Hot Weather and Exercise — www.hipfitwear.com owner and fitness trainer, Noelle Lusardi explains how to keep cool this summer!

Hot-weather exercise: Step Ahead’s fitness expert Noelle Lusardi explains how to keep cool this summer!

Outdoor exercise can be challenging when the temperature soars. Stay safe during hot-weather exercise by drinking enough fluids, wearing proper clothing and timing your workout to avoid extreme heat.

How hot weather affects your body

Exercising in hot weather puts extra stress on your heart and lungs. Both the exercise itself and the air temperature increase your body temperature. To dissipate heat, more blood circulates through your skin. This leaves less blood for your muscles, which increases your heart rate. If the humidity is high, your body faces added stress because sweat doesn’t readily evaporate from your skin — which only pushes your body temperature higher.

Under normal conditions, your skin, blood vessels and perspiration level adjust to the heat. But these natural cooling systems may fail if you’re exposed to high temperatures and humidity for too long. The result may be a heat-related illness, such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion or heatstroke.

How to avoid heat-related illnesses

To keep it cool during hot-weather exercise, keep these basic precautions in mind:

• Take it slow. If you’re used to exercising indoors or in cooler weather, take it easy at first. As your body adapts to the heat, gradually increase the length and intensity of your workouts. If you have a chronic medical condition or take medication, ask your doctor if you need to take additional precautions.
• Drink plenty of fluids. Your body’s ability to sweat and cool down depends on adequate rehydration. Drink plenty of water while you’re working out — even if you don’t feel thirsty. If you’re planning to exercise intensely or for longer than one hour, consider sports drinks instead. These drinks can replace the sodium, chloride and potassium you lose through sweating. Avoid drinks that contain caffeine or alcohol, which actually promote fluid loss.
• Dress appropriately. Lightweight, loosefitting clothing promotes sweat evaporation and cooling by letting more air pass over your body. Avoid dark colors, which can absorb the heat. A light-colored hat can limit your exposure to the sun.
• Avoid midday sun. Exercise in the morning or evening — when it’s likely to be cooler outdoors — rather than the middle of the day. If possible, exercise in the shade or in a pool.
• Wear sunscreen. A sunburn decreases your body’s ability to cool itself.
• Have a backup plan. If you’re concerned about the heat or humidity, stay indoors. Work out at the gym, walk laps inside the mall or climb stairs inside an air-conditioned building.

Know when to call it quits

During hot-weather exercise, be on the lookout for heat-related illness. Signs and symptoms may include:

• Weakness
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Muscle cramps
• Nausea or vomiting
• Rapid heartbeat

If you suspect a heat-related illness, stop exercising and get out of the heat. Drink water, and wet and fan your skin. If you don’t feel better within 60 minutes, contact your doctor. If you develop a fever higher than 102 F (38.9 C) or become faint or confused, seek immediate medical help.

Regular physical activity is important — but don’t let hot-weather workouts put your health at risk.  For additional information, contact Noelle at Noelle@stepaheadnj.com.

AGE & METABOLISM

Many believe that with age comes a slower metabolism.  Well, yes your metabolism does slow as you get older, but not for the reasons most believe. “The metabolism doesn’t slow down just because you get older,  but instead because you stop moving as much,” says Noelle Lusardi, www.hipfitwear.com owner and

 certified personal fitness trainer.

Your metabolism works off two main things: genetics and lean muscle mass. The main reason metabolism slows with age is based upon your lean body mass. When you’re younger you move more, and as people get older they move less. Therefore the lean body mass of an individual will decrease unless they continue exercising or begin to exercise more. Also, if you have very little lean muscle mass then you will not burn as many calories in a day as someone who has lots of muscle mass.

“To ensure your metabolism doesn’t slow as you begin to age then exercise and move to stay in shape, keeping that lean muscle mass in check,” says Lusardi.

FITNESS FACTS from WWW.HIPFITWEAR.COM owner, Noelle Lusardi

FITNESS FACTS from WWW.HIPFITWEAR.COM

 There are many reasons to exercise… following are a few fitness facts that may surprise you!

 - STROKE: Aerobic exercise lowers the risk of stroke!

 - HEART DISEASE: Aerobic exercise cuts the risk of heart attack by 20-35% in most studies.

 - BROKEN BONES:  Weight-bearing aerobic and strength-training exercise 3 to 5 times a week can increase density of spine and hips.

 - DIABETES:  Moderately active people have a 30 to 40 percent lower risk of type 2 diabetes.

 - DEPRESSION: Active people are 15 to 25 percent less likely to be diagnosed with depression than inactive people.

 - ARTHRITIS:  Moderate exercise several times a week for 30 to 60 minutes can reduce pain and disability.

 - FALLS: Older adults who are physically active have a 30% lower risk of falls.

www.hipfitwear.com “Kicks Asphalt” at Philadelphia Marathon

www.hipfitwear.com owner and certified personal trainer, Noelle Lusardi, completed the Philadelphia Marathon on Sunday, Nov. 22nd. “It was a great run,” said Noelle. “The weather was perfect, the city and crowds were great and the runners were strong.” Please log onto www.hipfitwear.com to see the latest and greatest in women’s active wear. “We offer unbeatable quality/style at unbeatable prices,” said Noelle.

www.hipfitwear.com runs for Habitat for Humanity

In an effort to give back to the community, www.hipfitwear.com owner and personal trainer Noelle Lusardi ran the Raritan Valley Habitat for Humanity 5K Home Run October race on Sunday, Oct. 11 at Duke Island Park in Bridgewater.  The run was planned to raise funds for building projects in Somerset County. 

“Our Habitat 5K Home Run is designed to help us meet the housing needs of the communities that we work in,” said Pam Ely, executive director of RVHFH. “Since the recession hit, our mission has become even more critical and our Oct. 11 run and walk gives us the opportunity to reach out to the community not only to say thanks but also to help us meet our goal of raising $30,000 to help make our new building project in Bridgewater a reality.”

Noelle was excited to represent www.hipfitwear.com during the run and to help raise money for such a good cause.

HipFit Wear running Newport Liberty Half Marathon

Noelle Lusardi, www.hipfitwear.com owner and certified personal fitness trainer will be running the Newport Liberty Half Marathon in Jersey City, NJ, this Sunday!  She’ll be sporting Gracie’s Gear running tank!  Go get ‘em Noelle!

HipFitWear.com “reached the beach” after running a 200 mile relay.

Noelle Lusardi, HipFit Wear owner and certified personal fitness trainer,  took part in Reach The Beach (RTB) Relay this past weekend.  It’s the longest distance running relay race in the United States. The RTB Relay takes place in picturesque New Hampshire during the start of the New England foliage season.   Her relay team “Nuts and Knockers” consisted of a 10 person team that rotated through 36 transition areas covering 200 miles.   The runners rotated in a set order once the race began and were obligated to follow this rotation until the final runner Reaches the Beach!

Race Details:

Date:  Friday & Saturday, September 18-19, 2009
Start: Cannon Mountain, Franconia, NH
Finish: Hampton Beach State Park, Hampton Beach, NH

“Nuts and Knockers” maintained an 8:11 min mile pace throughout the race and finished 156 out of  199 teams.  The race was a huge fundraiser for Domestic Violence and Alzheimers Disease. 

“Fall Into Fitness,” says Noelle Lusardi, www.hipfitwear.com owner and certified personal fitness trainer.

The summer days of throwing on a tank top and shorts are coming to an end. Fall means wearing a little more fabric for sure, but what else does it change in a fitness routine?

Cooler is Better

In the hottest days of summer, there is a risk of overheating. The risk of dehydration also increases with the temperatures since hotter temperatures cause more perspiration and fluid loss. So, falling temperatures mean there’s less of a risk of these things. Don’t think that means you don’t need fluid intake – because ignoring hydration can lead to becoming dehydrated in any season or temperatures.

Light Problems
Yes, fall means shorter days. To avoid post-sunset workouts, plan to exercise a little earlier. Unless the route you take is extremely safe, it usually isn’t a good idea to exercise after dark. There are plenty of gyms wherever you go, and there are some great fitness DVD’s to choose from instead. Don’t risk safety for a calorie burn.

Check the Weather
In a lot of places, summer means sunny and hot, day after day. Fall is anything but predictable. Before heading out for a workout, check the weather to see what the temperature is. Fall temps vary by up to twenty degrees day to day at times! Avoid freezing or melting by taking the two minutes to see what it’s going to be like the duration of the planned workout.

Watch Your Step (or Tires)
Keep in mind that leaves can make the ground slippery, so pay close attention and be very careful not to lose your footing!

Look Around
Remember to enjoy the falling leaves. Take your mind off your burning muscles and take in the pretty colors of fall.

Tips To Stay Pumped To Exercise, by Noelle Lusardi, owner of www.hipfitwear.com and certified personal fitness trainer

I’ll admit it: There are times when it feels impossible to get my body or mind pumped up to work out. And though the summer weather means you have more outdoor options–including swimming and biking–there are also more distractions to sap your workout resolve (napping in a hammock, for example). To help rev your engines, try these tips. They’ll keep you moving, the calories sizzling and the numbers on the scale inching in the direction you want: down! Switch up your routine: Changing what you do not only busts motivation-killing monotony, but it also helps you break through any body plateau. Exercisers who alternated moderate- and high-intensity cardio intervals burned nine times more fat than the moderate-only group in a study at Laval University in Quebec. When you’re toning, change the number of reps and the amount of weight you use between strength sessions. Doing bicep curls? Try this: One day you do 10 reps with 10-pound weights, and then the next 20 reps with 5-pound weights or whatever weight feels right to you. Know there IS time: Instead of doubting you can squeeze in a sweat session, simply go for a run or hit the gym. A study from the University of Alberta in Edmonton found it’s key for women to just start moving rather than overthink it. Tune out: Spending more than two hours a day watching TV can increase your risk for obesity by 23 percent, a study from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston indicates. To keep your risk in check, make sure you exercise 30 minutes for every two hours you watch television. If you can’t tear yourself away, tape or TiVo your favorite shows. That way you can fly past the commercials (especially those for food) and get through shows quickly; use the time you save to take a brisk walk around your neighborhood or hop on a stationary bike. Better yet, pop in a workout video (find great ones at Self.com) and make the time you spend in front of the tube really count for something. Find a friend: Research shows that people with support exercise more regularly. Make a standing date with a pal to help yourself stay on track. Home is where the heart pumps: People who utilize cardio machines in their abodes were more likely to consistently use them than people without equipment, a study in The Journal of the American Medical Association. No treadmill in your basement? Pop in a workout DVD and get moving. Keep it up: Going two days without working out is enough to cause the size of fat cells to increase by 25 percent, according to research at the University of Missouri at Columbia. Aim for at least 30 minutes a day (more if you’re attempting to drop pounds), and do a mix of cardio and strength exercises. Give it time: It takes six weeks to see significant results on a weight loss plan, even though your body experiences positive cellular and molecular changes as soon as you begin to eat better and exercise more. You may only see little changes day to day–but stick with it! It IS working! After roughly 42 days, those incremental losses will add up to a big, motivating drop on the scale. In one study of 300 dieters who exercised 30 minutes daily, those who were overweight or obese lost up to 16 pounds by the six-week mark. The lesson: Don’t be discouraged if you fail to see results quickly–your body is busy adjusting to your changed habits and will produce positive news soon.

www.hipfitwear.com… Fitting Active Wear for Every Woman!!

“Kathy and I take great pride in offering top-notch brazilian active wear that is flattering and highly functional for most women,” says Noelle Lusardi, co-owner and personal trainer.  “We hand pick all items that we carry based on fit, durability and performance.   We are currently offering FREE shippping as well as a FREE gift for all purchases of $200 or more.  Don’t miss out on this great deal.  Log on today… www.hipfitwear.com.”