Friday, November 28, 2008

Making Good Choices When Short on Time

Throughout the holidays you will be tempted to take shortcuts to make good use of your time by eating fast food. According to Hope Warshaw, RD, keep the following in mind to help make healthy choices even if you don't think you have the time :

  • Study all your options. Most fast food chains have nutritional information posted either at the restaurant or online. Make sure you have a few healthy choices available for the chains you most frequent.
  • Meal deals can push up the calorie count so look for single items from the discount menu (McDonalds and Wendys both have their version of the 99 cent menu items).
  • Don't supersize--stick with regular size of if possible, children portions.
  • Avoid the extras that lead to additional calories. Whenever possible, keep these on the side and add sparingly.
  • Go into the restaurant rather than the drive-thru. It takes more time to eat resulting in you feeling fuller faster which keeps you from overeating.
For additional nutrition tips, try www.hopewarshaw.com

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Use Your Time Wisely During the Holidays

You can squeeze in an effective total body workout in as little as 20-30 minutes. Use the following guidelines to help fit in fitness:

  • Give 4 to 5 minutes of your workout out to your normal warm-up routine. Do some dynamic stretches (i.e. jumping jacks, mountain climbers)
  • Set aside 10 minutes for weight training focusing on using a circuit of compound exercises that hit all the major areas of the body. This will be about 4-6 exercises; do 12-15 repetitions each.
  • Find your cardio equipment of choice and do 10-12 minutes of higher intensity work. 1-2 minute warm-up followed by intervals and ending with a 1-2 minute cool-down
  • Use your final 5 minutes to do some static stretching for the same 4-6 areas you worked in you resistance training.
Although these aren't as comprehensive as your regular routine they will help maintain your fitness throughout the holidays.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Prevent Obesity in Your Kids

Obesity can be combated through a combination of proper diet and adequate physical activity. Encourage your child by modeling the following behaviors that will help them develop healthy habits:
  • Offer healthy alternatives with lower calories
  • Plan meals and snacks for the whole family
  • Set limits on sedentary tasks such as watching TV and using the computer
  • Plan family activities or outings
  • Structure meals as a family event and limit to the kitchen or dining room
  • Switch from full-fat to low-fat dairy products
  • Limit consumption of sugary beverages
  • Model how to order healthy choices when eating out
If you would like more information on childhood obesity, visit www.carefirst.com/weight

Friday, November 21, 2008

Enjoyment Leads to Commitment

If you find your workout to be pleasurable you are more likely to stick with it. To help keep your routine playful and fun, considered the following:

If the gym does nothing for you, try a team sport. You can be any skill-level and still enjoy a little competition. There are walks, runs, and races for individuals of all ages and abilities. Check out FitArlington to get dates and information on competitions in your area.
Sign up for group classes that interest you such as dance, martial arts, or yoga/pilates. For class registration, visit Arlington Parks and Recreation.
Combine a passion with a fitness activity. If you love the outdoors, try hiking in a local park (Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority). Culturally inclined, try a beginning ballet, ballroom, or modern dance class.Hoping to integrate mind and body? Go with Qigong or Tai Chi. All of the above activities are available in our area, so go out and have fun!

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Combat Soreness

Research is still out on the cause of muscle soreness. The current theory is that the soreness is due to small tears in the muscle tissue. So the good news is the soreness is temporary. So, the more consistent you are with your workout, the less extreme the soreness will be. The best remedy, is to lightly work the sore muscles the day after your workout. So if you have sore legs, cycle on a stationary bike for 10-15 minutes at an easy pace or go for a short, leisurely walk. This will increase the flow of blood and nutrients to the damaged muscles, helping them repair faster. Just remember that pain is different than soreness; if you experience any pain after a workout and it persists don't hesitate to call a health care professional.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Don't Sabotage Your Training

Although weight training can contribute to a healthy life, there are areas that should be considered with caution. Don't make the mistake that more is better. Your muscles grow when you rest, not when you train, so allow at least 24-48 hours between weight training workouts to avoid over-training. Keep your sessions under 60 minutes to maximize the hormone changes that produce the best results. Longer sessions tend to stress your body more off-setting the benefits. Focus on working all major body parts equally as building imbalances can lead to injuries. Finally, the body can adapt in as little as four weeks, so something as easy as changing the order of your exercises can be enough to push your body to readjust and work harder. Keep all these factors in mind so you can get the most out of your workout.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Walking Intensity

To get the best results from your walking workout, you have to walk faster, not longer. How can you do this. There are a number of ways to monitor walking intensity, pick the one that works best for you. If you use a pedometer, you can increase your intensity by increasing your steps for your specified walk time. If your use a heart monitor, your can make sure you are reaching your target heart rate. Another way is to vary the intensity of your pace over a specified distance. For example, alternate 5-minute bursts of faster walking with 5-minute bursts of regular walking. Whichever method you choose, make sure you gradually increase intensity to allow your body to make the necessary adjustments and allow for both a warm-up and cool-down in your session.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Cardio Confusion

Many exercisers have heard that if you exercise at a lower intensity for a longer period of time you will burn more fat. This is true, a higher percentage of your calories come from fats versus carbohydrates. But, your still burning fewer overall calories for your time commitment. Now the thinking is that doing intervals (elevating your heart rate as much as possible for several minutes at a time and interspersing those intervals with several minutes of lower-intensity periods) are a better option. Still, there is a need to alternate these high energy sessions with longer, less intensity sessions in order to avoid injury and recover. What you ultimately find in the fitness world are alternatives--variations on a theme--that help confuse your body and make it work harder.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Maximize Your Motivation

Once you hit your desired fitness level, you need strategies to help you maintain what you have achieved. The following may prove helpful when motivation lags:
  • Continue to establish small attainable goals and then celebrate your successes with fun, non-food related rewards
  • If you haven't done so already, keep a food and activity journal. This can help by keeping you aware of when your prone to lower your activity level or increase your calorie intake
  • Shake it up every once in a while. Just as a workout routine can get stale so can a food rut. Every so often try a new recipe or dish.
  • Get social support as it can improve your chances of maintaining long-term fitness
Remember to give yourself a break when relapses occur. Don't let one isolated incident derail you from your new healthy lifestyle. Get right back to your healthy habits and stay the course, you deserve it!

Friday, November 7, 2008

Exercise Variation Can Increase/Decrease Difficulty

Basic abdominal exercises can be made easier or more difficult just by changing where you put your hands or feet. With some minor adjustments you can manage the intensity of your movement. You can make the standard crunch movement more difficult by raising your feet off the ground (either in a tuck position or legs straight up position). You can do the same with your hands; the closer they are to your center of gravity, the less resistance; the further away, the greater the resistance. So again using the standard crunch movement you can go through the following progression from easier to more difficult: start with hands on or beside your knees -->arms across your chest-->arms behind your head-->arms extended over your head. Always perfect the basic movements first before moving to more difficult positions. These and other techniques can help you move up the intensity without using weight. Try some of these and see if you don't agree they add "kick" to your workout.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Don't Be Afraid to Use the Mirror

Mirrors are the best way to monitor your form and help avoid injury. The following are some things to keep in mind to avoid doing an exercise wrong:

  • Your barbell should be parallel to the floor throughout the exercise. If it is cock-eyed, then you are exerting more force on one side. You may need to use a machine to help with form or possibly need to shore up one side (do some unilateral training)
  • Watch your back position when doing squats, dead lifts, rows or any exercise where you bend over. Your lower back should hold its natural arch; if it is rounded you need to use lower weights until you perfect your form
  • If your upper body moves back and forth while doing curls, rows, or presses you are not performing the movement correctly and need to re-evaluate the amount your lifting.
For any of the above issues, talk with a professional to correct you form and determine the amount of weight you should be using.

Monday, November 3, 2008

Another Way to Control Portions

Janis Jibrin R.D. wrote an article for Men's Health describing how to use your plate to manage portions. Rather than counting calories, divide your plate into two sections. One half if filled with fruits and vegetables and the other half is high-protein foods and starch. This strategy keeps you from having to remember nutritional details or confusing numbers. If you are still hungry after completing your plate, you have more but only of the fruits and vegetables. The reason this method can work is that it is easy and simple to remember. I have been using a similar strategy for a number of years and it has helped me keep the weight off. Because of my small size, I tend to only add starch portions at breakfast and lunch, rarely at dinner. Try this strategy and let me know how it works.