Women’s Running Tips: Top 40 tips for women over 40 runners

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10 Ultimate Tips for Supreme Health and Fitness

August 8, 2009
Filed under Fitness

Triathalon Runner 200x300 10 Ultimate Tips for Supreme Health and Fitness

How this will benefit you:

The SAS, Endurance Runners, Pro Athletes and Extreme Adventurers have one thing in common…there are incredibly physically fit. Here’s how you can easily share that level of fitness right from the get-go.

If you’re looking to get fitter, buffer, lose weight and reduce your risk of health problems then you need to read this.

This Photo was taken at the Athlone Triathlon in Dublin, Ireland

Simple Beginnings

Most of us would like to be fit and healthy, it comes part and parcel with living a full and successful life, however the first major problem most people hit on the road to fitness is the tidal wave of information that is available to you. Information overload right at the outset. Well hopefully this post should give you a simple start.

I have been keenly interested in fitness all my life and have been a sportsman from a young age. Recently I have gone into overdrive in the last few years as I have stepped up own personal challengers joining the Parachute Regiment and competing in multiple marathons.

My list of 10 ultimate tips is compiled from training with the Para’s and the SAS, observing Pro Athlete diets and fitness regimes first hand, talking with top UK marathon runners, firemen and sportsmen and reading first hand accounts of endurance athletes and their advice.

The ultimate tips list is a perfect setup for hitting the ground running on getting fit; it’s not easy but it’s not impossible either. Incorporate these 10 things into your life right now and you will see immediate and lasting effects on you health, physique and fitness. Later, when you get more confident you can start to experiment, try new things out and adapt it to your personal style, read on and bring that new dimension to you life that you have been missing.

1. Run, Run and Run some more.

For now, forget the gym, expensive memberships, personal trainers, workout routines and all other fads being rammed down your throat. Get yourself a good pair of fitted running trainers, (Asics are great) and get out there.

While training with the Para’s and the SAS you come into contact with a lot of very fit individuals each with their own training regimes and diet plans. Want to know the secret of the fittest, strongest, most ripped man currently training for the SAS?

He runs. Everyday. And that’s it. No specific diet, no gym, no calorie counting, just 10-15 miles a day running. He currently has multiple UK marathon wins, has been a Para Reg and is now looking to join the SAS. A quick tip – Don’t attempt 10-15 miles straight off the bat, start small but push yourself. I find the very best way to do this is to build running into your everyday routine. If you drive across the city to work, leave the car, pack a backpack of spare clothes and get running in. Most people commute less than 5 miles, which after a while should take you no longer than 30-40 minutes, usually less time than the commute. Simply doing this will rack up 10 miles a day and show almost immediate results. Always remember to jog very slowly for 5 minutes or so until you get a warm sensation before stepping up the intensity and to stretch each individual leg muscle for a 20 second hold after running to avoid injury. A link to some stretches.

2 Muscle-building weight loss orbs a day.

No, these are not some kind of special, new and extremely expensive supplement. These are Boiled Eggs.

Other than being high in protein, these muscle-building orbs have a secret weight loss ingredient – selenium.

Selenium regulates your thyroid, which keeps your metabolism high meaning higher calorie burning throughout the day. I have seen a direct correlation between people who religiously eat two eggs a day and their relative percentage body fat. A quick tip – I find it easier to buy a dozen eggs at the beginning of the week, hard boil them all and then replace them back into the egg box with the shells on. In the morning, just grab two and shell.

3. Early Riser.

From now on 5am is your new start to the day. To some of you this will be a huge shock to the system, others less so. Don’t groan, it’s not as difficult as you think and it will completely change the dynamics of your day.

Research has shown that how you start your day has a fundamental impact of how the rest of it pans out. Start right and stress free and you should be in for a productive one, start wrong and you’re going to be fighting an uphill battle.

It amazing how much you can accomplish with those extra couple of hours in the morning and your stress levels are greatly reduced when you have time to have a long shower followed by a leisurely breakfast reading the paper. This allows you to slowly get mentally prepared for the day.

Of course there’s always the alternative; waking at 8 in a blind panic running around trying to get everything done, stuffing a quick snack down the gullet before falling into the car only to get stuck in traffic during your commute. Stress levels are high, your day is generally ruined because of the bad start and you’re usually going to find yourself late to the office no matter how many road laws you break.

4. Breakfast.

The most important meal of the day. You’ve probably heard this before but do not underestimate the importance of a good breakfast in the morning. Stay clear of the “kids” cereals and cereal bars as they are packed with sugar and a high proportion of fat, don’t fall into the trap of thinking they are healthy. The long and short of it is that you would almost be as well off eating a mars bars or Twix.

A top breakfast – The following breakfast I have every morning religiously and I love it so much it’s almost like a desert first thing in the morning and it incorporates a fair few power foods to get your day off to the best possible start. Get yourself a cup of steel cut oats, Tesco’s organic are excellent and very well priced, not the quick cook stuff as they lose most of their goodness and cook with a cup of semi-skimmed milk (use skimmed if you’re a die hard). Stir any combination of raisins, Blueberries, or nuts as well as anything else you might fancy (malteasers do not count) into the mix and the whole lot into a plate. A heaped teaspoon of +10 Manuka honey tops it off. Leave the spoon with the honey resting on top for a few seconds to make it all runny and stir in. This delicious breakfast will having you looking forward to mornings again.

5. Water, Water and MORE Water

If running is my single biggest exercise tip then water is my top health and diet tip. The 8 glasses a day is a great benchmark but try and go above and beyond this, you can never really drink too much water, and your body will pretty much stop you if you do so drink as much as you can.

The benefits of water are numerous and I’m not going to go through them now but if you are serious about leading a healthy lifestyle then you have to get this fundamental right.

6. Pasta and Chicken.

I used to work as a chef at Melwood, Liverpool FC’s training ground so if you want to know what the players are eating to keep them in top condition it is this. Pasta Pasta, Pasta, Pasta and some chicken and they are insanely religious about it. Your muscles are about 4/5ths carbohydrate to 1/5 protein so your diet needs to reflect this.

Diets that reduce your carbohydrate intake are dangerous because your muscles need carbohydrate for energy in the form of glycogen; this is where a majority of your energy will come from with the deposit made up from fat. If you take out the carbs the body will go into starvation mode and start to store body fat as a precaution, your cravings will also become monstrous as your body seeks out sources of glycogen.

Cutting out carbs is fundamentally why 9 out of 10 people who diet put the weight back on within 12 months as the cravings just become far too much.

The only real way to lose weight is to be burning more calories then you are in taking which means a healthy diet and regular exercise. Calories come from carbohydrates and fats however carbs are used up first and more quickly than fats so try and base most of your energy foods on carbs. Cereals, breads and pasta’s are all great sources of carbohydrates.

7. An hour between fruit.

Fruit is great, no doubt about it and getting your 5 a day is very important in leading a healthy lifestyle however there is just one major rule you need to be aware of with fruits and that is to do with mixing foods.

On their own fruits are great but combined with other foods they can cause disruptions in the digestion and causes food to start to ferment in your stomach due the high levels of acid they contain.

This goes against our traditional eating habits of having fruit after a meal, try to resist. You can find out which foods do not combine well with fruit but it can all get a bit complicated, an easier rule to follow is try and leave an hour either side of eating fruit and you should be fine.

8. 8 o’clock Lockdown.

After 8 o clock…STOP EATING. Obviously don’t be too religious about it, if you’re at a friends for a meal don’t stop abruptly midway through the main course but in general, when at home, try and stop eating after 8.

Between 8pm and 4am is your bodies natural time for digestion and is also usually when you are least active so if you put a lot of food, especially high calorie food in at this time your body isn’t going to use it, it’s just going to store it…as fat.

Having a decent meal around 6 should ensure you don’t need to eat after 8, just fight the “want” urge.

9. Become less sweet.

I mean this purely in terms of diet obviously. You need to reduce the amount of sugar you take into your system. There is not two ways about it, this is a hard step and takes a high level of self control. For me, this is the hardest thing in the world to do as I have a massive sweet tooth.

The problem with our modern diet is that we are all too accustomed to the amount of sugar in our food.

Try this if you dare, go one full week without any sugar at all, the next time you pick up a biscuit after that and your likely to spit it out because your body is shocked at how sweet and sickly it tastes.

10. Benchmark.

Do not overlook this step. It may seem clichéd but it is extremely important in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Do not get religious. Once every week of every fortnight is enough.

The best thing to do is splash out 50p and get a proper readout from one of the machines you can find at almost all gyms.

This will give you your Height, Weight, Percentage Body Fat, Blood pressure and Ideal targets in one handy printout.

Well that’s it from me. If you’re serious about changing your lifestyle get stuck into the above points and get prepared to see the benefits.

There really is nothing better than being in good health. As long as you have your health, anything is possible.

Tags: Chef, Dublin, Endurance Runners, energy, energy foods, Extreme Adventurers, fitness tips, food, high calorie food, Ireland, Parachute Regiment, pence, Pro Athletes, sportsman, steel cut oats, Tesco, United Kingdom

Vigorous Treadmill Workout Curbs Appetite Hormones

August 1, 2009
Filed under Diet And Nutrition

U.K. researchers say findings may lead to more effective ways to control weight

By: Robert Preidt

(HealthDay News) — Aerobic exercise is better than non-aerobic activities at suppressing appetite, according to a U.K. study.

The research involved 11 male university students who participated in three types of sessions. In one, they ran for 60 minutes on a treadmill and then rested for seven hours. In another, they did 90 minutes of weight lifting and then rested for 6.5 hours. In the third session, they did no exercise.

The participants received two meals during each session and also reported their hunger levels at various points during each session. The researchers measured the students’ levels of two major appetite hormones: ghrelin (which stimulates appetite) and peptide YY (which suppresses appetite).

During the treadmill session (aerobic exercise), ghrelin levels dropped and peptide YY levels increased, indicating that the hormones were suppressing appetite. During the weightlifting (non-aerobic) session, ghrelin levels decreased, but there was no significant change in peptide YY levels. The appetite hormone effects of both types of exercise lasted for a few hours.

Both types of exercise suppressed hunger, but aerobic exercise resulted in greater suppression of hunger. The findings were published online in the American Journal of Physiology — Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology.

"The finding that hunger is suppressed during and immediately after vigorous treadmill running is consistent with previous studies indicating that strenuous aerobic exercise transiently suppresses appetite," senior author David J. Stensel, of Loughborough University, said in an American Physiological Society news release. "The findings suggest a similar, although slightly attenuated response, for weight-lifting exercise."

He said this line of research may lead to more effective ways to use exercise to help control weight.

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases has more about physical activity and weight control.

SOURCE: American Physiological Society, news release, Dec. 11, 2008

Tags: American Physiological Society, David J. Stensel, Kidney Diseases, Loughborough University, senior author, the American Journal, U.S. National Institute of Diabetes, U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive, United Kingdom

That Little Voice Inside Your Twinge

July 3, 2009
Filed under News

25fitness.1 600 That Little Voice Inside Your Twinge

Photographs by Sumner Dilworth for The New York Times; Photo Illustration by The New York Times

A COLLEAGUE of mine at The Times who is a triathlete had a question: Everyone tells you to listen to your body, but what are you supposed to listen to?

Turns out it’s not so obvious.

Deena Kastor, the American record holder for the marathon, interprets the advice selectively.

“Running isn’t always comfortable,” she said. “I remember running through a lot of discomfort and pain.”

And, Ms. Kastor added, she also runs when she does not feel like it.

“So many times the alarm goes off in the morning and you tell yourself you are too tired,” she said. “There are times when you are unmotivated, you don’t feel your best and most accomplished.”

But if you ignore those messages from your body and just go out and run or do your sport, she said, “those are the days when we have the most pride.”

“The trick in listening to your body is to know what you can run through,” she said. “If you have a sharp pain you should take care of it.”

So does listening to your body mean learning to understand the difference between a pain that signals a serious injury and one that can be ignored? And if it does, why do athletes like Ms. Kastor become seriously injured, anyway?

Last year she broke her foot three miles into the marathon at the Beijing Olympics. In that same race, Paula Radcliffe, who holds the world record in the women’s marathon, ran less than her best because her training was interrupted by a stress fracture that had set her back for months.

MAYBE the problem is that it is hard to understand what your body is saying.

“ ‘Listen to your body’ is always a tough one,” said Keith Hanson, a coach who directs the Hansons-Brooks Distance Project, which recruits talented distance runners and supports them while they train full time.

One of his runners, Brian Sell, was in the Beijing Olympics, and others are internationally competitive.

“There are several aches and pains that you can run through,” Mr. Hanson said, “and others that need some down time. I always try to follow one key rule: If you are gimping — altering your gait— after 10 minutes of running, then it is an injury and not just an ache or pain. You should never run through injuries. If you do, they almost always turn into compensation injuries. What started as an ankle pain becomes knee and hip problems.”

But sometimes even when you have a bad feeling about sudden pain, it can be hard to stop, especially during a race.

That happened to my friend Rafael Escandon, a researcher at a small biotech company in San Francisco. It was 2002, and he had decided to run the Twin Cities Marathon. He had run a few dozen marathons before, so he was hardly a beginner. He knew that the trick was to keep going during those stretches when you feel bad.

The race started well. Mr. Escandon had been training by running eight-minute miles but now, he said, he was going much faster, and it all seemed effortless. “It was all I could do to maintain a 7:40 pace, which felt like I was crawling,” he said.

Then, just after he passed the 17-mile point in the 26.2 mile race, he felt something awful just below his left calf. “It honestly felt like someone had taken a knife and cut my skin,” he said. “I hobbled over to a tree and attempted to stretch my calf for 10 minutes or so.

The pain got worse as he stretched, and even though it diminished when he wasn’t stretching, he still felt as if he had been cut. But dropping out of the race was not an option: he had never quit a marathon.

So, he said, he limped along for nine miles and finally crossed the finish line. Then he showered, took some ibuprofen and rushed to the airport to fly to Europe for a business trip.

When the plane landed, Mr. Escandon got out of his seat and, he said, was immediately “blinded by pain in my left leg.” It hurt so much he could not stand.

He eventually set off, slowly, “whimpering audibly,” he said, as he hobbled to his connecting gate.

Sweating, jet-lagged and still whimpering, he pulled up the leg of his jeans to take a look at his injury. “I was shocked at what I saw,” he said. “The medial side of my leg was grotesquely streaked in purple-black from the bottom of my calf to my ankle, including the top of my foot.”

It turned out that he had torn the muscle under his calf. For weeks afterward, the pain woke him at night. He could not run for three months, and even when he started again the best he could do for six months was a few miles on a treadmill.

“I should have listened to my body,” Mr. Escandon said. “It wasn’t just talking to me; it was screaming at me.”

On the other hand, there is also a different interpretation of “listen to your body.” It’s one favored by Asker Jeukendrup, the director of the Human Performance Laboratory at the University of Birmingham, in England, and an ironman triathlete.

Listening, he said, means that you are supposed to listen for “valuable information” and learn to disregard “other negative information that may come into your thoughts that is actually irrelevant.”

Dismiss, for example, “some niggles, some feelings of fatigue,” he said.

The goal is to push your body to its limits, but not beyond. Easier said than done, he admitted. And, he added, not everyone can do it.

ACTUALLY, said Tom Fleming, my coach, it is unlikely that anyone can do it. Mr. Fleming won the New York City Marathon twice and has coached athletes ranging from adolescents to college and nationally ranked runners. He knows from his days as a competitive distance runner how hard it is to decide when to slow down, when to rest, when to push hard through discomfort or pain.

“I never listened to my body,” he said. “Maybe I should have. So let’s get that clear right off: I think it’s an impossible task.”

When he was training, Mr. Fleming said, he couldn’t train less or make himself go more slowly. And, he added, if you really listen to your body, you will not achieve what you are capable of.

Athletes need someone else, a coach if possible, he said, to tell them when to rest, when to take an easy day and when to work hard.

Another of my colleagues at The Times, Charlie Competello, said he tries to figure out his body’s signals for himself. But he struggles, arguing with himself about what his body is telling him. He thinks of his internal arguments as a debate between “Charlie” and “Charles.” They argue in the mornings, when he plans to go out for runs.

“ ‘Charlie’ says, ‘I’m tired and I’m not going to go out,’ ” he said. “ ‘Charles’ says: ‘No, no, no, you can make it. Go out and do it.’ ”

Usually, he said, Charles wins. He runs and is glad he did.

But the personas also argue in the evening about tempting food, like cake.

Charles says, “Don’t do it.” Charlie says, “Go ahead.”

And, in the evening, Charlie can be the winner. “For some reason, I’m a better person in the morning,” he said.

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Tags: ache, aches, ankle pain, Asker Jeukendrup, Brian Sell, Charlie Competello, coach, compensation injuries, competitive distance runner, Deena Kastor, director, Europe, food, Human Performance Laboratory, Keith Hanson, New York City, pain, pain in my left leg, Paula Radcliffe, Rafael Escandon, researcher, San Francisco, the Beijing Olympics, The Times, Tom Fleming, United Kingdom, University of Birmingham

‘Superfoods’ Everyone Needs to Stay Alive and Healthy

May 23, 2009
Filed under Diet And Nutrition

Experts say dozens of easy-to-find ‘superfoods’ can help ward off heart disease, cancer, cholesterol, and more.

Imagine a superfood — not a drug — powerful enough to help you lower your cholesterol, reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer, and, for an added bonus, put you in a better mood. Did we mention that there are no side effects? You’d surely stock up on a lifetime supply. Guess what? These life-altering superfoods are available right now in your local supermarket.

"The effect that diet can have on how you feel today and in the future is astounding," says nutritionist Elizabeth Somer, author of Nutrition for aHealthy Pregnancy, Food & Mood, and The Essential Guide to Vitamins and Minerals.

"Even people who are healthy can make a few tweaks and the impact will be amazing," Somer says. "I’d say that 50% to 70% of suffering could be eliminated by what people eat and how they move: heart disease, diabetes, cancer, hypertension can all be impacted."

You don’t need specific foods for specific ailments. A healthy diet incorporating a variety of the following superfoods will help you maintain your weight, fight disease, and live longer. One thing they all have in common: "Every superfood is going to be a ‘real’ (unprocessed) food," Somer points out. "You don’t find fortified potato chips in the superfood category."

Top Superfoods Offering Super Health Protection

Beans
Blueberries
Broccoli
Oats
Oranges
Pumpkin
Salmon
Soy
Spinach
Tea (green or black)
Tomatoes
Turkey
Walnuts
Yogurt

Blueberries — Antioxidant Superfood

Packed with antioxidants and phytoflavinoids, these berries are also high in potassium and vitamin C, making them the top choice of doctors and nutritionists. Not only can they lower your risk of heart disease and cancer, they are also anti-inflammatory.

"Inflammation is a key driver of all chronic diseases, so blueberries have a host of benefits," says Ann Kulze, MD, of Charleston, S.C., author of Dr. Ann’s 10-Step Diet, A Simple Plan for Permanent Weight Loss & Lifelong Vitality. When selecting berries, note that the darker they are, the more anti-oxidants they have. "I tell everyone to have a serving (about 1/2 cup) every day," Dr. Kulze says. "Frozen are just as good as fresh." Be sure to include lots of other fruits and vegetables in your diet as well. Remember too that, in general, the more color they have, the more antioxidants.

Omega 3-Rich Fish — Superfoods for the Heart, Joints, and Memory

"We know that the omega 3s you get in fish lower heart disease risk, help arthritis, and may possibly help with memory loss and Alzheimer’s," Somer says. "There is some evidence to show that it reduces depression as well."

Omega-3s are most prevalent in fatty, cold-water fish: Look for wild (not farmed) salmon, herring, sardines, and mackerel. Aim for two-to-three servings a week. Other forms of omega 3s are available in fortified eggs, flax seed, and walnuts. These superfoods have the added benefit of being high in monounsaturated fats, which can lower cholesterol.

Soy — Superfood to Lower Cholesterol

A study reported in The Journal of the American Medical Association (2003) showed that a diet of soy fiber, protein from oats and barley, almonds, and margarine from plant sterols lowered cholesterol as much as statins, the most widely prescribed cholesterol medicine. "Look for tofu, soy milk, or edamame — not soy powder," says Somer. In other words, soy sauce won’t do the trick. One caveat: If you have a family history of breast cancer it is not recommended that you eat extra soy.

Fiber — Superfood Aids Weight Loss and Checks Cholesterol

A diet high in fiber will help you maintain healthy cholesterol and blood sugar levels. As a bonus, because fiber helps you feel full longer, it’s a great tool in weight management. Whole grains, beans, fruit, and vegetables are all good sources. Try throwing some beans in your salad, recommends Kulze. "Fresh, frozen, or dried are the best. You can use canned, but they tend to be higher in sodium," Kulze warns.

Tea — Superfood for Lowering Cholesterol and Inhibiting Cancer

"The overall antioxidant power of black tea is the same as green tea," says Kulze, "but green tea does have ECGC, a powerful antioxidant that we really do think is quite special." A recent Japanese study on green tea found that men who drank green tea regularly had lower cholesterol than those who didn’t. Researchers in Spain and the United Kingdom have also shown that ECGC can inhibit the growth of cancer cells. For a double health whammy, replace sugary sodas with tea.

Calcium

OK, OK, you know the drill: Calcium helps build strong bones and prevents osteoporosis. Look for it in dairy products or supplements. Added bonus: Some studies show that calcium helps with weight loss. Here are the calcium levels recommended for adults by the USDA:

Age 9 to 18 — 1,300 mg
Age 19 to 50 — 1,000 mg
Age 51 and over — 1,200 mg

And Finally, the Yummiest Superfood Yet … Dark Chocolate

New research has shown that dark chocolate is packed with antioxidants and can lower blood pressure. Kulze recommends that you look for chocolate with 60% or higher cocoa content; the darker, the better. In addition, the darker it is, the lower the fat and sugar content. Now that’s our kind of health food!

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Tags: A Simple Plan, Aids, Alzheimer's, American Medical Association, Ann Kulze, Antioxidant, Author, author of Dr. Ann's 10-Step Diet, breast cancer, Cancer, Charleston, chronic diseases, dairy products, depression, diabetes, Diet, Dieting, Diets, disease, Doctors, driver, Drugs, Expert, family, food, fortified potato chips, Fruits, health, health food, Heart, heart disease, help arthritis, hypertension, inflammation, Joints, Lot, Medication, Medicine, memory loss, Nutrition, osteoporosis, People, Pregnancy, Protein, Proteins, Somer, South Carolina, spain, Teas, the Journal of the American Medical Association, Turkey, United Kingdom, USDA, Vegetables, weight management, Weights

24 Hour Fitness

May 19, 2009
Filed under Fitness, Indoor Activities

24 Hour Fitness is the world’s largest (by memberships) privately owned and operated fitness center chain, and 3rd in number of clubs behind Gold’s Gym and Fitness First of the UK. It currently has 425 clubs in the U.S.A. The company’s corporate office is located in Carlsbad, California. The operations’ headquarters is in San Ramon, California in the Bay area. 24 Hour Fitness has over 19,000 employees. The founder is Mark S. Mastrov and current CEO is Carl Liebert III. 24 Hour Fitness is currently a subsidiary of the private equity firm Forstmann Little & Company, since its acquisition in a $1.6 billion leveraged buyout in 2005.

Current Operations

24 Hour Fitness has about 3 million members and nearly 400 clubs in 16 states, and over 20 clubs in five Asian countries. Besides the USA, it has centers in Asia (Singapore, Hong Kong, Taipei and Taichung in Taiwan, Beijing and Shanghai in China, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) through its wholly owned subsidiary California Fitness. Its European clubs closed in the early 2000s. Its major competitors in the US are Anytime Fitness, Bally’s, Gold’s Gym, and LA Fitness . Its main competitors in Asia are also the same, plus the Fitness First Chain of Australia.

Its rapidly expanding affiliate California Wow Xperience (CEO is a former Cali Fitness executive), is a California Fitness offshoot, has member swap agreements with both chains, and runs 15 gyms located in Seoul and Daegu, Korea (4) and Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Pattaya, Thailand, including one female only club(10). In Asia, its major chain competitors are Fitness First and Gold’s Gym.

24 Hour Fitness plans to have more than 1000 clubs in the next five years. With sponsorships with various celebrities and athletes such as Jackie Chan, Lance Armstrong, Shaquille O’Neal, And Andre Agassi.

The call center for 24 Hour Fitness is run by NARS (National Asset Recovery Services, Inc.), with 24 Hour Fitness Member Services being in the Republic of Panama. Collections services were once handled by Alliance One up until March 2008, when NARS took over collections for 24 Hour Fitness. The NARS collections department is out of Montego Bay, Jamaica.

There are more than 300 locations nationwide, and these popular clubs are known for being open 24 hours/day. Most clubs offer just about all the amenities you could want, including cardio machines, weightlifting equipment, and group fitness classes. However, they vary from location to location. There are four types of 24-hour fitness clubs:

Active: Includes free weights, machines, cardio and may include group exercise.

Sport: May include all of the above and may also include basketball, whirlpool and heated pools.

Super-Sport: May include all of the above and may also include massage, sauna, and steam room.

Ultra-Sport: May include all of the above and may also include day spa, racquetball courts, and Executive locker rooms.