Regular exercise can provide a variety of benefits for one’s cardiovascular health. Known as “cardio” for short, this consists of aerobic exercise activities that improve heart and muscle health, gets more oxygen flowing through the bloodstream, and reduces fatigue while increasing energy. Examples of cardiovascular activity include: cycling, swimming, playing soccer, walking, and even simply running up and down flights of stairs. The more someone practices this type of exercise (while starting at a low level of intensity), the more they can reap the rewards that come with it.

Cardio exercise is highly recommended for anyone looking to have a more active lifestyle, and for good reason. Here are some of the biggest benefits of cardiovascular activity.

A Significant Benefit Is Better Heart and Muscle Health 

As mentioned earlier, cardiovascular activity helps people improve muscle function and get their blood pumping and circulating more quickly and efficiently. This type of exercise can also lower one’s blood pressure, as well as better control blood sugar and insulin levels. For those with diabetes, cardio exercises are an excellent way to more easily regulate these. Levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol—the “good” cholesterol, as some call it—also increase during cardio activity. That said, cardio activity must not be done too frequently, as this can strain one’s muscles. However, these kinds of exercises can reduce one’s risk for strokes and heart disease when done correctly.

Feeling More Energized and Less Fatigued

Anyone doing cardio exercises on a regular basis is less likely to feel out of breath after exercising. This is because one’s lung capacity—also known as “aerobic capacity”—expands when they frequently practice cardiovascular activity. As a result, more oxygen flows through the body, even if breathing gets heavier while doing these exercises. Fitness and health school students may already be aware that cardio exercises also trigger the release of endorphins that increase feelings of happiness–therefore increasing energy levels. A person’s mental health can also benefit from this release, as it can reduce one’s feelings of anxiety and depression.

Metabolism, Weight, and Other Benefits for Fitness and Health School Students to Know

There are a multitude of other upsides to practicing cardio exercises. For one, it can improve a person’s metabolic function, making weight regulation easier.  This is a great strategy for students in fitness and health training to emphasize during their career, particularly since they can expect to learn about how the metabolic system works, as well as the physiological effects of exercise on the body.

Cardiovascular activity can also strengthen the immune system, as cardio exercises cause white blood cells and antibodies to shift around more rapidly and more easily detect possible illness. With this in mind, practicing such activities regularly can aid the body’s resistance to bacterial infections.

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Getting injured is something no one wants to deal with, especially if they’re unable to work out or train as a result. Nothing is worse than to get in shape, only for it to be ruined by a sprained ankle or torn muscle. As a fitness and health professional, you will have clients who have suffered injuries from time to time. They’ll need your help to develop a plan to get them back to the gym in a way that’s safe and ensures they won’t make their injury worse, or re-injure themselves. 

Starting to work out again after suffering an injury is one of the easiest times to get injured again. Here’s how you can help clients bounce back from injuries.

Those With Fitness and Health Training Should Prioritize Rest

When advising a client with an injury after fitness and health school, it’s important to emphasize the importance of giving one’s body an appropriate amount of time to recuperate from the injury. Going back to working out too soon can do more harm than good, so make sure you’re informing your client of the proper amount of time to wait before working out again. That timeframe will depend on the type of injury and its severity. However, throughout this recovery time, it’s still important that your client continues to stretch regularly to keep their muscles from getting too stiff. After enough time has been spent allowing the injury to heal without the added stress of exercise, you can begin advising your client on reincorporating the affected area into their exercise routine.

Clients Should Remember to Start Slow

Before advising your client to resume working out, have them start by incorporating small amounts of exercise back into their daily routine, such as walking. Clients may also be able to swim for short periods of time, as swimming is low-impact, and can help to strengthen the body. If your client does well with these activities, it could be time to help them transition to getting back into their exercise routine. However, it’s important to remember that their abilities will be very different from before their injury. The affected area will likely be weaker, and the size of the muscle will have decreased. This means that it’s important to have your client start with lighter, less technical exercises.

Don’t Forget to Make a Workout Plan

In order to ensure that your client avoids re-injuring themselves, it’s always a good idea to develop a plan for them to follow, so that they don’t put too much stress on their injury too soon. Use your fitness and health training to plan out the exercises that they’ll do, including the number of repetitions. Avoid high impact exercises and heavy weights when starting out, in favour of exercises which use resistance bands or lighter weights. Exercises that incorporate this kind of equipment will help clients to build strength and add resistance in a safe way, which is important when starting to work out after an injury.

Tell Clients to Always Listen to Their Bodies

Although you might have the perfect plan in place for your client, it’s important to remember that they should always prioritize listening to their bodies. If something hurts, they should stop immediately, and take more time to recuperate. Remember, it’s always better to spend more time recovering than suffering from another injury.

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While there are many benefits of exercise, staying active can also play a more significant role than just improving one’s fitness. During the often brutal and lengthy Canadian winters, when the days are shorter and colder and we tend to get outdoors less, exercise can play a crucial role in keeping one’s mental health in check. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), sometimes known as seasonal depression, is a cyclical condition in which one experiences an onset of depression during the winter months. SAD is often thought to be brought on by lower levels of exposure to sunlight. Sunlight supplies us with vitamin D and is proven to bring beneficial effects to one’s mood, and without it, some individuals may be more susceptible to depression. 

While exercise is by no means a cure for seasonal depression, it can play an important role in helping to fight against its effects. If you’re training to become a fitness consultant, a personal trainer, or a health coach, you might want to be aware of how you can help clients use exercise to counter the effects of seasonal depression–in order to get through those winter months as healthily as possible.

Those in Fitness and Health Training Should Know the Effects of SAD

About 17-18% of Canadians will experience either SAD or a milder form of seasonal depression in their lifetimes. The lack of sunlight exposure in the winter months can have different effects on different people. However, SAD is largely characterized by symptoms such as sluggishness, sleeping more, difficulty concentrating, changes in appetite or weight, loss of interest in activities or social engagements, and feelings of shame, sorrow, or general apathy. If you’re in fitness and health training, you might be able to recommend or adapt an exercise and health regimen to support clients during such times.

How Can Exercise Fight Against Symptoms of SAD?

While exercise is not a cure for seasonal depression, it can produce many beneficial effects to help those impacted. A study done by Harvard University found that committing to four hours of exercise each week can help those with SAD. In a study of 8,000 participants, those who regularly exercised were 17% less likely to experience depressive episodes in the future. Exercise releases endorphins and serotonin, chemicals proven to improve our mood.

What Can You Do as a Fitness and Health Professional?

Upon graduating from fitness and health school, you’ll be prepared to become a Certified Personal Trainer or a Certified Health Coach, qualified to advise and educate clients on nutrition and exercise and design programs to suit individual needs. When advising a client with symptoms of seasonal depression, it’s important to encourage them to exercise as a way to feel better and stay healthy. Exercising aerobically, anywhere from 30-60 minutes a day, can serve to fight against the effects of seasonal depression. Depending on your client’s fitness level, recommend an exercise routine that works for them and help them make a plan to stay motivated. Be sure to include tips for a healthy diet, which also serves to benefit mental health. 

While exercise is a great way to boost a person’s mood and fight against the effects of seasonal affective disorder, it’s important to remember that clients should seek professional help if exercise alone is not working against their depressive symptoms. In more serious cases, light therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, or antidepressants may be considered by their health professional.  

Ready to help people lead healthier lives? 

Check out Medix College’s fitness and health courses today.

Earlier this year, COVID-19 caused gyms to shut their doors. Exercise classes and team sports were cancelled or postponed in order to reduce the risk of spreading the virus through person-to-person contact. 

Exercise is incredibly important for both our mental and physical health. However, lockdown forced many people to live sedentary lives without their daily commute, morning swim, or evening soccer game. 

In order to encourage people to continue to live healthy and active lives throughout quarantine, fitness and health professionals across the country have been working hard to help people stay in shape from a distance. 

Read on to find out some of the ways you could help people to get fit from home after graduating from a fitness and health program at Medix College. 

Teach Bodyweight Exercises After Fitness and Health Schools 

One of the main benefits of working out in a gym is that you have access to different weights and machines. It can be difficult for people to adapt to exercising at home if their normal routine includes kettlebells, a rowing machine, a leg press, and more. 

After completing fitness and health courses, you could help people to improve their at-home workouts using bodyweight exercises. Movements such as planking, burpees, or mountain climbers are very effective and don’t require any extra equipment. 

Another solution is to encourage your clients to find makeshift weights in their homes. They could use a bag of flour or a heavy rucksack filled with books. Similarly, you could use a chair to perform press-ups or tricep dips. Whilst it might not look professional, the results will speak for themselves.

Use Technology to Your Advantage 

The use of technology in the fitness sector was advancing rapidly even before the quarantine. Stats show that the digital fitness industry is generating more and more revenue each year. 

Digital channels like social media are a great way to connect with audiences and enhance your fitness and health training. You could provide livestream workouts on Instagram, share prerecorded home workouts on Youtube, or even personal training sessions via Zoom. 

Find a Home Workout Space to Teach

You and your clients will need to find a suitable space to exercise while at home. If you are going to be teaching live classes, you will need to make sure that you have a strong and stable Wi-Fi connection. 

It’s also a good idea to make sure that there is bright, natural lighting so that your students can see you, as well as some ventilation for more intense workouts! 

Keep it Short and Simple 

People tend to have shorter attention spans when looking at a screen in comparison to being face-to-face with a teacher or instructor. This means that you might need to shorten your classes or personal training sessions. Try to replace hour-long classes with multiple 15 or 30-minute sessions. 

Another challenge is teaching complicated movements without being there physically. Try to simplify your workouts at first so that they are easy for people to follow while adjusting to a new online format and exercising from home. You can then make them more advanced as you and your students become more comfortable.

Don’t Forgot to Warm Up and Cool Down

You would never allow a client to miss a warm-up or cool down if you were teaching in person – so don’t miss it during a home workout! Warming up before a workout allows people to slowly build up their body temperature and cardiovascular rate. This is especially important for clients that might have been sitting down all day before starting a home workout. 

As well as this, properly cooling down and stretching after a workout can help to avoid muscle soreness the next day, and can also improve joint movement and flexibility. 

Do you want to help people stay active after fitness and health school?

Contact Medix College today! 

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus, students across the world are being forced to work from home. It’s no longer possible to have students and teachers together in classrooms, labs, or lecture theatres, as the risk of spreading the virus from person to person is too high. 

At Medix College, a number of healthcare programs have been moved online. This means that students can continue their education and work towards a rewarding and fulfilling career, even throughout these unprecedented times. Read on to discover more about the success of online learning at Medix College. 

No Need to Hit ‘Pause’ 

COVID-19 has put a lot of plans on hold for individuals and businesses. Vacations have been cancelled, product launches have been delayed, and employees have been furloughed. However, students do not need to hit pause on their studies. Online learning means that students at Medix College can continue to follow their ambition. 

Popular programs, including pharmaceutical courses, fitness and health courses, and dental office administration courses, can now be completed online without even stepping out of your home. This is perfect for aspiring healthcare professionals that want to use this time to follow a new career path.

Online Healthcare Training is More Flexible 

One of the many advantages of online learning is that it is much more flexible than traditional classroom learning. Students can learn from wherever they want as long as they have internet access. This means that there is no need to spend money or time commuting to school. 

The extra time saved means that students might find it easier to balance their studies with other work and family commitments. In addition, outside of instructor-led classes, students can continue their learning at a time and pace that suits them. This extra flexibility could mean that students get more from their learning. 

Improve Digital Skills 

Students enrolled in fitness consultant courses and other online training programs might find that their digital skills quickly improve. Online classes use a variety of different e-learning software for video conference calls and other learning exercises. Students will learn how to use different software, and how to quickly adapt to new – and at first unfamiliar – methods of teaching.

Having the confidence to use new software and technology is a valuable skill in today’s workplace. Healthcare organizations will often introduce new software that staff will need to adapt to quickly. This is just one of the ways that online training will prepare students for future career success. 

Prove That You Are Self-motivated and Hardworking 

It can be difficult to adapt to online learning at first, especially if you are used to learning in the classroom. One of the main differences is that you will need to motivate yourself to study without an instructor or classmates around you. 

This will help you to improve self-discipline and will also show future employers that you are self-motivated and capable of working independently. 

Are you interested in online healthcare training?

Contact Medix College to learn more! 

Are you looking for a rewarding career where you can help others build confidence and reach their full potential? Are you a self-confessed fitness addict interested in sports and nutrition? If this sounds like you, you might want to think about turning your passion into a career with a Fitness and Health Certificate at Medix College. 

Demand for health and fitness professionals continues to grow in Canada as Canadians become increasingly focused on their personal health and wellness. According to research, the number of health and fitness franchise listings in Canada increased by more than 30% over a five-year period. 

While classrooms across the country are closed in response to COVID-19, students at Medix College are continuing to work towards their career goals online. Find out how what to expect from an online fitness and health training course with Medix College. 

You Still Need a Distraction Free Study Space 

The great thing about studying fitness and health courses from home is that you can work anywhere you choose. In bed, on the couch, at the kitchen table, the choice is yours. However, you may find that you are most productive if you create a study space that is free of distractions. 

Try to sit at a desk if possible, near a power outlet with natural light and not much noise. Lighting, temperature, air quality, and background noise are all proven to affect your productivity. Finding the right space will enable you to do your best work, and motivate you to study outside of the classroom. 

Take Regular Breaks When Studying Fitness and Health Courses 

It’s important to take regular breaks when learning online. You may notice that after several hours of staring at a computer screen you start to feel restless or your eyes get tired. Make sure that you take morning, lunch, and afternoon breaks outside away from the screen. You could go for a walk, run errands, or do some exercise. 

In addition, students in fitness and health training are likely to be more active than regular students. You can maintain this even when studying from home with online workouts, jogging, and more.  

Prepare to Work in a Digital World 

The great thing about online learning is that you will be more prepared than ever to work and succeed in a digital world. Everything – including the fitness industry – is beginning to move online. Fitness influencers are posting workouts on Instagram Live, personal trainers are offering virtual consultations, and fitness apps are replacing the gym.

After studying an online course at Medix College, you will develop better digital skills and become more confident communicating virtually. You can use this to your advantage and offer fitness consultation services online. Having experienced online learning yourself, you will have an idea of what helped you make progress during your course, and can use these same methods with your own clients. 

Do you want to find out more about a fitness and health certificate?

Contact Medix College today! 

Fitness has come a long way from the days of ultra-restrictive diets and grueling exercises. Nowadays, people tend to focus more on developing healthy and sustainable lifestyles through proper nutrition, tailored exercises, and mental well-being.

Recent technological developments have sought to support this goal. From meditation apps to nutrition calculators to live-streamed workouts, technology is making fitness increasingly accessible– and the intersection of health and technology is expected to become even more intertwined in 2020.

As we enter the new decade, those interested in health and fitness have a lot to look forward to. Read on to learn about the exciting fitness trends you’re likely to see in the coming year!

The Rise of ‘On-the-go Wellness’ for Those in Fitness and Health School

In today’s digital world, there seems to be an app for everything. Whether you’re looking to measure calories, assess your sleep cycle, or get at-home workouts, you’ll likely be able to find something that suits your exact needs.

However, in the process of digitizing fitness, a reverse trend occurred. In an increasingly busy world, people began craving human connection while working out. IT experts promptly responded to these concerns with various ways to combine fitness, technology, and community.

Through virtual trainer apps, you can take part in personalized workouts with certified fitness professionals – without having to leave the comfort of your home. Some gyms have also started live-streaming their workout classes. This gives those that prefer to exercise at home a more human experience than they would get from watching a pre-recorded video.

The Rise of Mindful Workouts

In 2020, exercise is no longer synonymous with weight loss or washboard abs. The fitness industry is now all about promoting mental and physical health as part of an overall healthy lifestyle.

As a result, an increasing number of fitness and health school graduates are addressing different aspects of wellness in their workouts. This includes adding meditation to workouts in order to ease stress and promote relaxation.

In addition, more and more fitness and health professionals are paying more attention to what happens before, during, and after aworkout in order to provide clients with the most holistically beneficial experience possible.

Promoting Plant-Based Nutrition After Fitness and Health Promotion Training

As nutrition becomes an increasingly integral part of fitness and health promotion training, it’s important for those in the industry to keep up to date with the latest food trends.

It doesn’t take a specialist to know that plant-based eating is one of the most widespread nutrition trends in the current decade. Out of concerns for the climate and personal wellness, people are making fruits and vegetables a bigger part of their diets. In fact, experts predict that only 40% of the global population will be eating meat by 2040.

Those interested in health and nutrition should seek to become well-versed in plant-based nutrition in order to meet client demands in 2020.

Want to discover what fitness consultant courses have to offer?

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After completing your health and fitness program, you may choose to work directly with clients towards their fitness goals. Each client is unique and will have individual needs, but what is likely to be constant is the fact that they will require assessments to help them reach those goals.

When you begin working with a new client, assessments are your way to get to know them. Whether you’re working as a personal trainer, fitness instructor or in another role, you can use postural and fitness assessments to understand clients’ strengths, areas for improvement, limitations and skill levels. These factors can relate to mobility and range of motion, body composition, cardiovascular fitness, muscle function, mentality or physical abilities.

Read on for more about why assessments matter for a career in health and fitness.

Assessments Allow You to Gather Baseline Data After Fitness and Health School

Assessments provide valuable data for developing goals and for creating programs to meet those goals. When you are working as an expert in the field, you will have clients who don’t possess the same background knowledge as you do. Because of this, they won’t necessarily be able to self-evaluate. This is where assessments come in handy.

Passive postural assessments give you an idea of a client’s skeletal structure, possible areas of weakness or tightness, asymmetries and imbalances and potential areas for improvement. Additional active assessments will enable you to gather information about your client’s current fitness level, including their range of motion and muscle function. The overhead squat is an example of an assessment that evaluates both strength and mobility in order to gather baseline data.

Demonstrate Your Value Using Assessments After Fitness Consultant Courses

Assessments allow you to demonstrate your value to your clients. Fitness and health school is an investment in your professional success, and you will want to show it off to your advantage. Your specialized knowledge in using assessments shows that you are an expert in your field and that you can use your skills to help others.

Assessments will also demonstrate results, as you’ll be able to show clients markers of their progress. For example, if a client is interested in improving their cardiovascular health, you may record their resting heart rate over time, showing them when they’ve successfully lowered their BPM.  This is both encouraging for clients on their fitness journeys and is an effective business strategy for retaining customers.

Safety and Effective Programming Require Assessments

If you choose to follow a career path where you are designing and delivering fitness programs for clients, both safety and effective programming need to be prioritized. Not only do clients need to be assessed, but you need to also assess and reassess your plan for them. For example, if you have programmed a weight loss strategy for your client but find that there is no weight loss after a reasonable amount of time, you can use your assessment data as a cue to redesign the program.

Keeping clients safe and protecting their well-being is likely already a concern to you if you’re in fitness consultant courses and want a career helping people get healthy. A great way to ensure client safety is through assessments, in particular initial assessments. If you notice limitations, you can cater to those needs and prevent injury or strain to your client’s body. This keeps them happy and healthy and allows them to continue training and working towards their goals with their favourite fitness professional by their side.

Are you interested in fitness and health promotion training?

Contact Medix for more information.

Snacks and lunchtime activities are something you may find yourself assisting with in your career. When children have mealtime routines and rules to follow, they can learn about socializing, manners and sharing. This is also an opportunity for them to learn about nutrition.

Provided with a healthy diet rich in nutrients, young bodies are able to build tissues and function properly. Their mood levels, academic performance, physical fitness and personal wellbeing can also benefit from getting the healthy, nourishing meals and snacks they need. Children eat smaller portions, so quality is a focus when choosing what they eat. Read on for some facts about childhood nutrition you can use in your career!

1. Early Childcare Assistant Training Lets You Be a Role Model

Children look to role models for behaviours and habits that they themselves can develop. When the adults in a child’s life eat well, children often will mimic them. By eating healthy yourself, you’re teaching the children you work with to also eat healthy. These healthy nutrition choices are important to develop early in life. Reinforcing the value of mindful and educated food choices will prepare children to take care of their bodies. This also teaches children to respect themselves and value their health, which in turn can translate into positive feelings towards others.

2. Variety Is Key in Healthy Nutrition

Early childcare assistant college prepares you through labs to assist in daycare or early learning centres, where you may prepare nutritious foods based on the Canada Food Guide. Children aged 2 and up require variety in their diets. A diverse range of fruits and vegetables, with whole grains, proteins and water can help them get their vitamins, macronutrients, calories and hydration. Choosing a range of colours of plants also helps to ensure that various health benefits are obtained. This can also be a fun part of eating for children, who often respond to bright colours and may enjoy “eating a rainbow”.

3. You May See Effects of Sugar After an Early Childcare Assistant Diploma

It’s no secret that many children have a sweet tooth. While it may be one of their favourite things to eat, sugar can have negative effects if there is too much of it. One major drawback of too much sugar is that it can cause fullness, so that children are unable to drum up an appetite for healthier foods.

The Canada Food Guide highlights that having too many sugary foods and drinks can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and obesity. This is also linked to increased risk of cavities, specifically in children. After your early childcare assistant training, you may work in environments where you see some hyperactivity and behavioural issues that could also be linked to sugar intake.

4. Calcium Builds Healthy Bones During Early Childhood

You’ve likely heard of the importance calcium plays in maintaining healthy bones. For children, this importance is heightened as it builds strong bones and teeth. A steady availability of calcium lets a child’s body to continue the process of growing these tissues.

Calcium also helps with muscle and nerve function, as well as converting food into energy. In addition, it contributes to the regulation of blood pressure. Milk, yogurt and other dairy products are excellent sources of calcium. Since children only have one chance to build strong bones, getting enough of this nutrient early on in life is necessary.

Are you interested in earning an Early Childcare Assistant diploma?

Contact Medix College to learn more!