Train Your Body

As you all know, men's and women's bodies are different and require different exercises to develop and maintain your fitness.For men, there are exercises that are more beneficial to the male body, such as dead lifts and step-ups.For women, exercises such as squats and rowing are more valuable.In this "He Said, She Said" segment, Neal Pire and Grace DeSimone discuss the differences you should keep in mind when deciding on which exercises are right for your gender.

Are you and your trainer just not seeing eye to eye on your goals? Or, maybe you just don't like his style anymore... or want to hear his long-winded stories day after day. It may be time to break up with your personal trainer. It may not be easy, it might be uncomfortable, but there are ways to make a clean break.There are also things to consider after the break-up. For instance, are you thinking of switching to a new trainer in your gym? Are you worried that your old trainer will speak ill of you or tell your new trainer bad things about you?How exactly do you break up with your current trainer and switch to a new one? On our "He Said, She Said" segment this week, Neal and Grace offer you their best advice on breaking up with your trainer or switching to a new class without the uncomfortable feeling you are worried about.After all, it is YOUR workout, right?

The way your freezer, your pantry and your fridge are set up is really important in terms of making good, healthy choices.Keeping your kitchen stocked with things like a good blender for quick smoothies and a well organized pantry goes a long way towards easy and healthy eating.Educating yourself and your children also contributes to the understanding of how healthy choices improve your overall diet.Listen in as Jim White, RD, discusses the best ways that your kitchen setup can help you control your weight.

Making the choice to eat healthy is easier if your fridge is filled with good foods instead of junk.There are a lot of foods that are good for you and tasty also, but you have to have them handy.To make it easier, try cutting up your fruits and veggies ahead of time so you're more likely to snack on them because they're quick.Whole wheat bread and wraps, and dips such as guacamole and hummus are great foods to keep on hand when you feel like snacking.Jim White, RD, discusses the top 10 things to keep in your fridge to help ensure you eat as healthy as possible.

If you've gained weight over the winter months, now is the time to start losing it.The number-one rule to losing weight is the combination of eating less and exercising more.What you eat is just as important.There's just no substitute for fresh veggies and fruit.Fiber can play a big part in losing weight. It keeps your digestive system clean and also keeps you feeling full longer.Listen in as Dr. Felicia D. Stoler discusses great ways to get that winter weight off quickly and safely.

Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are good for your health, especially your digestive system.They can be obtained naturally through certain foods like yogurt or sauerkraut, or you can take supplements to aid your digestion.A good digestive system is also important for your immune system.Probiotics can also lower the amount of "bad" bacteria in your system that can cause infections or other problems.They help balance your "good" and "bad" bacteria to keep your body working like it should.Listen in as Felicia D. Stoler discusses probiotics and all their health benefits.

With workout rules seemingly changing all the time at the gym, you'd certainly hope your trainer is also up to date.From squats to behind the neck pulls, it seems the rules change a lot.Educating yourself can help you to decide if your instructors are keeping up with their education.In this "He Said, She Said" segment, Neal Pire and Grace Desimone discuss the rules and what's right and wrong with the exercises you're being taught at the gym.

Not having cameras in the locker room at your fitness facility can result in people stealing just about anything.From toilet paper to shower curtains, it would seem nothing is safe.Some trainers even steal business from other trainers.In this "He Said, She Said" segment, Neal Pire and Grace Desimone discuss what really happens behind the scenes at your local gym.

Muscular strength and endurance is a component of fitness that is necessary for optimal well-being and quality of life.Strength training actually revs up your metabolism, causing you to burn more calories hours after your session.Lifting weights can also help you throughout the aging process. As you age, your muscles become weaker and your risk of developing health issues increases.  But, by keeping up with strength training, you can combat that downward spiral.Listen in as Edward M. Phillips, MD, discusses the many benefits of strength training, both for toning your body and keeping your weight in check. 

Due to technology’s sedentary seduction, people can now spend the majority of their waking day in a chair watching TV, working at a desk, playing video games, ordering take-out and delivery, reading, shopping, banking, eating a meal at a table, or navigating the stock market.Current research findings reveal that too much sitting during the day is detrimental to a person’s health. If you want to combat this, you have to do more than think, "I'll get moving more." You'll need to proactively create an action plan... one that incorporates different movements which fit seamlessly with your activities in work and daily living.In short, it's time to engineer some exercise into your daily schedule.Edward M. Phillips, MD, discusses the best ways to incorporate some exercise into your daily life and help fight off that sedentary lifestyle.

A new study showed that the more frequently dieters weighed themselves, the more weight they lost. The study also showed that if participants went more than a week without weighing themselves, they gained weight.The lesson here? Weigh yourself at least once a week if you wish to lose weight, and contrary to what some experts say, weighing yourself every day may help you stay on track.Listen in to John P. Higgins, MD, as he discusses the importance of weighing yourself as part of your weight loss approach.

Postmenopausal women are at risk of developing hypertension, arterial stiffness, and cardiovascular disease. Treatment typically involves using anti-hypertensive drugs, but many women are starting to opt for more natural alternatives. Several studies have shown that blueberries may have powerful anti-hypertensive properties that could help improve cardiovascular health. But, just how many blueberries do you need to eat in order to gain these benefits?Blueberries May Reduce HypertensionJohn P. Higgins, MD, who is a sports cardiologist for the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, cites one study in particular that involved 50 postmenopausal women. Half of the women took blueberries, and after the eight-week trial, researchers found a five to ten percent reduction in hypertension in the women who ate the blueberries. The study used around 22 grams of freeze dried, powdered blueberries. That’s the equivalent to a little less than one cup, or around 50 blueberries. Other studies have used anywhere

Walking is one of the simplest and least expensive options to increase your physical activity level and improve your overall health.If walking seems too simple to be an effective fitness method, think again. Taking a stroll is an easy way to lower blood pressure and increase aerobic fitness in people who are overweight or obese.Walking is a convenient way for the average person, regardless of fitness level, to obtain ACSM’s recommended 30 minutes of exercise per day, at least five days per week. These 30 minutes can be broken up into short bouts of 10 minutes of exercise, making walking a simple choice for a busy schedule.Michele Stanten joins host Melanie Cole, MS, to discuss how walking daily can help your overall health in many ways.

New studies suggest sedentary behaviors increase your risk of chronic disease.There is new evidence that prolonged, unbroken sitting time is related to people's risk of obesity and type-2 diabetes.One way to combat this is to get more walking in throughout your day.Walking doesn't have to mean an hour-long jaunt. It can be as simple as just walking around the office for 5-10 minutes just to get your blood flowing.Michele Stanten, a walking coach and ACE-certified fitness instructor, shares great advice on the best ways to keep moving to avoid that sedentary style.

Have you heard of the relatively new trend called "The Barre Method"? Is it dance? Is it a workout? It may be both.Barre classes have gained popularity as of late, and some people say they are the best way to work out and not break a huge sweat.The Barre Method is a low-aerobic workout that targets your stomach, thighs, arms and backside. It has a base in ballet and dance and may just be the workout you are looking for.Michele Olson, PhD, Professor of Exercise Physiology in the Department of Physical Education and Exercise Science at Auburn University Montgomery, joins Melanie Cole, MS, to go through the Barre basics and help you decide if it might be your perfect way to work out.

Every day it seems, a new diet, medication, exercise or super food comes out that allegedly melts away belly fat. If these products worked, wouldn’t everyone be using them by now? The Surefire Belly Fat BlasterDr. Michele Olson, known internationally as THE exercise doctor, says, “it would be nice to have a pill, specific exercise or food that’s aimed at fat cells in the belly or abdominal region, but we don’t. It’s mythology.” There are no magic cures out there that really target belly fat and burn it off effectively, but the good news is there is something you can do to reduce body fat, not just on your belly, but all over. At the end of the day, there is only one real solution to belly fat: exercise.When it comes to exercise, there are many variables to take into consideration. Crunches and machines for the abdominals don’t work as well as you think when it comes to incinerating stomach fat. According to Dr. Olson, doing crunches for 10 minutes burns between 20 and 25 calories, which is less than that cont

When it comes to etiquette at the gym, which personality fits you? Are you The Slob, The Hoarder, The Cardio Junkie, The Talker/Time Burglar? I am sure you can come up with a few of your own, if not to describe your own self, at the very least describe fellow gym-goers.What about etiquette at other parts of the gym, such as the training room, the classroom, or the locker room?For example, do men walk around in the buff? Men, yes. Women, usually not.How about this one: have you ever asked a staff member for advice when he/she was naked? Well, don't.Grace DeSimone and Neal Pire are both fitness club experts, and in this segment they feature a "he said, she said" segment that is highly entertaining and will give you some advice on gym do's and don'ts. They offer some of the best tips you will ever hear about gym etiquette... hopefully you will heed their advice so you and those around you can all enjoy the gym experience. Do you see yourself in any of these lists?Training Room:Return equipment to proper location

When exercising, it can be tough deciding whether you want group classes or one-on-one with a personal trainer. Of course, you can certainly have both. But which is your priority?Both options have benefits and downsides.A personal trainer is completely focused on you and your needs; but if you don't want all the focus on YOU, being part of a group can be ideal.Group support has been shown to be an integral part of getting you going and keeping you coming back.In a different scope, a personal trainer uniquely targets the needs of the individual.Neal Pire and Grace Desimone are here with a "he said, she said" segment to give you the lowdown on the differences between taking classes and hiring a personal trainer.

Despite the popularity of such grain-eschewing diets as the Paleo and the gluten-free craze, a new study has found that people who eat a whole grain-rich diet live longer.Eating more whole grains may decrease people’s risk of death by up to 15%, particularly from heart disease.Much of that benefit probably comes from the bran, which is the fibrous coating that processing removes from whole wheat and brown rice. Bran intake alone was linked with up to 6% lower overall death risk and up to 20% lower cardiovascular disease-related risk.Listen in as John P. Higgins, MD, discusses diets rich in whole grains and how eating them can help you live longer.

While some injuries -- such as an ankle sprain or fracture -- are difficult to prevent, many other injuries are avoidable. By following a few simple guidelines, injuries such as muscle strains, tendonitis and overuse injuries can be reduced.For instance, every workout must begin with a warm-up and end with a cool-down. A warm-up is necessary to prepare the body for exercise by increasing heart rate and blood flow to working muscles.The warm-up should start slow and easy and consist of a general cardiovascular exercise such as walking, jogging or biking.Listen in as John P. Higgins, MD, discusses ways to reduce those pesky workout injuries.