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Purchasing Fitness Gear – Important Things You Might Not Be Aware Of

June 1st, 2011 No comments

Getting back in and staying in shape doesn’t come without cost. At its barest minimum, you need to be able to fork out some dough for shoes or the apparel you need for your chosen workout regimen. If you have money to burn, then you can definitely go for mini home gyms or choose to pay for premium for a fitness club membership. Whatever fitness program you plan to engage in, these tips will surely come in handy the next time you visit a sporting goods store.

1. Determine the sport that you want to engage in. This is the first step that you have to take, especially if you’re on a budget. If you’re only going to undertake a walking routine, then a quality pair of cross-trainers that absorb shock well, has good cushion and good tread will do. If you’re monitoring the number of steps you take everyday, an inexpensive pedometer will also be a good investment. Apart from jogging pants and a sweater for cold mornings out, these are all you need to complete your walking gear. If it’s swimming or water aerobics, you might want to invest in a well-made streamlined swimsuit, swimming cap and goggles. For aerobics dancing and weight lifting exercises, you will need appropriate gym apparel as well. Of course, other sports have their own set of requirements where gear is concerned, so you need to determine what fitness routine or routines you want so you don’t waste money on gear or clothes that you will just dump in your closet.

2. If you want to do workouts at home, measure how much space you can have for all the gym equipment you need. There are a lot of fitness equipment in stores now, from treadmills to elliptical trainers to stationary bikes to all kinds of hand weights. However, if your space is very limited, there’s no sense lumping them all in one room. Choose only the most important pieces you will need. At the very least, all you really need is a bench and some hand weights (adjustable dumbbells are good space savers). If you have more room, then a treadmill will be a good addition.

3. If you’re planning to do Yoga or Pilates with the help of an exercise video, a room with large mirrors will make a great studio. Have space in front for your television and DVD player. At the very least you will need a Yoga mat and some Yoga blocks.

4. Don’t forget to figure functionality in any equipment you buy. There are too many advertisements on home shopping channels or online that tell you to buy this new contraption and that. However, most of these do not live up to their promises or can be done without through regular exercise routines.

5. Always buy fitness gear that is within your means to afford. Nothing could wreck an exercise routine more than looking at a compact home gym you have everyday knowing it has wrecked your family budget. Be a wise buyer.

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How to Become a Health Coach

May 30th, 2011 No comments

Preventative health is a much smarter approach to being healthy as opposed to having a curative approach. It’s much more difficult and expensive to restore health than it is to maintain. Health coaching is becoming a growing career field which has been enjoying a lot of acclaim in recent media stories. Paul Zane Pilzer is a New York Times selling author who once predicted that health and wellness would soon be a trillion dollar industry. His prediction seems to be accurate.

Successful health and wellness coaches should be naturally health conscious. Having a commitment to eating healthy, living a healthy lifestyle and maintaining a degree of fitness should be a priority. Clients naturally want to hire health and wellness coaches who walk their walk and talk their talk.

To evaluate whether becoming a health coach would be a good career, do some research in regards to salary, hours, and opportunities which are currently offered to health coaches. Interview local health and wellness coaches to determine the climate in your area for that field. Evaluate the demographics and economy of the area to determine if a health and wellness related business might have a good chance of being successful. Consider whether residents of your area are health conscious and have disposable income.

Most health and wellness coaches work for themselves in the form of a private practice. This requires having solid business skills and experience. Organizational habits, marketing strategies and determination would also be helpful.

There are many schools which offer certification for health and wellness coaches. Some schools offer distance learning, while others offer online classes or weekend attendance. Look closely at several schools and compare their qualifications, tuition, and the success of their graduates.

Contact local colleges to evaluate their programs as well. Options would include getting a degree in dietetics, public health, and other fields such as counseling, psychology or sociology.

The most important strategy when evaluating a school is to search for graduates from the health coach school you are considering to get opinions on current students and graduates experience and get recommendations they might have.

Ask about their experience they may have already have with their health coaching career and find out what type of career options they have discovered. You can also inquire politely about their income they’ve received as a health coach. Some health and wellness coaching schools offer discounts to friends and family of alumni, which could be an added benefit to contacting a recent grad of a nutrition school you are considering.

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