Is a virus making me fat?

Can you really get fat from a virus? It sounds like an excuse to me, but a study conducted by Dr. Nikhil Dhurandhar and his team at Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, La., believe it is a possibility. Studies conducted on mice and chickens have shown that this virus, known as AD-36, could be a cause of weight gain by causing fat tissue to replicate, thus increasing the number of fat cells in the body. In another study, a third of obese people had the rare and contagious cold-like virus. So should we avoid tubby people to avoid catching the “fat” virus?

Well, I wouldn’t jump to conclusions so fast. First, note that 11 percent of lean people also carried the virus. So why aren’t they getting fat? With only a few studies, we can’t jump right in and say the virus causes obesity, but rather this virus just happens to be found in a higher correlation of the tubbier population. What about their weight prior to catching the virus? Were they already obese anyway? Furthermore, it could be that leaner people are generally healthier, as they stay lean through better eating habits and exercise, and thus have stronger immune systems and their bodies are fighting off this virus. So look at the other possibilities before accepting this premise. These studies only look at one piece of the puzzle.

I don’t mean to be harsh here. Maybe this virus is some sort of contributing factor, or there are those who have some other health issue with weight gain as a side effect; however, this is no excuse to just trash your diet and sit on your butt all day sulking because you are doomed to be fat. Even if you had the AD-36 virus, you wouldn’t even know, short of getting some expensive tests done. So don’t use it as an excuse. Continue taking steps to eat healthier, exercise more, and work toward your health and fitness goals. Any virus or health issue may create a bump in the road, and success may be a longer, more difficult road, but you can still continue on a path toward a healthier lifestyle. Blaming a virus will get you nowhere!

Written for the Knoxville News Sentinel Get Fit Blog

Get Foxy Knoxville! Schedule

Get Foxy Knoxville Schedule

For the Walking Program we will meet each Saturday starting at 8:45 am and end at 10:15 am. Events will start at Earthfare in Turkey Creek (unless otherwise noted) and we will walk along the greenway starting at 9:30 am.

**More events to come soon!**

May 9: Kickoff at Earthfare

May 16: Valerie Taylor – Health Coach Connection – Wellness Wheel

May 16: Bodyfat  & Measurement Testing 12:00 pm – 2:00pm at the Health Shoppe

May 23: NO SESSION MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND – Join us at the Expo 5k/10k Race (Walker Friendly!)

May 30: Becky Fox – Fox Fitness – Strength Training/Stretching

June 6: Yvonne – A Focused Purpose – Finding Time for Soul Restoration

June 13: Proper Footwear & Attire

June 20: Eddie Reymond – The Health Shoppe – Nutrition – Location TBD

June 27: Preparing for the 5K

July 3: RACE/WALK 5K – Pilot Fireball 5K & Kids Dash

JULY 4^TH: NO SESSION HOLIDAY

July 11: Final Walk – Picnic BBQ Party/Grand Prize Winner  – Location TBD

Get Foxy Knoxville!

Get Foxy Knoxville!

Walking and Wellness Program

“Start Walking Toward Your Goals!”

What: A 10 week program to encourage and educate

YOU and your FAMILY to lead a healthier lifestyle through weekly walks,

health presentations, 5k run/walk races, and other health activities.

Get Foxy Knoxville kickoff : Saturday, May 9^th 8:45 am

Where: Earthfare in Turkey Creek (10903 Parkside Dr, Knoxville)

Children Welcome         ~     FREE Weekly Giveaways!

Enter the CHALLENGE and win over $1000 worth of cool PRIZES!

If you can’t make it May 9th no problem…call us with the details on how to get started.

JOIN ANYTIME during the 10 weeks!

For more info call Becky at 865-243-5361 or visit foxfitess.com

A donation of $10/session or $80 for the program is recommended to benefit the “CAREacter STAR Athlete Program” a 501(c)3 non-profit organization . This program, which is based on attitude, character, grades, community service, and performance, encourages student athletes to “Do Right”! More info can be found awww.care365.org or by calling 966-CARE.

Fitness on a Budget

Getting fit doesn’t always have to be expensive. Yes, it can be nice to have a state of the art gym membership, or top of the line fitness equipment, but unfortunately it doesn’t always fit into everyone’s budget, especially when times get tough. Below are some ideas to get you started working out in your home or outdoors, so that you can get in shape without breaking the bank.

One idea is to buy equipment that is inexpensive and has more than one purpose. Many popular items such as ab or thigh machines only work one part of the body, can fill up a lot of space, and can get costly. So when looking for equipment to use find items that create variety and can work the entire body:

Stability balls can be used for a variety of exercises from abs to legs to arms. They also make great benches for a variety of exercises such as a chest press and can even be used as a seat at your desk.

Resistance bands are inexpensive, small, and lightweight. These are one of my personal favorites because they are easy when you are on the go. Take them along when you travel or when you are taking a walk.

Dumbbells will never go out of style. They are great for working out at home. They are less costly than larger fitness machines and they don’t use as much space.

Such equipment can be easily found at your local department or fitness store or online at www.power-systems.com.

Other low cost ideas to get fit outside of the gym include:

Buying, renting, or borrowing workout videos. There is a large variety of workout videos on the market from strength training to cardio dance to kickboxing. This is a fun way to exercise right in your living room. Check out your local store, library, video rental spot, or www.collagevideo.com to find some great DVD’s.

FitTV or ExerciseTV. Most cable packages will have one or both of these available with your package. This is another great way to get a variety of workouts right in your home.

Take it outdoors. When the weather is nice use the outdoors to run, walk, bike, or partake in an outdoor sport with your family or friends. Use picnic tables or benches to do step-ups, push-ups, or tricep dips. Or you could even join a running or walking club.

So I don’t want to hear any excuses! Utilizing inexpensive methods can be just as effective as the more costly ones, so get out there and exercise.

Written for Knoxville News Sentinel Fit Knoxville Blog.

Stop Making Excuses!

It’s all too easy to make excuses not to exercises. As a trainer, I hear them all the time. One of the most common excuses is “I just don’t have the time.” Well first of all, I would like to present the question: Do those that exercise really have more time in their day than you? No, that is definitely not the case. Rather they have made fitness a priority and have made the effort to schedule exercise into their day. So get out that calendar, write down your next session, and stick to it like it’s an important business meeting.

One of the other top excuses I hear is “I can’t afford a gym membership” or “I can’t afford the expensive equipment”. Well I’m going to tell you that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to get in shape. Get outdoors and walk, bike ride, or take up a new sport. Another great idea is to buy a new workout DVD or tune into fitness shows on TV. In addition, there are a lot of bodyweight exercises that one can do at home or outside including lunges, squats, push-ups, crunches, or dips to work all parts of the body. No is equipment required! However, if you really want to invest in some equipment stick with inexpensive items such as resistance bands, medicine balls, stability balls, or dumbbells. All of these pieces of equipment are versatile and can be used to perform a well rounded workout and are very affordable.

So stop making those excuses. Start taking small steps to get fit today and don’t let anything stand in your way.

The Health Shoppe Body Transformation Challenge

Body Transformation Challenge

Beginning January 1 through January 10, 2009

Take this twelve-week fitness challenge to transform your body. * Simply bring in a full body photo of yourself holding a sign of the current date. This photo should reveal enough information about your current state of physical fitness. Next, fill out the form to enter the challenge (Can be obtained from the Health Shoppe or downloaded at www.foxfitnessonline.com).

After twelve weeks, take another full body photo of yourself holding a sign with the current date. Bring in your photo to the Health Shoppe between April 5^th and April 15^th, and our group of four unbiased judges will award the individuals with the most progress. Winners will be announced by April 20^th.

* No steroids or pro-hormones allowed. Participants must use current photos according to the dates posted above.

Contact Info: Eddie Reymond at the Health Shoppe 865-693-4909 or Becky Fox of Fox Fitness at 865-243-5361

Prizes include…

First Place Female:

- $250 Health Shoppe Gift Certificate

- Pair of shoes from New Balance Knoxville

- Personal Training session with Becky Fox of Fox Fitness

- One-hour massage with Bryan Carter, LMT of Carter Sport Therapy

- One-month membership with Mark Aycock Fitness Pros

- Four passes to Fox Fitness Boot Camp with Becky Fox

- One FREE entry and NPC card, PLUS 4 tickets to the Knox Classic Bodybuilding & Figure Competition

- One FREE full session ($75 value) to Tap-N-Burn and T-A-D-A! Studios

- One-hour Integrated Movement Screening/Biomechanical Analysis with Mick Larrabee of Optimal Performance

Second Place Female:

- $125 Health Shoppe Gift Certificate

- Pair of shoes from New Balance Knoxville

- Personal Training session with Becky Fox of Fox Fitness

- One-hour massage with Bryan Carter, LMT of Sport Therapy

- Two passes to Fox Fitness Boot Camp with Becky Fox

First Place Male:

- $250 Health Shoppe Gift Certificate

- Pair of shoes from New Balance Knoxville

- Personal training session with Kimberly Roberts

- One-hour massage with Bryan Carter, LMT of Carter Sport Therapy

- One-month membership with Mark Aycock Fitness Pros

- Four passes to Next Level Boot Camp with Devin Driscoll

- One FREE entry and NPC card, PLUS 4 tickets to the Knox Classic Bodybuilding & Figure Competition

- One FREE full session ($75 value) to Tap-N-Burn and T-A-D-A! Studios

- One-hour Integrated Movement Screening/Biomechanical Analysis with Mick Larrabee of Optimal Performance

Second Place Male:

- $125 Health Shoppe Gift Certificate

- Pair of shoes from New Balance Knoxville

- Personal training session with Kimberly Roberts

- One-hour massage with Bryan Carter, LMT of Sport Therapy

- Two passes to Next Level Boot Camp with Devin Driscoll

*Complimentary gift bag to all who complete the challenge process*

FitKnoxville Blog

I am now officially a fitness expert and writer for the Knoxville News Sentinel along with Christian Zavisca. Make sure to check it out here:

http://blogs.knoxnews.com/knx/fitness/

10 More to Go, but No Progress Part 3: Nutrition

Exercising is great. It helps you to get in shape, tone those muscles, and keeps your heart healthy. But that is only part of the formula. To really reach your goals you can’t just focus on your workouts to get off those last few pounds but also what you are putting in your mouth.

Take a look at what you’re eating. You may already know the areas that are causing you trouble. For many of us it’s getting too many sugary and fatty foods into our diets. Cookies, doughnuts, potato chips, sodas, and alcohol are all foods or drinks containing minimal nutrition with lots of excess calories. So make a list of those unhealthy foods, throw them out, and find a replacement. Instead of grabbing for those cookies, why not eat some fruit or cut up vegetables. Instead of drinking a soda why not try reaching for some water or some green tea. These small changes will make big differences in your waist line.

How many of you are skipping breakfast or eating only 1-2 meals per day? Well these are two of the biggest mistakes you can make. Anytime you go long periods without eating your body goes into starvation mode, basically, your body sends a signal to hold on to any and all fat since it doesn’t know when it will be fed again. Fat storage is the opposite of your goal here, so what can you do? It’s simple – eat more often! Eat when you wake up and then every 3-4 hours. Even a small snack is better than eating nothing at all; just be sure you are choosing healthy snacks and meals.

Furthermore, many of the clients I work with do not eat enough protein, nor do they realize the importance of doing so. Protein is more satisfying and should be included with every meal. It helps you to feel full and to stay fuller longer. It also helps to preserve that muscle mass you’ve been gaining so that you can keep that metabolism roaring. Just be careful and focus on eating low fat versions of protein including chicken breast, turkey, lean beef, venison, or buffalo, egg whites, low fat dairy products, or protein shakes.

Lastly, pay attention to your portion sizes. Eat until you are no longer hungry, not until you are so stuffed you must unbutton your pants. By overeating you are giving your body excess calories which in the long run will just turn into fat. Start by putting less on your plate or opting to only fill that plate up once (not two or three times). Another option when you are eating out at a restaurant is to have the waiter wrap up half of your meal so you aren’t tempted to eat the whole thing. So choose healthy foods and smaller portions and eat your foods slowly and enjoy them. You will get those last ten pounds off. Just keep working at it!

10 More To Go, But No Progress Part 2: Cardio Training

So by now you should be incorporating some of the weight training techniques mentioned in the first part of this article and seeing some progress. That is great, keep it up, but don’t stop there. Overcoming that plateau can be difficult and requires dedication in all areas of your fitness program. Not only do you want to focus on making changes to your strength training workouts, but also to your cardiovascular training. There are three main components of cardio training to focus on that will help to shed those last few pounds: frequency, intensity, and type of cardio exercise.

First, take a look at what you’re currently doing. Maybe you hop on a treadmill or an elliptical three times per week for 30 minutes. Each time you work at the same speed for the same length of time on the same machine. Your body has adapted to this program, hindering further progress, and maybe you are getting a bit bored with it as well. No wonder you aren’t seeing the results you desire.

A great way to get out of this rut is to focus on the frequency of your training. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends participating in moderately intense cardio 30 minutes a day, five days a week or vigorously intense cardio 20 minutes a day, three days a week. How many of us are really doing this? If you are only completing cardio exercise three days a week at a moderate intensity, then step it up and have a goal to reach those five days per week. Wherever you are at now add an extra day or more. Those extra days are extra calories and your midsection will thank you.

Furthermore, you can also focus on intensity. Research has shown that working at a harder intensity for a shorter period of time burns more calories than working at a lower intensity for a longer time. So try working a bit harder, and if you need to shorten the duration of your workout then do it, just keep that intensity up throughout the whole workout. Another great technique to incorporate is interval training. First, start with a five minute warm-up to get the blood flowing and your muscles ready for the workout. Next, pick up the pace and push as hard as you can for a minute. After, that minute is over, slow back down for one to two minutes, or however long it takes you to recover and repeat the fast interval again. The key is to changing your speed and intensity every few minutes and to really push yourself during that tough interval. Keep doing this until you have completed your desired duration and end with a cool-down to get the heart rate back down. Remember, the harder you work the more calories you will burn and the more you will challenge your body.

Lastly, try changing the type of exercise you participate in. Give your body a new challenge by trying new and different machines or activities. If you always use the treadmill, try an elliptical or a stair climber. If you generally work out indoors, take it outside and try walking on a hilly terrain or taking up a new sport such as mountain biking, hiking, or tennis. Not only will this challenge your body and help you to shed those last few pounds, but it will prevent boredom in your routine.

10 More to Go, But No Progress! Part 1: Strength Training Variations

You have been training hard, going to the gym consistently, eating right, but somehow you cannot seem to lose those last ten pounds of bodyfat. Wonder why you are working so hard but not seeing the desired results despite your efforts? For many, it’s easy to fall into the trap of performing the same routine over and over without providing variety or challenging the body in new ways. When this happens your body will adapt to the routine and will no longer be overloaded, thus creating a plateau to further fat loss. Your progress will diminish and you will fall into a standstill. This can be very frustrating and luckily there are a variety of techniques at hand to help you lose those last few stubborn pounds and reach your goal.

The best way to avoid a plateau is to incorporate variety into your strength training routine. You want to be constantly utilizing different exercises, equipment, and techniques. There are many ways to do this. For example, try to rearrange the sequence of exercises you perform. If you always perform bicep curls then tricep extensions followed by shoulder raises, why not perform that same sequence backward. Furthermore, a favorite of mine is to change equipment selection. If you always use machines, change it up and use dumbbells, resistance bands, cables, or barbells. This will require you to work your muscles from different angles and in addition, recruit stabilizer muscles for an increasingly well rounded routine. Lastly, challenge those muscles by trying different exercises for the same muscle group. If you generally do a set of lunges for your legs, try doing squats instead. Or if work out twice per week, doing one set of exercises one day and a completely different set the second day is a way to challenge the body from workout to workout. Just those small changes will lead to that desired result.

Another way of changing up that same old routine on occasion is to vary the sets, repetitions, or speed of movement when weight lifting. If you generally perform two sets of each exercise why not challenge yourself one day and perform three. The extra effort will be worth it. Furthermore, you can also make changes to the number of repetitions by using slightly more weight and performing fewer reps. Lastly, try slowing down your speed of movement and really focus on that working muscle. If you generally take two seconds to lower a weight, try doing it for four seconds instead. These techniques will increase the intensity of your workouts, causing you to really push yourself to a new level.

All of these changes to your routine create a new and different challenge for your body and aid in avoiding adaptation to the same old exercise regimen. The key is in the variety of exercises, equipment, and techniques that you choose. Utilizing these ideas will help you to progress rather than stay in the same place with your fat loss goals and finally lose those last few pounds.