What are some of the important upcoming fitness trends? What does the latest research indicate is the “best” way to get and stay healthy? Can someone really give you a cold or are you taking the cold from them? And what do menopause and HIIT have in common?

At the recent IDEA Personal Trainer Institute, which Kymberly and I attended (and spoke at), we covered a variety of topics relevant to you and your fitness goals. At past fitness conventions we’ve listened to speakers who are so cutting-edge that they are called quacks…until their information turns out to be accurate and helpful.

So put on your “duck” shoes and let’s waddle through some of the information and posts we gathered from a number of presenters and colleagues. Read the linked posts so that you can be fully ahead of the rest of the gaggle (is that what they call a group of ducks?).

From “Boosting Your Immunity” with Teri Mosey, PhD
* For every thought you have, you release a chemical that goes to the rest of your body. What do you think happens to your body with repeated thought?
* Ninety percent of your thoughts today are the same as yesterday’s.
* We have a second brain, called the “enteric” brain.
* We have more brain cells in our stomachs than in our neo-cortex.
* Every 7-10 years we are physically a new person.
* You are the age you think your body is (I’m 39. I’m 39. I’m 39. I think I can. I think I can.)
* Most of us are too acidic and need more alkaline. Cancer cells grow in acidic space.
* Habitual coffee drinkers are more prone to osteoporosis and have become too acidic.
* You know what the Standard American Diet is – S.A.D.!
* 3-minute or poached eggs are anti-inflammatory; once the yoke is hard, it’s pro-inflammatory.
* Our emotions are not from the brain, but produced at the cellular level.

Kymberly wrote a post about falling – fears and injuries – from a full-day session she attended, which has some very helpful information.
* Thirty-three percent of older adults fall every year.
* Women break arm bones; men break their heads.
* People use the A.S.H. strategies to maintain balance (you have to click the link to know what ASH stands for)
* You need more core work.

Getting brekkie with fitness colleague Pamela Hernandez at IDEA PTI West

Our FitFluential colleague Pamela Hernandez wrote an excellent post entitled Fit Tips from IDEA Personal Trainer Institute West about two philosophies she sees in the fitness industry – one is to stick to traditional, government-recommended standards, while the other emphasizes just getting people to move a little more. As a person who embraces technology, Hernandez welcomes its further blending with fitness. Oh, and she liked our session on social media. Twitter Shout Outs to her for that!

In the post Breaking the Barriers to Exercise, Jacquie Scarlett expounds on the need to make exercise more approachable to the average person. In one section she states, “The fitness industry is not designed to meet the needs of the sedentary population because the fitness industry’s idea of exercise is too high.”
Jacquie’s post really makes us wonder what it would take to get you to like exercise if you currently don’t.
* Is rolling a ball across the floor considered exercise?
* Do you think exercise is different than daily movement?

Hayley Hollander gave a workshop on programming for peri- and post-menopausal women.
* When our hormones are out of balance, we end up with excess cortisol.
* Excess cortisol causes us to eat more (among other not fun things).
* We need to do exercise that doesn’t exacerbate the amount of cortisol in our system.
* Meaning…High Intensity Interval Training
* High Intensity does not mean High Impact, so jumping until your uterus falls out is not necessary!

On an unrelated note, while you’re not jumping (unless it’s for joy), exercise your right to help me with a water awareness campaign I’m participating in please. BLANCO America is supporting a “Water for People” campaign via Pinterest. I believe water inequality is one of the most reprehensible and avoidable human conditions in the world today. Everyone deserves access to potable, pure water. Feel free to Like my pins while you’re there. That’s the spirit!
Oh, if you view this video before May 30, BLANCO will contribute a dollar for every view to “Water for People.”

Click here to view the embedded video.

Have a Clicky, Fit day!

After 3 decades’ teaching fitness on 4 continents in 4 languages, Alexandra and I have been asked a lot of interesting fitness questions. As you might suspect, people all over the world have similar concerns and workout goals. And many of the questions repeat. Over time, generations, and borders. Over and over.

Can you guess which questions are the most common? Is the fitness question that often flits across your mind on our list of FAQs? Did you know that baby boomers ask basically the same questions as college students?

To be totally honest, one of the following questions is made up. A plant. A bogus item inserted to pique your curiosity.  Can you figure out which one is not like the others? (Remember that game from childhood?)

Drum roll and envelope please for the Top Workout Questions asked of Kymberly and Alexandra and probably many other fitness professionals. For some answers, click on the accompanying links:

1. What’s the best way to lose weight? (Answer: Lose Weight or Maintain Weight Loss? )
2. How do I lose these last 10 pounds? This month? (Answer: Lose 10 Pounds in 4 Weeks)
3. How do I lose the pudge/muffin top around my middle? (Seeing a theme thus far?)
4. What workout shoes do you recommend? (Answer: The best shoe for you depends on many factors and several footwear posts)
5. What’s the best cardio activity? (Answer: Walk or Run to the Best Cardio Workout)
6. Is it better to walk or run? (Answer: Walk or Run to the Best Cardio Workout)
7. What music did you just play as I loved/ hated it. So please play it never/ again. (Answer: The Ultimate Playlist of Your Fit Life)
8. How do I get to be more like you? (Answer: Who are we really? Telling Twins Apart
9. Which should I do first: strength training or aerobics? (Answer: Weights or Cardio – Who’s On First?)
10. Am I doing (this exercise) correctly?
11. Why does it hurt when I do (this)?
12. What’s the best exercise to address (this area)?
13. What do you recommend for someone starting out with a fitness program? (Answer: I Want to Lose 100 Pounds)
14. If my knee hurts, what activities do you suggest I do/ avoid? (Answer: The Knights Who Say “Knee”)
15. Do you know the way to San Jose? (Is that tune now in your head? To quote Stephen Colbert, “you’re welcome”).
16. What do I have to do to get a 6-pack? (Answer: Want Washboard Abs? One 6 Pack to Go)

Admit it, did you get to question #8 and think you’d spotted the imposter? Until you got to #14 then doubt set in? True story – the former is a real and oft-asked question. Ok, so we were asked it a lot more when we were in our 20s and 30s. It still counts.

Was your pressing question in the list above? If not, stick it in the comments section below.

As you work your way down to enter your nagging active aging question, please enjoy a few photos from our trip to Thailand with our mom.  Unrelated (the pics to this post, not us to our mom) and gratuitous, these photos are just a few of our faves.

Reclining Buddha

Wat (temple) towers- Thailand

Thailand temple with Chinese influence

Temple roof and columns in Thailand

Buddhist Bells at Thailand Wat

Jewels and Detail from Royal Barge in Bangkok

The most common question on our minds: Why not subscribe to our YouTube channel to get video that will improve your fitness status? Have you subscribed yet to our blog? (Our second most common question).  Please also follow us on Twitter: AlexandraFunFit and KymberlyFunFit and Instagram: KymberlyFunFit and AlexandraFunFit. Or click now on the icons above. You’ll be especially happy to do so if you like seeing our Thailand pics as we share more of them there.

Looking for an easy, no cost, comfortable way to add more activity into your day? Walk – whether outdoors, at a local mall, or indoors on cardio equipment.

Walking, powerwalking, dogwalking all lead to:

• increased lifespan
• improved cardiovascular health
• weight loss
• uplifted mood
• enhanced mental acuity

Watch our video for some tips, progression methods, and pretty scenery (plus a peek at the world’s cutest dog EVER in the universe for all entirety. Feel free to totally agree or leave a comment below).

Click here to view the embedded video.

For a few motivating Fun Fit Facts about walking, take a look at our post Sneak in Stats When Walking Briskly for Calorie Burn.

Good shoes are the only piece of equipment you need for a stroll out and about. Our suggestion? Read our post and be entertained by our video: TheraFit Shoes Were Made for Walking: Product Review

If you are wondering about the best and most effective technique for getting started on cardio equipment, take a look at our post and video on the Right and Wrong Ways to Work Out on Treadmills and Stairclimbers.

Ready to tackle hills with enviable form, avoiding common mistakes people make when going up? Our post, Proper Form for Uphill Walking has got you covered!

Lastly, take a tour of a Santa Barbara trail with us as we Walk With the Butterflies.

Small steps lead to big changes! Even a 5 minute walk triggers a bunch of benefits. So open up your front door and get your groove on as you move on!

Walk the Talk by subscribing to our YouTube channel and blog. Please also follow us on Twitter: AlexandraFunFit and KymberlyFunFit and Instagram: KymberlyFunFit and AlexandraFunFit. Click now on the icons above or below. We make it easy to share and subscribe!

Crank up that Metabolism!

What can I do to crank up my metabolism and/or digestion? Thanks!
Don, San Diego

Basal metabolism:  The minimal energy expended to maintain respiration, circulation, peristalsis, muscle tonus, body temperature, glandular activity, and the other vegetative functions of the body.

zzzzzzz snork. What did that just say? In Fun and Fit translated style, that says, “If you want to burn kcals at a faster rate (helps with weight loss and maintenance), speed up your basal metabolic rate.”

There are 11 variables that affect your metabolic rate. According to the Oct. 2012 issue of ACE Certified News, “exercise is easily the most adjustable variable (of these 11) in total daily energy expenditure.” Current research indicates that High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is the most effective method for raising your metabolic rate and losing weight, so we’ll be super thoughtful and define it. Essentially, it means alternating your workout into two speeds – very intense, and rest. The intervals can vary, such as 60 seconds work/ 60 seconds rest, or the very popular Tabata style: 20 seconds work/ 10 seconds rest, which our colleague Tamara Grand explains in this Tabata Training radio episode.

It’s Burpee Time!

By the way, standard bodybuilding won’t work for your goals, as it doesn’t burn enough calories or have the required after-effects. What DOES work is sprinting, biking, boot-camp moves such as burpees, stair-climbing, weight-lifting, and many other moves where you can push yourself to a 9 or 10 level of intensity on a 1-10 scale. High intensity doesn’t have to be high impact, though, in case you’re not into “jumpy” moves. You could do spiderman push-ups, which are very low impact.

We were once asked about “amping up my old ass metabolism”  by a reader, so you might like to read what we told her (hint: we didn’t call her “old”). In addition to HIIT, you definitely want a weight training component. Our post about the caloric benefits from the metabolic spike explains the advantages of combining cardio and weight training, but in case you’re too exhausted to click the link, it essentially says that “with cardio, you can burn 10-12 kcals a minute; with weight training it’s only 8-10 kcals per minute. But due to a magical thing called the metabolic spike (not a volleyball term), you will continue to burn kcals efficiently for about an hour after you finish working out, even if you’re sitting on your old ass donkey doing nothing.

As to your digestion…the word “metabolism” specifically refers to the breakdown of food and its subsequent transformation into energy your body needs. The best way to make sure you are breaking down and using the kcals/ energy from your food is to do two things: 1) eat food that’s a good balance of protein, complex carbs and healthy fats; and 2) eat at regular intervals. An abrupt calorie-reduction or starvation diet can severely reduce (i.e., slow down) your basal metabolic rate (BMR) by up to 30%, and a restrictive, low-calorie diet can decrease it by as much as 20%.
Basically, we just said, “Don’t skip meals. Don’t eat crap.” You’re welcome for that memorable translation!

Spiderman Push-ups: Knee to Elbow

 
We hope we’ve answered your question. If we have, go do 10 spiderman push-ups! If we haven’t, go do 20!

Readers: What high intensity, low impact moves have you discovered that we can share with other readers , especially me those with bad knees?

We have entered a contest by Anytime Fitness that we really want to win. Please click now on the link and give us your vote. We are the twins on the ball who are “flying” through the silver air! Thank you. P.S. It will take about 7 seconds of your time, and we do appreciate every vote!

Burn at least 12 kcals twitching your fingers to subscribe to our YouTube channel and blog. And another 13 when you follow us on Twitter: AlexandraFunFit and KymberlyFunFit. Please also follow us on Instagram: KymberlyFunFit and AlexandraFunFit. Or click on the icons in the sidebar. Really, it’s all about helping you!

Photo credits: via CreativeCommons.org: cycloctopus (crank);  beingwell20 (burpee), Our FitFluential pal Brendon Payne (spiderman push-up)

Citation for diet stats: http://www.disabled-world.com/fitness/metabolism/#ixzz2DfacauSZ

‘Tis the season for Thanksgiving, not Thanks-gorging.  Enact Our 7 healthful tips to avoid the holiday feast trap.

Perhaps you’ve spent months being diligent about exercising and eating healthfully. And now the holidays are creeping up faster than a heart rate monitor. How do you stay trimmer than a decorated tree and less stuffed than a turkey come Thanksgiving?

The following suggestions will serve you well from day’s start through end.

1. Drink lots of water and green tea before the feast. You will feel full and less inclined to overeat.

2. Eat your usual breakfast and lunch. Don’t skip a meal thinking you will then be free to make up for lost calories later when the “good stuff” arrives. Inevitably you will be so hungry come THE meal that you will overeat or choose whatever is closest.

3. Mentally sort foods into 3 categories:

• Food I love and will probably have seconds;
• Food I like and will take a little just once;
• Food I don’t need to eat at all.

Planning and paying attention have a definite effect on how much you pile on your plate.

(For more motivation and strategies to keep you on track, click to download our radio episode as a podcast you can listen to while working out – or when avoiding that one weird relative who is coming over Thursday:)

3 Tips to Thrive Through the Holidays

http://www.audioacrobat.com/sa/W2g0916Q

The First Turkey Trot: Real Blunderbusses for the Finish Line!

4. Opt for a salad instead of dinner plate.  You’ll be inclined to eat less.  Most of us are visually triggered, so we stop adding food once our plate looks full, regardless of plate size.

5. Get up from the table when done. Do not sit with food in front of you calling your name á la “Little Shop of Horrors.” And don’t leave food just sitting out. You can end up eating an entire meal’s worth just from picking at the stuff that’s in front of you. Put it away right after the meal (or at least as soon as is politely possible). Your guests will  probably thank you. Ok, maybe thank you.

6. Put your mind over matter. If you’re a person who likes to talk to herself (like Alexandra does), just ask yourself this when you’re filling your plate, “Am I choosing this because I’m hungry or because it tastes good?” We aren’t here to say you “shouldn’t” this or “should” that, but the awareness will help you make a considered decision.

7. Go for a walk. What better way to spend quality time with your favorite rellies or friends than by putting on a jacket and getting outside?

Readers: What tips do you have to share? We’d love to know them, especially with December almost here!

Fill up with fitness solutions and some fun when you subscribe to our YouTube channel and blog. Follow us on Twitter: AlexandraFunFit and KymberlyFunFit. Please also follow us on Instagram: KymberlyFunFit and AlexandraFunFit. Or click on the icons in the right sidebar. We’ll be ever so Thanksgiving grateful!

Photo credits: via Creative Commons:  RBerteig (jumping turkey),  sassyarts (pilgrims walking)