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"A facility with expert staff who are committed to
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excellence. With the skill, education and desire to help average people reach their health and fitness potential. Incorporating great classes, excellent equipment and awesome staff - all at a reasonable price.” Weight loss programs • Personal Training • State of the art cardio and weight machines Child Care • Star Smoothie • Group exercise classes
www.starfitnesscenter.com Star Fitness Center • (985) 809-6399 340 Falconer Drive • Covington, LA 70433
Star Fitness Center is located behind home Depot in Covington
mastHEAD july2010
publisher
volume1 NUMBER 1
kellyWALGAMOTTE
editor
lanaWALGAMOTTE
marketing
page 6
account executive
page 10
weightLOSS
ginaCASTELLUCCIO-VICK
page 8
supplementREVIEW
ATTITUDE the forgotten power
dianeDICKSON-O’NEAL
by aaronPOTTS
chief designer
page 12
chrisTIBLIER
fit as a FIREFIGHTER
contributing writers
by kellyWALGAMOTTE
mikeMILLS LisaBOLOGNA catherineWILBERT aaronPOTTS garyDRAGON rex&sophiaFUR lucyDIAMOND markWALGAMOTTE
page 14
facts about CARDIO EQUIPMENT by markWALGAMOTTE
page 16
YOGA
page 18
petHEALTH
Northshore Fitness is published monthly by Northshore Fitness P.O. Box 752, Slidell, LA 70459, 985-778-6171. Copyright 2010 by Northshore Fitness. No part of this publication can be reproduced without the written, expressed consent of the publisher. Reproduction of editorial content or graphics in any manner or in any medium is prohibited. Opinions of staff & contributing writers do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher. For advertising information, contact Northshore Fitness business department at 985-778-6171 fax at 985-201-8165 or e-mail at northshorefitness@live.com. Letters to the Editor are Welcome – send signed letters to P.O. Box 752, Slidell, LA 70459. Please include a phone number for verification (it will not be published). E-mail letters to northshorefitness@live.com. The Editor reserves the right to edit for length, style and spelling. Postmaster: Send address changes to Northshore Fitness P.0. Box 752, Slidell, LA 70459
coverMODEL name: Erica Alexander - Leeling employer: Stone Creek Club & Spa position: Fitness Director certifications: AFAA Personal Training and Group Fitness, Mad Dogg, Athletics Spinning, Body Pump, Physical Mind Institute, Pilates, Power Strike, Power Strike Impact
mantra: An hour a day of exercise will change your life.
photo by:
christyMURPHY CHRISTY MURPHY PHOTOGRAGHY chrismurphyphotos.com
4 Northshore Fitness JULY 2010
PUBNOTES
kellyWALGAMOTTE publisher
Premier ISSUE! The first thing I would like to share is my sincere appreciation to all the advertisers and staff who believe in Northshore Fitness Magazine, thank you. Northshore Fitness is committed to delivering local health & fitness news and events. We strive to bring exciting articles that relate to health & fitness here on the Northshore. From the facilities we train in, the malls we shop at, to the physicians/hospitals that treat us, we are truly blessed with great people in this parish. That is what will make this magazine a great success! As a native to St. Tammany Parish, my desire and appetite for physical fitness developed at a young age. Starting with a love for bodybuilding and powerlifting, I slowly incorporated this into my daily routine. At the age of 10, I drove my mother crazy with all my inventive protein concoctions, they weren’t the tastiest, but they got the job done. Thank goodness for the protein powder shakes I was later introduced to. After graduating Slidell High School in 1993, I studied business at Southeastern Louisiana University, later served in the U.S. Army for 9 years, and have also worked for Folgers Coffee for the past 11 years. Now making this transition to creator/owner of Northshore Fitness Magazine, I am excited and ready for this new adventure. With a strong passion for health & fitness, my goal is to be an educator and advocate for a healthier lifestyle. With an exceptional editorial staff and first class photography, we can make a positive impact on our health and our children’s health. My vision for Northshore Fitness Magazine is to be the center point for health & fitness events happening on the Northshore. We intend on bringing the community together by having quality advertisers and news worthy articles written by local residents. With state of the art graphics and design, Northshore Fitness Magazine is determined to be the leader in free publications. Please fell free to contact me with any feedback regarding Northshore Fitness Magazine. I am dedicated to improving the health & fitness on the Northshore. God Bless,
Kelly Walgamotte
Mobile: (985) 778-6171 E-mail: northshorefitness@live.com
JULY 2010 Northshore Fitness 5
weightLOSS catherineWILBERT
“Eating more frequent meals throughout the day will actually boost your metabolism. The key is better food choices, balanced meals, and portion control.”
Dr. Catherine Wilbert, founder and formulator for the company’s products, is a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine, Nutrition Consultant, Culinary Nutritionist & nationally recognized wellness expert.
6 Northshore Fitness JULY 2010
The fastest way to fat loss: Cardio vs. Weight lifting Summer is here, and if you haven’t yet made that commitment to a fitness program, the thought of shedding a few pounds to look good in those shorts or that bathing suit, may be just the encouragement you need. So with time of the essence, (immediate gratification being a must, with a trip to the beach just around the corner) what type of program do we embark on? For most, the seemingly obvious solution would be to cut back on the meals and start doing cardio – and lots of it. As much as this may sound unpleasant (at least to most of us), it’s bound to burn up that extra fat, leaving us lean and toned, ready to show of those abs, right? Wrong! The good news is that these myths about weight loss are just that - myths. While you do need to cut calories and increase activity to lose weight, there is a better, healthier, and more efficient way to do it. First of all, embarking on some crazy fad diet that severely restricts calories may initially produce results, but in the long run will actually slow down your metabolism. Eating more frequent meals throughout the day will actually boost your metabolism. The key is better food choices, balanced meals, and portion control. What about exercise – what kind and how much? While it may feel like running on the treadmill for an hour (while you are dripping with sweat) is burning tons of calories, it’s only burning calories while you are exercising and for one to two hours after. If you really want to lose fat – and keep it off - the best way to do it is with weight training. Weight training is the single most effective way to permanently increase your metabolism. The more muscle you have, the more fat you burn all the time – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week - not just one or two hours when you’re exercising, but every hour of every day, whether you’re exercising, eating, sleeping or sitting at your desk. Pound for pound, muscle burns 25 times more calories than fat. One pound of muscle can burn 30 to 50 calories in a day, or 350 to 500 calories a week. One pound of fat only burns two calories a day or 14 calories in a week. So, if you build just five pounds of muscle, that’s equivalent to burning 26 pounds of fat in a year. The evidence is right in front of you in the gym. Notice the number of overweight people who do hours of cardio on the treadmill, in aerobics classes, or on the bike – or worse, all of the above. The same people, who are on the same program for months, maybe even years, with no noticeable results. Then, compare them to the physiques in the weight room. Ask some of those people who look the most fit how much time they really spend in the gym – it’s much less than you think. The results produced by weight training are much more effective. And if your own research isn’t convincing enough to
back up these claims, consider a Tufts University study that showed strength and resistance training can increase metabolism by seven percent, and promote significant changes in body composition. Scientists calculated the higher metabolic rate meant that resistance trained subjects burned an average of an extra 354 calories per day. The final result was that weight training produces an increase in lean body mass and a decrease in body fat by a permanent increase in metabolic rate. What about the scale? Throw it out! Yes you may end up weighing the same or even more because muscle weighs more than fat, but remember, muscle takes up less space than fat. So, ultimately, you will be smaller, firmer and toner…and your clothes will fit better. That’s the true test. How you look and how you feel – not what the numbers on the scale say. And women, no, you won’t become overly muscular. It’s just not possible – women don’t naturally produce enough of the hormones it takes to grow massive muscles. Weight training will, however, give you that tone look you’re striving for – you can’t burn fat off to see muscle tone that doesn’t exist. In addition, weight training is important to help prevent osteoporosis by building and maintaining bone density. Timing is everything. If your primary goal for cardio (in addition to cardio vascular health) is to burn fat, the most effective time to do it is when glycogen stores are low. Early morning on an empty stomach would be an optimum time since glycogen stores have been depleted throughout the night while you slept. If morning isn’t an option, and you’ll be doing cardio in the same workout session as weight training, it’s better to do cardiovascular activity immediately following weight training because glycogen levels have also been depleted at this time. Not only will your cardiovascular exercise be more effective at fat burning, but your weight training session will be more effective and intense since you won’t have burned up all your ATP on cardio. The key to successful weight loss is balance – in both diet and exercise. Weight training will help increase lean body composition and boost your metabolism, even while at rest. Cardiovascular activity will help muscles utilize oxygen more efficiently and promote overall good cardiovascular health. Remember though, too much cardio can actually burn valuable muscle tissue and losing muscle slows down your metabolism -- which is obviously counter productive to your whole weight loss goal. Again, remember balance -- allow your body time to recover from all exercise. Muscle tissue needs recovery time to repair and grow. So, don’t be afraid to take a couple of days off with no exercise and you will actually see better results. Good luck and see you on the beach!
As a local insurance agent with 40 years experience in Slidell, I know many local families. My knowledge and understanding of the people in this community help me provide customers with an outstanding level of service. I look forward to helping families like yours protect the things that are important – your family, home, car, boat, RV’s and more. I can also help you prepare a strategy to achieve your goals.
Insurance: Auto • Motorcycle • Homeowners • Condo • Renters • Business • Boat • Flood
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Financial: Annuities • IRA’s • Mutual Funds • Life Insurance
supplementREVIEW mikeMILLS
“While taking one pill a day may be more convenient, and inexpensive, if the vitamins do not dissolve in the body's digestive system, then what is the point in taking it?�
Mike Mills has a B.S. in Exercise Science from the University of Mississippi and 10+ years experience in the vitamin and supplement industry.
Vitapaks vs. Multi
Multi-vitamins are used by millions of people everyday to help supplement their diet to meet the reccommened daily allowances of vitamins and minerals. However, there are many different types of multi-vitamins available to the public, so which one to use can be quite a dilema. Studies have shown that a 100% all natural multi-vitamin has a higher absorbtion rate than the more popular synthetic multi-vitamins, such as Centrum and One a Day. While taking one pill a day may be more convenient, and inexpensive, if the vitamins do not dissolve in the body's digestive system, then what is the point in taking it? 100% all natural multi-vitamins that are derived from food and plant sources are easily found in health food, and supplement retail stores. Multi-vitamins come in many forms, such as tablets, capsules, softgels, chewables, and liquid. Which form is the best is highly debateable. Most studies show that the liquid form is absorbed the quickest; however the quicker absorbtion is not always the better option. The human body will only use the vitamins and minerals needed at a given time and excrete the rest through the body's urinary tract as a waste product, which explains the The Importance of Rehab greenish yellow colored urine often associated with taking after Meniscectomy multi-vitamins. Multi-vitamins that are absorbed over a longer Research has shown that, several years after repair of period of time may have more a non-traumatic meniscus tear, the loss of muscle strength benefits, so don't throw out your in the quadriceps left middle aged patients with painful, "old school" tablets for softgels unstable knees that were prone to arthritis in the future. or liquid vitamins just yet. The thigh muscles (quadriceps) play an important role in Many doctors are now sugstabilizing the knee joint, as well as in distributing the load gesting more natural alternatives across the joint. Insufficient muscle strength (which has for lowering cholesterol, blood been reported two to six months after surgery) may lead pressure, and balancing blood to increased physical stress. Increased impact on cartilage sugar levels, in addition to numeras muscles fail to absorb forces while walking leads to a risk ous other medical conditions. of osteoarthritis. These findings point out the importance Convienent all in one "Vitapaks" of undergoing propare now available that contain a er rehabilitation to daily pack of multi-vitamins, fish restore full oil, and heart, bone, joint, and strength to the digestive support. These quadriceps after Vitapaks are more affordable and meniscus surgery. make more sense then purchasCould you beneing five or six seperate bottles of fit from professionsupplements. In this day and age al, gentle, and safe consuming the daily recommendphysical therapy ed allowances of vitamins and care without the minerals can be almost impossiuse of drugs or surble through food alone. Taking gery? We can pronatural vitamins and supplements vide you with a care on a daily basis just might be the program designed difference between leading a for your age, condition, and lifestyle. If you or a family healthy lifestyle and living longer member needs physical therapy, you have the right to as opposed to the alternative. choose where you go for physical therapy. The knee instability that some patients may report after undergoing knee surgery may likely be due more to altered lower-extremity muscle strength than to knee-joint laxity.
By: Gary Dragon, Jr., P.T., A.T.C. Owner of: Action Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine
8 Northshore Fitness JULY 2010
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Brandon Dale- Owner Mobile: (504) 382-3999
Brant Peddy Age: 35 Height: 6' 0 Weight: 228 Degree in Psychology from UNO Certification through NSCA, CrossFit level 1, and Crossfit Football
10 Northshore Fitness JULY 2010
What would you consider your most valuable tool for staying in shape? Is it your treadmill? What about your weight set? Is it your arsenal of low-fat cookbooks, and lowcarb diet snacks? What about your collection of workout videos? Would you consider it a revelation that your most lethal weapon in the battle of the bulge is your Attitude?Think about it. What good is your treadmill if you don't have the energy to get on it, or can't get up the motivation to crank up the speed, or the elevation? How useful are your dumbbells if you can't push yourself to use them in the most effective manner? How good is a nutrition program that you can't stick to? How much fat loss will you get out of your workout videos if you just can't seem to get as motivated as that bouncy cheerleader who is urging you to jump higher, or that buff macho man who keeps saying, "C'mon, just one more rep!"?
No, none of those tools are going to get you very far unless your HEAD is in the right place. As you read this article, you have probably already been exposed to more nutrition and exercise information than you could possibly ever need to actually stay in shape. You've probably read, listened to, or watched the answers to your fitness issues enough times to win the next Mr. or Mrs. Neighborhood fitness competition a dozen times over! Yet, you are still not where you want to be. Why? Attitude.
Seeing Your Goal Do you have a clear vision in your head of where you want to be, or what you want to accomplish when you are at a peak level of fitness? I don't mean just some vague idea - I'm talking about an actual burning mental image of a six-pack set of abs, or a nice set of curves, or a clear picture of you crossing the finish line in first place, or taking home that trophy. If you don't have that, you are already just spinning your wheels. How can you expect to get somewhere if you don't know where that "somewhere" is? Many people start out very motivated to get in shape, or to compete for that prize, but their motivation lacks focus - laser-targeted precision that will guide them down the right path. The term "as the crow flies" comes to mind. If you could leave your house and drive in an exact straight line to your destination, don't you think that you would get there a lot faster? What if you could just fly through stop lights and intersections, disregard all posted speed limits, and go exactly in a straight line to every destination? You sure would get there a lot faster! Exercise, physical fitness, and nutrition are no different. If you don't have a clearly mapped out and measurable road map to your success, then you will stray, and that will cost you time at the very least - and at the most, it will cost you precious amounts of self-confidence! Take some time to think about WHERE you want to be, HOW you are going to get there, and most importantly, WHY you want to be there. Take the time to do that, and I think you'll see that your previous path may have been road blocked by a few too many trips to Starbucks for a Caramel Frappuccino. Not that anyone writing a fitness article such as this would know anything about that...
Believing In Your Ability Okay, so you've got yourself a good mental picture. You have your road map in front of you, your path is straight and true, and you are ready to get started. What comes next? Belief. Do you believe it is possible to wave a magic wand and have all of your excess bodyfat gone, and all of your fitness goals realized in the blink of an eye? Of course not. If you do, and you know the secret, please contact us - I'm sure we could make some money on that secret! For everyone else, I'll ask a different question. Do you believe that you could sit on your couch, suck down some ice cream, and put on some more bodyfat? The answer is, unfortunately, yes.
What is the difference between those two questions? Very simple - one is possible, and one is not. What does that have to do with your fitness goals? Well, it may come as a surprise, but you have been dealing in the IMPOSSIBLE for quite sometime now. You have been striving for a goal, yet not really “If you run into a wall, don't turn around believing that it was and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go within your power to through it, or work around it. “ reach it. Oh sure, you may have joined a gym, or bought a new Litmus 3000 Super-Decker top of the line treadmill/clothes hanger, but did you really believe that you were going to do it this time? If you are reading this and you are in perfect physical condition, then congratulations - you did it! For the rest of you, are you seeing the point? You didn't truly believe it, because otherwise it would have happened. Each of us shelters, hidden either very deeply or sometimes NOT so deeply, a seed of doubt that we will really succeed. When that seed is there - whether it is planted deeply or not - your subconscious waters it and feeds it. The next thing you know, it is has grown into an entire field of self-limiting beliefs, and you have neither the time nor the desire to get out there in the field and destroy that evil crop! What are you to do, then? BELIEVE IN YOURSELF! Why? The answer to that is simple - because you are the only one who truly can. Others may support you, and they may even show you the path, but it is YOU who has to walk it.
Taking Action We have covered the need for you to clearly see your goal, and for you to use the power of belief to start walking down the path, but what's next? The next step is the same for you as it is for an aspiring business owner, or a college freshman, or an artist staring at a blank canvas you have to TAKE ACTION. You can read the top 2 sections of this article all day long, but doing so won't burn off any bodyfat, or pack any muscle tissue onto your body. Only appropriately carried out action can do that. Think of all the self-help books that you have read, or programs that you have watched on TV, or listened to on the radio. Did any of them do you any good whatsoever if you didn't take action on what you had learned? What about what you have read so far in this article? Has it been helpful? Most likely. Will it do you any good if you don't Take Action? Nope. Negative. No way. Nada. You get the picture. You can read, listen, and watch your way right into a bodyfat level that would make a sumo wrestler jealous, or consider your options until your muscles have diminished so much that you can't even lift a toast to your dearly departed dreams, but none of that will mean squat if you don't GET UP and make it happen! Why are you still sitting here? Get out there and Take Action!
JULY 2010 Northshore Fitness 11
by kellyWALGAMOTTE
Fit as a Firefighter is a camp designed to help reduce the risk of overweight children
from growing up and becoming obese. Obese children and adolescents are more likely to become obese as adults. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention did a study and found approximately 80% of children who were overweight at ages 10-15 years were obese adults at age 25 years. It also found that if the child becomes overweight before 8 years of age, obesity in adulthood is likely to be more severe. Thanks to Fit as Firefighter our parish has taken the first step in attacking this problem. Northshore Fitness caught up with Michelle Carollo, one of the founders of Fit as a Firefighter, to find out what kind of impact FAFF is having on our parish.
NSF: How did Fit as a Firefighter come about and how long has it been around? Michelle: After Hurricane Katrina, Chief Hess and I (Michelle Carollo) were working out at the Cross Gates Family Fitness on Pontchartrain Drive, located in the old Block Buster building. We were exploring ideas of something we could do for the children in our community. We realized that a lot of their outdoor activites were destroyed with the storm, while also seeing the childhood obesity rate growing by epidemic proportions throughout the past few years in our community. We decided the two of us had to take action. It took about 8 months to get the program off the ground. Now, we have had a very successful camp for 4 years running. NSF: What qualifies a kid for FAFF? Michelle: Children who are considered overweight or obese are allowed to sign up to participate
12 Northshore Fitness JULY 2010
nutrition labels, prepare healthy snacks daily, and the function of water in the body and how important it is.
NSF: You have told me that the camp is free. Where does the funding come from? Michelle: The funding for the camp is through donations and volunteers. NSF: Are all the workers volunteers? Michelle: Some of the workers are paid, but the majority are volunteers from many civil service and hosptial organizations in the parish. NSF: How is everyone dealing with the extreme heat? in the camp. Their pediatrician is the one who signs off on the registration form, stating that they are in the 95% BMI. Throughout the years we have worked closely with pediatricians in the community. By doing so they help us choose the children that are in need of this camp.
NSF: Is FAFF designed to get kids into shape or more to educate? Michelle: The camp is designed to do both. During the week we are constantly teaching healthy eating and fitness. We do this by teaching proper reading of nutrition labels on food packaging, portion size, and the importance of a well balanced diet. Also, we include light exercise for the kids. We are careful not to push the kids too hard due to their conditioning when they arrive at the camp. We accept children in the camp from the ages of 712 years. At this age a kid's mind is like a sponge, very capable of soaking up all the information presented to them. NSF: What sort of activities are the kids involved in? Michelle: Every day we have classes on fitness, nutrition, self esteem and safety training. Some examples of these are Taekwondo, Jazzercise, Nutrition games, motivational speaker, Coping with life classes, CPR, and Fire/EMS Traffic Crash Demo
Michelle: We have portable A/C and misting units that help with the heat. The kids are also rotated in and out of cooled areas and they are monitored frequently by medical personnel for heat exhaustion. Kids are so resilient and they do well with the extreme heat. They do much better than the grown-ups. They are having so much fun it does not phase them. NSF: What do you feel is the best thing the kids bring home from FAFF? Michelle: The kids bring the knowledge that they learn home and begin to teach their families to become aware of their eating habits. They have a sense of accomplishment by the end of the week. They feel proud of themselves. NSF: How would someone have their kid accepted for next years FAFF? Michelle: There are applications located at the Slidell Memorial Parenting Center, Cross Gates Family Fitness, and the Fire Department. We also have a continuing program once the children have completed the FAFF camp called, Trim Kids, that involves the entire family in fitness and nutrition classes. This is a 10 week program that provides indepth training in nutrition, reading labels, and choosing the right foods at the grocery store, etc. It also tours them through Cross Gates Family Fitness for fitness.
NSF: Are the kids being taught about nutrition? Michelle: Yes, we have licensed registered nurses and dieticians who teach classes daily. We teach them how to read
JULY 2010 Northshore Fitness 13
The menu of aerobic choices to pick from is vast and equipment manufacturers are constantly coming up with new ways for us to torture ourselves. When you walk into the cardio area at the gym, picking which equipment to use is kind of like picking out candy at a candy shop. Which one to pick, what is going to burn the most calories in the shortest amount of time, and if you have an injury will it be safe are just a few things to think about. The definition of cardiovascular fitness is the ability to perform large muscle movement over a sustained period. It’s related to the capacity of the heart-lung system to deliver oxygen for sustained energy. It’s also called cardiorespiratory endurance or aerobic endurance. So, with so many machine choices available to improve our cardio fitness, which one is best? When someone asks "Which is best?" they usually mean, "Which is going to burn the most fat in the least amount of time and make me look great?" Let's take a look at some of the popular choices and what the pros and cons are. When it comes to cardio, several factors go into the answer for "which is best." Whatever choice you make, you must do it consistently, correctly and intensely. Consistency - Here’s your key. When you find a piece of equipment that you enjoy, you must do it often. "Often" means three times a week to improve your health and up to five times a week to improve your fitness, optimize calorie burn and improve your cardiovascular efficiency. Correct form - Never sacrifice form for speed or performance. If exercise is to be a lifetime commitment, you want to keep your body healthy, injury free and feeling as good as possible at all times. Think about keeping your entire body relaxed when you do cardio and you will find that you can become more efficient on whichever equipment you choose. Intensity - Your heart rate is usually a good indicator of your intensity. Healthy adults should strive for 60–90 percent of their maximal heart rate. If you aren't working hard enough, you aren't going to see the benefits. If you're working too hard, you're setting yourself up for injury.
Treadmills Pros: These are still the most popular, by far. Walking is a relatively easy activity that you're already used to doing, so there isn't much of a learning curve. Walking is a lower impact activity, so it’s gentler to the body. Treadmills help you keep pace and most have a variety of programs that can keep you challenged. You can monitor your progress and see improvements in time, distance and speed. Cons: Walking can cause shin splints if done excessively, and it's not the best calorie burner. Many people find indoor walking boring. Running is a great calorie burner, but at a higher cost to your joints. If you do progress to running, take several months to safely evolve to it. To compensate for the belt propelling your stride, add a 2 percent incline to the treadmill which more closely simulates outdoor walking. To make this challenging, try different pre-set programs which vary your speed and incline, then strive to beat your own record.
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Bikes Pros: There are both upright and recumbent bikes to choose from, as well as bikes with upper body levers. Bikes are less stressful on the joints and once you get accustomed to spending time in the saddle, they are relatively comfortable. Recumbent bikes are a good place to start for beginners and those with back pain. Cons: It’s more challenging to get your heart rate up on a bike since the weight of your legs helps to propel the pedals, therefore needing less effort. To make this challenging, deliberately focus on keeping your cadence up or add resistance. Otherwise this can be a low calorie burner. Think Lance Armstrong as you ride.
NSF TIP: Stationary Bike vs. Recumbent If your looking to burn the most calories. Than the stationary bike is the one for you. When ever you can stand up and crank down as hard as you can, you know you're burning the most calories. If you're looking for a slower, safer, less stress on the joints than the recumbent bike is what you should use.
Stair Climbers Pros: It's a great calorie burner when done properly. Even though you may be accustomed to going up and down stairs, this machine takes stair stepping and your body to a whole new level. You are completely supporting your body weight on the pedals; therefore, it takes a lot of energy (calories) to sustain this exercise. Cons: It's easy to cheat by locking your arms out on the equipment. Stair climbers may not be comfortable for anyone with knee pain. It takes some time to build up the endurance to sustain this exercise for 20+ minutes. To make this more challenging, focus on posture. You can ultimately do this exercise without holding on and by pumping your arms.
Ellipticals Pros: This family of equipment is relatively low impact and therefore is less stressful to the joints. They are excellent for rehabilitating injuries or for beginners. Arm work will help to elevate the heart rate and increase the work (calories burned).
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Cons: Again, unless you are choosing a high level of intensity, it’s just easy to stride alone without breaking a sweat. To make this more challenging, attempt to increase your levels, pump your arms and change programs often.
Rowers Pros: It's a great total body cardio exercise. Helps to improve the endurance of the postural muscles (abs and upper and lower back). This exercise is low impact and is easy to get into your target heart rate due to the arm and leg involvement. Cons: It may not be comfortable for anyone with knee or hip problems. If you don’t keep good form, you can encourage poor posture and overstretch the muscles of the upper back and shoulders. To make this more challenging, focus on your posture and perfecting your stroke. Try to beat your personal score of strokes per minute or meters traveled over time.
The bottom line is to choose something that you will do often, is convenient and feels good (when it’s over). The best suggestion I can give is to use a variety of equipment. Some burn more calories, some are more physically challenging and some feel better than others. Your body may need different things on different days. If you had a tough workout, you may want to do an easy walk or bike ride. If you are rested and feeling energized, you may want to tackle the Stairclimber. What’s important is that you do it. The benefits are priceless.
Feature Model: Greg Ducre Personal Trainer • Slidell Athletic Club
Don’t miss the opportunity to be part of the August issue! Call for introductory rates & special placement.
Reserve your space today! Call Kelly for Details (985) 778-6171
Age: 47 ATA Certified, Pro-Camp Certified, Member Professional Trainers Assoc., 25 Years in the Fitness Industry, Natural Mr. World Champion, Natural Mr. Universe Champion, Slidell Native.
JULY 2010 Northshore Fitness 15
fundamentals by Lisa Bologna Yoga. It’s become a buzzword and a popular form of exercise in the past 10 years. But what exactly is Yoga all about? You may remember Shirley McClaine finding her purple aura in the 70’s or Jane Fonda in leotards and leg warmers in the 80’s, but it isn’t your Mama’s yoga anymore. Yoga has been around for thousands of years and is comprised of hundreds of different styles from iyengar to hatha, from flow to strength. In recent years, Yoga has stepped into a new century with new focus and intention. Today’s Yoga aims to calm the mind, strengthen the body and improve flexibility. The way the workforce is set up in offices, in front of computers for endless hours closes the body and causes a multitude of problems such as carpal tunnel, lower back pain, chronically tight neck and shoulders and poor posture. We then go to the gym to build muscle mass and keep weight in check, where we further shorten the muscles and restrict our range of motion. What Yoga does for you is reverse the effects of all of this by opening the front of the body to relieve tension in the back of the body, allows you to slow down and learn to quiet the mind from the constant chatter and builds a strong, healthy, flexible body with full range of motion. Today’s Yoga makes it more relevant and necessary, as well as concentrating on building longevity in the mind and body. In this column, we will further explore Yoga’s benefits and what to look for in a good instructor.
Camel Pose The Camel Pose stretches the entire front of the body: Abdomen, chest, throat and the deep hip fleors the psoas muscles. It stimulates the organs of the neck and abdomen, relieves low back pressure as well as anxiety, fatigue, backache and respiratory ailments.
16 Northshore Fitness JULY 2010
“Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.”
Action Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine ®
Registered Trade Name of Superior Rehab Svcs. L.L.C.
Metabolic Rx Therapy Bound Tree Pose Notice both the legs and arms are bound around each other, which help torelieve tension and improve range of motion in the joints. This pose helps to stretch the groin, inner thigh, chest and shoulders. It improves sense of balance, relieves sciatica and reduces flat feet. It also helps to strengthen thighs, calves, ankles and spine.
Are you suffering from any of the following? • HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE • HIGH CHOLESTEROL • DIABETES • OBESITY • BACK OR KNEE PAIN We are the only clinic on the Northshore that is offering the newest weight loss program. To get started call and schedule an appointment or go online to:
www.actionptslidell.com Program Benefits Include:
Supervised by a licensed physical therapist • Execise plan for your specific health condition Comfortable atmosphere with no intimidating gyms • Freedom to make your own food choices Affordable alternative to weight management could be covered under insurance
Gary Dragon Jr., PT, DPT, ATC
720 Brownswitch Rd. Ste 2 • Slidell, LA 70458 (985) 641-2866 • Fax (985) 641-7998
Swan Pose This pose elongates the back, opens the hips, groin, hamstrings, and relieves pressure on the lower back and sciatica. Your hips are key to your body's proper function, alignment and posture.
As a local insurance agent with 40 years experience in Slidell, I know many local families. My knowledge and understanding of the people in this community help me provide customers with an outstanding level of service. I look forward to helping families like yours protect the things that are important – your family, home, car, boat, RV’s and more. I can also help you prepare a strategy to achieve your goals.
Insurance: Auto • Motorcycle • Homeowners • Condo • Renters • Business • Boat • Flood
Dave Martin & Staff davematininsurance@gmail.com
Dave Martin Insurance Agency (985) 649-7531 1900 Front Street Slidell, LA 70458 Hours: Mon-Fri: 8:00am - 5:00pm
Financial: Annuities • IRA’s • Mutual Funds • Life Insurance
petHEALTH by Rex & Sophia FUR
Premium pet foods proudly market themselves as "human grade" because they contain ingredients that people can - and do - eat . While a complete and balanced custom kibble will deliver what your dog or cat needs, it doesn't hurt to know which items in your pantry and fridge are safe for Spot to share, and which ones are potentially deadly. This will also help you to select the best possible food for your best friend, containing only ingredients you recognize as safe and healthy for pets. Fish skins, especially salmon, mackerel, and sardines, contain beneficial Omega-3 fatty acids, as do salmon and cod liver oil; all are fine to feed Spot, in moderation. Vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, peas, and carrots are excellent additions to a dog's diet; cats are tougher customers, as you know if you've ever tried to offer your kitty a nonmeat treat! A soft-boiled egg makes a warming, winter breakfast treat, and the shell is a fine source of calcium. If you're having oatmeal and/or yogurt for breakfast, a loving spoonful of either makes a healthy, satisfying treat. Cinnamon and turmeric have both been shown to improve cognitive function and reduce inflammation, in people as well as pets. Senior dogs especially appreciate when you spice things up with a dash of one or both over their kibble! Here are some more human-food do's and dont's for pet lovers: DON'T feed the skin or fat from a roast to pets. A scrap of meat is OK, but definitely don't let pets lick at the roasting pan - it's an easy way for them to get the painful condition pancreatitis.
DO feed fresh blueberries as treats, and look for blueberry as an ingredient of premium pet food. DON'T feed pets anything salty or sugary, and be especially careful to avoid chips and other human snacks that contain onion and/or garlic powder, as both are detrimental to dog and cat health. DO offer snacks of raw carrot or apple - it's a great, low-fat way to treat 'em right. Avoid the apple seeds, however, as they contain traces of arsenic. DON'T let dogs and cats get anywhere near grapes, raisins, or chocolate (or any cereal, dessert, candy, or ice cream containing these ingredients), as all three are toxic to pets. DO offer pots of wheatgrass to pets; they enjoy nibbling at it, and it's good for their digestion (and while you're at it, try a nourishing shot of wheatgrass juice yourself).
short bites by lucy diamond The iPhone by Apple prides itself on the fact that it has a number of 'apps' with which you can find almost any information. No surprise then that there are now even apps for such an important issue as pet health care.This is great news for hundreds of pet owners who use their mobile phones more often than computers to obtain information, as the many pet health care apps offer a diverse range of information, close to hand. All of the applications were created to be user friendly for the average pet owner who just wants quick to find and easy to access information on pet health care. You can find concise snippets of pet health care information and advice in the pet first aid app. There is also information and instructions on the best way to carry out physical checks on your animal so you can try to figure out what the problem might be. A very useful 'what's normal' section allows you the owner to check a symptom or behavior to see if it is.
18 Northshore Fitness JULY 2010
Don’t let Exercise-Induced Asthma Stop you. Exercise-Induced Asthma Symptoms usually begin about five to 20 minutes after beginning to exercise. The symptoms often peak about five to 10 minutes after stopping exercise then gradually diminish. The symptoms are typically gone within an hour, but they may last longer.
Symptoms include one or a combination of the following: Coughing, Wheezing, Chest tightness, Chest pain Prolonged shortness of breath Extreme fatigue. Northshore Allergy & Immunology, LLCNAI, LLC Office (985) 792-4022 804 Heavens Dr. Ste. 203 Mandeville, LA 70471
Richard J Guillot, M.D. Board Certified In Adult & Pediatric Allergy & Immunology