Exercise Craze

2016-05-26T12:13:00.001-07:00

Here are some NEW Exercise Crazes from Shape Magazine! Have you tried any of these? What do you think? Please share your experiences!

A new style of barre is amping up the traditional ballet-inspired workout by adding a major cardio component. In these barre-cardio fusion classes, you’ll sculpt lean muscle, slim down, and get your heart pumping by moving through high-intensity moves followed by brief moments of active recovery. They’re certainly not your old-fashioned ballet class anymore: As instructor Bergen Wheeler of the new Core Fusion Extremes class says, “You’ll experience a fast-paced, full-body workout designed around simple and functional movements, and take your fitness to a level you never thought possible.”

Shape Magazine

The rowing craze is quickly catching on around the nation, with some even calling it the "new spinning." And while the rower may not replace your indoor bike completely, there’s good reason people are starting to gravitate toward this full-body workout that hits about 85 percent of your muscles when done correctly. “Rowing is high intensity yet low impact, so it’s safe and smart for your body,” says Helaine Knapp, founder and CEO of New York City’s Citysrow, where intervals on an WaterRower are broken up with strength exercises on a mat. “Plus, anyone can do it—people are surprised at how quickly they get in the groove in their first class.”

Shape Magazine

This futuristic-looking tool seems like something from outer space and, fittingly, promises to deliver an out-of-this-world workout. Using vibration training, the Bodyblade targets specific muscle groups by varying the positions of the body or direction of the flexing blade. The blade rapidly changes directions at a rhythm of 4.5 cycles per second, which means your body has to move 270 times per minute to resist the forces of it moving back and forth. According to the website, it promises to deliver benefits such as enhanced coordination, flexibility, posture, efficiency of muscle function, and muscle definition.

Shape Magazine

2016-05-21T09:54:00.001-07:00

I must admit the last couple of days have been a blur....eating, drinking. Eating. Drinking. Yes a calorie nightmare! Definitely too scarey to share...plus I can't remember what I ate now! Today will be a better (not perfect) day!

I actually got up and went to left weights will my trainer this morning. Yes, last night included drinks so I'm feeling a bit "tired" but I made it! Worked off about 400 calories too!

Weight lifting is important for women to do! And especially for women that are post menopausal due to bone loss in the absence of estrogen! So lift weights! And lift a lot of weight! You won't build huge muscles but you will tone and HOPEFULLY build some.

Eating log so far today
Breakfast: 1 cup of pine apple: 82 calories
2 slices Ezekiel Bread: 160 calories
2/3 oz creme cheese: 47 calories
Total=289

Lunch: 2 shrimp tacos with soft tortilla (I'm completely guessing the calorie content for this item since I picked them up at a local restaurant after my work out. I'm assigning 200 calories each)
400 calories
chips and salsa: (even more of a guess!) 200 calories ??
Total= 600 YIKES!! No telling how many carbs but...it's Saturday!

Dinner is ALWAYS my down fall! UGH! All I can say is I'll keep trying! Journaling is a great way to fine tune and pin point where you can make changes and improvements!

2016-05-19T07:34:00.003-07:00

Thursday, May 19

Well, today is another day! I slept like a log so that's great! However, I'm moving slower than yesterday and I'm not exactly sure why. Caffeine please!

I think I failed to mention I'm a indoor cycle instructor and I "spin" twice a week. Tonight I have my class so I'm not really going to push any exercise this morning. Although a quick little walk/run wouldn't do me any harm! Who knows, perhaps I'lll give it a go before I leave for work...??

So, breakfast. Wasn't bad. I again had a 2 egg omelet with onions and a little cheese. 1 slice of Ezekiel whole wheat bread with low fat cream cheese. I usually use My Fitness Pal to log my food and it states (proudly) that I had 375 total calories.

Okay. Do we BELIEVE My Fitness Pal? Or do we BELIEVE the calorie and nutritional information on packaging? That's a BIG question in my mind. Let's compare...

The egg carton states each egg contains 70 calories. I had 2 so that's 140 calories. (YES I'm a wiz at math!) I had 1 piece of cheese on/in my eggs. The Cracker Barrel Sharp White Cheddar package states 4 slices are 140 calories. (To be HONEST I ate another slice while cooking) so let's say that's 70 calories. I also had onions in my omelet but really I soooo few they really can't be over 5 calories!?

Let's math is up 140 +70+ 5= 215 according to the PACKAGING. The Ezekiel Bread states 1 slice is 80 calories. Neufchatel cream cheese 2 Tbsp is 70 calories but I don't THINK I had 2 Tbsps.... I'm GUESSING I had half that so I'm going to say, 35 calories

Math please.... 80 + 35= 115 Total breakfast (I might add I gave a more accurate listing of what I actually ate with the individual package listing because I didn't list the extra piece of cheese on My Fitness Pal!) is drum rollllllll

215 +115 = 330 calories for the packaging total!

Let's look at both. My Fitness Pal states 375 total breakfast calories and the packaging states 330 so that's a difference of 45 calories. So let's go back to my original question...WHO or WHICH do we believe? 45 calories over 3 meals is 135 per day. Does that REALLY make a difference in a day? But in a week that's 405 calorie difference. Does that make a difference? I don't know??

I think the answer to that is you do that best you can. You DO try and measure and log your food until you're VERY comfortable being able to "guessestimate" portion size and hence calories consumed. And you give yourself a bit of break now and then because we're not perfect! We never will be...even when we (and by we I mean me.) do lose those 8 pounds I'm TRYING to lose!

2016-05-18T08:16:00.001-07:00

Okay...Yes, it's been a while...more than a while! But, I'm needing your help because I'm now 53 and my "normal" routine isn't cutting it! I invite dietitians to evaluate my eating. (Which I will credit and post.) I invite fitness folks to evaluate my exercise amounts and choices. (Again, I will credit and post.)

I've recently upped my exercise and have looked more closely at my food choices so hopefully that will help! But there's nothing better than "support" so please join me in my new "focused" efforts at losing 8 pounds...and keeping it off!

So you may say, 8 pounds, get over yourself! And you're right if you're the one needing and wanting to lose 15, 25, 50, 75... you get my point. BUT, what you may not understand at first glance, is that we may have a LOT in common! So, let's work together and see what we can come up with as a group.

It's currently Wednesday, May 18, 2016 11:09 a.m. EST. (Remember, I've just started today so I'm doing better than perhaps I normally would.)
Breakfast: 2 egg omelet with onions and less than 1/4 cup of cheese.
Workout: 25 minutes interval running/walking on treadmill. Interval difficult running (for me and my not so great knees) at 6.2 for 1 minute with 1 minute walking at 3.9.

Let me know your thoughts and Let's do this thang!!

Food Log continued 4:56 EST
Lunch: Tuna salad (5 oz can) with onions made with Light Mayo (I didn't measure the mayo but it wasn't overly "wet" so I think I it wasn't to bad...?)
2/3 large apple.

Snacks: (here is where is all goes south!) 2 pieces of Godiva Chocolates
7 oz of edamame (8 ounces equal 140 calories according to "My Fitness Pal" as well as 8 grams of fat, 15 carbs, 4 grams fiber1.6 grams sugar and 17 grams of protein.
Pistachios: 1/2 cup (Again my handy dandy "My Fitness Pal" app says, 170 calories, 14 grams fat, 6 grams protein and 8 grams of carbs.

Next up dinner!
Dinner wasn't too bad actually (I'm posting this the morning after!) Nice salad with protein (chicken) from Chop'd. It consisted of romaine lettuce, grilled chicken, low-glycemic veggies like celery, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Decent salad dressing... I actually mixed a higher calorie content dressing with a very low as to have the flavor without so many calories, Casaer with something very low that I can't remember. Now the BAD part....they have the BEST salted caramels in the world...So YES I confess I had ONE! Just one! But as you see from earlier in the day, I've had more than enough sugar/candy/empty calories! UGH!

BETTER tomorrow? Although, I really don't think I was TOO bad today? Your thoughts?

2015-01-31T09:28:00.003-08:00

I'm BACK! What better day to start the rest of my HEALTHY life! I need to get back on track with my eating, my drinking and my latest EXERCISE CRAZE! Still loving indoor cycling and my weight work outs! Perhaps I need a goal...not only weight wise but also exercise wise...perhaps a race?! 8K? Hmmm, I'll have to give this some thought and I'll let you know!

But, for now, I'm BACK and ready to EXERCISE!

2012-10-21T13:01:00.003-07:00

My latest 60 minute indoor cycle play list:

Had Me @ Hello Olivia Holt *Warm up
Good Time Owl City *Still warming up
It's Time Imagine Dragons *Picking it up
She Wolf (Falling to Pieces) David Guetta *Preparing/starting climb
Between the Raindrops Lifehouse *Building/Climb/Break
50 Ways to Say Goodbye Train *Sprint
I Cry Flo Rida *Beginning next drive
Marry You Bruno Mars *Building/Building speed
Little Talks Of Monsters and Men *Recover/Start climb
Tornado Little Big Town *Endurance/Drive to top
Try Pink *End of drive/Break
Catch My Breathe Kelly Clarkson *Final working song
Club Can't Handle Me Flo Rida *Move toward home
Home Philip Phillips *Take it home/Cool down
Merry Go"Round Kacey Musgrove *Cool down
Bright Side of the Road Van Morrison *Cool down/packing up

Motivational catch phases: Warming up; shaking off the day; Focus!; Prepare for the climb; push it to the top; this is why you came; give me your best, your very best; Let's take it home.

***please share your play lists and motivational words!******

Pink Slime, Ammonium Hydroxide Fast Food Ground Beef Additive, Dropped By McDonald's Et Al.

2012-01-28T19:09:00.000-08:00

First Posted: 01/27/2012 4:38 pm Updated: 01/27/2012 5:52 pm

Video , Fast Food Ground Beef , Fast Food Industry , Pink Slime , Pink Slime Banned ,Pink Slime Fast Food , Pink Slime Ground Beef , Pink Slime Mcdonalds , Food News

McDonald's said this week that it was no longer using the controversial ground beef additive known as "pink slime" in its hamburger recipe. Taco Bell and Burger King have also reportedly repudiatedthe "slime," which consists of spare beef trimmings that have been treated with ammonium hydroxide to make them safe and at least semi-palatable.

The move came after "Food Revolution" and "Naked Chef" star Jamie Oliver made public calls for chains to abandon the "slime," which has been manufactured by Beef Products Inc since 2001. Some are pointing to his advocacy as a central factor behind McDonald's decision.

Even if Oliver was the most prominent critic of "pink slime," though, he wasn't alone. The New York Times raised serious doubts about "pink slime" in a 2009 investigation of the product. It was also criticized in the 2010 documentary "Food Inc."

Part of the criticism stems from a general sense of disgust. People don't like hearing that they're eating spare trimmings of beef from strange parts of a cow. Nor, for that matter, do people like to hear that they're eating ammonia.

The USDA, for its part, approved of the ammoniated beef trimmings. In 2007, when it mandated increased testing for most ground beef, it specifically exempted "pink slime," even though the ammoniated beef comes from the parts of the cow most likely to harbor pathogens. The USDA argued that the beef's ammonia treatment would kill any bacteria lingering in the beef.

And there's some evidence that the USDA wasn't wrong to call "pink slime" safe. Indeed, a Jan. 9 editorial in Food Safety News argued that the public backlash against pink slime had more to do with fear-mongering on the part of figures like Oliver than with any rational assessment of the product itself.

That said, the Times found evidence that linked Beef Products' ammoniated beef to dozens of cases of salmonella and E. coli, so there's at least a fighting chance that it's less safe than conventional beef. Moreover, using "pink slime" only cuts the price of ground beef by about three cents a pound. Aren't you willing to pay less than a penny more for your quarter-pounder to avoid gambling with your health?

2011-08-06T07:23:00.000-07:00

5 Must-Try Summer Fitness Crazes

by Elle, on Wed Jun 29, 2011 11:00am PDT

Holistic Fitness

Beach season has arrived—and with it comes the fresh yearning to tone areas that were, until recently, comfortably covered. While terms like “fat blasting” and “calorie counting” used to typify an industry starving forfast results, experts say a holistic view of fitness is gaining ground and that many clients want a serving of inspiration alongside their cardio. “Everyone continues to get busier and busier, and our minds and bodies need to unload and decompress,” says Lashaun Dale, creative manager of group fitness at Equinox. “Workouts that combine movement with meditation are growing.”

Another trend: becoming a connoisseur of a handful of methods carefully chosen to target your goals. A new Manhattan-based site, FITiST, even offers a solution for the inconvenience of having to buy and maintain multiple memberships by selling a collection of classes that vary from cycling to yoga to boxing and are geared toward a specific end result, like “slim,” “body and soul,” or “bride.”

Looking to change things up and tango with an exciting new method (or two, or three)? These standout concepts are currently leading the zeitgeist of what it means to be fit.

1. CAPONYASA 360
A fusion of two of the fitness industry’s most popular international trends of the moment, Caponyasa combines the full body breathing principles of traditional Indian vinyasa yoga with the fierce cardio pacing of the Brazilian martial-arts form capoeira. The name takes its cue from the class’s basic vinyasa form, which often requires 360-degree movement. Moves designed by founder Carlos Rodriguez engage the core and open the hips with wide squat stances and lunges that combine a tempo of inhales and exhales with elements of modern dance and combat technique. While the workout doesn’t claim to teach self-defense, it’s inevitable that the Bruce Lee–like strikes and flexes will do more than just condition your mind and body; they’ll encourage confidence in your personal strength, too.

Workout focus: Core-induced motion and strengthening work target the abs and love handles, while squats home in on the butt and thighs. Sustained cardio keeps the heart rate high. Unique quality: “The mental benefit is simple, as there is basically no time to think. For at least an hour, you are out of your mind and just moving to the beat of your heart and breath,” says Rodriguez. Commitment: Rodriguez suggests adding the 60-minute class as a burst of mind-clearing cardio conditioning two to three times a week. Equipment: None. Availability: Classes are offered at Equinox gyms nationwide and Pure Yoga in New York

2. WILLPOWER & GRACE
A leading expert in barefoot training, Reiki follower Stacey Lei Krauss combines a high-energy cardiovascular workout with soulful mind-body practice. “I created the program in NYC, where the 9:30 ladies had one hour to get it all done—look better in their skinny jeans, move with efficiency, and feel more inspired and alive,” says Lei Krauss. After warming up barefoot, about 20 minutes of flexibility and strength movement is followed by a half hour of intense sweat-inducing cardio work. Repetition is integral, with 98 percent of the class containing the same choreography week after week; this is intended to make the movements part of your reflexive motor pattern, increasing your agility in everyday life.

Workout focus: In addition to full-body cardio health, the barefoot method strengthens your feet for a stronger and more stable stance. It also retrains your lower-body kinetic chain to progressively correct imbalances in your ankles, knees, and hips. Unique quality: “I teach my instructors to create a unique willpower experience that positively influences people for hours and days after class. Willpower is your ability to make change, beginning with your power of thought. Grace is elegance of movement; it’s how we land on our feet,” says Lei. Commitment: At the beginning, doing the workout two to three times a week for two months is the prescription. “You want the sequence to settle into your body so that you’re always ending up sore after class,” says Lei. After that, once to twice a week as part of a balanced workout routine is suggested. Equipment: Just bare feet. Availability: Classes are available at 24-Hour Fitness, Equinox, The Sports Club/LA, select YMCAs, and private studios across the country

3. GRACE SOMATOMORPHIC TECHNIQUE (GST)
When’s the last time you hit the gym to work out your fascia? The Saran Wrap–esque connective tissue that holds together the body’s muscles, nerve endings, and blood vessels, fascia is responsible for creating the size and shape of the body. Founder Anna Rahe began to work with the still-under-the-radar tissue after years of dance left her in pain and in desperate search for a therapeutic fitness option. By harnessing the power of force through movement and spring equipment, she found that the fascia could be targeted and reshaped into alignment that is not only more attractive but rehabilitative, too. “People notice an immediate improvement tochronic aches and pains,” says Rahe. Unlike traditional fitness that dictates weekly upkeep in order to maintain toning results, Rahe claims that dramatic aesthetic changes like muscle definition and tone that come as a result of GST method are permanent, since the supporting structure of the body has changed.

Workout focus: Reshaping and realigning the body by manipulating the fascia, its complex connective tissue system. Unique quality: “Our proprietary technique eliminates excess ‘energy’ congestion inside muscle tissue that is responsible for thickness, bulk, and under- or overdeveloped muscle tissue related to cellulite,” says Rahe. Commitment: Rahe says regular class attendance three to four times a week should be supplemented with a more intensive private session once a month and a GST Bodywork class every six weeks. Equipment: Choose from two methods: an apparatus-free movement class or one that uses various types of equipment to exert the mechanical forces of spring, traction, and friction. Availability: Currently, there is one studio location in Hollywood, though GST DVDs and home equipment will be available for purchase by the end of summer

4. THE BAR METHOD
The firmly toned yet effortlessly elegant bodies of ballerinas have long been the envy of many, and this ballet bar–based method aims to increase flexibility, elongate your figure, and firm up muscles without adding bulk. Founder Burr Leonard created the regimen after teaching the similar-in-concept dance workout by Lotte Berk, but student complaints of knee, back, and shoulder discomfort—all common obstacles faced by dancers—inspired Leonard to collaborate with physical therapist Rick Stebbins to design a ballet-inspired workout that would be safe for joints and other injury-prone areas. At the core of the strength training is isometrics, which is the practice of toning muscles by holding a static position.

Workout focus: The sculpted arms, flat abs, lifted seat, and svelte yet firm thighs of the classic dancer’s body. Unique quality: “One of the less talked-about highlights of the Bar Method is its focus on teaching good posture and better muscle control. These skills contribute greatly to the distinctive beauty and grace in the bodies it produces,” says Leonard. Commitment: Leonard suggests sessions three to five times a week for transformative results yet notes that most students of the method tend to work out at least four times a week. Equipment: Light two- to three-pound weights, a stretching strap, and a portable ballet bar (which you can substitute with a sturdy chair). Availability: There are currently 39 studio locations across North America with 20 more scheduled to open this year. Seven workout DVDs are also available for at-home us

5. METAMORPHOSIS BY TRACY ANDERSON
A-list gal pals like Gwyneth Paltrow have extolled the body-morphing virtues of Anderson’s method, helping to make her Hollywood’s trainer du jour. (Her latest celebrity client is Venus spokeswoman Jennifer Lopez, whose sculpted legs came courtesy of Anderson’s technique.) The petite blond claims that—like her signature method—her new DVD workout program, Metamorphosis, “fights genetics” by engaging rarely worked small muscle groups to redefine and change the shape of the body. The 90-day plan includes dance-based cardio with an upbeat soundtrack. “I’m very musically motivated,” says Anderson, who posts her own mix-of-the-moment on her homepage. “If you need that extra push to work-out, a great playlist can get you through it.”

Workout focus: Choose from four series that are choreographed based on where your body stores fat: omnicentric (all over), hipcentric (hips and thighs), abcentric (stomach and waist), and glutecentric (butt and cellulite). Unique quality: “Unlike running, cycling, or the elliptical, which work the same muscles over and over again, my exercises empower and strengthen the smaller supporting muscles in your body to give you a long, lean appearance,” says Anderson. Commitment: If you truly want to transform your body, Anderson recommends doing the DVD workouts six days a week at an hour each day, for the full 90-day period. There’s also a recommended nutritional component to follow, with menus for the entire three-month period that suggest lean choices like turkey kale soup and grilled salmon. Equipment: A yoga mat and weights that are no more than three pounds each. Availability: DVDs are available for purchase on Anderson’s website. Studios are open in New York and Los Angeles for live instructor-led training, as well as in the Hamptons during the summer season. Private trainers are also available in London.

2011-07-11T11:50:00.001-07:00

ACSM Issues New Guidelines on Quantity and Quality of Exercise

(6/28/2011)

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) has just released new recommendations on the quantity and quality of exercise for adults, definitively answering the age-old question of how much exercise is actually enough.

The position stand, titled "Quantity and Quality of Exercise for Developing and Maintaining Cardiorespiratory, Musculoskeletal, and Neuromotor Fitness in Apparently Healthy Adults: Guidance for Prescribing Exercise," reflects current scientific evidence on physical activity and includes recommendations on aerobic exercise, strength training and flexibility. Consistent with the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, ACSM’s overall recommendation is for most adults to engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week.

“The scientific evidence we reviewed is indisputable,” said Carol Ewing Garber, Ph.D., FAHA, FACSM, chair of the writing committee. “When it comes to exercise, the benefits far outweigh the risks. A program of regular exercise – beyond activities of daily living – is essential for most adults.”

The basic recommendations – categorized by cardiorespiratory exercise, resistance exercise, flexibility exercise and neuromotor exercise – are as follows:

Cardiorespiratory Exercise

* Adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week.
* Exercise recommendations can be met through 30-60 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise (five days per week) or 20-60 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise (three days per week).
* One continuous session and multiple shorter sessions (of at least 10 minutes) are both acceptable to accumulate desired amount of daily exercise.
* Gradual progression of exercise time, frequency and intensity is recommended for best adherence and least injury risk.
* People unable to meet these minimums can still benefit from some activity.

Resistance Exercise

* Adults should train each major muscle group two or three days each week using a variety of exercises and equipment.
* Very light or light intensity is best for older persons or previously sedentary adults starting exercise.
* Two to four sets of each exercise will help adults improve strength and power.
* For each exercise, 8-12 repetitions improve strength and power, 10-15 repetitions improve strength in middle-age and older persons starting exercise, and 15-20 repetitions improve muscular endurance.
* Adults should wait at least 48 hours between resistance training sessions.

Flexibility Exercise

* Adults should do flexibility exercises at least two or three days each week to improve range of motion.
* Each stretch should be held for 10-30 seconds to the point of tightness or slight discomfort.
* Repeat each stretch two to four times, accumulating 60 seconds per stretch.
* Static, dynamic, ballistic and PNF stretches are all effective.
* Flexibility exercise is most effective when the muscle is warm. Try light aerobic activity or a hot bath to warm the muscles before stretching.

Neuromotor Exercise

* Neuromotor exercise (sometimes called “functional fitness training”) is recommended for two or three days per week.
* Exercises should involve motor skills (balance, agility, coordination and gait), proprioceptive exercise training and multifaceted activities (tai ji and yoga) to improve physical function and prevent falls in older adults.
* 20-30 minutes per day is appropriate for neuromotor exercise.

In addition to outlining basic recommendations and their scientific reasoning, the position stand also clarifies these new points:

* Pedometers, step-counting devices used to measure physical activity, are not an accurate measure of exercise quality and should not be used as the sole measure of physical activity.
* Though exercise protects against heart disease, it is still possible for active adults to develop heart problems. All adults must be able to recognize the warning signs of heart disease, and all health care providers should ask patients about these symptoms.
* Sedentary behavior – sitting for long periods of time – is distinct from physical activity and has been shown to be a health risk in itself. Meeting the guidelines for physical activity does not make up for a sedentary lifestyle.

“It is no longer enough to consider whether an individual engages in adequate amounts of weekly exercise,” said Garber, who is an associate professor of movement sciences at the Teachers College of Columbia University. “We also need to determine how much time a person spends in sedentary pursuits, like watching television or working on a computer. Health-and-fitness professionals must be concerned with these activities as well.”

The position stand’s purpose is to offer health-and-fitness professionals scientific, evidence-based recommendations that help them customize exercise prescriptions for healthy adults. The position stand is published in the July 2011 issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise®, the official journal of ACSM. To access this position stand, visit http://www.acsm-msse.org/.

###

The American College of Sports Medicine is the largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world. More than 40,000 international, national and regional members and certified professionals are dedicated to advancing and integrating scientific research to provide educational and practical applications of exercise science and sports medicine.

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise is the official journal of the American College of Sports Medicine and is available from Lippincott Williams & Wilkins at 1-800-638-6423. To speak with a leading sports medicine expert on the topic, contact the department of communications and public information at 317-637-9200, ext. 133 or 127. Visit ACSM online at http://www.acsm.org.

How Health Care Costs Lower With Healthy Diet & Exercise

2011-06-30T05:53:00.000-07:00

Overview

With proper diet and regular exercise you can reduce the costs of health insurance premiums, the amount you spend on medicines and the number of co-pays for doctor visits. Doctors regularly prescribe specific exercise and diet regimens to combat diseases and conditions such as osteoporosis, high cholesterol and blood pressure, diabetes and stroke. You can work with your physician or a dietitian to find ways to lower your out-of-pocket medical costs and improve your long-term health.

Considerations

Health care costs include insurance premiums paid by individuals and employers, payments for medicines and co-pays for physician and hospital visits, including checkups, tests, surgeries and other treatments. Fewer insurance claims may lower your premiums. Fewer bouts of cold and flu, better blood cholesterol levels and lower blood pressure require you to buy less medicine. Less long-term abuse of your body, such as eating a diet high in saturated fat and cholesterol and living a sedentary lifestyle, will result in fewer medical treatments and expenses.

Diet

A poor diet and lack of exercise can lead to metabolic syndrome, which is a combination of high blood pressure, blood fats and blood sugar. Approximately half of adults age 40 to 60 have metabolic syndrome, according to the website of the UCLA Health System. It leads to coronary heart disease and stroke, cancer and type 2 diabetes. You'll have higher out-of-pocket costs to treat these conditions, your health insurance premiums may rise if you get diabetes, and you may have to pay for a portion of surgeries, such as a coronary artery bypass.

Reducing your risk for disease by adding certain foods to your diet and eliminating excess saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium can reduce your need for doctor visits and medicines. Eating more dietary fiber and less cholesterol can reduce the risk for heart disease and stroke. Dietary fiber may also combat the onset of cancer. Adding more calcium to your diet can improve bone density and reduce the effects of osteoporosis. Eating fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as tuna and salmon, can improve cholesterol numbers. You can reduce hypertension by decreasing sodium in your diet. Adding iron-rich foods, such as black beans, spinach or red meat, decreases your risk of anemia.

Exercise

Exercise helps prevent and treat a number of health problems. For example, performing weight-bearing exercise improves bone density and reduces your risk for fractures. Regular aerobic exercise can increase your "good" cholesterol numbers, helping you reduce your risk for heart disease and decrease your need to purchase medicines like statins.

American workers miss more than 100 million workdays each year because of lower back pain, according to the Wellness Council of America. Lower back pain often results from excess weight and the stress it places on the spine and back muscles. Exercising can decrease your weight and strengthen your lower back muscles and abdominal muscles, which help stabilize your back.

Treatments for osteoporosis, high cholesterol and lower back pain increase your health care costs if you must pay some or all of the costs of doctor visits and medicines.

Diabetes Prevention

More than half of the diabetes cases caused by obesity are preventable with proper nutrition, according to Dr. David Heber, professor of medicine and director of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition. Just a 5 percent reduction in your weight can help you reduce your risk for diabetes, the treatment of which requires you to spend money on on insulin, testing equipment and doctor visits.

Wellness Programs

Many companies provide employee wellness programs to help workers stay healthy and decrease health care costs. This results in lower insurance premiums for employers, and less spending on drugs and treatments for employees. Wellness programs include adding a fitness center on company property, giving employees rebates for exercise equipment or gym memberships they purchase, offering nutrition lectures and serving healthy foods in the cafeteria.

References

About this Author

Sam Ellyn has been writing since 1983 for national and regional sports, fitness, business and parenting magazines. He writes and lectures on fitness, nutrition, sports, business, cooking, beauty and home and garden, and works in magazine consulting and association management. He worked in commercial kitchens for more than 20 years, and holds two journalism degrees.

What's the Single Best Exercise?

2011-06-22T05:26:00.000-07:00

What’s the Single Best Exercise?

By GRETCHEN REYNOLDS

Published: April 15, 2011

Let’s consider the butterfly. One of the most taxing movements in sports, the butterfly requires greater energy than bicycling at 14 miles per hour, running a 10-minute mile, playing competitive basketball or carrying furniture upstairs. It burns more calories, demands larger doses of oxygen and elicits more fatigue than those other activities, meaning that over time it should increase a swimmer’s endurance and contribute to weight control.

Enlarge This Image

Jonathan De Villiers for The New York Time

Enlarge This Image

ENERGY WELL SPENT In METs (metabolic equivalent to task), a measure of energy exerted for a given activity.

So is the butterfly the best singleexercise that there is? Well, no. The butterfly “would probably get my vote for the worst” exercise, said Greg Whyte, a professor of sport and exercise science at Liverpool John Moores University in England and a past Olympian in the modern pentathlon, known for his swimming. The butterfly, he said, is “miserable, isolating, painful.” It requires a coach, a pool and ideally supplemental weight and flexibility training to reduce the high risk of injury.

Ask a dozen physiologists which exercise is best, and you’ll get a dozen wildly divergent replies. “Trying to choose” a single best exercise is “like trying to condense the entire field” of exercise science, said Martin Gibala, the chairman of the department of kinesiology at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.

But when pressed, he suggested one of the foundations of old-fashioned calisthenics: the burpee, in which you drop to the ground, kick your feet out behind you, pull your feet back in and leap up as high as you can. “It builds muscles. It builds endurance.” He paused. “But it’s hard to imagine most people enjoying” an all-burpees program, “or sticking with it for long.”

And sticking with an exercise is key, even if you don’t spend a lot of time working out. The health benefits of activity follow a breathtakingly steep curve. “The majority of the mortality-related benefits” from exercising are due to the first 30 minutes of exercise, said Timothy Church, M.D., who holds the John S. McIlhenny endowed chair in health wisdom at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, La. A recent meta-analysis of studies about exercise and mortality showed that, in general, a sedentary person’s risk of dying prematurely from any cause plummeted by nearly 20 percent if he or she began brisk walking (or the equivalent) for 30 minutes five times a week. If he or she tripled that amount, for instance, to 90 minutes of exercise four or five times a week, his or her risk of premature death dropped by only another 4 percent. So the one indisputable aspect of the single best exercise is that it be sustainable. From there, though, the debate grows heated.

“I personally think that brisk walking is far and away the single best exercise,” said Michael Joyner, M.D., a professor of anesthesiology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and a leading researcher in the field of endurance exercise.

As proof, he points to the work of Hiroshi Nose, M.D., Ph.D., a professor of sports medical sciences at Shinshu University Graduate School of Medicine in Japan, who has enrolled thousands of older Japanese citizens in an innovative, five-month-long program of brisk, interval-style walking (three minutes of fast walking, followed by three minutes of slower walking, repeated 10 times). The results have been striking. “Physical fitness — maximal aerobic power and thigh muscle strength — increased by about 20 percent,” Dr. Nose wrote in an e-mail, “which is sure to make you feel about 10 years younger than before training.” The walkers’ “symptoms of lifestyle-related diseases (hypertension, hyperglycemia and obesity) decreased by about 20 percent,” he added, while their depression scores dropped by half.

Walking has also been shown by other researchers to aid materially in weight control. A 15-year study found that middle-aged women who walked for at least an hour a day maintained their weight over the decades. Those who didn’t gained weight. In addition, a recent seminal study found that when older people started a regular program of brisk walking, the volume of their hippocampus, a portion of the brain involved in memory, increased significantly.

But let’s face it, walking holds little appeal — or physiological benefit — for anyone who already exercises. “I nominate the squat,” said Stuart Phillips, Ph.D., a professor of kinesiology at McMaster University and an expert on the effects of resistance training on the human body. The squat “activates the body’s biggest muscles, those in the buttocks, back and legs.” It’s simple. “Just fold your arms across your chest,” he said, “bend your knees and lower your trunk until your thighs are about parallel with the floor. Do that 25 times. It’s a very potent exercise.” Use a barbell once the body-weight squats grow easy.

The squat, and weight training in general, are particularly good at combating sarcopenia, he said, or the inevitable and debilitating loss of muscle mass that accompanies advancing age. “Each of us is experiencing sarcopenia right this minute,” he said. “We just don’t realize it.” Endurance exercise, he added, unlike resistance training, does little to slow the condition.

Page 2 continued next week!

Alright already!

2011-06-16T19:14:00.001-07:00

Once again, it's all a game, right?

2011-06-16T19:11:00.000-07:00

Not exercise..really but since he was in the gym!

2011-06-16T19:06:00.001-07:00

Exercise: 7 benefits of regular physical activity

2011-06-11T13:43:00.000-07:00

You know exercise is good for you — but do you know how good? From boosting your mood to improving your sex life, find out how exercise can improve your life.

By Mayo Clinic staff

The merits of regular physical activity — from preventing chronic health conditions to promoting weight loss and better sleep — are hard to ignore. And the benefits are yours for the taking, regardless of age, sex or physical ability. Need more convincing? Check out seven specific ways exercise can improve your life.

1. Exercise improves your mood.

Need to blow off some steam after a stressful day? A workout at the gym or a brisk 30-minute walk can help you calm down.

Physical activity stimulates various brain chemicals that may leave you feeling happier and more relaxed than you were before you worked out. You'll also look better and feel better when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem. Regular physical activity can even help prevent depression.

2. Exercise combats chronic diseases.

Worried about heart disease? Hoping to prevent osteoporosis? Physical activity might be the ticket.

Regular physical activity can help you prevent — or manage — high blood pressure. Your cholesterol will benefit, too. Regular physical activity boosts high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or "good," cholesterol while decreasing triglycerides. This one-two punch keeps your blood flowing smoothly by lowering the buildup of plaques in your arteries.

And there's more. Regular physical activity can help you prevent type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and certain types of cancer.

3. Exercise helps you manage your weight.

Want to drop those excess pounds? Trade some couch time for walking or other physical activities.

This one's a no-brainer. When you engage in physical activity, you burn calories. The more intense the activity, the more calories you burn — and the easier it is to keep your weight under control. You don't even need to set aside major chunks of time for working out. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk during your lunch break. Do jumping jacks during commercials. Better yet, turn off the TV and take a brisk walk. Dedicated workouts are great, but physical activity you accumulate throughout the day helps you burn calories, too.

4. Exercise boosts your energy level.

Winded by grocery shopping or household chores? Don't throw in the towel. Regular physical activity can leave you breathing easier.

Physical activity delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues. In fact, regular physical activity helps your entire cardiovascular system — the circulation of blood through your heart and blood vessels — work more efficiently. Big deal? You bet! When your heart and lungs work more efficiently, you'll have more energy to do the things you enjoy.

5. Exercise promotes better sleep.

Struggling to fall asleep? Or stay asleep? It might help to boost your physical activity during the day.

A good night's sleep can improve your concentration, productivity and mood. And you guessed it — physical activity is sometimes the key to better sleep. Regular physical activity can help you fall asleep faster and deepen your sleep. There's a caveat, however. If you exercise too close to bedtime, you may be too energized to fall asleep. If you're having trouble sleeping, you might want to exercise earlier in the day.

6. Exercise can put the spark back into your sex life.

Are you too tired to have sex? Or feeling too out of shape to enjoy physical intimacy? Physical activity to the rescue.

Regular physical activity can leave you feeling energized and looking better, which may have a positive effect on your sex life. But there's more to it than that. Regular physical activity can lead to enhanced arousal for women, and men who exercise regularly are less likely to have problems with erectile dysfunction than are men who don't exercise — especially as they get older.

7. Exercise can be — gasp — fun!

Wondering what to do on a Saturday afternoon? Looking for an activity that suits the entire family? Get physical!

Physical activity doesn't have to be drudgery. Take a ballroom dancing class. Check out a local climbing wall or hiking trail. Push your kids on the swings or climb with them on the jungle gym. Plan a neighborhood kickball or touch football game. Find a physical activity you enjoy, and go for it. If you get bored, try something new. If you're moving, it counts!

Are you convinced? Good. Start reaping the benefits of regular physical activity today!

Critters for the Cure! Until we Lick Cancer!

2011-06-10T15:08:00.000-07:00

I'll be doing the race tomorrow morning! Wish me luck! It's been really hot but hopefully it will cool off for tomorrow race! This is for Susan and Liz! Let's Lick Cancer!

Best and Worst: Top 10 Most Inflammatory and Anti-Inflammatory Foods!

2011-05-29T09:29:00.000-07:00

Best and Worst: Top 10 Most Inflammatory and Anti-Inflammatory Foods!

Inflammation: A localized physical condition in which part of the body becomes reddened, swollen, hot and often painful, especially as a reaction to injury or infection.

We all know when something is inflamed. But, what about inflammation on the inside of our bodies? Internal inflammation can happen for a host of different reasons: high temperatures when cooking food, eating processed foods, sugar, trans fats, etc. A high level of inflammation within the body can cause many health problems. An easy way to combat this? Eat more anti-inflammatory foods and eliminate the inflammatory ones.

But, what is an anti-inflammatory food? More importantly, what is an inflammatory food? While you know healthy, whole foods from processed foods, none of us can see the true effect they have on our bodies (sometimes, until it's too late).

Often diseases such as diabetes, PCOS, excess weight gain, coronary heart disease and countless other illnesses can be contributed to the inflammation from various foods. Here is a list of some of the most anti-inflammatory foods.

TOP 10 ANTI-INFLAMMATORY FOODS

1. Wild Alaskan Salmon: Salmon contains anti-inflammatory omega-3s (wild is better than farmed) and has been known to help numerous ailments. Try and incorporate oily fish into your diet twice weekly. If you don't like fish, try a high quality fish supplement.

2. Kelp: High in fiber, this brown algae extract helps control liver and lung cancer, douses inflammation, and is anti-tumor and anti-oxidative. Kombu, wakame and arame are good sources.

3. Extra Virgin Olive Oil: The secret to longevity in Mediterranean culture, this oil provides a healthy dose of fats that fights inflammation, can help lower risks of asthma and arthritis, as well as protect the heart and blood vessels.

4. Cruciferous Vegetables: Broccoli, brussel sprouts, kale and cauliflower are all loaded with antioxidants. Naturally detoxifying, they can help rid the body of possible harmful compounds.

5. Blueberries: Blueberries not only reduce inflammation, but they can protect the brain from aging and prevent diseases, such as cancer and dementia. Aim for organic berries, as pesticides are hard to wash away due to their size.

6. Turmeric: This powerful Asian spice contains a natural anti-inflammatory compound, curcumin, which is often found in curry blends. It is said to have the same effect as over-the counter pain relievers (but without their side effects).

7. Ginger: Ginger contains a host of health benefits. Among them, it helps reduce inflammation and control blood sugar. Ginger tea is a great addition to any diet.

8. Garlic: Though a little more inconsistent (in terms of research), garlic can help reduce inflammation, regulate glucose and help your body fight infection.

9. Green Tea: Like produce, this tea contains anti-inflammatory flavonoids that may even help reduce the risks of certain cancers.

10. Sweet Potato: A great source of complex carbs, fiber, beta-carotene, manganese and vitamin B6 and C, these potatoes actually help heal inflammation in the body.

TOP 10 INFLAMMATORY FOODS

These foods have been linked to obesity, increased risks of numerous diseases and even death in some cases.

1. Sugar: Sugar is everywhere. Try and limit processed foods, desserts and snacks with excess sugar. Opt for fruit instead.

2. Common Cooking Oils: Safflower, soy, sunflower, corn, and cottonseed. These oils promote inflammation and are made with cheaper ingredients.

3. Trans Fats: Trans fats increase bad cholesterol, promote inflammation, obesity and resistance to insulin. They are in fried foods, fast foods, commercially baked goods, such as peanut butter and items prepared with partially hydrogenated oil, margarine and vegetable oil.

4. Dairy: While kefir and some yogurts are acceptable, dairy is hard on the body. Milk is a common allergen that can trigger inflammation, stomach problems, skin rashes, hives and even breathing difficulties.

5. Feedlot-Raised Meat: Animals who are fed with grains like soy and corn contain high inflammation. These animals also gain excess fat and are injected with hormones and antibiotics. Always opt for organic, free-range meats who have been fed natural diets.

6. Red and Processed Meat: Red meat contains a molecule that humans don't naturally produce called Neu5GC. Once you ingest this compound, your body develops antibodies which may trigger constant inflammatory responses. Reduce red meat consumption and replace with poultry, fish and learn cuts of red meat, once a week at most.

7. Alcohol: Regular consumption of alcohol causes irritation and inflammation to numerous organs, which can lead to cancer.

8. Refined Grains: "Refined" products have no fiber and have a high glycemic index. They are everywhere: white rice, white flour, white bread, pasta, pastries... Try and replace with minimally processed grains.

9. Artificial Food Additives: Aspartame and MSG are two common food additives that can trigger inflammation responses. Try and omit completely from the diet.

10. Fill in the Blank: Do you constantly have headaches or feel tired? Sometimes, you may develop an allergy to a food and not even know it. Coffee, certain vegetables, cheese... there might be a trigger you aren't even aware of. Try and take a few foods out to see how you feel and slowly incorporate them back in to see if there might be a hidden culprit lurking in your diet!

Calculate your BMI You can get Prevention Magazines at Barnes and Noble!

2011-05-17T17:11:00.000-07:00

BMI Calculator

How does your body mass measure up?

Knowing your body mass index (BMI) gives you a good sense if you’re at a healthy weight. Simply enter your height and weight and find out.

The most recent and most complete BMI study (1999; more than one million Americans) revealed the following range of "healthiest" BMIs: for men, 23.5 to 25.0; for women, 22.0 to 23.5.

The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute believes that you are overweight if you have a BMI above 25.0, and that this degree of overweight increases your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other illnesses.

Medical research has shown that overweight individuals who lose weight through exercise and/or dieting can significantly decrease their risk of heart disease, diabetes and other illnesses.

A regular running program provides one of the best ways to lose weight or maintain healthy weight. Each mile you cover will burn approximately 125 calories.

Running long and slow burns a higher percentage of fat calories, and teaches your body to become more efficient at fatburning, which gives you more endurance for long runs and marathons.

Running shorter and faster burns more total calories per minute or mile, which helps you lose weight, including body fat. Faster running also increases your "afterburn" - the calories your body continues burning after your run stops. We believe it is a good idea to mix longer runs and faster runs in your workout program.

BMIs below 20.7 (for men) and 19.1 (for women) are considered unhealthy.

The Scoop on Spinning.

2011-05-15T17:15:00.000-07:00

IVILLAGE STAFF ON APR 7, 2010 AT 2:33PM

1 chime

Spinning was created by world-class cyclist "Jonny G." Goldberg as a convenient and quick way to train for races. In 1989, he and John Baudhuin opened the first spinning center in Santa Monica, California and then developed a program to certify other spinning instructors. Curious to know about this spinning thing? The following info will help you decide if it's for you:

What is it? Spinning is an aerobic exercise that takes place on a specially designed stationary bicycle called (obviously enough) a spinning bike. As you pedal, motivating music plays and the instructor talks you through a visualization of an outdoor cycling workout: "You're going up a long hill now, you can't see the top yet.…" During the class you vary your pace -- sometimes pedaling as fast as you can, other times cranking up the tension and pedaling slowly from a standing position. This helps you to focus inwardly and work on your mind as well as your body.

Why we love it: Spinning burns serious calories (about 450 in 45 minutes) and offers an awesome aerobic workout that makes your heart pump fast. It also tones your quadriceps (front thigh muscles) and outer thigh muscles like nobody's business! Because you stay in one place with the same basic movement throughout, Spinning doesn't involve a lot of coordination; it's easier to concentrate on your form than in other types of aerobic classes. And although you follow the general instructions of the spinning teacher, you are in control when it comes to your pace. You can finish a spin class, regardless of your fitness level, simply by adjusting your pace or the tension knob on the bike.

Drawbacks: Spinning does not work all leg muscles equally, so if you spin without doing some cross training activities, you may develop muscle imbalances. Spinning every day can also be too much of a good thing -- real spin enthusiasts have to watch out for overuse injuries in their knees, hips and lower backs. If Spinning is your main source of exercise, we recommend doing some resistance training workouts that include hamstring (back of thigh), buttock and inner thigh exercises.

Equipment Needed: Other than the bike, here's what you need for a safe, comfortable ride:

A stiff-soled shoe with good ventilation. (Running and aerobic shoes, which are soft-soled, may leave your feet numb by the end of the class.)
Two towels, one for wiping away sweat and one for draping over the handlebars so your hands won't slide out of position.
A full water bottle, because you're definitely going to sweat. Most spinning bikes are equipped with a water bottle cage so you can place your H2O within easy reach.

Insider information: Riding with an incorrect seat setting can also lead to injury. Set your seat height so your knee is slightly bent at the bottom of the pedal stroke. Set the handlebars so that they are level with the seat. When you lean forward and place your hands on the bars, there should be a slight bend at your elbows.

Hot Tip: Arrive five minutes early for your first class so your instructor can answer any questions and help you with bike adjustments. Make sure you let her know about any injuries that you have so she can help you modify some of the moves. During class, be sure to let your instructor know if you are having trouble with the resistance knob or the general technique. If the class is too intense, just pedal more slowly or take the tension down.

Shape Magazine's Exercise Videos: Quick Toning Exercises!

2011-05-09T05:47:00.000-07:00

Great article on why eating right means eating fresh! Your Mother is always right!

2011-04-30T10:01:00.000-07:00

A New View Of Calories

by JANET on APRIL 5, 2011

63Share

A calorie is a calorie, right? Not so fast.

That age-old adage may no longer be true. Increasingly scientists are realizing that not all calories are created equal. For instance, calories from an apple may not be equivalent to calories from a Twinkie (and yes, even the new chocolate Twinkies).

Read more in my column in the April issue of Cooking Light magazine: How Calories Really Count.

How Calories Really Count

Last summer, Mark Haub, Ph.D, an associate professor of nutrition at Kansas State University, made headlines when he lost 27 pounds after two months of living on Twinkies, Ho-Hos, Little Debbies, and other convenience-store snack cakes.

Haub’s experiment reinforced the calories-in/calories-out equation: If you drastically cut back—as Haub did, from 2,600 to 1,800 calories per day—you will lose weight, no matter how nutrient-deprived your diet may otherwise be. Anyone who knows what calories are—units of energy—knows this to be so.

But lost in the brouhaha surrounding the so-called Twinkie Diet was a more interesting trend: a revision of the idea that all calories are equal. New studies hint that the body may burn calories from whole foods better than it does calories from processed foods like Twinkies. Essentially, it appears the body can “burn” a bit hotter on whole foods and use healthier fuel at the same time. That’s great news for people who want to follow the new Dietary Guidelines, because it addresses two big problems with the American diet: calorie overload and nutrient inadequacy.

While Dr. Haub was carefully counting his Twinkie calories, scientists from Pomona College in California were preparing to publish a small study with interesting implications for anyone who wants to maintain a healthy weight and eat good food.

The researchers fed people two meals with the exact same number of calories; the only difference was how much the food was processed. Group A was treated to sandwiches made with real cheese on whole-grain bread; Group B made do with processed cheese on fiber-stripped white bread. The results, published in Food & Nutrition Research, found that the processed meal decreased the rate of diet-induced thermogenesis—the number of calories you burn when eating and digesting—by nearly 50% compared to the meal made with whole foods.

The calories burned from a single sandwich may be small, but this rise in metabolism caused by whole foods (known as the thermic effect) might account for about 10% of a typical person’s daily calorie expenditure. Although more research is needed, early indicators show that whole foods may offer a real metabolic advantage for calorie counters. Whole foods aren’t just better for you because they’re more nutritious, but they also may be, essentially, lower-calorie.

Weight Watchers, recognizing the differences in how our bodies react to calories—and nudging dieters to eat more whole foods—revamped its points system late last year to make fresh fruits and most vegetables “free.” Eat all you want, the WW plan says. In general, foods higher in fiber and protein were assigned fewer points, and processed foods were given more.

All this comes at a time when calories are back in the nutrition spotlight. The fat-phobia and obsessive carb-counting eras are waning. Governments are talking about “soda taxes” to combat the health costs of consuming too many “empty” calories. Calorie labeling is showing up—voluntarily and by law—on more restaurant menus, and calorie counts are more prominent on some food labels.

This calorie consciousness is a good and a bad thing. Most Americans do need to cut back on calories. Balancing energy in and energy out (which brings in the whole question of exercise) is critical to solving the obesity crisis. But calorie counting per se is tedious and not the real answer, unless you want to go on a Twinkie diet. The better approach is the whole foods approach, because Americans also need to increase intake of a long list of nutrients, including fiber, potassium, calcium, and vitamin D, which are associated with whole foods. Eating more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains delivers those nutrients in a form that may also hold a calorie-burning advantage. [photo credit: gregg_koenig on flickr]

More People Turning to Experienced Fitness Pros and Fitness Programs

2011-04-25T05:15:00.000-07:00

Survey Shows More People Are Turning to Experienced Fitness Pros and Fitness Programs

By Bill Hendrick
WebMD Health News

Reviewed By Laura J. Martin, MD

Oct. 29, 2010 -- Pilates may have become passe. That type of mind-body physical training activity has fallen out of the American College of Sports Medicine's top 20 predicted fitness trends for the first time in years.

One reason may be economic, says fitness expert Walter R. Thompson, PHD, Regent's Professor at Georgia State University.

"Pilates requires some specialized training, and that may be why that kind of training isn't in the top 20 predicted fitness trends for 2011," Thompson tells WebMD. "Some gyms may be looking for a cheaper way to deliver services, at least through the economic times we're in right now."

He says he's not surprised, and that he'd felt "a couple of years ago that Pilates were a fad, not a trend. I think that's true."

List of Trends

Here are the top 20 predicted worldwide fitness trends for 2011 from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), based on an online survey of more than 2,200 health and fitness professionals certified by the organization. Responses were received from Asia, Europe, Australia, Africa, North America, and South America.

The survey is published in the organization's Health and Fitness Journal:

Educated and experienced fitness professionals. Thompson tells WebMD that "more people are expected to turn to educated professionals," even though those trainers cost more. "More states are considering legislation to license personal trainers. People want the best." The ACSM says in a news release that an increasing number of organizations are offering health and fitness certifications, which Thompson says is a positive development. Thompson says one reason people want pros is that "more and more people are getting injured using untrained personal trainers."
Fitness programs for older adults. Some aging baby boomers have more discretionary money than younger folks and will be seeking certified trainers to design "age appropriate fitness programs," Thompson says.
Strength training. This remains a central emphasis for many health clubs and is central for a complete training program.
Children and obesity. With obesity at epidemic levels for children and adults, more people are looking for programs to help them or their children lose weight.
Personal training. The survey says personal trainers are becoming more accessible. Thompson tells WebMD an increasing number want to learn how to exercise from fitness professionals. Education and credentialing for personal trainers have become more important over time to health and fitness facilities.
Core training. This type of training emphasizes conditioning of the middle-body muscles, including the pelvis, lower back, hips, and abdomen.
Exercise and weight loss. More people are likely to look for exercise programs that include nutritional advice.
Boot camp. Modeled after military boot camps and basic training, this high-intensity type of program is becoming more popular because it incorporates cardiovascular, strength, endurance, and flexibility drills in indoor and outdoor settings.
Functional fitness. This is a trend toward using strength training to improve balance and ease of daily living. Functional fitness and special fitness programs for older adults are closely related.
Doctor referrals. This partners medical professionals with health and fitness professionals to more easily integrate exercise into the lives of patients.
Yoga. Various forms of yoga can be done in groups or at home because many books and instructional tapes have become popular and available.
Worksite health promotion. Worksite health promotion programs rose from No. 20 to No. 12. Employers have recognized that having healthier workers will result in lower health care costs and less absenteeism.
Outcome measurements. Efforts abound to define and track outcomes. Measurements are needed to determine the effectiveness of health and fitness programs.
Group personal training. This trend allows personal trainers to provide personalized advice and programs. Training two or three people at one time makes good economic sense for trainers.
Spinning (indoor cycling). Popular in health clubs, spinning allows people to pedal indoors, avoiding humidity, temperature, and other environmental changes.
Sport-specific training. This trend allows athletes to hone their skills in the off-season to build strength and endurance beneficial for performance in a particular sport such as baseball or tennis.
Worker incentive programs. The trend makes the Top 20 for the first time. Employers are creating incentive programs to stimulate health behavior change for employees in order to reduce absenteeism and costs of health insurance.
Clinical integration/medical fitness. This is a trend toward integrating and blending of prevention and clinical services. This is the first time this trend has made the Top 20.
Reaching new markets. Thompson says it's likely that more people will seek expert advice and find more commercial gyms and health and exercise programs. Only about 20% of the public has a regular exercise program.
Wellness coaching. This trend incorporates behavioral change science into health promotion and disease prevention.

Thompson, an exercise physiologist at Georgia State University, says it's a little surprising that balance training and the use of stability balls also have fallen out of the Top 20.

"Interest in medical fitness, worker incentive programs, and worksite wellness programs may be a direct result of health care reform measures" as well as an initiative called Exercise is Medicine, Thompson says in a news release. "With an estimated 80% of Americans not having a regular exercise program or a place to exercise, health and fitness professionals must search for new ways to deliver their services to people who need them."

SOURCES: News release, American College of Sports Medicine.Thompson, W. Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends for 2011, Health and Fitness Journal.Walter R. Thompson, PHD, Regent's Professor, Georgia State University.Exercise is Medicine web site.

Health Tips!

2011-04-16T12:33:00.000-07:00

Q: What exactly do antioxidants do and what are

some great food sources?

A: Antioxidants counter the excessive production of small, highly reactive molecules in the body called reactive oxygen species (ROS). These ROS are byproducts of normal human metabolism and include both free radicals and nonradicals. ROS are capable of damaging delicate cells, especially DNA, our cells’ genetic blueprint. When the production of ROS exceeds the body’s antioxidant capacity, premature aging and the development of chronic diseases is accelerated. Thus, a large intake of antioxidants (consumed in food) theoretically would help the body fight DNA damage and oxidative stress, factors involved in disease development.The total antioxidant power of foods is measured by the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC). According to a study by the USDA, some of the foods highest on the ORAC scale include black and red beans, blueberries, strawberries, Granny Smith apples, pecans and cranberries.A plant-based diet filled with colorful fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, beans, whole-grains and olive oil will virtually guarantee you a huge array of health-promoting antioxidants. Plant foods are not only rich in antioxidants but also vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber and polyphenols, additional factors that confer numerous health benefits, most notably protection from disease. So when it comes to antioxidants, color generally indicates concentration. Make an effort every day to harness the power of plant antioxidants by coloring your plate with dark, deep hues of green, purple, orange and blue. And remember, when it comes to antioxidants, more color = more health!
Posted by Dr. Janet Bond Brill

2011-04-04T06:01:00.000-07:00

Fitness Tip:

Q: What is a good rule of thumb when purchasing

healthy food? The fewer ingredients, the better?

A: Absolutely right! When it comes to making wise nutrition choices, the golden rule on the ingredient list is “less is better!” This is because the most nutritious foods are generally the least processed foods with the least amount of additives. The closer the food is to the way Mother Nature intended it to be, the more natural vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytonutrients the food product will contain.

For example, it’s always healthier to choose an apple over a slice of apple pie loaded with unhealthy fats, salt, spoilage retardants, refined carbohydrates and excess calories. If you peruse the frozen vegetable case, better to grab the bag of frozen peas that simply contains two ingredients—peas and salt—rather than a frozen pea product with 20 ingredients in the list. Another important tip regarding processed foods is that if you have a choice, make the food yourself (such as your own tomato sauce versus a jar of sauce). This way YOU control the ingredients and can be very judicious with adding in excess amounts of harmful ingredients such as sodium and bad fats.

Reprinted from IDEA. Unique Fitness Market Research Reveals Top Industry Trends

2011-04-01T13:34:00.000-07:00

Inspire the World to Fitness®

10455 Pacific Center Court • San Diego, CA 92121 • 858.535.8979 858.535.8234 fax • www.ideafit.com

Contact:

Kelly Nakai Tabitha Bailey

IDEA Health & Fitness Association HetzelMeade Communications

858.535.8979, ext. 212 805.241.2532

knakai@ideafit.com tabitha@hetzelmeade.com

Unique Fitness Market Research Reveals Top Industry Trends

IDEA’s 15th Annual Fitness Programs & Equipment Trends Report Provides Reliable Data on Industry Trends

San Diego – July 19, 2010 – To get an accurate read on what is happening at the front lines of fitness, this trends report is a one-stop source for credible information. IDEA Health & Fitness

Association, the leading membership organization of health, wellness and fitness professionals worldwide with more than 23,000 members in over 80 countries, has published the results of its

15th annual IDEA Fitness Programs & Equipment Trends Report. The survey, which is geared to fitness program directors and facility managers who live and breathe fitness at the front lines each day, summarizes what fitness equipment their customers are using the most and what fitness programs they are demanding more or less of.

The following highlights from the report include a solid picture of the most up-to-date fitness research available. Detailed results of these fitness industry statistics are available to the media at http://www.ideafit.com/fitness-library/2010-idea-fitness-programs-equipment-trends.

• Personal training continues to be in high demand. Whether one-on-one, with a partner or in a small group, it consistently offers an opportunity for clients to reach their individual goals.

• Fitness equipment trends are aligned with this sustained growth in personal training. Types of equipment that are easily transportable and that can be individualized are very compatible with personal training sessions.

• Fitness centers are offering a wider range of group exercis formats to meet the interests of members. Currently, classes with uncomplicated or modest choreography are popular offerings, as they allow members to be successful in their fitness quest.

• Mind-body programming has made mixed progress. The big areas of growth are Pilates, and Pilates and yoga fusion. Pilates is now offered by 90% of fitness centers (up from 63% in 2002), and Pilates and yoga fusion has seen a robust increase over the past 7 years (31% to 59%). Meditation, tai chi and yoga have declined in prevalence, and Gyrotonic® or Gyrokinesis® exercise and mind-body fusion offerings have increased just slightly.

• Following are the Top 10 lists reflecting what is currently being offered in facilities for fitness equipment and programming

10 Most Frequently Offered Fitness Programs

personal training, combined 97%

personal training, adult, one-on-one 96

Pilates 90

personal training, 2 clients share 90

fitness assessment 90

strength training, individual, nongroup 88

yoga 82

core-conditioning classes 80

stretching and/or flexibility 78

strength training in group, combined 78

10 Most Frequently Offered Types of Fitness Equipment

stability balls 95%

resistance tubing or bands 95

barbells and/or dumbbells 90

balance equipment (e.g., BOSU® Balance Trainers, disks, wobble boards, balance boards) 87

medicine balls 87

yoga mats and equipment 85

foam rollers and small balls 83

weighted bars 82

steps and platforms 81

treadmills 76

Top Three Fitness Program Trends

This year we asked IDEA professionals to write in their opinions regarding the top three programming trends for 2010. Small-group personal training was the number-one write-in trend for 2010, followed by boot camp training and Zumba. “As we look at these top trends, it is interesting to note that they all involve groups of individuals coming together to achieve their fitness goals,” says IDEA’s executive director Kathie Davis. “Exercise compliance is much improved and many find their fitness activities more enjoyable when they do them in a group.”

Top Three Fitness Equipment Trends

We also asked respondents to write in what they anticipated would be the top three fitness equipment trends in 2010. Elliptical trainers, TRX Suspension Training® equipment and treadmills topped the list. Although a decline has been observed in other large pieces of

cardiorespiratory equipment (stationary bikes and stair climbers), elliptical trainers and treadmills continue to be popular. “Treadmills and ellipticals continue to thrive in our facilities because they are easy to operate and are very intuitive pieces of fitness equipment (mimicking walking and running, which most people use as their main methods of cardio),” Davis says. For full analysis of all the fitness program and equipment trends, go to

http://www.ideafit.com/fitness-library/2010-idea-fitness-programs-equipment-trends. There you will find more statistics including the Top 10 Programs and Equipment With Growth Potential as well as insight on the data from many of the industry’s leading fitness professionals.

visit IDEA Health & Fitness Association.