Local experts give advice for getting fit this spring
By Jessica White
Trend Leader
Spring will be here in just a few short weeks, and for many that means restarting a fitness routine that may have fallen by the wayside during the winter.
Between family gatherings filled with fattening treats and dreary, cold weather, people often lose their motivation to stay fit and healthy during the winter months. But, once you've fallen off the wagon, how do you start again?
Laury Pizzico, president of Body Sculpt, an in-home personal training company that serves Montgomery County, Delaware County and parts of Philadelphia County, suggested that people start out slowly.
"You should definitely walk in the beginning. Take a 15 minute brisk walk every night" said Pizzico.
Pizzico recommended taking other baby steps into fitness.
"Park further away in the parking lot, take the stairs instead of the elevator, do some walking at work", Pizzico said. "Ease into it. After two weeks, you'll feel great, and you'll be addicted to it."
According to Pizzico, sticking to a regular schedule while exercising is key. If you have trouble keeping up with your exercise, Pizzico has this suggestion:
"Put it in your schedule like an appointment, something you're committed to everyday. Treat it like a doctor's appointment." said Pizzico.
Getting a partner, such as a spouse or a friend, involved in your fitness routine can also allow you to stick with your schedule, according to Pizzico. If there's no one you can exercise with, write down your results and your goals to hold yourself accountable.
"After the second week, check in with yourself. See where you're at and see if you're getting somewhere. Ask yourself "What can I do to stick with it and achieve those goals?" Pizzico said
If losing weight is one of your goals, avoid weighing yourself in the first two weeks. According to Pizzico, body weight fluctuates drastically when first beginning a workout plan, so early weigh ins will not produce accurate results.
For the most effective workout, Tom Supenski from Health Check Physical Therapy in Downingtown suggested a combination of strength training and aerobics several days a week.
"People should get in between 20 and 30 minutes of aerobics and 20 minutes of strength training for a total of around 45 minutes of exercise," said Supenski. "You need to combine strength training and aerobics. The research points to both."
Circuit training, a combination of weight training and aerobics, can be beneficial to beginners, but the workout is most effective when combined with free weights, according to Supenski.
"Mixing them together is the most beneficial. Using free weights helps maintain bone density, and it helps prevent osteoporosis in women," said Supenski.
Supenski said that, when using free weights, or weight machines, beginners should start with a lighter weight and lift with more repetitions. This prevents strain on the tendons and helps the body get used to the exercise. As the body gets used to the exercise, the weight should be increased while the repetitions should be decreased to condition the body.
Both Supenski and Pizzico recommended core strengthening exercises, such as pilates and yoga, to develop strength in the abdominal muscles, the lower back, and the buttocks.
Regarding a healthy diet to get you started on the way on the way to good health, Pizzico recommended eating small meals between 300 and 400 calories every few hours.
"This way, you can trick your body into thinking that it will always be fed, and this keeps your body from storing calories as fat," said Pizzico.
At each meal, Pizzico said that you should have protein, "good" carbohydrates (such as the ones obtained from fruits and whole grains) and fat.
"Your body doesn't metabolize properly if you don't get all three," said Pizzico.
Supenski echoed the importance of eating healthy carbohydrates and proteins from sources that are not genetically altered, such as milk whey.
"Carbs aren't bad for you; it's the simple carbs you should stay away from. Protein sustains lean body mass," Supenski said.
To get vital nutrients in, Pizzico suggested fresh squeezed juices made at home with a juicer.
"Juices keep you from getting sick, and they're the best way to get vitamins," she said.
Something that people often neglect when starting up a fitness routine is sleep.
"A lack of proper sleep relates to being obese and overweight," said Pizzico. "Your body needs sleep. Without it, your stress level goes up."
Pizzico said that eight to nine hours of sleep at night is ideal.
"If you can't get that much sleep then you should be napping everyday," Pizzico said.
For more information about creating a healthier you this spring, Pizzico can be reached at 484-994-5577, or through Body Sculpt's Web site at www.bodysculptfit.com . Supenski can be reached at 610-269-5070.