Saturday, January 7, 2012
Approaches to Weight Loss
It’s not just calories…
An estimated 68% of American adults qualify as overweight or obese because they eat more calories than they burn. Although this assessment of weight gain appears logical, there may be several other factors that contribute to the preponderance of obesity in the United States.
Approaches to Weight Loss
Obesity has been a problem in the United States for quite some time now. Most health care practitioners view obesity as a prelude to a variety of conditions that range from osteoarthritis to cardiovascular disease. An increasingly serious health issue involves obesity being associated with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. However, it’s not clear if obesity or diabetes develops first and this question has been a focus of considerable debate and research in recent years.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Walk the Walk – Like You Mean It
Some people consider walking to be a near-perfect form of exercise. After all, it’s one of the first things humans learn to do with their bodies upright, and it’s natural enough for most people to continue into their golden years. Walking is also convenient, cheap and it travels well. If you’d like to boost the benefits of good ole’ walking, try power walking. Here’s how to do it, and find new fitness along the path.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Summer is coming!
Time to take control of your portion sizes
Summer beckons and how we love those long sunny days, lazy afternoons by the pool or at the park. This is the time of the we all love, and our tummies bask in the glory of always being full and content. It is BBQ season, lots and lots of food consumption and a general feel good without much guilt afterward. How can we possibly resist. It is a season filled with excuses to feast; with at least one holiday observance each month, visits form family, birthday parties… its tiring just writing about it.
While the reasons to feast are awash over the summer, it is watching what we eat is not enough, we must control how much we eat and how often we eat. The old adage of three healthy meals a day, just may not be enough.
Monday, April 25, 2011
What Motivates You?
With summer right around the corner, lots of us are looking to trim down and tone up—but the call of the couch can be hard to resist. Here are a few time-tested methods of staying motivated:
Setting realistic goals—and measuring your progress. Working toward a tangible goal, like losing inches or pounds or running a faster mile, helps create a greater sense of purpose. And charting progress toward that goal makes us feel the success.
Scheduling rewards. Getting healthier can be its own reward—but who wouldn’t work just a little bit harder knowing they had a treat like a massage or a pedicure in store when they reached a fitness milestone?
Writing a list. Life moves fast, and purpose can be easily forgotten in the hustle and bustle. Documenting exactly why you’re committed—whether it’s overcoming a health issue, living longer, looking slimmer, feeling better, or anything else—and reading it over can help keep you focused on the big picture.
Making it visual. Tacking up pictures of toned, healthy-looking bodies can be inspirational and helpful in keeping you on track. (Common sites are the fridge, to keep snacking at bay, and the alarm clock, to keep that early morning gym appointment.)
7th Inning Stretch
Baseball season’s in full swing, and we’ve got quick moves to keep you limber—ones you can actually do during the 7th inning break at the ball park. (They’ll also help you loosen up after taking the field in your summer softball league.)
Why should you be stretching? Let us count the ways: it decreases stiffness, increases your range of motion, improves posture and flexibility, helps reduce muscle tension, and improves your overall athletic performance.
Nature’s Best Nut
Next time your stomach’s grumbling for a snack, try walnuts. Scientists recently found they have a combo of more healthful antioxidants and higher quality antioxidants than any other nut.
At the 241st National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society, the scientists reported that antioxidants in walnuts were 2 to 15 times as potent as vitamin E, an antioxidant powerhouse known to help protect the body against damaging natural chemicals involved in causing disease. Nuts are also a great source of protein, vitamins, and minerals like copper and magnesium.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Start Spring Cleaning
Not seeing the upside to household chores? How about this: Even things like vacuuming and washing windows can burn calories and get you closer to your weight loss goal. Lose weight while you clean? Sounds like motivation to us.
Here, the calorie counts of some common spring cleaning tasks¹ (based on a 140 lb person performing the activity for 30 minutes).
Bring Gym Back
Lots of us have dismal memories of gym class—what with the stinky locker rooms and painful dodgeball sessions—but there was a definite upside: We learned tried-and-true exercises that that never go out of style. Here are some old-school moves you can add to your workout routine today¹—they’re great as pre-cardio warm-ups or to keep your heart rate up while circuit training.
Happy Meals
What if you could sit down to the exact same meals you’re used to eating—and lose weight? Well, a new study suggests it might be the way you eat, as much what you eat, that’s keeping you from your goal.
Specifically: A study reported in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism¹ showed that scarfing your food fast puts the brakes on the release of hormones that make you feel full, and—bang!—this can lead to overeating. To keep those hormones from getting out of whack, you simply need to slow down. Here are some tips on how to avoid speed eating:
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Shoo, Old Shoes!
How long have you been wearing your gym shoes? A few months? A few years? Run-down running shoes are bad news—and not just because they smell so bad you have to leave them outside when you come home. They can actually be harmful to your body. Get our tips for when to toss ‘em.
Most running shoes should last you somewhere between 300 and 500 miles (so if you run 10 miles a week, that’s around 8 to 12 months). However, there are a lot of factors that come into play.
What if you’re not a runner? You may be wearing your shoes on the elliptical or during Reaction Cycling® classes. How do you know if your shoes are wearing out?
