Dance your way to a healthier body

Cardiovascular exercise comes in all sorts of forms, so there is bound to be something out there that you enjoy. If the idea of spending thirty minutes on the elliptical does not sound appealing to you, or you have never been able to bring yourself to run, why not try dancing your way to a healthier you with America's Best Dance Crew's fourth place team from last summer, The Boogie Bots. The Boogie Bots teach a class at The DC Dance Collective on Thursdays at 6:30 pm.

"It's an hour and a half of straight cardio," says Jean Pyun, a regular participant in the class. Just imagine how many calories you can burn (all while having fun) in 90 minutes!

I truly believe that there is a form of cardio for everyone! Why not boogie your way to a healhier you?

If you already attend a fitness dance class, let us know about it! And definitely give us the scoop if you decide to hang with the Boogie Bots.

The Benefits of Swimming

So, if you are wondering why you should bother adding swimming to your regular fitness routine, consider these benefits:

-Like yoga, swimming encourages proper breathing;
-You can maintain a healthy weight by swimming. Swimming burns 3 calories per mile per pound of body weight.
-Do you hate how hot you get when you run or jog? Swimming in cool water helps to regulate your temperature so you don't over heat.
-Swimming involves the use of almost all the muscles required for movement, without the weight of your body pounding on your joints with each move like when you are walking or running. This is why people that suffer from joint problems enjoy swimming so much.
-Did you know that water resistance is greater than air resistance? This means that the muscles have to work harder.
-You will improve muscle strength and endurance as well as cardiovascular fitness while swimming.
-Swimming improves the body’s use of oxygen and increases lung function.

With all of these benefits, why not give it a try? For more benefits and information on swimming, check out the site "Health Benefits of Swimming".

Why do you love to swim?

Something in The Water

Are you looking for something new to add to your exercise routine this summer? Why not try swimming?

Since we have a mayor that is very much into swimming, DC is said to have some of the best and safest swimming facilities in the country. There are 19 outdoor swimming facilities in the city alone, which opened for the summer over Memorial Day weekend. If you are a DC resident, the use of these facilities will cost you nothing (that's right they are free!) Non-residents pay just $4 for the day.

You can find out more information about the city's swimming facilities online.

Most large cities have similar facilities with information online including Pittsburgh, , New York City, Philly, LA and Chicago.

Swimming laps is a great cardio exercise. It gets your heart rate up so that you can burn calories, burn fat and increase lean body mass. As with biking, jogging and other forms of cardiovascular exercise, it is recommended that you do 20 to 30 minutes at a time to get the most benefit out of your workout.

If swimming laps sounds too repetitive, most land-based exercises can be done in the pool including Pilates, yoga, team sports like volleyball, strength training and jogging. Group classes are offered at most private and public pools and at resorts.

If it has been a while since you last went for a swim or if you have never been swimming before, it is a good idea to join a beginner's swim class or work with a private instructor to make sure that you have the basics down. I am going to start swimming this summer, but I haven't been swimming since middle school. So I put an ad on craigslist for an instructor and I recieved quite a few responses from reasonably priced instructors. Now, I just need to pick one and get started! Who wants to join me?

Get Your Fitness Groove Back

Angela Bassett is definitely a fitness queen that we can look up to. She has arm that are to die for! The fifty year old actress (man, I hope I look that good at 50. Shoot, I hope I look that good at 40...) used to work out with personal trainer Harley Pasternak (who has also worked with Halle Berry and Eve).



Pasternak recommends that his clients exercise for 25 minutes a day, 5 days a week. These workouts incorporate strength training and cardio in five minute intervals.

He also instructs his clients to eat five small meals a day (which is actually something that I do) instead of fewer large meals. Eating five meals a day raises your metabolism and provides a constant supply of vital nutrients, which helps your body to become toned and fit. Pasternak encourages Bassett and his other clients to eat foods that include quality protein (chicken, turkey, fish, and shellfish), moderate carbohydrates, fiber and healthy fats (like omega-3 found in salmon and olive oil). He also encourages them to drink sugar free beverages. (I think that people often forget that beverages that have a high sugar content are also high in calories. And not good calories either. Take a look at the label on your next can of Coke or beer.)

This sounds like great advice. And it is advice that is not difficult to follow. If you are looking for a workout that you can do in 25 minutes, check this out. Try out Harley Pasternak's advice and see how you feel. (and remember to keep us posted.)

Let's all work to get our fitness groove back!