Hidden Dangers of a Sedentary Lifestyle

Our bodies are made to be active and to move. Unfortunately the lifestyle that the majority of the world is living has become sedentary. If you don’t regularly exercise and are sitting down for the majority of your day, your lifestyle can be categorized as sedentary. Even if you do exercise, if you spend the majority of your day in a sedentary job, you could be in the danger zone.

Bones are the foundation of our physical being and the heart is the foundation of our life. They require exercise and movement to maintain their strength and nutrient contents.

Think about it like this, in order for a car’s engine to function at maximum capacity, it needs to be driven. If you leave a car in the garage for years without taking it for a drive, the engine won’t start. It’s similar with your heart, except your heart needs to be “driven” and challenged at least 3 times per week.

If your heart is rarely or never exposed to exercise, your rate of weight gain, heart attack, high blood pressure, and many other significant and potentially fatal medical issues increases. Being physically inactive is a close second only to smoking as a leading cause of preventable death.

The hardest part about making changes in your lifestyle is taking the steps to initiate the changes. For anyone trying to start a fitness or wellness program, the easiest way to start is by going for a walk a couple times per week.

Nu’U Vitality Center is participating, and is continually encouraging other local companies to participate, in Bethesda Transportation’s Walk & Ride Challenge starting in September 2016. The Challenge is bringing local business together through friendly competition while getting sedentary individuals outside and active. If you are a business owner in Downtown Bethesda, this is a great way to get your employees moving and encouraging the get and stay active. If you work in the Downtown Bethesda area, talk to your business owner about starting a team and taking that first step! Follow the link below for more information regarding the Bethesda Transportation’s Walk and Ride Challenge and to sign your team up!

https://www.walkandride.net/districts/bethesda

Nu’U Vitality Center is also here to help you take that first step! Join us Wednesday’s during your lunch break at 12:30, Wednesday evenings at 6:30, and/or Sunday mornings  at 8:30 for our FREE walking program, Nu’Strides. Come get your steps in  while enjoying the beautiful outdoors and meeting new people with similar  goals. 

To sign up for our walking program, follow the link below and RSVP! We are excited to be a part of your first steps into a healthier you and a healthier lifestyle!

                  https://www.meetup.com/NuStrides/

Nu'U Vitality Center gets outside on a hot day!

Working out in the heat can be done, but you have to be smart about it. If you can't get out early in the morning or late in the evening, then you need a Plan B. And if you're going to #getoutside and #getactive, then make sure you #stayhydrated and #beprepared. Subscribe to our YouTube page for other great tips.

VO2 Max: Benefits for You

In many instances when people with no physiological testing background are asked if they would be willing to complete a VO2 max test on a treadmill or bicycle, they expressed feelings of anxiety. They expressed that the anxiety comes from the belief that a VO2 max test is very similar to a torture session, complete with a muscular meltdown into a puddle of lactic acid and sweat.

This is NOT the case at all.

Yes, it is a physical test and yes it will be physically difficult, but not for longer than a minute or two. The test length actually depends on your fitness level. There is no time limit as the test will end when you, the tester are at a point of fatigue. This can take anywhere between 10 and 30 minutes depending on the tester.

In laymen's terms, VO2 is how much oxygen your body can transport to your muscles to sustain work in an hour. So if you weigh more your body will require more oxygen.

The VO2 max test uses measures of heart rate in conjunction with caloric output as determined by the Korr machine’s measurement of the CO2 in the air exhaled by the testing individual. The test takes the individual through a range of effort levels to establish an accurate number of calories expended per hour at varying training levels.

The results let you know at what specific heart rate your body begins to use FATS or CARBOHYDRATES as its main energy source. If you are looking to lose more fat…this is the test for you!

VO2 max is a great way to determine ones fitness level by testing how the body consumes and utilizes oxygen. A beginner may not be able to utilize much oxygen at first due to low lung capacity, but as one continues to train, their lungs are able to take in more oxygen and utilize it better. 

Essentially allowing individuals to exercise much longer and more efficiently. If you are looking to optimize your endurance and fitness levels…this is the test for you!

Understanding the results that are yielded from a VO2 max test are a key component in a fitness or weight loss journey. Having an understanding of the way that your body works is essential in a successful weight loss or exercise optimization journey.

This test is NOT just for runners, cyclists, or super endurance athletes. Anyone can take the test…and anyone can benefit from the results.

To schedule your VO2 max test or to talk to one of our Lifestyle Architects give us a call at 301.685.0230 or send us an email at contactus@NuUVitality.com.

Look ahead to our Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) article to learn how it can benefit your weight loss journey as well!

How to Exercise Smart

The Washington, DC Metro area, and other parts of the country, are experiencing incredible heat waves. During extremely hot weather you don’t have to stop running or walking outside, but you do need to be smart about it. Go early in the day or late in the evening to avoid the hottest times. Find shady routes and bring plenty of water, fluids, hydration with you. Many runners don’t bring fluids on runs of 5K or shorter. Not a good idea. Take fluids with you.

MyFitnessPal has a great blog on running in humid weather. Check it out at https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/5-minute-expert-guide-running-humid-weather/

Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are serious! Know the signs. Run and walk with a friend. Get inside or get help immediately if you show symptoms of either. Yes, we want you to #getsoutside and #getactive, but we also want you to #staysafe and #stayhydrated.

Take Nu'Strides with Nu'U Vitality Center!

We're really excited to introduce Nu'Strides. This is a FREE program for anyone looking to get active or get more active. We're using the October 22 Make Your Mark Montgomery inaugural 5K/1K as the goal race. This is a fundraiser for Interfaith Works. Come walk, run-walk or run with us. We'd also love to have experienced runners, and run-walkers participate with the group to help motivate new walkers, run-walkers, and runners. It's takes a village so please join us! 

For more information visit https://www.nuuvitality.com/nu-strides-fitness-program.html. 

Massage: More Than A Luxury

A lot of research that supports the notion that massage is in fact a necessity is starting to come to light. Especially for those individuals who spend their 8 hour days sitting at a desk in front of a computer. You, yes you. Find out more about how regular massage therapy can benefit every aspect of your life.

There are 4 main types of mainstream massages. They are known as Swedish, Deep tissue, Sports, and Trigger Point. Each uses general massage technique to achieve differing goals for the individual client.

For those of you who sit at a desk all day, ask yourself the following questions.
          Do you suffer from lower back, neck and shoulder pain?
          Do you have trouble sleeping?
          Do you often experience headaches or migraines?

           

Well the answer is here…..and the answer is MASSAGE! Massage therapy has been proven to decrease pain (specifically for you desk workers, back pain), increase circulation, promote better posture, reduce risk of disease, and reduce stress levels. Reduction in stress leads to decreased anxiety, higher sleep quality, increased energy levels, heightened concentration, and decreased feelings of fatigue. The attitude on massage needs to be broadened not only to be seen as a healing method, but also to be seen as a preventative/proactive measure. It is the only treatment option with no harmful side effect.

One massage is good for sharp pain due to muscle tension. Regular massage is key for preventative care for greater quality of life. Massage therapy has the ability to reverse and counteract all of the sitting that we have been and will be doing. Nicole Allen, Registered Massage Practitioner, has joined the Nu’U Vitality Center team!  If your office is one that suffers from the “sitting all day blues” give us a call and we will see what we can do for your office as a whole! Visit us online or give us a call to learn more about how we can help you through massage.

References

“Benefits of Massage Therapy for Office Workers.” Accupressure MLD, Massage LLC. Web. 24 June 2016.

Mayo Clinic Staff. “Massage: Get in touch with its many benefits.” Mayo Clinic. Web. 24 June 2016.

“The Benefits of Massage.” Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals. Web. 24 June 2016.

Watts, Katherine. “6 Surprising health benefits of massage therapy.” The Reader’s Digest Association, Inc.  Web. 24 June 2016.

Daylight Savings Time - there really is an upside

Today is the Monday after we sprang forward for Daylight Savings Time (DST). Today is probably the most hated day of the year except for possibly April 15th. Even then it's a close race as to which day is worse.

This morning was filled with social media posts about how today should be a holiday; how there isn't enough coffee in the world to make up for the lost hour of sleep; and that on top of it today is Monday. [cue dramatic sighs]

However, there is an upside to DST...more sunshine when people are actually out in it.

Check out this blog post about vitamin D and DST from our friends at InsideTracker.

Vitamin D for Daylight Savings