The Lifefitness.com Blog

Fit Tip: Focus on Legs

Life Fitness — Tue, 21 May 2013 06:00:00 GMT

One of the easiest ways to tone your legs is to get up and use them more with consistent walking, jogging or biking routines. These cardio activities will also burn calories and help reduce overall body fat. But if you are looking for lean, strong legs, the prescription is strength training. Rely on variations of good old-fashioned squats, lunges and deadlifts to firm up the muscles in your glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves.

Try the following leg exercises to train your muscles and get your legs ready for summer:

Take the Stairs: Choosing the stairs over the elevator is one of the easiest ways to work your legs during the day and you don’t need any extra equipment, just your body weight. Make it even more effective by taking the stairs two at a time. Push yourself up with your glutes and hamstrings to work the back of your legs.

Quinoa… for Breakfast?

Kate O'Leary — Thu, 16 May 2013 06:00:00 GMT

Ever since I trained for and ran my first half-marathon last February, I have been extremely interested in experimenting with healthy recipes. One ingredient keeps appearing over and over in the recipes I’m finding – quinoa. While it looks similar to rice, quinoa isn’t actually a grain at all; it’s a seed. And this little seed packs lots of protein and fiber, so it’s a great replacement in rice or pasta dishes. You may have seen LFA Master Trainer Deb’s post last week about a quinoa salad. If you haven’t, I would recommend checking that out as well.

But quinoa is not only for savory dishes; it has a sweet side too.

Life Fitness Recommended App Runtastic Hits Milestone

Anthony Morelli — Wed, 15 May 2013 06:00:00 GMT

We’re excited to hear that one of the Life Fitness compatible apps, Runtastic, is rising rapidly in the fitness app world. The Austrian app developer reached 25 million total downloads this week, which surpassed popular fitness and running apps, including Nike+ and RunKeeper. The company announced it hit 10 million registered users for its website, too.

Along with the milestone, Runtastic also announced it will release its hardware in the U.S. for the first time. The developer will offer Bluetooth heart-rate monitor, sports arm bands and a cycling speed sensor on Amazon.

Fit Tip: Focus on Arms

Life Fitness — Tue, 14 May 2013 06:00:00 GMT

Summer is just around the corner, which means sleeveless tops and days at the beach can’t be far away either. Get toned and strong arms with classic free weight and bodyweight exercises. Use these tips to work your triceps, biceps and shoulders to get the definition you desire.

Front Shoulder Raise: You might as well call this exercise the “tank top toner.” Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding weights down in front of your thighs with your palms facing you. Keeping your elbows slightly bent, raise your arms up in front of you until they are parallel to the floor. Don’t shrug. Keep your shoulders relaxed and don’t raise your arms above shoulder level. Lower back to starting position and repeat.

[Infographic] Personal Trainers Wanted

Nick Mennell — Mon, 13 May 2013 06:00:00 GMT

Globally, the personal training profession is growing faster than most careers. As part of the Life Fitness Academy, I’ve had the privilege of meeting trainers across the world, from South Africa to India and the U.S. to China, and personal trainers are striving to explore innovative training technique that will help their clients achieve lasting results. Coupled with the global health epidemic and a heightened awareness for the importance of exercise, personal trainers are in high demand not only in the U.S. but across the world.

Want to learn more? We’ve pulled together some great statistics about the personal training industry in our newest infographic:

Northwest Quinoa Salad Recipe

Deborah McConnell — Thu, 09 May 2013 06:00:00 GMT

I recently had the pleasure of participating and attending Eaton Corporation’s Health Fair in Cleveland, Ohio. One of the local Cleveland vendors, Joe’s, handed out a great Northwest Quinoa Salad recipe that I’ve tested in today’s blog post. It’s a very fresh and light salad with robust flavors and healthy too.

Quinoa is a complete protein, which means it contains all nine essential amino acids. This recipe is served cold and pairs well with flank steak or grilled chicken.

Northwest Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

2 cups of water
1 cup of dry quinoa
.5 lemon
.25 cup fresh chopped basil
.25 cup fresh chopped shallots
.25 cup dried Bing cherries
.25 cup dry, roasted, unsalted cashews
1 tsp. vegetable oil
.25 tsp. salt
.25 black pepper

Fit Tip: Focus on Glutes

Life Fitness — Tue, 07 May 2013 06:00:00 GMT

Most people wouldn’t mind a firm booty, but the more we sit, the softer our seat gets. To get a gravity-defying butt that’s strong and toned, commit to adding exercises that focus on your backside.

Squat it out. Squats are often touted as the best workout for your butt (and thighs), and for good reason. Perform squats using your body weight, a pair of dumbbells or a kettlebell. Stand with your feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart, bend both knees and act like you are sitting back in a chair, until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Keep your chest up, head lifted and abs engaged. Squeezing your glutes, drive through the heels as you return to standing. Try a few variations like narrow squats, single leg squats or squat jumps.

Life Fitness President Chris Clawson Named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2013 Finalist

Lauren Kraft — Mon, 06 May 2013 06:00:00 GMT

We’re proud to announce that Chris Clawson, our company president, was named a finalist in the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2013 program in the Midwest. The award recognizes outstanding entrepreneurs who demonstrate excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities.

“This recognition is a reflection of our company’s resurgence in not only executive leadership, but also industry leadership,” Chris said of his award. “By pioneering game-changing new products like Synrgy360 and new advancements in technology like LFopen and our Discover Tablet Consoles, Life Fitness has signaled a new fitness era of personalization and connectivity.”

Clean Eating: Beef Stroganoff on a Health Kick

Lauren Kamm — Thu, 02 May 2013 06:00:00 GMT

In a fitness company, you’re bound to be introduced to new diets. There’s gluten-free, grain-free, vegan, Atkins, primal, paleo and all-carb. No. All-carb only exists in my dreams. Here, we’ll attempt a clean recipe, low carbs. I found this recipe on MarksDailyApple.

Let’s start with the ingredients.

Here’s what you’ll need:

1 tablespoon coconut oil (15 ml)
1 1/2 pounds (680 g) beef tenderloin or sirloin, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices (6 mm) that are 2 to 3 inches in length (5 cm to 7.6 cm)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (30 m)
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots (60 ml)
8 ounces cremini or white mushrooms, thinly sliced (230 g)
1 cup beef stock (250 ml)
1/2 cup coconut milk (125 ml)
1 cup heavy cream (250 ml)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (15 ml)
Chopped fresh parsley or dill for an optional garnish

Fit Tip: Create an Online Support Network

Life Fitness — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 06:00:00 GMT

Joining an online fitness and health community is a powerful way to share tips and workouts, provide support and stay accountable. One study from the University of Texas even found that active online weight loss community members lost more weight than members who were inactive.

Get the right support. Do you long to have the support of a community and access to fitness experts like contestants on The Biggest Loser? With an online community you can commit to your goals and share struggles and successes alongside others in your same position. Fitness community sites range from free, forum based communities to monthly subscriptions with access to exercise and nutrition experts and structured programs designed to fit your personal goals. Pick one that fits your personality, goals and budget.

Try Out:

How To Open Your Own Gym (Part 1)

Jonathan Abrams — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 06:00:00 GMT

Fitness is booming and with the ever increasing number of corporate wellness programs and health insurance incentives, opening a gym appears to be full of opportunity. However, with all of the different options (trends, facility type, equipment, programming, etc.), taking that first step in opening up a gym can be quite daunting. This 3 part series will hopefully shed some light on where to begin and provide resources for learning more about the gym business.

What type of facility should I open? Deciding what type of facility you’d like to open is an excellent starting point. There are thousands of options ranging from the one stop shop that offers something for everyone to niche facilities. Aligning the type of facility you’re planning on opening with the area demographics is paramount. For example, if the area you’re opening in has a median resident age of 55, the population is over 60% female, and the estimated median household income is $23,000.00 you probably would not want to open up an Mixed Martial Arts facility that focuses on private grappling sessions.

How to Succeed in Business (According to Kids)

Lauren Kamm — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 06:00:00 GMT

During yesterday's Bring Your Child to Work Day, we asked our future leaders:

What do you think it takes to make a SUCCESSFUL company?

If you ask us, the answers were very wise and we might just have a few future Kid Presidents on our hands. One of our guests, Mr. Andrew Rivera, went above and beyond, writing an essay on the importance of great products and innovation, using the video game industry as a great example. You can click here to read the full essay.

Life Fitness at FIBO 2013

Katya Lebedeva — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 06:00:00 GMT

Now that we've had a week to recover from the craziness of FIBO, an international fitness industry tradeshow held in Germany, I can firmly say it's been the best yet.

This year FIBO went back to Cologne after 22 years and what a great place to be! It has international appeal, it's easy to reach, and offers a great selection of hotels and restaurants, which I'm sure all attendees appreciated. In fact, FIBO hit a record number of visitors this year in it's 28-year history - 96,700 attendees. More than 30% of trade visitors came from outside of Germany.

Life Fitness booth

Top 10 Fitness Tweeters to Follow

Life Fitness — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 06:00:00 GMT

When it comes to connecting, Twitter is one of the fastest ways to share and receive information. In 140 characters you can connect with friends, experts, celebs and your favorite brands. In the health and fitness world, Twitter is a hot bed of great info and advice, but not all Tweeters are created equal. That's why we've compiled a list (that’s really just scratching the surface) of ten great accounts to follow:

1. @BornFitness - Adam Bornstein is the former editorial director of Livestrong.com and former fitness editor of Men’s Health. He tweets quick fitness advice, tips and articles and encourages his followers to ask questions so he can help them live healthy and strong.

Observations from a Student on Technology in the University Gym

Kristian Turner — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 06:00:00 GMT

When Darian Vidaure, an ambitious college student, contacted us about obtaining a full report of the global Fitness and Technology Survey for reference in a school project, we were happy to share our findings with him. In exchange, we asked if he would be willing to share his observations with us as well. His study points to the same trends we’ve been finding: technology has changed, and will continue to change, the way we workout and connect at the gym.

Fit Tip: Five Reasons to Hire a Personal Trainer

Life Fitness — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 06:00:00 GMT

When we feel sick, we call the doctor, and when we have a leaky pipe, we call the plumber. So when 30 minutes of cardio training and a stop in the weight room doesn’t generate the fitness results we want, why not turn to a professional who can coach us through the rut?

The American Council on Exercise boasts more than 50,000 certified fitness professionals in the world, making it easier than ever to tap a local trainer to fit your budget. A trainer typically costs between $40 and $90 per hour, and less for small group training. If you’re struggling with the personal trainer debate, we've got five reasons why now may be the time to invest in some exercise support: