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5 science-backed benefits of fasting, and how to fast safely and effectively – Insider – INSIDER
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While many people all over the world fast for religious and cultural reasons, there are also proven health benefits of this practice, as long as you do it safely.
Fasting is when you do not eat for a certain period of time. If you are fasting for health purposes, you can still drink water or black coffee.
There are many different types of fasting, says Andrew Wang, MD, PhD, a professor of immunobiology at Yale School of Medicine. The main types are:
Fasting has many mental and physical health benefits. Here are five benefits of fasting and how they work:
One of the main benefits of fasting is that it may reduce inflammation.
Inflammation is your body's natural response to infection and usually disappears after damaged cells are healed. However, when your body undergoes oxidative stress a process caused by an accumulation of free radicals you can enter a state of chronic inflammation. That's because these free radicals, which can come from both outside sources like pollution and bodily processes like digestion, begin attacking healthy tissues and cells.
Chronic inflammation can damage healthy cells, tissues, and organs, and is associated with many diseases, including heart attacks and strokes.
There are several ways that fasting may reduce inflammation in the body. First, when your body is in a fasted state, it is unable to convert glucose from food into energy, Wang says. Instead, your body has to rely on an alternative energy source called ketone bodies, which come from fatty acids. Your body produces fewer free radicals when burning ketones, which helps to reduce inflammation.
Fasting may also reduce inflammation by decreasing the number of monocytes a type of inflammatory white blood cell in the bloodstream. A small 2019 study on humans and mice found that short-term fasting for 19 hours significantly reduced monocytes in blood circulation.
When we age, our organs are prone to chronic inflammation called "inflammaging," Wang says. Chronic inflammation can contribute to cognitive decline and dementia potentially due to plaque buildup in the brain. Fasting helps to counter this by reducing inflammation, Wang says.
There is a growing body of research that suggests fasting can prevent the development of Alzheimer's in animals. While the research has not yet been conducted in humans, a 2019 study found that intermittent fasting can slow cognitive decline and improve the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease in mice.
The cognitive benefits of fasting are not restricted to the elderly. A small 2016 study tested amateur weightlifters after a 48 hour fast and found that fasting improved mental flexibility, which was defined as theirability to quickly and efficiently switch between tasks.
Fasting may also regulate blood sugar levels. Maintaining normal blood sugar is important to protect against diseases like type 2 diabetes.
Blood sugar increases when you eat, so it naturally falls when you fast, Wang says. However, your body will prevent your blood sugar from dipping too much by making glucose itself. This keeps your blood sugar at a healthy levels, which is considered above 70 mg/dL.
A small 2019 study of men at risk for type 2 diabetes found that restricting eating to a nine-hour window, called intermittent fasting, helped improve glucose tolerance. If you have diabetes, consult a doctor before fasting, as it can increase the risk of diabetic ketoacidosis for those who use insulin to treat their diabetes.
While research on this topic is limited, Wang says it is reasonable to assume that fasting boosts heart health by reducing inflammation and protecting against diabeteswhich are both risk factors for heart attacks and strokes.
A small 2012 study tested Muslims with a history of heart disease who fasted intermittently for Ramadan. After their fast ended, there was an improvement in their 10-year coronary heart disease risk score and a reduction in other heart risk factors like lipids profile, systolic blood pressure, and weight.
Fasting helps you lose weight by restricting the number of calories you eat. Intermittent fasting eating your meals in an eight-hour window earlier in the day helps with weight loss by keeping blood sugar levels lower in the evening when you are less active.
However, there is mixed evidence regarding if fasting for weight loss is more effective than a calorie-restricted diet. A 2015 review found intermittent fasting tends to lead to weight loss, with participants typically losing around seven to 11 pounds in 10 weeks. However, other studies found that intermittent fasting and calorie restriction were equally effective in helping people lose weight.
If you're looking to lose weight, talk to your doctor about the best method for you.
Fasting times can range significantly. While intermittent fasting usually involves fasting for about 16 hours a day, longer fasts can range from 24 to 72 hours.
There's no magic amount of time you should fast for, Wang says. The best thing to do is to listen to your body and determine what type of fast works for you. If you are feeling jittery, nauseous, faint, or otherwise unwell while fasting, Wang says you should consider breaking your fast.
People who should not fast include those who are:
You should consult with your doctor before fasting if you are:
Fasting may offer health benefits, like reduced inflammation, better heart health, and improved cognitive functioning. However, fasting is not advisable for certain people, and going too long without food can be harmful. If you are interested in fasting, it is important to listen to your body and ask your doctor if it's safe to fast.
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5 science-backed benefits of fasting, and how to fast safely and effectively - Insider - INSIDER
Signs of Dehydration in Babies: Remedies and When to Worry – Healthline
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Babies are on a purely liquid diet for the first few months of life, whether you breastfeed or bottle-feed. Even after that, your baby or toddler may seem perpetually attached to their sippy cup! So, it may be surprising that babies can sometimes get dehydrated, just like adults.
Dehydration means that your baby has lost too much water and isnt able to drink enough fluid (milk) to replace it right away. Their small size makes it easier for babies and toddlers to lose water and get dehydrated. In serious cases, dehydration can be dangerous for babies if left untreated.
Heres what to know about dehydration in newborns, babies, and toddlers.
Signs and symptoms of dehydration can vary depending on how much water loss your baby has. They may also be different in newborns, babies, and toddlers.
Common signs of dehydration in newborns include:
Common signs of dehydration in babies and toddlers include:
Newborns often have a few hiccups when they first learn how to get milk. They may also have difficulty swallowing and digesting milk. Problems with latching on and getting milk are so common that in fact, these are a couple reasons why babies lose weight in their first week of life.
So some of the causes of dehydration in newborns are:
Older babies and toddlers have pretty similar causes of dehydration. Theyre most likely to get dehydrated when theyre feeling unwell. The flu, stomach viruses, and food intolerance or allergies can all lead to a temporary bout of dehydration.
Causes of dehydration in babies and toddlers include:
Treatments and remedies for your little ones dehydration depend on the cause and on how old your baby is.
If your newborn isnt yet latching on properly, keep trying to breastfeed at regular intervals. Let your baby try to latch on and then take a break when they get tired. Try to breastfeed again after 15 minutes or so. Theyll get the hang of it soon!
If your newborn is unable to breastfeed or youre not yet making enough milk, try different ways to deliver the milk. Pump breast milk or make baby formula. Use a bottle, sterile dropper, or a teeny baby spoon to gently feed your baby milk.
Spitting up and even vomiting is normal for babies as they get used to digesting milk. If youre formula feeding, try a different formula to see if your baby likes it better. You might be able to help your baby spit-up less with these tips.
If your baby or toddler sweats at night or when they sleep, dress them in breathable clothing, choose lighter bedding, and turn down the thermostat, to keep them from overheating at night.
If your baby or toddler has a fever, you might try sponging them down in lukewarm water. Also consider these tips to help bring the fever down.
You can trick your toddler into getting more liquid by letting them suck on an iced treat. Make your own sugar-free kind by freezing pured fruit and juice.
You can also let them eat their water. If your baby or toddler is fussy about drinking water or milk, give them juicy fruit and vegetables like watermelon, plums, or cucumbers.
Babies and toddlers can get dehydrated quickly because of their small size. Newborns have such tiny stomachs that they cant hold much milk at a time. Call your doctor if you notice any symptoms of dehydration. It can get serious fast.
Let your doctor know right away if your newborn baby isnt able to suck from the breast or a bottle or if theyre not able to hold any milk down and are spitting up and vomiting a lot. They may have an underlying health condition thats stopping them from drinking milk normally.
Your doctor may recommend meeting with a breastfeeding or lactation specialist. They can help your baby latch on and drink properly.
If you have a newborn or a baby younger than 3 months, call your doctor immediately if they have a rectal temperature of 100.4F (38C) or higher. If your baby or toddler is projectile vomiting, always call your doctor.
For serious dehydration, your little one may need treatment in a hospital. Theyll be given fluid with a bottle or a tube that goes from their nose into their stomach. They might also get fluid from a tube that goes into a vein (IV).
Your doctor might recommend an electrolyte solution like Pedialyte for your older baby. This kind of formula has extra salts and other nutrients that babies and toddlers need when they lose too much water.
Your doctor will also check their health, including their breathing, blood pressure, pulse, and temperature to make sure the dehydration hasnt caused any side effects.
You wont always be able to prevent your baby or toddler from getting a little dehydrated. It happens, just like diarrhea and projectile vomit happen! But you can help prevent your little ones dehydration from getting too serious.
Remember your newborn has a stomach the size of a grape that slowly grows a bit bigger. This means that they can only drink a few teaspoons of milk at a time and need lots of regular feedings. Your newborn will need about nine feedings in a 24-hour period.
It can be difficult to stay on top of all the feedings and everything else at first. Keep track of how much milk your little one is getting with a feeding schedule.
Equally important is what comes out the other end. How much your baby poops or wets their diaper is a good sign of how much water is going in. Keep count of how often you have to change your babys diaper.
Also check what your babys poop looks like. Very watery or explosive poops might mean your baby has diarrhea and is losing water. Dry, hard poops might mean your baby is a bit dehydrated. Both kinds of poops mean its time to give your little one an extra feed or more.
Babies and toddlers can sometimes get a little dehydrated because of their small size. This can happen when they lose water too quickly from vomiting or diarrhea. Dehydration can also happen when babies arent getting enough liquids through normal feeding.
Serious dehydration can happen quickly and is dangerous for babies and toddlers. Call your doctor right away if your baby has a high fever or if they have any symptoms of dehydration.
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Signs of Dehydration in Babies: Remedies and When to Worry - Healthline
Loud And Live Sports Introduces "The Trials" International Online Fitness Competition – Morning Chalk Up
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Loud And Live Sports Introduces "The Trials" International Online Fitness Competition | Morning Chalk Up
Photo Credit: Loud And Live Sports (instagram.com/loudlivesports)
Loud And Live Sports announced on their Instagram pagethe debut of The Trials, an online international fitness competition that starts December 4 with Regional qualifiers and concludes in January with a live broadcast of the finals.
The details: The competition begins with region-specific qualifiers, broken up into three regions; Latin America, Spanish and the United States Trials for a total of 73 Countries.
The bottomline:The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant effect on the community and specifically large-scale competitions like the ones that Loud And Live hosts. To combat this, L&L has followed in the footsteps of other online competitions such as Rogue, the Dubai CrossFit Challengeand even the CrossFit Games. As an innovator of the sport and an organization that doesnt shy away from ideas and technologies, Loud And Live has taken on the challenge of broadcasting a live event and has added options previously unseen in the sport. The ability to pick and choose which athlete and in what division you want to follow from the comfort of your home is brand new. Loud And Live is promising that The Trials will create the new standard for online competitive fitness coverage and that this new format will promote a broad base of local, international participation culminating in a unified broadcast experience giving viewers control over their coverage. After a tumultuous and unpredictable 2020 CrossFit season, this is what the community needs and hopefully Loud And Live can deliver on those promises.
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Loud And Live Sports Introduces "The Trials" International Online Fitness Competition - Morning Chalk Up
How will fitness studios and outdoor workouts survive Covid-19 during the winter? – Vox.com
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In the shadow of the Vessel, the sky-scraping copper honeycomb structure in New York Citys Hudson Yards, is a huge tent full of bikes that go nowhere. In the parking lot of the Beverly Center, the famed Los Angeles shopping center, theres a blocked-off section peppered with treadmills and benches. And this summer, the Southampton Arts Centers west lawn was transformed into a dance-workout space.
These outdoor gyms are the new normal of group fitness.
Because companies like SoulCycle, Barrys, and the up-and-coming dance-inspired workout FORWARD__Space havent been allowed to reopen in major cities like New York and Los Angeles, those companies (and many others, from CrossFit boxes to local Planets Fitness) brought the workouts outside.
I feel very safe working out outside, Anna Lev, a devotee of Forward Space told me. She says her trainers have created a really safe environment for everyone.
Before the pandemic, Lev was going to Forward Space classes with Rachel, her favorite teacher, every day. The pandemic put a stop to that. But when Forward Space opened its Southampton outdoor space for the summer, Lev would make the trek from her home in the Rockaways to Southampton every Saturday to take two classes. If she stayed out East, shed go every day theyre held, Thursday to Monday.
Levs devotion and fidelity to Forward Space isnt unique. Outdoor classes at Barrys and SoulCycle have been selling out and provide revenue for the companies. Fitness companies, like restaurants and bars, have pivoted to survive, and moving classes outdoors has been a public health strategy to cope with a pandemic that forced everyone into lockdown. Being outside is safer.
But in embracing outdoor exercise, both enthusiasts and the trainers they love found only a temporary relief. In the coming months, temperatures will drop, the weather will sour, and winter will be in full effect. Fitness enthusiasts may have to go back to square one. Boutique fitness studios have to start over, too, figuring out how to make money while their doors still arent open. And with all the improvisations and compromises, both sides have to deal with the reality that the future is not in their control.
The big motivation behind these outdoor classes is the health of clients.
Teaching safe and spacious sweat sessions outside has been truly incredible and an absolute gift, Kristin Sudeikis, the founder of Forward Space, told me. Being outside certainly provided an element of safety and we also appreciated giving cues during class to look up to the sky, from the sternum up, to take in the sun and the wind I had intuited that at some point and this was pre-Covid that we would create outdoor sweat sessions similar to that of a music festival vibe, and here we are.
But the moves outside go a bit deeper than that and are more connected to how health policy and lawmakers define safety. Back in March, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and California Gov. Gavin Newsom were among the first to put their states in lockdown and shut down gyms, which were seen as high risk because of the lack of social distancing and factors like heavy breathing and lots of shared-surface contact. Now, as we know more about the virus and spread, gyms are reopening or have reopened many of which had to implement new capacity and social distancing rules.
Going outside, social distancing, eliminating shared equipment, and instituting measures like cleaning and temperature checks are all measures that make clients, according to current research, safer than they would be if fitness studios continued to operate the way they had pre-pandemic.
We managed to rework the foundations of how we program sessions to adapt everything to body weight, Lauren Vickers, F45 Training athletics team manager, told me, explaining how the company adapted to taking its exercise programs outside. Those programs usually involved equipment like weights and kettlebells, and cardio equipment like bikes or rowers.
Vickers and the team at F45 pointed out that without consistent, across-the-board rules about outside fitness, theyve had to work within different restrictions something theyve figured out by keeping things simple.
Members can bring their own equipment if they wish to add progressions, but essentially you just need a towel and a water bottle and youre ready to go, Vickers told me.
As Vickers told me, the problem for fitness studios is that in major cities like New York and Los Angeles, they still havent been given the green light to open. Even though they provide essentially the same fitness service, companies like Forward Space and Barrys arent considered gyms and are often subject to a different set of rules.
The argument is that boutique fitness classes often taking place in rooms full of sweaty, heavy-breathing people might present a higher risk of transmission. All the things that make group fitness successful people gathering, socializing, yelling, being in an enclosed studio are things that make it high risk.
One notable study from South Korea reported fitness dance classes that infected 112 people over 24 days, and the fear is that something similar could happen in these boutique fitness classes. More recently, 74 people were infected over a week at a Canadian spin studio earlier this month the studio had followed rules like cutting capacity and distancing bikes but it did not require riders to wear masks.
To curb potential outbreaks, rules regarding fitness studios were adjusted accordingly. For example, while gyms in New York City were allowed to open their doors, New York Citys health department and Mayor Bill de Blasio were given discretion to keep those establishments closed, which they did.
By taking classes outside and maintaining social distancing rules, boutique fitness companies keep their clients safer research has shown that outdoor transmission risk is lower than indoor but also can bypass city mandates about indoor fitness classes.
For fitness companies, its also provided some much-needed cash.
The health shutdowns across the country gutted the group fitness industry. Companies bled expenses and continued to pay rent. Even in reopening, they arent making the same money that they used to because of capacity measures and health directives. Companies like Rowgatta shut down their physical spaces, and Flywheel went out of business. Others like Solidcore laid off more than 90 percent of their staff. SoulCycle also furloughed a majority of its instructors.
Group fitness companies innovated by going online. But online workouts in your living room dont quite replicate the real-life experience. Outdoor classes are closer to that pre-pandemic workout adventure, and are a revenue stream for studios and companies that cant yet open.
Outdoors is definitely a big contributor to the business, Chris Hudson, chief curriculum lead at Barrys, told me. The concept has allowed us to safely offer Barrys classes in markets such as Los Angeles and Mexico City where our studios remain closed.
The biggest question among people who arent group fitness enthusiasts about group fitness enthusiasts is: Why? Why not just exercise on your own? Why not just bike outside or go to a gym if you want to work out?
Id say, to each his or her own, Lev told me. Some people only want to work out at home [or at the gym]. I will say that Forward Space is the only thing that has ever gotten me to work out at home. Thats it, thats the truth.
As Lev told me, she just doesnt respond as well to the gym or working out alone. The idea of going back to the gym bores her to death. Working out with a group of people motivates her in a way that working out solo doesnt. And being able to work out outside with her favorite program and with her favorite teachers has been a blessing for her fitness and her mental health.
Returning to in-person classes has taken away the quarantine isolation cloud for me, so I dont want to lose that, she said.
Sarah Luetto, an attorney in Los Angeles, goes to Barrys outdoor classes as a way to mix up her routine but also as a way to exercise while still keeping her health in mind. Like Lev, she was going to fitness classes multiple times per week, but those classes shifted online during the pandemic. Shes been taking Barrys classes at the Beverly Center, whose parking area has been outfitted as an outdoor Barrys location with social distancing and cleaning measures implemented.
I think its a good alternative for people like me who are not ready to do indoor [classes] and hope they keep the option available even when studios reopen indoor in the LA area, she told me. I like that they clean the room halfway through class and hope that protocol continues. Im still taking online classes a few days a week, but it has been nice to have the modified studio experience in person and see some of my Barrys friends in real life.
The question for Luetto, Lev, and the fitness programs they enjoy is whether these outdoor classes will continue as the weather gets colder and working out outdoors becomes tougher.
Sudeikis said the outdoor Forward Space classes, which ended on September 21, prompted an increase in demand and made her think about offering a handful of outdoor classes in New York City. She also mentioned that shes looking to offer outdoor classes in other cities throughout 2020 and into 2021.
But the main strategy for Sudeikis and Forward Space is investing in more virtual classes. She said they launched new eight- and 24-minute classes and are thinking of ways to expand their virtual offerings like making their live classes more interactive. We are passionately committed as teachers, creators, coaches, and team members to be doing and creating everything we can right now to keep all moving and dancing for the peoples overall mental, physical, and emotional health, she said.
Hudson said Barrys will continue to offer its classes as long as it can. That seems to be good news for Luetto in Los Angeles, where it stays warmer longer. Hudson, like Sudeikis, also mentioned the companys desire to be innovative and that they will follow the safety rules in each city.
We strive to offer a premium and safe experience in all our offerings, abiding by all local government mandates, Hudson said.
The X-factor that will determine the future of group fitness classes is how well the virus is contained. In New York City, flare-ups of the virus have prompted school and business closures in hot spots. Indoor dining is still in a touch-and-go stage. Its hard to see allowing indoor fitness classes if schools and restaurants which are considered more essential still arent fully open. On the other side of that equation, people might be reluctant to go back to indoor fitness classes, even if theyre open, until they feel safe.
Its all a moving target at this point.
I think every person should decide what their risk is and what they are okay with, Lev said, explaining that she is trying to be positive about the future of Forward Space. And I would be okay with going to class. Im just keeping my fingers crossed that it will be sooner than later. Because theres nothing like it.
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How will fitness studios and outdoor workouts survive Covid-19 during the winter? - Vox.com
Fitness Innovator Teams with Leading Fitness Platform to Enhance Customer Training Experience with In-App Exercise Programs – Southernminn.com
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LITTLE CANADA, Minn., Oct. 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --As fitness app usage soars, with over 84 million consumers using apps in the US alone, Dragon Door announced they would be making their best-selling fitness content available on the TriadXP fitness platform and TriadXP.com. Dragon Door will use TriadXP to convert their exercise routines into in-app workouts that are performed with the TriadXP app. The app's voice and visual cues walk exercisers through all exercise routines guiding them onwhat to do, when, how many, or for how long. With guidance and tracking, customers enhance their training experience and improve workout efficiency. And, since the TriadXP mobile fitness app tracks the user's performance as they workout with minimal effort on the users part, it eliminates the need for other apps or pen and paper to track results.
"TriadXP supports virtually any kind of workout," said John Du Cane, CEO of Dragon Door Publications. "As fitness innovators, we know that long-term results are usually the result of consistent goal setting and the consistent measurement of results. You get what you measure for, and the measurement motivates you to maintain your progress. In that regard, we see TriadXP as the perfect solution to help our customers optimize their workout results."
Addressing the need for home-based and callisthenic workouts, the bestselling 16-week Get Strongprogram from fitness gurus Al Kavadlo and Danny Kavadlo will be the first program launched.
Dragon Door,credited with launching the modern kettlebell movement, is a publisher and online fitness retailer and provides advanced training and certification for fitness instructors. When searching for a partner who would provide the requisite technology platform from content conversion thru mobile app, Dragon Door found their answer with TriadXP. TriadXP knows fitness technology and delivers an optimal workout experience for a fitness enthusiast. The easy-to-use mobile fitness app and its versatility were critical in the decision. Equally important was TriadXP's AI-driven conversion tools, which quickly convert content without needing any technical knowledge at Dragon Door.
"We are excited to partner with a leader like Dragon Door," said Mike Elia, CEO of Triad Fitness Group. "They have a lot of great content, and we know their users will find it easier to work out and perform their routines on our TriadXP app."
About Dragon Door PublicationsDragon Door Publications is a publisher of innovative fitness content that offers effective, safe, and proven methods for maintaining a high level of health and physical performance over the long-term. The company is best known for having launched the modern kettlebell movement in 2001. Learn more at http://www.dragondoor.com
About TriadXP.comTriadXP.com, a fitness content platform from Triad Fitness Group, provides services and technology to allow content providers to convert text-based programs and related exercise imagery and videos into in-app exercise programs to be performed and tracked with the TriadXP mobile app. The app is free and compatible with iOS and Android devices. TriadXP is making workouts better for everyone. Learn more at http://www.triadxp.com
Contact: John Du CaneTel: +1 651-487-3828Email: jducane@dragondoor.com
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Fitness Innovator Teams with Leading Fitness Platform to Enhance Customer Training Experience with In-App Exercise Programs - Southernminn.com
Gillibrand asks for pause on Army’s new fitness test – Olean Times Herald
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TheSenates version of the bill, passed in July, includes a provision requiring an independent study of the ACFTs potential to adversely impact current and future troops. But the provision is not included in the House bill, also passed this summer.
The independent study is intended to determine the extent, if any, to which the test would adversely impact" soldiers stationed or deployed" to areas that make it difficult to conduct "outdoor physical training on a frequent or sustained basis, the Senate version reads.
The provision also asks for the study to determine whether the ACFT would affect recruitment and retention in critical support military occupational specialties ... such as medical personnel."
Though the Army is transitioning to the ACFT this year, soldiers' scores arent expected to count until March 2022. Soldiers are still challenged to train for and pass the new test, but no adverse actions will be taken against those who fail it.
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Gillibrand asks for pause on Army's new fitness test - Olean Times Herald
I’ve Tried a Lot of Fitness Apps, and Chris Hemsworth’s Might Be My Favorite – POPSUGAR
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In the fitness world, 2020 will probably be known as the year everyone discovered working out in their living rooms. As gyms shuttered due to the pandemic and at-home exercise gear sold out across the world, there was a predictable rise in at-home bodyweight workouts. But working out is hard at least I think so. Honestly, I suck at it. I lack the motivation to get sweaty without a trainer there to catch me when I'm slacking, and without the financial accountability of a gym membership, I struggle to pull on my workout clothes and move my body.
It was a couple of months into lockdown, once I'd exhausted my options for one-off celebrity workouts that got me moving under the guise of having a laugh (like that time I tried Arnold Schwarzenegger's retro home workout), that I noticed my body was becoming increasingly stiff and sore from doing, well, absolutely nothing. That's when Chris Hemsworth's fitness app, Centr, entered my life.
I'd seen the ads with Chris and his wife, Elsa, looking sweaty and strong, and honestly, I was skeptical about whether it would be the right program for me. After a brief look at the app, I noticed that there is actually more than one program to suit different fitness levels. I was most interested in the newly launched bodyweight-only program that runs for six weeks called "Unleashed," which was perfect for me because the only equipment I have in my apartment is a workout mat, and because it had an option for beginners. Like I mentioned, I hadn't really worked out in months, so it was straight into the beginner program for me.
Ahead, see my breakdown of Chris Hemsworth's fitness app, Centr, and what I liked about it.
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I've Tried a Lot of Fitness Apps, and Chris Hemsworth's Might Be My Favorite - POPSUGAR
DC gyms and fitness studios adapt, hope for mild weather or close for good as winter nears – WTOP
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D.C. gyms and fitness studios have been faced with a daunting realization: winter is coming. See how they are making changes, building workout pods, opening new facilities and also closing for good due to the coronavirus pandemic.
WTOP/Dan Friedell
WTOP/Dan Friedell
Courtesy Candice Geller
Courtesy Reggie Smith
WTOP/Dan Friedell
WTOP/Dan Friedell
Courtesy Reggie Smith
When the coronavirus pandemic swept across North America in March, it closed schools, businesses, restaurants and fitness centers, forcing many people to work from home and limit their mixing in society.
There was one silver lining: the weather, while brisk and blustery some of the time, was generally good, and getting better. It made exercising outside tolerable, and even appealing most days.
While many people continued their fitness programs over the last seven months with Zoom classes or dripping sweat on a treadmill or Peloton bike indoors, many moved outside.
Lured by good weather in the spring and fall, some people even survived the sultriest days by working out early in the morning or late in the evening.
But now, winter is coming.
What will fitness studios and gyms, many of which have moved workouts outside, do at the end of October as days get shorter and frigid mornings make it harder for clients to peel back the blankets and get out of bed?
For the owners of four D.C. independent fitness studios, there are four distinct choices: invest in a new studio that supports a hybrid indoor/outdoor workout; encourage athletes to come back indoors while working out in masks and maintaining their distance; build individual workout pods separated by a frame and plastic sheeting; or, sadly, decide to shut down for good.
For Chris and Alex Perrin, the husband and wife team who own Cut Seven, a facility that offers an intense, boot-camp style workout in Logan Circle, the pandemic put on hold expansion plans, moved classes outside onto a D.C. schools soccer field, and prompted the search for a new studio.
Reggie Smith, who co-owns BOOMBOX, a boxing/fitness studio across the street from Nationals Park, pushed his workouts outside to both D.C. Uniteds Audi Field and the roof of Union Market.
Now that things are cooling off and daylight is fading, he hopes fitness fans will come back inside while taking pandemic precautions.
Candice Gellers Election Cycle, a small spinning studio on the east end of H Street N.E., will be celebrating its three-year anniversary in January.
After putting indoor classes on hiatus and renting out her bikes for months, then moving classes outdoors, Geller said she hopes her business will hang on to celebrate the milestone.
She has outfitted her studio with individual indoor workout pods with frames and plastic sheeting so riders might be more comfortable coming back inside.
All three of those studios said they will try to survive the winter and keep their fingers crossed for a mild winter and early spring.
But, for Betsy Poos and Alyson Shade, partners in Realignment Studio, a two-story yoga studio on Pennsylvania Ave. SE in Capitol Hill, the story is different.
After a spring, summer and fall of Zoom classes mixed with the occasional distanced outdoor flow at a nearby schools soccer field, their three-year partnership has come to an end: Realignment Studio will close at the end of the month.
For Poos, she said she felt there was just no end in sight for the restrictions brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.
The clincher for us was not just in getting through the next three months, but that after the next three months, we come into the spring and we are still sitting in the very same place and not able to return indoors safely for classes, she said after a morning sunrise yoga class at Watkins Elementary School in early October.
Smith, who only opened BOOMBOX in the summer of 2019, said his client count was steadily rising in the months leading up to March. Now, he said darker days and cooler weather will make people cross the threshold into his gym on Van Street SE.
As we lose some daylight, people who were reluctant to workout previously, they maybe take a chance and come out try a class, they see were checking temperatures, were staying distant, were wearing masks, and were as safe as you can be, working out, said Smith.
Classes at BOOMBOX are capped to 11 people, one-third of the normal capacity. That means theres more, Smith said, than six feet between each persons punching bag.
Poos, however, said her business two spaces were not set up with social distancing in mind, and even retrofitting would not have made a difference.
One space, in the basement, did not have proper ventilation, and the other, while it was upstairs with high ceilings, would allow so few yoga students that it was not worth running classes in-person.
The last thing I would ever feel is OK is being an owner of a business, being a teacher, trying to put people together for wellness that then did result in a COVID case. There just wasnt enough to balance that, she said.
For now, Poos, Shade and her employees will continue teaching yoga virtually. Poos will run Zoom classes via her website, BetsyPoos.com.
Realignment Studio isnt the only yoga studio thats been forced to close due to the coronavirus pandemic. A neighboring Capitol Hill yoga studio, Be Here Now, is also closing.
While it didnt make sense to stay open any longer from a business perspective, Poos said she and Shade tried to hang in as long as possible because they recognize that yoga, for many people, is more than just a workout.
That hits hard, Poos said of another D.C. studio closing its doors.
Theres folks, with yoga being an experience thats a bit different than other fitness modalities, they feel like I really need this community. They may have a spiritual connection. They feel really let down right now. So for that reason, it was that much harder to decide to close. [But], for our financial health, that was what we had to do, said Poos.
While some studios are closing, others are feeling optimistic, as the pandemic brought on new opportunities.
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Chris and Alex Perrins original Cut Seven location, in a triangular-shaped studio on the corner of 11th Street and Rhode Island Ave. NW, was known among fitness aficionados to provide one of the hardest workouts in the District.
But the space was not conducive to social distancing. Over the last five months, however, D.C. sports fields, even including one summer morning at Audi Field, have played host to the Perrins brand of team-oriented workouts.
In fact, a steady stream of new clients who have felt comfortable doing outdoor workouts with weighted bags, kettlebells, heavy elastic bands and a good dose of bear crawls and 20-yard sprints migrated from their old gyms and studios and joined the Cut Seven family.
Two claps, instructor Marcus Lowe yelled one recent morning, standing on freshly-laid red turf at the gyms new indoor/outdoor location at the corner of 14th and Swann Street NW.
As members warmed up for a sweat session that included banded side lunges and squat jumps, Perrin described how a spring phone call to a number listed on a For Lease sign resulted in Cut Sevens newest location opening in late September.
Winter is definitely everyones what are we gonna do?, Perrin said.
Its cold. Picking up dumbbells and kettlebells in the cold is not very comfortable. It rains a lot. So that was the idea behind opening up the 1401 Swann Street studio, because we can cover it. We intend to put a roof structure so we can keep the elements at bay, said Perrin.
He said months of work went into leveling and repaving the parking lot of an old auto shop, giving the indoor structure a deep clean, building racks for weights and anchors for elastic bands, putting up a new fence, and laying fresh bright red turf.
We said, if were going to survive, this is how its going to happen, so lets put all of our resources into it, so we did, and I think people are catching onto it. And if we can solve the winter issue, well definitely do very well, Perrin said.
Geller, the owner of Election Cycle, is innovating to solve the what are we gonna do? question.
She built individual, plastic-framed workout pods so her clients can feel safe coming back into her spinning studio. It might seem strange for people to work out inside a plastic bubble, but Geller said she has tried doing a spin class while wearing a mask, and its not easy.
I understand why we cant do it without a mask, but also that its almost impossible to do with a mask. Which is why we created these little pods, she said.
Geller said she hopes to continue offering outdoor rides through partnerships with neighboring businesses like Pursuit and Duffys. She also hopes to take advantage of grants provided by the city to winterize its streeteries.
If those places are still providing a space that is climate controlled, that will obviously be really helpful to us, she said.
Geller said she had a recent conversation with a D.C. government representative who said many small businesses are closing due to the pandemic, and the winter will force still more to shut down.
So while these three fitness studios have every intention of making it through the winter, the virus and business conditions will dictate their success. Geller said her landlord at 1108 H St. NE. has been reluctant to make rent concessions.
Our landlord has not worked with us all, not given us one cent of rent reduction, despite the fact we havent been able to use the space for anything, she said. The big business, bank, landlord-type mentality is in the end going to kill us.
Perrin and Smiths businesses Cut Seven and BOOMBOX have been more fortunate, getting some rent leeway from their landlords.
Smith was able to put off paying rent while BOOMBOX was closed, and Perrin got a rent reduction for his old studio, which has served as a studio for his online classes, but he hopes to reopen for distanced workouts soon.
Smith said his business survival requires life getting somewhat back to normal after the winter.
With the PPP (Paycheck Protection Program), I think were fine for the next few months for sure, he said.
If this thing drags on through 2021, were talking next summer, then it gets very difficult to survive. Were running capacity about one-third of our space, the revenue approximates our capacity, so it certainly isnt what we modeled when we opened.
Perrin said he hopes the combination of fully outdoor classes when the weather allows, the new hybrid studio, and the reopening of his old space will bring in enough revenue to withstand the coming months.
We do hope this is an attractive offering to this street and the folks that used to come to our studio, he said. No situation is ideal right now, but were doing the best we can, which I think people really do appreciate.
For now, however, it seems gym-goers are still interested in squeezing every last bit of outdoor activity during the fall months before they have to face going inside for a sweat session.
Fall in D.C. anyway, we see a decrease in riders, Geller said, because everyone wants to be outside. Same thing in spring, before its too hot. Its hard to gauge right now what will happen with that, but were hopeful people will start to feel a little more secure and safe. I understand the hesitation. Its a scary time.
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DC gyms and fitness studios adapt, hope for mild weather or close for good as winter nears - WTOP
British Gymnast Nile Wilson Tries Military Fitness Test Events – menshealth.com
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British Olympic gymnast Nile Wilson is taking a challenge that YouTubers and athletes alike love to try: military physical fitness tests. There's an entire genre of fit guys testing their mettle with the physical trials members of the forces must passfrom British bodybuilder Obi Vincent trying the Marine Corps Fitness Test, MattDoesFitness attempting the U.S. Air Force's Physical Fitness Test, and Olympic runners Nick Symmonds and Ryan Hall taking on the Marine Corps Fitness Test.
Men's Health
But Wilson isn't interested in one specific military outfit's protocol. For his challenge, Wilson plans to take on a custom challenge comprised of pullups, pushups and situps, all common events in the genre. To fit the theme, Wilson and his friends don faux-camouflage fatigues and wear dog tags (the face paint they apply might just be a step to far).
Wilson sets out a goal number of reps for each exercise:
Chinups: 23Situps: 70Pushups: 40
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"We'll see how far we can push the boundaries today," says Wilson.
Wilson gets to his chinups, and he knocks out 25 reps without dropping.
Next up is situps, which he plans to do for 2 minutes. But he comes up short with only 66.
"Ahhhhh!" he says as he struggles through his last reps. "We're putting ourselves through hell and high water."
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Finally, he hits the pushups, which will be until he fatigues.
"I'll be really happy with 87," he says.
He grabs a yoga block to put under his chest to tap for each rep. He gets to it, and he manages to get to 61 pushups before collapsing. He's not close to his goal, but it's a solid effort nonetheless.
In place of the 1.5 mile run standard with military fitness tests, Wilson decides to do an assault course in the gymnasium instead. The challenge uses the gymnastics rings, crawling underneath gym mats, scaling a wall, flips on a trampoline, walking across balance beams, and uneven bars. He completes it in 1:25. That might be more like a military obstacle course than a fitness testbut we'll give him credit for the effort.
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British Gymnast Nile Wilson Tries Military Fitness Test Events - menshealth.com
Fitness Facts: Halloween and COVID safety – GCU Today
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Connie Colbert
By Connie ColbertDirector, Canyon Health and Wellness Clinic
Halloween might look a little different this year because of COVID, but here are some tips from Johns Hopkins Hospital to help make it just as memorable while being safe.
Virtual costume contests and other online fun are the safest ways for kids to get together with their friends. Avoid parties, haunted houses and other indoor group activities especially when screaming is involved. (Screaming is a big part of Halloween, but it projects a lot of respiratory droplets.)
Door-to-door trick-or-treating is riskier since it involves interacting with many people. But if you choose to go ahead with the tradition, ask around in advance and find out who in your neighborhood is planning to participate. Ensure you and your children are physically distancing, wearing masks and practicing hand hygiene.
Keep large groups of kids from crowding around the same door, especially if theyre shouting trick or treat! Coach your children: If they encounter candy givers or other neighbors who arent wearing masks, wish them Happy Halloween and move on.
Giving out candy? Wear your mask, plus gloves, and toss the candy or pre-filled goodie bags on a sanitized table for physically distanced pickup. Look for clever ideas, such as making candy chutes and zip lines, or other fun ways to get candy to trick-or-treaters while maintaining 6 feet distance.
Parents dont need to wash or sterilize candy wrappers; hand hygiene is more important. Remind children that they can dive into their tasty treasures only after returning home and thoroughly washing their hands.
If your childs costume includes a mask, save it for later since costume masks may not prevent spreading the coronavirus. Substitute acoronavirus-approved mask, decorated to match the theme of your childs costume.
Alternatives to trick-or-treating still can be fun:
How about a spooky scavenger hunt in your yard? Tuck away treats for your children to find, give them flashlights and let the adventure begin. If you include others from outside your household, make sure everyone wears COVID-appropriate masks and stays at least 6 feet apart.
Carving pumpkins, decorating masks, watching movies and sharing funny, scary stories around thefireplace or outdoor firepit with family members can make memories to cherish.
Take plenty of pictures. This Halloween might be a little different as you take precautions such as mask-wearing, physical distancing, hand hygiene and avoiding crowds. But even while you are staying safe, you and your children still can have great times to look back on years from now.
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Fitness Facts: Halloween and COVID safety - GCU Today