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Here’s some quick advice: If you haven’t incorporated high-intensity strength training into your exercise routine, you should. The benefits are endless.

There’s even some research out now to suggest that high-intensity strength training could fight cancer.

Bodyweight exercises are gaining momentum in the fitness world due to the effectiveness and simplicity of getting in shape using your own body weight. Planks are a wonderful strength-training exercise for the whole body. In fact, planks are one of the most effective exercises you can perform because they only require a small time investment and they engage multiple muscle groups, allowing you to quickly achieve substantial results.  

Planks are great for core conditioning but they also work your glutes and hamstrings. Plus, planks support proper posture and improve balance.   

As you get older, it’s easy to stop moving as much as you did when you were younger. But if you want to stay healthy and strong, it’s important to stay active and keep your muscles in shape.

It’s crucial for more mature individuals to keep up regular movement because the effects of long periods of inactivity are very damaging to the body.

BMI and body fat percentage are weight-loss terms thrown around with little explanation, so if you're confused about what they mean or which you should pay more attention to, you're not alone. Here's a brief primer to help.

BMI stands for Body Mass Index. It's a simple measure of the weight of a person scaled according to their height. You can use Body fat percentage to determine your BMI, or follow these steps:

Acupuncture by Hsin-Hsin Hu is now available at BeFitSRQ

BeFitSRQ is excited to announce that we will now be offering acupuncture by Hsin-Hsin Hu, Acupuncture Physician and Doctor of Oriental Medicine. Dr. Hu is an experienced, Florida-licensed Acupuncture Physician and received dual diplomas in both Acupuncture and Chinese Herbalogy. She received Chinese medical training from East West College of Natural Medicine and is an apitherapist, certified by the American Apitherapy Society in the Charles Mraz tradition. Dr. Hu owns Metta Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine in Sarasota and serves on the faculty of East West College of Natural Medicine, where she manages the school pharmacy and teaches Chinese Herbology. Dr. Hu is available by appointment. Please call 941.587.6311 to book your appointment today.

BloqUV a Sun Protective Apparel Lineis now available at BeFitSRQ BloqUV is a leader in sun protective apparel. The company, based in Miami, produces apparel that's unique in design, fit and sun protection technology.   BloqUV  products block  98 percent of the sun's harmful UV rays . And their fabrics  guarantee a minimum Ultraviolet Protection Factor of 50. With the growing number of skin cancer and melanoma cases, it's crucial to protect your skin from long periods of sun exposure.  If you're in the sun longer than 15 minutes, your skin is already being bombarded by harmful rays. BloqUV offers the latest in UV sun protection with fashionable flare.  So before you step out into the sun, shop the BloqUV collection at the Studio. Women's Crop Top* available in 26 colors*to be worn over your clothing Women's 24/7 Top available in 26 colorsWomen's Capri or Legging with Skirtavailable in black or whiteMen's Long Sleeve Jet Tee available in 16 colors Springtime Cardio Now that you're decked out in BloqUV sun protective apparel, it's time to get your heart rate up. Spring in Sarasota is the perfect time to focus on cardio, from beach walks to running the Ringling Bridge to hitting the treadmill at BeFitSRQ.   Need some extra motivation? Here are some fun exercise facts to get you going:  Walking in sand requires 2.1 to 2.7 times more energythan walking on hard surfaces. (So break out those flip flops!) Walking on a sandy beach is so relaxing that it leads most people to walk further distances than they normally would. Treadmills let you control your speed. Walking with no incline at 3 miles per hour will burn around 320 calories for a 150-pound person. Walking at a speed of 4.5 miles per hour can burn 440 calories in that same amount of time.  Treadmills let you walk on an incline. If you walk 2.9 to 3.5 miles per hour on a treadmill with an incline of 1 to 5 percent, a 160-pound person burns around 475 calories. If you increase the incline to 6 to 15 percent at the same speed, you can burn 715 calories.

3rd Annual Pedal for Pups & Doggy BonesCome Ride or Run this Sunday, March 6th for the 3rd annual Pedal for Pups & Doggy Bones 5k/10k* benefiting Honor Animal Rescue. Your participation and donations help ensure the lives of countless Dogs and Cats each year. Every participant receives a Free Breakfast courtesy of First Watch, an Athletic T, BBQ Lunch and FREE BEER for those of age!*The 10k race is part of the Manasota Track Club racing series

What's a better gift for yourself, your Valentine or just that someone special in your life that puts a smile on your face than a massage! Schedule a 60 minute massage and receive $10 off regular price of $75.

Wishing all the participants of the Sarasota Music Half Marathon good luck! What a great way to kick off your Super Bowl Sunday than rocking out to 20 bands that you will pass 42 times during the course!   Once you've finished make sure you spend the day hydrating and getting a massage booked with one of our massage therapists!  Bring in your race bib for $10 off your 60 minute massage. Regular price is $75, Marathon Price $65$10 off offer expires 2/29/16 Run Fast,MicheleBe Fit SRQ MassagesBring in your race bib for $10 off your 60 minute massage.Regular price is $75, Marathon Price $65 $10 off offer expires 2/29/16

Hope everyone is having a great start to 2016 and still sticking to those New Year's Resolutions!  If they've already started to fall out of your regular schedule don't worry it happens to the best of us. Each day gives us the opportunity to get back at it or find new ones that will help us get back into the groove.  Maybe Yoga at your favorite gym is just what you needed to refocus in 2016?!? I'm so very excited to announce that Be Fit SRQ will now be offering both private and group Yoga classes.  I also want to share i n this month's newsletter a few of my favorite stretches as well as a healthy recipe to make for family and friends!Sincerely,MicheleBe Fit SRQ Yoga ClassesWe will be offering both private and group Yoga classes. Our group classes are every Wednesday starting at noon. Make sure to book your classes now as they will fill up FAST!  The class will be 60 minutes and the cost is $15 per class. Our private yoga sessions start at $80. You can schedule your private session with Michele at your convenience.   As most of you know I'm an avid tennis player and incorporate yoga into my weekly training schedule. Tennis players typically have tight hips, quads & hamstrings, and can perform specific poses to improve upon these areas of weakness.Daily Stretching RoutineAre you always on the run and running out of time to stretch? Try adding a few standing stretches throughout the day. Whether standing in line, waiting for the bus or watching a soccer game, you can squeeze in some quality flexibility training. You can do these stretches as a set or one at a time, wherever or whenever you find yourself on your feet. Remember never to stretch to the point of pain.Neck StretchSit or stand with shoulders relaxed, back straight. Bring your left ear down toward your left shoulder and hold. Roll your head down toward the ground and bring your chin to your chest. Hold and finally, roll your head to the right and bring that ear to your right shoulder. Inhale and exhale in a slow and controlled manner. Chest Stretch Stand tall or sit upright (not pictured). Interlace your fingers behind your back and straighten you arms. With arms straight, lift arms up behind you while keeping your back straight and your shoulders down. Keep the shoulders relaxed away from the ears.  Standing Triceps StretchStand tall or sit upright (not pictured). Place your left elbow in your right hand. Reach your left arm overhead, placing palm on the center of your back and supporting the elbow in your right hand. Reach your fingertips down your spine. Keep the shoulders relaxed away from the ears. Repeat with opposite arm.  Shoulder StretchStand tall or sit upright (not pictured). Bring your left arm across your chest, holding it below the elbow with your opposite. Keep the shoulders relaxed away from the ears. Breathe deeply and hold. Repeat Healthy Recipe Pork, White Bean & Kale Soup With all this cold weather we've been having what's better than a healthy, delicious soup to enjoy! Ingredients1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces3/4 teaspoon salt1 medium onion, finely chopped4 cloves garlic, minced2 teaspoons paprika, preferably smoked1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste (optional)1 cup white wine4 plum tomatoes, chopped4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth1 bunch kale, ribs removed, chopped (about 8 cups lightly packed)1 15-ounce can white beans, rinsedPreparationHeat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add pork, sprinkle with salt and cook, stirring once or twice, until no longer pink on the outside, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate with tongs, leaving juices in the pot. Add onion to the pot and cook, stirring often, until just beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic, paprika and crushed red pepper (if using) and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add wine and tomatoes, increase heat to high and stir to scrape up any browned bits. Add broth and bring to a boil. Add kale and stir just until it wilts. Reduce heat to maintain a lively simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale is just tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in beans, the reserved pork and any accumulated juices; simmer until the beans and pork are heated through, about 2 minutes.Nutrition  Per serving:  262 calories;  6 g fat ( 1 g sat,  3 g mono);  45 mg cholesterol;  26 g carbohydrates;  25 g protein;  7 g fiber;  627 mg sodium;  1024 mg potassium. Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (290% daily value), Vitamin C (190% dv), Potassium (29% dv), Iron (20% dv) Carbohydrate Servings: 1 Makes 6 servings, about 1 2/3 cups each