For years the answer was always to stay away from working out, but after doing some considerable research into this subject it seems that as long as the exercise does not cause pain while performing it then it is not only acceptable to do, but recommended.

Here’s what says Zuzana de Jong, PhD, rheumatologist and researcher at Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands has to say, “my research shows that people who participated in high-intensity exercise, such as sports, jogging or strength training, at least twice a week, improved in daily functioning and mood.”

She also went on to say that exercise DID NOT speed up the rate of joint deterioration, which is something that many arthritis suffers worry about.

So if you’re ready to get started, I suggest you first speak with your doctor and then ease into an exercise program slowly. Start with just some light walking and possibly 2 days a week of strength training for about 20 minutes. If all of that goes well you can gradually increase your workout threshold until you find the right balance.

Here are some tips to have a healthy holiday....

Enjoy lean cuts of beef, boneless/skinless chicken, or vegetables from the grill.

Snack on vegetables instead of chips and make sure any dipping is done in low-fat dip.

Make low-fat salads such as Asian-Flavored Coleslaw with Rice Vinegar and Ginger and Potato Salad with Fresh Herbs and Lemon

Stick to drinking water, unsweetened ice tea, or club soda. If you are going to drink alcohol stick to wine or beer because mixed drinks, especially frozen ones, can have up to 500 calories a drink!

For dessert stick to fresh fruit - try this Mixed Berry Salad with Mint which incorporates summers fresh fruits.

Have a healthy and safe holiday!

I am always telling my clients the importance of eating enough fruits and vegetables. And although all vegetables have some valuable nutrients here’s a way of defining the vegetables that provide you with the most nutrients, especially if you frequently shortchange your diet in this area. Simply choose fruits and vegetables with the most color. These fruits/vegetables contain the most potent nutrients called phytonutrients.

Choose red vegetables such as red peppers, tomatoes and watermelon. Choose orange as in apricots, carrots and cantaloupe. Select yellow and green vegetables like artichokes, corn, lettuce, and your leafy greens like chard and collards. Don’t forget the cruciferous group like broccoli and cabbage. And last but not least and everyone’s summer favorites, select the blue and purple foods with all the berries that are so readily available right now.

The good news about all these foods is that they are all low in calories, high in fiber, taste great and benefit us with our weight loss efforts, as well as providing us with great health benefits. Don't forget that Nutrition Data has some really great tools to actually help you personalize your own individual food plan so you get all the other nutrients you need in your daily diet.

The Zerona claims to “activate the release of fat from adipose tissue, which is then absorbed by the lymphatic system and removed from the body.”

The cost of this procedure is $500 per session and 6 treatments are typically needed.

Although no one knows the long-term potential side-effects of this laser I wonder if this product will be in high-demand.

If cost wasn’t an issue would you try out this experimental procedure?

Here’s what the study looked like:

Test Group #1 Workout:

• 20 Weeks
• 4-5x a week workouts
• 30 – 45 minutes on the exercise bike
• Intensity at 60 – 85% of max heart rate

Test Group #2 Workout:

• 15 weeks (5 less weeks)
• 20 – 35 minute workouts on the exercise bike at 60 – 85% of max heart rate (10 – 25 minutes less per workout)
• 19 short-intervals (15 – 30 second sprints) at 90 – 95% of max heart rate
• 16 long-intervals (60 – 60 second sprints) at 90 – 95% of max heart rate

Results (quoted from study):

“Because the first group worked out for a longer time period (20 against 15 weeks), conducted more total workouts (90 against 60 sessions) and completed longer individual training sessions, total energy expenditure during training was twice as great in the first group as in the second group. However, each group achieved about a 30-per-cent increase in maximal aerobic capacity. Most surprisingly, the second group (the interval-trained athletes who performed less total work) had a NINEFOLD greater loss of body fat than the first group.”

Tomorrow, I’ll give you some possible reasons why high-intensity interval training burns so much more fat than slow paced, longer distance cardio sessions.

Source: 'lmpact of Exercise Intensity on Body Fatness and Skeletal Muscle Metabolism, ' Metabolism, vol. 43(7), pp 814-818

You can eat more of these foods because there is usually more air or water in them. So eat your grapes instead of raisins and eat popcorn instead of plan corn because it will give you the volume you need to fill up, but it won't break the calorie bank.

Other things to remember about eating filling food is that you should look for 100% whole grain foods. These foods have more fiber and will also help keep you feel full. You should look for breads, cereals, and crackers that have 3-4 grams of fiber per serving.

If you are not used to eating whole grains start mixing it up - half white and half brown rice, half regular pasta and half whole wheat pasta, and mix up your favorite cereals so you get used to the taste and texture of whole grain foods.

“Vitamin D levels in the body at the start of a low-calorie diet predict weight loss success, a new study found. The results, which suggest a possible role for vitamin D in weight loss, were presented at The Endocrine Society's 91st Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.” More study needs to be done but it would not surprise me.

Vitamins may not be miracle cures but they all work together just like an orchestra and if one vitamin is out of tune the "whole band" could eventually become out of tune. And the way most of the population eats it doesn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out how deficiencies can occur. Vitamin D may be especially hard to obtain because it is best absorbed from the sun. Most of us just don’t get outside enough to obtain this important nutrient. Even Dr. Mercola who takes a more holistic view on health has his say about vitamin D and its importance beyond bone health and cancer.

In a nutshell, the study basically said “you can’t out exercise a bad diet…”

"It's not that exercise doesn't burn fat," said Edward Melanson, associate professor of medicine at the University of Colorado, "It's just that we replace the calories. People think they have a license to eat whatever they want, and our research shows that is definitely not the case. You can easily undo what you set out to do.”

In order to create an elevated metabolic rate your resistance based workout must be high intensity and vigorous. That’s not to say you can’t get benefit from moderate intensity exercise (you’ll still burn calories), but if you want maximum benefit then you must push your intensity levels.

Source: Study Dispels Myth of Post-Workout Fat Burn

Why is this of importance?

Simply because it’s one more example of how you MUST rely on yourself to conquer your weight loss goals and health and NOT outside forces. Sure, you should continue to read tips and research into how to best accomplish your goals, but in the end you must be the one to take control of your life and do what is best for you.

A lot of times it’s easier to pass the responsibility, procrastinate, or let our health slip away citing other seemingly more important priorities…  I’m here to tell you today that you should be your #1 priority since without you (and your health) everyone else relying on YOU will be left out.

There will never be a perfect time to get started, so be bold and begin now!

White Wine Sauce - 47 calories, 4g fat, 2g saturated fat, 1g carbs

Parsley Pesto - 57 calories, 5g fat, 1g saturated fat, 3g carbs, 1g fiber

Tangy Mustard Sauce - 69 calories, 2g fat, 8g carbs

Creamy White Sauce - 51 calories, 5g fat, 1g saturated fat, 2g carbs

Spicy Orange Sauce - 43 calories, 0g fat, 11g carbs

Classic Vinaigrette - 96 calories, 10g fat, 1g sat fat

All of the nutritional information is based on the serving size according to the recipe.