Acacia Fitness

The Physical Activity Guide (published by the Public Health Agency of Canada) recommends exercise 4-7 times per week for health improvement.

It all depends on what your goals are. If you want to see faster results you will need to increase the number of days and potentially the intensity or duration of your workouts.

If you want to maintain your current fitness level, 3 times per week is great marker to strive for, provided you workout at the same intensity level.

A few of the factors that come into play when creating a fitness program are:

1. Amount of available time for exercise
2. Desired amount of time for exercise
3. Personal goals with time frame
4. Current fitness level

At Acacia Fitness we take all of these factors into consideration and do the best we can to accommodate your lifestyle. After all, we are in the business of creating healthy habits. If we can come up with a plan that fits into your lifestyle, you will be more likely to keep it up.

If you have any questions about this topic or any other fitness related topic, do not hesitate to contact us. We are here to help!

I like to think that I am a reasonable person…but  I have little tolerance for the "I have no time to exercise" excuse.

There is always time for exercise.

Now I am not saying that everyone should go the gym for an hour everyday with no questions asked. This would be wonderful, but for many, not reasonable. Exercise can take on many forms. It does not mean having to go to the gym to get fit. If you have read the article “What is Healthy Weight Loss” you will already know that to lose weight there is a simple formula: energy out must exceed energy in. So, to lose weight you need to either consume less calories and do the same amount of activity you are currently doing, or you need to consume the same amount of calories but move more in your day, or you can do both at the same time (consume less calories and move more) for faster results.

For the purpose of this article we will just focus on the approach of moving more and eating the same amount of calories. To increase your activity level for the day you can do many things. Here are a few suggestions:

1. Park farther away (just by walking an extra block (about 5 minutes in duration) to and from work each week you will burn about 500 calories/week…that is 26000 calories a year (that is almost 8 lbs) for doing very little extra!
2. Do short burst of exercise throughout the day…jumping jacks during a commercial break, push ups while you wait for your toast to pop up, squats while you brush your teeth…all of these activities burn calories and lead to healthy weight loss!
3. Shovel your sidewalks. And if you have time, the neighbors too!
4. Take the stairs. Unless you are in a suit and above the 10th floor, always take the stairs. That is a huge time saver and a big calorie burner!

Yes, there are great benefits to having a regular workout time. But for those that do not have this time to allocate, we can create a program that fits right into your everyday schedule. And yes, you can still lose weight in a healthy fashion!

If you have any questions about this topic or any other fitness related topic, please do not hesitate to call us at Acacia Fitness. We are here to help!

When we talk about cardio equipment we are referring to treadmills, stationary bikes, elliptical trainers, and stair masters.

The good news is that all the cardio equipment at the gym will help you improve your cardiovascular fitness and also help you burn calories for healthy weight loss.

Each of gym equipment piece has its pros and cons. Here is a breakdown:

Weight Bearing:   means you are in a standing position – weight bearing activities are best for preventing osteoporosis and also help with balance and strength in the lower body and help with core stability. Typically, weight bearing activities increase caloric output as well.

Upper & Lower:  simply refers to the use of the upper body and lower body. Some elliptical trainers have moving arms that help increase the intensity of the activity. Provided you do not hold onto the arms of the treadmill, you can incorporate the upper body into this activity as well. By using both the upper and lower body you will increase the caloric output of your activity.

Variety:   every machine will allow you to change the resistance/level and may even have different programs such as a “random” or “hill” programs. However, the treadmill and elliptical take the variety factor to a higher level simply because you can change the incline on these pieces of equipment (in most cases). This feature not only allows for less boredom, but also can take your workout to a whole new level of intensity if you desire.

Life Applicable:  refers to how much the machine applies to every day life. All the machines can help with stamina, however, only the motion of the elliptical is foreign to everyday life. This motion is not a natural one so it would not be as useful for sport performance or helping you with improving an every day task such as walking up a flight of stairs.

There is no right or wrong machine for anyone. However, there are unique differences to these types of equipment that can certainly make your workout more efficient or enjoyable depending on the fitness level you are currently at.

For more information on this topic or any other fitness related topic please feel free to contact Acacia Fitness at any time. We are happy to help!

More and more people are working out with personal trainers to achieve the fitness and health levels they desire. It used to be a service that was associated with celebrities and athletes alike. Today that has all changed. Teenagers, busy working men and women, busy stay at home mom and dads, seniors, and even children are working out with trainers to meet their individual goals. So what is all the hype about?

Simply put, personal training is the best option for not only keeping you accountable to your commitment, but it is also custom to your needs so that when you put in the effort you know that you are doing the exercises correctly (proper form to decrease the risk of injury) and that you are working at a level that will provide you with the benefits you desire. By working too hard or not hard enough you are at risk of overtraining or undertraining. A personal trainer will assess your starting level of fitness, develop a program that will help you meet your goal, and then monitor and change the program as you progress so that you do not plateau or overtrain.

If you have any further questions about personal training please feel free to contact Acacia Fitness at any time. We are here to help!

I am asked this question a great deal. In a perfect world it would be best to exercise first thing in the morning before you eat breakfast. Your carbohydrate energy is lower at this time of day because you have not eaten anything in about eight to ten hours (ideally). When performing exercise you first burn off your carbohydrate stores, once those have been burned you then begin to target your fat stores. So, the less carbohydrate stores you have to burn initially, the sooner you can begin to burn the fat. Therefore, a thirty minute workout in the morning without any food in your belly will likely burn more fat than the same exercise for the same duration in the late afternoon.

In addition, after a great workout in the morning, you can refuel with a balanced carbohydrate and protein meal. Due to your exercise efforts in the morning your body will have a residual calorie burning effect…so you will be burning off some of your breakfast as you eat it!

Now, having said all that, this approach is not for everyone. As an alternative, select a time of day that you feel the most motivated, or the most energetic, this is when you should exercise…that way you are more likely to develop a routine and stick with it. And consistency above all else is the best way to lose and then maintain a healthy weight loss.

Remember that not every approach works for everyone. You need to discover what works for you and then go for it! At Acacia Fitness we are here to help. If you have any questions about this article or any other fitness related topics please feel free to call us any time.