Gym Classes Cut Despite Obesity Problems

Despite decades worth of attempted reforms dating back to President Dwight D. Eisenhower, childhood obesity continues to rise as physical education standards decline. While schools across the country cut back expenses while also trying to improve test scores, programs like P.E. are being trimmed down or cut. A recent article by the New York Times details the problems schools in the city are having with instituting physical education standards and practices.

"There does not appear to be a promotion, or support, from the Department of Education for daily physical education in many of our high schools," said Jeff Engel, a vice principal at Long Island City High School, in Queens, who is a member of the executive board of the principals' union. He said that his own school provided daily physical education, but that many did not. "We have a huge obesity epidemic in the city, yet we see many of our high schools going to non-daily physical education."

Studies have shown that as little as 20% of elementary school students receive regular physical education week by week.  Research suggests that there is a significant disconnect between the national debate taking place about childhood obesity and the actual practices of school systems throughout the country. Many physical education programs depend on exercise equipment like bikes and weights that they simply can't afford, and students are robbed of very important physical activity.

Principals across the country blame the test focused approach of administrators for the decline of physical education. While physical fitness and health have been shown to be closely related to academic performance, many districts fail to see the value of outdoor time and physical activity in the bottom lines of their budgets. Parents are urged to find out how much physical education their children are getting in order to make sure they're getting enough physical activity during the week.

Exercise and Staying Hydrated

One of the leading causes of exercise cramps and failure is dehydration. Water is essential for all body processes, and a shortage of water can lead to reduced performance, fuzzy mental processing and even pain. Staying hydrated for exercise means drinking enough liquids before, during and after activity. If you start to feel thirsty during exercise, you've already reached a point where you have a water shortage. Drinking water isn't rocket science. Listen to the signals your body sends your brain and drink to satisfaction. If you ever start to feel dizzy or abnormally fatigued, you should stop exercising immediately as you are likely dehydrated.

Water is good enough for most people on a normal exercise routine, but people who have intense or unusually long routines would benefit from fluids that help replace vital nutrients and energy. Chocolate  or coconut milk are great at replenishing the body, but regular sports drinks can do the trick as well. Some football players are known to drink water and suck on an orange in the locker room during half time. Whatever your choice of beverage is, make sure you take the time out of your routine to replace the fluids you have lost.

It is possible to drink too much water, but it is very uncommon. One famous case of water overdose was a radio show water drinking competition in which a woman drank herself to death. Drinking this much water requires you to force drink, which is very unpleasant and something nobody would do under normal conditions. Normal drinking while working out on an elliptical or treadmill produces nearly zero risk.

Exercise Improves Performance

It's no surprise the regular exercise helps you lose weight and get in better shape, but exercise can also help improve performance in almost every aspect of life. People who exercise regularly tend to feel better during the day, helping them perform better at their job and give a more positive image with everyone they interact. Individuals from every profession from pro sports to stand-up comedians use exercise machines to increase their endurance and heighten their performance capabilities when they need it most.

Machines like treadmills and ellipticals help increase cardiovascular performance. What this means in a practical sense is being able to do things like walking and standing up for long periods of time. When you train your body and heart to do long periods of intense exercise on a machine, less intense tasks start to feel easier. Imagine how easy standing up for an eight hour shift must feel to a marathon runner.

Strength exercises can be just important to everyday performance. Strength circuits can help you work core muscles that can make everyday tasks feel lighter and easier to accomplish. Strength training isn't just for body builders like Tom Platz, which is why he works so hard to get as many quality new and used strength machines out into the world as possible. Building muscle improves everyday performance and increases quality of life.

America's Five Healthiest Cities

America seems to be getting fatter and more unhealthy by the day, but some cities are making a significant effort to curb obesity trends by creating policies and spaces that encourage good health and fitness. The ACSM releases a annual report that ranks the most health conscious cities in the United States. We're going to go through the top five rankings and discuss what makes these cities so special when it comes to health and fitness.

1. Minneapolis/St. Paul - Most people probably think the warm southwest or Florida would outrank a Midwest city when it comes to health and fitness, but they'd be wrong. A drop in the number of people who smoke, new rules about smoking in public places, and improvements in the health status of residents were responsible for bringing this metro area to the top spot.

2. Washington/Arlington - Second place Washington, D.C. gets high marks for a higher than normal number of swimming pools, tennis courts, and recreation centers. Residents of the nation’s capital also do their part by eating 5+ servings of fruits and vegetables a day, made easier by the presence of numerous farmers’ markets. Capital residents are less likely to be obese and more likely to bike or walk to work or take public transportation to work, plus there are fewer people lighting up.

3. Boston/Cambridge - This New England metro area has low smoking rates, lots of farmer's markets and a high percentage of people with health insurance.

4. San Francisco/Oakland

5. Hartford

How Much Exercise Is Healthy?

Most people know that exercise is good for the mind and body, but they're not exactly sure how much is too much or too little. One of the most common recommendations we hear from personal trainers and health professionals is "for at least for 30-minutes three times a week." There are people who take this recommendation literally, but it is more of a guideline than a strict rule. How much you exercise will depend upon your fitness goals and daily routine. No matter what, any kind of exercise you do will most likely bring you health benefits and more mental clarity.

A good general guideline for people who exercise with equipment is to split your time between cardio exercises and strength training. Many people only think about cardio when they are trying to get into shape, but lifting weights is essential for developing toned muscles and increasing your metabolic rate. Free weights are great for strength training, but modern strength circuit machines are perfectly acceptable for people looking to develop their core muscles.

Most people can do as much exercise as their body can physically take. Athletes often workout for more than 5 hours a day during training in order to reach top physical condition. Obviously, most of us are not athletes, so that sort of training isn't necessary or even even possible. The most important thing to factor when thinking about over-exercising is your physical safety. If you push yourself too hard when working out there is a possibility that you can get sloppy in your routine and put yourself in a dangerous situation. If you are planning to workout a lot, you should also consult your physician. Some people have heart conditions that make exercising a risky activity.

Used Fitness Equipment to Maximize Results

Summer is one of the most important times of year for staying fit and healthy. Exercising increases the metabolism of the body and enhances energy levels, meaning more calories burned and greater focus throughout the day. Used fitness equipment can be a powerful tool in the battle of burned calories and makes access to everyday exercise solutions that much easier.

The choices involved with purchasing used fitness equipment , however, cut down to the need and goal of the person using the equipment. Fitness equipment can be broadly classified as either aerobic equipment that aims to burn off excess calories and weight, and secondly, the strength or muscular fitness equipment that is specifically designed to increase the muscles of the body.

For cardio equipment, a used treadmill can be a great replacement for walking or jogging outside and can be used by both beginners and experts. A treadmill that has a wide belt and with a cushion between the belt and the treadmill bed tends to lessen the impact on joints and is preferred by most users. Some people may opt for new treadmills that my offer features that used ones don't.

Strength equipment comes in a variety of different forms. Experienced weight lifters will most likely prefer a free weight system that helps work the corp. For more novice lifters, however, there are plenty of used strength machines on the market that help work all the muscles you need to get a lean and toned physique.

More Offices Installing Fitness Equipment

In the last few decades, study after study has shown that health problems related to obesity negatively affect productivity in the workplace. An office full of overweight and obese workers means more days off, greater healthcare costs and typically lower performance during actual work hours. Companies are responding to these problems in lots of different ways. Some offices sponsor weight loss contests between employees. Others provide monetary or vacation incentives to employees with gym memberships. Some companies just ignore the problem altogether. One of the best solutions, however, has come to companies who've decided to install fitness equipment in the office for workers to use whenever they want.

Unfortunately, many companies view the purchase of gym equipment for the office as being an extraneous and unnecessary expense. Fitness equipment has a reputation  for being very expensive, but the truth is that most fitness machines can be purchased at very affordable rates in bulk. Used equipment can be just as good as new and is usually discounted significantly. Companies are taking advantage of this by installing things like exercise bikes and ellipticals in various office locations.

The presence of new or used exercise machines in the office can be good for both physical and mental well being. Office workers often get stressed throughout the day. Spending a few minutes on a treadmill or exercise bike can clear their minds and get them focused on the next task. Some workers even like to have treadmills placed directly at their workstation, so they can walk throughout their shift at their terminal.