How accurate are the calorie counters on fitness equipment?

Posted on February 10, 2020February 9, 2020 by Sol

How accurate are the calorie counters on fitness equipment?

I don’t know if anyone accepts cardio machine calorie counters as 100% accurate. They are only a guide, based on assumptions and formulas of averages. However, there is an emotional connection to seeing our effort displayed numerically.

When you begin your cardio machine workout, the machine will probably ask you to enter in your current weight and gender. Based on these answers, it will estimate how much effort is required to burn calories. However, several essential factors are not part of this equation, including fitness level, body composition, muscle mass, body size, and age. Without these details, your calorie count is one-size-fits-all.

But are all cardio machines created equal when it comes to caloric misrepresentation? A recent study named the elliptical the least accurate when it comes to calorie counting estimates. Most machines overestimate your burn by almost 40%.

Stair steppers are also guilty of inflating effort because most people lean on the display. Stair steppers can decrease your total calorie burn by as much as 50%. Even if you stand up straight and avoid placing any pressure on the machine frame, most stair steppers are overestimating your total burn by about 20%.

But there is good news. Experts agree that the calorie counters on treadmills are reasonably accurate, especially if you have entered in your weight and don’t use the handrails. Using the bars, especially on higher inclines, can throw off your reading by as much as 40%.

Stationary bikes often calculate based on technical data like METs (metabolic equivalents) and watts (which measures power outputs). Stationary bikes are the most accurate of all cardio machines, with an overestimation of only 7%.

Cardio exercise is essential to a balanced fitness routine. It strengthens your heart, boosts your mood by releasing endorphins, helps sleep, reduces joint stiffness, and may help manage high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes. When using a cardio machine to calculate effort, it’s best to use the number on the display as a guide. A couple of weeks ago, we talked about heart rate training and advised how you can make the most of your workouts by working in the different zones to assess effort. By applying this approach to your cardio workouts, you can maximize your time. By not using handrails, making your program instead of using presets, maintaining proper posture, and doing interval sprints, you can use these machines to your advantage.

It’s often hard for us to separate ourselves from the bright displays that reward us for our efforts. However, if you don’t have a heart rate monitor and are using calorie counters on your fitness equipment, you may be overestimating how hard you are working.

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Feeling the squeeze: the benefits of compression sportswear

Posted on February 3, 2020February 6, 2020 by Sol

Compression leggings / Image source: The Sports Edit

Feeling the squeeze: the benefits of compression sportswear

Many of us have a couple of outfits that we regularly wear to exercise and will rotate depending on the activity. Maybe you have a favourite top that stays in place during your downward dog or a pair of socks that gives you extra support on longer runs. And we don’t really consider how our clothing can help us achieve our fitness goals.

If you aren’t familiar with compression sport clothing, it’s time to learn about how these specialty design products may elevate our workouts.

Compression garments are skin-tight, yet flexible clothing made of supportive fabric like Spandex and Lycra. It is graded in its tightness to ease blood flow, it features wicking properties to reduce sweat pooling and keep you warm, whilst still allowing freedom of movement. Compression sportswear molds to your body to prevent the oscillation of the muscle during impact and increasing blood flow to the area. This is thought to prevent energy waste and assist in alignment. Additionally, the increase of blood flow ensures muscles are receiving a constant supply of oxygen, which helps sustain performance or enhance recovery.

Benefits of compression sportswear gear have been reported to include a reduction in muscle fatigue and soreness, faster recovery, reduction of swelling, improvement of blood flow, muscle strain prevention, skin protection, improved joint stabilization and muscle alignment, an increase in agility, and regulating body temperature.

That’s a lot to put on a pair of tights or a long-sleeved top … but is it true? Well, yes and no.

While there have not been conclusive studies on compression garments, and much of the evidence is with small groups of people or anecdotal, studies do exist that show the benefits of oxygen uptake to working muscles. There is also a small amount of research documenting how compression wear has reduced blood lactate levels after workouts.

And then, there’s our old friend the placebo effect. Any perceived performance improvements may be a result in how you feel wearing compression gear. Because you feel supported, you allow yourself to squat deeper or run longer. As we know, so much about exercise is mental rather than physical. Compression sportswear garments can stop the voices of self-doubt in your head and that’s a benefit we can all embrace.

Compression clothing is more expensive than what you’ll find in trendy workout stores or on the rack at Winners so you need to decide if it’s actually worth investing in a few key pieces to supplement your wardrobe. If you feel like a $150 pair of leggings is out of your budget (and for many of us it is), check the sale sections on websites like EC3D Sports or 2XU. You will be able to order last season’s products at a discount and make a decision if they are right for you.

If you have a race or big event coming up that will require extra support, a mental boost, and a speedier recovery, it might be time to treat yourself. After all, you don’t need to worry about hiking up your shorts as you dash through an obstacle at Tough Mudder. Just make sure that you have an opportunity to take your purchase on a test drive first to ensure that you like its fit and feel.

Monitoring your heart rate is a great way to gauge exercise efficiency

Posted on January 27, 2020January 27, 2020 by Sol

Monitoring heart rate is a great way to gauge exercise efficiency / Image source: James Martin/CNET

Monitoring your heart rate is a great way to gauge exercise efficiency

When we’re exercising, we want to make the most of our time. No matter what the activity, you want to feel like you’re putting in the right amount of effort to reach your goals.

The easiest way to measure exercise efficiency is through heart rate training. For all the exercise trackers out there with their different modes, the most important feature you can use to quantify your workout is a heart rate monitor. Calorie counters are nice but often inaccurate — and I’ll tackle this in an upcoming blog. If you know your heart rate, you can maintain a proper level of intensity and adjust throughout your workout.

To train successfully based on your heart rate, you need to know the maximum times your heart should beat during an activity. The best way to do this is to take 207 and subtract 0.7 times your age. This is called the theoretical maximum heart rate (MHR).

You can take this number and apply it to the different heart rate zones, depending on the activity.

Low intensity, the “fat-burning zone”, is 50% to 70% of your MHR.
Moderate intensity is 70% to 80% of your MHR. This would be when you’re putting in effort but are not uncomfortable.
High intensity is 80% to 90% of your MHR. This is where you’re pushing the anaerobic threshold. At this intensity, your cardiovascular system can’t deliver oxygen to your muscles fast enough.
Maximum effort is 90% to 100% of your MHR. Very few people can maintain a heart rate here — even highly trained athletes.

Depending on your goals, you may spend time training in different zones. If you’re running a marathon, you need to keep a steady pace. This translates to time spent in the Zone 1 and Zone 2 because endurance is key. If you are training for a 5K or doing intervals, you want to spend more time training in Zones 3. In this situation, short bursts of intensity will propel you forward.

But what about the “fat-burning zone”? If you want to lose weight, shouldn’t that be what you should aim for? Does this mean low intensity exercise is superior to high intensity activities? Zone 1 is only called the “fat-burning zone” because the body relies more on stored fat (versus carbs) as its primary fuel source when you work at a lower intensity compared to a higher intensity. Performing aerobic exercise at a low intensity is not a better way to lose weight than more intense physical activity.

No matter what you do, it is recommended that we spend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week to stay healthy. Heart rate training will ensure that you are working as efficiently as possible to meet your fitness and health goals. It can take the guesswork out of your workout.

The Future of Fitness explained: how CBD oil can help you feel better

Posted on January 20, 2020January 19, 2020 by Sol

CBD oil / Image source: openaccessgovernment.org

The Future of Fitness explained: how CBD oil can help you feel better

If you love to learn about new exercise and fitness trends, The Future of Fitness explains it to you in a way you can understand and separate the hype cycle from actual results.

Do you want a shot of CBD in your coffee? How about in your ice cream? It’s almost like everyone discovered this miraculous cure for diabetes, epilepsy, anxiety, and cancer overnight. But do you know the facts about CBD?

What is CBD?

Cannabinoids are chemical compounds that are produced naturally in our bodies and in some plants. Cannabinoids are similar to chemicals involved in appetite, memory, movement, and pain. There are more than 100 cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant and the most common one is Cannabidiol, or CBD.

How can I take CBD?

CBD is extracted from cannabis and is available as an oil or in capsule form. It can also be applied topically, inhaled, or ingested as an oil or in an edible.

How does it work?

CBD stimulates your endocannabinoid system by interacting with its cannabinoid receptors. This interaction activates the endocannabinoid system so it can better regulate the body and keep functions in balance.

Can I get high on CBD?

CBD will not get you high. Unlike delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the major active ingredient in marijuana, CBD is not psychoactive. CBD can make you feel relaxed and calm but you will not feel intoxicated.

What is it used for?

CBD is used to provide relief to people suffering from pain and other ailments. CBD is known to provide relief for chronic pain, anxiety, inflammation, depression and many other conditions. At the moment, a great deal of scientific research is examining CBD as a treatment option for neurological conditions, autoimmune diseases, metabolic syndromes, neuropsychiatric illnesses, skin diseases, gut disorders, and cardiovascular dysfunctions.

Does it work?

CBD wasn’t recognized as a medicine by the FDA until 2018. A pure pharmaceutical formulation of CBD called Epidiolex was approved for the treatment of two severe paediatric seizure disorders, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome.

Should I Try It?

Because of the stigma associated with marijuana, science hasn’t caught up to embracing CBD as quickly as it should. Most doctors are unaware of the benefits of CBD and may be reluctant to recommend it to patients. It’s also difficult to prescribe a specific dosage or best mode of administration. Additionally, we aren’t sure how CBD interacts with other drugs.

But research is underway. As more countries legalize and embrace the benefits of cannabis products, CBD will move from the fringes to the mainstream. This will allow us all to make evidence-based decisions about how to incorporate this treatment into our lives.

More Information Please!

Try these links and get educated about CBD:

Signing on for Dry January can reset more than just your relationship with alcohol

Posted on January 13, 2020January 12, 2020 by Sol

Illustration for Dry January Image source: Viktoria Hnatiuk / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Signing on for Dry January can reset more than just your relationship with alcohol

Each January, more and more people decide to commit to a month without alcohol. This year, it is estimated that one in ten drinkers will try Dry January. But does quitting booze for a month really make a difference to our health and should you take part in this new tradition?

If you approach Dry January thoughtfully, it can feel less like a fad and more like an opportunity to reset. Dry January can help you commit to a New Year’s resolution to cut back on alcohol after a month of indulgences.The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines moderate drinking as up to four alcoholic drinks for men and three for women in any single day and a maximum of 14 drinks for men and seven drinks for women per week.

Dropping alcohol for one month can lower blood pressure, improve your insulin resistance, and reduce blood levels of a signaling protein linked to cancer, according to a small study. People who quit drinking for a month also find it easier afterward. Additionally, refraining from alcohol will relieve metabolic stress on your liver — as about half of all liver disease deaths are from alcoholic liver disease. It can also positively affect your sleep habits, immune system, and help reduce anxiety.

However, it’s important to remember that abstaining from alcohol for one month will not make up for eleven months of binge drinking. The true health benefits associated with cutting out alcohol are based on long term abstinence.

The biggest benefits of Dry January, a short period of abstinence, are psychological or psychosocial ones. If you think your regular (or excessive) drinking habits might be contributing to how you are feeling (mentally, physically, socially, etc.), removing alcohol can give you the perspective you need to make sustainable, healthy changes.

While Dry January won’t directly cure your depression, stepping back from your nightly drinks can provide the distance you need to assess your motivation for drinking. When not self-medicating, you’ll be in a better position to recognize that you might need help from a doctor or therapist.

When you remove alcohol from social situations, does it change how you want to spend your time? Are you ordering that mimosa at brunch because you like it…or because that’s the expectation in your friend group? How much is external pressure part of your alcohol consumption? It’s hard to critically observe these situations when you’re in the middle of them. Taking a step back always helps, and Dry January gives you an excuse, if you need one, to observe the dynamics of your personal relationships.

Like cutting out any other harmful substance in our lives, focusing more on what we gain — rather than what we lose — is key to success. Participating in Dry January can provide you with clarity and inspire you to make larger positive life changes.

Anyone can make resolutions for the New Year. Here are some strategies for the New Decade

Posted on January 6, 2020January 5, 2020 by Sol

women on couch at New Decade party / Photo by cottonbro from Pexels

Anyone can make resolutions for the New Year. Here are some strategies for the New Decade

New decade resolutions can be bold. They can be aspirational…but they can also be intimidating. They can be small steps you take to answer the question “Who do I want to be in 10 years”? Or, they can be frightening. When you evaluate where you currently are, how will you get to be the person you always dreamed you could be?

Maybe you’re already there — living a life that is emotionally, romantically, physically, financially, and spiritually satisfying. And if that’s you…congratulations. However, most of us aren’t where we ever pictured ourselves. Whether it’s arbitrary age-related timelines or surprise curveballs in multiple careers, sometimes we’re so far away from our life goals that it’s difficult to know where to start.

Last year, we offered some strategies to help you stick to your resolutions. Starting small, focusing on a single challenge, being realistic, and tracking your progress are still the expert-recommended approaches to accomplishing lifestyle habits that don’t dissolve in February. This year, inspired by the new decade, let’s look at how you can practically set yourself up for success today to accomplish more in the next 10 years.

Stop talking, start doing.

Are you one of those people who is always telling your friends about how you want to start a podcast, write a book, learn to scuba dive, run a marathon, and take up an instrument…but you haven’t done anything about it? Well, this is the year where you need to take small steps to accomplish these things. Can you swap Sunday morning brunch for a quiet hour of writing, researching, running, or taking classes? Like everything in life, if it’s important enough, you will dedicate the time and energy to do it. If not, it’s time to let go and stop making empty promises.

Add, don’t remove.

So much of the trapping of diet culture is about deprivation. It’s about what you can’t eat. Once something is forbidden, we only want it more. If your goal for this decade is to be healthy, consider adding something to your daily routine. Whether it’s adding a walk around the block after dinner or a cup of bone broth every day, adding things into your life switches the focus. It reinforces how much we have and allows us to celebrate and be grateful.

Be reflective, not reactive.

We live in a culture that rewards instant gratification. We are expected to respond as soon as possible to emails, text messages, feeds, streams…and this can lead to emotional overload. We all need a time out to take a moment and compose ourselves before speaking or typing. Slowing down and being deliberate and thoughtful helps us to take a moment to evaluate how we really feel — keeping our emotions from ruling our lives.

Ask for help. You are not alone.

From coaches to therapists, there are people out there who understand what you’re going through. There are teachers who can provide you with new skills and trainers to help you perfect your form. These people exist to help you achieve greatness. They are there for you. Asking for help can be scary but it’s essential if you want to grow in this new decade. Not only will they help you meet your goals, but developing a relationship with a person who really understands you will help you grow in ways you never imagined.

These four approaches to resolutions are tough ones. They require you to really look at your life, evaluate your priorities, and make uncomfortable changes. It’s often easier to stay static than confront things that make us uneasy. However, if we start seriously considering who we want to be on the evening of 2029, we have to start somewhere. And we can do it together.

Let’s never do that again: a decade of bad decisions

Posted on December 30, 2019December 29, 2019 by Sol

Let's never do that again: a decade of bad decisions

As the 2010s come to a close, itu2019s easy for us to look back on the way we lived. In the present, the decisions we made in the past can be questionable u2014 especially when it comes to advice about health and wellness.

Ah, wellness. Thereu2019s a word weu2019re going to ban from our vocabulary the moment the clock strikes midnight on New Yearu2019s Eve.

While u201cwellnessu201d may have started the decade as a way of optimizing our fitness routines, exploring alternatives cures, and investing in self-care, it has bloomed into a pseudoscience that promotes the myths of the diet industry. In the eyes of wellness, we need to invest large sums of money into dangerous, unproven cures and techniques that look great on social media and do nothing for our bodies. The wellness industry, from essential oils to extreme diets, prioritizes thinness as an outward display of health.

In the final days of 2019, letu2019s say NO to the irresponsible trends of the past decade.

But if we are rejecting so much, what should we be embracing? Here are some suggestions:

Nobodyu2019s life magically changes at the stroke of midnight and weu2019re all trying to get better. Letu2019s make positive steps by removing lies, hype, and hatred from how we get healthy this year and celebrate that we have as we get stronger, smarter, and kinder in the new year.

All the hype surrounding gluten-free eating? Forget about it

Posted on December 16, 2019December 16, 2019 by Sol

Gluten-free diets / image source: healthline.org

You know all the hype surrounding gluten-free eating? Forget about it

I think it’s fair to say that 2019 has been the year of the Keto diet. Keto products, apps that measure fat, cookbooks, and controversies have been top-of-mind in so many of my discussions with my clients. We talked about the keto diet and unpacked the way populate diets cycle through our culture. Coming behind the keto diet in terms of questions and interest is a gluten-free diet. Is a gluten-free diet the key to a healthier, happier you?

Gluten is found in grains such as wheat, barley, rye, and a cross between wheat and rye called triticale. Gluten is to be avoided or removed from your diet if you have been diagnosed with celiac disease, dermatitis herpetiformis, or a gluten-sensitivity. Celiac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis are both autoimmune disorders and affect those who cannot digest gluten. A gluten-sensitivity is an allergic reaction to gluten, and individuals diagnosed with this experience symptoms include diarrhea, constipation, bloating, and pain. For people who have these issues, a gluten-free diet will provide you with relief from the symptoms of these illnesses.

But what about the rest of us? Can we benefit from a reduction in gluten as well?

You know how we talked about trends like cleanses and detoxes that take your money and do little for you? Well, gluten-free is a $4 billion dollar business, being kept afloat by promises of wellness and weight loss. It’s a trendy diet and a quick fix. Why wouldn’t this industry promote the idea of gluten-free?

It won’t make you lose weight. Going gluten-free may mean that you will initially lose weight because you will be taking unhealthy carbohydrates (like cake, muffins, cookies, white bread, etc.) from your diet. There are far healthier and easier ways to lose weight than going gluten-free.

It isn’t a healthier way to eat. Cutting out wheat, rye, barley, and other grains that provide gluten eliminates some of the key sources of complex carbohydrates that we need in a balanced diet. You will also lose fibre, B vitamins, and folate. Gluten-free breads, cereals, and crackers may tend to be lower in fibre, are generally not fortified. Fortified products provide you with iron, calcium, and vitamin D. Gluten-free products are often higher in sugar and fat to compensate for a loss of texture and flavour.

If you know anyone who suffers from a medically-diagnosed gluten issue, and finds tiniest taste of gluten triggering debilitating gastrointestinal discomfort, they will let you know that this is a time consuming, expensive, and restrictive diet. Based on pseudo-science, trendiness, and consumerism, gluten-free is yet another way for us to remove important nutrients from our diets and celebrate quick fixes over long-term lifestyle changes.

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We Wish You a Merry Fit-Mas — 2019 Edition

Posted on December 9, 2019February 2, 2020 by Sol

We Wish You a Merry Fit-Mas — 2019 Edition

Last year we provided you with some fitness gift guidance as we headed into the holidays. Here’s our revised list as you prepare to pick up presents for your loved ones.

Tech gadgets

Nobody ever unwraps fitness technology and asks for a gift receipt. There are so many options available for the tech-loving fitness buff in your life. From smart watches to clip-on trackers, these devices track data and allow you to see trends.

« ‹ 1 of 11 › »

So, there’s our annual rundown of fitness-inspired gifts to keep everyone happy and healthy well into 2020!

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There are predators in the fitness industry. Who knew?

Posted on December 2, 2019December 9, 2019 by Sol

Bikram Chowdhury / publicity image from Bikram: Yogi, Guru, Predator (2019)

There are predators in the fitness industry. Who knew?

So, Bikram, right?

Over the past two weeks, I’ve had a number of clients ask me if I watched the documentary “Bikram: Yoga. Guru. Predator” which is currently streaming on Netflix. It’s a cautionary tale of worshipping false idols, extreme capitalism, and enabling the wrongdoings of a predator in exchange for career advancement. The film is eye-opening for some and recycled history for others.

I’ve previously written about yoga and the challenges it is currently facing. From the consumer culture that surrounds a yoga lifestyle to the measures studios are taking to ensure consent in a silent practice, yoga is changing. Podcasts like Yoga is Dead are exploring the toxicity that surrounds yoga from its appropriation by white women to the strict veganism that practically enforces eating disorders. Yoga is having its own reckoning, prompted by questioning devotees who are asking how this solitary form of reflection is now being marketed as a calorie-burning efficient exercise to tone and sculpt.

I actually attended one of Bikram’s classes years ago when I was in Los Angeles. Clad in that tiny speedo and weighed down by that huge Rolex, I joined other devotees in the Hollywood Bowl as he ran us through the set exercises. Starting every single sentence with “the problem with you Americans” and displaying more megalomania than I initially thought humanly possible, the 90-minutes was a sweaty ego-filled circus. I was bemused but others were entranced.

As a trainer, I know that different people respond to different approaches. There are those who want me to be a drill sergeant and those who expect me to be a supportive therapist. Over the years I’ve learned that cruelty is not synonymous with authority or expertise. I can think of other popular fitness gurus, (Jillian Michaels, anyone?) who have built their entire identity and success on a tough-love persona. The idea that you need to break someone down and then build them up to achieve results has more to do with the trainer than their students. They want to be seen as the only person who can create results. They want to be idolized and admired for being the single truth teller in a sea of complicity. And they do this by using their ego to manipulate their followers.

Until something breaks. Maybe they let their podcast audience know that it’s okay for a pregnant woman to have a glass of wine with dinner or encourage them to reject antidepressants because they cause weight gain. Maybe they pay special attention to the young women in their class and touch them inappropriately under the guise of an adjustment. Predators and bullies are everywhere and it’s up to you to detach yourself from them the moment you feel uncomfortable. If their behaviour is criminal, then report it. If it’s foolish then unsubscribe.

We all have the power to take care of ourselves and others. We don’t need investigative journalists and documentarians to confirm that icky feeling. If something feels wrong, it probably is. This journey is about self-improvement and self-presentation, so don’t fall under the spell of someone who fails on all accounts.

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Author: Sol