A Not-So-Traditional Path to a Career as a Certified Wellness Professional

As a society, we are facing ballooning rates of obesity, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure, conditions that drive up health costs, decrease productivity and erode quality of life. Exercise can have a positive impact on all of these conditions, yet many people don’t have access to informed, competent professionals who can […]

ACSM Names 2023 Certified Professional of the Year

Louise Valentine, MPH, CHES, ACSM-EP, ACSM-CPT, EIM, has been named ACSM’s Certified Professional of the Year for 2023. The award was presented to Valentine Saturday, March 18 during ACSM’s annual International Health & Fitness Summit in Arlington, VA. ACSM’s Committee for Certification and Registry Boards and ACSM’s Health & Fitness Summit Program Committee developed the Certified Professional […]

Good Health is as Easy as a Walk in the Park!

I just found out that Thursday the 30th of March is “Take a Walk in the Park Day” here in the U.S., and although it sort of sounds like a “Go jump in a lake day,” I have to admit — on reflection — that the founders of this holiday are on to something good. […]

We Can and Should Do Better When Estimating Cardiorespiratory Fitness

Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is an important component of physical fitness and represents the ability of the heart and the lungs to deliver oxygen to the working muscles during maximal-effort exercise. Over the past decades, CRF has been shown to be inversely related to many common and prevalent chronic diseases, including but not limited to cardiovascular […]

GSSI Presented Webinar Q&A | Follow Your Gut

Miss the webinar? Access it below View recording Q: Angiogenesis function? This is new to me. Are there are references you can point me/us to?  Franks I. Gut microbes might promote intestinal angiogenesis. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2013;10(3). doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrgastro.2012.227.  Hassan M, Moghadamrad S, Sorribas M et al. Paneth cells promote angiogenesis and regulate portal […]

Harnessing the Expertise of Exercise Professionals to Move the Needle on Blood Pressure Controlancer Treatment

High blood pressure (BP) or hypertension is the most common costly but modifiable major risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease and premature mortality, affecting nearly half (47%) of the U.S. adult population. A recent scientific statement from the American Heart Association (AHA) reinforces physical activity as a critical component of first-line treatment for individuals with mild- to […]

It Works to Network for Fitness Professionals

We hear the phrase “It’s not what you know, but who you know.”   This couldn’t be any truer when we’re talking about networking.   I’m Dane Robinson, certified fitness professional, TV fitness coach and ACSM Health & Fitness Summit presenter. If you want to take your career further and faster, it’s all about networking. And here […]

Mythbusting | Weight Loss

When it comes to lifestyle weight loss there are lots of myths. The New Year brings more and more to the forefront as millions of Americans (approximately 45%) set resolutions to lose weight. In this blog, I bring forward my experience and the science driving how I coach clients and patients during their lifestyle weight […]

GSSI Pre-Conference

The Physiology of Hydration: More Than Water Alone

This session explores the physiology of hydration through an integrated lens—examining how carbohydrate, sodium, flavor, and fluid interact to influence intake, absorption, retention, and performance. We’ll review current research on fluid balance, osmotic drivers, and palatability, highlighting mechanisms that underpin voluntary intake and thermoregulation. Attendees will gain insight into individualized strategies, including sweat profiling and timing approaches, to optimize euhydration and mitigate performance decrements associated with >2% body-mass loss. Practical applications will be linked to laboratory- and field-based research, ensuring translation from bench to field. This pre-conference equips you with evidence-based tools to support athlete hydration across diverse environments and sporting contexts. 

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  • Session 1: Sweating the detail: New insights on hydration considerations for athlete performance
    • Lewis James, PhD, Associate Professor in Human Nutrition in the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences at Loughborough University
  • Session 2: Functional ingredients in fluid replacement beverages for athletes
    • Lindsay Baker, PhD, Director at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute
  • Session 3: The hydration toolkit: Practical approaches to athlete support
    • Floris Wardenaar, PhD, Associate Professor at the College of Health Solutions at Arizona State University