimbers. For those of you who prefer to work out as part of a group, Fit for Life provides a variety of group classes such as spinning, choreographed aerobics, kickboxing and step aerobics, yoga/pilates/core strengthening and even several classes for seniors including yoga with a trained instructor to ensure that you get the most from your workout.

Sheila Rolling, Personal Fitness Trainer and Owner of Fit for Life – Fitness Club in Faribault, MN.

Filed Under: Health and Fitness Tagged With: , ,
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