ABOUT FITNESS
Karen is an AFPA Certified Nutritionist, Wellness Specialist,
and Certified Pre & Post Natal
Exercise Specialist, having received certification through the
American Fitness Professional &
Associates.
Karen owns her own nutrition
consulting firm, Central Florida
Nutrition & Wellness. In addition, Karen is currently studying
towards her Masters of Science
in Nutrition and Dietetics.
She is also a member of the Amer-
ican Nutrition Association, IDEA
Health & Fitness Association, and
the American Fitness Professional
& Associates. Additional CEC's in
Adolescent Fitness, Weight Training for Women, Nutrition & Dining
Out, Stress Resilience, Research &
Senior Fitness, and Kid's Health.
Several people engage in wishful
thinking that it is possible to transform their body with minimal effort
or with the latest fad, supplement,
or gimmick. It's easy to fall into the
trap: A workout friend gives you an
exercise tip, and then you pass it on
to numerous people you know. Your
child’s coach gives you a suggestion,
and sure enough you hear the same
thing from quite a few other parents.
So you figure it must be true. So, let’s
take a moment to clear up 5 of the
most common fitness myths.
ning on asphalt or pavement. Running is a great workout, but it can
impact the knees, and since it's the
force of your body weight on your
joints that causes the stress. It's the
same whether you're on a treadmill
or on asphalt. If you mix running
with other cardio activities, like
an elliptical machine, or you ride a
stationary bike, you will reduce impact on your knees so you'll be able
to run for many more years.
body, you're not working as hard as
it would if, say, you were moving on
your own steam, like you do when
you run or jog. It's not uncommon
to feel ravenous when you come out
of the water. It may actually cause
you to eat more than you normally
would, so it can make it harder to
stay with a healthy eating plan.
2: Swimming is a great
1. Running on a treadmill weight loss activity. for inWhile swimming is great
is better for joints than creasing lung capacity, toning muscles, and even helping to burn off
running outside.
Unless it’s a high-quality, extra-shock-absorbing treadmill, it’s
not going to make much of a difference. Running on a treadmill puts
less stress on your knees than run-
excess tension, the surprising truth
is that unless you are swimming for
hours a day, it may not help you lose
much weight. Because the resistance of the water is supporting your
Not necessarily. Machines are not
designed for all body types. There
are only so many ways you can adjust the seat and other settings.
Free weights, on the other hand,
can be adapted more easily. However, with free weights, it’s also easy to
slip into bad habits. In other words,
form, alignment and set-up are important for both free weights and
machines.
Karen is a married mother of a 3
yr old daughter, and stepmother to
3 teenage stepsons. She also owns
a sports event housing company,
Alliance Sports Travel.
5 Fitness Myths Busted
3. Machines are safer
than free weights.