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Class Act: Zumba

FitSugar — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 03:30:00 -0700

Dancing With the Stars is back on TV this week and watching it always makes me want to get up and move; especially after seeing how the stars' bodies are transformed from all that dancing. If you're inspired by DWTS, then you may want to check out Zumba.

Zumba has been a buzzword of the aerobics world for a little while now, but I've recently started hearing more and more women talking it up. Basically, Zumba is a group fitness class that is part dance, part aerobics. The routines feature aerobic/fitness interval training with a combination of fast and slow rhythms that tone and sculpt the body; all set to upbeat Latin music. No previous dance skills are required and you can ditch the high heels for a pair of good cross training shoes - you want to make sure your feet and ankles are supported. Zumba is a great way to trick yourself into working out, since many people say that they are having so much fun they forget it's even exercise. Now that's my kind of workout. Locate a Zumba class near you and try it out.

Have you already discovered Zumba? Let us know what you think below.

Latest Exercise Trend: Ramping

FitSugar — Tue, 01 May 2007 11:45:00 -0700

I am always looking for a way to do something new, fitness wise. At one point, step aerobics was the latest thing, but that time has since come and gone. You'll still find step classes in almost every gym, but they are not nearly as popular as they once were.

Enter Ramping. I know it sounds a little odd but ramping is very similar to step aerobics (in fact it was created by the very same person that created step aerobics) but it is requires a lot less impact on your joints because instead of stepping up onto a flat step or bench, you lunge on and off an adjustable-incline ramp (half-moon looking contraption pictured above) specifically designed for ramping. Ramping is great for really working your butt and hamstrings. Great for getting those legs short shorts ready this summer. Check out the ramping site online for more information as well as to find a class near you.

Have You Ever Walked Out of a Group Fitness Class?

FitSugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:47:38 -0800

Even if kickboxing or step aerobics aren't your ideal fitness experience, working out in a group can buoy your spirits and help motivate you to push yourself. That being said, occasionally there's a sub standing in for your favorite teacher and you just can't hack it. Or you try a new class, realize you're in over your head, and fear injury if you finish. I have quietly moved to the back of a workout studio and slipped out the door to finish a workout on a treadmill when a class just wasn't moving enough for me. What about you?

Shakira Gets Wild

FitSugar — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 03:00:04 -0700

Looking a little Flo-Joesque in a one-legged unitard, Shakira showed off her rockin' bod and moves in the Halloween-appropriate video for "She Wolf," her latest single.

Shakira recently told reporters that she got in shape for the video by doing lots of abdominal exercises and dancing for hours each day - the pop star is a huge fan of dance aerobics. Not without her vices, Shakira can't give up her love for chocolate and sugar.

People loved working out to Shakira's songs in the past, so check out her latest when you read more.

Tell me, do you think her new single will also be a hit at the gym?

Game Review: Your Shape For Wii

FitSugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 05:50:08 -0800

There's a new fitness game in town and it's ready to work you out and make you sweat. Your Shape ($69), a new Wii game by Ubisoft, makes Jenny McCarthy your workout coach and training buddy so you don't have to sweat it out alone.

The game comes with a camera that you perch on your TV; it captures your image and plays it on your TV so you move with a reflection of yourself, like looking in a mirror. The camera also monitors your movements, and if you slack off, Jenny will let you know - she also gives you praise when you make a correction. Who couldn't use an ego boost mid-workout?

To learn more about the game, continue reading.

Fitness Switchup: Dance Arerobics Instead of Yoga

FitSugar — Wed, 27 May 2009 13:00:00 -0700

I love me some yoga, but sometimes the Om just isn't enough. I need to move. I need loud music with a beat. If you're in a similar position and can't fathom sticking just to your sticky mat for another class, I suggest you switch it up and give a dace class a try, be it Broadway moves or Bollywood-inspired choreography.

Occasionally I need some hip-hop aerobics. I may not be a B-girl, but I find getting my heart rate up while getting into a good groove a great way to exercise. Yoga is great form of mind/body exercise, but only certain styles count as cardio. While yoga lengthens tight muscles and builds calm inner strength, I find dance aerobics, any kind, to be a great complement because they challenge the body to work in a new way: to move quickly but with control as well as relate to the music of the beat and your own breath. Most gyms that offer group classes have some kind of dance workout on their schedule.

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Why Exercise Won't Help You Lose Weight . . . Sort Of

FitSugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:00:36 -0800

There have been a lot of reports in the last year confirming that contrary to popular belief, not all exercise leads to significant weight loss. If you want to shed pounds, it mostly comes down to diet. It’s no surprise that changing your diet can help you lose weight, but for decades, many people believed that exercise was the best pathway to a slimmer, fitter you.

Today the New York Times added to the news that exercise doesn’t significantly aid in weight loss by reporting the results of an exercise and obesity study. The study followed a group of 58 obese individual who underwent three months of supervised aerobic activity but didn’t change their diets at all. And while the group lost an average of seven pounds, many participants barely lost three.

I admit that when all of these studies started coming up I was a little shocked, but it turns out that high intensity workouts mainly burn carbs, not just fat.

To hear what type of exercise may maximize fat loss, read more.

The article explains: "'The message of our work is really simple,' although not agreeable to hear, said Edward Melanson, PhD, the lead author of the study. 'It all comes down to energy balance,' or, as you might have guessed, calories in and calories out. People 'are only burning 200 or 300 calories' in a typical 30-minute exercise session, Melanson points out. 'You replace that with one bottle of Gatorade.'"

Fat loss can be maximized, but it’s a matter of how you approach your workout. To do this, work out at a lower intensity in your fat-burning zone, which is 60 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate. For most people this zone falls between 105-134 beats per minute. Melanson’s study also found that once weight is lost from reduced calorie intake, exercise might prevent it from coming back by resetting metabolic pathways that stop the body from wanting to store fat.

The research is interesting, but should not dissuade any of us from our fitness goals. The benefits of exercise reach far beyond weight loss - it helps the brain function better, reduces stress, creates a toned body, and is important for healthy heart function.

How Many Minutes a Week Do You Exercise?

FitSugar — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 09:00:00 -0800

In 2001, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommended that overweight and obese people complete a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise a week to help improve their health and lose weight. That's about 30 minutes a day, five days a week. Now new research is saying that's not enough. Experts are now recommending at least 250 minutes a week, to help drop pounds and keep them off. That works out to 50 minutes a day, five days a week.

Whether you're trying to lose weight or just maintain your current weight, tell me . . .

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What Is Your Favorite Form of Cardio?

FitSugar — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 07:30:00 -0700

Doing cardio is a must to keep your heart and lungs healthy. It's also necessary if you are trying to lose a few pounds. There are so many different ways to get your energy up and your heart pumping, so I want to know...

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Fitness Myth Busted: Cardio and Extended Calorie Burn

FitSugar — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 02:30:00 -0700

Do you work under the assumption that your aerobic workout boosts your metabolism for hours after you stop working out?
This statement is actually true -- but the calorie burn is probably not nearly as much as you think!

According to coach Eric Harr, author of The Portable Personal Trainer, your metabolism will continue to burn at a slightly higher rate after you finish an aerobic workout. Unfortunately, the amount is not statistically significant. In fact, it allows you to burn only about 20 extra calories for the day. Harr says there is a little bit more of a metabolic boost after strength training, but still he says it is marginal.

Moral of the story: Just because you are working out doesn't mean you can consume all the calories you want.

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