|
Where you work out matters |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Written by Cecilia Oleck, McClatchy-Tribune
|
|
Friday, 12 January 2007 |
|
|
|
|
 After reveling, imbibing and overdoing it on the sweets and treats prevalent in the waning weeks of 2006, now it’s back-to-the-gym time.
If your plan for the New Year is to get in shape, know that you’re not alone.
Health clubs report an average 12 percent spike in new memberships in January, the highest increase all year.
But just signing up for the gym isn’t enough (sorry!). Regular gym-goers often laugh among themselves that while new members fill the place for a few weeks, it’s not long before their resolve weakens.
So how can you get the most out of your newfound determination to fit fitness into your life?
Experts say finding a gym or fitness club where you feel comfortable and physically challenged and that jibes with your health goals are the key.
How should you go about finding your ideal gym?
We put together a guide to help:
FINDING THE RIGHT GYM
1. Identify your fitness goals and look for a health club that offers programs and services to help you achieve them.
2. Ask friends and co-workers where they work out and why.
3. Look for a health club close to home or work. A convenient location will make it easier to get there on a regular basis — and it will increase the likelihood that you’ll stick to your new exercise routine.
4. Visit a health club during the timeframe when you are most likely to work out. This will help you gauge whether the club meets your needs and expectations. Also ask if you can get a trial membership before committing to a long-term plan.
5. Choose a club that makes you feel comfortable.
6. Check the locker rooms, equipment and club amenities to determine if the facility is well-organized and clean.
7. Talk to fitness instructors about their programs and ask when classes are held and who attends. This will help determine if the club offers classes that interest you and are appropriate for your fitness level. (Also find out if fitness classes are included in your membership plan or if they cost extra.)
8. Look for a club that has a personal trainer or fitness instructor certified to work with people who have health challenges similar to yours. Talk to trainers to get a sense of how open they are to speak with you about your needs. And don’t be afraid to ask them about their credentials or to see their certification.
9. Ask about the membership agreement terms and review the application details thoroughly before joining a club. Be sure that you understand the cancellation policy, billing procedures, length of the agreement and membership renewal process to prevent confusion about your membership in the future.
10. Don’t ever feel pressured to sign on the spot. You are entitled to take the contract home and read it before you make a final decision.
Source: International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association
———
Study weighs benefit of lung cancer CT scans Hope was kindled in some circles this fall when a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine concluded that CT scans reliably detect lung cancer at its most curable stage. Some groups eager to stamp out lung cancer responded with calls for broader testing. But some veterans in the fight against lung cancer — including the American Lung Association and the American Cancer Society — take more cautious stances. They praise the study for delivering promising preliminary data, but conclude that the results were not definitive. And the cost of the CT scans, which can be $500 apiece, could add tens of billions of dollars to health-care spending. Dr. Norman H. Edelman, chief medical officer of the American Lung Association, and others are waiting on the results of a larger study by medical centers all over the country. Those results aren’t expected until 2008. Lung cancer is the most lethal malignancy among Americans. It kills more than 160,000 people a year — more than breast, prostate and colon cancer combined. Nearly 85 percent of people diagnosed die within five years. Detected early, the cancer is easier to beat, with 50 percent of patients surviving.
McClatchy-Tribune
| Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register. |
|
|  | "Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is Alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange. In those days, we really believed that to be the world's one, and only truth." | |
|  | We're not that bright, even though in our own little world, we're geniuses. We like 80s hair bands and one-hit wonders, but among us we have respectable tastes, too. Metallica, Iron Maiden, U2. Pursuit of all things trivial is a lifestyle, not just a game. We like some sports, love other sports, and can find something to say about anything. We watch TV and movies and we've read a book or two, even a few classics (Yes, Classic Comics count!)
We call it insight, you call it what you will. | |
|  | Felix Wong is an outdoor enthusiast living in Fort Collins. A mechanical engineer by day, he is especially passionate about bicycling, running, and backpacking. | |
|  | Hola Amigos! I'm Sandra. I like to believe that people are 70 percent good and 30 percent dumb. I'm stickin to that story. Reading this blog might make you want to be good, but probably just dumb. | |
|  | Donovan Henderson is editor of NEXTnc. | |
|  | Here at Nextnc we have some characters. Get a sneak peak behind the curtain and find out what amusing antics our staffers get themselves into on a weekly basis. | |
|  | What is up FoCo?
I am a recent college graduate of Minnesota State University Moorhead. After recieving my B.A. in English and Mass Communications this past August I moved down to Colorado.
I enjoy long walks on the beach, candlelight dinners, and heavy metal. My hobbies include reading and writing, music, movies, and getting drunk. Some of my favorite contemporary authors include Bret Easton Ellis, Chuck Palahniuk, and Kurt Vonnegut. My top movies are anything directed by Kubrick. I enjoy listening to anything that rocks.
Right now I am just trying to get to know Colorado and FoCo better. Mostly in order to find the best drink specials on each day that ends in Y. So if you know where I can get a cheap drunk on, let me know!
--Drew | |
|  | Life's little morsels of inspiration, observation and encouragement seen through the eyes of the Nextnc reporter.
| |
|  | Ms. Giles currently lives in Colorado where she stars in her own private reality show. She writes aphoristic accounts of her life, taken completely out of context, and embellished with characters and situations disguised to resemble something close to interesting. | |
|  | over and out | |
| | My name is Michelle Turley and I'm 28 years old. I live in Severance with my hubbie, Brandon. We have 2 dogs and a cat. We enjoy camping, four-wheeling, and just being in the mountains. I like to cook, clean (go figure), flea market, and play poker. I have so much to say about poker... | |
|
|
