Blog
Explore the complexities of weight management beyond simplistic "calories in, calories out." This article challenges common myths, explaining how biological, psychological, and social factors influence energy balance, and why discipline isn't the sole determinant of success.
Train smarter, not harder! This guide explains how RPE (Perceived Exertion) and RIR (Reps in Reserve) provide an intuitive approach to optimize your strength training for better gains.
Tired of fitness myths? Empower yourself to become a savvy consumer of health information! Discover the scientific method, different types of studies, and how to identify credible evidence to reach your goals.
Explore the power of mindfulness, meditation, and breathwork to enhance athletic performance and recovery. Learn about heart rate variability (HRV) and how these practices can improve your training, with insights on lifting and swimming.
Unlock your full potential with a coaching approach that puts you at the center! Tired of generic fitness plans? This post delves into the power of a client-centered and holistic philosophy, prioritizing your unique needs, goals, and life experiences beyond mere numbers. Discover how personalized training programs, built through collaborative goal setting, address your physical, mental, and emotional well-being for sustainable progress. Learn about the emphasis on empowerment through education, fostering trust and understanding in the coach-client relationship to help you take the reins of your health journey and find lasting joy in movement.
Unlock a healthier, more functional body with resistance training, exploring options like Pilates and traditional strength training (weightlifting). Discover the differences between these popular methods and learn how they fit into your fitness journey. While Pilates builds core strength, stability, and flexibility using bodyweight or light resistance, strength training with heavier loads is superior for building muscle mass, strength, and power, offering significant advantages for bone health, combating sarcopenia, improving cognitive function, and metabolic health. Understand the benefits of both Pilates versus strength training to make informed choices for your fitness goals.
Boost your health and fitness with the power of dietary fiber! This guide breaks down the benefits of soluble and insoluble fiber for digestion, blood sugar control, heart health, weight management, and disease prevention, including colorectal cancer. Learn why fiber is a "superfood," how it supports your gut microbiome, and get practical tips to easily increase your daily intake from whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes to meet the American Heart Association's recommendation of 25-35 grams (most US adults only get 15-17g!). Start your journey to better overall well-being today by understanding and incorporating more fiber into your diet.
The post argues against long-term, rigid macro tracking for the average person seeking a healthy and sustainable lifestyle. While acknowledging its utility for specific populations with defined aesthetic or performance goals like bodybuilders and athletes, the author details several potential pitfalls. These include the allure of control leading to a restrictive mindset, the risk of developing or exacerbating body dysmorphia and disordered eating patterns, a disconnection from natural hunger and fullness cues, and a negative impact on quality of life through social isolation and food anxiety. The author advocates for a more balanced and intuitive approach, primarily focusing on mindful eating, "gentle nutrition" (applying general nutritional knowledge without strict tracking), and prioritizing whole foods and overall healthy habits, ultimately emphasizing a healthy and enjoyable relationship with eating over obsessive number counting.
This blog post from Holistic Training emphasizes that true well-being extends beyond traditional measures of fitness and nutrition to encompass the social determinants of health. It explores how factors like socioeconomic status, neighborhood environment, access to healthy food, and social connections significantly impact our ability to achieve a healthy and fulfilling life. The post highlights the disconnect between generic health advice and the realities faced by many due to systemic barriers, advocating for a holistic approach that considers individual circumstances, encourages creative solutions, and recognizes the vital roles of community, environment, and social support in our overall well-being.
This guide emphasizes that for Masters swimmers, incorporating resistance training (dryland) is a crucial complement to swimming, vital for enhancing performance, preventing injuries, and improving overall well-being with age by addressing muscle loss and bone density decline. Dryland offers numerous benefits, including increased power and speed in the water, improved injury prevention (especially for shoulders), enhanced bone density, better body position and core stability, greater functional strength, and boosted confidence. A well-rounded program should consistently include 2-3 weekly sessions with exercises targeting swimming muscles like squats, deadlifts, rows, presses, and planks, prioritizing proper form, gradual progression, listening to the body, and supporting training with adequate hydration and nutrition. Ultimately, resistance training is presented as a valuable investment that empowers Masters swimmers to swim faster, stay healthier, and enjoy the sport for the long term.
