Regular physical activity increases your exercise capacity and is key in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Exercise can also help control blood lipid abnormalities, high blood pressure, diabetes, osteoporosis and obesity. The American Heart Association currently recommends 30 minutes or more of moderately intense physical activity on most days of the week in order to improve overall health.

Our team of exercise physiologists will create an individualized exercise prescription – specific to your health restrictions, fitness goals and current lifestyle. Exercise prescriptions are constantly re-evaluated through follow-up appointments to ensure your body does not hit a plateau and that we are still striving toward your health and fitness aspirations. Our exercise physiologists will make adjustments to your training frequency, duration, intensity and training mode in order to get the best fitness results.

You will undergo several assessments that will help your bariatrician and exercise physiologist design an individualized exercise program tailored to meet your goals. Our exercise prescriptions are focused on flexibility, cardiovascular fitness activities and strength training routines. We introduce each fitness component in a gradual and progressive manner. Throughout the treatment process, we will conduct periodic re-assessments to track improvement and identify areas that need additional attention.

Assessments

Below is a list of the different assessments our team of exercise physiologists will utilize to determine the best possible exercise prescription for you.

1. Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) Assessment – This test will measure exactly how many and what type of calories (fat or carbohydrate) your body burns at a resting state while awake. Your RMR is important because it represents approximately 70 percent of your daily caloric expenditure. Your RMR assessment results will provide important information not only to our exercise physiologists, but also to our staff of nutritionists. We use state-of-the-art testing equipment to measure your oxygen/carbon dioxide exchange during the assessment.
2. VO2Max Indirect Calorimetry Fitness Assessment – This test will accurately measure your current state of cardiovascular fitness (heart health) via gas exchange during maximal workout intensities. VO2Max simply stands for the maximal volume of oxygen that your body can take in and use during exercise. During aerobic activities, your body needs oxygen in order to metabolize “fuel” for energy. The better your body can take in and use oxygen – the healthier you will get and your body will become more efficient at burning calories during exercise.
   
   The indirect calorimetry VO2 assessment will also determine two separate thresholds – your aerobic base and your anaerobic threshold – which our exercise physiologists will use to set up your individualized cardiovascular exercise prescription. Perhaps the most significant thing you will find out from this assessment is where your body is most efficient at burning fat. We call this your target heart rate. If we know where your body is most efficient at burning fat, we can target those fat cells with exercise and understand how to progress your cardiovascular exercise in order to maximize your body’s ability to burn fat across several different intensities!
3. Sub-maximal VO2 Fitness Assessment – This test also measures your current state of cardiovascular fitness (heart health). This test does not directly measure gas exchange during exercise, but rather it measures your heart rate response to exercise in order to determine your VO2 score. Using this information as well as using the Karvonen method to determine your target heart rate range, our exercise physiologists will develop your individualized cardiovascular exercise prescription.
4. Posture Assessment – This test will identify any major deficiencies in your overall posture. After your posture analysis, you will understand the importance of keeping your body in a neutral alignment during both exercise and also during daily activities. This will help maximize your workout and minimize your risk of injury. Good posture during exercise is paramount for a safe and successful exercise prescription.
5. Tinetti Balance Assessment - This test will identify any major deficiencies in your overall balance and stability. The results of the assessment will enable our exercise physiologists to prescribe functional exercises designed to improve your balance. Additionally, with your safety in mind, your results will alert our exercise staff to any potential risks you might have in performing certain exercises.
6. Muscular Strength/Endurance Assessment - This test will determine your relative upper body and lower body strength. This assessment is based on your goal weight. You will be asked to perform a maximal number of repetitions on our upper/lower body strength training machines. Based on your maximal performance, your exercise physiologist will be able to tailor your strength training routine to target areas of muscular weakness or imbalance.
7. Flexibility Assessment - This test will determine your overall flexibility. Flexibility is often the most ignored aspect of an exercise routine – but it is the most important in terms of injury prevention and improvement of basic day-to-day movements. A flexibility routine is the first thing our exercise physiologists will prescribe for you.

Personal Training

Another important part of our exercise program is personal training. Our highly trained fitness staff will keep you accountable, motivated and safe as they work with you on a weekly basis to help you meet your fitness and weight loss goals. Our staff will put you through a one hour workout motivating you every step of the way and ensuring your exercises are done safely and effectively. Personal training also keeps you accountable and focused on your fitness goals. In addition, it helps give you that extra boost to truly make fitness a part of your life. We also offer group training packages – so be sure to bring all your friends along on your fitness journey!

Here are some additional reasons why personal training might be beneficial to you.

• Improve your overall fitness - Get professional assistance to improve cardiovascular health, strength, flexibility, endurance, posture, balance and coordination.
• Reach or maintain a healthy weight - Body fat reduction, weight reduction or management, and body shaping and toning can all be achieved with consistent personal training sessions. Our fitness staff will monitor your progress and fine-tune your program as you go, helping you avoid any training plateaus.
• Learn to stick to it - Sticking with a work out routine is one of the biggest challenges exercisers face. Personal training can help remove those obstacles to consistent exercise. What could be better than making a personal commitment to meet regularly with someone who will hold you accountable?
• Focus on your unique health concerns - Our exercise physiologists are trained to help you with special needs, such as exercising with diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, orthopedic/joint problems or any other health concern. In conjunction with our on staff bariatrician, our exercise physiologists can ensure you follow a safe and efficient program that will speed your recovery or enable you to reach your health goals.
• Find the right way to work out - You will learn the correct way to use fitness equipment, as well as the appropriate techniques for cardiovascular and strength training. You will understand exactly what intensity, frequency, modality and duration is best with regards to your exercise program. Get maximum results in minimal time with an effective workout that uses your strengths and improves on your weaknesses.
• Learn new skills - Want to improve your tennis game, learn to ski, golf like a pro or get ready for a wilderness adventure vacation? An individualized program can help your overall conditioning and develop the specific skills you need.