Health & Fitness

Health & Fitness Issue 1

November 8th, 2012

Don’t eat that!

The truth about nutrition myths Health & Fitness facts...educate yourself!

How weight lifting changed my fitness routine

There’s an app for that!

iPhone fitness apps that you can use each day

s h t y M n o i t i r t The truth behind certain behind u N common food myths.

Myth: Eating foods with fat in them will make you fat Truth: This is partially true if you are constantly eating fried foods high in saturated and trans fat. Our bodies need good fats like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats to keep our blood cholesterol level balanced, which can be found in foods like olive oil and salmon.

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Myth: You should only eat 3 big meals a day.

Truth: Eating several small meals throughout the day is actually healthier because it helps regulate the blood sugar and keeps you from overeating. Choose healthy snacks that will keep you feeling full and not make you crash during the day.

Working out can be scary. I know that sounds silly but it’s true.

You walk into a big, cold gym full of big, cold machines and you don’t know where to start. Everyone you see on a treadmill has to be running at least 100 mph and anyone lifting weights looks like a beast. Whatever you do, don’t let that scare you! I had all of these thoughts the first time I walked into the gym at school and now I go to the gym to do weight lifting four days a week.

I think the most important step for anyone who is starting a fitness routine is to try a few different workouts to see what fits you. Everyone is different and what entertains one person may bore another.

For example, I have a really hard time doing cardio. It seems to be the hardest of any workout for me

because I don’t push myself to run regularly. See, this is where many people would give up and leave the gym, but the thing is, running isn’t the only type of cardio you can do.

Swimming and cycling are great alternatives, and someone like me who can’t last 20 minutes on a treadmill may swim for an hour with no problem. Weight lifting when done a certain way can even be cardio!

The key to staying on your path of fitness goals is to do research before anything else. Like I said, you need to try a few different types of workouts before deciding what works for you, and researching all your possibilities is a great first step.

The first thing I do when I have a question about anything is google it. Trust me, if you have a question, no matter how silly it may be, it has

Myth: Drinking coffee is bad for me.

Truth: Like anything, coffee is ok for you to enjoy in moderation. Coffee contains many antioxidants that benefit your health and can reduce the likelihood of getting many diseases. Keep your coffee plain, many Starbuck’s drinks pack in calories and unhealthy ingredients such as creamer and chocolate.

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Myth: Red meat is bad for you.

Truth: Red meat is necessary for our bodies to help build muscle and support red blood cells because of the high amount of protein and iron in it. To keep red meat healthy, eat lean cuts like filet mignon and flank steak.

Myth: You shouldn’t eat late at night.

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Truth: While it is better for you to spread your meals out evenly throughout the day, it is ok to have a snack before bedtime. Many people believe that eating late at night will make you fat, but the amount of calories in your snack are the same in the afternoon as they are late at night. Like always, pick a healthy snack that is low in fat and

been googled already by someone, somewhere, and there will be plenty of answers out there for you.

When I started researching different types of workouts I started to notice that the women I aspired to look like all used weight lifting to stay fit. The more I googled the more I found that weight lifting would be a great fit for me. It’s a workout that I can do just a few times a week for an hour or less and the results start to show so quickly. It’s a great workout for anyone who wants to tone up and slim down, and just look like a better version of themselves. Plus, the health benefits are great! Weight lifting easily burns fat and replaces it with muscle while increasing your flexibility and revving up your metabolism.

If you feel like you’re stuck in

a rut and want to start an effective exercise routine, then the first step is to just go! Go to the gym and try a few different workouts to see what you like and what makes you feel great. Bring a friend along so you can motivate each other and if necessary plan out a weekly schedule and follow it. The most important advice I can give you is to stick with it, because if you are giving your all, you will start seeing results!

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Weight lifting not only strengthens muscles but bones too. Pumping some iron in the gym can help you reduce your chances of getting osteoporosis

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There’s an app for that!

With the popularity of the iPhone comes millions of applications that can do just about anything for you. I’ve compiled a list of the top health and fitness apps for you to try out.

Lose It! This app combines fitness and health to give you a full range of support. You can search for new recipes and workouts with ease, while the app tracks your fitness goals.

Fitness Builder This app practically does it everything for you! It gives you thousands of fitness videos to teach you how to workout, plus it tracks your progress and gives you a customized progress report.

Fooducate This app really is for a smart phone. With Fooducate you can scan the barcode of any food product to find out the nutrients in it. You can then compare different types of foods to find the healthiest option.

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There is an iPhone app that fines you for missing a trip to the gym! GymPact has a GPS tracking device that records whether or not you have been to the gym and fines you a minimum of $5 for each missed visit that you scheduled.

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BeatBurn BeatBurn is the app that keeps up with you! It uses beat-sync technology to match the beat of your music to the pace that you are running.

* iPhone App logos courtesy of Apple Application Store