Archives for April 2011

How To Create A Diet To Coincide With Fitness Goals

Proper diet and exercise go hand in hand when trying to lose weight. However, I’ve noticed that for many dieters, creating a diet that fits their exercise regimen isn’t always an easy task. The U.S. is well known for giving in to fad diets and fast food, both of which don’t always yield the highest weight loss. To properly attain your fitness goals, you must plan accordingly just as you would for any goal, and there are a few easy steps that can help you create a diet to optimize your goals.

Determine Your Caloric Maintenance

First and foremost, when creating a diet to suit your fitness goals, you must determine your caloric maintenance. When I say “caloric maintenance,” I’m referring to the amount of calories your body needs to maintain your current weight. Calculating your current caloric maintenance will be the key to determining the amount of calories you may consume throughout your diet.

Calculate Caloric Goals

After determining how many calories you will need to maintain you weight, you need to decide if you would like to lose, maintain, or gain weight. If you choose to lose weight you will need to subtract around 500 calories from your caloric maintenance so that you can lose between 1-2 pounds weekly. If you wish to gain weight, you will need to add an additional 500 calories to your caloric maintenance amount. Always remember to factor in the intensity of your exercise regimen as well with calculating your caloric goals. Remember, eating too little or too much while exercising can greatly impact your fitness goals.

Create a Weekly Menu

By creating a weekly menu, you are making sure that your diet adheres to its caloric needs. When you don’t have a structured menu, you risk grabbing meals conveniently at local fast food restaurants or grabbing other high carbohydrate snacks simply to satiate your hunger. Each week I create an exciting menu for myself that will fit my caloric goals to optimize my fitness training.

Drink Plenty of Water

I believe one of the best ways to create a diet that optimizes your exercise regimen is by drinking plenty of water. Many dieters don’t drink enough water while exercising which can dehydrate the body and limit muscle growth and weight loss. Whole house water filter systems and other water purifying systems are a great way to promote drinking water as these systems provide clean, fresh water out of the tap at all times ensuring that you get your recommended 8 glasses a day.

What other tips can you give to folks looking to create a diet that fits their fitness goals?

Microsoft Xbox 360 Kinect: Great For People Trying To Lose Weight And Fitness Buffs Alike

By Peter Leave a Comment

A while back I talked about how I had bought a Kinect Sensor for the Microsoft Xbox 360. I bought the sensor because I love checking out new technology, and because I just love playing video games in general. The Kinect seemed like a bit of a game changer for the video game world, allowing you to control the video games, and the console experience without the aid of a controller. As Microsoft likes to say, you “become the controller”.

While I was skeptical at first that the Kinect would be able to pull off the controller-less experience, now that I’ve had the sensor for several months I can truly say that I think they’ve done something special – and pretty darn cool – with the Kinect. It truly is an immersive experience, and it is so easy to use – even for people who aren’t video game enthusiasts. You know what I’m talking about – the folks that give you a funny look when you hand them a controller – and can’t remember which buttons to push. With Kinect, they just do what comes naturally, and it just works.

Fitness Aspects Of Xbox Kinect

Since this is a health and fitness site, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the fitness aspect of the Xbox Kinect – and to me, this is one of the coolest things about the Kinect. In the old paradigm being someone who played video games meant that you were a couch potato, and that you never left your seat. Many of you know what I’m talking about, in fact you may be sitting there eating your Doritos and drinking Mountain Dew as you read this!

Now, with Kinect, pretty much all of the games that you can play are more active than the games in the past because you have to get up out of your seat, and actually move.

Because you’re actually moving, and breaking a sweat, just from the start you’re going to be doing better than you probably were before. Add to this the fact that Kinect has a pretty good range of dedicated fitness games, and other dance games/etc that will get you even more active – and you’ve got the recipe for something that can help you get more active and actually lose some weight.

I’ve been using the Kinect now since November, and actively using it in an attempt to lose weight since January. While I’ve been doing it in concert with healthier eating and diet, I’ve now lost about 20 pounds in 8 weeks. That’s about 2-3 pounds a week! Not too shabby! I’m confident that others can do the same as it really does make fitness fun.

Details Of Xbox Kinect Package

If you’re thinking about buying a Kinect sensor and you already own an Xbox 360, here is what you will end up paying – and what you’ll get.

Kinect Sensor ($149.99)
Kinect Adventures Video Game

Of course this is only the sensor itself, and one game, Kinect Adventures. While Kinect Adventures is actually a very fun game that will really get you moving (I always break a sweat playing that game), most people find they’ll want to buy additional games. Below I’ll look at some of the games I’ve found that work best for fitness.

Fitness Games For Xbox Kinect

Here are some of my favorite games for fitness – for Kinect.

Your Shape Fitness Evolved

Read my full review here: Your Shape: Fitness Evolved Review
From Amazon.com: Your Shape Fitness Evolved is a fitness-simulation game for Xbox 360 that is designed to deliver a 3D, controller-free fitness simulation experience like no other. Built around the camera, depth sensors and multi-array microphone of the Microsoft Kinect sensor peripheral,* the game allows for real-time motion capture of the players movements, facial recognition and both voice and interactive menu commands. This combined with Ubisoft’s Player Projection Technology, which enables the Kinect sensor to track up to a million data points on the player’s body, results in low lag and total player immersion in what is destined to be the most challenging fitness-simulation game to date. Additional features include: in-game instructors, multiple exercise classes, workouts created by real experts, progress tracking and multiplayer support.

EA Sports Active 2

From Amazon.com: EA SPORTS Active 2 with Total Body Tracking will include the innovative EA SPORTS Active heart rate monitor that provides constant on-screen monitoring, allowing users to capture intensity and optimize performance over time. Additionally, it will utilize the full body motion tracking ability of the Kinect Motion Camera, providing users complete freedom of motion. Users will also be able to track and share their workout data online through automatic uploading from their online connected console to their personalized EA SPORTS Active profile. 70+ Exercises and Activities – Create unlimited customizable workouts with over 70 exercises and activities to choose from, including foundational exercises like squats, lunges, and bicep curls. Enroll in the 9-Week Program – Designed by certified personal trainers, the EA SPORTS Active 2 9-week program provides total body conditioning using progressive exercise.

The Biggest Loser Ultimate Workout

From Amazon.com: The Biggest Loser: Ultimate Workout is an exercise simulation game for Xbox 360, based on the popular The Biggest Loser television series. Utilizing seamless physical player movements only possible with Kinect for Xbox 360, The Biggest Loser: Ultimate Workout is designed to evolve along with the player’s exercise routine. Featuring the cast and trainers from the TV show, the game’s 125+ exercises, 2-4 player support via Xbox LIVE, new challenges, customization and more the game provides a fun and healthy exercise outlet suitable for every member of the family, regardless of their weight, physical ability or age.

Dance Central

While this game isn’t specifically a fitness title, it does have a “workout mode” that will track how long you’ve been dancing. It’s a good cardio workout!

From Amazon.com: Dance Central is the first immersive dance video game that features and tracks full-body dance moves. Completely free from any controller, every routine has authentic choreography for beginners and experts alike to master, alongside a killer soundtrack that spans today’s current pop, hip-hop and R&B artists. Take it step-by-step with Break It Down or jump right in and start performing for your family and friends. Either way, you won’t just learn dance moves, you’ll own the dance floor!

Kinect Sports

Read my full review here: Kinect Sports Review
From Amazon.com: Turn your living room into a world-class stadium, bowling alley, soccer pitch or track-and-field arena. With “Kinect Sports” you’re not only the star player, you are the controller — through the magic of Kinect for Xbox 360. See a ball? Kick it. Spike it. Even give it a little topspin. “Kinect Sports” features soccer, beach volleyball, bowling, table tennis, track and field, and boxing.

Conclusion

I’ve now had the Xbox Kinect for a few months, and my initial thoughts have been that the Kinect is a great tool in the toolbox for people trying to lose weight, and for those who are trying to stay fit. It offers the opportunity to get up and get active, and offers a variety of ways for people to do that through the fitness games, along with other games that just get people active.

I’ve also got personal experience using the Kinect as a weight loss tool –having now lost 20 lbs using the Kinect and a healthier diet. If you’re considering getting a Kinect, and using it to work out, I’d highly recommend it.

Have you bought the Xbox Kinect, and have you used it for the fitness games or otherwise? Are you considering it? Tell us what you think in the comments!

Read my full review of Your Shape: Fitness Evolved and Kinect Sports.

Put You And Your Dog Through Fitness Boot Camp

By Guest Contributor Leave a Comment

I‘m always on the lookout for workout routines that are a bit unique, or that don’t quite fit the mold. There’s a new fitness program that was recently introduced in select locations called Dog Boot camp. It’s an exercise program for dogs and their owners. As a dog owner myself, I love the idea!

The program is designed to where both dog and dog owner become active participants, allowing people, along with their canine workout partner, to get into shape while having the added benefit of teaching dogs valuable obedience training that will be a huge help on the home front.

Jill Bowers, the brainchild of doggy boot camp, launched the program along with the help of her sister Jamie. This veteran dog trainer has now become an expert fitness trainer that is helping people all over get into shape. Fitness is the key but with her program and with her many years of experience with dogs, she has crafted this unique way of exercise through adding in invaluable lessons for dog obedience in conjunction with an effective workout.

How It Works

This program is based in Los Angeles and there, during consultations, the owner is taught a series of commands that are designed to maintain a strict power and command structure. In this program, it’s important for the owner to maintain power and control over their dog during the entire process. This is essential for the dog obedience training as well as making for a smooth workout. The last thing a person wants is to end up spending most of their workout time with a dog that won’t listen. It can be chaotic and messy and nobody wants that.

So far the program has been hugely successful and the people who have applied these methods, devised by Jill Bowers, have found an increase of energy, loss of weight, better fitness and health, and last but not least, a healthy and obedient dog. Jill writes:

Bootcamp was naturally the next step for us because of the growing number of obese dogs and humans in America. Because the owner and dog are dependent on each other, we know how important good health is for both. Just like basic obedience is necessary to ensure a peaceful home environment. A tired dog is a good dog and a trained dog is an even better dog, so get your shoes on, grab a leash, and come play with us!

Bowers explains that it doesn’t matter what breed or how high-strung the animal. This workout promises results to those who work the program right. Dog health is just as important as human health and everyone wants to get into shape. This may be just the time to do it. Summer’s right around the corner and there’s tons of information and other similar programs available in your area that will help you and your dog get fit.