I just came back from a Fitness Conference in Philadelphia. Every year I participate as a staff member at an annual
fitness convention. Hundreds of fitness and yoga instructors from the Eastcoast meet to learn about the newest hottest fitness trends and moves.
I have been an instructor for almost 25 years now (yes that's true I started to teach Jane Fonda style at the age of 15)!
I consider myself as a veteran in the fitness world. I have seen it all, classes with steps, balls, slides, tubes, minibars, kettleballs, boxing gloves, hand weights, ankle weights, spinning bikes, jumping ropes, gliders.
You probably don't know half of the equipment but regardless of that, there is more to come from the Fitness Experts like "Bad Kitty Sassy Fitness, Flirty Girl Fitness, Piloxing (Pilates and Boxing), Real Rider (spinning bike that can move from side to side), muscle bars (bar with attached tubing), Exercise Ball with sand .... and each one promises to get you in the best shape of your life!!!
Nothing really has changed in that perspective except that nowadays if somebody promotes a new product, it has to be advertised with a nutritional diet plan! That makes me questioning the need for the new products, do we really need more stuff or should we just try to educate ourselves about nutrition?
Since I work as a stuff at this event I had plenty of time to observe the body's and shapes from all the instructors and what struck me most was the realization that the instructors are not getting any fitter, actually more the opposite compared to 10 years ago. Yes, they are more physical fit, some girls could exercise for 6 hours straight through without showing any signs of fatigue, but they do not look any more in shape as a person who goes to the gym maybe once or twice a week.
I know what you are thinking now, oh well I might as well stop my membership at the club if the instructors can't even get in shape. But wait before you do so, I want to talk about something like too much exercise. Lots of instructors make there living by teaching classes, they need to teach at least 15 classes (somebody told me at the convention that she teaches 30 classes a week) Once you are exercising too much, you have to be very accurate with your nutritional intake. The body gets very acidic during excessive exercising, to balance a too high acidic environment, you need to nourish the body with the right amount of minerals and vitamins or you end up with a higher body fat percentage.
Postexercise nutrition is as important as the workout itself. If the body does not get adequate amount of food within the first hour after an intense workout like Bootcamp the body will cannibalise its own muscle tissue to convert glycogen into glucose. The only fuel for the brain is glucose! The end result will be a slower metabolism. You probably wondering now, why the body would not use its own fat storages, but here is the thing, the body can only burn fat with the help of glucose. If one of the instructors would immediately drink a Smoothie made with almond milk, some blueberries, a little bit flaxseed for some Omega 3s, and Hemp seed Protein Powder (or any other protein powder except soy and wheat) this process of cannibalism (eating up your own muscle mass) would not happen.
Moderation is the big thing. You do not need to run a marathon, or teach 3 classes back to back to stay healthy and slim.
Instead of running everyday, run 3-4 times a week and use your spare time to educate yourself about nutrition.
If you want to know more about a holistic lifestyle, follow my blog or email me. I am always happy to give you my scoop about it.
Have fun exercising but don't overdue it. Use your food as your primary guidance to stay slim and trim.
Birgit your Herbalist
fitness convention. Hundreds of fitness and yoga instructors from the Eastcoast meet to learn about the newest hottest fitness trends and moves.
I have been an instructor for almost 25 years now (yes that's true I started to teach Jane Fonda style at the age of 15)!
I consider myself as a veteran in the fitness world. I have seen it all, classes with steps, balls, slides, tubes, minibars, kettleballs, boxing gloves, hand weights, ankle weights, spinning bikes, jumping ropes, gliders.
You probably don't know half of the equipment but regardless of that, there is more to come from the Fitness Experts like "Bad Kitty Sassy Fitness, Flirty Girl Fitness, Piloxing (Pilates and Boxing), Real Rider (spinning bike that can move from side to side), muscle bars (bar with attached tubing), Exercise Ball with sand .... and each one promises to get you in the best shape of your life!!!
Nothing really has changed in that perspective except that nowadays if somebody promotes a new product, it has to be advertised with a nutritional diet plan! That makes me questioning the need for the new products, do we really need more stuff or should we just try to educate ourselves about nutrition?
Since I work as a stuff at this event I had plenty of time to observe the body's and shapes from all the instructors and what struck me most was the realization that the instructors are not getting any fitter, actually more the opposite compared to 10 years ago. Yes, they are more physical fit, some girls could exercise for 6 hours straight through without showing any signs of fatigue, but they do not look any more in shape as a person who goes to the gym maybe once or twice a week.
I know what you are thinking now, oh well I might as well stop my membership at the club if the instructors can't even get in shape. But wait before you do so, I want to talk about something like too much exercise. Lots of instructors make there living by teaching classes, they need to teach at least 15 classes (somebody told me at the convention that she teaches 30 classes a week) Once you are exercising too much, you have to be very accurate with your nutritional intake. The body gets very acidic during excessive exercising, to balance a too high acidic environment, you need to nourish the body with the right amount of minerals and vitamins or you end up with a higher body fat percentage.
Postexercise nutrition is as important as the workout itself. If the body does not get adequate amount of food within the first hour after an intense workout like Bootcamp the body will cannibalise its own muscle tissue to convert glycogen into glucose. The only fuel for the brain is glucose! The end result will be a slower metabolism. You probably wondering now, why the body would not use its own fat storages, but here is the thing, the body can only burn fat with the help of glucose. If one of the instructors would immediately drink a Smoothie made with almond milk, some blueberries, a little bit flaxseed for some Omega 3s, and Hemp seed Protein Powder (or any other protein powder except soy and wheat) this process of cannibalism (eating up your own muscle mass) would not happen.
Moderation is the big thing. You do not need to run a marathon, or teach 3 classes back to back to stay healthy and slim.
Instead of running everyday, run 3-4 times a week and use your spare time to educate yourself about nutrition.
If you want to know more about a holistic lifestyle, follow my blog or email me. I am always happy to give you my scoop about it.
Have fun exercising but don't overdue it. Use your food as your primary guidance to stay slim and trim.
Birgit your Herbalist
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