FITNESS TIPS for the New Year
Instead of making a new year resolutio, set an intention. Create a mental picture of what you want. It might not happen overnight or even this year but it will happen if you set your mind to it.
* Walking with weights is not recommended as it alters your normal gait and weight distribution. This could lead to injury. Carrying weights burns only about 12 more calories in an hour and it won’t help you lose more weight any faster. Weight training is great exercise but not while walking.
* As we age our metabolism slows down and the body uses less calories to keep itself running. However, the real key is that we burn fewer calories simply because we tend to become less active. Despite years of sedentary lifestyles, it is still possible to become physically fit. Physical activity and exercise are with a doubt the best ways to counter the metabolism slow down so it’s never too late to start exercising.
* Butter, margarine, and “light” olive oil are all virtually 100% fat.
* 8 ounces of potato chips equals an 8 ounce baked potato with 12-20 pats of butter on it.
* One packet of ranch dressing on a McDonald’s chef salad has 26 grams of fat and 500 calories—more fat than a Big Mac.
* Because frozen and canned vegetables are processed immediately after harvesting, they preserve vitamin and nutrient concentrations as high or higher than fresh vegetables.
* Red meat doesn't’t always have more fat than chicken. 3.5 ounces of roasted eye of round has only 4% fat compared to skinless roasted chicken thighs which have 10.9% fat. Another good option? Roasted chicken breasts with only 3.7% fat.
* Despite the obsession with low fat, low carb, low sugar products, a calorie, is a calorie, is a calorie. Too many calories from ANY source will make you gain weight. Weight gain occurs when you consume more calories than you burn off—regardless of where they come from. Choose foods high in nutrition and a moderate exercise regime.
* Weight training should be done in a slow, controlled manner. Lift only the amount of weight you can manage while maintaining proper form but so that the last couple of repetitions are difficult. While men often develop bulky muscles, women usually won’t, even if they lift heavy amounts of weight. So don’t be afraid to lift too much weight as long as it does not compromise your form. Never use momentum to move the weight. Swinging, rocking, or jerking type movements should be avoided. Breathe naturally, exhaling as you lift the weight; inhaling as you lower the weight. Never hold your breath while weight training. When the last couple of reps become easy, increase the amount of weight you are lifting or the amount of reps depending on what your individual goal is. Always take the time to stretch after your workout. Never bounce or pulse while stretching. Hold only to the point of gentle tension not pain.
* Muscle soreness is common in active people especially those new to exercise or for those who change their routine or increase intensity. At times you may experience muscle soreness during and immediately after exercise that usually lasts for a few hours and is caused by a build up of lactid acid. This type of pain is usually mild and aggravated slightly by active movements. Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) usually occurs a day or two after your workout. DOMS is a little more painful causing muscle stiffness, reduced flexibility and soreness to the touch. As you train, you develop a tolerance against the soreness so don’t wait until the pain goes away to begin working out again or you’ll never build up a tolerance. Just work out a little easier until your body adapts to the new workload. Any pain that you are uncomfortable with or is accompanied with swelling, bleeding, bruising or anything that looks suspicious, stop exercising and consult your physician.
Foods to Calm You Down Fast
Holiday bills arriving in heaps? Lurking taxes turning up the tension? No Valentine in sight? Regardless of the cause, there's an almost Alice in Wonderland counter-intuitiveness to the goodies we turn to for comfort. Instead of soothing our frayed nerves, many of them ultimately make us feel worse. Take the classic-curling up with a pint of ice cream. It's a total backfire. Why? Sweets are insidious: After the initial rush, the body's insulin response kicks in, causing a sudden blood sugar drop that triggers the release of stress hormones. Soon you're feeling more jangled than you were before you inhaled that whole container of Chunky Monkey. And alcohol, of course, is a wolfish stimulant in calm sheep's clothing. But true comfort foods do exist.
1. Berries, any berries- Eat them one by one instead of M&Ms when the pressure's on. For those tough times when tension tightens your jaw, try rolling a frozen berry around in your mouth. And then another, and another. Since the carbs in berries turn to sugar very slowly, you won't have a blood sugar crash. The bonus: They're a good source of vitamin C, which helps fight a jump in the stress hormone cortisol
.2. Guacamole-
If you're craving something creamy, look no further. Avocados are loaded with B vitamins, which stress quickly depletes and which your body needs to maintain nerves and brain cells. Plus their creaminess comes from healthy fat. Scoop up the stuff with whole-grain baked chips-crunching keeps you from gritting your teeth.
3. Mixed nuts-
Just an ounce will help replace those stress-depleted Bs (walnuts), give you a whopping amount of zinc (Brazil nuts)-it's also drained by high anxiety-and boost your E (almonds), which helps fight cellular damage linked to chronic stress. Buy nuts in the shell and think of it as multi-tasking: With every squeeze of the nutcracker, you're releasing a little bit of tension.
4. Oranges-
People who take a 1,000 mg of C before giving a speech have lower levels of cortisol and lower blood pressure than those who don't. So lean back, take a deep breath, and concentrate on peeling a large orange. The 5-minute mindfulness break will ease your mind and you'll get a bunch of C as well.
5. Asparagus-
Each tender stalk is a source of folic acid, a natural mood-lightener. Dip the spears in fat-free yogurt or sour cream for a hit of calcium with each bite.
6. Chai tea-
A warm drink is a super soother, and curling up with a cup of aromatic decaf chai tea (Tazo makes ready-to-brew bags) can make the whole evil day go away.
7. Dark chocolate-
Okay, there's nothing in it that relieves stress, but when only chocolate will do, reach for the dark, sultry kind that's at least 70% cocoa. You figure if the antioxidant flavonoids in it are potent enough to fight cancer and heart disease, they've got to be able to temper tension's effects.
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2009 LIVESTRONG Challenge: Save The Date
The LIVESTRONG Challenge is the Lance Armstrong Foundation's (LAF) signature fundraising event. This annual series of cycling and running/walking events takes place in cities across the country, enabling people across the globe to support the LAF's mission to inspire and empower people affected by cancer. In 2009 the LIVESTRONG Challenge will take place in Seattle, WA (June 14); San Jose, CA (July 12); Philadelphia, PA (Aug 23); and Austin, TX (Oct 23 - 25). In 2008, The LIVESTRONG Challenge has raised more than $9.2 million dollars, and since inception in 1997, $51 million has been raised for the LAF. 2009 registration will begin December 1, 2008 at www.livestrongchallenge.org.
