2nd Wind Exercise Equipment Blog

Finding a Personal Fitness Trainer

Wed, 29 Nov 2006 10:30:58 -0600

It once was that personal fitness trainers were exclusively for the super rich, sighted by us normal folks only in paparazzi photographs of a celebrity's entourage. But as fitness centers have spread throughout the country and the number of personal fitness trainers has increased, getting your own has become a real possibility for the average person, says Patrick Hagerman, EdD, a professor of exercise and sports science at the University of Tulsa.

"They're really much more affordable than people would think," says Hagerman, who is also a board member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association and owns Quest Personal Training in Oklahoma City.

Nor are personal fitness trainers just for the buff, spandex-sporting crowd, says Fred Klinge, chairman of the Health and Registry Board at the American College of Sports Medicine. Klinge emphasizes that the scope of personal fitness trainers has broadened. "It's not just about weight lifting and cardio work anymore," he tells WebMD. "It's more about assistance in developing a healthy and fit lifestyle."

Although there haven't been too many, some studies have shown that personal trainers can help people stick to their exercise routines more effectively than they would on their own, according to Cedric Bryant, PhD, chief exercise physiologist at the American Council on Exercise (ACE). But for someone who hasn't had any experience with personal trainers, figuring out how to get one can be daunting.

Who Needs a Personal Trainer?

You may ask yourself why you would benefit from a personal trainer. After all, why should you pay for somebody to tell you to exercise when you can just go and exercise for free?

But for some, having a person to answer to really helps provide motivation. After all, if we never got scolded by our teachers and parents for not doing our homework when we were kids, a lot of us would still be in the second grade. Knowing that you have someone who will take you to task can make a difference.

Hagerman sees a lot of practical advantages to having a personal fitness trainer. "It saves time and it reduces injuries," he says. "You have someone who can help you figure out what exercises you need to do and how the equipment works rather than wasting time figuring it out on your own.

"A lot of people in the gym learn exercises by watching other people do them," Hagerman continues. "But the person they're watching probably learned by watching someone else, and whoever started the chain probably didn't know what they were doing to begin with."

The expense of hiring a personal trainer can be motivation in itself, according to Klinge, who is also general manager of the North Little Rock Athletic Club in Arkansas. For the same reason that some people will clear their plate at a restaurant so that they get their money's worth, others get fit simply because they hate to see the money they paid for a gym membership and a trainer go to waste.

Extended Warranty Story on Kare11

Mon, 27 Nov 2006 14:25:39 -0600

http://wm.kare.gannett.edgestreams.net/news/longtermhold/112006_138575_warranty_kare.wmv?213436524624

High Cholesterol:Risk Factors

Mon, 27 Nov 2006 11:52:58 -0600

Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance made in the liver and found in certain foods, such as from animals, like dairy products (whole milk), eggs and meat. The body needs some cholesterol in order to function properly. However, too much cholesterol can increase a person's risk of developing heart disease. There are several factors that contribute to high cholesterol -- some are controllable while others are not.

Uncontrollable risk factors include:

Gender: After menopause, a woman's LDL-cholesterol level ("bad" cholesterol) goes up, as does her risk for heart disease.
Age: Your risk increases as you get older. Men aged 45 years or older and women aged 55 years or older are at increased risk of high cholesterol.
Family history: Your risk increases if a father or brother was affected by early heart disease (before age 55) or a mother or sister was affected by early heart disease (before age 65).

Controllable risk factors include:

Diet: The saturated fat and cholesterol in the food you eat raise total and LDL-cholesterol levels.
Weight: Being overweight can make your LDL-cholesterol level go up and your HDL level go down.
Physical activity/exercise: Increased physical activity helps to lower LDL- cholesterol and raise HDL-cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol) levels. It also helps you lose weight.

Eating Right With Limited Mobility

Mon, 27 Nov 2006 11:36:45 -0600

With arthritis, the simplest tasks can seem Herculean -- especially when they involve preparing and eating meals. You're not alone. Opening a carton of milk, slicing a tomato, or making a sandwich can be overwhelming to the millions of people with arthritis and other diseases and conditions that affect mobility.

So how are you supposed to eat the healthy, balanced diet that your doctors insist is part of your treatment?

"Anyone with osteoarthritis or any kind of limitation that affects their ability to walk, use their hands, or their ability to stand, as well as those with decreased general endurance and weakness that's secondary to another disease, can run into trouble when it comes to preparing and eating meals," says Susan Underwood, RN, RD, manager of nutrition services for the Visiting Nurse Service-Choice of New York. (VNS-Choice), a long-term care program serving the elderly and disabled.

"Someone's ability to cook and prepare meals is compromised if they can't stand or use their hands."

But simple strategies and tasty tips can help make cooking and eating manageable and enjoyable once again.

Counting Your Calories

First things first: "If someone isn't as mobile as they used to be, their total energy decreases so their calorie needs go down. But if they are still eating the same amount as when they were more mobile, it can lead to weight gain," Underwood says.

"Over time, they will gain weight and this will exacerbate problems with mobility." That's why the first step is to talk with a registered dietitian or health care provider who can evaluate calorie needs and discuss how best to meet them, she says. The American Dietetic Association can help you find a dietitian near you.

Harnessing the Power of Protein

Getting adequate amounts of protein is crucial for the elderly and disabled, Underwood says. "As people get older and older, we become concerned about weight loss and we tend to see decreased protein intake," Underwood explains. "When you don't eat enough protein, you don't just lose fat, you lose lean body mass and muscle that your body burns off for energy, then tissue repair," Underwood explains.

So how do you make sure you meet your protein needs?

Tina Freiwald, RD, CDE, at Windber Medical Center in Windber, Penn., suggests the incredible, edible egg. "Eggs get a bad rap, but if you don't have a problem with cholesterol, they are a good source of protein, are soft, so they can chew them as well as cook them very easily," she says.

Tuna and salmon, which are also high in protein, now come in pouches, not just hard-to-open cans, she says. Imitation crabmeat and frozen shrimp are also easy to open and good sources of protein.

You can also get protein and a bonus of calcium from cottage cheese and yogurt -- both of which are easy to chew and open, she suggests. "The less mobility you have, the heavier you [can] get, so calories can still be an issue, and many of these dairy foods come in low-fat varieties, which can be helpful unless you are already not getting enough calories because you are so frail," Freiwald says.

2nd Wind Featured on Kare 11 News

Tue, 21 Nov 2006 12:02:18 -0600

Extended Warranties: A Good Deal?

From iPods to hot-rods, treadmills to plasma screen televisions - it seems everywhere you shop these days, more and more retailers are encouraging you to buy extended warranties.

"I love every one of our service plans," said Best Buy customer experience manager Gina Gabrielson.

"We mention them to customers," said 2nd Wind store manager Chris Ball, "and they think it's a great idea."

"I think they're good for everyone," said Jim Lupient Infiniti finance manager Chad Ottoson.

But are they really?

"It's very rarely a good idea to purchase an extended warranty," said Robert Krughoff, the president and founder of Consumers' Checkbook magazine. "And, in fact, in most cases I think of it as irrational."

Pause and think about it awhile. Just seconds after convincing you to buy a top-of-the-line washing machine, digital camera or laptop computer, a sales clerk urges you to spend an extra couple of hundred bucks on something called a "performance guarantee" or "product replacement plan."

"That's how they sell [extended warranties]," said Minnesota Assistant Attorney General, Jessica Palmer-Denig. "They suggest your [new purchase] is likely to break and then you'll need an extended warranty that will go on past the manufacturer's warranty."

"If it's such a great product," wondered Krughoff, "then why am I buying protection for something that might go wrong? It just doesn't make any sense."

Krughoff said warranties are really just another form of insurance and it only makes sense to buy insurance against catastrophes.

"It makes sense to buy insurance in case you have a heart attack or your house burns down or you're in a terrible car accident," Krughoff said, "but extended warranties are not generally covering real catastrophes.

You're better off, if something happens to your product, taking it to a good repair shop and getting it fixed. In the long run, you'll save money doing that and you'll have a lot less hassle."

Those who actually profit the most from the sale of extended warranties are the retailers who sell them.

"It's a $15 billion a year industry," says Assistant Attorney General Palmer-Denig, "and more than $7 billion of that gets paid to the retailers who sell you the warranty.

Profits aside, not all extended warranties are the same.

Target entered the extended warranty market just recently, offering three-year "extended service plans" on most products sold in its electronics department.

The plans come in four different prices ($19 - $79), depending on the price of the electronic device, and eliminate the need for customers to save sales receipts. Instead, they merely apply a sticker to their electronic device and call the phone number printed on the sticker when they need to arrange for service.

"Target has simplified the extended service plan," said Rob Saba, store team leader at the new Super Target near Knollwood Mall in St. Louis Park. "Anything goes wrong with your product and all you have to do is call that number and they'll take care of your product from there. If it's a smaller product, we'll send you out a pre-paid shipping box, you send it back to us and we'll repair it. If it's a bigger product, what we'll do is actually send someone to your house to repair it within 24 to 48 hours."

Consumer Reports magazine recommends buying extended warranties on exercise equipment with lots of moving parts, like treadmills and elliptical machines.

"They're electronic devices," pointed out Chris Ball of 2nd Wind. "They have motors and rollers and belts that have a tendency to wear out if [the customer] uses the machine a lot."

2nd Wind offers five-year performance plans ranging from $195 to $250 on most of its fitness equipment. The warranties are transferable anywhere in America.

"So, even if you move to Alaska," said Ball, "and there's no town anywhere within 200 miles, we will get a service technician to your home."

Experts say consumers rarely get their money's worth buying extended warranties on cameras these days because most well-known brands are so dependable that the warranties are an unnecessary added expense.

"It's a bad deal," said Krughoff of Consumers' Checkbook. "Don't buy an extended warranty on a camcorder or a digital camera."

Managers at National Camera Exchange disagree with Krughoff.

The cost of a one-year "performance guarantee" on a $600 digital camera at National Camera Exchange is about $50.

"The cost of a typical repair on a digital camera is a couple hundred dollars," said Gil Robles, a manager at the National Camera Exchange store in Golden Valley. "Every camera I personally own has a performance guarantee on it, because I know the cost to fix a broken camera is prohibitive. If your camera needs repair and you have a performance guarantee, then we'll send it back to the manufacturer. If they determine that [the problem] wasn't because of abusive mishandling, then they'll fix the product for free. Parts and labor are covered. There are no deductibles. If your camera cost under $200 and it breaks, we'll replace the camera, or we can credit the customer the value of that product and they can purchase something else if they want to."

Whether it's cameras, refrigerators, or big-screen TVs, sales assistants at Best Buy are instructed to inform all customers about the store's extended warranty options, which Best Buy refers to as "performance service plans" and "product replacement plans."

"It's my job to inform everybody of what the options are," said Best Buy customer experience manager Gina Gabrielson. "I can't say that [every] TV is not going to break within four years. I'd love to tell you that, but that's why we offer [extended warranties]. So we can [provide] peace of mind for our customers. It's all about choice."

While checking out at the register, Best Buy customers are reminded about the store's warranty options.

"Our cashiers are instructed to make sure that you are aware of the benefit," said Gabrielson.

"If you feel pressured at the checkout line to buy a warranty," said Assistant Attorney General Palmer-Denig, "then it's not necessarily in your best interest to do it. Take your time, wait, take the product home, read the contract, and then make a fully informed decision about whether the warranty is going to offer you some value."

Car salespeople will tell you extended warranties are a bargain for consumers.

"It only takes one repair for the customer to come out ahead," said Chad Ottoson, finance manager for Jim Lupient Infiniti in St. Louis Park. "I have [an extended warranty] on my own car. I've got one on my mom's car, I've got one on my uncle's car. It's not something I would do to myself and my own family if I didn't believe in the product."

You don't have to purchase an extended warranty from the same place you purchase a vehicle, however.

"Some dealerships might charge you $800 for the same extended warranty that another dealership would charge you $300 to $400 for," said Krughoff.

Consumers' Checkbook has created a list of dealers offering the lowest prices on service contracts for all types of cars. "We actually have shopped all around the country," said Krughoff, "to identify dealerships that will sell those warranties at the best possible prices."

Click here to visit the page with their findings.

Finally, if you're determined to buy an extended warranty, Krughoff said Target's prices "compare favorably" to most.

It's a gamble either way, but wagering that new, special something you just bought won't break might be your safest bet.

The Importance of Exercise

Tue, 21 Nov 2006 11:25:45 -0600

The Importance of Exercise

Around the world, scores of people participate in some sort of exercise, sports, or physical activity. They are overcoming excuses and realizing numerous benefits that one can achieve from undertaking physical activity on a regular basis. Exercise is important to keep both your body and mind "in shape". Here are some of the basic benefits that people can look forward to, when embarking upon a lifetime fitness outlook that includes some form of exercise:

Increased Energy
By working out on a regular basis, your body becomes more efficient at burning calories. This gives you more energy throughout the day.

Increased Metabolism
Increased physical activity through working out leads to more muscle mass, which in itself leads to a higher metabolism. As per some studies, every extra pound of muscle allows you to burn anywhere from 50-100 calories when at rest.

Improved Muscle Tone
Physical activity, especially weight training allows you to change the shape of your body. Since muscle is denser than fat, one can get bigger or smaller by gaining more muscle mass.

Better Health
Increased exercising leads to a strengthening of the immune system; which means that one is less likely to get sick when exercising the right amount. On the other hand, over exercising can weaken your immune system and make you sick.

Stress Reduction
Stress levels are reduced extensively by regular work outs. They allow the individual to take their mind off the daily grind and use pent up energies for productive purposes.

Improved Self-esteem
When following an exercise regimen for a regular basis, you bring about greatgreater self esteem through the results and accomplishment achieved.

Strength vs. Resistance Training

Mon, 20 Nov 2006 12:01:27 -0600

Is there a difference between strength training using weights and "resistance" training using those elastic or rubber bands? Which is better?

Strength training and resistance training are actually interchangeable terms used to describe exercise that builds lean muscle tissue. Both terms can refer to using dumbbells, bands, Bowflexes, or even your own body weight to challenge your muscles until they tire and break down a little, so they repair themselves stronger and firmer than before.

That said, there are important differences between "free weights" like dumbbells, ankle weights, and barbells and resistance bands or tubes. As with anything, each has its advantages and disadvantages.

For building muscle, it's hard to beat dumbbells. Just as you lift boxes, put away groceries, and push and pull heavy doors, free weight exercises demand that you curl, reach, pull, and press to strengthen those much-used muscles. They work each muscle from almost every conceivable angle, so you get total-muscle toning. Free weights also force you to stabilize your body as you lift and lower, so you develop better balance and stronger supporting muscles, joints, and ligaments, as well as stronger core muscles like abs and back.

The downside is that dumbbells aren't exactly portable. You're not likely to take them with you on vacations or trips. It can also be difficult to hold dumbbells that are heavy enough to challenge your large leg muscles during moves like squats and lunges.

Rubber resistance bands, as well as rubber tubing, have been around for decades. Originally just big gray strips of latex used by physical therapists to help people regain strength after injury, today's resistance strips and tubes come in a wide variety of colorful options. There are mini bands, long bands, short bands, and tubes with handles, tubes with poles--all available from the simplest to the most difficult resistance.

Portability is the greatest benefit of resistance bands. No other fitness equipment stashes away so easily in a suitcase, gym bag, or handbag to give you an on-the-go gym. You can do a whole-body strength training workout when you're on the road, even if there's not a dumbbell within 50 miles of your hotel.

You'll find that, in general, bands don't work your muscles quite as hard as free weights. But they do make them work longer. Unlike dumbbells and ankle weights that rely on gravity for resistance, bands and tubes provide their own constant resistance as long as you're holding them taut. The result: Your muscles don't get the same "rest" that they do when you're at the beginning and end of a strength training move using free weights.

The downside is that the constant tension of bands makes some moves--especially overhead presses and exercises where the weight is high on the body--awkward to perform. The bands tend to pull your arms out to the sides when you're trying to push out or up in a straight line. And it can be difficult to get enough resistance from them for certain large-muscle exercises like leg presses.

For low-body toning exercises like leg lifts, however, they can actually be superior to weights. Here are a few ways to get the biggest bang from your resistance bands:

Ankle Ties
Any side-to-side or front-to-back movement you make with an exercise band looped around your legs at the ankles will work your hips, legs, and glutes. Experiment by pressing your leg out in different directions, or trying to walk side-to-side or forward and back. The band should always be taut.

Row, Row, Row
Bands are excellent for rows of all kinds. Sit on the floor with a band looped around your feet, and pull both ends back (keeping your elbows close to your body) in a rowing motion to work your back. Fasten an end to a doorknob, and pull one end straight to your side for standing rows.

Mimic Any Motion
If you can do it with a free weight, chances are you can imitate the motion with a band. Step on one end, and curl the band for arm curls. Loop it around your back, and press the ends forward for chest presses. Step on it with both feet, and hold each end at your waist to add resistance during squats. You're limited only by your imagination.

Work out, weather or not

Fri, 17 Nov 2006 11:25:19 -0600

Don't let the siren call of earlier nightfall and lower temperatures lure you away from exercise.

You're driving home from work, it's dark and cold, your warm couch is beckoning and a little voice is whispering softly in your ear."Hey," it says. "I know you were planning to stop at the gym, but wouldn't you rather curl up with a bag of corn chips and watch 'Dancing with the Stars' instead?"
Now that daylight is in ever shorter supply, that little voice seems to get more insistent, doesn't it? An after-work bike ride or run that, just a month ago, had been a pleasurable snap is no longer an option -- outdoors, at least. It's so dark, so early, that by 6 p.m. it already feels like bedtime. What's the harm in blowing off a workout -- or two, or three?

Keep up that mindset, though, and winter weight gain isn't far behind. That's why, in this hibernation-prone time, we asked some area fitness buffs how to fortify our sagging motivation muscles through these dark, cold days.

Tip No. 1 might be the most important: Realize it's mostly in your head.

"It happens so suddenly," said Dan Kelly, a personal training specialist at Lifetime Fitness in Woodbury, of the waning daylight hours. "Now that many of us work from dark to dark, our perception of available time changes. We think, 'Geez, it's dark. I should be home.' But when it's light out at night, we're on the patio and we know we can work out at night."

Reality check: While it seems we no longer have as much time to get things done, many of us probably have more because we're not doing as much outdoors. Kelly advocates prioritizing exercise, and figuring out in advance how it can fit into your schedule. He also says it's important to have a goal -- understand what you want to accomplish, and decide how to make it happen.

Variety is another key. Climbing a stair machine for 40 minutes can be a bore. But many gyms offer yoga, Pilates and studio cycling classes, to name a few. "It's a good time to try something different," said Jill Winegar, program director of the Sweatshop in St. Paul. "If you always do the same thing, it's easier to blow off."

Even better, consider signing up for a program that has a set beginning and end date. If, for example, your step aerobics class meets twice a week for six weeks, you'll probably feel more committed to going.

You also have options other than the gym. Starting Nov. 21, the Metrodome will open its upper concourse to runners on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. If you enjoyed summer cycling, consider setting up your bike on an indoor trainer. Most are easy to set up, and some cost as little as $150. And since it's your own bike, it will fit you better than an exercise bike at the gym.

Motivated yet? If not, consider this final piece of advice: Focus on the payoff, not the pain.

"People get off work, they want to get home. They think about everything it takes to get [to the gym,]" Kelly said. "But they don't think all the way through to how good they'll feel when they're done. I always hear: 'Once I get here, it's great.' But it's getting there. The couch is the black hole."

2nd Wind Exercise Equipment Introduces New Octane Fitness Elliptical Cross Trainers

Fri, 17 Nov 2006 10:32:06 -0600

2nd Wind Exercise Equipment Introduces New Octane Fitness Elliptical Cross Trainers

New Octane Elliptical Cross Trainers, offering the most natural walking, jogging, and running motion, are now available from 2nd Wind Exercise Equipment

Eden Prairie, MN November 17, 2006 -- 2nd Wind Exercise Equipment Exercise Equipment is pleased to be able to exclusively offer the new Q37 Elliptical Cross Trainer by Octane Fitness. Octane continues their transformation of this popular category of exercise machines with the new Q37. The breakthrough Converging Path handlebars replicate the natural path of the body when striding on an elliptical, making the upper body motion feel supremely natural and comfortable.

As with all Octane ellipticals, the Q37 has their exclusive Body-Mapping Ergonomics and patented Quadlink drive that smoothly replicates the movements of walking, jogging and running. The new Q37 also has the narrowest space between the foot pedals (1.8 inches) and the lowest step-up height in the industry (1.8"). Both of these features lead to ease of use, maximum comfort and minimal risk for back stress.

Add these new features to the trademark innovative workouts, including Armblaster, which alternates steady resistance with intense upper body intervals, and you have an elliptical that is unbeatable in its price category.

In addition, Octane has recently introduced the Q35 elliptical, which is poised to make a significant impact on the moderately priced elliptical category. The Octane Q35 offers the same patented Quadlink drive, the same Body-Mapping Ergonomics and the same1.8" pedal spacing as on their Q37 and Q45 models, but at a price category that has not seen this quality of design in an elliptical previously.

The Octane Q37 and Q35 elliptical cross trainers can be seen, along with the top of the line Q45 ellipticals, at any one of the 10 2nd Wind Exercise Equipment locations throughout the Midwest, or on-line at www.2ndwindexercise.com to find the location nearest you.

About 2nd Wind Exercise Equipment:
2nd Wind is the Midwest’s exclusive dealer of new and used exercise equipment lines, which include Life Fitness, Parabody, Hoist, PaceMaster, Vision, Octane, and a host of others. Now with 96 retail stores and an "award winning" commercial division, 2nd Wind has become one of the most successful and largest fitness dealers in the U.S. with projected sales this year in excess of $95 Million.
http://www.2ndwindexercise.com

About Octane Fitness
Together with more than 28 years of experience in the fitness industry, Dennis Lee and Tim Porth founded Octane Fitness in 2001. Fueled by a relentless passion to offer the best elliptical machines, the company is committed exclusively to delivering breakthrough, performance cross training -- unlike any other fitness equipment manufacturer today. Elliptical cross trainers are the sole focus of Octane Fitness' extensive research, development, testing and manufacturing -- all ultimately to benefit exercisers with superior quality products; innovative, effective workouts and unparalleled personalized service.

Season's Eatings

Thu, 16 Nov 2006 14:59:48 -0600

- An often-quoted statistic, which may or may not be true, is that the average American gains 7 pounds during the holidays. In any case, there's no denying that holidays and holiday eating pose a threat to many people's healthy diet and exercise programs. Here are a few tips that may help you get through the rest of the year with your fitness fairly intact.

Healthy Holiday Tips

- Don't skip your workouts.
- This is not the time to start on a weight loss diet. Make it your goal to keep your weight stable.
- At a drinks and hors d'oeuvre party, fill your plate with veggies and other low fat choices. Then move away from the buffet table to eat it. If you're still hungry after you eat, you can go back, but don't hang out by the food.
- If you want a cocktail, try to mix it yourself and keep it light. You can also just keep adding water as the evening goes on. If you don't want to drink, don't. If there's social pressure, get a glass of soda or tonic with a lime in it and either talk loud or giggle a lot. No one will know the difference.
- If you're cooking the turkey, don't choose the self-basting kind. They have more fat. If you're eating it, take off the skin and remember, white meat has less fat than dark. If you have one of those tofu turkeys from the health food store, let me know how it was.
- Cut a little bit of the butter and a little bit of the sugar out of the recipe. It will taste just as good. For seasoning, think herbs and spices. You can get away with substituting low fat dairy or yogurt. It often tastes better than the full fat version.
- Eat something light before a big holiday meal. Don't go into it ravenous, but don't stuff yourself with celery sticks thinking that will make you want to pass up the candied yams.
- If you're never tempted to eat sweets or fatty food, try not to keep saying to other people, "how can you put something like that in your body?"
- Emphasize fruits and vegetables and drink plenty of water so you don't think you're hungry when you're really thirsty. These things don't change. Don't give up your good habits.
- Don't feel badly if your social life doesn't include a lot of holiday parties. You'll be able to keep to your workout schedule and eat what you want.
- Don't skip your workouts. Spend less time, if necessary, but do it.
- Plan something active for one of those days off instead of watching yet another game or a special you've seen five times before.
- Don't deprive yourself of parties or treats you really want. You'll get even with yourself later. If you really want to eat twigs and berries and lord it over your piggy friends, that's ok too.
- Remember your good time may not be the same as another's. Enjoy yourself and have happy holidays.

2nd Wind Exercise opens 96th location

Fri, 10 Nov 2006 15:00:54 -0600

2nd Wind Exercise opened it's 96th location in Shaumburg, IL on November 9, 2006.

This new location can be found at:

2nd Wind Exercise
1229-31 East Golf Rd.
Schamburg, IL 60173

November's Featured Vendor

Fri, 10 Nov 2006 11:43:16 -0600

This month’s featured vendor at 2nd Wind Exercise is Life Fitness. Experience the health club quality, fluid gliding stride of the X9i's dual offset crank linkage system.

95th Store Opening

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 16:42:37 -0600

2nd Wind Exercise opened it's 95th Store on Sunday November 5th In Westmont, IL.

2nd Exercise Equipment
818 E Ogden Avenue
Westmont, IL 60559

New Store Opening

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 11:12:38 -0600

2nd Wind Exercise has opened three new locations in Illinois.

The Orland Park and Vernon Hills stores opened officially for business on Tuesday October 24, 2006 and the CherryVale location opened officially on Saturday October 28, 2006.

This puts 2nd Wind at a total of 94 store locations!

ORLAND PARK LOCATION

2nd Wind Exercise Equipment
15345 LaGrange Road
Orland Park, IL 60462

VERNON HILLS LOCATION

2nd Wind Exercise Equipment
701 North Milwaukee Avenue, Suite 212
Vernon Hills, IL 60061

CHERRYVALE LOCATION

2nd Wind Exercise Equipment
7200 Harrison Avenue, Suite F-84
Rockford, IL 61112

How To Never Feel Hungry - Ever Again...

Mon, 30 Oct 2006 10:35:12 -0600

First of all, you need to shift your mindset. Forget about "dieting for a week or a month so I can look good for summer". Instead, you need to adopt a LIFESTYLE CHANGE and stick to good nutrition habits...

Dieting, at least the way it's perceived by most people, is horrible. You feel hungry, weak and deprived. How long will you be able to stay on a program that makes you feel like that? Not long.

Here are some tips so that YOU WILL NEVER FEEL HUNGRY FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

1) Eat several small meals throughout the day rather than 3 big ones. Eat at predetermined intervals and don't wait for you to feel "starved" before you eat. Because, if you do, you will eat a lot more than necessary AND you will tend to make poor food choices (chocolate, donuts, double serving of pasta etc...). Eat a small feeding every few hours (3-4 for example) BEFORE the hunger pangs arrive. I honestly can't remember the last time I even felt the sense of hunger.

2) Don't eat foods that people say "are good for you", if you don't like them. I can tell you that egg whites are an excellent source of protein with high biological value until I'm blue in the face. But I know you won't eat them if you don't like the way they taste. The same goes for me. If I don't like something, I won't eat it. You need to find foods that are healthy and with taste that you like. That way, you will be able to eat foods you enjoy while losing weight (or maintaining a healthy weight).

3) Discover the real good taste in food. People seem to think that "junk food tastes good" and "healthy food sucks". I'm not quite sure where that comes from. You can eat healthily without sacrificing taste. You can use spices to make the food more palatable. Many people want to add tons of salt to their food before they eat it. Salt masks the real taste of food. If you start eating food without adding salt, initially the food may taste "boring" - but before long, you will be able to eat the foods and actually enjoy them (not pretend that you enjoy them, REALLY enjoy them).

4) Eating "off-limits" foods may not be so off-limits after all. Here's an example: Let's say that in order to lose weight, you need to consume 1800 calories a day. If 1500 of these calories have come from tuna, chicken breast, rice and vegetables, do you think it will be a disaster if the rest of the 300 calories come from cheesecake? Chances are that NO.

Why? Because overall, you will still be within acceptable fat limits for the day. So, if you want to have a "really bad" food EVERY DAY, you can do it, if the rest of your meals are flawless. The body doesn't respond well to long-term diets with zero fat. So, if 5 of your meals only contain lean protein and carbs, the 6th meal (not necessarily the last in the day) can be a food that contains fat and there will be no problem eating that food. And the chances that this food will turn to fat in the body are diminished if eaten in the morning (after an overnight fast) or after a workout.

5) If you blow your diet unwillingly, it's not the end of the world. Think about it: If you drive on the highway and suddenly you get a flat tire, would you get out of the car and start putting holes in the rest of the tires? I hope not. If you eat something that had more fat and calories than it should, don't stop your entire diet because "all is lost and doomsday is here". Instead, just try to be even more disciplined for the rest of the day (and disciplined does NOT mean not to eat)...