Base your dietary plan on variety of foods – whole grains, fresh fruits, veggies, sufficient lean protein and low fat
dairy products. By eating this way, you’ll consume a healthy level of dietary fat and calorie. For healthy snack, have fresh fruits or veggies. For exercise, start small and gradually increase the intensity and duration once you gain muscle strength and endurance -to crank up calorie burn so that it’ll decrease the stored body fat.

Aim for 30 mins a day, most days of the week – 4 to 6 days. Choose walking as your initial exercise routine.

Don’t bring tempting unhealthy food or snack in your home so it wouldn’t be easy for you to get your hands on those kinds of food when you’re bored.

Plan at least 3 meals a day. No skipping meals. Skipping meals will only trigger your body to overeat.

Modern aerobics classes, however, have changed drastically from those disco-inspired workouts that focused primarily on dance moves and calisthenics. Today’s aerobic classes and videos offer an array of new moves including kickboxing and jump rope, and are set to all sorts of music ranging from jazz to reggae.

No matter how this form of training has changed, though, it is still an optimal workout for weight loss and muscle toning when resistance exercises are incorporated into the routine. Any individual who does aerobics regularly (20 minutes a day, three days a week) will burn fat more efficiently, tone muscles, and improve flexibility, range of motion and muscle performance.

On top of the physical benefits of aerobics workouts, these heart rate-raising programs will increase feelings of confidence and boost self-esteem as well as relieve stress, depression and premenstrual symptoms.

Of course, the first few classes (or video viewings) might be difficult for many; especially with some of the dance steps or other seemingly tricky moves to the uninitiated. The important thing is to stay with it. Once you’ve been introduced to the particular steps used in your aerobics class, practice, practice, practice, in the privacy of your home. It won’t take long until you notice that the steps seem easier to perform during your workout. Eventually, you’ll be kicking, hopping and stepping with the ease of a professional.

Before starting an aerobics program, you’ll need to find an appropriate pair of shoes. Ask a clerk at any local fitness store to show you some good cross-trainer shoes that will provide adequate cushioning, support, flexibility and traction. For people with flat feet, try to find shoes with less cushioning and more support and heel control. For people with high arches, you’ll need increased shock absorption and ankle control. A knowledgeable salesperson will be able to direct you to the best pair of shoes for your situation. It’s also important to replace your shoes after three to six months of regular use.

As the saying goes, “Looking good is feeling good.” That is most likely the premise behind the numerous lines of workout clothing facing the fitness-oriented today. When buying workout wear, look for fabrics that offer breathability and that wisk away moisture. Examples of good materials include polypropylene and thermax. Layer your clothing if the temperature in your workout area tends to fluctuate.

Now that you’re properly suited, it’s time to decide whether you want to workout in a structured class or if you’d like to buy a video and do it from home. Another option is to buy a couple videos and exercise with some friends. With videos, it is easier to pick one with music and moves that you prefer. Whereas in a class, the entire workout and atmosphere is left to the preferences of the instructor. I’ve found, however, that joining a class on a regular basis causes me to exert more effort and commit to showing up more often.

Any aerobics program needs to begin with a five- to ten-minute warm-up in order to prepare your body and mind for the workout to follow. During the class or video, you will most likely check your pulse at least once to determine if you are exercising in your target heart rate (between 60 and 90 percent of maximum heart rate). Finish the workout with several minutes of a cool down, even if it’s just walking slowly. This allows your heart rate to return to normal and your muscles to relax. Some doctors believe that a proper cool down will decrease muscle stiffness, which occasionally follows a tough workout.

Experts recommend that the beginner workout approximately ten to 20 minutes at least three days a week and preferably in a no-impact or low-impact class.

As you become fitter, increase your workout time to 30 minutes, three to five days a week as well as the intensity. An experienced individual can exercise for longer periods of time.

With the various types of aerobics classes and videotapes available to the modern fitness enthusiast, it shouldn’t be too difficult to find just the right one to motivate and drive you to get in shape the aerobics way.

William Stone, of Arizona State University, conducted a survey recently of club managers and directors, and discovered that a deficiency in school programs is in the area of general business skills. On the undergraduate level, Arizona State offers a B.S. degree in exercise science, which is offered as an academic course as part of the college of liberal arts and sciences, and is designed for students moving on to medical school or other degree programs.

A bachelor’s degree in exercise and wellness prepares students for many things and takes a broad-based approach. Students can obtain a bachelor’s degree only or go on to a master’s or doctoral program. It is the master’s graduates who are prepared to work in corporate/worksite, commercial/private, community-based programs, medical, clinical, sports medicine programs or become entrepreneurs (personal trainers). Their activity experiences include fitness-oriented activities, as well as organization, promotion and business skills.

Master’s graduates get better jobs and focus more on management. The focus of their study has been on behavioral and psychological changes, leadership and management skills, exercise testing and prescription, and electives in nutrition, counseling, computers, etc.

Paula Potter, general manager of the Airport Club believes universities need to realize and teach students that they will be dealing with a public that is not as fit as those people in the program. Students need to learn more empathy for the general population and develop stronger motivational skills to keep members exercising, moving and eating right at whatever pace they can.

Gainsboro has found that technically oriented people are not always “up” people, adding that, “The audience will dwindle if you don’t make them feel good.”

Degrees vs. certifications

Whether your staff requires certification depends upon what the primary preparation is. The more respected certifications (ACE, ACSM, AFAA) require a certain body of knowledge. Richard Seibert, director of special projects for the American Council on Exercise, feels that certifications are beneficial for part-timers who don’t want to pursue a formal four-year degree program and for those people with educations that didn’t provide the specific knowledge required (e.g., aerobic certification for someone with a kinesiology background). In addition, for people finding themselves attracted to a specialty after their career has started, certifications offer a great option. For example, ACE has specialty areas such as senior programming, nutrition, program management, etc. A degree plus certifications illustrates a strong desire to be successful in the industry.

“I feel over-qualified for starter positions” is the sentiment from students who have failed to gain experience while obtaining their degree. Quatrochi feels that students should be working in starter positions while going to school. A 10-credit internship is required at his school and can often lead to full-time positions, but if a position doesn’t exist at the internship site, extra experience helps differentiate a candidate from other graduates.

Following are some suggestions offered from both schools and employers to help create a more compatible fit between graduates and employer needs:

University instructors could help their students be prepared for any position by keeping themselves abreast of news in the industry. They should also be emphatic with students about getting experience while in school, more than an internship, paid or volunteer.

Students should collect a portfolio of service. They should solicit inquiries from the community so that they can obtain more detailed experience. Working at health fairs, hospital events, speaking at community groups, writing for local papers, etc., can all be included in a portfolio that will impress future employers (and give students a realistic idea of the types of people they will most likely be working with when they graduate).

A frustration of students after they graduate is the question of where they go after they become manager of their department. Management of the full facility is not in line with the clinical or technical coursework that most studied and want to pursue. Many move to other fields. Those who enter the field later in life as a lifestyle choice (after working in other industries) are more likely to stay in the field because they are less motivated by financial objectives and more motivated by lifestyle choice and a desire to “help people.” Employers should consider these seasoned candidates as a real treasure.

Graduates complain that clubs hire people who “just look good” in a leotard or workout clothes and complain when they receive the same pay as those without the education. If students get work experience while in school, they may be able to move to higher paying positions when they graduate and should look for businesses that support hiring trained staff.

Hiring degreed individuals offers more credibility to businesses. As the population ages and the focus of membership becomes older, more sedentary, with specific, possibly age- or disease-related, problems, a health/fitness business will only survive if the staff are able to safely assist the members, work with physicians and keep people motivated. In addition, community organizations and financial sources (banks, lenders, investors, sponsors) will be looking to work with educated individuals who can write well, speak well and provide a quality presentation.

A balance of personality, skills, experience and maturity will help determine if a candidate is right for any particular position. Once hired and trained, it is up to the business to work with their staff on a continual basis to keep the members happy and motivated, which will lead to high staff and member retention.

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In personal experience, I have seen employers hire overqualified individuals for a position (i.e., a fitness floor person with a master’s degree) only to find the new employee soon feels stifled in the position and wants more challenge, more research opportunities, etc., while the frustrated employer wants more programming, more member interaction, more social forwardness. The club can promote the qualifications of its staff but most members, once they join, want a person to whom they can relate. Some of the degree programs in applied sciences attract students who are more interested in the science of physiology and would be best served working in a more clinical setting.

Choosing the right degree

If you are a manager seeking someone for the fitness area of a health club, your best bet is to stick with the sciences (e.g., exercise science, exercise physiology, kinesiology, etc.), but also hire someone with a personality that blends well with your members. Look for additional background in coaching, sports activities, education/teaching of some kind, public speaking, etc. This combination will give you the skills you are seeking along with the member involvement needed for retention.

If you are seeking someone to run social or general recreation programs, sports programs, junior programs, clinics, summer camps, etc., look more toward individuals with volunteer or paid work experience in physical education and/or experience with sports teams. People with backgrounds in education (general) or the hotel/restaurant/hospitality industry also tend to be good at programming and usually have good customer service and planning skills. Degrees for these individuals vary from basic physical education to general education and hospitality sciences, to more specific leadership and human performance, recreation management, program management, etc.

To find someone capable of running programs geared toward special groups, look toward the sports sciences and individuals who may have experience in a specific sport or with a specific group. Candidates who have held internships at a major sport training camp or a physical therapy center would be an exceptional find.

For management of tournaments and promotion of your facility, look for a sports management person or someone with a concentration in business and marketing. This candidate would also probably make a great program director and/or public relations coordinator.

If your membership base is at a corporate site, then your natural choice would be someone with a health promotion background. If you offer medical testing and/or medical referrals, seek someone with additional science background. A recreation background is helpful if your corporation has sports teams (softball, volleyball, tennis, golf, etc.) as the person could coordinate and manage programs and develop the relationships necessary to encourage more people to become involved in your fitness and lifestyle programs.

Jean Dalton, department of kinesiology program coordinator for the exercise and leadership concentration at James Madison University, formed the Exercise Science and Leadership Program six years ago to meet the needs of individuals entering the fitness industry. The department hosts three tracks: the first prepares students for graduate school and includes a medically based curriculum of sciences for those entering the medical field, the second track is based on exercise science and exercise physiology, and includes more lab work, and the third track, which is now attracting 50 percent of the students in the department, is exercise leadership. This track includes work in promotion, program development, motivational techniques, nutrition and health promotion. The teachers in the leadership track have practical experience in the health club/fitness industry and the graduates claim that they feel well prepared to work in any type of fitness environment.

Student expectations

Advisors at this program let students know what they can expect in terms of salary and lifestyle. Kay Yuspeh, owner of The Elite Clubs in Wisconsin, is frustrated that schools appear to be giving students the impression that they will work a 9-to-5, five-day-a-week schedule when they graduate. When the students enter a commercial setting, they are disappointed and sometimes resentful because they are expected to work evenings and weekends (when the clients need them most). Especially when the person is a recent graduate and new to the facility, they are “low man on the totem pole” and must work the least desirable hours, while those with longevity start to accumulate the privilege of working the hours they prefer.

Most school programs include a practicum (part-time experience within a course) and an internship (a full-time experience for eight to 16 weeks at a job site). Even so, some students are still upset when they are asked to help clean equipment or straighten up a floor, file records, organize a walking club or run an exercise class. They are not being taught that these type of duties are essential parts of the job.

If schools are preparing students for the professional world, then why are students so disappointed when they get into the field, and why are so many employers disappointed by the expectations that the graduates have?

Robert W. Patton, a professor of kinesiology in the health promotion and recreation department at the University of North Texas, says that the major deficiency in professional preparation institutions is that faculty are hired as exercise scientists into a tenure system requiring data-based publication in nationally recognized refereed journals. Outlets for publication of exercise science research abound in comparison to those for practical research in the club industry. This perpetuates exercise scientists rather than health fitness practioners in higher education. It also creates a chasm between what is needed in the health fitness industry and what is offered in colleges and universities.

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As evident by the growing number of universities that offer degree programs in fitness/health-related fields, there’s a movement toward professionalizing the fitness industry. An increasing number of colleges and universities are offering exercise physiology, fitness management, kinesiology, sports sciences, recreation management and physical education degrees for people interested in entering a variety of fields related to improving the population’s physical condition and health.

Some of these programs train people to work with the general population and others specialize in training for specific markets (e.g., adults, children, corporate employees, geriatric care, elite athletes). The questions for the manager looking to hire, then, are, “Do I need someone with a degree?” “If so, which degree is best suited for my open position?” and “How do I know which degree means what?”

Some background

Joe Quatrochi, associate professor and department chair of the human performance, sport and leisure studies department at Metropolitan State College of Denver, sheds some light on these questions with a little history. “Various names for the same program/degree came from the parent department of physical education,” Quatrochi explains. “As physical education departments began to offer sub-topics which became more popular, the departments were renamed to more accurately characterize what they were offering and help students select their courses.” Quatrochi adds that most schools still use the department name as the degree title so employers should ask candidates about their sub-specialty or concentration, if not listed on their resume.

Quatrochi says that there are core courses found in most degrees in exercise sciences, and urges employers to obtain specific information based on questions about the student’s internship and other experiences.

Michael Goldberger, of James Madison University’s department of kinesiology in Virginia, says that the “gold standard” for curriculum development at his university and many others are the American College of Sports Medicine guidelines. He believes that the panel that creates the ACSM guidelines and examinations is made up of the most up-to-date leaders in the industry.

What’s in demand

Many employers have the feeling that no two degrees are exactly alike and, in general, what they seek is a degree related to the field of fitness/sport/health and a general degree in management.

Linda Pejchar, owner of the consulting firm H & F Solutions, has been recruiting management personnel for the fitness industry for more than 10 years. Many of her clients, she says, seek degreed professionals with a business degree (marketing, accounting, business management, etc.) or liberal arts degree for general management positions. When looking for someone to head a specific department (e.g., fitness, wellness, nutrition), the degree should be from the related field. The candidate who has practical hands-on experience, as well as a degree, has the best probability of getting the position, she says.

And while degrees are not always necessary if a person has good experience, remember that recently degreed individuals have been working with the latest technology, learning communication skills and are up to date on recent research. Darlene Hall, membership and marketing director at The Airport Club in California reiterates “a degree leads to maturity and demonstrates a desire by the individual to better him/herself, and that type of person is more likely to make a commitment to a company and a job.”

Pejchar says there are four different types of criteria for candidates: educated, trained, certified and/or experienced. An employer should pinpoint which qualities they think are most important.

Roberta Gainsboro, president and general manager of Dedham Health & Athletic Complex in Massachusetts, looks for a degree unless she’s promoting from within. She has hired assistant managers right out of high school if they have worked through school in the same department. Technical departments are headed by degreed individuals and staffed with those who have, or are pursuing, degrees. They are required to at least maintain certifications. Many clubs operate this way to give motivated individuals a chance to gain experience and move to a higher pay rate once they graduate.

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Why practice yoga?

Yoga is meditation. In today’s very fast-paced work environment, it is often difficult for one to take a breather from the day’s stress. By engaging in the regular practice of yoga, one is allowed to relax, meditate, and re-gather while also doing something healthy for the body and mind. This healthy result leads to a more cognizant spirit and healthier relationships.

Yoga is stress relief. Because yoga incorporates posture, breathing exercises and meditation, it has the ability to lower tension and anxiety. Good posture, concentrated deep breathing, and meditation all help to battle physical problems such as hypertension, adult-onset diabetes, and respiratory illnesses. Yoga stretches function to alleviate lower back pain, chronic headaches, and muscle soreness that often arrive with an office job.

Yoga is energy and concentration. Yoga aims to build and relax the body and mind. Only in a relaxed state can one tap into a greater source of energy. When we are troubled with worries, muscle tension, and weakness, it is difficult to concentrate and see things clearly. Our work product lacks clarity and our energy is tied up with worry and pain.

Yoga serves as a mood stabilizer. Yoga instructors often choose positions that will massage glands that are responsible for the production of hormones. Hormones tend to become unbalanced when we are stressed. Therefore, yoga promotes the riddance of stress and a more stabilized hormonal system.

Yoga is a problem solver and relationship enhancer. Because the practice of yoga forces one to slow down, stretch, to think about things, and to release built up emotion that sometimes hides in your muscles, it will also bring about an attitude that includes patience, forgiveness, and letting go. After taking a yoga class, one often feels much more at peace with the world and better equipped to deal with the difficulties inherent in relationships and every day life.

Yoga is awareness. Because of the concentrated breathing and body awareness necessary for the proper practice of yoga, yoga makes a person more sensitive to body rhythms, smell, touch, hearing, sight, and smell.

Yoga is an excellent foundation for bringing about success in any other discipline too. Whether we play soccer, lift weights, play a wind instrument, or go to law school, we all can benefit from better concentration, flexibility, precision, and relaxation.

By being more flexible and having better posture, one can more easily access the oxygen we find deep in our lower bellies. For a woodwind musician, yoga helps to access every bit of oxygen in the lower belly.

For an athlete, flexibility is key to avoiding injury. For a student, mental balance, discipline, and a fit body definitely make learning much easier and enjoyable.

Behavioral science tells us that there are three reasons that you are not consistently adhering to a fitness program:

You lack adequate knowledge about the benefits of a fitness program and/or don’t know how to get started.
You lack the motivation to start and maintain a fitness program.
You lack the physical skills to engage in a fitness program.
Since I have been extolling the benefits of the proper diet and fitness program for some time now, I’m assuming that anyone reading this article is fully informed as to the benefits of exercise. If this is not the case, please read any of my previous articles about exercise on this Web site. This should give you a good “no nonsense” understanding of the benefits of regular exercise.

So, assuming that we have all the knowledge we need to start and maintain a fitness program, this article will focus on your motivation.

We know we should eat healthy and exercise regularly, yet we just can’t seem to bring ourselves to do it. Is this behavior or lack thereof, a handicap?

Should we get a special parking place in front of the health club for the “motivationally challenged”? No, and that last idea sounds good, but no! Although it may feel like a handicap at times, it is simply a behavioral issue.

In the study, researchers measured the hostility levels of 374 male and female participants between the ages of 18 and 35 using the Cook-Medley hostility test, then measured heart artery calcification (hardening of the arteries) with electron beam tomography. After taking into account risk factors such as smoking, diet and exercise, researchers found that participants who scored above the median on the hostility test were 2.5 times more likely to have heart artery calcification than those who scored below the median.

Researchers believe that heart artery calcification is linked to stress hormones. These hormones, caused by feelings of hostility, raise blood pressure and increase the likelihood of platelets (blood-clotting cells) to stick together, leading to hardening of the arteries. In addition to stress hormones, other factors often associated with hostility, such as smoking and drinking, may increase the risk for heart disease. A reduction in hostility may help to lower the risk for developing heart artery calcification, but researchers caution that further studies are needed.

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There are two basic ways you can monitor your heart rate during exercise. One is manually with your fingers and the other is with a heart-rate monitor.

Manually

The most common places to take the heart rate are at the carotid artery (the neck) and the radial artery (the wrist). The carotid artery is located high up on either side of the neck. Put your finger at the outside of your eye and drag it down to the upper part of the neck. Always locate the pulse with your first two fingers, not using the thumb as it has a pulse of its own. The radial pulse can be found on the thumb side of the wrist where the wrist bends. When taking a manual pulse be sure not to press too hard as this can actually alter the rate. Instead, let the pulse beat against your fingers.

Manually taking your pulse during exercise can be difficult and requires some practice because you are moving. The quicker the heart rate, the more difficult it is to take an accurate pulse for a longer period of time. The most common way to count the number of beats per minute is to count for 30 seconds and multiply by two, or 15 seconds and multiply by four, or the quickest but least accurate is six seconds multiplied by ten.

Heart-Rate Monitor

A heart-rate monitor is another way of measuring heart rate by telling you the beats per minute. It will let you know if you are working at too high or low an intensity by beeping. There is a sensor strap that goes over your skin on your torso. You moisten the underside of the sensor strap with water or your saliva, which transmits the electrical activity to the monitor. The monitor straps to your wrist like a watch allowing communication between the strap and the monitor. The monitor will display the number of beats per minute. It is the most accurate way to monitor your heart rate while exercising and is recommended for the avid aerobic participant. There are many makes and models available at many different price ranges.

Now that you know how to determine your heart rate you will need to know how to estimate your maximum heart rate.

Without having a sub-maximum heart rate test done by a professional the next best way is to use the following formula: 220 minus your age equals your maximum heart rate. You can use percentages to find your training zone. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends working at an intensity of 60 and 90 percent of your maximum heart rate for your most efficient workout. Start counting!

Many of you are saying, “I don’t want to be a world-class athlete. I just want to lose these doughy rolls Super Glued to the sides of my abdomen!”

It’s not about being an “athlete” in the strict sense of the word. Heck, training for a living is for crazy-people. But I believe there is an “athlete” in each of us. It’s part of our genetic makeup — a basic human desire that has been subverted by modern society.

Consider this: We can play our favorite sport passionately for hours without a thought. You’re completely in the moment, you lose all sense of time and you are playing, not “working out.” That’s when the athlete in you is fully alive. The calories burned are a natural consequence of having fun, not the focus of the workout. Now, put me on a treadmill and count my calories for more than 20 minutes and I start weeping.

If you can consistently tap into your innate athletic passions, you will reach levels of fitness you never dreamed possible. But it’s time to give up the rote fitness activity and start really having some fun!

The best athletes in the world all seem to share six basic qualities. Consistently incorporating two or more of these concepts into your routine will create enduring transformations in your workouts and in your life.