MERRY CHRISTMAS !
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Saturday, December 2, 2006
10 Slim-Down Strategies You Can Count On
Toss the calorie calculator.
When it comes to weight loss, here are the numbers that matter!
by Rebecca Webber, www.prevention.com
The devil is in the details--and nowhere is the cliché truer than with weight loss. It's the small decisions that add up to change, and that's a good thing, says William Dietz, MD, PhD, at the CDC: "If you can count it, you can change it."
These 10 countable steps will add up to victory over unwanted pounds.
But don't try them all at once. "It's like renovating a house; most people do better taking one room at a time," says John Jakicic, PhD, director of weight management at the University of Pittsburgh. "Start with the easiest tactic. Once you master it, move on."
Weigh yourself 1 time per day
Why It Works: Weekly weigh-ins are a staple of many popular diet programs, but studies now show that daily weighing is the key to lasting loss. When researchers at the University of Minnesota monitored the scale habits of 1,800 dieting adults, they found that those who stepped on every day lost an average of 12 pounds over 2 years (weekly scale watchers lost only 6) and were less likely to regain lost weight. The reason: "The more often you monitor your results, the quicker you can catch the behavioral slip that causes weight gain," says Jakicic.
Who It Helped: Heidi Hurtz, 29, of Los Angeles. "I was in denial about my size, so I never used a scale. When I started weighing daily, I lost 7 pounds in 2 weeks. I loved the immediate gratification, and eventually lost 77 pounds."
Add It In: Step on the scale first thing every morning, when you weigh the least. Expect small day-to-day fluctuations because of bloating or dehydration, but if your weight creeps up by 2% (that's just 3 pounds if you weigh 150), it's time to pass up the bread.
Watch no more than 2 hours of TV a day
Why It Works: TV junkies miss out on calorie-burning activities like backyard tag with the kids; instead, they become sitting ducks for junk-food ads. One recent study found that adults who watch more than 2 hours of TV per day take in 7% more calories and consume more sugary snacks than those who watch less than an hour a day.
Who It Helped: Christy Taylor, 27, of Sylacauga, AL. "TV was one reason I weighed 220 pounds. I watched it constantly. My blood pressure skyrocketed during pregnancy, and when it didn't come down after my son was born, I decided to try to limit myself to one show a day. That was 10 months ago, and I've since lost 32 pounds."
Add It In: Wean yourself off the tube by introducing other activities into your life. Eliminate the temptation to watch between-show filler by recording your must-see programs so you can fast-forward through the ads. Or subscribe to a mail-order DVD service like Netflix, and make a movie the only thing you watch all day.
Contact a friend 3 times per week
Why It Works: "Long-term weight loss requires support," says Marion Franz, RD, a nutrition consultant in Minneapolis. Her study review found that people who met regularly with a dietitian or attended groups like Weight Watchers were more likely to maintain their losses than those who didn't.
Who It Helped: Maggie Ramos, 39, of Houston. "When I plateaued for months, my friend Nancy stepped in and cheered me on until I lost it all."
Add It In: If you can't attend group meetings, announce your weight loss intentions so friends can support you, says Franz. And add a dieter pal to your regular call or e-mail list, too.
Eat 4 g of fiber in every meal or snack
Why It Works: A high-fiber diet can lower your caloric intake without making you feel deprived. In a recent Tufts University study, women who ate 13 g of fiber or less per day were five times as likely to be overweight as those who ate more fiber. Experts see a number of mechanisms through which fiber promotes weight loss -- It may slow down eating because it requires more chewing, speed the passage of food through the digestive tract, and boost satiety hormones.
Who It Helped: Monique Hester, 41, of North Richland Hills, TX. "I started a diet that had me consuming more than 25 g of fiber daily, and before I knew it, I'd lost 23 pounds. I don't even like white bread anymore. I want something I can crunch and chew."
Add It In: To get 25 g of fiber a day, make sure you eat six meals or snacks, each of which contains about 4 g of fiber. For instance, Hester started her day with grapes (1 cup = 1.4 g of fiber) and cracked wheat toast (two slices = 6 g) or oatmeal (1 cup = 4 g). She often had a cup of black bean soup for lunch (4.4 g) with a slice of cracked wheat bread. One good trick: For to-go snacks, buy fruit; it's handier than vegetables, so it's an easy way to up your fiber intake. For instance, one large apple has just as much fiber (5 g) as a cup of raw broccoli.
Take 5 (thousand) extra steps a day
Why It Works: A typical person takes about 5,000 steps per day between going to work, running errands, and doing chores around the house. Doubling that number can have significant health benefits: higher "good" HDL cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, improved glucose control, and yes, a lower number on the scale. Walking more steps per day also leads to a lower percentage of body fat and slimmer waists and hips, reports a recent University of Tennessee study of 80 women. An earlier University of South Carolina study of 109 people showed that those who took fewer than 5,000 steps per day were, on average, heavier than people who took more than 9,000.
Who It Helped: Joanna Webb, 34, of Queen Creek, AZ. "I started walking when my daughter was 2 months old. I couldn't even make it around the block without stopping. I kept at it until I could walk 6 nights a week with my husband, our 5-year-old, and the baby. Now I've lost 35 pounds."
Add It In: Wear a pedometer to make sure you log your 5,000 extra steps, or aim for about 50 minutes of extra walking (2 1/2 miles) per day. In the Tennessee study, "Some of the women walked with friends; others increased their steps by taking the stairs and parking farther away," says lead researcher Dixie Thompson, PhD.
Log it 6 times per week
Why It Works: "Monitoring your eating and exercise every day will let you know if you're reaching the 500-calorie daily deficit you need to lose about a pound a week," says Robert Carels, PhD, a psychology professor at Bowling Green State University. His study of 40 obese adults found that those who recorded their food and exercise over 6 months lost more than 20 pounds. That was nearly twice the amount shed by less consistent note takers.
Who It Helped: Julie Fugett, 29, of Lawrence, KS. " Journaling was an important part of my program. I chronicled food intake using the Weight Watchers Points system and also printed out a monthly calendar to schedule workouts in advance. I'd mark each successful day of exercise with a purple smiley face, and eventually those stick-on grins added up to a 25-pound weight loss that I've maintained for over 2 years."
Add It In: Carry a small notebook or PDA to record what you eat and use a pedometer to estimate the calories you burn. Although you should try to keep a daily log, it's realistic to give yourself a break one day a week and allow time off for holidays and houseguests. "Then get back on track," says Carels.
Sleep 7+ hours a night
Why It Works: A University of Chicago study found that people deprived of Zzzs had lower levels of the hormones that control appetite. "The research suggested that short sleep durations could be a risk factor for obesity," says James Gangwisch, PhD, an epidemiologist from Columbia University Medical Center. Sure enough, his follow-up study of 9,588 Americans found that women who slept 4 hours or less per night were 234% more likely to be obese.
Who It Helped: Julia Havey, 44, of St. Louis. "I used to stay up late watching movies and eating ice cream. I'd have to wake up at 6 AM, so I always felt exhausted and bloated. Now I make it a point to be in bed by 11 PM. The extra sleep makes it easier for me to stick to my diet and exercise routine because I have more energy and fewer cravings."
Add It In: The key number for most people is 7 hours or more a night, says Gangwisch, so set an early bedtime and stick to it.
Drink 8 glasses of water per day
Why It Works: Water is not just a thirst quencher--it actually speeds the body's metabolism. Researchers in Germany found that drinking two 8-ounce glasses of cold water increased their subjects' metabolic rate by 30%, and the effect persisted for 90 minutes. One-third of the boost came from the body's efforts to warm the water, but the rest was due to the work the body did to absorb it. "When drinking water, no calories are ingested but calories are used, unlike when drinking sodas, where additional calories are ingested and possibly stored," explains the lead researcher, Michael Boschmann, MD, of University Medicine Berlin.
Who It Helped: Paige Tomas, 25, of Corpus Christi, TX. " I used to have a five-can-a-day Dr. Pepper addiction. To stop, I'd make myself drink a whole glass of water before allowing myself a soda, and now I'm down to just two Diet Dr. Peppers a day."
Add It In: Increasing water consumption to eight glasses per day may help you lose about 8 pounds in a year, says Boschmann, so try drinking a glass before meals and snacks and before consuming sweetened drinks or juices.
After a 9-hour day (lunch included!), go home
Why It Works: A University of Helsinki study of 7,000 adults found that those who'd packed on pounds in the previous year were more likely to have logged overtime hours. Lack of time for diet and exercise is most likely the cause, but it's also possible that work stress has a direct effect on weight gain through changes in hormones like cortisol.
Who It Helped: Nicole Bruni, 36, of Milwaukee. "I gained about 35 pounds in my first year at my law firm, so I started making it a point to wrap up the day in time for a 6 PM Spinning class, and I've since lost 40 pounds."
Add It In: Set firm limits on your workday so that when you're done, you still have the oomph to take a bike ride and broil fish for dinner. To help you stay productive enough to finish on time, set an hourly alarm; when it goes off, deal with your most pressing duties.
Shave 10 points off your glycemic load
Why It Works: Foods high on the glycemic index--including sugars and refined carbohydrates--cause blood sugar to spike. "The body uses insulin to bring down blood sugar," says Yunsheng Ma, MD, PhD, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. The body stores the excess sugar as fat. But that leaves blood sugar levels low, so we feel hungry again and eat more--an unhealthy cycle. He studied the eating patterns of 572 people and found that those who ate foods high on the glycemic index weighed significantly more than those who did not. "There's about a 10-pound body weight decrease for every 10-point drop in the glycemic index of all the food a person eats each day," he says.
Who It Helped: Jessica Seaberg, 28, of Minneapolis. " I eradicated most refined sugars from my diet and lost 65 pounds. I stick to whole grain bread, slow-cooking brown rice, and whole wheat pasta."
Add It In: Read labels to avoid added sugars, or better yet, eat fresh produce. Healthy swaps include a baked sweet potato (48 on the glycemic index) instead of a russet potato (94); grapes (49) instead of dates (103); pasta (45) instead of pizza (60); and Nutella (30) instead of jelly beans (80). And skip the liquid glucose known as juice.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
THE ANSWER ON "ATKINS"
See new aricle by Discovery Health -- CLICK HERE:
http://health.discovery.com/centers/nutritionfitness/nutrition/articles/dietmyths/fatcarbs.html
When it comes to weight loss, here are the numbers that matter!
by Rebecca Webber, www.prevention.com
The devil is in the details--and nowhere is the cliché truer than with weight loss. It's the small decisions that add up to change, and that's a good thing, says William Dietz, MD, PhD, at the CDC: "If you can count it, you can change it."
These 10 countable steps will add up to victory over unwanted pounds.
But don't try them all at once. "It's like renovating a house; most people do better taking one room at a time," says John Jakicic, PhD, director of weight management at the University of Pittsburgh. "Start with the easiest tactic. Once you master it, move on."
Weigh yourself 1 time per day
Why It Works: Weekly weigh-ins are a staple of many popular diet programs, but studies now show that daily weighing is the key to lasting loss. When researchers at the University of Minnesota monitored the scale habits of 1,800 dieting adults, they found that those who stepped on every day lost an average of 12 pounds over 2 years (weekly scale watchers lost only 6) and were less likely to regain lost weight. The reason: "The more often you monitor your results, the quicker you can catch the behavioral slip that causes weight gain," says Jakicic.
Who It Helped: Heidi Hurtz, 29, of Los Angeles. "I was in denial about my size, so I never used a scale. When I started weighing daily, I lost 7 pounds in 2 weeks. I loved the immediate gratification, and eventually lost 77 pounds."
Add It In: Step on the scale first thing every morning, when you weigh the least. Expect small day-to-day fluctuations because of bloating or dehydration, but if your weight creeps up by 2% (that's just 3 pounds if you weigh 150), it's time to pass up the bread.
Watch no more than 2 hours of TV a day
Why It Works: TV junkies miss out on calorie-burning activities like backyard tag with the kids; instead, they become sitting ducks for junk-food ads. One recent study found that adults who watch more than 2 hours of TV per day take in 7% more calories and consume more sugary snacks than those who watch less than an hour a day.
Who It Helped: Christy Taylor, 27, of Sylacauga, AL. "TV was one reason I weighed 220 pounds. I watched it constantly. My blood pressure skyrocketed during pregnancy, and when it didn't come down after my son was born, I decided to try to limit myself to one show a day. That was 10 months ago, and I've since lost 32 pounds."
Add It In: Wean yourself off the tube by introducing other activities into your life. Eliminate the temptation to watch between-show filler by recording your must-see programs so you can fast-forward through the ads. Or subscribe to a mail-order DVD service like Netflix, and make a movie the only thing you watch all day.
Contact a friend 3 times per week
Why It Works: "Long-term weight loss requires support," says Marion Franz, RD, a nutrition consultant in Minneapolis. Her study review found that people who met regularly with a dietitian or attended groups like Weight Watchers were more likely to maintain their losses than those who didn't.
Who It Helped: Maggie Ramos, 39, of Houston. "When I plateaued for months, my friend Nancy stepped in and cheered me on until I lost it all."
Add It In: If you can't attend group meetings, announce your weight loss intentions so friends can support you, says Franz. And add a dieter pal to your regular call or e-mail list, too.
Eat 4 g of fiber in every meal or snack
Why It Works: A high-fiber diet can lower your caloric intake without making you feel deprived. In a recent Tufts University study, women who ate 13 g of fiber or less per day were five times as likely to be overweight as those who ate more fiber. Experts see a number of mechanisms through which fiber promotes weight loss -- It may slow down eating because it requires more chewing, speed the passage of food through the digestive tract, and boost satiety hormones.
Who It Helped: Monique Hester, 41, of North Richland Hills, TX. "I started a diet that had me consuming more than 25 g of fiber daily, and before I knew it, I'd lost 23 pounds. I don't even like white bread anymore. I want something I can crunch and chew."
Add It In: To get 25 g of fiber a day, make sure you eat six meals or snacks, each of which contains about 4 g of fiber. For instance, Hester started her day with grapes (1 cup = 1.4 g of fiber) and cracked wheat toast (two slices = 6 g) or oatmeal (1 cup = 4 g). She often had a cup of black bean soup for lunch (4.4 g) with a slice of cracked wheat bread. One good trick: For to-go snacks, buy fruit; it's handier than vegetables, so it's an easy way to up your fiber intake. For instance, one large apple has just as much fiber (5 g) as a cup of raw broccoli.
Take 5 (thousand) extra steps a day
Why It Works: A typical person takes about 5,000 steps per day between going to work, running errands, and doing chores around the house. Doubling that number can have significant health benefits: higher "good" HDL cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, improved glucose control, and yes, a lower number on the scale. Walking more steps per day also leads to a lower percentage of body fat and slimmer waists and hips, reports a recent University of Tennessee study of 80 women. An earlier University of South Carolina study of 109 people showed that those who took fewer than 5,000 steps per day were, on average, heavier than people who took more than 9,000.
Who It Helped: Joanna Webb, 34, of Queen Creek, AZ. "I started walking when my daughter was 2 months old. I couldn't even make it around the block without stopping. I kept at it until I could walk 6 nights a week with my husband, our 5-year-old, and the baby. Now I've lost 35 pounds."
Add It In: Wear a pedometer to make sure you log your 5,000 extra steps, or aim for about 50 minutes of extra walking (2 1/2 miles) per day. In the Tennessee study, "Some of the women walked with friends; others increased their steps by taking the stairs and parking farther away," says lead researcher Dixie Thompson, PhD.
Log it 6 times per week
Why It Works: "Monitoring your eating and exercise every day will let you know if you're reaching the 500-calorie daily deficit you need to lose about a pound a week," says Robert Carels, PhD, a psychology professor at Bowling Green State University. His study of 40 obese adults found that those who recorded their food and exercise over 6 months lost more than 20 pounds. That was nearly twice the amount shed by less consistent note takers.
Who It Helped: Julie Fugett, 29, of Lawrence, KS. " Journaling was an important part of my program. I chronicled food intake using the Weight Watchers Points system and also printed out a monthly calendar to schedule workouts in advance. I'd mark each successful day of exercise with a purple smiley face, and eventually those stick-on grins added up to a 25-pound weight loss that I've maintained for over 2 years."
Add It In: Carry a small notebook or PDA to record what you eat and use a pedometer to estimate the calories you burn. Although you should try to keep a daily log, it's realistic to give yourself a break one day a week and allow time off for holidays and houseguests. "Then get back on track," says Carels.
Sleep 7+ hours a night
Why It Works: A University of Chicago study found that people deprived of Zzzs had lower levels of the hormones that control appetite. "The research suggested that short sleep durations could be a risk factor for obesity," says James Gangwisch, PhD, an epidemiologist from Columbia University Medical Center. Sure enough, his follow-up study of 9,588 Americans found that women who slept 4 hours or less per night were 234% more likely to be obese.
Who It Helped: Julia Havey, 44, of St. Louis. "I used to stay up late watching movies and eating ice cream. I'd have to wake up at 6 AM, so I always felt exhausted and bloated. Now I make it a point to be in bed by 11 PM. The extra sleep makes it easier for me to stick to my diet and exercise routine because I have more energy and fewer cravings."
Add It In: The key number for most people is 7 hours or more a night, says Gangwisch, so set an early bedtime and stick to it.
Drink 8 glasses of water per day
Why It Works: Water is not just a thirst quencher--it actually speeds the body's metabolism. Researchers in Germany found that drinking two 8-ounce glasses of cold water increased their subjects' metabolic rate by 30%, and the effect persisted for 90 minutes. One-third of the boost came from the body's efforts to warm the water, but the rest was due to the work the body did to absorb it. "When drinking water, no calories are ingested but calories are used, unlike when drinking sodas, where additional calories are ingested and possibly stored," explains the lead researcher, Michael Boschmann, MD, of University Medicine Berlin.
Who It Helped: Paige Tomas, 25, of Corpus Christi, TX. " I used to have a five-can-a-day Dr. Pepper addiction. To stop, I'd make myself drink a whole glass of water before allowing myself a soda, and now I'm down to just two Diet Dr. Peppers a day."
Add It In: Increasing water consumption to eight glasses per day may help you lose about 8 pounds in a year, says Boschmann, so try drinking a glass before meals and snacks and before consuming sweetened drinks or juices.
After a 9-hour day (lunch included!), go home
Why It Works: A University of Helsinki study of 7,000 adults found that those who'd packed on pounds in the previous year were more likely to have logged overtime hours. Lack of time for diet and exercise is most likely the cause, but it's also possible that work stress has a direct effect on weight gain through changes in hormones like cortisol.
Who It Helped: Nicole Bruni, 36, of Milwaukee. "I gained about 35 pounds in my first year at my law firm, so I started making it a point to wrap up the day in time for a 6 PM Spinning class, and I've since lost 40 pounds."
Add It In: Set firm limits on your workday so that when you're done, you still have the oomph to take a bike ride and broil fish for dinner. To help you stay productive enough to finish on time, set an hourly alarm; when it goes off, deal with your most pressing duties.
Shave 10 points off your glycemic load
Why It Works: Foods high on the glycemic index--including sugars and refined carbohydrates--cause blood sugar to spike. "The body uses insulin to bring down blood sugar," says Yunsheng Ma, MD, PhD, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. The body stores the excess sugar as fat. But that leaves blood sugar levels low, so we feel hungry again and eat more--an unhealthy cycle. He studied the eating patterns of 572 people and found that those who ate foods high on the glycemic index weighed significantly more than those who did not. "There's about a 10-pound body weight decrease for every 10-point drop in the glycemic index of all the food a person eats each day," he says.
Who It Helped: Jessica Seaberg, 28, of Minneapolis. " I eradicated most refined sugars from my diet and lost 65 pounds. I stick to whole grain bread, slow-cooking brown rice, and whole wheat pasta."
Add It In: Read labels to avoid added sugars, or better yet, eat fresh produce. Healthy swaps include a baked sweet potato (48 on the glycemic index) instead of a russet potato (94); grapes (49) instead of dates (103); pasta (45) instead of pizza (60); and Nutella (30) instead of jelly beans (80). And skip the liquid glucose known as juice.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
THE ANSWER ON "ATKINS"
See new aricle by Discovery Health -- CLICK HERE:
http://health.discovery.com/centers/nutritionfitness/nutrition/articles/dietmyths/fatcarbs.html
4 FIXES FOR EMOTIONAL EATING
Don't feed your feelings--deal with them
by Jorge Cruise
Erin McLeod started using food for comfort when she was 7 years old. "That's when my parents divorced, and they weren't home in the evening," she told me. As an adult, Erin was frequently left at home in the evenings with her kids because her husband went out a great deal. "I felt lonely; food was my only companion," she says. Many of us eat when what we really need is nurturing. When Erin joined my online support group, she found what she'd been missing, and she lost 70 lbs.
Are You an Emotional Eater?
1. Do you eat when you're feeling sad, lonely, or bored?
2. Do you celebrate or reward yourself with food?3. Is there a food you crave when you're stressed or worried?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be an emotional eater. My challenge to you this month: Become aware of your feelings. Carry a small notebook with you; every time you reach for food, jot down how you feel.
Emotional Rescues
When emotions push you to the fridge, try these quick fixes:
Angry: Blast the stereo, and sing or dance like Jennifer Lopez or Bruce Springsteen.
Anxious: Turn off the news, and tune in to Comedy Central.
Sad: Rent a feel-good movie such as The Shawshank Redemption, About a Boy, or I Am Sam.
Lonely: Join an online chat, or e-mail a long-lost friend. It's normal to feel emotional from time to time, but if you can't shake your mood within 2 weeks, or it's interfering with your life, see a doctor or mental health professional.
1
Best-selling author Jorge Cruise's latest book is 3-Hour Diet On the Go (Collins 2005).
by Jorge Cruise
Erin McLeod started using food for comfort when she was 7 years old. "That's when my parents divorced, and they weren't home in the evening," she told me. As an adult, Erin was frequently left at home in the evenings with her kids because her husband went out a great deal. "I felt lonely; food was my only companion," she says. Many of us eat when what we really need is nurturing. When Erin joined my online support group, she found what she'd been missing, and she lost 70 lbs.
Are You an Emotional Eater?
1. Do you eat when you're feeling sad, lonely, or bored?
2. Do you celebrate or reward yourself with food?3. Is there a food you crave when you're stressed or worried?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be an emotional eater. My challenge to you this month: Become aware of your feelings. Carry a small notebook with you; every time you reach for food, jot down how you feel.
Emotional Rescues
When emotions push you to the fridge, try these quick fixes:
Angry: Blast the stereo, and sing or dance like Jennifer Lopez or Bruce Springsteen.
Anxious: Turn off the news, and tune in to Comedy Central.
Sad: Rent a feel-good movie such as The Shawshank Redemption, About a Boy, or I Am Sam.
Lonely: Join an online chat, or e-mail a long-lost friend. It's normal to feel emotional from time to time, but if you can't shake your mood within 2 weeks, or it's interfering with your life, see a doctor or mental health professional.
1
Best-selling author Jorge Cruise's latest book is 3-Hour Diet On the Go (Collins 2005).
Sunday, April 23, 2006
PILATES BY DENISE AUSTIN
Every "Body" Benefits from Pilates
Denise Austin
Possibly one of the most exciting aspects of Pilates is that anyone can do it, and everyone can achieve amazing results. Because there's no bouncing, jarring, or stress to your body, Pilates offers the ideal form of exercise for people who, because of joint pain or muscle weakness, shy away from exercise. It's also convenient. You don't need any heavy, expensive equipment, and you can do Pilates anywhere, anytime. Some of the routines take less than 10 minutes, making Pilates the perfect form of exercise for anyone who finds there's not enough time in the day for exercise. You have 10 minutes to strengthen your abs and back, don't you? You'll start to see and feel results in as few as 10 sessions.
Just some of the many ways you can benefit from doing Pilates regularly include:
A Healthy, Supple SpinePilates gives more support to your spine, creating space between each vertebra. That extra space not only makes you appear taller, it also creates more mobility, transforming your spine from a stiff rod into a supple string of pearls. This new suppleness prevents degenerative spinal problems, such as slipped disks. It also helps you move with more grace and ease.
Kinder, Gentler Conditioning
If you're out of shape, Pilates provides a wonderful way to ease into any kind of fitness plan.
Pilates puts no stress on your joints and no wear and tear on your ligaments and cartilage around your joints, especially your knee and shoulder joints. It conditions your muscles in a balanced way and increases your self-awareness by drawing your focus inward. In reality, Pilates is very rehabilitative. It's almost like going to physical therapy sessions. In fact, unlike other forms of exercise, you can safely do Pilates every day without overstressing your muscles or joints. To see results, however, you need to do Pilates only three times a week. But you have to be consistent. That's the key.
Improved Mental Outlook and Increased Motivation
Pilates benefits your emotional health. The smooth, steady movements quiet your mind and soothe your nervous system. As you lengthen and strengthen your muscles, you'll improve your circulation and whisk tension away. Each workout will leave you feeling calm, balanced, and rejuvenated. Focus on letting the tension go, and you'll be on the path to a healthier body inside and out.
Better Balance, More Coordination
In your 40s, balance starts to deteriorate as your muscles weaken and your nerve receptors lose sensitivity. Pilates reverses this aging process by stabilizing your core. Pilates works the small, deep muscles needed to keep your body steady when walking and your spine both supple and strong.
Less Pain and Stiffness
If you suffer from osteoarthritis pain, you'll find that lengthening your body through Pilates will help soothe the soreness. Appropriate exercise is vital to managing arthritis, because it increases flexibility for stretches and reduces pain and fatigue. Stretching helps pump vital nutrients to your muscles and tendons, which help keep them healthy and minimize your risk of injury. It also stimulates the production of joint lubricants (synovial fluid) and prevents adhesions. As circulation increases, your legs, back, neck, and shoulders loosen up, relieving aches and stiffness. Pilates also leads to subtle posture improvements, which will also eliminate tension, driving away headaches, backaches, neck aches, and other aches and pains.
Faster Return to Prepregnancy Figure
Many women who have given birth ask me how I got my lower tummy so flat after I had my two kids. It doesn't take that much time, but if you do a few moves on a regular basis, you will see results. Muscles have a beautiful memory. They will bounce back with just a little toning.
The BasicsEvery Pilates movement--when done correctly--starts in your core (abdomen), stays in your core, and ends in your core.
A strong core:
Allows a gymnast to hold a handstand and a yogi to hold a headstand.
Allows the martial artist to kick through a board and a dancer to leap into the air.
Puts more oomph in your tennis swing, more speed to your run, and more control in your ski slalom.
Creates power in your midsection and shrinks middle-age spread, helping you to accomplish goals you never before dreamed possible.
That's why it's so important that you learn how to move from your core before you attempt any Pilates routine. If you lose the core emphasis, you lose many of the benefits of Pilates.
To understand what I'm talking about, try this simple exercise, which I call "zipping up your abs":
Zipping Up Your Abs
Lie back on the floor, with your knees bent, your feet flat on the floor, and your back slightly arched, as shown on the left. Focus on your pelvic area and your lower abdomen, below the belly button. Pull those muscles up and inward, as if you were zipping up a corset. This upward and inward motion will bring your belly button toward your spine as well as lengthen your torso, creating more space between your ribs and hips.
Notice how you've slightly lifted your pelvis and flattened your back but still have a slight neutral curve in your lower back, as shown on the right. Take note of the length in your core. Memorize this sensation.Imagine that zipper again. Now try to zip yourself up even tighter, lengthening as the imaginary zipper comes up your midsection, almost squeezing yourself taller. This is how you want to feel during every Pilates exercise.
Your Feet
Some moves require you to flex your feet. Others require you to point, or extend them. When flexing your feet, press through your heels to create length in your body, but keep your toes straight, not curled back toward your shins. When pointing your toes, create length by extending through your big toe, but don't overpoint, or overextend, by curling your toes toward your arches.
Your Neck
Don't arch your neck. Whether sitting or lying in position to do Pilates, you want a long neck. Concentrate on lengthening through the crown of your head and tuck your chin toward your neck slightly.
Basic Ab Strengthener
The benefits of this exercise are increased circulation as well as stronger abs, particularly your upper abs. Resist the tendency to work your upper body in this exercise. Relax your arms, and don't use them to pull your head and shoulders up. If your shoulders rise less than an inch, that's okay. Just do your best.
A. Lie with your back on the floor and your head and neck supported by a pillow or cushion. Your knees should be bent with your feet flat on the floor. Place your hands behind your head with your elbows out to the sides.
B. Press your abs down to your spine and exhale as you curl your ribs toward your hipbones. Inhale as you lower to the floor. Keep your navel flat throughout the exercise. Repeat.
Lower Ab Strengthener
This exercise prepares your lower abs--the lower end of your rectus abdominis, a traditional weak spot in women particularly after pregnancy--for tougher Pilates work that follows. You should feel the impact of these moves mostly in your lower abs and groin, not your ribs and upper abs. Before lifting your hips, tighten and pull the muscles in your groin up, as if you were holding a penny between your legs in your groin area. Then press your navel down. Doing just those two movements will strengthen your abs, even if your hips don't noticeably rise. Also, remember to relax your head into your fingertips and keep your elbows out of sight.
A. Lie with your back on the floor and position a pillow or cushion under your hips and buttocks for added support. Raise your legs and bend your knees, crossing your legs at the ankles. Place your hands behind your head. Your elbows should be out to the sides.
B. Press your abs toward your spine and exhale as you curl your hipbones toward your ribs, initiating the movement with your lower abs. Inhale as you lower your hips. Repeat.
More Challenging Lower Ab Strengthener
If you can do the first variation easily, try this one.
A. Lie with your back on the floor, your hands down at your sides, and a pillow or cushion held between your thighs and calves. Lengthen your body from the crown of your head to your tailbone.
B. Press your abs toward your spine and exhale as you curl your hipbones toward your ribs. Inhale as you lower your hips. Repeat.
VISIT MY FITNESS SITE: http://www.timetogetfit.biz/
Denise Austin
Possibly one of the most exciting aspects of Pilates is that anyone can do it, and everyone can achieve amazing results. Because there's no bouncing, jarring, or stress to your body, Pilates offers the ideal form of exercise for people who, because of joint pain or muscle weakness, shy away from exercise. It's also convenient. You don't need any heavy, expensive equipment, and you can do Pilates anywhere, anytime. Some of the routines take less than 10 minutes, making Pilates the perfect form of exercise for anyone who finds there's not enough time in the day for exercise. You have 10 minutes to strengthen your abs and back, don't you? You'll start to see and feel results in as few as 10 sessions.
Just some of the many ways you can benefit from doing Pilates regularly include:
A Healthy, Supple SpinePilates gives more support to your spine, creating space between each vertebra. That extra space not only makes you appear taller, it also creates more mobility, transforming your spine from a stiff rod into a supple string of pearls. This new suppleness prevents degenerative spinal problems, such as slipped disks. It also helps you move with more grace and ease.
Kinder, Gentler Conditioning
If you're out of shape, Pilates provides a wonderful way to ease into any kind of fitness plan.
Pilates puts no stress on your joints and no wear and tear on your ligaments and cartilage around your joints, especially your knee and shoulder joints. It conditions your muscles in a balanced way and increases your self-awareness by drawing your focus inward. In reality, Pilates is very rehabilitative. It's almost like going to physical therapy sessions. In fact, unlike other forms of exercise, you can safely do Pilates every day without overstressing your muscles or joints. To see results, however, you need to do Pilates only three times a week. But you have to be consistent. That's the key.
Improved Mental Outlook and Increased Motivation
Pilates benefits your emotional health. The smooth, steady movements quiet your mind and soothe your nervous system. As you lengthen and strengthen your muscles, you'll improve your circulation and whisk tension away. Each workout will leave you feeling calm, balanced, and rejuvenated. Focus on letting the tension go, and you'll be on the path to a healthier body inside and out.
Better Balance, More Coordination
In your 40s, balance starts to deteriorate as your muscles weaken and your nerve receptors lose sensitivity. Pilates reverses this aging process by stabilizing your core. Pilates works the small, deep muscles needed to keep your body steady when walking and your spine both supple and strong.
Less Pain and Stiffness
If you suffer from osteoarthritis pain, you'll find that lengthening your body through Pilates will help soothe the soreness. Appropriate exercise is vital to managing arthritis, because it increases flexibility for stretches and reduces pain and fatigue. Stretching helps pump vital nutrients to your muscles and tendons, which help keep them healthy and minimize your risk of injury. It also stimulates the production of joint lubricants (synovial fluid) and prevents adhesions. As circulation increases, your legs, back, neck, and shoulders loosen up, relieving aches and stiffness. Pilates also leads to subtle posture improvements, which will also eliminate tension, driving away headaches, backaches, neck aches, and other aches and pains.
Faster Return to Prepregnancy Figure
Many women who have given birth ask me how I got my lower tummy so flat after I had my two kids. It doesn't take that much time, but if you do a few moves on a regular basis, you will see results. Muscles have a beautiful memory. They will bounce back with just a little toning.
The BasicsEvery Pilates movement--when done correctly--starts in your core (abdomen), stays in your core, and ends in your core.
A strong core:
Allows a gymnast to hold a handstand and a yogi to hold a headstand.
Allows the martial artist to kick through a board and a dancer to leap into the air.
Puts more oomph in your tennis swing, more speed to your run, and more control in your ski slalom.
Creates power in your midsection and shrinks middle-age spread, helping you to accomplish goals you never before dreamed possible.
That's why it's so important that you learn how to move from your core before you attempt any Pilates routine. If you lose the core emphasis, you lose many of the benefits of Pilates.
To understand what I'm talking about, try this simple exercise, which I call "zipping up your abs":
Zipping Up Your Abs
Lie back on the floor, with your knees bent, your feet flat on the floor, and your back slightly arched, as shown on the left. Focus on your pelvic area and your lower abdomen, below the belly button. Pull those muscles up and inward, as if you were zipping up a corset. This upward and inward motion will bring your belly button toward your spine as well as lengthen your torso, creating more space between your ribs and hips.
Notice how you've slightly lifted your pelvis and flattened your back but still have a slight neutral curve in your lower back, as shown on the right. Take note of the length in your core. Memorize this sensation.Imagine that zipper again. Now try to zip yourself up even tighter, lengthening as the imaginary zipper comes up your midsection, almost squeezing yourself taller. This is how you want to feel during every Pilates exercise.
Your Feet
Some moves require you to flex your feet. Others require you to point, or extend them. When flexing your feet, press through your heels to create length in your body, but keep your toes straight, not curled back toward your shins. When pointing your toes, create length by extending through your big toe, but don't overpoint, or overextend, by curling your toes toward your arches.
Your Neck
Don't arch your neck. Whether sitting or lying in position to do Pilates, you want a long neck. Concentrate on lengthening through the crown of your head and tuck your chin toward your neck slightly.
Basic Ab Strengthener
The benefits of this exercise are increased circulation as well as stronger abs, particularly your upper abs. Resist the tendency to work your upper body in this exercise. Relax your arms, and don't use them to pull your head and shoulders up. If your shoulders rise less than an inch, that's okay. Just do your best.
A. Lie with your back on the floor and your head and neck supported by a pillow or cushion. Your knees should be bent with your feet flat on the floor. Place your hands behind your head with your elbows out to the sides.
B. Press your abs down to your spine and exhale as you curl your ribs toward your hipbones. Inhale as you lower to the floor. Keep your navel flat throughout the exercise. Repeat.
Lower Ab Strengthener
This exercise prepares your lower abs--the lower end of your rectus abdominis, a traditional weak spot in women particularly after pregnancy--for tougher Pilates work that follows. You should feel the impact of these moves mostly in your lower abs and groin, not your ribs and upper abs. Before lifting your hips, tighten and pull the muscles in your groin up, as if you were holding a penny between your legs in your groin area. Then press your navel down. Doing just those two movements will strengthen your abs, even if your hips don't noticeably rise. Also, remember to relax your head into your fingertips and keep your elbows out of sight.
A. Lie with your back on the floor and position a pillow or cushion under your hips and buttocks for added support. Raise your legs and bend your knees, crossing your legs at the ankles. Place your hands behind your head. Your elbows should be out to the sides.
B. Press your abs toward your spine and exhale as you curl your hipbones toward your ribs, initiating the movement with your lower abs. Inhale as you lower your hips. Repeat.
More Challenging Lower Ab Strengthener
If you can do the first variation easily, try this one.
A. Lie with your back on the floor, your hands down at your sides, and a pillow or cushion held between your thighs and calves. Lengthen your body from the crown of your head to your tailbone.
B. Press your abs toward your spine and exhale as you curl your hipbones toward your ribs. Inhale as you lower your hips. Repeat.
VISIT MY FITNESS SITE: http://www.timetogetfit.biz/
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
WEIGHT MANAGEMENT
| Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD A lifestyle that combines sensible eating with regular physical activity is the key to good health. To be at their best, adults need to avoid gaining weight, many need to lose weight, and some are underweight. Being overweight or obese increases your risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, certain types of cancer, arthritis, and breathing problems. A healthy weight is key to a long, healthy life. Evaluate Your Body If you are an adult, find out your BMI (click here for calculations). Not all adults who have a BMI in the range labeled "healthy" are at their most healthy weight. For example:
There is no single perfect body size for children. However, many children in the United States are overweight. If you have concerns about your child's body size, talk with your health care professional. Keep track of your weight and your waist measurement, and take action if either of them increases. If your BMI is greater than 25, at least try to avoid further weight gain. If you are middle-aged or elderly and your waist measurement increases, you are probably gaining fat and losing muscle. If so, take steps to eat less and become more active. Evaluate Your Weight (Adults):
Find Out Your Other Risk Factors: The more of these risk factors you have, the more you are likely to benefit from weight loss if you are overweight or obese.
Manage Your Weight Our genes affect our tendency to gain weight. A tendency to gain weight is increased when food is plentiful and when we use equipment and vehicles to save time and energy. Plentiful food and labor-saving devices can make it very difficult to avoid weight gain, but it is possible to manage your weight through your food and physical activity choices. To make it easier to manage your weight, make long-term changes in your eating behavior and physical activity. Here are some tips to accomplish this:
Problems With Excessive Thinness (Underweight) Being too thin (underweight, often defined as having a BMI of less than 18.5) can occur with anorexia nervosa, with other eating disorders, or loss of appetite. Many chronic medical conditions, cancers, and infections can also result in weight loss to the point of being underweight. Being underweight is linked to menstrual irregularity (which can lead to infertility) and osteoporosis in women, and greater risk of early death in both women and men. Many people -- especially women -- are concerned about body weight, even when their weight is actually normal. Excessive concern about weight may cause or lead to unhealthy behaviors such as excessive exercise, self-induced vomiting, and the abuse of laxatives or other medications. These practices may only worsen the concern about weight. Unexplained weight loss is sometimes an early clue to a health problem. If you lose weight suddenly when you’re not attempting to reduce or you lose weight for unknown reasons, visit your doctor to determine if a medical condition is responsible for the weight loss. Reference: United States Department of Agriculture | |||
Thursday, March 23, 2006
WHAT IS AN ENERGY SYSTEM?
The body has three energy systems.
They are:
- The Phosphagen System - Provides short bursts of energy. Fatigues quickly, under 15 seconds, does not require oxygen, "anaerobic", or "without oxygen". Phosphocreatine converts to adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP) and is utilized for energy when required. Used for Power-based exercise.
- The Glycolytic System - Provides short to intermediate bursts of energy lasting up to three minutes. Uses glucose derived from the carbohydrates we eat to form glycogen. Glycogen is stored in the muscles and liver. It is converted to adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP) and utilized for energy when required. Does not require oxygen. By product is lactic acid which restricts conversion of glucose to ATP and prevents muscles from contracting. Used for power-endurance exercises.
- The Oxidative System - Provides long term energy for the body lasting up to three hours. This system uses oxygen, carbohydrates and fats as fuel. The rate of removal of lactic acid is faster than the rate of production which leads to longer exercise times. Used for distance exercises.
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
7 UNHEALTHY HABITS THAT PREVENT YOU FROM LOSING WEIGHT
| By Frances Largeman, R.D.
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Thursday, March 9, 2006
WANT A FASTER METABOLISM?
Want Faster Metabolism? Make More Muscle.
Our bodies store energy in two types of tissue: lean muscle and fat. Lean muscle is much more "active," burning calories at a significantly higher rate than fat does. According to studies by the American Council on Exercise, one pound of lean muscle can burn 35 to 50 calories a day, whereas a pound of fat burns only 2 to 3 calories a day!
Here's an example that illustrates the relationship between body composition and metabolism. Subject A is a woman who weighs 158 pounds and has a body fat level of 33%. Her resting metabolic rate (RMR) is 1571 calories daily. Subject B is a woman who also weighs 158 pounds, but has a body fat level of 48%. Her RMR is considerably lower, at 1252 calories daily. At the same weight, similar height and same age, these women have very different metabolic rates due to differences in body fat.
Clearly, the more lean muscle tissue you have, the more calories you burn.
This is where strength training (usually working with weights) can play a major role in weight loss and weight maintenance. Regular strength training increases lean muscle mass, which increases your body's overall, around-the-clock, at-rest calorie-burning capacity. A modest, 20-minute workout just 2 or 3 days a week is enough to make a difference in your metabolism.
www.timetogetfit.biz
Our bodies store energy in two types of tissue: lean muscle and fat. Lean muscle is much more "active," burning calories at a significantly higher rate than fat does. According to studies by the American Council on Exercise, one pound of lean muscle can burn 35 to 50 calories a day, whereas a pound of fat burns only 2 to 3 calories a day!
Here's an example that illustrates the relationship between body composition and metabolism. Subject A is a woman who weighs 158 pounds and has a body fat level of 33%. Her resting metabolic rate (RMR) is 1571 calories daily. Subject B is a woman who also weighs 158 pounds, but has a body fat level of 48%. Her RMR is considerably lower, at 1252 calories daily. At the same weight, similar height and same age, these women have very different metabolic rates due to differences in body fat.
Clearly, the more lean muscle tissue you have, the more calories you burn.
This is where strength training (usually working with weights) can play a major role in weight loss and weight maintenance. Regular strength training increases lean muscle mass, which increases your body's overall, around-the-clock, at-rest calorie-burning capacity. A modest, 20-minute workout just 2 or 3 days a week is enough to make a difference in your metabolism.
www.timetogetfit.biz
Monday, February 27, 2006
HELPFUL WEB SITES
American Dietetic Association
http://www.eatright.org
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http://www.eatright.org
The Web site of the American Dietetic Association offers information on healthy eating, health tips, articles on specific health conditions and fact sheets on different aspects of nutrition.
The Nutrition Society
http://www.nutsoc.org.uk
The aim of the Nutrition Society is to advance the scientific study of nutrition and its application to health maintenance.
http://www.nutsoc.org.uk
The aim of the Nutrition Society is to advance the scientific study of nutrition and its application to health maintenance.
Nutrition and Health Websites from the US Government
http://www.nutrition.gov
This Web site provides access to articles from professional journals; information on nutrition, health and weight loss and links to other sites focusing on diet and nutrition.
http://www.nutrition.gov
This Web site provides access to articles from professional journals; information on nutrition, health and weight loss and links to other sites focusing on diet and nutrition.
These links are provided as a convenience to the viewer.
MAKE A NEW CHANGE EVERY WEEK
Instead of a quick and temporary fix, you should try to aim for a permanent solution. This lifestyle approach emphasizes gradual and sustainable changes in eating, exercise and thinking. No-one can change everything overnight. Try to make one new change every week, and one that you can live with!
For instance, if you do not eat fruit often during the day, start by adding one piece of fruit every day. Try adding a banana with your breakfast cereal or bring an apple to work.
Other examples of small changes that might suit you:
 | no butter on sandwiches |
| take low-fat snacks to work |
| stick to a shopping list |
| walk around office instead of sending emails |
| walk in the park at lunch-time |
Concentrate on a few hours of your day first. If you find the last two hours of the day are when you eat the most, decide on small changes that you can make during this time.
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Monday, February 13, 2006
FITNESS FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW
Fitness Fact 1. Studies have suggested that walking at a brisk pace for three or more hours a week can reduce your risk for coronary heart disease by 65 percent.
Fitness Fact 2. About 25 percent of American adults — and an even greater percentage of women — are sedentary. After age 44, upwards of 30 percent of women are sedentary, and by age 65, the proportion increases to almost 35 percent. By the time they reach age 75, about 50 percent of all women are sedentary.
Fitness Fact 3. Only about 22 percent of American adults engage in regular, sustained physical activity for at least 30 minutes five times a week, and only 15 percent exercise both regularly and vigorously.
Fitness Fact 4. No matter how poor your current level of fitness, you can start an exercise routine and become fitter and healthier. Even 90-year-old women who use walkers have been shown in studies to benefit from light weight training.
Fitness Fact 5. Simply adding movement into your daily routine can increase your level of fitness. For example, if you park in the last row of the parking lot and walk briskly five minutes each way between your office and your car, walk up and down the stairs at your office during your 10-minute afternoon coffee break, and walk the dog for 10 minutes when you get home, you've racked up 30 minutes of exercise for the day.
Fitness Fact 6. Women with heart disease or arthritis actually experience improved daily function from involvement in various modes of physical activity.
Fitness Fact 7. Fitness consists of four components: your body's ability to use oxygen as a source of energy, which translates into cardiovascular fitness; muscular strength and endurance; flexibility; and body composition.
Fitness Fact 8. To address all the components of fitness, an exercise program needs to include aerobic exercise, which is continuous repetitive movement of large muscle groups that raises your heart rate; weight lifting or strength training; and flexibility exercises or stretching.
Fitness Fact 9. Walking at a brisk pace (a 15-minute mile or 4 mph) burns almost as many calories as jogging for the same distance. The benefit of jogging is that it takes less time to cover the same distance and it benefits the bones; however, it may be too strenuous for some.
Fitness Fact 10. It takes about 12 weeks after starting an exercise program to see measurable changes in your body. However, before 12 weeks, you will notice an increase in your strength and endurance.
Copyright 2003 National Women's Health Resource Center, Inc.
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Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Set Realistic Goals & Stay Motivated
| Do you set regular fitness goals for yourself? If so, you're not alone. Goals help you stick to a new exercise regimen or stay motivated and challenged by an existing program. But how realistic are your goals? Goal setting must be pragmatic to be effective. Impractical or unrealistic goals can hinder your good intentions to get in shape. Consider these important steps for establishing successful exercise objectives: Be Realistic. Fitness advertising often promotes unrealistic expectations about what you can achieve with exercise. Losing weight is a goal shared by many, but safe and effective fat loss takes time and commitment. When it comes to trimming down, don't expect an immediate pay-off. Set short-term goals that highlight achievements other than pounds lost. Focus on the Short-Term. Long-term goals are important but a successful exercise program relies on short-term goals based on tangible results - outcomes you can appreciate right away. Think about improving number of repetitions, amount of weight lifted, running distance or time on the stationary bike. Remember that a successful exercise program calls for continuous goal setting. Map out what you want to accomplish during tomorrow's workout or over the next two weeks. Even the smallest goal is useful. For some, the act of showing up at the gym is a goal in itself. Write It Down. Some people find it reassuring and inspiring to record their fitness goals. Use an exercise logbook or journal to write down your objectives. Or, sign a "workout contract" outlining your goals with a personal trainer or exercise buddy. Constantly Renew Your Goals. Establishing regular exercise objectives is crucial for avoiding a workout plateau and ensuring long-term success. Remember, keep your expectations realistic. Make Healthy Living An Objective. Your motivation to keep exercising and experimenting with new activities will be stronger if exercise is just one aspect of your healthy lifestyle. Setting manageable goals for nutritious eating and active living can also help you achieve your fitness goals. Need recipes? Go to www.timetogetfitrecipes.blogspot.com |
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