Did you know that exercise will give you more energy? Are you tired of being tired at the end of the day? Let exercise energize you.

You just need to motivate yourself to take that first step out the door. You may think you’ll never make it, but chances are you’ll continue and you’ll notice a difference very quickly. Tired adults who exercise three times a week for 6 weeks, show a remarkable increase in energy levels. And those doing low-intensity exercises saw the most benefit!

Maybe your having troubles thinking about exercising because you think it isn’t fun. Researchers found that when people think about exercising they tend to think about the first few minutes, which is the hard part. After a workout, those participants rated exercising positively. So find a better way to start out, put your favorite songs at the beginning of the playlist, or grab a friend.

Many people don’t like to navigate a gym on their own. Sign up with a personal trainer. This way you’ll meet someone, get introduced to others and receive your own personal training program. Or, grab a buddy; everyone has more fun working out with a friend.

Stay healthy and keep exercising this summer. Along with cardio exercise and strength work outs, you should eat healthy too. To help stay on your diet, here are few of our favorite snack recipes that have an extra healthy boost. And they are tasty too.

Morning boost:
Mix 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee with 6 ounces low-fat vanilla yogurt until coffee is dissolved. Spoon half the mixture into a bowl and add 1/3 cup sliced strawberries. Top with remaining yogurt, and garnish with 1 tablespoon low-fat granola. (150 calories)

This snack is great because granola provides a healthy dose of fuel to help jump-start your morning. And, calcium-rich foods increase fat loss.

Stress reliever:
Spread 2 tablespoons hummus evenly over 5 whole-grain crackers. Top with 2 tablespoons diced red bell pepper. (150 calories)

This snack is great because red bell peppers contain vitamin C, which helps lower levels of the stress hormone.

After work out pick-me-up:
Combine 1 cup low-fat milk, 1/4 cup frozen blueberries, and 1/4 cup frozen pineapple in a blender; puree until smooth. (140 calories)

This is great because the protein and carbs in the milk help repair muscles and replenish cells' energy stores after a workout. You should eat dairy within 45 minutes of exercising, when the recovery process is at its high. Also, pineapple contains bromelain, a natural anti-inflammatory compound, which may reduce post-workout pain.

Night time snack:
On 1/2 toasted whole-grain English muffin add 2 teaspoons almond butter and slices of 1/4 pear. Sprinkle with a pinch of ground cinnamon. (150 calories)

This is a great snack because according to recent research, the carbs in English muffins may help you get to sleep more quickly. Almonds are great for your health and your brain.

Many of us sit a lot at work, in the car and at home on the couch.  That’s probably true for a lot of regular exercisers. I used to think that exercising for an hour or more a day would negate all that sitting.

Now, a growing body of evidence says that’s not true.

That’s disheartening. But it’s also a wake-up call for everyone with an office job, even avid exercisers.

We’ve all been told for decades how much exercise we should get daily or weekly, with most recommendations now saying at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week or an average of 30 minutes for five days. If it’s vigorous, it can be less.

Now, the latest research says that even people who do significant and regular exercise still increase risks of serious illness from hours of physical inactivity. In other words, you can’t just exercise for one hour and sit for eight or more without incurring some health risks.

The American College of Sports Medicine, just came out with new recommendations on the quantity and quality of exercise for adults. The bottom line is everyone needs a balanced program of cardiovascular, strength exercise, flexibility and neuromotor or functional fitness training (balance, agility, coordination).

But the ACSM further notes that “sedentary behavior for long periods of time is distinct from physical activity and has been shown to be a health risk in itself. Meeting the guidelines for physical activity does not make up for a sedentary lifestyle.”

Carol Garber is the lead author of the new guidelines. In a release from the ACSM, she says, “It is no longer enough to consider whether an individual engages in adequate amounts of weekly exercise. We also need to determine how much time a person spends in sedentary pursuits, like watching television or working on a computer.”

So, we need to figure out ways we all can work in movement during the day.

Here are a few things you can do, in addition to exercising daily:

• Walk in the office while reading reports or research.
• Stand up while on the phone.
• Do more exercises at the desk, such as pumping legs up and down.
• Move for at least 15 minutes during lunch.
• Take a quick walk after work on some days.

All personal training clients may bring a buddy in to Answer is Fitness to train with them, FREE. And, all members that refer a buddy to personal training will be entered into a raffle to win a free year membership and 5 free one hour personal training sessions.

Whether you are new to fitness, regularly exercise or are a competitive athlete, personal trainers assist you in achieving your goals. At Answer is Fitness, our personal trainers can assess your current fitness level and then design a customized personal fitness program based on your fitness level and your goals.

Motivation is the key to fitness and regular exercise. Personal Trainers coach you through your work outs, keep you motivated and focused on your goals, and teach you new training techniques.

To better reach your goals our personal trainers perform a personal fitness assessment. This is not a diagnostic tool, but rather a tool to gather purpose information related to your current level of physical fitness. This information is used to establish an exercise program specific to your needs, evaluate progress in your current exercise program, establish goals and provide motivation and identify possible health injury risks.

The results of each assessment can be used in two ways. The first, comparing the results to data collected on the general population who has taken the same test. The second is to establish your own personal baseline to use as a tool for measuring improvement in each area. This is a great method for measuring personal fitness goals.

To schedule your personal training sessions, contact Answer is Fitness in Springfield and North Attleboro.

The official start of summer begins this weekend. If you have put off your “get in shape” plans, now is the time to start. Answer is Fitness, with locations in North Attleboro and Springfield, can help. With a 30 day fitness pass, see what we have to offer to help you reach your fitness goals.  With personal training and an expansive group exercise schedule, you will surely find an exercise program that is exciting, challenging and fun; which is exactly what you need in an fitness routine. Here are just a few examples:

Group Power:
Group Power is an hour of power! This 60 minute barbell program strengthens all your major muscles in an inspiring, motivating group environment with fantastic music and awesome instructors. With simple athletic movements such as squats, lunges, presses, and curls. Group Power is for all ages and fitness levels. Discover results, Discover Group Power.

Group Kick:
Group Kick brings it on! This electric 60 minute fusion class of martial arts and boxing movements will kick your cardio fitness to the next level while defining and shaping your body and self confidence! Energetic music, awesome instructors and a group environment will keep you punching, kicking and smiling! Group Kick will knock you out!

Cycling/Spinning:
The Cycling program is the original and most popular group cycling class. And it's not just because Spinning is an unmatched way to make your fitness goals a reality. With no complicated moves to learn, top-notch instructors and music that begs your legs to pedal, getting into the best shape of your life has never been more fun.

National Women’s Health Week is an effort to raise awareness about manageable steps women can take to improve their health. The focus is on improving women's health and the importance of incorporating simple preventive and positive health behaviors into everyday life.

Women are the caregivers: for spouses, children and parents, and they often forget to focus on themselves. However, research has proven that when women take care of themselves, the health of the entire family improves.

Maintaining regular health checkups is one of 5 health habits that can improve women’s health. The others are physical activity, a healthy diet, not smoking and engaging in safe behavior.

For regular health appointments, a bone density scan is very important. Having healthy bones is important at any age, but as we age our bones get thinner. Healthy eating habits, regular cardio exercise and a strength training routine are imperative to healthy bones. Osteoporosis is a concern for women, as women are four times more likely to develop this disease than men. To limit the risks of Osteoporosis, women should definitely engage in weight-bearing exercises. Eating healthy and possibly taking calcium supplements also aids in prevention.

Many of us want to work out and stay in shape, but we don’t have the time to do as many exercise classes as we would like. Answer is Fitness has a solution. For all of you who like yoga, to keep your mind in shape, but want the toning and aerobic classes to keep your body in shape, we have designed a class for you. Yoga Glute Camp.

Yoga Glute Camp targets the glutes and the quadriceps, as well as the hamstrings. This exercise class is truly a great lower body work-out.  The combination of traditional yoga postures, coupled with a variety of repetitions in a flowing vinyasa style, adds a great aerobic quality to the workout.  This class is suitable for anyone who wants to tone and firm the lower body while enjoying vinyasa style yoga poses and flow.  Many of the participants of Yoga Glute Camp are learning just how many yoga postures actually target the glutes making a firm "yoga butt'!!
 
Join us on Fridays from 6:30-7:45 in North Attleboro. This is a unique class combining elements of yoga with exercises and repetition to firm up your lower body. Get your mind and body in shape with an exercise class that is truly for the body and mind: Yoga Glute Camp.

As the warmer weather approaches, many of you are wondering how to lose that winter weight. Losing weight isn't easy but if you know how much activity it takes to lose 1 lb, that information can start you down the path to lose the last 5lbs or even 10lbs. There’s a simple formula: burning more calories + eating fewer calories = weight loss. However, sometimes, it doesn’t seem so simple.

So how is it done? How much can you eat, and how much do you have to exercise? For every pound you want to lose, you need to eliminate, (not cut out altogether, just use up) 3,500 calories through eating less and working out; an even better plan would be a combination of the two. The good news though, is that your body burns energy every day just by running the systems it needs to stay alive, however, how many calories burned varies in each person. So really, cutting a few hundred calories through diet and exercise will be enough to put you in your summer clothes, bathing suit or smaller size.

If you think you are doing this, and you are not losing weight, you may be underestimating the number of calories you eat in a day. Start tracking your meals and calculate your calories burned working out using a pedometer or other fitness calorie tracking tool.

So what does this all mean? The recommendation is to cut your daily caloric intake to 1,500 calories per day--no less, since eating too little can throw off your metabolism and cause other problems. In order to lose sizes faster, increase your activity. You will burn more energy, in turn burning more calories. And, remember your weight training, muscle burns more calories than fat when at rest. Answer is Fitness is running a Fitcamp to help you lose your winter pounds. Call us for details.

The new guidelines for physical activity for ages 18-64 is at least 150 minutes/week.That's equivalent to working out for 30 minutes for 5 days a week. However, many people find it hard to stay motivated to exercise on a daily basis. Scheduling 30 minutes of your day aside to workout shouldn't be a problem for anyone so here's are 3 tips we feel can help you stay motivated to exercise and reaching your fitness goals.

1. Notebook and pen -Bring this with you whenever you go to the gym or exercising and log in your workout routines and progress in it. Its a great way to keep track of your exercises as well as your repetitions and sets. A good way to prepare yourself is to write down knowing what exercises your going to do that day prior to the workout. This notebook acts as an agenda for your workouts, and is a great little tool to help motivate you to reach your goals faster by jotting it down.

2. Mp3 player/ music gadget - Nothing feels better than listening to music while working out. Find songs that get you in your groove and gets you focused on yourself and your lifts. Listening to music is also a great way to avoid distractions in the gym.

3. Our Group Exercises - Getting involved in one of our group exercises is great because the members and instructor act as a boost of motivation. They can help support and spot you on your routines, provide guidance and fitness tips, and make it more fun and challenging.

Be sure to contact us today to learn more about fitness goals and work out routines. We have many fun and rewarding exercising programs, so be sure to check them out.

A good beginner type of calorie burning and strength gaining exercise is that of resistance training. It is common for many individuals to direct their energies to weightlifting exercises but it is also acceptable to begin with an exercise program based on body weight. Whichever exercise program you choose, begin at a slow pace until you have learned the correct way to practice the strength training exercise designed for you.

There are many different exercises that can be included in a strength based exercise plan. It's a good idea to include exercises that use various muscles. Begin slowly and gradually increase the weight. There are several different methods you can use to vary your exercise routine. You could do a complete body workout routine one day, your legs and abs on another day, and your arms on yet another day. Always give yourself one complete 24 hour period of rest before focusing on that same muscle again. To increase circulation, make sure you warm up your muscles at the beginning of your exercise routine.

It is not necessary for a beginner workout routines to be so hard to follow. Always begin by adding calorie burning cardiovascular exercises in conjunction with helpful strength training exercises. You should see yourself losing weight by exercising at least three to four hours weekly. After you have advanced, you may want to consider a more strenuous routine based on weightlifting or body weight. Contact us today should you have any questions about starting a workout plan.