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Davina McCall A Diabetes Diet Can Be Enjoyable Too! Ultra-low salt intake may not boost health: U.S. panel Davina McCall Global Fitness Industry
 

Davina McCall’s PT: My 12-week shape up challenge, part 2

Hi everyone! I have been on a high since my first blog post landed last week - I have had so many lovely messages of encouragement and support via texts, tweets and messages on our Jackie and Mark Wren facebook page. Your kind words have helped me stay focused and I am so pleased lots of you have decided to join me on my fat loss journey.Changes to my eating habits have been much easier to stick to this week. I've abandoned the sugary snacks and fizzy drinks in order to regulate my blood sugar levels. Avoiding the carbonated drinks has made a definite difference to my bloated tummy. I think I had been drinking far more fizzy drinks than I realised. In the morning I have a smoothie for breakfast and drink grape juice and water throughout the day. Making my morning smoothie has been fun. Every day I have tried different combinations of ingredients. My favourite has been mixed berries, spinach, kale and ginger with a dollop of pro-biotic yogurt. It wasn’t a great colour but really gave me a morning boost!Mark has been great and working out with me most days. He has realised now that I respond better to motivation than dictation! Mark is great at teaching boxing so I have enjoyed the 30-minute intense boxing sessions. I have been walking lots, too, as I have a 13-mile charity walk to complete in July. I have been trying to encourage others to sign up and train with me for it. I have done some form of exercise every day, except for Sunday when I had a well deserved rest.Progress has been made this week - jogging with my clients is becoming easier, and I no longer have to stop and ask them to do 20 squats and lunges while I secretly get my breath back! The food diary I am keeping is helping me combat the mindless snacking - if I feel the urge to graze I have a drink of water. The key is to not allow yourself to get hungry or thirsty. I tried my size 8 skinny jeans on again and they certainly feel more comfortable - I'd say I am on course for them to be a great fit in 10 weeks time!Tonight I have written my training plan and sorted out some menu ideas for next week. I have done a food shop to make sure I always have healthy and nutrious, non-fattening ingredients on hand.Finally, this challenge is as much about my emotional wellbeing as it is about my physical appearance, so I have made an appointment with a bereavement counsellor. I've made this step so that I'm on the right path to finally let go.Onwards and upwards..Jackie xxx

A Diabetes Diet Can Be Enjoyable Too!

A person recently having received a diagnosis of diabetes might be intimidated by the recommendations as to how they need to alter their lifestyle. One of the initial suggestions is to switch to a low fat diet to control cholesterol and track carbohydrates in order to maintain healthy levels of glucose. The question is frequently [...]

Fitness bootcamps: how to get bikini-ready in style

OK, I admit it: the word "sumptuous" was the hook. Traditional military-style fitness boot camps can be ridiculously brutal, but this one isn't. It's for women only, limited to six participants (my group were in their forties and upwards) and tailored to the individual. It made realistic demands and was designed so that afterwards you could carry on the good work at home.It also involved plenty of fresh air in the lovely surroundings, as well as a wide range of fitness routines, with different instructors adding variety. And there were plenty of treats, not least staying at Lime Wood itself.A handsome, honey-stone Georgian house, Lime Wood received a major refurbishment and extension in 2009 to provide 19 bedrooms and an elegant spa, Herb House. The hotel is surrounded by and immediately accessible to the New Forest, 145 square miles of heath and woodland, not much changed since it was William the Conquerer's favourite hunting ground.This was what was so enjoyable about our break: the mixture of good-for-you pain and you-deserve-it pleasure. On the first day, it was all pleasure: a fast-paced forest hike; yoga in the rooftop herb garden; a soothing hour-long massage or facial of our choice. We cycled for an hour on gravel tracks through the forest to lunch at Lime Wood's sister hotel at Brockenhurst, The Pig, and never saw a road till we arrived.On day two, beginning at seven o'clock sharp, they stepped up the action and slipped in the knife. An exhausting but elating cycle of punishment and reward ensued. The meaning of words and phrases I hardly knew – spin, kettle bell, fit ball, aqua, power hike, gym technique, circuit training, sand-dune running – became all too apparent, but they were contrasted with the bliss of a deep-tissue massage and periods spent zoned out in the relaxation room, hot tub, sauna or hydrotherapy pool.Most gruelling was the forest circuit training, during which innocent logs became huge weights to be squat lifted, picturesque bridges over streams the location for star jumps and push-ups and grassy clearings the scene of endless killer side lunges.I must admit that I got off to a rocky start in the eyes of our kind and long-suffering course instructors. Emerging on day one from the basement changing room in my too-new fitness kit, the eternal slob in me spied a lift and decided to use it instead of the short flight of stairs to the ground floor. Unfortunately the lift doors opened to reveal the instructors, Dawn and John, who gasped audibly at my laziness. A moment worthy of Miranda Hart.Luckily I wasn't the only bad girl. Lunch is provided in Raw & Cured, the spa's health food café, but dinner is your own affair, taken in Hartnett, Holder & Co, Lime Wood's gorgeous new restaurant where Angela Hartnett and Luke Holder's easy-going take on Italian/British home cooking is served. John, the nutritionist, advised on the best dishes to choose (no carbs at night is his golden rule), the chefs were primed to remove oil and butter for the boot camp girls and we solemnly promised not to drink alcohol.Fat chance. Lorna and Annabel, glamorous but gung-ho, who had come as much for a catch-up as to reboot, disgraced themselves on the first night, confessing next morning not just to champagne, but pudding as well. The following evening, having thoroughly bonded, we all ate together, and were joined by John, who informed us that drinking a glass of wine is as fattening as eating a cheeseburger. And then one of us beckoned the sommelier and all was lost.Forest circuit training aside, Lime Wood's course is more "forest fit" than traditional boot camp. It doesn't last long, and it was right for me. I could hardly walk afterwards, but I also felt rested, exercised, stretched, pampered, reinvigorated and well fed, with new friends, a new health regime and a better understanding of how to take care of myself. And I was persuaded that boot camps and hotels, like the rough with the smooth, are made to go together.EssentialsThe cost of a Forest Fit Boot Camp at Lime Wood, Lyndhurst, Hampshire, is £1,395 for single occupancy and £1,095pp for double occupancy. This includes the two-and-a half-day course, two nights' accommodation, full use of the spa facilities, all food and soft drinks.The courses start on the last Monday of each month (023 8028 7177; limewood.co.uk).TipsWhen you're choosing a boot camp, opt for one that is gender-specific; women's fitness requirements are very different from those of men.You are likely to get better results at a bespoke boot camp, where your personal needs and abilities are considered, and where the instructors arm you with nutritional advice and a fitness regime that you can continue to follow when you get home.Avoid boot camps that advertise weight loss but don't include a proper diet plan. Ditto camps with unrealistic workouts that will be hard to maintain.Make sure your instructor is qualified and that you talk on the phone before signing up; he or she should ask you detailed questions about your goals and your current fitness levels.Ten more boot camps at home and abroadAt Clumber Park Hotel and Spa in Sherwood Forest, boot camps are all about the outdoors. Aimed at individuals, couples and groups, they include a rigorous but fun daily schedule of fitness training, activities and healthy eating, with an Army-accredited assault course, daily runs, forest circuit training, body conditioning and hikes through the countryside. From £59.50 per person per day (boot camp only), or £249 for a two-night, all-inclusive break (01623 835333; clumberparkhotel.com).Specifically for weight loss, Champneys offers bespoke luxury boot camps during which the average reduction is 5lb 3oz and inches off waist and hips. From £350pp for two nights, including all meals and treatments (0843 316 2222; champneys.com).Exercise sessions are led by British Military Physical Training instructors at Prestige Boot Camps courses, which run in Suffolk, Devon, Spain and London. Workshops on nutrition, motivation and cookery are included, and there are women-only and mixed courses. From £995 a week, all-inclusive (0117 973 1213, prestigebootcamp.com).Dynamic yoga, coastal hikes, Tai Chi, cycling, surfing and kayaking can all be part of the regime at Yeotown (yeotown.com), a chic farmhouse retreat in Devon, plus deep-tissue massage and meditation. There are also talks on nutrition and a Yeobaby option, helping new mothers get back into shape. From £1,250pp for three days, including all meals, accommodation, activities and treatments.More affordable are Reboot fitness and weight-loss camps, run from an attractive rectory near the Dorset coast, where a five-day camp costs from £495, staying in a shared room (of up to four people), £595 in a double room, all meals included. A typical day includes circuits, a sea swim (optional), boxing, yoga, massage, and nutritional workshops. You get a total of 25 sessions over five days (01202 313667, rebootdorset.com).Réserve Ramatuelle, between the sea and the hills on the Côte d'Azur, has a range of bespoke programmes that mix fitness, diet and therapeutic treatments. From £928 for a four-day, three-night course; accommodation costs from about £426 a night for a double (0033 494 449444; lareserve-ramatuelle.com).Fitscape breaks offer five one-hour activity sessions a day, based at a converted monastery near Gaucin in Spain (there are also camps in the Atlas Mountains, Morocco, and in the Italian Dolomites). Workouts range from cardio and core fitness to mountain hikes and boxercise sessions. Food is healthy and appealing. Seven nights from £1,395pp, full board, including flights, activities and excursions (020 8968 0501, fitscape.co.uk).Great for a sunny spring or autumn break, the Anassa and Almyra hotels in Cyprus offer Extraordinary Active Holidays designed to kick-start your fitness training. Long (and hilly) bike rides, sea swimming, and running through the Akamas National Park are supervised by triathlete Kypros Nicolaou. From £1,278 per person for a week's training; accommodation from £183pp a night at Anassa (breakfast only), £85 at Almyra (thanoshotels.com).Moinhos Velhos Retreat in Portugal specialises in weight loss through juice fasting and detox (and yes, that does include the dreaded intestinal cleansing). This is not for the faint-hearted, but the idea is to purify body and spirit, so yoga, meditation and complementary therapies are part of the programme. From about £1,375pp for seven days (moinhos-velhos.com).Adventures in the Alps runs various hard-core fitness and activity breaks, including triathlon camps, pilates and walking breaks and a Running Made Easy week for novices, all based in a comfortable chalet above Lake Annecy in France. From £1,200 per person, including training, full board, massage, transfers and use of spa (adventuresinthealps.com)

Fitness camp teaches kids discipline, teamwork

KIDS will experience a new workout at the Metafit Metabolic Fitness Camp, which will kick off from May 20 to June 7 at Parkmall.Organized by fitness enthusiasts Alan Choachuy, with his Fit Filipinos (FitFil) certified team, the camp encourages kids to invest in fitness activities while young.The camp will do motivational and nutritional coaching with the participants.At the end of the nine-session program in three weeks, the kids are expected to know the importance of overall fitness, speed, teamwork, discipline and leadership.They can also improve on speed, agility and quickness, footwork and coordination, balance, stability and core strength.The kids will not only get fitter, but they will be stronger and healthier. The sessions will be every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 3 to 5 p.m.Registration starts today at Sands at Parkmall with a monthly rate of P1,500.Aside from being under motivational coaches, they will also have program supervision by US-trained athletic performance enhancement specialist Jim Saret.The group can only accept a maximum of 30 participants and each slot is confirmed upon receipt of payment.Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on May 15, 2013.DISCLAIMER: Sun.Star website welcomes friendly debate, but comments posted on this site do not necessary reflect the views of the Sun.Star management and its affiliates. Sun.Star reserves the right to delete, reproduce or modify comments posted here without notice. Posts that are inappropriate will automatically be deleted.Forum rules: Do not use obscenity. Some words have been banned. Stick to the topic. Do not veer away from the discussion. Be coherent and respectful. Do not shout or use CAPITAL LETTERS!

Ultra-low salt intake may not boost health: U.S. panel

Ultra-low salt intake may not boost health: U.S. panel

Ultra-low salt intake may not boost health: U.S. panel Share this Email Print Task force calls for routine HIV testing for all adults Mon, Apr 29 2013 Health » By Susan HeaveyWASHINGTON | Tue May 14, 2013 7:11pm EDTWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Americans at high risk for heart problems who have been told for years to sharply cut salt from their diet may not actually benefit from ultra-low sodium diets and could even face some harm, an independent panel of health experts said on Tuesday.The influential Institute of Medicine, in a report to U.S. health officials, reviewed the latest data on the link between salt intake and health.While blacks, diabetics and others more likely to have heart problems are urged to slash their salt intake, the IOM review showed there was limited evidence such a diet helped, and that too little salt might increase the risk of heart trouble."The evidence on both the benefit and harm is not strong enough to indicate that these subgroups should be treated differently from the general U.S. population," the panel wrote.That suggests higher-risk populations may not need such a drastic reduction of salt in their diets and that other steps to curb heart disease risk may be needed.Americans are still consuming far too much salt, the IOM experts said. On average, U.S. adults eat about 1.5 teaspoons of salt over the course of the day, or about 3,400 milligrams.Federal guidelines recommend that healthy people consume no more than 2,300 milligrams daily.But the latest data calls into question whether individuals with higher risk factors for heart disease or stroke should limit their daily intake to 1,500 milligrams, as the government recommends.Brian Strom, the panel's chairman and a public health professor at the University of Pennsylvania, said the newest studies back the known benefits of "reducing sodium from very high intake levels to moderate levels.""But they also suggest that lowering sodium intake too much may actually increase a person's risk of some health problems," he said, including heart ailments.Still, the studies are limited and in some cases flawed, so more research is needed, the IOM panel told the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which requested the report.Health advocates including the American Heart Association were quick to dismiss the findings, saying the recent studies reviewed by IOM focused on sick patients and not the majority of Americans, most of whom eat too much salt."The bottom line for consumers is still: cut back on sodium," said the Center for Science in the Public Interest's (CSPI) Bonnie Liebman.'IT'S PRETTY TOUGH'The problem is not just food loaded with salt. It's also that Americans eat a lot of food that contains lower amounts of salt, such as bread and pasta, without realizing their sodium content.Health officials have called for Americans to take various steps to cut back, such as asking for no-salt dishes in restaurants and eating more naturally low-salt foods like fruits and vegetables.Health advocates said the IOM's review was beside the point given the high levels of sodium that still plague U.S. foods. It's almost impossible to ingest just 1,500 milligrams a day, said Liebman, director of nutrition for CSPI."Virtually any meal at any restaurant would give you at least half-a-day's worth of sodium, maybe a whole day's worth, maybe more," Liebman said. "You'd have to make everything from scratch. ... It's pretty tough."Consumer groups and some lawmakers have for years called on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to set federal salt levels for food, a recommendation that the IOM backed in 2010.In New York City, health officials have been working with restaurants and food companies to voluntarily remove salt from everyday foods.A trio of studies published on Monday found that smaller restaurants still load their food with salt even as national chains and food manufacturers have cut back. (Read the Reuters story at reut.rs/YRGVCI)The FDA, in a statement, said it was reviewing the IOM's report, calling it consistent with its "efforts to work toward achievable and reasonable voluntary reductions in the sodium content of the U.S. food supply."IOM was not asked to review current federal salt intake guidelines, which were issued in 2010. U.S. health officials are expected to revise the guidelines on salt and other nutrients in 2015.(Reporting by Susan Heavey; Editing by Michele Gershberg and Xavier Briand)Health Link this Share this Digg this Email Reprints

Davina McCall’s PT: My 12-week shape up challenge, part 1

Hi, I’m Jackie Wren. I have been a personal trainer for over 20 years. I’m married to Mark, who I write and present all the Davina McCall series of fitness DVDs with. Mark and I have been training Davina for over 10 years and have sold over one million fitness DVD’s.  So it’s with great shock and regret that I find myself in the situation where I am three dress sizes bigger than I should be! I can pinpoint the moment it all went wrong for me. Mark and I have a 14-year-old Daughter, Alex, but we lost our other baby nine years ago. She was born stillborn at only a few months, and suddenly I felt totally disconnected from my body. I started not caring about the food I was eating and would have a couple of beers most evenings. I was working so hard looking after Alex and making sure all my clients looked and felt healthy and fit, but I completely forgot to look after me. As time went on I carried on my bad eating habits without even noticing my ever-expanding waistline.Then recently Davina said she was worried about me and that’s when it hit me! I need to start caring about me again, and put my own good advice into practise. For this reason I would like to share my 12-week journey with you. In life there are situations and events, which act like stumbling blocks to your good diet and fitness intentions. And personal trainers can stumble, too! We’re human after all. It’s important to remember there is always a way to get back to happiness and a fit and healthy lifestyle.Week 1This week has really been a roller coaster ride for me. One minute I feel really empowered about my challenge and then next minute I feel angry with myself for allowing the pounds to have piled on in the first place. Luckily the good moments have outweighed the bad and I am generally feeling confident and happy about my lifestyle and health changes.This morning I have been out and bought lots of fresh fruit and made a great big fruit salad to keep in the fridge, so that there is always something healthy to nibble on if I get a snack attack. I have been teaching clients this trick for years - now it’s my turn to put it into practice!I have been training alongside some of my clients and they have enjoyed seeing me sweat with them. I have also been doing my 20 sits up/20 squats/20 lunges/20 press ups EVERY morning without fail.As I am not a great believer in weighing yourself every week, I have decided to use my size 8 jeans as a guide for progress. In 12 weeks not only will I be able to get into them, but I’ll be able to breathe in them, too! I asked Mark to take a picture of me trying to get them on. Every time I feel the need to eat or drink something my body really doesn’t need, I’m going to look at this picture. The craving will soon disappear!The family are being supportive and even the dogs are enjoying the extra long and fast walk. It’s really important I keep reminding myself that this is a lifestyle change and not a diet. It’s very tempting to skip a meal or fill up on water, but that’s not sustainable for life. There are no quick fixes here - after all, if faddy diets really worked they wouldn’t bring a new one out each year, would they?I taught at my Mood Yoga class today and the meditation and stretching helped me focus more on my body. I have been doing the Davina Intense DVD every day and it’s getting easier. I told someone today that I am not ‘losing‘ the fat; I am getting rid of it, as I have no intension of finding it again! Mark has mentioned that my arms and legs are looking more toned, that has spurred me on as well – it’s really important to get positive reinforcement from your nearest and dearest.As much as this week has been emotionally and physically tough, I have enjoyed reaping the rewards and feel I am in the right state of mind to really make a difference to my health and wellbeing. I definitely have more empathy with my clients and really hope that sharing this journey will encourage and help others who, for whatever reason, have found themselves in the same situation.Until next week, stay focused,Love Jackie x

Georges St-Pierre Fitness App Lets You Work Out With the UFC Champ

UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre is considered one of the most well conditioned athletes, not only in the fight game, but in the world.He’s already leveraged his popularity and love for fitness into a popular DVD training series called Rushfit, and has now followed that up with his own fitness app.Touchfit is available for iPhone and iPad in the iTunes App Store for $6.99.Touchfit is billed as a “Smart Fitness” exercise app that learns from the way you interact with it, customizing the workouts it creates for you based on your use and performance.“To get better for each fight, I adapt my training each and every workout, pushing myself closer to my maximum potential. My new app, created together with my Trainer Patrick Beauchamp, will do the same for you,” St-Pierre said about the app.“It adapts and learns each time you train, tailoring each workout to your current level of fitness.”Touchfit has over 500 video exercises help master strength, explosive power, endurance and flexibility, while developing neuromuscular control for better balance, coordination and speed.The exercises require minimal equipment, as to make most exercises available whenever you want and wherever you’re at.The app also includes nutrition principles for performance and injury recovery.Be sure to Like MMAWeekly.com on Facebook and Follow @MMAWeeklycom on Twitter.

Fitness apps: the best of what's coming up

Withings Smart Body Analyzer£129.95; available now; iOS/AndroidThese scales are the first which listen to the heart, and measure air quality, as well as the usual weight and body composition. It works in conjunction with the 'Withings Health Mate' app (iOS or Android). Graphs and results mean that users can monitor their health and share data with both competitive friends and familiy members and doctors or nutirtionists.The app also offers users the possibility to share data in a simple, reliable and secure way with a third-party such as the doctor, nutritionist or family member as well as on social networks.FitStarFrom free; available soon; iOS onlyThis iPad-only app is billed as the future of personal training, and it seems pretty convincing. Users sign up for different plans to build muscle mass or lose weight, and prices vary depending on how much video you want to access. Cleverest of all, however, it lets you tell it how many repetitions of whatever exercise you were doing you managed, and to rate how hard you found it. That means the app can be tailored to your abilities to maximise the efficiency of your workout, all of which can be done in the comfort of your living room if you wish.Shine£79; available July; iOS onlyShine is beautifully designed activity tracker, which using a magnet can clip on to a shirt or sock, or can be worn as a necklace. Whether you’re sleeping or cycling, it can tell you what to do better to get fitter, and simply placing it on an iPhone allows the app and the accessory to synchronise. The appeal is as much in the look of the device as it is in what it does, however – this is an activity tracker that isn’t too conspicuous, but could you sleep or exercise better, just like its bulkier rivals.Kickr£999; available soon; iOS onlyWahoo has long made heart monitors for athletes, but its latest device upgrades any bike into a web-enabled exercise bike. Tie that to an app and you can watch scenes on your iPad and adjust the friction on your wheels so that you really do get all the health benefits of cycling up the hills of San Francisco, or a stage of the Tour de France.MovesFree; available now; iOS onlyMoves builds a picture of your day’s activity – using mapping data it detects where you are, and so it can deduce that you ran for the train from work, or that you’ve burnt off calories by cycling home. It allows you to see what you did on a map or as a storyline, and it turns an iPhone into a fully fledged pedometer. Most remarkably, all of this can happen automatically, without any intervention from the user.

Fitness apps keep you on track

THE NUMBER of fitness apps out there is dizzying. There's an app for every kind of workout. You can track calories, your walking pace, your cycling pace and your last run. If only the app could do the workout for us.Apps are useful for tracking growth and getting new ideas for workouts. They're great on the road, too, and may even trigger your compulsive side. Whatever gets you to work out, right?Fitness apps also apparently fill in as entertainment for some fitness fanatics. Need motivation to run? "Zombies, Run!" has zombies chase — and possibly kill — you on your daily run, which means it is my hands-down favorite for high-entertainment-value fitness app. Other apps feel unnecessary, like one that requires you to touch your nose to the phone while you do pushups. Can we no longer count for ourselves?At the very least, apps give you one more chance at keeping your workout on track. Here are a few free ones to get you started:FitocracyThis app is easy to navigate, and helps you track a huge variety of workouts, including belly dancing, crumping and something called a slosh pipe carry (fill a tube with water, cap it and carry it as far as you can). Other members give you props for your workouts and, if that's not enough, you get badges, too, which is perfect for prize-lovers. It's easy to share your tracked workouts via Facebook, Twitter or Tumblr. Fitocracy taps into what we already know: If others are watching, we work out more. Some call it competition; some call it motivation; we call it effective. And we love the motto here — "Making You More Awesome."C25K (Couch to 5K)Specifically, this one is designed to train beginners to run a 5k through an eight-week program. The app is set up by week with three workouts per week that alternate between jogging and walking to get you up to speed. It is so easy to follow you can't possibly say no. It's time to run your first 5k!MapMyRun/Ride/Fitness/WalkThese apps are straightforward and easy to use. They use GPS to track every twist and turn in your run, walk or ride and keep records of your routes. It's an easy way to see where and how much you're working. We also liked the nutrition section, where you can input calories for the day. The app tracks how many calories you burn.MyFitnessPalWorking out is just one aspect of getting healthy and fit. MyFitnessPal is one of the best free apps out there for keeping tabs on your nutrition, keeping you accountable day by day for what you're putting in your body. It includes a convenient bar-code-scanning feature to add in details of what you're eating. That is, as long as you record what you're eating and you don't mind finding out the details. This app also can be paired with the Fitbit app for a fitness and nutrition system.Nicole Tsong teaches yoga at studios around Seattle. Read her blog at papercraneyoga.com.

Global Fitness Industry

The concept of fitness basically revolves around maintaining physical well being as well as being equipped with sufficient energy to perform a physical activity. It also implies maintaining the ideal weight depending on gender, age and height. Physical fitness comprises two related concepts: general fitness (a state of health and well-being), and specific fitness (a task-oriented definition based on the ability to perform specific aspects of sports or occupations). Physical fitness is generally achieved through correct nutrition, exercise, hygiene and rest.It is important for an individual to be fit physically owing to its inextricable link with mental fitness. The urge for being fit has currently developed into a full blown mania. With the advent of technology and the subsequent automation of activities, the present generation has become a much more sedentary lot compared to its earlier kin.The fitness industry exists to serve humanity. Fitness, we assert, is an essential component of health, well-being and longevity and the industry's overall mission has been described as 'making the world healthier through regular exercise and fitness promotion'. This compelling message has led to impressive growth for the global fitness industry.A comprehensive fitness program tailored to an individual typically focuses on one or more specific skills, and on age or health-related needs such as bone health. Many sources also cite mental, social and emotional health as an important part of overall fitness. This is often presented in textbooks as a triangle made up of three points, which represent physical, emotional, and mental fitness. Physical fitness can also prevent or treat many chronic health conditions brought on by unhealthy lifestyle or aging. Working out can also help people sleep better. To stay healthy it is important to engage in physical activity.According to the Worldwide Survey for Fitness Trends in 2011, the most popular trend in the world fitness industry is for courses run by professional trainers who are educated in the field of fitness are have certification that is recognised by an official body such as the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs. This trend is expected to continue as more accredited courses are offered both in the United States and overseas. Global trends also show an increase in strength training programs, which moved from fourth place in the top 20 trends in 2008 and now hold second place. Special fitness training for older people has maintained sixth place for the past four years while training for children and obesity, which held first place in 2007, dropped to third place in 2010.Health and fitness clubs provide their customers with the necessary infrastructure for their respective workout / physical activity. The industry generates more than 70 billion US dollars in annual revenue, of which about 21 billion US dollars is attributable to the US market. The global market is very fragmented with no worldwide operating chain taking a large share of the market. Market leaders are rather limited to more local (countries, geographical region) ranks. It is estimated that there are more than 133 thousand health & fitness clubs worldwide with almost 130 million members. Nearly 30 thousand of these clubs are located in the US providing their services to more than 50 million customers.In the developed world, no more than 17% of adults belong to health clubs in any single country, and market penetration of 10.5% is enough to be among the top ten of all countries. In the US, a rising proportion of health-club visits are from 'casual' patrons who attend their club less than once every two weeks. The fitness industry has benefited greatly from the vast array of marketing campaigns and ensuing consumer trends for fighting obesity and improving health. Gym memberships have increased considerably over the past 10 years, rising from 46.4 million in 2003 to more than 52.6 million in 2013. This trend has resulted in soaring demand for fitness activities, and industry operators have capitalised on this growth by expanding establishments in both size and number.However, the industry has not been recession-proof. In 2008 and 2009, demand for gyms and health clubs weakened as consumers cut back on discretionary spending. But compared with other industries, the fitness industry has remained remarkably resilient, as increased leisure time and boosts in health and morale from exercise have kept the industry highly competitive. Gyms and health clubs have broadened their markets in a bid to retain membership numbers throughout the recession's aftermath. Due to their lower cost, the downturn has also favored the growth of small-budget gyms with fewer amenities over more expensive, all-inclusive clubs.The health-club industry has significant difficulty keeping the members it has. In the US, about 15 million new memberships are sold each year, but 'for every 15 million members that walk in the industry's front doors, 12 million exit its back doors.' Nearly one in four leave their club within the first year of joining.Fitness sector revenue Industry 2007($m) 2012($m) Average growth per year(%) Gym, Health and Fitness Clubs 24,136.1 25,269.1 0.9 Pilates and Yoga Studios 4,726.0 6,853.3 7.7 Personal Trainers 7,248.7 7,305.6 0.2 Fitness DVD Production 155.4 264.5 11.2 Online Sporting Apparel Sales 3,395.8 4,892.6 7.6 Boxing Gyms and Clubs 649.1 643.5 -0.2  Fitness in the future may be less about a channel or location (like a gym) and more about a group of people with common principles and goals. Health-club lovers will no doubt still exist and frequent their preferred habitat. But significant evolution - or mandatory attendance imposed by regulators and insurance companies - may be required in order for 'health clubs' resembling those of today to thrive. The industry looks set to see 'merging' and 'blurring' of what constitutes a gym and health club, with new models that vary according to the type of space and technology at their core.For more information on the global fitness industry, see the latest research: Global Fitness IndustryFollow us on Twitter @CandMResearch

Putting group fitness classes in the proper light

20 May 2013

By Dorene InternicolaNEW YORK (Reuters) - Fitness experts are shining a new light on group classes from Zumba to yoga because they believe the right lighting can transform the four walls of a fitness studio from a dance party to a meditation space, and back again."Because of the theatrical nature of group fitness classes, lighting is key to differentiate programming," said Donna Cyrus, senior vice president of programming at Crunch fitness centers.Yellow or orange light boosts high-energy workouts, such as rebounding mini trampoline routines, circuit classes or sculpt programs, Cyrus said, while for yoga the light should be soft and soothing.Lighting also enhances the musical experience, Cyrus said.In a cycling class, accents of "club type" lighting pulse to the beat of the music, creating what she calls "a choreographed show."According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) guidelines, adjustable light sources should be provided in group exercise areas.Generally, the more hand-eye coordination an activity demands, the more illumination is required, according to Grace DeSimone, national director of group fitness at Plus One Health Management, which designs and manages fitness centers for corporations, hotels and community centers."If you're going to be moving around a lot you'll need a lot of light," DeSimone said. "You're not going to do a boot camp workout in a dark room."But indoor cycling classes often combine high energy and low lighting."Spinning goes against the grain," DeSimone explained. "You can do some pretty cool things - make the room look like a night-time sky or light a disco ball - because once you're on that bike you're not going anywhere."In a multi-purpose fitness room, she said, the lighting has to be able to change based on what's going on."With Pilates you want the lights on, but with yoga you can do a lot with colored lights," she said.One reason light affects mood and alertness is that it cuts down on the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin, said Gregory Chertok, a sport psychology consultant for ACSM."In a dark room, the brain secretes melatonin," he explained.Chertok, the director of mental training at The Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Center in Englewood, New Jersey, said studies of factory workers have found that rooms with greater lighting will often yield greater productivity.He also cited research that found some blue lighting, which is favored in some yoga and meditation classes, can be even more effective than white fluorescent light in suppressing melatonin."Sustaining blue-enriched light seems to help with concentrating on something for a long period," he said.ACSM guidelines suggest efforts should be made to use natural light."We like to feel the sun," Chertok said, "so it's natural for gyms to try to simulate that."Daylight not only brightens a room, he suggests, it conveys information."Perhaps daylight and natural lighting provide gym-goers with accurate weather and time information, which may be helpful in planning the length and duration of the workout," he said.Chertok said research has demonstrated that the mind is generally sharper during daylight hours."A study in the late '90s found that even sleep-deprived people were sharper during the daylight hours," he said, adding that in another study, students in schools with natural lighting did better on performance tests.Darkness, Chertok said, is more associated with letting go."Think of restaurants," he said. "Darkness can contribute to ordering more."(Editing by Patricia Reaney)

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The best personal fitness gadgets

20 May 2013

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Childhood ADHD tied to obesity decades later

Childhood ADHD tied to obesity decades later

20 May 2013

Childhood ADHD tied to obesity decades later Share this Email Print Up to 1 in 5 children suffer from mental disorder: CDC Thu, May 16 2013 New Jersey Governor Christie has surgery to reduce weight Tue, May 7 2013 Not in the spirit of Hayek Poor little rich kids Health » By Genevra PittmanNEW YORK | Mon May 20, 2013 12:21am EDTNEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Boys who are diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in elementary school are more likely to grow up to be obese adults than those who don't have the condition, a new study suggests.Researchers surveyed two groups of 41-year-old men and found those with a history of ADHD were 19 pounds heavier than their non-ADHD counterparts, on average.The findings are consistent with past studies that looked only at children or only at adults and linked ADHD to extra pounds, researchers said."There's definitely been enough research now where it does appear there is some connection between these two disorders," said Sherry Pagoto, who has studied ADHD and obesity at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester.Data for the new study came from 207 white boys with ADHD who were referred to a research clinic at around age eight and followed as they grew up. Ten years later another group of teenage boys without ADHD, who were otherwise similar to the original participants, were added to the study.By the time they were asked to report their weight at age 41, 111 men from each group were still in the study.On that survey, men with a history of ADHD reported weighing 213 pounds, on average, and 41 percent of them were obese.In comparison, men without ADHD weighed in at an average of 194 pounds, and 22 percent qualified as obese, Dr. F. Xavier Castellanos from the Child Study Center at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York and his colleagues wrote in Pediatrics."As we learn more about the regions of the brain that may be implicated in obesity, they overlap with brain regions implicated in ADHD," Castellanos told Reuters Health. "The reward system seems to be relevant to both conditions."In addition, he added, "There is the speculation that the obesity is at least partly reflecting some of the impulsivity, poor planning and the difficulty in making choices" that come with ADHD.Pagoto, who was not involved in the new research, agreed that young people with the disorder could be more impulsive when it comes to their food choices and may also spend more time in front of screens than their peers."Parents of children who have ADHD should pay special attention to how that child's weight is changing over time, knowing that they may be at greater risk for becoming obese," she told Reuters Health."If they're at higher risk of obesity, that may bring other things with it," such as type 2 diabetes, she added.Contrary to the study team's hypothesis, they found that men who no longer had their childhood ADHD symptoms were especially likely to be obese - not those who still had persistent attention and hyperactivity problems.Pagoto agreed that finding was unexpected and said the study may simply have been too small to tease out reliable differences among adults with a history of ADHD.According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, parents report that close to one in ten kids and teenagers has been diagnosed with ADHD. Boys are more than twice as likely to be diagnosed as girls.Castellanos recommended parents of children with ADHD make sure their kids are getting enough exercise and help them cut back on sugary drinks and other high-calorie food choices.SOURCE: bit.ly/cxXOG Pediatrics, online May 20, 2013.Health Link this Share this Digg this Email Reprints

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Is Losing Weight Fast Healthy?

Is Losing Weight Fast Healthy?

19 May 2013

Although you can achieve weight loss results quickly, it might not be the best thing for your overall health. For cases in which being overweight is having a dangerous effect on a person’s health, medical weight loss is often recommended by doctors. However, if that is not your case, gradual weight loss is a better [...]

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Physical Exercise for Your Brain

19 May 2013

Exercise is often only seen as a way to lose weight and get physically fit. This however may not be the only advantage of regular exercise; since inactivity is known to cause anxiety and even depression, and exercise has been shown to improve both… That in itself probably isn’t a newsflash because most of us [...]

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Summer Fitness Tips

16 May 2013

MISSION, KS--(Marketwired - May 16, 2013) - (Family Features) Whether you want to get your body ready for swimsuit season or stay fit during the summer months, it's important to find a fitness routine that you can maintain. These tips will help you get motivated and keep moving for a healthier body.Shake things up - Having a variety of fitness activities works different parts of your body, keeps you engaged in the process, and ensures you have some way to exercise no matter what the weather is like. Lifting weights, swimming, cycling, walking, dancing -- there are plenty of ways to have fun as you work out.Many people choose to include an exercise video game as part of their fitness routine. A study by the University of Calgary Exergaming Research Centre, the American Council on Exercise, and the University of Massachusetts Department of Exercise and Health Sciences found that when used at an intermediate or high intensity level, "exergaming" can improve your fitness.And another study, commissioned by the American Council on Exercise, found that the Zumba® Fitness program -- experienced via a game or class -- can burn a significant amount of calories due to its level of cardiovascular intensity. "The dance-based routines within Zumba Fitness Core are specifically designed to sculpt stronger abs and provide an exhilarating total body workout," said Liz Buckley, General Manager of the Zumba Fitness video game franchise at Majesco Entertainment. "In fact, Zumba Fitness Core is the only video game on the market to target your core. With 33 different dance styles, and 40 contagious music tracks, you get an incredible amount of variety as you benefit from 'exercise in disguise.'" Learn more at www.zumbafitnessgame.com.Buddy up with someone else - It's harder to avoid exercising when you've made a commitment to someone else that you'll be there. Partnering with a friend can make activities more fun, and you and your partner can help each other be accountable for working out.Set a regular time and place to meet. Set ground rules for when it's acceptable to miss a session and how you're to communicate. Make sure your partner is equally committed. Have common fitness goals. Be sure you have similar fitness levels and abilities. You can also buddy up online. For example, Zumba Fitness Core on Kinect for Xbox 360 enables you and friends to share fitness goals and work together to complete them. Buckley said that "Utilizing the game's multiplayer feature, two-player on Kinect and four-player on Wii, you can party with friends and work out in a fun, cooperative way."Reward yourself - Changing behavior is hard, but little rewards along the way can help you stay motivated. You might enjoy a new pair of walking shoes when you reach 5,000 steps a day or a new DVD after sticking to your plan for 30 days.Set achievable goals. It won't help you to set goals you can't meet -- you'll either injure yourself or be constantly discouraged. It's OK to start small and work your way up. Make sure the rewards are appropriate. Enjoying a calorie-laden meal or sugary treat after hitting a goal isn't the way to go. Look for non-food related rewards that will help motivate you to keep going. With Zumba Fitness Core, for example, when you reach certain goals, you are rewarded with lifestyle tips, achievements and unlockable bonus videos that give you a behind-the-scenes peek at the celebrity Zumba instructors featured in game. It's easier -- and more fun -- than you might think to get in shape for the summer and find a fitness program you love.About Family Features Editorial SyndicateThis and other food and lifestyle content can be found at www.editors.familyfeatures.com. Family Features is a leading provider of free food and lifestyle content for use in print and online publications. Register with no obligation to access a variety of formatted and unformatted features, accompanying photos, and automatically updating Web content solutions.Contact:Michael Frenchmfrench@familyfeatures.com 1-888-824-3337http://editors.familyfeatures.com

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Study Pinpoints Link Between Fitness and Cancer in Men

16 May 2013

By: Sarah ClunePhoto courtesy: Flickr user Josiah MackenzieThere's new evidence out today that being fit reduces your risk for getting cancer.The study, released at the American Society of Clinical Oncology's annual meeting, looked at the link between fitness in middle-aged men and the likelihood of a cancer diagnosis later in life.Doctors focused on the top three cancers in men: prostate, colorectal and lung. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 400,000 men were diagnosed with one of these cancers in 2007.The study tracked 7,000 healthy, 45-year old men. Their fitness was assessed during their regular preventive health exam by putting them on the treadmill. How far -- and how well they were able to tolerate increases in the speed and grade of the treadmill -- determined how "fit" they were.Two decades later, when the men were 65, doctors looked at who had developed cancer and compared that to their previous fitness levels. They saw a link -- "fit" individuals were less likely to develop cancer, and if they did develop it, they generally had better prognoses."That's what's really sort of amazing is that there's really no other population where we have the assessment back in time, when they were in their middle age," according to Dr. Susan Lakoski, the study's primary author. "We followed them all the way to past the age of 65 and beyond to track whether or not they've developed cancer to see what this relationship was between fitness and cancer risk."The study began in 1970 at the Cooper Center Longitudinal Studies in Dallas. The participants were predominantly Caucasian.Dr. Lakoski focuses on cardiovascular health among cancer patients. She spoke with PBS NewsHour earlier this week.PBS NewsHour: In a nutshell, what did the study reveal?Dr. Susan Lakoski, University of Vermont College of Medicine: The study shows that cardiorespiratory fitness predicts cancer risk and prognosis after a cancer diagnosis in men. This is a new finding, because traditionally patients self-report their physical activity. But in our study, we measured it with an objective exercise sonar test.This is the first study that really addresses the issue of fitness being a prognostic marker of cancer risk in men, and then a marker of prognosis after a cancer diagnosis. We specifically looked at if "fitness," or the ability to get on a treadmill and go as far as you can, predicted whether or not you'll develop cancer. And it did predict it. So people who had lower fitness, or went less time on the treadmill, were more at risk for developing cancer later in life.NewsHour: What's the difference between physical activity and fitness?Dr. Susan Lakoski: Physical activity is one part of fitness, and so when you are being physically active and you're working out, you're contributing to your overall fitness. When we ask the participants to get on a treadmill, we're measuring their cardiorespiratory or cardiopulmonary fitness. That's the efficiency of oxygen consumption during maximum exercise. Fitness from a clinical standpoint is really, we're going to see how far you can go on this treadmill, and how well you do -- that tells us whether or not you're going to live longer after a cancer diagnosis, or whether you'll develop cancer in the first place.There are lots of different activities that go into what someone's fitness is -- your exercise training, whether it's running or walking, all are contributing to your fitness. So there's lots of different physical activities you could do to improve your fitness.NewsHour: How did you measure their fitness?Dr. Susan Lakoski: One of the real strengths of this study, because we did it in more than 7,000 men, at baseline, instead of asking them, "How much did you exercise?" We didn't do that, we actually got them on a treadmill and increased the grade on the treadmill, the speed of the treadmill, over time to see how far they could go. So it was a very accurate way to look at exercise exposure instead of just asking them, "How much do you exercise?"NewsHour: Is there any way to know what causes this reduced link of cancer from exercising?Dr. Susan Lakoski: Your fitness is your ability to be efficient at getting oxygen to all of your organs. And we know that being efficient and getting oxygen to all of your organs is very important in modulating different pathways involved in inflammation, hormone levels, immune surveillance, oxidative damage. All of these things play into reducing cancer risk. We did not assess those pathways in this particular study, but what we did show was that fitness does reduce the risk of cancer.NewsHour: Have there been other studies looking at, generally, exercise and cancer?Dr. Susan Lakoski: Yes, there have been some studies done on physical activity and cancer risk. In those studies, there's been supportive data to show that physical activity reduces risk for breast cancer, colorectal cancer, there's some controversy on prostate cancer risk.NewsHour: Explain the controversy.Dr. Susan Lakoski: It's very hard to measure someone's physical activity. I can ask you, how active were you in middle age? What were you doing? How often were you doing it? What intensity were you doing it? You would get a lot of different answers and a lot of different recall bias, because people don't remember or they might tweak a little what they're actually doing in terms of physical activity. And because of that, the measure of physical activity is a little bit messy, and we can't see the signal between physical activity and cancer risk as powerfully because our measure, our questionnaire, is not that great.So that's why fitness, where we're actually measuring someone's exercise exposure, with a treadmill test is a much more powerful predictor because it's not based on someone's recollection of their physical activities. It's based on how well they do on a treadmill test, which is highly determined by their past physical activity exposure.NewsHour: Can you tell if it's the fitness that is reducing their cancer risk, or some other factor like weight, or smoking?Dr. Susan Lakoski: When we did the study, we adjusted and accounted for other factors. We accounted for smoking, we accounted for body weight, so that it wasn't just if something's related to an outcome and we put BMI in the model and that relationship goes away, we can see with confidence that fitness is not really related to the outcome of interest. But when we accounted for those things - or things that might be related - we saw that fitness was equally predictive of outcomes. And so, that's the best we can do in an epidemiological study.NewsHour: Bottom line, what would you tell your patients or other patients to do?Dr. Susan Lakoski: In terms of what patients and clinicians should do, I feel that our focus should be on not only on our standard predictors, but we now know that being fit is very important in reducing risk for chronic illness, specifically for cardiovascular disease and now for men. So the focus should also be fitness, irrespective of your body weight. And that you can get your fitness assessed by seeing your primary care doctor and/or a doctor that specializes in cardio-oncology, which is what I am. So the message is, be fit.NewsHour: What's next?Dr. Susan Lakoski: We need to determine what specific pathways are associated with fitness and cancer risk, and we need to do this study across all different cancers in men and women.I'm also a very big proponent of bringing exercise tolerance testing to assess fitness in a broader range of populations. We do it very well in the cardiovascular population, but now every cancer patient that comes to see me, I'm putting them on the treadmill and assessing their fitness. Because I know that fitness is an important tool to assess your ability to get through their cancer treatment, and also their prognosis after a cancer diagnosis. And so I think this is going to be a very useful tool as we go forward in the cancer setting, but it's not really utilized at this point. That's our goal down the road.This conversation was lightly edited for clarity. Photo of Dr. Lakoski courtesy of ASCO and the University of Vermont College of Medicine.

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A cruise ship fitness class designed by Rockettes

15 May 2013

ABOARD NORWEGIAN BREAKAWAY (AP) — I'd been at sea on Norwegian Cruise Line's new ship, Norwegian Breakaway, for more than 14 hours but I didn't feel the ship moving until I tried to do a dance move with the Rockettes.Yes, the Rockettes, of Radio City Christmas Spectacular fame, those lithe and lovely young women known for a perfectly synchronized kick line. The Rockettes are the godmothers for the ship, and a dozen of them performed their famous moves at the ship's christening last week in New York.Several of them then accompanied the ship on an inaugural cruise to nowhere, out to sea and back in two days, and they hosted a fitness class for passengers designed by their athletic trainer, Elaine Winslow, herself a former Rockette.A confession: I've only seen the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall once, in second grade, and the last time I took an exercise class was before I was of legal drinking age. Could there be a better candidate to participate in a Rockettes fitness class than me, an out-of-shape 50-something who can't even call herself a fan?All I can say is, I went in a cynic and came out an admirer. The Rockettes are not only perfect, and beautiful, but they are kind, gracious and fun, so much so that despite my two left feet and inability to follow their moves with any accuracy or grace, I had a total blast and would do the class again in a minute.Winslow divided the class of mostly middle-aged women — none of whom looked like gonzo Jane Fonda types to me — into two groups: regular and moderate. I hightailed it over to the moderate side and tried to follow along as we learned the exercises one by one, then did them in sequence to music. My group stayed in place while the other group moved across the floor.While I don't work out, I'm not a total couch potato. I can walk a few miles at a brisk pace with no trouble. So I didn't find the exercises — mostly gentle stretches and bends — impossible, but I couldn't do them as fast or as well as my classmates. I certainly couldn't do them as well as the dancers, who stood among us demonstrating and inquiring periodically with a dazzling smile if we were all feeling OK.Winslow led the class at the front of the room, noting among other things that the secret to all those kicks is in the hip muscles, which must be warmed up and strengthened to do the hundreds of kicks a day required when the Christmas show is in season.Future cruisers should know that classes will not always include actual Rockettes. Two Rockettes are sailing on each of Norwegian Breakaway's first six trips, and then on the first cruise of each month thereafter, and they will host the classes when they're onboard. The rest of the time, the classes will be taught by others who've been trained in the routines.And no, we did not attempt the famous eye-high kick — where the dancers move their legs so high and so fast that their feet are practically at eye-level. But we were taught a related move I could not master: Balancing back on the left heel, with toes in the air, we were told to kick the right foot up — not high, but enough so that every time I tried it, I nearly fell down.Not only was this impossible for me, but I suddenly noticed that in addition to my lack of coordination, the floor seemed to be moving beneath my feet. Oh right, I suddenly realized, I'm on a cruise ship, on the ocean. And I'm trying to do a dance move with the Rockettes. No wonder I was feeling dizzy!No harm done though. I walked out after an hour with a grin on my face and a notch in my belt: I survived a fitness class with the Rockettes, and I had fun doing it.

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Rapidly Expanding Fitness Franchise Opens 100th Club

Rapidly Expanding Fitness Franchise Opens 100th Club

15 May 2013

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., May 15, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Capitalizing on the $20 billion fitness industry, TITLE Boxing Club announced today the opening of their 100th club location, signifying a new company milestone for the quickly growing fitness concept that began franchising less than three years ago.The largest boxing franchise in the nation will open its 100th club in Fishers, Ind. on May 15. This club is owned by Dan Hannay and will boast the brand's POWER HOUR workout that burns up to 1,000 calories per hour. The Fishers club will be the second location in Indiana for the brand. Another club, also owned by Hannay, is already operating in Indianapolis. With extensive experience in director and managerial positions along with multi-unit business management, Hannay's skill set quickly transferred into success as a TITLE Boxing Club franchisee."TITLE Boxing Club has quickly become the go-to fitness club for workout enthusiasts and beginners alike," said Dan Hannay, Owner of TITLE Boxing Club of Indianapolis and Fishers. "Opening the 100th club in the system is an exciting accomplishment and we can't wait to bring this tremendous workout to the residents of Fishers."The Fishers club will feature an updated design that includes larger graphics, the new TITLE Boxing Club logo along with a brand new 'trainers circle'. The addition of the trainers circle allows members to sit and wrap their hands and warm up before class in a semi-circle design surrounded by benches. In addition to these new features, TITLE Boxing Club of Fishers will have 54 heavy bags hanging in the center of the club surrounded by a retail store featuring TITLE Boxing gear. The new design has an urban feel, with bricks lining the walls and the addition of "old-school" gym style lights. While the new club has an appearance that is functional and modernized, the goal of the club remains to help customers at any fitness level establish and maintain a healthy and fit lifestyle.The 100th opening comes on the heels of an explosive start to the year for TITLE Boxing Club. In January 2013 the company had 85 open clubs and nearly 350 under development. On pace to open 12-15 new clubs per month through the end of 2013, the brand proves to have found a niche in the saturated fitness industry and is quickly becoming one of the fastest growing franchises with clubs operating in 27 states across the U.S."TITLE Boxing Club has created a unique business and fitness opportunity for people," said John Rotche, President of TITLE Boxing Club. "We have been able gain momentum by building a strong franchise model so that owning and operating a club is easy and profitable while also providing a workout that helps members reach their goals and leaves them feeling empowered."TITLE Boxing Club is filling a niche in the fitness industry as women ages 30-45 years old are the largest demographic taking part. The 60-minute workout guarantees results and the non-threatening environment appeals to women. TITLE Boxing Club offers members an interval based workout program that combines bouts of intense cardio and boxing exercises with short periods of rest. This type of interval training provides the most effective work to rest ratio, optimizing the client's results.TITLE Boxing Club does not promote actual fighting in its clubs, but rather encourages all participants at different fitness levels to workout at their own pace. Trained instructors lead the classes, each with different motivational styles and techniques. Some instructors focus on upper body training while others might incorporate more cardiovascular exercises into their session. During classes, members feed off of a group fitness atmosphere while music takes their mind off the intense effort so they workout harder, longer. Along with the physical results, the concept offers clients intense emotional and spiritual changes as well. Members leave each session with new-found confidence and empowerment.For more information about TITLE Boxing Club, or to find a club in your area, visit www.TITLEBoxingClub.com. To learn more about TITLE Boxing Club franchise opportunities, visit www.TITLEFranchise.com.About TITLE Boxing Club(R)TBC International, LLC opened the first TITLE Boxing Club fitness center January 2, 2008 in Overland Park, Kansas. TITLE Boxing Clubs offer explosive total body boxing and kickboxing fitness workouts that help women and men burn up to 1,000 calories an hour in group classes. The company was founded by retired professional boxer and promoter Danny Campbell and Kansas businessmen Tom Lyons. Current ownership is under Lyons, Campbell, and Rick Washburn; experienced franchise executive John Rotche; and Title Boxing Company, the world's largest distributor of boxing, kickboxing and MMA equipment, apparel and accessories. For more details, visit www.TITLEboxingclub.com.Contact: Julianne Kennelly, Fishman Public Relations,(847) 945-1300 x239 or jkennelly@fishmanpr.com

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Fitness centre introduces new concept at Lot 10 club

15 May 2013

Celebrity Fitness instructors leading a C-Heart Rate workout session.Celebrity Fitness Malaysia recently introduced the 3D FUN Group Functional Fitness Studio, an all-new fitness concept, at its Lot 10 club in Kuala Lumpur.The concept seeks to improve human movement to allow better performance in daily activities.The 3D FUN Group Functional Fitness Studio consists of various new programmes such as the Bosu, kettlebell and ViPR.The club has also launched two new signature classes Celebrity Fitness C-Heart Rate and Celebrity Fitness HitBack.Malaysians today are in search of greater challenges to boost their fitness routines. To fulfil their needs and demands, we have introduced 3D FUN Group Func-tional Fitness Studio, said Celebrity Fitness Malaysia country group fitness manager Krishnan Malhotra.Bosu, which stands for Both Sides Utilised, will prove to be a favourite among those who love challenging fitness moves.Here, instructors guide members to maintain overall body stability and body alignment through integrated movement.This programme is easily applicable to daily functional requirements as the human bodys everyday movements are in 3D for example, stabilising ones body on a stool while taking an object that is located above.The kettlebell is a traditional Russian training tool to develop full body conditioning as fitness.Those using a kettlebell have their hands and wrists in neutral alignments, enabling greater endurance and longevity in the core lifts to generate a much higher volume of exercise.For whole body movement, ViPR, which is a blend of lifting, shifting and twisting, would be the best option.If you are new to indoor cycling classes, Celebrity Fitness C-Heart Rate is the perfect place to start. Its simple choreography is easy to follow with easy speed sections and low intensity hills set to popular upbeat music.Inspired by the current craze for self-defence moves, the Celebrity Fitness HitBack class mixes traditional boxing, kickboxing, and Japanese-based martial arts to music, allowing members to give their best while punching, striking and kicking.The 3D FUN Group Functional Fitness Studio is created for people from all walks of life. Some may like challenging fitness programmes, others may prefer a slow-paced workout and yet others may prefer to increase their muscle mass. Whatever it may be, we have it, said Malhotra.Even celebrities are swearing by it. At a special session recently, Henley Hii, Dennis Gan, Aenie Wong, Amber Chia, Baki Zainal, Julie Woon and many more were seen enjoying the thrill and excitement of this new fitness concept.I am glad to be part of this and I must say it is indeed worth the experience. With a variety of new fitness programmes, one just has to determine what fits them. Or else, I dare you to try them all, said an enthusiastic Woon.

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