Fitness

No gym, no problem? Majority of Americans get exercise they need without one

Published

7 months ago

May 28, 2024

No gym, no problem? Majority of Americans get exercise they need without one

Six in 10 Americans swear they can “get all the exercise they need” without ever stepping foot inside a gym.

A new study of 2,000 U.S. adults found the average person considers themselves active five times per week and exercises four times per week — and 54% said they “never” go to the gym.

Since many skip the gym, they’re getting their exercise in other ways. Almost all respondents surveyed (98%) believe they can get a workout in while taking on everyday tasks.

Those tasks include harnessing the power of everyday activities like walking around the neighborhood (74%), taking the stairs (60%), doing yard work (59%), cleaning the home (59%), walking the dog (56%) and bringing in groceries into the home (42%).

Other tasks compared to exercises include gardening (40%), taking the trash out (36%), stretching after getting out of bed (35%), doing dishes or laundry (33%), standing on your feet for at least four hours (30%) or even getting kids ready for school (10%).

Commissioned by Nature’s Bounty, a vitamin and probiotic brand, and conducted by OnePoll, the study revealed 70% believe they’re healthy and many compared their level of health with different physical activity levels.

Embracing these activities as part of a balanced lifestyle could contribute to overall well-being.

Ten percent reported feeling as if they were a superhero or professional athlete, while 17% felt 10 years younger.

Nearly half (48%) of people think back to their previous week’s physical activities during the weekend.

Seventy percent said they feel “impressed” with their activity levels from the previous week.

While more than three-quarters (77%) were reportedly aware of how active their bodies are during the week, 65% said they’d be willing to go further in their activities, exploring their physical capabilities while exercising.

Of them, an overwhelming 80% at least occasionally test their physical limits while exercising.

Benefits are then seen as feeling more confident (54%), walking farther (52%) and noticing their body looks better (46%).

Most (87%) imagine they could accomplish tasks they could never do before if they could just improve their physical abilities by 10%.

“It’s encouraging to recognize how everyday activities can feel like feats of strength to so many people and to understand that our bodies have an innate ability to support our overall health and wellness too — the power is already within us,” said Jaclyn Safrath, MS, MPH, medical affairs manager, Nestlé Health Science, maker of Nature’s Bounty. “But it’s clear that many want to constantly improve their health — finding ways to give that extra 10 percent and push what their bodies can do.”

At the core of feeling physically apt, the study found a connection between diet and activity levels.

More than a quarter (28%) believe their diet has a major impact on their immune system and 24% similarly believe their diet majorly impacts physical activity levels.

Ninety percent believe their overall digestive health impacts their physicality and immune system.

To improve their digestive health, 63% would likely use a probiotic supplement to support their digestive health.

Three in four would be willing to change their diet for the better if it could improve their physical activity levels. Over half (54%) would change most of or all of what they eat, as a result.

“The human body is a brilliant system and every day it’s hustling on our behalf,” continued Safrath. “Take, for instance, the digestive system where tens of trillions of ‘good’ bacteria already live in the gut supporting so many of the body’s functions including immune health. Probiotics help supplement the body’s own ingenious system.”

TOP 10 EVERYDAY TASK EXERCISES

Walking around the neighborhood – 74%

Taking the stairs instead of an elevator or escalator – 60%

Doing yard work – 59%

Cleaning the home – 59%

Taking the dog for a walk – 56%

Bringing groceries into the home – 42%

Gardening – 40%

Taking the trash out – 36%

Stretching after getting out of bed – 35%

Doing dishes or laundry – 33%

Related Topics:Exercise fitness gym health lifestyle research Surveys

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Fitness

What Is Immersive Fitness? How It Can Be A Game Changer For Your Strength And Health

Published

7 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Press Room

In today’s time, traditional gym workouts are being reimagined, combining technology, entertainment, and exercise to deliver a truly engaging experience. This is where ‘immersive fitness’, a revolutionary approach to working out, comes into play. But what exactly is immersive fitness that’s transforming the way people achieve their strength and health goals? Why is it becoming the talk of the fitness world? Let’s understand!

What Is Immersive Fitness?

Immersive fitness integrates Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and cutting-edge audiovisual elements to create a fully engaging workout environment. Imagine cycling through the mountains of the Swiss Alps, boxing in a neon-lit futuristic arena, or participating in a yoga class surrounded by a tranquil digital forest. These experiences are crafted using projectors, screens, VR headsets, or AR glasses that simulate real or imagined environments, making workouts both captivating and effective.

Instead of staring at a blank wall or counting down the minutes on a treadmill, you are transported to another world, where the focus shifts from the effort of the workout to the experience itself. People who have experienced this fitness routine highlight that this gamified, sensory-rich approach helps boost motivation and makes working out enjoyable for people of all levels.

Also Read: Nana Patekar’s Fitness Secrets At 75: Simple Tips For Staying Active And Healthy

Key Benefits of Immersive Fitness

Additionally, there are other benefits of immersive fitness. These may include:

1. Enhanced Motivation And Engagement

Traditional workouts can sometimes feel monotonous. Immersive fitness breaks that cycle by offering a dynamic, ever-changing environment. The sense of adventure and accomplishment keeps one coming back for more, significantly increasing long-term commitment to their fitness routines.

2. Improved Physical Performance

By drawing participants into an engaging narrative or setting, immersive fitness can help individuals push their limits. For example, racing through a virtual cityscape might encourage you to pedal harder, while a strength challenge could inspire you to lift more weight. The distraction of the immersive environment often reduces the perception of effort, enabling users to achieve more than they might in a traditional workout setting.

Also Read: Nana Patekar’s Fitness Secrets At 75: Simple Tips For Staying Active And Healthy

3. Mental Health Benefits

The combination of movement and immersive environments has been shown to reduce stress, boost mood, and enhance mental well-being. Activities like virtual mindfulness or yoga in serene digital settings can help participants relax and rejuvenate, offering a dual benefit for both body and mind.

Examples Of Immersive Fitness Experiences

A few examples of immersive fitness activities may include:

Virtual spin classes
Boxing simulators
Immersive yoga and meditation
Full-body workouts in VR

Bottomline

Whether you’re looking to shake up your routine, find new motivation, or simply make fitness more fun, immersive fitness has something to offer. It’s not just a workout rather it’s an adventure, a game, and a journey toward better health all rolled into one.

Fitness

5 Ways Britany Anderson in Ab-Bearing Exercise Gear Stays in “in Good Shape”

Published

14 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Press Room

5 Ways Britany Anderson in Ab-Bearing Exercise Gear Stays in “in Good Shape”

Britany Anderson is a professional hurdler from Jamaica. She competed in the 2020 Olympics. Anderson has also won a silver medal in the 100 meter at the 2022 World Championships. Last month, Anderson shared a photo on Instagram of herself at the track. She captioned the post, “End of an amazing week! I’m feeling really positive and excited for the upcoming season. Also really grateful to start this new season healthy and in good shape… 💜💜🦄💓🌸💓💖💕💓🦄💜🦄💜🦄”

She Uses Weights

Anderson shared some of her favorite workouts in this Instagram video. In it, she is seen using weights. According to ACE Fitness, using weights has a lot of health benefits. “Using heavy weights increases intramuscular coordination, the number of type II motor units and the amount of muscle fibers engaged within a specific muscle. Have you ever felt your muscles shaking while lifting heavy weights? This is because you are recruiting and activating the larger type II muscle fibers, which are only stimulated to work when a muscle is challenged with heavy resistance or working to fatigue.”

She Does Squats

Britany Anderson/Instagram

Anderson is seen doing jump squats and squats with a barbell in the previous Instagram video. The Cleveland Clinic states that squats have a lot of health benefits. “Engaging large muscle groups helps burn calories both during and after exercise. One study found that squats burn about 35 calories per minute, aiding in weight management and fat loss.”

She Does Lunges

Britany Anderson does lunges.

Britany Anderson/Instagram

Anderson is also seen doing lunges in the previous Instagram video. Lunges are very beneficial. The Mayo Clinic states, “The lunge is a body resistance exercise that works the leg muscles. Specifically, the lunge targets the quadriceps and the hamstring muscles in the thigh, the gluteal muscles in the buttock, and to a lesser extent, the lower leg muscles. The lunge is a great conditioning exercise for many sports, especially those that involve lunging movements, such as tennis, basketball or soccer.”

She Does RDL’s
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Anderson shared this video of herself working out on Instagram. One thing she is seen doing in it is RDLs. ACE Fitness states that RDLs have a lot of health benefits. “The most important benefit of the RDL is that it teaches the proper movement and biomechanics of standing hip flexion and extension. This is the foundational movement for squatting, whether the movement is performed with a weight in the gym or while bending over to pick an object up from the floor.”

She Does Leg Extensions

Anderson is seen using the leg extension machine in the previous Instagram video. Asphalt Green states that doing this has a lot of benefits. “Leg extensions using this exercise machine work your thighs. In fact, that’s basically the only thing that they work. That’s great if you want to build strength and mass quickly.”

Fitness

Rohman Shawl spills his diet and workout secrets for those washboard abs; reveals ‘instant’ trick for burning fat

Published

22 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Press Room

Rohman Shawl spills his diet and workout secrets for those washboard abs; reveals ‘instant’ trick for burning fat

Rohman Shawl is nothing if not dedicated to staying fit and healthy. The model-turned-actor, who was recently seen in the Tamil film Amaran alongside Sivakarthikeyan and Sai Pallavi, believes in eating clean, training hard, and training smart. His workout routine is proof that hard work and effort pay off – have you seen those perfect abs and big set of biceps? Also read | Srishti Dixit reveals her diet and fitness secrets, what triggered her weight loss journey: ‘I eat everything but…’

Rohman Shawl shares his secret to crushing his workouts and staying fit despite an insatiable sweet tooth and giving into his cravings once in a while.

When it comes to health and wellness, we should all take a page out of Rohman’s book – his approach isn’t about losing weight or building a ripped physique; it’s about feeling healthier. Don’t miss his tips and tricks for motivating yourself the next time you feel like swapping gym time for couch time.

In an exclusive interview with HT Lifestyle, Rohman shares his fitness mantra, workout routine and diet secrets. Excerpts:

Do you work out in the morning or evening; and why?

I am usually an evening person, as it helps me get better sleep at night. But I have a ritual of waking up in the morning, stretching my body, and doing 60 push-ups (3 sets of 20 reps each) on a daily basis. It helps me start my day on a high note, and I feel a sense of accomplishment.

If not working out in a gym due to travel or work commitments, how do you stay active?

I haven’t been to a gym in a long time. For my film Amaran, I had to follow a particular body type of being lean and not so shredded, so I changed my exercise routine!! I am into callisthenics and yoga now, which can be done anywhere. Also, if there is no space, I go for a run!! Another important thing that I have included in my routine is to play football with friends once a week. It has helped me be healthy both physically and mentally. I will return to the gym if my next project demands it, but otherwise, I am quite happy following the current routine.

How do you stay motivated to exercise when you don’t feel like it?

For me, exercise is a way of being healthy rather than looking fit. You can have all the Money, name, and fame in the world, but if you aren’t healthy, you won’t be able to enjoy all of that. There can’t be a better motivation than that!

What’s your trick to burning more calories and fat?

For me, that would be a run of 7-8 km, which includes 3 sets of 200-meter sprints at different intervals (I have always been a sprinter; I can still cover 100 mts in around 11 seconds). It gives me instant results.

Do you push yourself too hard for your workouts sometimes?

I used to, not anymore. With age and experience, you realise that your body needs rest, so you go easy on it !! The more recovery time, the better the results. Having said that, that’s what works for me, as I have a certain body type. This might not work for everyone.

How do you manage to stick to your exercise regime and diet plan?

Realising the mere fact that to reap the most of this precious life that you have been given, the least you can do is to feed your body, mind and soul in the best possible way! Once you love yourself, it’s not hard to manage it.

Are you on a particular diet? No sugar, intermittent fasting or any other?

I am not someone who counts calories, but I do follow a 2-meal-a-day plan. I only have brunch and then dinner. Since I have started doing it, I feel my body has become more active, and I feel fitter than ever. Also, I try to avoid sugar as much as possible, but I do have a sweet tooth, so sometimes I do indulge.

Any diet tips and tricks of yours that fans can learn from?

First of all, it’s very important to be aware of what your body is trying to tell you, because it does speak to you by giving signs. What might work for me may not work for you, so don’t just follow someone blindly. Get regular tests done and know your body type before you go on a diet. Trust me, it’s not so hard; you just need to believe in yourself!

What are the staples of your diet? What’s the first thing you eat/drink when you wake up and the last thing before you sleep?

I have a very basic diet, I wake up and drink at least 2 glasses of water, and then I wait for 40 minutes before I make my own breakfast (it’s a ritual, I have to make my own breakfast), which includes 4 pieces of avocado toast, 2 sunny-side-up eggs and some coffee that keeps me going throughout the day. Then, for dinner, I usually have rice and dal with some curd and tandoori chicken. That’s the last thing that I eat unless I am in the mood to indulge, then I do have some dessert. Just a reminder: Since I am only maintaining my current body shape, I am following this. To make any changes, I will have to change my diet for sure.

What is your daily workout like, and how many days a week do you work out?

I wake up, stretch and do 60 push-ups (20×3 reps). Then, the evening would be callisthenics and yoga (usually 3-4 times a week). Every Wednesday evening is booked for football for 90 minutes, which I feel has helped me immensely, both physically and mentally. I would like to request you all to please find a sport of your choice and play it at least once a week, no matter what. It will help your fitness journey on another level. Then, once a week, usually on Sundays, I go for my run, which is usually 7-8 km and involves pace walking and sprints.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.