Why Music Mattersby Deekron ‘The Fitness DJ’
When it comes to fitness, music really matters. Music offers many benefits for athletes, whether you are working out, running, or training for a competitive event (e.g. a marathon). The right music can increase your performance, keep you focused, and may even help you stick with your training program.
The Benefits of Music for Runners
As the ‘Fitness DJ’ – a specialist in the area of workout music - my job is to provide people with motivation for fitness through music. The primary reason I launched the Motion Traxx running Podcast is to provide runners (and exercisers) with the benefits music brings to a run or a workout session. Science confirms that these benefits do, in fact, exist.
The effects of music on the performance of athletes have been well documented by research. One of the leading authorities on the impact of music on athletic performance is Psychology Professor Dr. Costas Karageorghis of Brunel University in London (UK). His research has found that when music is synchronized to a workout, the level of performance is noticeably enhanced. According to Karageorghis, music enhances exercise in several ways, including focusing concentration and diverting the mind from fatigue. The result is increased performance and endurance. A study conducted at the University of Tokyo also supports this theory. There, researchers found that the rate of perceived exhaustion differed, depending on the music played as participants ran on a treadmill.
In addition to increased performance, adding a regularly scheduled workout/running Podcast to your exercise routine may actually help you ‘stick with the program’. Karageorghis’ research revealed another long-term benefit of workout music – it may help with motivation and exercise adherence. Simply put, adding a regularly-scheduled workout music Podcast to your training routine may help you ‘stick with the program’. This yields long term benefits for your health, in addition to better performance.
Marathon organizers are now catching on to what runners have known for years, music while running is beneficial for performance in a marathon. At London’s 2008 ‘Run to the Beat Half Marathon’, participants were treated to live music along the route. The marathon music was chosen using scientific methods to aid in endurance and to match the target stride-rate of the runners. The choice in musical selections to be played at the marathon was influenced by the specific demands of marathon running.
Selecting Music for Running
Research shows the type of music you choose is essential for gaining the full benefits of workout music. Music can be stimulating or calming, depending on the tempo. To get the most out of your music, it should be synchronized to the workout you are performing.
A study conducted at the University of Plymouth in the UK, uncovered that the tempo of background music enhanced the level of exercise when running on a treadmill. The optimal tempo for many forms of exercise is between 120 and 140 beats per minute (‘BPM’). Runners need faster tempo music in order to pace their stride. Motion Traxx running music mixes are tailored to the higher BPMs required by runners, usually 150 to 180 BPM.
So science has proven what a lot of us ‘felt’ already – when it comes to running, working out, and other forms of exercise, music really matters.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Question: I work out at least five times per week, and I still have a "pooch"!
I work out at least five times per week. My plan includes cardio, weights and stretches. I’m gaining some great definition, but I still have a “pooch” around my stomach area. It looks like I have a baby bump some days! Any ideas why this might be happening? And what can I do to help flatten out my mid-section?
There are several things that may be causing this "pooch" in your abdomen.
1. You may not be drinking enough water. Being in a state of dehydration will cause your body to hold onto the fluid that it currently has, causing a bloated stomach and/or a puffy body. This is a survival mechanism that has existed since the beginning of time. Our bodies require water to function. If you are not getting enough of it, the body will retain the water it does have access to until more water becomes available again.
Solution: Drinking more water. Your body will remain properly hydrated and will function optimally – allowing excess water to be eliminated – which will flatten out your tummy within a few short days.
2. You could be consuming too much salt. An excess of salt in your body will cause water retention (similar to how the body will hold onto water when it’s dehydrated) and you’ll quickly get a bloated midsection (aka the “pooch”).
Solution:Read your labels. Salt is hidden in so many foods that we often don’t know we’re consuming it. Even sports drinks contain sodium, so be aware of what you’re putting into your body. Prepare meals yourself as often as possible to control the salt content and order low-sodium foods when dining out. This small change will give the phrase “pass the salt” a whole new meaning.
3. You may have a food allergy that you are unaware of. Many people suffer from a gluten allergy and many more a gluten sensitivity. Keep a food diary and note when your "baby bump" makes an appearance (for example, is it after you eat bread or pasta?). You may start to notice a trend and you may even want to consider going for allergy testing or seeking out the professional advice of a dietician.
Solution:Get to know your body. Whether it’s investing in a food specialist, like a dietician or nutritionist, or being diligent with your food journal, make the decision to figure out the origin of your pooch. More often than not it’s a problem that can be solved with some simple dietary adjustments.
4. Stress = pooch. When you’re stressed out, the body produces an influx of cortisol – the hormone that will give fat deposits the “thumbs up” to sit in your stomach. Take a serious look at how much stress you have in your life. It may be time to end a friendship with a high maintenance pal; maybe the relationship with your partner needs some work; or perhaps your career goals need some reassessing. To help pinpoint your “triggers,” you might even want to pull out that journal and log times in the day when you feel stressed.
Solution:Exercise is a great way to relieve stress, but it can also cause stress if you are not giving your body enough time to recover between workouts. To help alleviate stress, ensure you get at least seven to eight hours of sleep a night. Consider meditation or yoga as a way of coping with your busy mind or make an appointment to get a massage. Taking time out for something that brings you happiness is often the best way to curb stress and, ultimately, give that pooch a rest too.
There are several things that may be causing this "pooch" in your abdomen.
1. You may not be drinking enough water. Being in a state of dehydration will cause your body to hold onto the fluid that it currently has, causing a bloated stomach and/or a puffy body. This is a survival mechanism that has existed since the beginning of time. Our bodies require water to function. If you are not getting enough of it, the body will retain the water it does have access to until more water becomes available again.
Solution: Drinking more water. Your body will remain properly hydrated and will function optimally – allowing excess water to be eliminated – which will flatten out your tummy within a few short days.
2. You could be consuming too much salt. An excess of salt in your body will cause water retention (similar to how the body will hold onto water when it’s dehydrated) and you’ll quickly get a bloated midsection (aka the “pooch”).
Solution:Read your labels. Salt is hidden in so many foods that we often don’t know we’re consuming it. Even sports drinks contain sodium, so be aware of what you’re putting into your body. Prepare meals yourself as often as possible to control the salt content and order low-sodium foods when dining out. This small change will give the phrase “pass the salt” a whole new meaning.
3. You may have a food allergy that you are unaware of. Many people suffer from a gluten allergy and many more a gluten sensitivity. Keep a food diary and note when your "baby bump" makes an appearance (for example, is it after you eat bread or pasta?). You may start to notice a trend and you may even want to consider going for allergy testing or seeking out the professional advice of a dietician.
Solution:Get to know your body. Whether it’s investing in a food specialist, like a dietician or nutritionist, or being diligent with your food journal, make the decision to figure out the origin of your pooch. More often than not it’s a problem that can be solved with some simple dietary adjustments.
4. Stress = pooch. When you’re stressed out, the body produces an influx of cortisol – the hormone that will give fat deposits the “thumbs up” to sit in your stomach. Take a serious look at how much stress you have in your life. It may be time to end a friendship with a high maintenance pal; maybe the relationship with your partner needs some work; or perhaps your career goals need some reassessing. To help pinpoint your “triggers,” you might even want to pull out that journal and log times in the day when you feel stressed.
Solution:Exercise is a great way to relieve stress, but it can also cause stress if you are not giving your body enough time to recover between workouts. To help alleviate stress, ensure you get at least seven to eight hours of sleep a night. Consider meditation or yoga as a way of coping with your busy mind or make an appointment to get a massage. Taking time out for something that brings you happiness is often the best way to curb stress and, ultimately, give that pooch a rest too.
Member's Stick with it TIPS
3 stick-with-it secrets
- Toss the fat clothes “Each time I dropped a size, I’d donate any clothes that were too big to charity. It made my weight loss feel permanent.”
- Share your goals “I told the people close to me that I was trying to lose weight. Once they knew, I didn’t want to disappoint them.”
- Never stop learning “I’m constantly asking my healthy friends for advice. I follow the tips that work for me so I don’t gain back any of the weight.”
DON’T DENY YOURSELF “I love ice cream, so I keep low-calorie fudge bars in my freezer for those times when cravings hit.”- CHOOSE WISELY “I cut out ‘empty calorie’ snacks that aren’t filling, like pretzels, bagels, and potato chips. Now I eat baby carrots, sugar snap peas, dried apples, and dried mangoes instead, all of which are lower in calories and packed with filling fiber.”
- MEASURE UP “It’s really easy to overeat if you’re just eyeballing portions or grabbing food when you’re on the run, so now I carefully measure and weigh all my meals and snacks.”
Thursday, January 1, 2009
New Year Resolutions!
If you have a weight problem, it can feel hopeless. The heavier you get and the longer that you’ve been overweight, the more impossible it seems to drop weight and keep it off. It’s hard to believe that this time, it will work. But it can.Even if you have biological tendencies that make it easy to gain and hard to lose weight, you can be leaner and fitter than you are now.
If you are overweight, there's a good chance you could be making smarter lifestyle choices. To lose weight, you'll have to train yourself to substitute poor choices with ones that will help you drop pounds.
Now is the time to take stock of your behaviors. This first step—a reality check at the eating and exercise choices your make most of the time—may be the most challenging part of making a change. But it’s crucial for achieving lasting success.
So, to get yourself ready to start dropping, here’s what you need to do!
Step 1. Take three days of this week to write down everything you eat. This will help you identify your specific eating patterns and spot areas where you can improve. This will be your Baseline Diet Diary. You can track your diet with our Food Journal sheets.
Step 2. Learn to improve your diet. Make a appointment with one of our nutritionist.
Step 3. One of the simplest ways to squeeze fitness into your life is to walk more. Start wearing a pedometer and try to get in 5000 steps a day!
If you follow these tips, not only can you start to get in the best shape of your life, you’ll feel happier and optimistic. Eating better will fuel you and give your body the nutrients it needs. Your daily walks will lift your mood and your self-confidence!!!
Welcome to the beginning of the rest of your healthy life!
Welcome to the beginning of the rest of your healthy life!
GET THE NEW YEAR STARTED WITH OUR NEW GROUP FITNESS & AQUATIC CLASSES!! LOG ON TO WWW.WOMENSWORKOUTONLINE.COM FOR MORE DETAILS..
Sunday, November 9, 2008
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