What's Stopping You From Weightlifting?

Do you lift weights? If not, what are you waiting for? We are debunking 5 weightlifting myths.

Get ready to pump some iron!

Myth #1: Weight training will bulk me up

If you a woman who thinks weightlifting will make you look bigger, this one is for you.

Many women are afraid to lift weights because they are afraid they will bulk up, like some men do during weight training. Research has shown that most women simply do not have enough testosterone to increase their muscle mass to the point of looking bigger. To bulk up, or lift weights to become bigger, a woman would have to lift heavy weights while taking hormones or drugs to alter the way their muscles respond to the lifting.

Myth #2: Weight training takes too long

It takes is about 30 minutes a few times a week to complete a weight training routine. In fact, some gyms have areas dedicated to 30-minutes routines with equipment positioned so it is easy to go from one machine to the next.

Myth #3: Free weights are harder than machines

Both free weights and weight machines offer advantages and disadvantages. Some people feel more comfortable using machines because they don’t have to think about how they are positioned – the machine does it for them. Others enjoy free weights because they can isolate muscles better.

If you belong to a gym, schedule a session with a trainer to familiarize yourself with both free weights and weight machines. He or she can explain the differences between each type and help you create a routine that meets your needs.

Myth #5: Weightlifting is bad for my joints

Quite the contrary! The fact is, when you strengthen the muscles around your joints you put less pressure on your joints and will increase their health.

Weightlifting is a non-impact activity, which means it is less stressful than running or walking. Lifting weights can also improve your posture taking strain off your back and spine.

Do you lift weights at the gym? What benefits have you seen from weightlifting? 

Lose Weight at Penn Medicine

Penn can help you lose weight.

Learn about medical weight loss in Philadelphia, and the Penn Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery Program at a free information session about weight-loss surgery in Philadelphia.

There, you will hear about your weight-loss surgery options, and how Penn can help you lose weight and get healthy for good.

Register for a free information session today.

Read how Penn weight-loss surgery patients lost 430 pounds!

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Weight-Loss Surgery: More Than About Looks

Weight-loss surgery is not just about looking better. It's about getting back to a quality of life you can enjoy with family and friends.

Matt Kirkland, MD, FACS, director of the metabolic and bariatric surgery program at Pennsylvania Hospital discusses the benefits of weight-loss surgery at Penn in this video.

Lose Weight at Penn Medicine

Penn can help you lose weight. Learn about medical weight loss in Philadelphia, and the Penn Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery Program at a free information session about weight-loss surgery in Philadelphia. There, you will hear about your weight-loss surgery options, and how Penn can help you lose weight and get healthy for good. Register for a free information session today.

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Gastric Sleeve for Weight Loss

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine compared the standard treatment of medication, diet and exercise to weight-loss surgery for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

“This study shows in addition to gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy improves or resolves type 2 diabetes following surgery, and is more effective than medical management alone,” says Noel Williams, MD, director of the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Program.

During a sleeve gastrectomy, or gastric sleeve, a sleeve-shaped tube is created from a small portion of the stomach, and most of the stomach is removed. Food passes through this tube directly into the intestines. Nutrients and calories are absorbed from food normally, but patients feel full sooner and stay full longer.

Sleeve gastrectomy is typically considered for patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 50 or higher. The surgery is performed laparoscopically and can be a permanent surgical solution to manage weight. A second operation may be required, however, if significant weight loss is required to improve the patient's health.

Let Penn Help You Lose Weight

Learn if weight-loss surgery is right for you and attend a free information session about the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Program.

At this free session, you will learn more about weight-loss surgery at Penn, and meet physicians and team members from the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Program

Register for this free event here.

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In Weight-Loss Surgery, Experience Matters

David S. Wernsing, MD, FACS, is a bariatric surgeon with the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Program.

In this video, he discusses Penn’s long-standing bariatric surgery program and the importance of choosing a weight-loss program with the experience and expertise of bariatric surgeons and sub-specialty physicians who are all a part of a bariatric patient’s care.

Meet Penn Experts in Weight-loss Surgery

Learn if bariatric surgery is right for you and attend a free informationa session about the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Program. At this free session, you will learn more about weight-loss surgery at Penn, and meet physicians and team members from the Penn Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Program. Register for this free event here.

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Buy Local At These Farmers Markets in Philadelphia and New Jersey

A diet rich in a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables is important for weight control and can provide many other health benefits. And now is a perfect time of year to shop local.

An increasing number of farmers have been making their way to Philadelphia and the surrounding areas as a part of a nation-wide movement to buy local.

Did you know most of the fresh fruits and vegetables you purchase in your supermarket have already spent as many as 14 days in transit? Once produce is picked, it is still alive but it stops receiving nutrients from the source plant. Produce loses heat and moisture over time through a process called respiration, which is one way nutrients and flavor are lost.

Asparagus, broccoli, mushrooms, and spinach have very high respiration rates and lose moisture, flavor and nutrients quicker than apples or onions, which have low respiration rates. Spinach, for example, loses up to 50 to 90 percent of its vitamin C content within 24 hours of being picked.

This is why local food is fresher and tastes better than food shipped long distances from other states or countries.

Why Should You Shop Local?

Although, farmers markets may appear to be more expensive than supermarkets, fresh is often more nutritious. In other words, you may be getting more bang for your buck at a local farmers market.

Don’t worry about carrying cash: Most farmers’ markets accept debit and credit cards, making it easier than ever to purchase fresh foods. Plus buying local food keeps your dollars circulating in your community.

Shopping Local is a Fun Family Experience

Buying local can be fun for the whole family. It is a great way for kids to learn more about the fruits and vegetables on their plates. Most farmers are knowledgeable and eager to share information with their customers.

To learn more visit www.buylocalpa.org and www.pasafarming.org

Farmers Markets in the Philadelphia Area

The Food Trust Farmers' Markets

43rd and Baltimore Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19104
Tel: 215-568-0830
Saturdays, 10 am to 2pm

Clark Park Farmers Market

Cliveden Park Farmers Market
Chew Avenue & Johnson Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Tel: 215-568-0830
Wednesdays, 2 pm to 6 pm

Fairmount Farmers' Market

22nd Street and Fairmount Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19107
Tel: 215-568-0830
Thursdays, 3 pm to 7 pm

Headhouse Farmers' Market

Second and Lombard Streets, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Tel: 215-575-0444
Sundays, 10 am to 2 pm

Overbrook Farms Farmers' Market

Lancaster Avenue at City Avenue, (Overbrook Presbyterian Church), Philadelphia, PA 19103
Tel: 215-575-0444
Saturdays, 9 am to 1 pm
contact@thefoodtrust.org
http://www.foodtrustmarkets.org/markets.html

Farmers Markets in New Jersey

Collingswood Farmers’ Market

Between Collings and Irvin Avenues, Collingswood
http://www.collingswoodmarket.com/
Saturdays, 8 am to Noon

Camden Community Farmers Market

514 Cooper Street, Camden
http://www.camden-ahec.org/ahecservices/camdencommunityfarmersmarket.html

Our Lady of Lourdes Community Farmers Market

1600 Haddon Avenue
July 1 to October 28
Wednesdays, 2 pm to 5 pm

Camden Farmers Market

Walter Rand Transportation Center, Broadway
June 23 to October 27
Tuesdays, 10 am to 3 pm

Virtua Health Farmers Market

Atlantic & Mt. Ephriam Aves.
Thursdays 11 am to 3 pm
June 18 to October 29

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3 Types of People Who Might Benefit From Personal Training

A personal trainer is a certified professional who can help you define your weight-loss goals, design a program to meet those goals, and motivate you to work out during one-on-one sessions. While personal training is not for everyone, for those individuals who have never worked out or are not sure how they should work out, a few sessions with a professional might help pave the way to fitness success.

If you fit into one of these descriptions, you might want to consider hiring a personal trainer.

You Are New To Exercise

If you’ve never set foot in a gym, it can be overwhelming. There are free weights, weight machines, fitness classes and pieces of cardio equipment. All the “pros” can be intimidating and you probably don’t know where to start.

If you are an absolute beginner, a personal trainer is your ultimate gym buddy. A personal trainer helps you set goals and builds a routine for you, so you make the best use of your time in the gym. Also, he or she shows you the proper way to exercise, helps you with your form and shows you the best cardio machines to help you reach your weight-loss goals.

You may not need to meet with a personal trainer every week, but meeting with one a few times in the beginning, and then every few months to tweak your routine, can get you on the right path.

You Have an Injury or Health Condition

Just because you have a bad knee or an old shoulder injury that flares up on occasion doesn’t mean you shouldn’t – or can’t – exercise. A good personal trainer helps you identify your weaknesses and designs a program that strengthens your body without putting too much pressure or strain on any one area.

Your trainer also shows you how to safely exercise and look for signs of muscle overuse.

You Need Extra Motivation

Even a seasoned gym rat needs some extra motivation every now and then. Meeting with a personal trainer at a designated time each week can help you stick with a consistent exercise program. Certified personal trainers can provide structure and accountability, and help you develop a lifestyle that encourages health.

Remember, not all personal trainers are created equal. Ask if they are certified by the American Council of Exercise (ACE) or Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA) or other licensing organization. He or she should also be certified in CPR and have liability insurance.

Finally, find a trainer you like. This is a hired professional, and if it’s not working out with one, find someone else you can feel comfortable with.

Have you used a personal trainer at a gym? What was your experience?

Lose Weight at Penn Medicine

Penn can help you lose weight.

Learn about medical weight loss in Philadelphia, and the Penn Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery Program at a free information session about weight-loss surgery in Philadelphia.

There, you will hear about your weight-loss surgery options, and how Penn can help you lose weight and get healthy for good.

Register for a free information session today.
 

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Try a Zumba Class!

Do you like to dance and have fun while working out? If so, then Zumba might be for you!

If you are tired of the same old exercise routine at the gym, chances are that your body is, too.

Any fitness professional or personal trainer will tell you that every few months it’s important to change up your routine. That’s because the more you exercise a certain muscle group or do the same type of exercise, the more efficient your body becomes at performing it. And the more efficient your body becomes, the less of a challenge that exercise is. Your body responds by outputting less energy, which means fewer calories are burned.

If it’s time to try something new, it seems like Zumba® is taking gyms and fitness centers across the nation by storm.

Zumba is a Latin-inspired fitness dance program created by dancer and choreographer Alberto "Beto" Perez. Zumba involves dance and aerobic elements, and gets the class moving with hip-hop, samba, salsa belly dance and mambo moves. Some instructors also incorporate light strength training into the class.

But don’t let all the fancy moves intimidate you. Perhaps the best thing about this class is that it keeps you moving and “on your toes” for the duration of the class. You’ll be paying so much attention to following the moves and having fun, you won’t even notice the time pass by.

Zumba classes are offered at many gyms and dance studios, but if you would prefer to exercise at home, there are Zumba DVDs and video games to get you moving in your living room.

Have you tried a Zumba class? What did you think? 

Lose Weight at Penn Medicine

Penn can help you lose weight.

Learn about medical weight loss in Philadelphia, and the Penn Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery Program at a free information session about weight-loss surgery in Philadelphia.

There, you will hear about your weight-loss surgery options, and how Penn can help you lose weight and get healthy for good.

Register for a free information session today.

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