Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 6:53 — 5.7MB)

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Today’s FitLabPGH podcast release is a repost video podcast challenging you to find ways to Move More. We are almost 11 months into the pandemic…this was recorded during the last PA order to close all gyms and fitness facilities…while your facility may now be open…you may not be comfortable attending in person classes. If your favorite forms of movement are temporarily unavailable, there are MANY ways to keep moving…and we’re here to suggest a few options.
We recommend the video below, but if you are an audio listener the info is also available via audio.
Tip 1: Walk your Labradors…No Labradors in your life? Why not??? (Just kidding). If you don’t have a dog to walk, walk anyway…perhaps with your kids, or a friend, or your cat… Not a fan of walking? Try something else! Need inspiration? Check our podcast and movement tips archives at www.FitLabPGH.com for ideas.
Tip 2: Phone a Friend… Ask a friend and/or accountability partner for movement ideas…perhaps you can even join each other in a virtual fitness challenge. Ben’s friend challenged him to a virtual cycling challenge…which somehow resulted in a pair of new bikes for Lisa!
Tip 3: Ask your Gym for Help. Many gyms and fitness facilities are still offering virtual classes. Looking for something more individualized? Ask about virtual personal training or for a home workout plan.
Tip 4: Make the gym PART of your movement practice…and look for other ways to add movement to your life. Even a short walk can be an excellent addition to your structured workouts…speaking of walking…consider walking when you’re on a non-Zoom work call. If you take that work call outside, be sure to be aware of your surroundings…stay safe!
Take home message: the pandemic sucks…but can you find the positive in a tough time? Maybe the positive is that this is the time you find ways to Move More…which MAY make you calmer, and improve your ability to rest…and to concentrate…added bonus: by making movement part of your lifestyle, you may serve as a positive role model for those around you.
Contact Info for FitLabPGH:
Email: fitlabpgh@gmail.com
Twitter: @fitlabpgh
Instagram: @fitlabpgh
We update via Facebook too!!
Movement Tips and Lifestyle Hacks – YouTube channel (posted on Instagram too)
Fill out our FitLabPGH Features form to be a FitLabPGH featured mover…or fill one out for your 4 legged movement partner (dog, cat, goat or horse!!)
Check out our sister podcast Moving2Live concise but interesting podcasts for the movement and exercise professional and amateur aficionado.
Attribution for Intro/Exit Podcast Music:
Marathon Man by Jason Shaw from the album Audionautix: Acoustic, licensed under an Attribution 3.0 United States License. Available at www.FreeMusicArchive.org

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 7:24 — 6.1MB)

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This week’s FitLabPGH Podcast release is a video podcast offering Ben’s 1-month review of the Apollo Neuro, a “wearable wellness device for stress relief.” The Apollo Neuro, developed in Pittsburgh, uses touch therapy, felt as waves of vibration, to trigger a parasympathetic nervous system response. With consistent use, the Apollo Neuro may retrain the nervous system to manage stress more efficiently. The device may be used on the wrist or the ankle.
You can listen to the audio, but we think you’ll enjoy the video
 
For more on the science behind the device, and information on purchasing, visit www.apolloneuro.com Note: this is not a sponsored post. Ben purchased the product at retail price, and he has been using it for 1.5 – 3 hours a day for approximately a month.
Overall score: 4.75 out of 5 stars.  The only negatives for Ben: 1) the feeling of vibration on the leg reminds Ben of sciatic nerve symptoms, so he doesn’t want to try the ankle strap; and 2) neither Ben nor Puddin the Yellow Lab like the feeling of vibration while trying to sleep, so he hasn’t made use of the “Sleep and Renew” mode. Now, on to the positives. Ben is pleased with the battery life and the ease of charging the battery via a USB cord that comes with the device. When awake, the vibration on the wrist does not bother Ben.
The Apollo Neuro includes access to the Apollo Neuro App (Apple and Android), which offers 7 curated modes (patterns of vibration): Energy & Wake-Up; Social & Open; Clear & Focused; Rebuild & Recover; Meditation & Mindfulness; Relax & Unwind; Sleep & Renew. You choose the mode based on how you want to feel.
The results (as seen through the Oura Ring): Average nightly sleep has increased by 13 minutes. Resting heart rate is down by 2 beats per minute. HRV (heart rate variability) is up slightly (that’s a good thing). And morning readiness (according to the Oura Ring) is up by 5 points. Also, and this may be the power of suggestion…or the placebo effect…but Ben feels more focused after using the “Clear & Focused” pattern, and more energized after using the “Rebuild & Recover” pattern following a workout.
The Apollo Neuro is not cheap…but it DOES fall into the “making an investment in your health” category. Take home message: the Apollo Neuro is a another tool for Ben’s health toolbox…designed to improve stress management, allowing him to sleep better, perform better, and make movement part of his lifestyle.
Visit www.FitLabPGH.com for tips, hacks, and podcasts to help you move more…throughout 2021.
 
 
Contact Info for FitLabPGH:
Email: fitlabpgh@gmail.com
Twitter: @fitlabpgh
Instagram: @fitlabpgh
We update via Facebook too!!
Movement Tips and Lifestyle Hacks – YouTube channel (posted on Instagram too)
Fill out our FitLabPGH Features form to be a FitLabPGH featured mover…or fill one out for your 4 legged movement partner (dog, cat, goat or horse!!)
Check out our sister podcast Moving2Live concise but interesting podcasts for the movement and exercise professional and amateur aficionado.
Attribution for Intro/Exit Podcast Music:
Marathon Man by Jason Shaw from the album Audionautix: Acoustic, licensed under an Attribution 3.0 United States License. Available at www.FreeMusicArchive.org

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 8:11 — 6.8MB)

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This week’s FitLabPGH Podcast release is a video podcast to help you keep moving outside through the winter…with a guide for winter workout gear to keep you comfortable from head to toe. If your extremities are cold, you are unlikely to enjoy your outdoor movement session…and you may even be putting yourself at risk of frostbite or hypothermia.
You can listen to the audio, but we think you’ll enjoy the video, so sit back, watch, and then put on the appropriate gear, and opt outside!
First tip: Your Mom was right…you SHOULD wear a hat when it’s cold outside! If it’s just chilly, you can get away with choosing a hat for fit or fashion…like the synthetic Sweatvac beanie that Ben likes to wear under his bike helmet. When chilly becomes cold, Ben switches to wool. His favorite lightweight wool hats are from Smartwool and Voormi (the Dual SURFACE precision blend beanie). For the coldest days, Ben swaps the lightweight wool for a heavier blend, like the SURFACE HARDENED thermal wool precision blend beanie from Voormi. Still cold? Put your jacket hood up over your hat.
Tip 2: the neck…a positive takeaway from the pandemic? Ben discovered he likes wearing a neck gaiter year-round. For warm to chilly days, Ben likes a synthetic gaiter that wicks sweat when it’s hot, and keeps your neck warm when a chilly wind picks up. Shown in the video: “Year of the Coronavirus” neck gaiter from Carson Footwear. Double up the gaiter, and it doubles as a face mask. When temperatures get colder, Ben once again opts for wool. A couple of brands of wool neck gaiters to try? Buff and Smartwool.
Tip 3: the hands…if your hands are freezing, you’re likely to throw in the workout towel. We recommend having a range of gloves…and possibly mittens…available to keep your hands happy. On chilly days, Ben likes the wool gloves from DeFeet…bonus: when it gets colder, the DeFeet gloves make good liners under heavier gloves or mittens. A couple of bike glove recommendations: for cold rides, check out Aero Tech Designs (a Pittsburgh company); for REALLY cold days, consider the Sturmfist 5 from 45 Nrth. Note: nothing from 45 Nrth is cheap, but if you’re looking for durable, cold weather cycling gear, it’s the best we’ve tried. Second note: Lisa’s hands get cold when temps drop below 60 degrees…how does she hike with the Labs through the winter? With liner gloves, AND MITTENS, AND handwarmers in the warmer pockets of the mittens!
Tip 4: finally, socks are the final piece of today’s puzzle. If it’s above 50 degrees, select the synthetic sock that speaks to you. Ben is a fan of DeFeet. Bet you can guess what Ben chooses when temps get chilly? Yep, wool…lightweight wool socks we’ve enjoyed come from CloudLine, Stance, and DeFeet. Ben’s favorite heavyweight wool socks come from Darn Tough.
Take home message: build a wardrobe of hats, gaiters, gloves, and socks that will keep you moving…comfortably, and safely, throughout the winter.
Contact Info for FitLabPGH:
Email: fitlabpgh@gmail.com
Twitter: @fitlabpgh
Instagram: @fitlabpgh
We update via Facebook too!!
Movement Tips and Lifestyle Hacks – YouTube channel (posted on Instagram too)
Fill out our FitLabPGH Features form to be a FitLabPGH featured mover…or fill one out for your 4 legged movement partner (dog, cat, goat or horse!!)
Check out our sister podcast Moving2Live concise but interesting podcasts for the movement and exercise professional and…

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 7:19 — 6.1MB)

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This week’s FitLabPGH Podcast release is a video podcast to help you meet your health goals for 2021 and beyond.  We have included the audio only link, but encourage you to check out the video.
If one of your goals is to improve (or monitor) your fitness level, consider adding a Heart Rate Monitor to your movement routine. Tracking distance and pace of your movement sessions may not paint a complete picture…to gauge exercise intensity over a variety of routes and forms of exercise, a Heart Rate Monitor is an excellent tool.
It’s January, so your social media feed is full of people telling you how to “CRUSH” your workouts…but if overall health / longevity is your goal, those intense workouts should be a small part of your overall movement routine. A heart rate monitor can tell you when you’re working “hard enough,” but it can also tell you when you should focus on recovery. A morning check of your resting heart rate may help you monitor your body’s readiness…when your resting hear rate is elevated, consider rest or active recovery. For most people looking for overall fitness, the bulk of our movement time should be spent in Heart Rate Zones 1 or 2 (not “crushing” it).
NOTE: BEFORE you begin a new training program, consult a qualified professional.
There are many options for Heart Rate Monitors. Perhaps the “easiest” way to start monitoring your heart rate is with a GPS fitness watch (that you may already own). Ben and Lisa both wear COROS watches; popular brands include Garmin, Polar, and Suunto. While the watches offer a convenient way to track heart rate, they aren’t always accurate…especially if your activity includes a lot of wrist movement or gripping.
The MOST accurate way to measure heart rate (outside of a clinical setting) is with a chest strap like the Polar H10 or the chest strap from Wahoo, shown in the video. The downside of the chest strap? Not everyone enjoys lifting up his/her shirt and affixing a damp chest strap at the start of a workout (the monitor should be damp to increase conductivity and improve accuracy)…especially if it’s winter…and you’re exercising outside…
A great option that offers accuracy AND convenience? The mioPOD; it’s worn on the arm and is easy to set-up and use (see www.mio-labs.com for more info). Ben loves his MioPod, for its battery life, convenient charging port, and ability to pair with his COROS watch and Strava. Another fun feature of the MioPod? If you use the Mio App, you can program the strap to display colors corresponding to each heart rate zone, so that you can easily monitor your heart rate during your movement session.
For more information on Heart Rate Monitors and Heart Rate Training, look for a pair of recent interviews from our sister podcast Moving2Live featuring Don Moxley, Applied Sports Scientist (released 12/16/20), and Marcelo Aller, CSCS, of Mio Labs (released 1/6/21).
Take home message: long-term health has more to do with consistent movement than with “crushing” this week’s workouts…but whatever your fitness goals, a heart rate monitor may help you measure your progress
Contact Info for FitLabPGH:
Email: fitlabpgh@gmail.com
Twitter: @fitlabpgh
Instagram: @fitlabpgh
We update via Facebook too!!
Movement Tips and Lifestyle Hacks – YouTube channel (posted on Instagram too)
Fill out our FitLabPGH Features form to be a FitLabPGH featured mover…or fill one out for your 4 legged movement partner (dog, cat, goat or horse!!