Equipment Spotlight: Stationary Bike
Recumbent and Upright Stationary Bike
Before beginning your workout it is important to adjust the seat to the correct position for you. Sit on the bike and place your feet on the pedals. Your knee should have a slight bend in it when your leg is completely extended. When you find the correct position for you adjust the straps on the pedals to fit your foot comfortably. This will prevent your feet from slipping off the pedals during your workout.
The console will turn on as soon as you begin to pedal. You then have the option of pushing quick start or to select from a variety of workouts. These workouts include fat burn, cardio, random, manual, zone training, personal trainer, and hill plus. The workout buttons can be found on the display console.
Fat Burn- This workout is low intensity used to burn an individual’s fat reserves. The program adjusts intensity to maintain a heart rate that is 65% of an individual’s maximum heart rate.
Cardio- This workout is high intensity. It focuses on cardiovascular benefits as well as burning fat to the max. The program adjusts intensity to maintain a heart rate that is 80% of an individual’s maximum heart rate.
Random- This program changes levels with no specific pattern or progression. If your looking for a workout to keep you on your toes and prevent you from getting bored this is a good one to consider.
Manual- This workout allows you to change the intensity level of your workout when ever you choose to or you can keep your workout constant throughout.
Other workout programs include zone training, personal trainer, and hill plus.
When using the upright bike you can set your goal using three different measurements. Choose one from calories, distance or time. Set your goal and your workout will be complete once you reach your goal. When choosing a workout the display will prompt you to enter your age, time, and intensity level which you can do so with the number pad on the right of the display. After entering a number press enter. To change the time or level of intensity of your workout use the arrows labeled so. To turn the personal tv monitor on and off you must be pedaling, then press the red power button. To change the station you can you use the number pad on the left of the display. All that’s left to do is to enjoy your workout!
For more information visit us at: http://www.newlifehealthandwellness.com/About_Us.html
IF THE SHOE FITS
While some sports are played barefoot in other parts of the world, most of us are required and benefit from the use of athletic shoes. The purpose of an athletic shoe is to support your feet and protect them from stress as well as allowing you to achieve your maximum potential in the sport.
When you purchase your shoes, remember that your feet will hit the ground over 1600 times every mile you run. If your footwear is the wrong size or doesn’t fit your needs, you are going to find it uncomfortable, probably annoying, and even worse it could lead to injury. So what do you need to look for? Number one rule; you should NOT have to break in an athletic shoe. It should be comfortable as soon as you try it on.
The excellence of the shoe comes from the fit and the biomechanics. Your pronation factor is crucial to consider when choosing the right shoe. Pronation is the natural movement of your feet when they touch the ground. All feet roll inwards as the ball of the foot touches the ground. You can check this by looking at the wear patterns on your old running shoes. If you tend to wear out your shoes first on the outside, you probably tend to underpronate; if you wear out your shoes more to the inside, look for a shoe for over-pronators. You also need to know what type of foot you have, our feet are all built differently; some people have a lower arch and some people have a higher arch; still others have completely flat feet. All the different types of feet require different types of support in running shoes. So taking that into consideration, it is important to make sure you have the proper shoe for your foot type and pronation factor.
The biggest and most common mistake I see people make is to bargain shop for an inexpensive first pair of running shoes right off the clearance table. After all, who wants to pay a lot for shoes when you may not actually use them much? This observation makes sense, but this kind of thinking will likely lead you to quit after a couple of miserable runs. When purchasing from the clearance rack, more often than not you get a pair of running shoes that are malformed for your foot, too heavy or too light, or just plain do not fit right. This can potentially cause injury to your feet, legs, hips, or even your back. Forget bargains. What you need to start running is the right shoe, not the cheapest. Be sure that whatever price you decide to pay for the shoes, it’s because the shoe has the features that meet your needs….not because it’s a certain brand or is worn by a celebrity.
Email us at info@newlifehealthandwellness.com or call us for further information or directions on where to go to get the best advice. Check out our website as well!
Equipment Spotlight: Total Body Trainer
The Total Body Trainer also known as the elliptical is a fun option for cardio if you are bored of the treadmill. To mount the elliptical grab onto the handles that do not move and lift feet onto the pedals. Once mounted press the start button and begin pedaling to start your workout. You can select quick start or select the program button that has the workout you would like to do. Once you have selected a workout the machine will ask you a series of question consisting of you weight and workout time (if you select quick start these questions will not be asked). Once you have entered the value for each question, asked by the machine, press enter. To adjust values use the arrow keys. To adjust the level of the elliptical use the arrow keys. The display on the elliptical allows you to see your level, heart rate, distance, speed, calories, and time.
Similar to the treadmill, the elliptical has various workout options. To start you workout quickly without entering in you weight or time desired press quick start. Otherwise you can select from variety of workouts including manual, random, fat burn, cardio, hill plus, personal trainer, and zone training.
The manual program allows you to adjust the level intensity when you want. Nothing changes automatically.
The random program sets up a random terrain of hills and valleys that is different each time you select the program.
The fat burn program is a workout that keeps your heart rate at 65% of your maximum heart rate. This program is best used if the person is wearing a chest strap that allows the heart rate to be read. The intensity level is adjusted to maintain the target heart rate.
The cardio program is similar to the fat burn program. The cardio program adjusts the intensity level to keep your heart rate at 80% of its maximum heart rate. This makes the cardio program more intense than the fat burn program.
The hill program consists of different intervals. The intervals alternate from intense exercise to lower-intensity exercise. On the display module the high and low intensity is represented by the red columns which will appear tall or short based on intensity. There are four phases that the hill program goes through. First is a warm-up which gradually increases resistance and gets the heart rate working towards the lower end of your target zone. The second phase is the Plateau where the program becomes a little more difficult but keeps it at a steady pace so that the heart rate is at the low end of the target zone. You should check your heart rate at the end of this phase. The third phase is the actual interval training. The machine will alternate between hills and valleys. The hills will increasingly get steeper and the valleys are for recover. Your heart rate should get to the high end of your target zone and you should check it at the end of this phase. The last phase is the cool down.
The personal trainer program and zone training program are two other options available on the elliptical. Keep in mind that when working out on the elliptical you have the option of working out in reverse mode. You simply select reverse mode and the machine will alternate from a forward motion for five minutes to a backward motion for five minutes and so on. The reverse mode can be used with the quick start, manual, and random programs. Another option the elliptical has to offer is the aerobics mode. This workout is similar to working out with a trainer. The message center will send messages such as use your upper body more, or use your lower body more, or increase your workload, etc. The aerobics mode can be used with the quick start, manual, and random programs as well. To select either the reverse mode or aerobics mode push the button that is locate next to the number pad
Is your dance card so full that finding time to take a breath of air seems impossible! You’ve read and heard that taking a yoga or meditation class would be highly beneficial but between work, family and community commitments, we barely have time to pet the dog let alone find time for self nurturing! Unfortunately all these obligations take a toll on our bodies and minds, leaving us exhausted and “stressed out”. Many of us start to wish someone would give us a time out just so we could close our eyes and catch our breath, even just for a moment.
Well the good news is, that even brief moments of stillness and deep breathing can literally alter our brain waves, helping to manage anxiety and depression, and even help lower blood pressure. A regular practice of hatha (physical) yoga combined with pranyama (conscience breathing) has been shown to help regulate weight, build strength, tone and reshape your body, and reduce stress and anxiety.. The word hatha means willful or forceful. Hatha yoga refers to a set of physical exercises (known as asanas or postures), designed to align your skin, muscles and bones. The postures are also designed to open the many energy channels of the body – especially the main channel, the spine so that energy can flow freely.
Yoga is amazing – even if you only practice for one hour a week, you will experience the benefits of the practice. If you can do more than that, you will certainly experience more benefits. Unlike stretching or fitness, yoga is more than just physical postures. Incorporating mindfulness and breath with the postures helps us to direct our attention inward. Through this process of inward attention, we learn to recognize our habitual thinking patterns, which for many of us are the root causes of stress and anxiety. Once these patterns are recognized we begin to cultivate a more nurturing, positive attitude towards ourselves.
One of the most common questions people ask is “if I am not flexible, how can I do yoga?”. Actually, they are the perfect candidates.. Many people think that they need to be flexible to begin yoga, but that’s a little bit like thinking that you need to be able to play tennis in order to take tennis lesions. Come as you are and you will find that a yoga practice will help you become more flexible.
This newfound agility will be balanced by strength, coordination, and enhanced cardiovascular health, as well as a sense of physical confidence and overall well-being. Give our yoga class a try, it might make you see yourself in a whole new light!
For more information visit http://www.newlifehealthandwellness.com/Group_Fitness.html Yoga is included with our regular membership!!
Often times implementing lifestyle changes or starting an exercise routine can seem like a daunting task. On the other hand, maintaining the motivation and discipline to adhere to physical activity can be even more difficult. And in this information age the mass media often wields a double-edged sword-it brings needed information to the masses, but often when this information finally arrives to you and me it has been tainted by the need to sell advertising or watered down for fear of litigation. Here are some suggestions and tips to make exercise a part of your life:
This is a cute way of re-stating one of our old high school physics lessons-the Law of Inertia- an object at rest will remain at rest or an object in constant motion will remain in constant motion unless acted upon by an outside force. If you’re already physically active- GOOD-keep at it! It is much easier to maintain your routine than to start from scratch. Spice things up a bit, vary what you do, but by no means retreat back to the sofa and remote. If you haven’t started yet, START! Walk, work in your garden, use an elliptical machine, lift weights-do something. Doing something is always better than doing nothing. You can always get some coaching here at Teamworks or get more information on your chosen activity later on. You all know the abysmal health statistics in this country. Let this be your outside force and not a heart attack or cancer!
You know exactly what I am talking about. The hulking giant of a man in the gym who can’t bend his arms to drink his protein shake or the super skinny, tanned diva who always seems to let people know about her whole food organic food program. Folks, let me tell you-9 times out of 10 these people have no idea what they are talking about! These people are not products of their training, but they flocked to this type of training because they already had an affinity for it. In other words, big guys often get into weight lifting because they are already big and it is something they can excel at. Skinny women get into aerobics because they find it is easy for them to do with little weight to move around. Just because someone has a genetic gift towards throwing a baseball, does not mean they can teach you to be a first rate pitcher.
Secondly, aside from the gym muscle-heads, be wary where you get the rest of your fitness information. The majority of fitness books, magazines, and articles on the internet aren’t worth the paper they are written on. Recently, a student at a local high school where I work at left one of the popular muscle magazines lying around. Out of mere curiosity I decided to see what, if any, value this mag actually had. Out of a total of 268 pages, 161 full pages were dedicated to selling supplements and products! In fact only about 30 pages were dedicated to training programs advocated by the “elite” fitness and body-building gurus. All in all, I found about 5 tidbits of substantive information in the entire magazine! The best thing you can do, in my opinion, is go on a media-fast. Quit reading useless magazines, stop watching television and listening to the latest gimmick and hype, and stop the internet browsing of the latest “fad” exercise short-cuts. Why fear the muscle-head? Just don’t listen to them!
When-ever you have purpose or a long term vision of what you want to accomplish, self-discipline is virtually self-imposed. This is especially true when it comes to our health or physical activities. Envision where you’re trying to go, avoid the pitfalls of distractions, and preserve through the process. Think long-term and you’re well on your way to not only starting a new exercise program, but maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
I hope these tips help you to engage in a healthy lifestyle this new year!!
Check out our website at http://www.newlifehealthandwellness.com and see how our unique programs can keep you on track!!
FUNCTIONAL FLEXIBILITY
Here in America “stretching” is almost a cult fitness phenomenon. You would be hard pressed to find a fitness guru who did not advocate the myriad supposed benefits of stretching exercises. Many of you, perhaps, have a number of stretches you have been performing for years that you swear by. Yet more often than not I have discovered that the majority of people have no idea how to improve or maintain real flexibility or even how much “flexibility” constitutes enough. No fitness topic seems to generate more confusion or inspire more heated debates than the idea of stretching for flexibility.
Whenever I ask someone why they stretch invariably they reply that they are either loosening up their muscles, trying to prevent injuries, or that they are “warming up”. This is standard exercise doctrine for anyone who has grown up here in the U.S over the past 20+ years. These answers are based upon the following two premises: Muscles and connective tissues need to be stretched to improve flexibility and the more flexible one is the better off ones’ performance will likely be. My purpose in this article is to debunk this first myth. Next month we’ll talk about how much flexibility is enough and how to get started.
Stretching is not the best way to become flexible. Let me repeat that statement. Stretching, as we have come to know it, is not the best way to become flexible. Though this may come as a surprise to most of us, it is actually based on hard science and good common sense. Most of us rely on the elasticity of our tissues when we stretch. Yet as we age we begin to lose a good deal of our flexibility. This is because a life-time of activity builds up micro-trauma in our muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Whenever this trauma heals, it forms a scar which pulls the wound together, and in turn shortens the length of muscle and stiffens the ligaments and tendons. Furthermore, studies have shown that as we age, our tendons and ligaments, which are comprised of the fibers collagen (the tensile type of fiber) and elastin (the “stretchable” type of fiber), begin to shift their constitution predominantly towards collagen. Imagine the difference of trying to “stretch” a toothpick compared to a rubber band and you can see why this type of “stretching” just doesn’t make sense.
The other major reason why traditional stretching does not improve or maintain flexibility is a phenomenon called antagonist passive insufficiency. This is simply a fancy term given to a protective response of your nervous system. Based on previous experiences such as sitting all day, repetitive work tasks, or poor exercise techniques, your nervous system develops and maintains a comfortable length for your muscles. Whenever you attempt a new activity or stretching exercise, fear and tension kicks in and this reflex action of your nervous system prevents your muscles from reaching its full length. A good example of this action would be if you attempted to perform a traditional gymnast split. The truth is that the only reason why you can not perform a split like a gymnast is because of this nervous system principle, not because of your muscle length. Sound crazy? Take a look at any anatomical picture of your legs and you will see that your leg muscles boast independent suspension-in other words, your leg muscles from your right leg do not cross over into your left leg. Learn to rewrite your body’s software program and there is no reason why you can not have the flexibility of a gymnast.
Real flexibility has everything to do with the condition of your nervous system and joint health and nothing to do with the elasticity of your muscles, ligaments and tendons. Regardless of what you have been taught, or your current age or conditioning level, you can improve your flexibility and ability to move by re-learning the correct way to “stretch”. Talk to one of our personal trainer’s today on how you can start to learn some correct techniques or try out our weekly Yoga class. Keep your eyes peeled for next month’s article on how much stretching is enough and for a few new “stretches. Have fun, and learn how to stretch the functional way!
Hi Everyone,
This was sent to me today and I thought It was important to send out. It is something I have read before and gives food for thought for anyone reading it!!
As many of you know, I am NOT a fan of any artificial sweetners. My son, who has Type 1 Diabetes does not do much "sugar free" items for these reasons...
I'd love to hear you thoughts!
SWEET POISON... A MUST READ!
In October of 2001, my sister started getting very sick. She had stomach spasms and she was having a hard time getting around. Walking was a major chore. It took everything she had just to get out of bed; she was in so much pain.
By March 2002, she had undergone several tissue and muscle biopsies and was on 24 various prescription medications. The doctors could not determine what was wrong with her She was in so much pain, and so sick she just knew she was dying.
She put her house, bank accounts, life insurance, etc., in her oldest daughter's name, and made sure that her younger children were to be taken care of.
She also wanted her last hooray, so she planned a trip to Florida (basically in a wheelchair) for March 22nd.
On March 19, I called her to ask how her most recent tests went, and she said they didn't find anything on the test, but they believe she had MS.
I recalled an article a friend of mine e-mailed to me and I asked my sister if she drank diet soda? She told me that she did. As a matter of fact, she was getting ready to crack one open that moment.
I told her not to open it, and to stop drinking the diet soda! I e-mailed her an article my friend, a lawyer, had sent. My sister called me within 32 hours after our phone conversation and told me she had stopped drinking the diet soda AND she could walk! The muscle spasms went away. She said she didn't feel 100% but, she sure felt a lot better.
She told me she was going to her doctor with this article and would call me when she got home.
Well, she called me, and said her doctor was amazed! He is going to call all of his MS patients to find out if they consumed artificial sweeteners of any kind. In a nutshell, she was being poisoned by the Aspartame in the diet soda... and literally dying a slow and miserable death.
When she got to Florida March 22, all she had to take was one pill, and that was a pill for the Aspartame poisoning! She is well on her way to a complete recovery. And she is walking! No wheelchair! This article saved her life.
If it says 'SUGAR FREE' on the label; DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!
I have spent several days lecturing at the WORLD ENVIRONMENTAL CONFERENCE on 'ASPARTAME,' marketed as'Nutra Sweet,' 'Equal,' and 'Spoonful.'
In the keynote address by the EPA, it was announced that in the United States in 2001 there is an epidemic of multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus. It was difficult to determine exactly what toxin was causing this to be rampant. I stood up and said that I was there to lecture on exactly that subject.
I will explain why Aspartame is so dangerous: When the temperature of this sweetener exceeds 86 degrees F, the wood alcohol in ASPARTAME converts to formaldehyde and then to formic acid, which in turn causes metabolic acidosis. Formic acid is the poison found in the sting of fire ants. The methanol toxicity mimics, among other conditions, multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus.
Many people were being diagnosed in error. Although multiple sclerosis is not a death sentence, Methanol toxicity is!
Systemic lupus has become almost as rampant as multiple sclerosis, especially withDiet Coke and Diet Pepsi drinkers.
The victim usually does not know that the Aspartame is the culprit. He or she continues its use; irritating the lupus to such a degree that it may become a life-threatening condition. We have seen patients with systemic lupus become asymptotic, once taken off diet sodas.
In cases of those diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, most of the symptoms disappear. We've seen many cases where vision loss re turned and hearing loss improved markedly.
This also applies to cases of tinnitus and fibromyalgia. During a lecture, I said, 'If you are using ASPARTAME (Nutra Sweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc) and you suffer from fibromyalgia symptoms, spasms, shooting, pains, numbness in your legs,
Cramps,
Vertigo,
Dizziness,
Headaches,
Tinnitus,
Joint pain,
Unexplainable depression, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, blurred vision, or memory loss you probably have ASPARTAME poisoning!' People were jumping up during the lecture saying, 'I have some of these symptoms. Is it reversible?'
Yes!
Yes!
Yes!
STOP drinking diet sodas and be alert for Aspartame on food labels! Many products are fortified with it! This is a serious problem. Dr. Espart (one of my speakers) remarked that so many people seem to be symptomatic for MS and during his recent visit to a hospice; a nurse stated that six of her friends, who were heavyDiet Coke addicts, had all been diagnosed with MS. This is beyond coincidence!
Diet soda is NOT a diet product! It is a chemically altered, multiple SODIUM (salt) and ASPARTAME containing product that actually makes you crave carbohydrates.
It is far more likely to make you GAIN weight!
These products also contain formaldehyde, which stores in the fat cells, particularly in the hips and thighs. Formaldehyde is an absolute toxin and is used primarily to preserve 'tissue specimens.'
Many products we use every day contain this chemical but we SHOULD NOT store it IN our body!
Dr. H. J. Roberts stated in his lectures that once free of the 'diet products ' and with no significant increase in exercise; his patients lost an average of 19 pounds over a trial period.
Aspartame is especially dangerous for diabetics. We found that some physicians, who believed that they had a patient with retinopathy, in fact, had symptoms caused by Aspartame. The Aspartame drives the blood sugar out of control. Thus diabetics may suffer acute memory loss due to the fact that aspartic acid and phenylalanine are NEUROTOXIC when taken without the other amino acids necessary for a good balance.
Treating diabetes is all about BALANCE. Especially with diabetics, the Aspartame passes the blood/brain barrier and it then deteriorates the neurons of the brain; causing various levels of brain damage,Seizures,Depression, Manic depression, Panic attacks,Uncontrollable anger and rage.
Consumption of Aspartame causes these same symptoms in non-diabetics as well. Documentation and observation also reveal that thousands of children diagnosed with ADD and ADHD have had complete turnarounds in their behavior when these chemicals have been removed from their diet.
So called 'behavior modification prescription drugs' (Ritalin and others) are no longer needed. Truth be told, they were never NEEDED in the first place!
Most of these children were being 'poisoned' on a daily basis with the very foods that were 'better for them than sugar.'
It is also suspected that the Aspartame in thousands of pallets of diet Coke and diet Pepsi consumed by men and women fighting in the Gulf War, may be partially to blame for the well-known Gulf War Syndrome.
Dr. Roberts warns that it can cause birth defects, i.e. mental retardation, if taken at the time of conception and during early pregnancy. Children are especially at risk for neurological disorders and should NEVER be given artificial sweeteners.
There are many different case histories to relate of children suffering grand mal seizures and other neurological disturbances talking about a plague of neurological diseases directly caused by the use of this deadly poison.'
Herein lies the problem: There were Congressional Hearings when Aspartame was included in 100 different products and strong objection was made concerning its use. Since this initial hearing, there have been two subsequent hearings, and still nothing has been done. The drug and chemical lobbies have very deep pockets.
Sadly, MONSANTO'S patent on Aspartame has EXPIRED! There are now over 5,000 products on the market that contain this deadly chemical and there will be thousands more introduced. Everybody wants a 'piece of the Aspartame pie.'
I assure you that MONSANTO, the creator of Aspartame, knows how deadly it is.
And isn't it ironic that MONSANTO funds, among others, the American Diabetes Association, the American Dietetic Association and the Conference of the American College of Physicians?
This has been recently exposed in the New York Times. These [organizations] cannot criticize any additives or convey their link to MONSANTO because they take money from the food industry and are required to endorse their products.
Senator Howard Metzenbaum wrote and presented a bill that would require label warnings on products containing Aspartame, especially regarding pregnant women, children and infants.
The bill would also institute independent studies on the known dangers and the problems existing in the general population regarding seizures, changes in brain chemistry, neurological changes and behavioral symptoms.
The bill was killed.
It is known that the powerful drug and chemical lobbies are responsible for this, letting loose the hounds of disease and death on an unsuspecting and uninformed public. Well, you're informed now!
Please print this out and/or e-mailto your family and friends.
Spotlight on Functional Training
Summer is the time of year when most of us typically engage in more physical activities. As the weather warms up, so we New Englanders begin to venture outside the cozy confines of our homes. After being cooped up inside throughout the winter months, activities such as gardening and landscaping will soon seem like pleasant work again. Softball, golf, and running will certainly occupy some of our hobby time. Summertime means many of us will push ourselves towards a leaner, sleeker physique deemed fit for those weekend beach excursions.
With all of the various activities associated with the summer season comes a challenging array of physical demands and time commitments. We want to perform all of our activities well, look great and have fun, and reduce the potential of an unexpected injury. With these thoughts in mind, here are a few suggestions to put a spring in your step…..
If you are looking to get fit and lose weight for summer remember…
Although you can train in the short term to improve your physical appearance, the functional approach to a better looking body is a long term endeavor. Life-style changes are the foundation for all fitness goals. Slow, steady, realistic changes to reach your goals are the best approach and keep you off the yo-yo, binge approach to dieting and last minute exercise.
For our bodies to function, we must bring nutrition into our body, circulate the nutrition to all of our cells, tissues and organs, and eliminate the waste by-products. All of these basic processes are influenced by the kinds of food and drink we consume, the level of physical activity in our training programs and lifestyle, and the way we think about and handle the stresses of life.
Our bodies are amazing organisms that operate with thousands of intricate processes designed to work interdependently. If our bodies are designed to function synergistically, why not train in the same manner? You’re chances of success improve substantially when you work together with other people to reach you’re goals. Seek out a friend or a motivated family member, join one of our classes, or get some help from a personal trainer, but by all means don’t go it alone. Training is a team approach.
Exercise safely and stay on schedule!! We have a nice air conditioned space inside for you to get the job done and enjoy the outdoors.
Our Trainers are available for help when you need it. Lee, Amanda and Sandy have slots for training, just give us a call for a FREE consultation and schedule your time.
Yours in health!!
Sandy