Karate World Kicks Butt Against Cancer

Karate World will host a Kick-A-Thon to raise money for the American Cancer Society on Jan. 28 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Roxanne Dunn, Mrs. New Jersey, will be signing autographs. X Changes Hair will be cutting hair. Radio station 103.5 WKTU will also be there.

Karate World, 753 Boulevard, Kenilworth; 908-241-0066.

Tennis: A Fitness Program for All Ages

Tennis is a fun fitness program for all age groups. “We’ve got tots that run through exercises and learn their left from their right,” says Georgia Aquila, owner of Mountainside Indoor Tennis.

Juniors, ages 10 to 14, learn drills like the spider web that force them to use both sides of their brains.

Teens learn to put their game together using physical and mental skills.

Adults and seniors relish the physical exercise and the camaraderie of the game.

Mountainside Indoor Tennis, 1191 Rt. 22 East, Mountainside; 908-232-0310.

A Healthier New Year

by Peter J. Stapleton, certified professional trainer and fitness and nutrition professional

Most people’s New Year’s Resolutions have to do with some aspect of fitness. For some people, weight loss is a resolution, for others having more strength & flexibility is their resolution. For still others it may be a resolution to find more personal time to relax and de-stress. Whatever your particular resolution is, it is important to have a plan or strategy to start you off in the right direction. Most people start off the new year with good intentions, but often by the time April and May roll around, they have abandoned their resolutions, due to either unrealistic expectations or frustration. My advice to anyone seeking a higher level of fitness is to set clear, well-defined, measureable goals.

Make sure to also set a realistic timetable for weight loss as it has been shown that losing weight slowly and steadily—say two the three per week—will result in more permanent fat loss than if you go on a “quick-trim” plan where you lose a ton of weight quickly, but end up putting all that weight back on plus more. Engaging in regular
physical activity is more important than dieting for keeping your weight under control, especially in mid-life. This advice particularly applies to women because dieting threatens female fat cell’s ability to produce estrogen. It has been shown that undernourished fat cells may actually grow larger in defiance of your “quick-trim” plan.

Eating smaller, frequent meals containing healthy ingredients can aid in stabilizing your blood sugar levels, keeping your energy high and helping to prevent overeating. If you strength train, it has been shown that you will burn calories long after you have put the weights down. In addition to the benefit of burning calories “at rest,” you will be combatting age-related muscle loss. So strength training not only revs up your metabolism, but it builds bone density and increases muscle.

Remember when choosing a fitness facility to tell them your goals and ask them if they can custom design a plan that is just right for you. Make sure that the fitness professional(s) that you are working with has your full medical history. Also make sue to
choose a clean, safe, well-lit facility that can delver the results that you are paying them for.

My advice is to choose a contract or membership agreement that is flexible and allows you to commit monthly rather than to join a club for a yearly membership that does offer you any flexibility if you decide you aren't seeing the results that you had hoped for. In today's competitive fitness industry, you should get what you pay for. Remember that
consistency plus hard work equals results.

For a customized approach to fitness/wellness visit Tempo Fitness at 685 Morris Turnpike (Corner of Cleveland Place), Springfield or call 973-376-3636 to book your complementary personal training session and fitness consultation.

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