Why stay inside on the treadmill when you could be outside enjoying the beautiful sun and sights of San Diego County? With a few clicks on the internet, you can easily find some stunning spots to enjoy a trail run and spice up your routine a bit.
This short, sleep climb in the tallest mountain in San Diego. The trail is popular with runners, as well as hikers and reaches 950 feet in one and a half miles. The well maintained trail has wooden steps in some places and is very well marked for distances. There is plenty of free parking at the bottom of the hill, as well as restrooms. Cowles Mountain is very popular and rangers are concerned with erosion to the hillside, so they ask that you remain on the trail. There can be quite a bit of hiking traffic at times, so make sure to keep an eye out for others.
Torrey Pines Preserve
The scenery along this coastal trail is undeniably some of the best you will find anywhere. It is a combination of dirt trails, pavement and sandy beaches – sure to provide the challenges you will need! The area is the primary habitat for the Torrey pine which is found only at these coastal bluffs near Del Mar and Santa Rosa Island.
Blue Sky Preserve
This is a 700 acre ecological preserve near Poway. It is also used for nature education and habitat preservation, but also provides excellent opportunities for fitness challenges. Motorized vehicles, as well as mountain bikes are banned, so you don’t have to any traffic to watch out for – just lace up your trail running shoes and enjoy the sights and sounds around you. There are frequent wildlife sightings, so you will be sure to come back with a story or two.
Carrizo Badlands
Carrizo Badlands are located in southern Anza Borrego Desert State park and is some of the most bizarre terrain in San Diego County. There are some excellent examples of erosion, sandstone and mudstones. The roads are made of soft packed sand and are easy on the knees. The clay hills, mud caves and arches provide a variety of scenery.
Daley Ranch
There are more than twenty miles of trails for hikers, runners and walkers on this huge ranch. It is a former cattle ranch and dairy found north of Escondido but is now a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts.
We are not fish. Sometimes the water can be a scary place. For the swimming beginner, a few laps can bring on fatigue and loss of breath. Unlike land exercises, it is much harder to catch our breath in the water and continue a good workout. This can lead to pool panic for the beginning swimmer. Don’t get discouraged. A new swimmer should be relaxed. Frustration can lead to quitting. As mentioned in the previous articles, make sure to pay close attention to using good techniques and the best body position.
Start out your workout with a slow warm up routine to stretch out the muscles and get the body used to the water. Many swimmers will start just by floating in the water, doing an easier back stroke or a slow free style lap.
Try lying on your side with the bottom arm extended in front with the palm down. The top arm should be at your side with the hand on the upper thigh. Kick slowly across the pool and keep your head in a relaxed position.
To stay afloat easily, make sure your lungs are filled up. Use your lungs and stomach as floatation aids by controlling your breathing. To breathe, turn your head to the side slightly without lifting your forehead.
Once you are feeling warmed up, start by doing four 25’s freestyle. Make sure to concentrate on proper breathing and technique, rather than speed. Start by breathing on every third stroke, alternating sides. This will help to keep arm strength balance, as well as help the beginner stay straight in the lane. As you get more winded, breathe on every other stroke, on the same side. To avoid wearing out that shoulder, you can change the side you are breathing on with each length of the pool.
After you finish your routine, make sure to cool down. You can do this by repeating a similar exercise as the start.
As we have seen, swimming is a great way to get in shape. Not only does it provide a workout for your heart, lungs and muscles, it also can be a great way to relax and forget the stresses of the day.
Even so, some people are just not ready to dive in. There are other ways to get fit in the water if you aren’t quite ready to start swimming laps. Here are a few exercises that are good for beginners who want to warm up to swimming by doing some simple, low impact, easy exercises in the water that will not stress your body. These exercises can be a good option for people who are not prepared to begin a heavy workout routine.
Arm Toning
To tone your arms, take an inflatable ball (one about the size of a volleyball) into the water. Standing in water that reaches your shoulders, extend our arms with the ball in front of your chest. Keeping the arms extended, make figure eights with the ball in front of your chest.
The March
Stand in water up to your shoulders with your arms to your side. Begin marching with deliberate, coordinated movements, extending your arms in front of you, down and back to your sides, as your legs march. Raise the knees up so that your leg forms a 90 degree angle at the knee.
Jumping Jack
Perform the traditional jumping jack in shoulder-high water. Start with your arms at your side, spring up from the legs and fan your arms out to the side and above your head. If there are others around, try not to splash them too much!
Even if you are ready to start doing laps in the pool, these exercises can be a great warm-up or cool down to your swimming routine. At BOOTCAMP 619, we encourage everyone to make sure to warm up and cool down as an integrated part of their workout. It will help you get the best results possible during your workout.
Then breathing under water just wouldn’t be an issue. Unfortunately, you need to fill up your lungs with oxygen – water just doesn’t do the trick.
Even when you are exercising on land, it can often feel difficult to catch your breath. Now that you are exercising in the water, you need to have the right technique. Mastering breathing can be one of your most challenging aspects to learning how to swim for exercise.
There are a few common problems that many people have when learning to breathe properly.
Gasping
Feeling like you are not getting enough air is a common problem, particularly when you are swimming freestyle. When first starting to swim, people often make the mistake of trying to take in air and breathe out at the same time as they come up from the water. There just isn’t time. You should always exhale though the nose when under water. Inhale air through the mouth as you roll to the side and bring your face out of the water. Count your strokes to find a comfortable breathing pattern and follow it so that you won’t run out of air. For example, roll to the side and breathe in on every third stroke when you start and on every second stroke when you are getting tired.
Sinking
When rolling over to take a breath, make sure your other arm in extended forward. You can use your hand and arm to push down in the water and bring the body up to avoid sinking as you roll to the side to breathe.
Don’t Drink the Water As you increase your speed you might find yourself inhaling water. Not only is it an unpleasant feeling, but it also wrecks your rhythm. When learning and building stamina, make sure to take it slow and pay attention to your form. As we mentioned above, make sure to find a breathing pattern that is comfortable for you.
Swimming is a great addition to your workout routine. At BOOTCAMP 619, we emphasize a well-balanced regiment to ensure that our clients have the healthiest approach to their fitness.
Once you are ready to get into the water, you have overcome the first hurdle. It is important to feel comfortable to begin your new adventure. The next step is to figure out how to utilize the activity to have the optimum effect. Any movement you do in the water will be a good start for exercise.
However, if you are not sure what you are doing, you may end up frustrating yourself and giving up. Therefore, it is important to begin by learning some of the basic strokes, as well as proper breathing.
Freestyle
Also known as the front crawl, freestyle is an unregulated swimming technique also used in competition. However, this term actually encompasses a variety of techniques, including the side stroke. To perform this stroke, the swimmer is facing down and forward in the water.
The kick is done with the knees staying nearly together and the feet kicking just below the edge of the water. The arms and moved in a windmill position at the sides moving over and behind the head, cupping the water as they enter. Fingers are pointed forward and angled to avoid splashing the water as they enter.
Breathing can be more difficult in this stroke, as it is performed face down. Breathe out through the nose while under water and turn the body and head slightly to the side to breathe in through the mouth as the arm extends from the downward position at the side to back over the shoulder.
Breaststroke
This is the swimming style in which the swimmer is on their chest and their torso stays forward. Though it is often taught to beginners, it is one of the strictest strokes in competition and also one of the slowest. Lean on the chest, with the arms only breaking the surface of the water, hands nearly together with the palms facing into each other.
Once extended, bring the hands back in a half circle to the shoulders and then extend them out again, cutting the water with your tight fingers.The feet begin positioned together and kick out in a frog-like manner, also in a half circle. Once extended, bring the legs back together and pull them forward so that your feel meet at your hips.
Take a breath as you propel your body and head forward and out of the water. Once you take your breath, face your head back down to the water.
Backstroke
While doing the backstroke, the arms are doing most of the work to propel you forward. Arms alternate so that one arm is always under water while the other arm is in recovery. From the initial position at your sides, one arm extends up in front of the head with the palm facing in. With the arm extended, rotate the palm out as you reach the front of the face. Pull the arm back to the shoulder above the head, still extended and cup the water as you enter. Once this arm is back in the starting position, repeat with the next.
The best way to learn is through practice. Get help from a more experienced swimmer. Learning through proper practice will help your muscles remember the exercise. At BOOTCAMP 619 and CROSSFIT 619, we encourage all of our members to be well-rounded athletes and try a variety of the different sports and exercise activities we have to offer.
Whether you are participating in one of our programs with BOOTCAMP 619, CROSSFIT 619 or SD PERSONAL TRAINER, we emphasize the importance of a proper diet as a key component to a healthy lifestyle. Even if you “look good,” it won’t do you much good if you don’t “feel good” too.
When participating in an athletic sport like running, it is also important to pay close attention to the nutrients you are providing to your body. The same way that your car needs gas to get far on the highway, your body needs the proper fuel through a good dietary plan to keep it moving. If your car breaks down on the road, you can call the tow truck, but that won’t do your body very much good when it runs out of steam.
A proper eating plan has all the essential nutrients, allows you to keep a good energy level for body exercise and daily activities and helps you maintain a body-fat level at which you feel comfortable and healthy.
Carbohydrates
Though you may be watching your carbs for fat burning, you do need them to be a good runner. For runners, these should occupy about 50 percent of your daily caloric intake. They will give you the energy your muscles need by being converted into glucose and help keep you satiated longer on your run. Be careful though, because excess carbs are soon processed into sugar and fat.
Fat
Fat will help keep you satiated between meals also. However, if fats comprise more than 20% of your calories, particularly in one meal, then they will begin to be stored as body fat. Fat also digests slower than other foods, so you should avoid them prior to a run since they may make you feel uncomfortable.
Protein
We can’t tell you enough times that protein is the building block of muscles. Eating protein for meals and snacks will make you feel very satisfied. Still, be careful not to consume too much protein in one sitting, as it also will convert to fat. For more information on your dietary needs, visit the rest of our blog postings here at BOOTCAMP 619. You will find a plethora of information on nutritional requirements for any sport or lifestyle you desire.
Everybody has a different body. That means that we may have different prescriptions for correct running posture and style. Runners should find the best style for their own running comfort.
Stand Up Straight
You will find that a good, erect posture is most efficient for running. This style will keep your force of gravity perpendicular to the ground. You can check yourself by looking in your reflection as you run past the front windows of the stores on your route. When done properly, you will feel like your head, torso and hips are all moving together as one unit.
Stay Low
To reduce impact to the knees and improve your speed, it is best to keep your feet low to the ground. This also keeps your “RPM’s” speedier.
Relax!
Keeping your muscles relaxed (not tense), you can reduce the stress on your body. You will also be conserving energy.
Pay It Forward
Focus your motion forward. Hips, shoulders, arms and legs should all be pointing straight ahead. Make sure not to let the arms stray.
Step Lightly
Make sure to keep your steps light. Don’t allow your legs and feet to pound the pavement. This will cause undue stress on the joints. Use the ankles to flick the legs forward and not overuse the hamstrings and other major muscles.
Breathe Deeply
Keep your breathing focused on the belly, the way a baby breathes. Keep your breaths out of the chest while keeping the chest forward and better aligned for optimal breathing.
Come in to BOOTCAMP 619 and join us for one of our challenging workouts. By joining a group, you can exchange ideas and compare them with what works best for your body!
Even the youngest, healthiest runner can encounter some complications that can occur from training in certain extreme conditions. As we mentioned in the previous article, heat can provide a number of challenges to the runner, particularly if their body is not accustomed to these temperatures.
There are certain warning signs that one should look for to avoid problems caused by what is commonly called “heat disease.” In the most extreme cases, it has even resulted in death.
Heat disease is typified by an intense heat buildup in the head, resulting in a headache and general overheating of the entire body. It can cause confusion, loss of concentration and loss of muscle control.
It is followed often by intense sweating and the cessation of sweating, resulting in clammy skin and heavy breathing. Vomiting and faintness can occur.
True heat disease is not merely caused by overtraining or high temperatures. It is often a result of lack of sleep, infection, overweight, certain prescription and non-prescription medications or dehydration.
Dehydration is not only caused by insufficient water intake, but also by alcohol and caffeine. Medications for diarrhea and antihistamines are common medications that can contribute to heat disease.
Drinking water will help, but take care to avoid water intoxication. Though very rare, hyponatremia, or the excessive and sudden consumption of too much water can also cause serious medical problems and, though rare, is a condition all marathoners should be aware of. The symptoms are swelling of the significant hands and feet, nausea, repetitive diarrhea, confusion and disorientation and muscle cramping. Avoid it by drinking water in six ounce doses only every 25 minutes and don’t drink more if you hear a sloshing sound in your stomach.
Running is an enjoyable hobby that is good for your health. By being aware of the potential pitfalls, you can ensure to continue to get pleasure and benefit from this great pastime. Come join us for one of our BOOTCAMP 619 running activities and experience our team spirit!
“Aerobic” and “Anaerobic” are two words often thrown around when talking about exercise. If you are new to fitness or even just like working out at the gym, it is important to know the difference in these words and how it applies to the exercises you are doing.
Aerobic literally means “in the presence of oxygen” and signifies the point at which you exercise that is still within your comfortable level. Aerobic exercise is achieved when you are performing at a pace, weight or distance that your body is accustomed to through recent training sessions. There is enough oxygen present in the blood to dispose of waste products. Many people associate this level with “fat burning.”
Anaerobic exercise is achieved when the body is pushed beyond its level or comfort. Muscles are challenged above levels of recent training. For a limited time, the muscle frees oxygen that is present in its tissue and waste products are produced that will cause the muscle to become tight and sore.
While aerobic exercise is necessary for health, anaerobic exercise is not, but does give significant benefits in gaining speed, muscle size or strength. Therefore, anaerobic exercise is always necessary for fitness and athletics, which those who have fat burning as their goal may benefit more from increased aerobic exercise.
BOOTCAMP 619 provides a healthy and beneficial balance of both aerobic and anaerobic exercise that helps clients to achieve both fat burning and aesthetic goals, leading to a happier, healthier body and life.
Most people are familiar with the basic concept of fitness improvement. If you want your muscles to grow stronger, bigger or faster, you need to make sure they are challenged. Stress on the muscles will trigger growth by making small tears in the muscle fiber which is repaired, resulting in muscle growth.
Over training a muscle will actually hinder its growth. In weight training, we usually only work out a muscle group once during a weekly cycle to allow time for recovery. The same concept is true for running.
A hard run should always be followed by few “easy days.” This does not mean that you should stop running, but that you should perform runs in which the pace or distance is decreased. In addition, a proper running program should include “easy weeks” where one goes at this reduced pace or distance every third week or so.
A program that does not include rest periods puts the runner at risk of injury. Trying to consistently increase mileage, running too fast or not getting enough rest can put a quick halt to your running goals.
Come in and talk to fitness professional, Chris Keith, for input regarding your fitness goals. Chris can help you set up a plan that will meet your personal needs and avoid injury.
Many people think of running as a solitary sport – the lonely runner out on the road pounding the pavement with just his thoughts to keep him company. Maybe that is what is stopping some from giving running a chance. That doesn’t have to be the case.
Though it may not always be a marathon day, where you are surrounded by people of the same interest, it doesn’t have to be a lonely sport either. Running can be a group activity or even one to do with a spouse, friend or running partner. If you are tired of being alone on the running path or even if you are hesitating to get started just because you don’t want to be solitary, try encouraging someone to go out for a run or a jog with you.
When recruiting a new running partner, there are a few things to keep in mine.Wait until your potential running partner shows interest in your activity to approach them. You don’t have to wait until they ask for an invitation; a simple comment showing interest will suffice. However, by extending an invitation to early, you may scare them off.
To peak there interest, tell them a little about the great experiences you have been having through running. A short talk about the fitness benefits you have been seeing or the friends you have made or even an outing to see a running even or marathon together may do.
Show a personal interest in your friend’s fitness goals. Offer them some of your experiences about how running may help them accomplish their goals. Don’t be a doomsayer. Never condemn or tell them about the health risks of not immediately starting a running program. That can be a big turn-off for most people.
While you should tell them some of the benefits you have seen from running, don’t promise them the world. You could be setting them up for becoming discouraged when they don’t see their results immediately.
Keep the experience positive and don’t expose your friend to something they are not ready for. If you are no longer a beginner, remember how it felt when you first started. Make sure to be encouraging and help your friend meet their goals.
At BOOTCAMP 619 we thrive on the spirit of cooperation and work as a team to meet our fitness goals. Come in and join us for a workout and experience this kind of challenge for yourself.
Back pain is a chronic complaint of many people. This is often caused by stress on a weakened muscle system. It can be caused by trauma, injury or postural stress. Pain is often felt even two or three days after an injury or trauma occurs, making it difficult to pinpoint the cause or react to it in time. Exercising the area can be a great way to avoid future injury.
Stretching is an important way to relieve the pain that you may be feeling.
Trunk movement is a combination of the use of the lumbar and thoratic spin. It is a complex combination of movement at each vertebra of the spine. When stretching, it is important to concentrate of the large muscles of the truck but this will also cause a benefit in the smaller muscles too.
To stretch the back extensors, sit in a chair and keep your upper back straight. Hold a folded towel behind your lower back and hold it at the sides with each hand. Bend from your hips, keeping the upper back still straight and use the towel to provide resistance between the arms and back.
For the trunk rotators, sit in a chair with your back straight. Twist to the right as far as you can comfortably and grab the back of the chair to hold yourself in place. Repeat on the opposite side.
The latissimus dorsi, or lats, are found on the sides of the back. To stretch them, sit in a chair and raise your right arm to a position bent at a 90 degree angle behind your head. Keep your back and neck lengthened and reach over with your left hand to pull the right elbow gently toward the left shoulder. Make sure to feel this stretch in the lats and not just in your triceps. Repeat on the other side.
If you are experiencing back pain or chronic back injury, you may benefit from strengthening the affected muscles. Come join us at BOOTCAMP 619 to see how a good exercise routine can benefit you.
As you may imagine, the neck and shoulder area is an intricate system of muscles that not only works to move the head, but also aids in the movement of the arms and areas of the torso. Almost everyone has excess tension in these muscles not only from athletics, but primarily from environmental issues – we spend much of our lives sitting at our desks, in cars or in chairs that are not well designed to support our bodies. It is here that these muscles can compensate and create tension and a potential for pain and limited movement.
The neck and upper shoulders are made up of a few muscle groups. The trapezius muscles are shoulder muscles at the rear and upper base of the neck. They help to elevate the shoulders and give forward and side movement to the head and neck.
The scalenes are three muscles which run up the neck along the spine. They assist in neck movement, as well as rib elevation for proper breathing.
The scapula are the muscles along the side of the neck that aid in neck and shoulder movement and the turning of the head.
An imbalance in any of these muscles can result in limited movement, pain and headaches.
To stretch the trapezius muscles, lie on your back. Keep your neck lengthened and turn your head to the right as much as is comfortable. Tuck in your chin and pull your left shoulder toward your feet. Put your left arm under your body to hold down the left shoulder and wrap your right arm around your head so that your right fingers are holding the base of your skull. Try to bring the left shoulder and back of the neck toward each other. Repeat with the opposite side.
For the scalene muscles, lie on your back and pull your left shoulder away from your each. Hold it in place by placing your left arm under your body. Keep your face pointing toward the ceiling and laterally flex your neck to bring your right ear close to your right shoulder comfortably. With your right arm up around your head, use your fingers to hold just above your left ear and bring it toward your left shoulder.
To stretch the scapula, sit in a chair with your spine extended. Drop your head toward your chest and turn your chin to the right at a 45 degree angle. Use your right had to hold the top of your head and pull until you feel a stretch on the left side of your neck.
When stretching the neck muscles, make sure you never feel pain. Also, if you have had an injury, it is imperative to seek the help of a professional.
If you are experiencing this kind of tension, BOOTCAMP 619 is a great stress reliever. Come join us for the most intense stress-relieving workout of your life. You are worth it!
There is no doubt that a low carbohydrate diet focused on foods with a low glycemic index is great for fat burning. By focusing on lean proteins and staying away from obvious carbs, many people can find fat burning success. However, some do not. The problem is often not the foods that they “are” choosing, but the foods that they are not! There are a few potential pitfalls to your low carb diet, and one of the main ones is fatigue and loss of muscle strength.
However, all is not lost. A low carb diet is very successful when you do it right. Here are a few tips to avoid some of the potential pitfalls.
Eat Healthy Fats
A healthy fat can be a sustaining source of energy for the body. It can provide the extra kick you need to get in a good workout after a long day at the job. If you choose your fats wisely, they can have many positive effects on the body. Fish Oils (Salmon, Tuna and other Marine Oils): These can reduce the risk of CHD and also maintain good mental and visual function. Salad Oils: Olive oil, grape seed oil and walnut oil and all, healthy delicious options. They can also help maintain good heart health. Walnuts and Flax: Also great for heart health. Flax seed can reduce your bad cholesterol. Almonds and Walnuts: May reduce cell damage, improve heart health and boost your immune system
Focus on the Right Food Choices
In a recent article, I mentioned that a lack of potassium can result in fatigue and loss of strength. However, many of the obvious potassium rich foods, such as bananas and potatoes, are not good for your fat burning plan. When maintaining a low carb diet, make sure that you are getting lean protein, fiber and low glycemic carbs from sources like fish (ahi, yellowtail, salmon), spinach and sweet potatoes. Without this key element in your diet, you will find your energy levels plummeting, as well as a risk for muscle damage, injury and pain. Since “low carbs” doesn’t mean “no carbs” choose the ones you do eat very wisely. Make sure that they are nutrient dense, low gylcemic index carbohydrates like sweet potatoes, wheat bran and oatmeal. Green tea
Tea does not just taste good; it has a lot of amazing properties, including a natural stimulant. It also helps prevent cancer; EGCG, an antioxidant in tea, inhibits the growth of new cancer cells and is also thought to kill some existing ones. It lowers bad cholesterol and stops formation of blood clots which can lead to stroke or heart attack, as well as reduces high blood pressure. It lowers blood sugar and helps prevent type two diabetes, destroys free radicals that cause aging, and boosts immune system function. Its antibacterial and antiviral properties can aid in recovery from colds and flu.
For more information on fitness and nutrition, pay a visit to our fully-equipped BOOTCAMP 619 studio anytime.
With Thanksgiving and Black Friday behind us, the holiday season is now in full force!
Holiday parties, desserts, mall food… they are all potential potholes on our road to our perfect body in the New Year.
However, there are plenty of great ways to avoid the down-side of holiday cheer.
You may think it’s too early… Why not just wait until I start that New Year’s Resolution to lose those extra pounds? Well, the answer is clear – why gain them in the first place? Even though you may be busy with holiday parties and year-end work, most people do have some extra time for themselves over the holidays. Spend it productively and get a jump on the rest of the crowd.
Step to the Front of the Line
Gyms are often deserted during the holiday season. Exercise can be one of the first things people drop off their busy schedules to spend more time at the mall or holiday parties. Use that to your benefit! While there may be long lines at the department stores, there’s no waiting at the stair machine. Get in a quick workout before heading out to your daily activities. If there’s no time before, it can be a great stress-reliever after a long day of work and holiday activities.
Personal Shopper
Everybody can use a little help. Santa has elves. You can get a fitness professional to help you too. By working with a personal trainer, you’ll get the attention and education that you need to get more challenging workouts. A fitness professional will make your workouts more effective and give you the motivation you need to have that extra willpower that we all lack during the holiday season.
Follow the Reindeer
Join a class! A group can really motivate you to challenge yourself. It is likely that class sizes will be down this month before the big post-holiday push. It will give you a chance to try something new without the crowd and be ahead of the rest when the holidays are over.
Dasher has Dancer, Prancer has Vixen
Get a serious exercise buddy. Make sure to choose someone that is as motivated as you are or you may not get the desired results. Make a commitment to push each other even harder than you may have pushed yourself. Find someone that shares the same fitness goals, is encouraging and committed and is around the same fitness level.
A close friend, partner or spouse could be a good choice. It is a great way to spend more one-on-one time together during a season when we are often invited to group activities.
Get Out of the Gingerbread House
Watch your diet and make sure that you enjoy your seasonal treats with moderation. Choose a few items that you may not mind cutting out this year and enjoy those that you do without stuffing yourself. You won’t miss the discomfort you feel after the meal… or the pants that don’t fit on January first.
Above all, keep fitness on your mind during the holiday season. Your health is not something to take a vacation from. In the end, a good healthy lifestyle will reduce stress and make you feel great. Enjoy your holidays and have a healthy, happy New Year!
Come in and see Chris Keith, San Diego's best personal trainer, today to get a jump on your New Year's fitness resolutions!
There are a lot of foods that you find in the grocery store that bill themselves as “low calorie” or “diet” foods. They are packaged in attractive boxes with lots of eye-catching graphics of thin, athletic-looking people. They may be low in calories but many of those boxes have another thing in common – they are small! Think carefully about these kinds of packaged foods. Anything can say that it is “low calorie” if it shrinks down the portion small enough.
The problem with these foods is that they often just leave you hungry. About an hour after you pull one of those diet meals out of the microwave, you want another one. By the time you are full, you will have consumed as many calories as you would have by eating something far more satisfying.
However, there are a lot of foods that you can add to your diet that will fill you up and still be low in calories and healthy.
Lean Proteins and Fatty Fish
Chicken, turkey, salmon, mackerel and tuna are great sources of protein. A diet higher in protein will leave you with a fuller, more satisfied feeling. Fatty fishes, such as salmon, are also high in omega-3 fatty acids which, besides lowering cholesterol, also hasten the metabolism rate. Omega-3 fatty acids alter the level of leptin — a hormone that directly influences metabolism and determines whether you burn calories or store them as fat.
Beans
Lentils and soy beans are high in fiber and a good source of protein. They spend a longer amount of time in the digestions process and make you feel fuller, longer. They are a perfect meat-alternative for protein.
Low-Fat Dairy Products
Non-fat Greek yogurt is higher in protein than other styles of yogurt and is a great source of protein and calcium. Some studies show that people who are calcium deficient can release a hormone that causes fat to store in the body.
Green Vegetables
Spinach, asparagus and broccoli have a fat-burning effect on the body and a low calorie density.
They are not stored as readily as fat because most of their calories are burning off in digestion. The fiber in these foods provides roughage and contains antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that help you feel full.
Green Apples and Pears
The fiber-factor in these fruits help you feel fuller after eating them. They are an excellent source of vitamins and a perfect, portable snack.
Citrus Fruits
Grapefruit is a delicious option that is currently in season, as well as guava. They are rich in Vitamin C which helps the body process fat faster and stimulates amino acids which speed up the body’s fat burning potential. Lemon and lime are great seasonings for meats and fish.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is a great breakfast for energy - it is a complex carbohydrate which takes longer to digest and releases energy slowly, keeping you feeling full for longer. It also keeps blood sugar and insulin levels stable, which helps prevent fat storage. Oatmeal provides more protein per serving than any other grain. Mix it with low fat milk, soy milk or almond milk for a richer flavor.
Come into BOOTCAMP 619 for not only a great workout, but counseling on good nutritional habits.
agility: the power of moving quickly and easily; nimbleness
Who wouldn’t want to be a superhero? Even if their alter-ego was not the most popular, seemingly not the brightest or most attractive, once they came out of that phone booth in their superhero costume, everybody loved them! Even though they might have dropped their books or tripped down the stairs in their regular form, it was always an act; they were never clumsy.
Good agility is key to their success and is also important in truly meeting your fitness goals.
Agility is the ability to move quickly and change directions while maintaining control and balance. Good agility requires a combination of speed, balance, power and co-ordination.
Try some simple exercises to improve your agility, improve your reflexes, range of movement and become generally more athletic.
The Flash: Speed
A simple test of foot speed and agility, this activity gives an indication of the amount of an athlete’s leg muscle twitch.
Using a flat, non-slip surface, a stopwatch and some long sticks (or a 20 rung rope ladder if you have access to one), run the following course.
Start by placing the sticks about 18 inches apart (or lay down the rope ladder evenly). Start running from one end to the other without touching the sticks or rope. Start timing yourself when the foot first touches the ground between the first and second stick. Stop timing when you finish. Rest for two minutes and repeat until fatigued. Track your improvement by watching your time and number or repetitions.
Catwoman: Balance
Start by placing a towel, cone, or other object two to three feet in front of your feet. Place your feet together, hands on hips, and your torso upright. Lift your right foot off the floor and balance on your left leg. Attempt to keep the right foot off the floor throughout the exercise. Begin reaching your right hand forward toward the object in front of you, allowing your left knee to bend. Continue reaching until your hand is a couple inches above the object on the floor. Pause for one second at this point. Return to an upright position, maintaining your balance on the left leg.
Repeat this exercise about ten to fifteen times.
Hulk: Power
Place your towel flat on the ground and then put the medicine ball in the centre of the towel. Bring the ends of the towel one at a time over the top of the ball as a “bag.” Start the exercise with your feet shoulder-width apart and your weight shifted on to your right foot.
Twist your body to the right with your hands grasping the ends of the towel and the ball positioned behind your right shoulder. While keeping your arms straight, swing the ball out away from your body toward the front and then to the left in a wide arc, while bending your legs and 'sitting' into a shallow squat position as the ball reaches the middle of the arc in front of you.
Continue this arc until you finish the swing with the weight shifted onto your left foot, with your hands still grasping the ends of the towel and the ball now behind your left shoulder. Immediately swing the ball back to the starting position, and repeat the swinging motion back and forth for a total of 10 to 15 repetitions on each side. Begin this exercise in a slow manner, and progress in speed (while still maintaining good control) over a period of several weeks. Perform two to three sets.
The Nightcrawler: Coordination
If you are not accustomed to running, start out by doing some jogging for a couple of weeks. Then, add zig zag running in between your regular runs. If you run on a track set up a course with cones that you can run between in zig zag motions quickly. Once you get used to the zig-zag running, use small objects (make sure they are not ones you could trip on!) to set up varied patters on a small course, such as numbers and letters (figure eight, an “S” shape, a cursive “E,” etc.) and see how fast you can improve your speed.
Good agility will not just benefit you in your workout routine, but in daily life by helping you prevent spills and injuries. No one likes a klutz!
Come into BOOTCAMP 619, get into great shape and find out what a “Spiderman” is!
the ability or strength to continue or last, despite fatigue, stress, or other adverse conditions
Endurance comes in a variety of forms – sustained physical determination, mental fortitude, emotional strength. While “stamina” refers more to the ability to last through a powerful physical stress, “endurance” is the kind of resilience necessary to complete a prolonged physical stress such as a marathon.
Endurance Sports
Endurance training is quite a broad term. It's often used interchangeably with terms like "aerobic", "anaerobic", "strength" and "speed". The objective of endurance training is to develop the energy production systems to meet the demands of the event.
Endurance events consist of many thousands of muscular contractions over an extended period of time, whereas Strength or Power training requires very few maximal or near maximal muscular contractions.
Mental Endurance
Mental endurance is quite the same as physical endurance. It is the ability to keep mental focus in the face of great stressors. By improving their physical endurance, one often finds improvement in mental and emotional endurance. A healthy body is key to a healthy mind.
Endurance Market
An endurance market is one in which the strong survive. Financial staying power in difficult times brings the truly strong to the surface as the rest wash away. This is not so different than physical endurance for sports and fitness. The athlete with the most endurance may not lead the pack in the start of the race, but will come out first in the end.
Endurance Coach
Useful exercises to boost muscle fitness like endurance and stamina, include push-ups to improve endurance of arm and shoulder muscles, like biceps, triceps and deltoids, or squat-thrusts to improve endurance of gluteal, quads and lower-thigh muscles. Alternatively, try cardio-aerobic activities such as stepping, power-walking, exercise-cycling, squash or jogging to improve lower-body muscular endurance.
Muscular Strength versus Muscular Endurance
Muscular endurance and strength are related, since endurance requires a certain amount of baseline strength in order to maintain continuous tension or perform repetitive contractions against resistance.
Likewise, some increases in strength may occur as endurance improves. However, the primary difference between muscular strength and endurance is that muscular strength is expressed as the maximum amount of force that a muscle can generate in a single contraction, while muscular endurance is a measure of how many times you can move a given weight before fatiguing.
BOOTCAMP 619 is the perfect workout for improving your endurance. With improved endurance, you will find more energy and strength to meet any challenge life brings forward.
The real answer is... Anytime! However, one should always pay attention to their body to find what the optimum time for them is. The healthiest options for working out are early morning and late afternoon.
Early Morning
It is a great way to energize your day. By exercising early, you will give yourself that boost that you may normally need from caffeine. In addition, you cannot skip a workout if you have already done it! The downside for some people is afternoon sleepiness that can be remedied by a nap or a ten minute walk.
Late Afternoon
The body is warmed up for the day. You may be able to experience your optimum challenge at this time of day; your best run time, fastest swim or heaviest weight. For some, the negative can be a tendency to skip the workout when you have had a busy day.
Evening
Proceed with caution if you prefer to workout before bedtime. It can interfere with your sleep patterns and cause a cycle of fatigue that drains your workout of energy and degrades muscle tone.
This said, there is never a really ‘bad” time to exercise; it is always positive. If you are not sure what works best for you, experiment for two weeks and see how you feel.
Strong bones and healthy muscle tissue are the foundations of a fit body. They help sustain a healthy lifestyle full of physical activity and aid in injury avoidance. Dairy, or the Milk, Yogurt and Cheese Group, is key in the formation and maintenance of all the major components of the body structures.
The USDA recommends that people eat two to three servings from this food group per day to get a balanced diet containing the following necessary components. Lactose intolerance and some dietary restrictions can limit some people’s intake from this category so it is important to know what the diet may be missing without this component and compensate with other food sources.
Riboflavin: Also known as Vitamin B2, this water soluble vitamin, is found in whole milk. It is also found in eggs, green leafy vegetables, legumes, almonds, poultry, organ meats and whole grains. It is an important element of the diet for healthy eyes, hair, skin and soft body tissue. It aids in the formation of antibodies and red blood cells, as well as cell respiration and the metabolism of carbohydrates, fat and protein. A deficiency of riboflavin, sometimes caused by over-consumption of coffee, sugar, alcohol or tobacco, can lead to cataracts, mouth and tongue cracks and sores, dizziness, eye irritation, light sensitivity and eye fatigue, as well as poor digestion and delayed growth.
Vitamin D: Key for bone production, a primary source of this vitamin is not just food; it is also produced by the body’s exposure to sunlight. Aside from the sun, it is also found in most dairy products and many fish oils. A healthy diet with a good amount of Vitamin D will lead to strong, bones, heart, nerves, skin, teeth and thyroid gland. It aids in calcium and phosphorus metabolism for good bone formation, heart action, nervous system maintenance, normal blood clotting, and skin respiration. A Vitamin D deficiency will lead to mouth and throat irritation, diarrhea, insomnia, myopia, nervousness, poor metabolism and the softening of the bones and teeth.
Vitamin K: This vitamin is so important for blood clotting, it is where it got its name. The "K" is from the German word "koagulation," referring to the process of blood clot formation. Found in milk, yogurt and some vegetables and fruits, such as bananas, Vitamin K also assists in glycogen and bone formation.
Calcium: This may be the most well-known nutrient one can get from a healthy diet of dairy. It can also be found in liver and broccoli, but milk, yogurt and cheese are its most efficient sources. The benefits in dairy can be found in one’s blood, bones, heart, skin, soft tissue, and teeth as its aids in bone and tooth formation, blood clotting, heart rhythm, nerve tranquilization, nerve transmission, as well as muscle growth and contraction. A calcium deficiency may lead to heart palpitations, insomnia, muscle cramps, nervousness, arm & leg numbness, tooth decay, osteoporosis, rickets, and brittle finger nails.
The body can receive many benefits from the nutrients found in dairy products. However, certain dietary restrictions, such as lactose intolerance, or lifestyles, such as Veganism, may eliminate dairy products from a nutritional plan. If that is the case, it is important to make up the vitamins and minerals above from other sources such as fish and green leafy vegetables, like broccoli, but that may not be enough. In most cases, dietary supplements or enriched food sources, like enriched soy products, are necessary.
For more information on fitness and nutrition, come see us at BOOTCAMP 619.
Why stay inside on the treadmill when you could be outside enjoying the beautiful sun and sights of San Diego County? With a few clicks on the internet, you can easily find some stunning spots to enjoy a trail run and spice up your routine a bit.
