Houston Personal Training, Memorial Park Boot Camps, Fitness Training -X Factor Fitness Solutions Blog

The 7th Inning Stretch – Not just a baseball tradition, but also a way of life

Kinsey Cave — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 17:26:15 +0000

The 7th Inning Stretch is a common tradition at American baseball games where fans get the chance to get up and stretch out their arms and legs in the 7th inning before sitting down again to watch the rest of the game. Maybe fans were on to something when they began participating in this tradition [...]

X Factor’s Running Group Races for the Pennant

Michael — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 23:56:18 +0000

X Factor Running Group is a 10 week program designed to get you from the couch to your first 5K. The group meets on Tuesday and Friday mornings at 5:30 at Houston’s Memorial Park. The Astros Race for the Pennant 5K was where X Factor’s Running Group “Couch to 5K” unveiled its first athlete. [...]

Houston Healthy Weekend Activities

Carol Nave — Tue, 25 May 2010 13:00:39 +0000

Matt and Carol’s healthy ways to relax on those oh so short weekends 1. Get outdoors. There is no shortage of things to do outdoors in Houston. A walk or run around Rice University or Memorial Park is always a great idea. Or how about a yoga or dance class at Discovery Green? If you have [...]

Injury Prevention for Musicians

Carol Nave — Tue, 18 May 2010 15:41:09 +0000

Karen, a classical pianist, was horrified to learn before a recital last summer that her rotator cuff injury would prevent her from performing. Like 65 percent of professional musicians, Karen had become a victim of an overuse injury. Musicians require the physical conditioning of elite athletes. They spend hours practicing, sitting or standing in the [...]

Burning More Calories After Exercise

Michael — Tue, 11 May 2010 15:39:49 +0000

If you want to reach your goals it is all about intensity. Adding intensity to your workouts will benefit your metabolism for the rest of the day. Isn’t that the objective for fat loss? Ever notice the person on the treadmill or elliptical talking on the cell phone? That is not the intensity you are [...]

Excess Post Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC): Getting the Most Bang for your Workout Buck

Matt Trudo — Tue, 11 May 2010 15:23:01 +0000

It is well documented that a balanced workout plan is one that incorporates aerobics, resistance training, and flexibility, but what variables should one change to maximize their results and speed the rate that they reach their goals? ACSM states that an important factor in program design is for an individual to perform the proper amount [...]

X Factor Running Group

Michael — Tue, 11 May 2010 15:19:14 +0000

The X Factor Running Group meets on Tuesday and Friday mornings with homework assignments to work on throughout the week. The homework consists of cross-training days of biking or swimming with a run/walk day thrown in the middle of rest days. The group was started to help people that have never run for any length [...]

Fluid Intake and Hydration vs. Dehydration

Matt Trudo — Tue, 04 May 2010 15:43:14 +0000

As temperatures get heated, so does the debate over sports drinks vs. water. Choosing the right drink is crucial to preventing the harmful effects of dehydration. Research shows that when exercising in hot and humid conditions you can become dehydrated in just 30 minutes! In fact, as little as 1% dehydration – only 1.3 lb. [...]

Our Favorite Breakfast Ideas

Carol Nave — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 15:16:24 +0000

Mom hit the nail on the head when she told me that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. In fact, I remember when I was about 14 and decided I needed to lose some weight, I wanted to start skipping breakfast to save calories. But mom’s position was that I could not [...]

A Fitness Professional’s Countdown to 50: Staying Happy and Healthy in Midlife

Carol Nave — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 15:09:58 +0000

Day 2 There is not a day that goes by that I don’t think “man, am I getting old!” It always has a negative spin when I think it, which isn’t really a good thing. I am trying to send myself better messages – things like, “but you’re fit for your age” or “50 is [...]

Eating Out – Healthy Eating in Houston

Carol Nave — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 13:00:15 +0000

Matt and Carol’s restaurant choices that won’t blow the meal plan Do you like Tex-Mex? Check out Molina’s on the corner of Shepherd and Washington. They have a fabulous grilled redfish served with veggies and mango salsa. Yum! There’s also a great grilled chicken plate with pico de gallo, veggies, and sliced tomato. It’s one [...]

A Fitness Professional’s Countdown to 50: Staying Happy and Healthy in Midlife

Carol Nave — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 14:35:30 +0000

It’s really interesting to think about turning 50. There is a sense that a 50th birthday is a really important milestone, but on the other hand it is just another ordinary event. I guess the question becomes: what does it mean to me that I will be 50 years old in about 8 weeks? What have [...]