Dedham Health

Keeping Exercise Fresh!

At Dedham Health, we pride ourselves on having something for everyone. And there is no department for which that is more true than  for Group Exercise – or GroupEx as we call it.  

We have yoga. We have water aerobics. We have tai-chi and boxing and spin. But that just wasn’t enough.  So, we are happy to bring back the Les Mills programs: BodyPump and BodyFlow. 

Why are we bringing these programs back? Three simple reasons:

• Better programming!
• Quality music!
• More excitement!

We are so excited that we are doing a Launch Party Weekend to re-introduce our members to these fabulous classes.  Here is the schedule:

• Saturday, 10/1: BodyFlow, 9AM
• Saturday, 10/1: BodyPump, 10:15AM
• Monday, `10/3:BodyPump: 7 PM

And we don’t only want to share this great event with our members. Feel free to bring a guest! We’ve cut our guest fee in half… we figure, the more the merrier.

Space is limited, so come early. We hope to see you there!

 

 

 

 

Body Fat Reduction? In Your Dreams!

Really! One of the most important aspects of controlling body fat is getting a good night’s sleep. The fact is, sleep impacts hormonal activity. Some of this activity is connected to appetite, and therefore, can directly influence your diet and/or ability to lose weight and body fat.

Studies have shown that people who slept less than an average of seven to eight hours per night tended to eat more and, on average, weigh more than people who slept for longer durations. People who were sleep deprived showed lower levels of a hormone called “leptin”. Leptin is a hormone secreted by fat cells that triggers a feeling of satiety or fullness. Sleep deprived people also had higher levels of “gherlin”. Gherlin is secreted by cells in the stomach and pancreas and triggers a feeling of hunger or increased appetite. Without enough sleep, leptin levels drop, gherlin levels rise, and all of a sudden, you find yourself in the drive-thru at McDonald’s for a  post-lunch, pre-dinner McRibwich . . . you know, just to hold you over.

Joking aside, you’re working hard in the gym, and you’rer trying hard to stick to your diet. So, why do yourself a disservice? A good night’s sleep helps the brain and body recover and rejuvenate after a long day, and as it turns out, it can help you beat body fat. So, instead of indulging in Sweet Tarts, indulge in sweet dreams instead.

Commit to shedding those extra pounds

Are you finally ready to shed off those extra pounds? Let your weight loss journey begin! Ask yourself some commitment strategy questions to help you get started. Is your pantry and refrigerator stocked with healthy food choices? Are fruits and vegetables readily available? To find out more commitment strategies on weight loss join the Weight Loss Solution at Dedham Health & Athletic Complex.

Rebecca
Weight Loss Consultant
Dedham Health & Athletic Complex

Defensive Dining Tips

Eating out does not mean that you have to “blow everything”. In fact it is pretty easy to maintain your weight (or even lose weight) by following these dining out tips. Being informed about what the restaurant offers for food, selecting low fat proteins, and splitting your entree with a friend or asking for a to go box are just a few of the many tips that the Weight Loss Solution will cover in class. To find out more helpful tips come to the Weight Loss Solution at the Dedham Health & Athletic Complex.

Rebecca
Weight Loss Consultant
Dedham Health & Athletic Complex

Staying Fit While Staying Busy

Well, the summer is over. Vacations are over. Work is hectic. The kids need shuttling to and from school – and soccer practice. Dinner needs to be made. Laundry needs to be done. Bills have to get paid. Post-Labor Day schedules are crammed. Where can you find time to squeeze a workout into the mix? Group-Fitness-For-All!

At DHAC, our Group-Fitness-For-All schedule offers over ninety structured group fitness classes that can surely fit into any person’s schedule – no matter how busy. Classes range from thirty-minutes to one hour long, and no appointments or sign-ups are necessary. You find the class that best fits your busy schedule and simply show up for a supervised, super-motivated workout with a DHAC Group Fitness Instructor.

The classes offer endless variety. Looking for a fun and intense calorie burn? Try a Spin class or STRIDE (that’s Strength, Toning, Real Intense Dance Exercise) Maybe you need a little extra motivation to maximize your strength training sessions – give yourself a kick in the Butts n’ Guts, Body Pump, or Abs & Arms classes that DHAC offers. Sometimes our crazy schedules can be stressful. Unwind with meditative classes like Hatha Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga, Gentle Yoga, Eastern Flow – these classes promote mental and spiritual wellness as well as flexibility, balance, and functional movement. Been on your feet all day and just looking for a way to decompress? DHAC offers several water classes that add buoyancy and light resistance to your workout. Water classes are easy on your joints while stimulating to your muscles and cardiovascular system.

Group Fitness classes are great for all levels. So, if you are constantly on the go and need a quick and effective workout, get into a Group Fitness class! Check out DHAC’s complete Group-Fitness-For-All schedule on the website. Group Fitness classes will keep you fit while life is keeping you busy.

Fitness Myth #3: I burn more fat when I do a lighter intensity cardio.

Fitness Myth #3

I burn more fat when I do a lighter intensity cardio.

While this notion is not entirely inaccurate, it is simply not a notion I prescribe to the general population.  (I would add something here about where the myth comes from… this post needs a bit more to it. )

First of all, you’ll always burn more total calories and total fat when you exercise at a higher intensity versus a lower intensity over the same duration. Yes, you’ll use a higher percentage of fat as energy while exercising at a lower intensity, but it’ll probably take you 2-3x longer to burn the same number of total calories.

Why cheat your heart and cardiovascular system of the benefits of good, challenging cardio by slowing down in the hopes of burning a higher percentage of fat?

 When it comes to cardio, for my money, more is always MORE. Shoot for 20-60 minutes 3-5 days weekly. See a DHAC exercise physiologist to find the cardiovascular intensity that’s best for you.

Jason
Exercise Physiologist
Dedham Health & Ahthletic Complex

Fitness Myth # 2: I need to get rid of my gut. I need more ab exercises.

As an exercise physiologist, I work day after day with people who are ready to change their lives, lose weight, and get in shape. Thanks to all of the fitness-related TV programs, infomercials (shake weights anyone?),  magazines, websites, forums, Pod casts, apps, and Tweets out there, many well intentioned people show up with misguided, misinformed, and downright wrong  beliefs about exercise. Over my next few entries, I  hope  to set the record straight on a some of the most common misconceptions about fitness.

Fitness Myth #2

I’m going to give you guys some invaluable information – the greatest abdominal program ever created. Yes, it even surpasses Hip Hop abs… EAT RIGHT…and EXERCISE.

The fact is, the guys and girls you see on magazine covers with tight, ripped abs, are guys and girls with lean body compositions. That is, they have a low percentage of body fat. How do you lower your body fat percentage? Eat right and exercise. It’s no huge secret.

It doesn’t matter how many ab crunches you do – you can do one thousand every day – if you’re still chasing your sausage pizza with 24 oz of soda every night, then your gut just won’t go anywhere. A bad diet is like abdominal kryptonite that no amount of ab work can defeat.

So remember, crunches – by themselves - do not equal svelt, flat abs. This fitness myth is busted! And, if you’re having trouble mastering your diet, then check out the Weight Loss Solution tab on our website to help get on track. 

Jason
Exercise Physiologist
Dedham Health & Ahthletic Complex

What a great way to end the summer!