Get Your Rear In Gear Blog » Exercise

How to develop strong health habits in the teen years

Malia Frey — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 19:50:24 +0000

Fitness expert Chris Freytag

Almost all women have cellulite. Concern over the condition brings countless women into diet centers, health clubs and beauty counters. While most remedies have been proven ineffective, the changes that women make as a result of that concern can be positive; better eating practices and improved exercise habits. But can a woman be too young to be concerned over the appearance of cellulite? This question comes from a teenage reader who would like to reduce cellulite on her thighs. Ask the Trainer fitness expert Chris Freytag responds with helpful diet and exercise advice and suggestions for developing a healthy body image at an early age.

Get Your Rear in Gear reader: Hello! I am 13 years old I have a bit of cellulite on my thighs. How can I get rid of it? I usually eat well and I like eating salad and some fruits, too.

Chris Freytag: Well, you are not alone…cellulite plagues 90% of all women at some point and sometimes it starts in our teenage years. The quest to get rid of cellulite has become a billion-dollar business. Most cellulite creams and pills have been proven ineffective and a waste of money. Bottom line, cellulite is the product of body composition, genetics and hormones. Cellulite is basically pockets of fat which are trapped in the loosened fibers and cause dimpling in the skin. There are no miracle cures, but to reduce the appearance of the “cottage cheese” look, you need to tighten up the muscle fibers, maintain a healthy body weight, and eat a healthy diet.

Try these steps to reduce cellulite:

Get your cardio exercise – try for at least 3 times a week. This will help improve circulation, burn calories and feel good!
Try a few strength exercises – do a few squats or climb some stairs to tone and tighten your leg muscles.
Join a new sport – something that allows you to run, jump, walk and have fun.
Stay hydrated and eat healthy. Avoid preservatives, chemicals and processed foods. Eat fresh fruits, veggies, and as much real food as you can.
Wear clothes that flatter your figure. Not necessarily the newest trend but find the styles that make you feel good.
Do some positive self talk everyday – remind yourself of your best qualities.

Remember – beauty is much deeper than cellulite. Beauty is about who you are on the inside. By keeping a positive mental attitude and body image and you will appear more attractive the world around you!

Get Your Rear in Gear: There are many reasons to develop good diet and exercise habits from an early age. Improving one’s appearance is one of them. But as we age, those health habits will also help us to prevent disease and enjoy fuller, healthier lives. Check out the links below to learn more about developing a strong body image in the teen years, then check out some of the other links to learn more about developing exercise and nutritional habits for a healthy life.

Chris Freytag is a nationally known fitness expert on NBC-TV, the fitness expert for Prevention magazine, and author of 3 books. Chris holds a BA in Journalism and is a certified Group Fitness Instructor, Personal Trainer and Lifestyle and Weight Management consultant. Visit her website for more information about her products or exercise DVDs.

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Keep fitness goals on track with three high intensity workouts

Malia Frey — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 13:43:37 +0000

Too many summer barbecues? Maintaining a fitness routine in the summer can be a challenge with the constant temptation of outdoor parties always competing for your free time. But overindulging on the beach doesn’t mean that fitness goals have to be discarded. Try ramping up the intensity with any of these workouts that burn maximum calories in minimum time.

TRX Suspension Training. TRX training was one of the hottest fitness trends of 2009 and continues to gain momentum. It is a system of straps and holds anchored to a wall, door, or other solid support. Exercisers use the straps to pull, lift and stabilize their own body weight to increase strength and improve stability. TRX workouts can be done at home or in the gym.

Kettlebells: Kettlebells first made the fitness trends list in 2008 but this weight training program continues to be a hot format in gyms across the country. Kettlebells are round, cast-iron weights with a handle on top used for strength training. But unlike traditional weights, the handle on a kettlebell and the unique round shape make them more challenging to balance through a range of movements. Like TRX training, kettlebells add a challenging dimension to strength training because they force the exerciser to stabilize or or more joints to complete an exercise.

Sprints: Long cardio workouts have gone the way of high carb diets and have fallen out of favor with many fitness fanatics. A recent study reported that exercisers who used short sprints lost significantly more weight than those who exercised at moderate intensity for a long period of time. For exercisers who are short on time, this new trend is welcome news.

Ask the Trainer: benefits of weight training for women

Malia Frey — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 17:38:16 +0000

Strength training provides numerous health benefits, especially for women. Those who lift weights regularly function better in daily activities, have a decreased risk of osteoporosis, better posture, and burn fat more effectively than those who don’t. Strength training can also help to shape the body and contribute to improved confidence and body image. This Get Your Rear in Gear reader would like to balance out her petite figure and asks one of our trainers, Kris Wayne, how to balance her workout program to look her best.

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Get Your Rear in Gear reader: I am 21 years old and about 115 pounds. I like to exercise and I have a great tummy and legs, but when I tone I tend to loose my chest. I’m lucky to always have been a petite female, but I really stress about looking too thin. Do you have any suggestions as to what I could do to fill in?

Kris Wayne: This is a great question. Breast tissue is primarily fat, so when you lose weight, that area will get smaller. If you would like to “fill out” that area try to develop the pectoralis muscle in the chest area. Add pushups or use free weights to do chest exercises such as the “fly”. If you belong to a gym, the weight room will also have a chest press machine and pec fly machine. Just be aware that it takes a great deal more effort to build muscle than it does to lose fat. This means you must be prepared to be both persistent and patient. The rule of thumb is that lighter weights and high repetitions will build endurance, but if you want to increase muscle mass, you can use heavier weights and fewer repetitions to actually develop more lean mass. Good luck!

Kris Wayne is the Generations Fitness Specialist for the Metropolitan Minneapolis YMCA. Kris is a certified presenter and fitness instructor through the American Council on Exercise and is a National Academy of Sports Medicine certified personal trainer.

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Ask the trainer: is weight training important for a runner?

Malia Frey — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 15:35:11 +0000

Running expert Matt Forsman

Many exercisers struggle to find time to do all of the activities prescribed for optimal fitness. Most experts suggest that a well rounded program should include aerobic activity, strength training, flexibility training and balance work. This Get Your Rear in Gear reader wonders how to combine some of these activities to make her exercise sessions more efficient. Matt Forsman, a new Ask The Trainer fitness expert, replies.

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Get Your Rear in Gear reader: I am a new runner and I am trying to get in shape for a 5K at the end of the summer, I don’t run every day but I try to do other things on the days when I don’t run. My question is, how important is weight training if my other workouts include biking up hills and swimming?

Matt Forsman: First, kudos to you for tackling the 5K! The 5K is a GREAT distance to target if you’re relatively new to the sport.

I’m also glad to hear you are NOT running every day of the week as I would generally discourage this for anyone but the most seasoned/experienced runners.

Running 2-3 times/week is PLENTY for someone training for the 5K distance (and for most other distances). I’d also encourage you to avoid consecutive days of running. Try to adhere to a Tues/Thurs/Sat. schedule for your running with ‘other activities’ on Mondays and Wednesdays. Earmark Fridays and Sundays as ‘rest’ days.

Speaking of ‘other activities’, biking and/or swimming are two excellent crosstraining activities that will help maintain/enhance your running fitness while avoiding the high impact forces associated with running. So, by all means keep these two activities in the mix.

That being said, biking up hills and swimming are not necessarily going to stabilize/strengthen your core or all of the key muscle groups needed to run in an efficient and effective many.

If you are doing any kind of weight training, focus on lighter weights, higher repetitions. The goal here is to tone/strengthen not to build muscle mass which will result in more weight for you to carry around when you run. Doing ‘max reps’ or something along these lines when you’re at the gym will not necessarily help your cause as a runner.

In lieu of weight training, you might consider doing exercises like simple pushups, crunches, planks, squats, lunges, and heel raises. Incorporating a ‘strengthening/stability’ routine into your swimming/biking days is an excellent idea for strengthening the core muscle groups required to run in an efficient and effective manner.

Your routine could include sets of all the aforementioned exercises in a circuit. Do ‘x’ number of pushups until you are fatigued followed by crunches until fatigued, etc. Cycle through all of the exercises and repeat the circuit 1-2 times if you can. Gradually, over time you can increase the number of circuits you do.

Matt Forsman (‘Marathon Matt’) is a USTAF/RRCA certified professional running coach based in San Francisco, California. His passion for running has enabled him to help thousands of runners in the SF/Bay Area achieve and exceed their running goals. Matt’s group training programs have grown from 30-40 in 2005 to over 200 today. Additionally, Matt supports a myriad of San Francisco/Bay Area non-profit organizations. Get more information about Matt Forsman’s programs at MarathonMatt.com

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How to apply sunscreen before outdoor exercise

Malia Frey — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 21:36:18 +0000

Are you getting in shape for a Get Your Rear in Gear 5K? While outdoor training can improve your performance in a running event, exercising in the sun can also increase your risk of getting of skin cancer. A study published by the Skin Cancer Foundation found that distance runners are at a higher risk for melanoma, the deadliest form of the disease. Lead researcher Christina M. Ambros-Rudolph, MD was quoted in the article and explained why she believed that the runners in her study developed more skin lesions.

“The most obvious reason for their increased risk,” she noted, “was their excessive exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Many worsened the problem by neglecting sun protection. Almost all tended to wear shorts and short-sleeved or sleeveless shirts, leaving their legs, arms, and upper back sun-exposed. Only 56 percent regularly used sunscreen.”

Additional studies by researchers in Germany found that “sweating because of physical exercise may contribute to UV-related skin damage as it increases the individual photosensitivity of the skin, facilitating the risk of sunburns.”

To stay safe during your outdoor run, be sure to apply a sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays. The Mayo Clinic recommends using one full ounce (enough to fill a shotglass) to cover the body, and to reapply at least every two hours even if the weather is cloudy. The Skin Cancer Foundation offers additional tips for runners and marathon participants. Participants of shorter races, such as Get Your Rear in Gear 5K events can benefit from these tips as well.

Sun Protection Tips for Runners from the Skin Cancer Foundation

Run during hours when the sun is less intense. Generally it is strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. If you train during those hours, find shady places to run.
Put sunscreen on before your running outfit, not at the race site. This will give it time to soak in, and keep you from applying it less thoroughly or forgetting it altogether because of pre-race excitement. Use an SPF 15 or higher sunscreen. Look for stick formulations, sport, or water-resistant versions.
Run in a hat and UV-blocking sunglasses. Polarized lenses help beat the glare.
Always keep sunscreen in your race bag.
Have a friend posted somewhere in the second half of the race to hand you a small, one-use, wipe sunscreen (or keep a small packet in your pocket), so that you can reapply it to your face, neck and arms as you run. You can do that without really breaking stride. Sunscreen starts to lose effectiveness at about the two-hour mark, or even sooner if you are sweating heavily.
Before post-race festivities begin, reapply sunscreen, and give yourself a quick massage in the process to help relax your sore muscles.
Post-race clothes should include a lightweight but long-sleeve T-shirt and sweats. Darker colors offer ideal sun protection. Or opt for special sun-protective clothing.

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Common myths about sun protection

Ask the Trainer: MUFAs reduce body fat

Malia Frey — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 00:05:45 +0000

Fitness expert Chris Freytag

Maintaining a healthy body weight through exercise and proper nutrition is key to good health. Sometimes, weight loss is necessary and for many, presents a challenge. But occasionally, weight loss is a bad thing. This week’s Ask The Trainer question comes from a reader who wants to enhance her hourglass figure, but is concerned that doing aerobic workouts will cause her to lose too much weight.

Get Your Rear in Gear reader: I am trying to eat more to get a more curvy figure (mainly on my hips) but at the same time I have excess belly fat I need to lose. I heard doing cardio would get rid of the belly fat but I am worried that I will get skinnier. What would you advise?

Chris Freytag: Here is the bottom line: you cannot “spot reduce” body fat. You cannot tone fat. You cannot tighten fat. The only way to get rid of and change body fat is the old-fashioned way – by doing cardiovascular exercise and eating healthy. When fat melts off your body, it melts off of your overall body, not just your arms or stomach or thighs. And everyone’s body eliminates body fat differently depending on a whole host of factors such as age, genetics, hormones, intensity of exercise, etc.

In your case, you want to eliminate some fat while simultaneously adding muscle. So you still need cardio exercise. Aerobic exercise at a moderate intensity trains your body to use fat for fuel more efficiently. Cardio exercise is also good for your heart and overall health. In addition, eating MUFA’s – monounsaturated fatty acids- such as olive oil, olives, nuts, seeds, avocados and dark chocolate have been linked to reducing body fat. Therefore, choose a MUFA with most meals and get moving.

However, while “spot reducing” body fat doesn’t work, “spot sculpting” does! What I mean by spot sculpting is to strength train focusing on specific muscle groups in order to firm that particular area. I am a huge advocate of strength training. Not only does it make you look better, but strength training and “sculpting” results in you feeling better and having more energy.

Change it up a bit by taking a Pilates class to sculpt your abs, or try using a stability ball while doing your ab crunches. If you exercise at home, try my downloadable CORE workout at www.exercisetv.tv/slimdown.

You can do all the sit ups you want, but if you have a layer of extra fat over your muscles, you won’t be able to reveal the toned and sculpted 6-pack underneath. The best approach to a flat belly is to combine a schedule of cardio exercise with a consistent strength training program and add MUFA’s to your diet.

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Ask the Trainer: how to reduce hip pain

Malia Frey — Fri, 28 May 2010 14:40:18 +0000

Fitness expert Chris Freytag

Hip pain after running is a common complaint, especially among female runners. In this week’s Ask the Trainer article, Chris Freytag addresses a question about hip pain from a runner who is concerned that her jogging days may be over as a result of post-workout symptoms.

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Get Your Rear in Gear Reader: I’ve developed a pain in my hip from running. It is at the top at the same level as by navel, not in the joint. What is this from? What exercises can I do to recover? Are my running days over?

Chris Freytag: It is estimated that 70 percent of runners sustain an overuse injury each year and hip pain is a common complaint. Without knowing exactly your running habits, stride, etc. I couldn’t pinpoint your problem and often the best first line of defense is a chiropractor or a physical therapist.

That being said, the hip muscles are responsible for stabilizing the leg during running and if they are weak, strengthening your hips is also a good place to start. Hit the gym and find an abductor machine to work your outer hips. Use exercises like squats, lunges and leg lifts to strengthen the hip flexors and work the gluteus medius muscle, which is the hip stabilizer.

And don’t forget to stretch your hip flexors. As important as strengthening the hip flexors is stretching them. A runners lunge or pigeon pose are my favorite stretches for the hip area. Stretch your hips after every workout and hold each stretch for at least 20-40 seconds. Healthy hips will hopefully help prevent injuries in the future.

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Cancer survivors benefit from yoga

Malia Frey — Mon, 24 May 2010 18:25:42 +0000

Photo: Lululemon on flickr

The regular practice of yoga helps cancer survivors sleep better, says a new study by the University of Rochester Medical Center. As part of the research, a customized yoga program was developed which combined both Hatha and restorative forms. Hatha yoga includes asanas (postures) for all levels and breathing exercises designed to balance the mind and body. Hatha yoga generally moves at a slower pace making it perfect for the beginner and for those recovering from cancer treatment. Survivors at the University of Rochester who took part in the yoga program reported better sleep, less dependance on sleep medication, and a better quality of life than those who did not.

According to WEbMD Health News, “sleep problems and fatigue are among the most common problems experienced by cancer survivors. Approximately 80% and 95% of patients report fatigue during and after treatment, respectively, and as many as 80% and 65% experience sleep problems during and after therapy.” While sleep medications can be used by many cancer survivors, a wholistic approach to these sleep problems is welcome news.

In addition to improved sleep, yoga provides significant benefits for anyone, regardless of cancer status. Benefits of yoga include:

increased flexibility
decreased stress
improved strength
improved posture
increased range of motion in the joints

Karen Mustian, PhD, MPH, assistant professor of radiation oncology and community and preventive medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center, told WebMd that cancer survivors “looking for this kind of benefit should probably look for gentle Hatha or restorative yoga taught by a well-qualified instructor registered with the Yoga Alliance.”

The Yoga Alliance provides a list of accredited schools and instructors. For those visiting a class for the first time, especially following cancer treatment, be sure to arrive early and let the instructor know that you are new. A brief dialogue with the instructor about your concerns and/or limitations will help the instructor to tailor a program to meet your needs.

When are you too old to start a running program?

Malia Frey — Fri, 21 May 2010 16:34:22 +0000

This Ask the Trainer inquiry raises a question that many exercisers face as they age. Do achy joints and sore muscles mean that an individual is too old to start an intense workout regime? Fitness expert Kris Wayne specializes in developing exercise programs for adults as they progress through mid-life and beyond. She addresses this question from a 54 year-old who wonders if she is too old to start running.

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Get Your Rear in Gear reader: I am 54 years old and wonder if I am too old to begin a running program. My knees are achy since the race on Sunday and I am wondering how to treat this? I also have plantar fasciitis in one foot, which actually seems to hurt less with jogging. I want to lose 30 pounds and was hoping by starting a jogging/running program that this would help achieve my goal. I am currently following The Mayo Clinic Diet Program.

Kris Wayne: You raise a number of points so let me try to briefly address each of them:

It is very common when you begin training for an event to have troubles like “achy knees”. But more intense running requires a commitment to strength training (particularly in the glutes and thigh muscles) especially as we age. It also requires a commitment to flexibility work. My suggestion is to work with a qualified trainer to learn a good stretch and strength program. A good trainer will suggest a reasonable training progression, assess your gait (running style) and overall current joint function to make informed recommendations. When we are 20 we can just attack things quickly – but not as the body ages and we experience wear and tear.
The “achy knees” may be helped by some myofascial release with a foam roller, and then some stretching of the muscles affecting the knee joint. Strengthening exercises may also help to reduce the issue causing the achiness. The achy knees may also be related to the plantar fascitis you describe. Often the arches weaken as we age, causing pronation. Sometimes treatment focuses just on the foot and an orthotic is prescribed to treat the symptom. The answer may lie in a bit deeper approach- with a combination of myofascial and stretching exercises of the foot and the the calf. One exercise that is very helpful is called the “inch worm”. In a seated position, put a small towel under your bare foot and then scrunch your foot up to “grab” the towel. Then “walk” the toes forward and backwards with the scrunching motion. This works the whole group of muscles which comprise the arch and the toe muscles to strengthen them. Do this seated at first and eventually standing. To strengthen the shin muscles and the arch in the foot, try standing calf raises and then finish with more stretching.
To lose 30 pounds – you are on the right track ! However, consider cross training with a variety of cardio options to avoid overuse of muscles. You will build up to more intensity in shorter periods of time and improve cardio endurance and fat burning ability. The strength work will add more calorie burn and improve the amount of lean muscle mass in your body. Even at rest, muscle burns more calories than fat. As you already know, substantial extra body weight stresses the joints, the heart and creates health issues of its own. Good luck – you are on the right track. Hope this helps.

Kris Wayne is the Generations Fitness Specialist for the Metropolitan Minneapolis YMCA. As part of this program she develops fitness programming for baby boomers and senior populations in the areas of Pilates, Group Fitness and Personal Training. Her program, “Functional Fitness” concentrates on undoing what occurs during the aging process and daily life. Kris is a certified presenter and fitness instructor through the American Council on Exercise and is a National Academy of Sports Medicine certified personal trainer.

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Ask the Trainer: should I train through an injury?

Malia Frey — Thu, 13 May 2010 00:07:24 +0000

Fitness expert Matt Haugen

Our Ask the Trainer program allows readers to submit questions to a panel of nationally recognized fitness experts. Answers are posted here in the blog for all readers to see. This week’s question comes from a reader who is eager to keep running, but is plagued by a common injury.

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Get Your Rear in Gear Reader: I am training to run a June marathon, but I have developed shin splints. I was going to run the Get Your Rear in Gear 5K race this weekend and maybe another 5K next weekend. Is it better to rest my legs or keep training?

Matt Haugen: It is always best to “rest for success.” When shin splints (or any other injury) are painful enough to force changes in your training, you are always better off resting & recovering now, in order to return more rapidly healthy (and enjoyable) run training sessions. When a runner continues to train or race while injured, they merely increase their chances for a more chronic, long-term injury.

DO THIS: Find a non-impact cross-training activity that you can enjoy, while you wait for your running injury to heal. I would recommend a combination of elliptical, biking, swimming, & rowing. Consider this brief rest from running to be a chance to explore & discover other activities that you can enjoy.

Get Your Rear in Gear: We would also recommend that you stay active at the Get Your Rear in Gear event! Come out and volunteer on race day! This is a great way to support the sport of running and help to raise awareness for an important cause. Get more information about volunteering by clicking here.

Matt Haugen is a full-time coach who has trained thousands of athletes since 1980. Matt holds a B.A. in Psychology, and M.S. Exercise Science/Sport Psychology from Penn State, and Ph.D. studies (A.B.D.) in Kinesiology/Sport Psychology from the U of Minnesota. He currently trains athletes of all levels through Performance Power (P2) based in St. Paul Minnesota.