Fitness Together - Columbus

Why New Year’s Resolutions Fail

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 17:36:00 -0600

As New Year’s resolutions gain popularity this time of year, many jump on the bandwagon of losing weight, getting fit and living a healthier lifestyle. While we all can benefit from making these types of positive lifestyle changes, most resolutions fizzle out, unfortunately, before they even have a chance to settle in. So, why does this popular annual pastime of making New Year’s resolutions tend to result in failed attempts, false starts and lackluster efforts?

Well, actually, it’s quite simple.

● Resolution season brings colder temperatures and limited daylight.

● The start of the year is filled with busy life, work and family schedules.

● Doing what you’ve always done is a lot easier than trying something new.

So, what can you do to jump over these common resolution hurdles and finish strong in the quest for resolution success?

Commit to Getting off the Couch and Out the Door

The first step to accomplishing your health and fitness resolutions is to back your goals with a real commitment to succeed. You can’t wish your way to a healthier, leaner, more fit, stronger you. You have to make a real commitment that includes a support structure and lifestyle change focused on meeting your overall health and fitness goals.

One way to create a deeper level of health and fitness commitment is by working out with a group of friends or peers. As the temperatures hover around freezing and the temptation to cuddle in front of the fireplace instead of going to the gym burns strong, it is a lot easier to get yourself off the couch and out the door if you know someone is waiting to workout with you at the gym. This same peer-driven motivation to get you out the door on a cold winter day can be advantageous to your overall fitness when you workout in a group environment as well.

Research indicates that the presence of others around you during a workout session and the effects of competition can have a positive influence on your exertion and fitness performance levels.[1] The dynamics and high energy of working out in a small group setting with a handful of peers and a seasoned personal trainer can push you to work harder than you could have ever imagined, allowing you to enjoy overall improvements in your body’s health and fitness levels.

By incorporating a group fitness routine into your New Year’s resolution goals, you become a part of something bigger than yourself – an environment that is packed full of fitness commitment, motivation and encouragement.

Call in the Accountability Troops

Many New Year’s resolutions fail because people embark on the journey alone and let other items on their life calendar take priority over their goals. Set yourself up for resolution success by wrapping your goals with a strong support system that includes the right professionals and tools to do the job wisely and successfully.

By enlisting the help of a certified personal trainer, you will receive a customized workout that aligns with your body, ability and health/fitness level, as well as your New Year’s goals. A study in the Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research found that those who worked out with personal trainers resulted in greater individual strength, workout intensities and exertion levels during an exercise session.[2] Personal trainers are not only a great resource for holding you accountable to showing up for your workout, but also ensuring that you engage in a valuable workout session that benefits both the mind and body.

Another way to keep yourself accountable to health and fitness goals is by physically scheduling your weekly workouts into your personal, family and professional calendars. If you view your workouts as a serious appointment and dedicate specific time to a physically fit lifestyle, you will be less likely to skip your workouts when life becomes busy.

Furthermore, industry reports continue to find evidence that you don’t have to spend your entire day in the gym to reap the most benefits from your workouts. Short-term, high intensity workouts have been found to be a time efficient and effective approach for burning fat, increasing fitness levels and improving overall cardiovascular health.[3]

Out with the Old, In with the New

The same old workouts and lifestyle tendencies will yield the same old results. If you are committed this year to reaching new levels of physical fitness, it is important to change up your approach by combining a can-do attitude with new workout routines focused on measurable strength and conditioning goals.

It’s important to remember, though, that physical fitness is an ongoing process that doesn’t happen overnight. Instead of making rash decisions like cleaning out all of the food in your pantry or exercising seven days a week when you have rarely made it to the gym once a week, set yourself up for success by identifying incremental benchmarks (going to the gym three times a week, running a mile without stopping, bench pressing 100 pounds, etc.) that can help keep your overall fitness goals within reach and within perspective. This approach will keep you on the path to reaching new physical fitness levels throughout the year and provide you with the opportunity to celebrate your successes along the way.

By pushing aside old barriers and incorporating new lifestyle behaviors centered around commitment, accountability and positive attitudes, you are well on your way to investing in a healthier body and happier you for the New Year.

The certified personal trainers at Fitness Together will design workouts tailored to your specific fitness level and will push you just hard enough to turn your goals into life changing results.

Contact your local Fitness Together studio to learn more about how to look better, feel better and perform better this New Year with one-on-one personal training or PACK small group training.

[1] Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research: “The Effects of Competition and the Presence of an Audience on Weight Lifting Performance,” 2003.

[2] Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research: January 2008 - Volume 22 - Issue 1 - pp 103-111.

[3] University of Guelph; Journal of Applied Physiology, June 2007.

Fit BODY: Fit BRAIN

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 15:00:00 -0500

Can’t remember where you parked the car or if you unplugged the coffee pot? Worried that as you age, your memory and cognitive skills will deteriorate? Never fear—a regular exercise routine will strengthen your brain as well as your muscles! New research shows that even older adults who are physically active have a reduced risk of developing many forms of dementia. No doubt about it, a program of regular exercise and healthy eating has immense benefits for the mind.

What’s the best type of fitness program for promoting brain health?

Different types of exercise positively affect the brain in different ways. What you eat also affects your brain health. Here are three scientifically proven lifestyle changes you can make that when combined together are the best way to sharpen those brain cells and protect against dementia.

Three Tips for Keeping Those Neurons Firing

Eat a nutritious, antioxidant-filled diet. Now is the time to change those unhealthy eating habits. Try to bump up your intake of colorful fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and good fats. The more vibrant the color of the plant food, the greater the amount of powerful disease-fighting antioxidants you are feeding your neurons (brain cells). What’s more, the fat you choose to eat also has a huge effect on your brain cells. Omega-3 fat, specifically the fish fat called docosahexanoic acid (DHA), is essential for healthy brain growth and development, as DHA makes up a large portion of the gray matter brain neurons. Because of this fact, DHA has taken on a critical role as a potential therapeutic intervention in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. What’s the best food source of DHA? Large cold water fish that swim in the deep oceans contain the highest amount of DHA as well as the other important omega-3 fish fat, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Some fabulous fish choices high in omega-3s and low in mercury include wild salmon, canned light tuna and catfish.
Daily cardio exercise. You are probably already aware that regular aerobic exercise is key for keeping your body lean and your cardiovascular system fit. What you might not know is that cardio exercise has also been shown to boost brain power by stimulating the formation of new brain cells, or neurons, and the connections between those cells, regardless of age. Regular exercise is thought to provide protection against age-related cognitive decline and possibly reduce risk of dementias. A program of regular aerobic exercise specifically benefits the brain’s domain of memory and learning. Recent evidence is shedding light on the mechanisms responsible for exercise’s ability to keep the brain fit. The increase in blood flow within the brain, changes in neurotransmitters, and increased production of brain-derived chemicals stimulates neurogenesis (new neuron growth).

Strength training. You’re never too old to see improvements in brain power with a program of regular strength training. That’s the findings from a recent study published in the prestigious medical journal the Annals of Internal Medicine. The study demonstrated that a regular program of strength training improves cognitive function in women aged 65 to 75 years old. What’s more, researchers showed that strength training also helps the wallet: The strength training group incurred fewer health care costs and had fewer falls than the subjects who were restricted to just balance and toning exercises.

Indeed, the brain is like a muscle—with fitness training it can be toned and sharpened. You can achieve your health and fitness goals with the help of Fitness Together. Fitness Together offers one-on-one sessions with experienced personal trainers who will develop exercise workouts tailored to your needs and goals. An important part of their program is Nutrition Together, which provides nutritional counseling to complement your exercise regimen. Let Fitness and Nutrition Together help you to heighten your mental acuity and keep your brain and the rest of your body in tip-top shape! To find the Fitness Together studio nearest you, visit www.fitnesstogether.com.

Prepare Your Body for Optimal Winter Performance with Pre- and Post-Workout Stretching

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 14:58:00 -0500

Tight muscles, cramped joints and a lethargic body is not how you want to ring in this winter season. Instead, prepare your body for sledding adventures, skiing moguls and family snowball fights by introducing stretching into your overall health and fitness routine. Don’t worry, you don’t have to schedule tons of time to make stretching beneficial and effective. Ten minutes will do the trick.

Start with the Basics

When incorporating stretching into your workout, you should take a two-phased approach. The first phase should focus on preparing your body, joints, heart and lungs for a dynamic workout, while the second phase should focus on cooling down your muscles and preparing your body for an active recovery following your workout. In essence, it is most effective to sandwich your strength and conditioning workout routine with two short, but effective, active stretching routines.

Phase One – Warm Up and Dynamic Stretch

If touching your toes and taking deep breaths to start your workout is your idea of warming up and stretching, then you are missing out on an excellent opportunity to set yourself up for a great workout. According to research by The National Strength and Condition Association,[1] passive static stretching can lead to reduced performance when compared to an active, dynamic warm-up alone.

A great workout starts with a great warm-up so the first step to an active warm-up that is going to increase your performance is spending a few minutes on a foam roller. The purpose of the foam roller is provide soft tissue flexibility in preparation for a more fluid and free-moving workout. The few minutes it takes to foam roll will pay dividends for the remainder of your fitness session.

After you’ve established more flexible muscles with the foam roller, the next step is to prepare your body for elevating heart rates and getting down to business. The warm-up should not be easy. It should start easy, but then progress to the point that when you’re finished five minutes later, you’re ready to go full steam ahead into your workout. A dynamic warm-up should include explosive movements such as high knees, skipping and moving lunges. It is important to remember that the purpose of these types of exercises is to prepare your joints and ligaments for the high intensity portion of your workout. Make sure not to push yourself too hard, but instead focus on starting slow and revving up your body for an effective and dynamic workout.

Phase Two – Cool Down and Recovery

After you’ve left all of your effort, sweat and tears on the gym floor during your high intensity strength and conditioning workout, it is now time to take three to five minutes to incorporate some light stretching and cool down techniques to finish off your fitness routine. The purpose of this stretching phase is to loosen up any knots that might build up in your muscle fibers during your workout and prepare your body for proper recovery that will last hours after your workout has ended. It is important to stretch the major muscle groups you exercised during your workout and to focus on any problem spots that you may have. Some simple, but highly effective cool down and recovery stretches include the child’s pose, lower leg lunge stretches and the cat stretch for your back and shoulders.

If stretching is typically an after-thought for you during your workouts, focus on incorporating these ten minutes of pre- and post-workout stretches this winter to prepare your body for optimal performance during and after your workouts. Contact your local Fitness Together studio to learn more about how to look better, feel better and perform better with a total body stretching and fitness routine.

To find the Fitness Together studio nearest you, visit fitnesstogether.com.

Jump Start Your Fitness Routine This Winter with High Intensity Cardio Training

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 14:56:00 -0500

As you dive into the winter season, you may find yourself in a rut of doing the same old, same old when it comes to your fitness and wellness routine. And as the temperatures get cooler, climbing on the dreaded treadmill or elliptical machine may seem to be your only options for burning those inevitable extra holiday calories.

Effective cardio training, though, can include more than your traditional running, biking and swimming. By taking your workout up a notch with high intensity cardio variations, you can jump start your fitness routine so you look better, feel better and perform better throughout this winter season.

Ramp Up Your Cardio for Weight Loss and Maintenance

As the holidays approach and we are in the thick of pumpkin pies, turkey dinners and overscheduled calendars, the common fitness theme this time of year is fighting the bulge and finding time to squeeze in a workout. Although concentrating on eating in moderation is a key component to weight loss and maintenance, cardio exercises focused on interval training can help combat the belly bounce. Interval training focuses on intense bursts of exercise in your workout that not only jump start your heart rate, but burn body fat quicker as well.

The good news for your hectic schedule is that you don’t have to bang out hours on the treadmill to realize the best cardio results for your body. Industry research[1] shows that shorter duration of high intensity exercise can be more beneficial than traditional endurance training.

Basic exercise science also supports that the harder you work, the more calories you burn every minute you exercise, while high intensity cardio sessions also speed your metabolism for hours following your workout session.

So, if weight loss/maintenance is your main goal this holiday season, ditch the treadmill and opt for a more fast and furious workout full of burpees, wind sprints and slam balls. Your belly will appreciate it and so will the number on the scale January 1st, 2012.

Incorporate Cardio for Greater Strength and Muscle Definition

As we all know, strength and conditioning exercises build muscle. Cardio, when coupled with proper nutrition; however, is the secret weapon to defining and showing off the hours spent in the weight room. To create greater muscle definition in the common “problem” areas (arms, abs, glutes), it is important to incorporate metabolic cardio conditioning to your fitness regimen to unveil your hidden lean and sleek muscles.

A recent study[2] that evaluated the effect of training methods on female college athletes found that concurrent strength and aerobic endurance training was highly effective on muscle strength and endurance, body composition and flexibility. When your goal is to build strength and muscle, combining strength training exercises with total body cardio is key to realizing the best results. This type of cardio approach packs a variety of total body movements into your workout that aims to raise your heart rate and maintain the increased level for 5-10 minutes.

Some full body cardio exercises include:

● mountain climbers

● battling ropes

● jump squat circuits.

These exercises allow you to build more muscle and burn calories, while you to get the most bang for your buck as it relates to time efficient and effective cardio exercises.

Maintain Consistent Cardio for Endurance Training

Whether your goal is to achieve a personal best at this year’s turkey trot or you’re planning to start the New Year with a triathlon or long distance running race, consistent cardio exercises are the key to any training program. There is no doubt about it that in order to prepare your body for a long endurance event, you have to put in the mileage. If you are signed up to run a half marathon in January, then you have to prepare your body for the wear and tear of pounding pavement for two hours by running (not walking, elliptical, biking) the mileage laid out for you in your training plan.

However, if you find yourself lacking motivation half way through your training program, you can mix up your weekly workouts by incorporating some hill and interval training to not only build muscle and endurance, but also keep you mentally engaged throughout your training program. Just make sure to plan appropriate rest days after the more intense training sessions to give your body time to recuperate and prepare for the big race day.

Another tactic for keeping you on track for successfully completing your training plan is to take your cardio training outdoors whenever possible. In the winter months this isn’t always an option, but if you can hit the trails early in the morning before a snow storm rolls in or later in the afternoon when temperatures have reached a reasonable level, research from West Virginia University found that training outdoors makes you 52 percent more likely to exercise more regularly.

Whether your goals this season are to combat the belly bounce, build more muscle or successfully train for an upcoming endurance event, incorporating high intensity cardio into your fitness routine will not only make you feel better and look better, but also perform better in any of your upcoming endeavors. Contact your local Fitness Together studio today to start building cardio into your overall fitness and wellness routine.

Summer Shape-Up Strategies for a Fit, Healthy Body

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 15:53:00 -0500

Spring is in the air, the flowers are blooming, the birds are chirping, and the grass is getting greener… all signs that summer is right around the corner. Summer is beach body season, so START TODAY to shake off the winter doldrums and “spring” into your health and fitness action mode. Perhaps you’ve gotten off track with your New Year’s resolutions or maybe you still have a little work to do getting your body ready to bare some skin this summer season (think bathing suits and shorts—yikes!). Yep, the long days of summer fun are nearing, but fortunately there’s still plenty of time for your summer shape-up. Here are five tips to get you looking buff on the beach: 1. Get out your summer clothes NOW, try them on, and take a good hard look in the mirror. This simple act will help you focus, take control, and get motivated to set up an action plan with your fitness trainer TODAY. 2. Be realistic. If you want to lose some weight for summer, aim for a maximum of 1 to 2 pounds a week. This way you will not be losing any of your hard-earned metabolism-boosting muscle mass along with the fat. 3. No fad diets required! Get your body beach-ready, living by the mantra Eat healthy, eat light, and eat often. Practice this approach with the support of your nutrition and fitness consultant and you’ll be getting fit for summer the healthy way. 4. Make strength-training sessions a priority in your life. There is no better prescription for minimizing the jiggle and maximizing the shapely muscle tone than getting in strength training sessions a minimum of three times per week. 5. Remember, there is no quick fix or magic bullet for achieving your health and fitness goals. The best recipe for success and looking your best on the beach this summer is a three-pronged approach: • Strength-train a minimum of three times a week. • Get in at least 30 minutes of cardio most days of the week (and preferably daily). • Eat healthy, eat light, and eat often. Follow these five tips with the support of Fitness Together and you’ll surely be “springing” into action. A Fitness Together trainer will develop a program designed to meet your specific goals. You’ll also receive nutritional counseling through the Nutrition Together program, which will complement your workouts. To find the Fitness Together studio nearest you, visit http://corp.fitnesstogher.com. Let Fitness Together help you make this “summer of ‘11” your best yet!

Lose Your Fear of Lifting

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 18:45:00 -0500

Lose Your Fear of Lifting

Boost Your Bone Health

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 06:22:00 -0600

1. Add Plyo Power. Mix up your regular routine by incorporating jumping activities such as skipping rope and tennis, one or two days a week. These explosive movements have been found much more beneficial to bones than non-weight-bearing activities like cycling and swimming.

2. Increase Your Greens. Get into the habit of eating fresh, dark green leafy vegetables everyday. They can help you reach your calcium quota of 1,000 milligrams per day. For example, two cups of cooked spinach provides 490 milligrams of calcium.

3. Take a Noontime Stroll. For healthy, strong bones, you need vitamin D to be able to absorb calcium from your food. Your skin makes an adequate amount of vitamin D after 10 to 15 minutes outside. Alternatively, if it’s cloudy out, try eating sardines for lunch – just a two-ounce serving with bones provides 109 IU of vitamin D.

4. Cut Down on Caffeine. Too much can negatively affect bone and joint health, so try to limit yourself to a maximum of two cups of coffee per day.

Full Article

Sedantary Job? Try Pedaling at Your Desk

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 06:21:00 -0600

Portable bicycle-like devices that allow people to pedal at their desks or workstations could counter some of the negative effects of sedentary behavior on the job, a new study says.

Researchers reached that conclusion after giving 18 full-time workers a portable pedaling exercise machine specifically designed to be used while seated at a desk or workstation, and let the volunteers keep the devices for four weeks.

The average age of the volunteers was 40 and most were female and overweight, working sedentary jobs that required them to spend 75% of their working day sitting at a workstation or desk.

Pedaling Pounds Away

The participants used the pedal machines on average 12 out of a possible 20 working days, for an average of 23 minutes a day, according to information downloaded from computers that were wired to the portable exercise bicycles.

The computers provided real-time feedback on pedal speed, distance covered, and calories burned, so the volunteers were able to monitor their activity while exercising. The distance covered per day ranged from a third of a mile to almost 13.5 miles, with 9 to more than 500 calories burned in the process.

Pedaling on the Job May Not Affect Work Quality or Productivity

The volunteers said the pedaling machine had no effect on their productivity or the quality of their work. The researchers say the novelty of the pedaling machine “appeared to wear off over time,” but the volunteers maintained the intensity of the physical activity over the four-week period. The authors say just 23 minutes of pedaling a day could improve the health of people in similar desk-bound jobs.

Full Article

Top Strength Training and Flexibility Mistakes

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 07:25:00 -0600

Strength-Training Slipups

1. Rushing your reps. Doing weight-lifting repetitions too fast raises your blood pressure and increases your risk for joint injury. It also compromises your results. "The safest way to use strength machines or dumbbells is: in lifting phase, exhale for two counts and hold briefly at the top of the contraction, then return as you inhale for four counts," says Pillarella. "Always exhale during the hardest part of the work."

2. Giving your abs a free ride. Many people do crunches or abdominal machine workouts without ever toning their abdomens. The problem is that they're using the upper torso, neck, and head to do the work.

"Do mindful exercise," says Pillarella. "The contraction should be from the ribcage to the hip bone. Put your mind into the muscles that are working, and keep all the other muscles quiet."

3. Doing lackluster lat pull-downs. On this machine, you're seated with a bar overhead. Some people stick their heads forward and pull the bar down behind their heads. But doing it this way could injure your spine or neck -- and your back won't get that coveted "V" look.

Instead, "pull the bar down in front of your shoulders and chest, and put your mind into muscle contractions in your back," says Pillarella.

4. Using maladjusted machines. Weight machines are made for people of all shapes and sizes. You must adjust them to fit if you want to get results and avoid injury.

Flexibility Flubs

1. Stretching cold muscles. Stretching before your warm up puts you at risk for pulled or torn muscles. "Always stretch at the end of your workout," says Pillarella.

2. Bouncing. Bouncing during a stretch can increase your risk of straining or pulling muscles, Pillarella says. Instead, "hold a static stretch with no movement at the joints. Your body should feel lengthened but not to the point of pain."

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Don't Let These Mistakes Slow You Down

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 07:24:00 -0600

Don't Let These Mistakes Slow You Down

WebMd Feature

1. Doing the "gym slouch."

"We see many people in the gym leaning on equipment," says Debi Pillarella, MEd, a spokeswoman for the American Council on Exercise. "We call it 'gym slouch': They're on the Stairmaster, [elliptical cross trainer], or treadmill, leaning over, and hanging on for dear life." When your back is rounded, your spine doesn't get enough support. So stand erect when you're working out on one of these machines.

2. Getting a grip.

Holding on too tightly to the cardio equipment lets you "cheat" and contributes to slouching. It also keeps you from moving your arms -- which can boost your heart rate and burn extra calories. If loosening your grip makes you feel insecure, try this technique Pillarella teaches at Community Hospital Fitness Pointe in Munster, Ind. "Instead of gripping, just rest your fingers, from your index finger to the pinkie, on the bars. As you get more comfortable, drop a finger. Eventually, you may have just the index fingers resting there for security."

3. Catching up on your reading.

If you're doing lots of reading on the elliptical machine, you're probably not getting a good workout, says Julie Isphording, host of the radio shows Fitness Information Talk and On Your Feet. "If you must read, stop about every three minutes and do a four-minute focus interval," she says. During this interval, "concentrate on picking up the pace, dropping your shoulders, breathing, and using your arms."

4. Walking with weights.

Carrying hand weights when you walk might seem like a good way to add strength training to your cardio workout, but it compromises your stride. "You lean forward, and it stresses the quads, ankles, and shins, and can cause stress fractures," Isphording says. "Keep your cardio and strength training separate."

5. Thinking cardio is enough.

Many people think they need only a cardiovascular exercise program. "We begin losing muscle at age 30," says Isphording. "Strength training builds muscles, which increases metabolism and burns more calories."

Managing Sore Muscles, Aches and Pains

Fri, 11 Feb 2011 06:19:00 -0600

What's Causing My Sore Muscles?

It's normal to have sore muscles after you work out, play sports, or even do housework, especially if:

1. You did an activity you're not used to (like running a marathon when you normally jog just a few miles).

2. You suddenly kicked up your exercise intensity level or increased the length of your workout.

3. You did eccentric exercises, in which you lengthened instead of shortened your muscle (like walking downhill or extending your arm during a bicep curl). These changes to your exercise routine can lead to tiny injuries called microdamage in the muscle fibers and connective tissue. About a day later, you'll start to feel sore. The good news is that when you do the same activity again, your muscles will start to get used to it.

What's Causing My Joint Pain?

When your joints feel sore and achy, that's usually a sign of osteoarthritis. This inflammatory condition becomes more common as you get older. The cartilage that normally cushions the joints wears away, leaving the joints inflamed and painful. Joint pain can also be caused by overuse or injury -- for example, tennis elbow or a knee injury caused by a ligament or meniscal problem.

Treating Sore Muscles and Joint Pain

One big question a lot of people have when they're nursing sore muscles is whether to use heat or ice. Experts say indirect ice is best for immediate relief. Icing the sore area right after the activity will reduce inflammation, then using heat later allows for increased blood flow to the area. Heat also can help relieve joint pain.

Full Article

Flat Bellies: Tips That REALLY Work

Sat, 15 Jan 2011 11:19:00 -0600

Had a little too much comfort and joy this past holiday season? Maybe you’ve put on a few pounds around the middle? The summer bathing suit season is just around the corner, so now is the time to do what it takes to get rid of that holiday pooch once and for all!

Why do some of us gain weight around the middle and others not?

Where you tend to store body fat is related primarily to your genetic disposition. If you have an excessive amount of body fat, and heredity dictates storage around the middle, then unfortunately you will gain fat in the abdominal area. That said, many women notice abdominal weight gain when they go through menopause. This is because hormonal shifts can change the way the body breaks down and stores fat—hence a redistribution of body fat and the tendency for it to accumulate in the belly as women grow older. This tendency is particularly unhealthy, as excessive abdominal fat, especially the deep abdominal fat—called visceral fat—increases the risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and certain cancers.

What really works to get rid of stubborn belly fat?

The good news in the battle of belly bulge is that there are three scientifically proven lifestyle changes you CAN make that when combined together are the best way to attack that fat around the middle and flatten your belly.

Three Tips for a Flat Stomach:

Eat a nutritious, calorie-controlled diet. Excess body fat, whether it’s in the stomach or the thighs, is the result of routinely consuming more calories than you expend. Now is the time to change those unhealthy eating habits. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and good fats. Eat breakfast, don’t skip meals, drink lots of calorie-free liquid, and eat small, frequent, lighter meals at home. Watch your portion sizes and calculate your daily calorie intake to ensure you’re eating the right amount to lose body fat at a safe rate.
Daily cardio exercise. Calorie-burning cardio exercise is one of the best ways to target stubborn belly fat. This is because stomach fat is more metabolically active and when you exercise, you target that area for fuel. What’s more, when you burn those calories up, you reduce your percentage of body fat, thereby shrinking those belly fat cells. This will allow you to see those abdominal muscles you’ve worked so hard in the gym to define.
Strength training. While you can’t “spot reduce” belly fat, you CAN strengthen and tone the abdominal muscles. That way, once you lose that extra fat around the tummy, you’ll be able to clearly see that toned flat stomach. Keep in mind that a single abdominal exercise won’t make a flabby stomach into washboard abs! Plus, there are certain abdominal exercises that are much more effective in strengthening and tightening the middle than others. Your flat tummy workout should incorporate exercises that target both the deeper and the lower abdominal muscles. For example, the rectus abdominus muscle is the most common target of abdominal exercises such as crunches. This is a postural muscle; it’s also a paired muscle that runs vertically and has distinct segments on each side. The rectus is responsible for the “six-pack” visible in toned athletes. Another important “core” muscle is the transverse abdominus, buried deep beneath the rectus. This muscle, though often neglected, also helps flatten the stomach. It runs horizontally and acts like a girdle, strengthening the core and decreasing risk of back injury.

Creating REAL CHANGE: How to form positive habits and a NEW YOU!

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 00:25:00 -0600

Saturday when you take a walk. Select a time of day (maybe first thing in the morning) when you don’t have conflicts or distractions and you know you can always get it done. Before you know it you’ll

be out walking 6 days a week. Then, find that special time for walking on Sunday.

There are indeed things that Ever wonder why some people get great results from their workouts or their normal eating routine? What makes them different? How do they do it? Usually it’s 1 or 2 simple habits.

All of us face two choices in life and it usually pertains to what we control and what we don’t. Sometimes in life, we have challenges beyond our control, yet we allow the challenges to influence the things we do have control over. When it comes to regular workouts and healthful eating, many people feel they have barriers, which prevent them from regular workouts. These can be work, schedule, the need for more time with family, long commutes, and even boredom and fatigue. Some can’t be helped at all: personal injuries or illness, caring for elderly patients, feeding the teenagers each evening and there are many more. But barriers should not stop you from implementing positive changes to secure a long and healthy life.

What is a ‘fence sitter’? That is a person who only puts their foot halfway in the water, or half way to a commitment. Well, now’s the first of the year and time to make some positive changes to your lifestyle.

You can surely find 1-2 things that YOU DO CONTROL and attack those. Make them positive habits that you always think about. Then pick two more! Before you know it you are on your way to a new you.

I knew a nurse who said that her challenge was eating cake at work. With 40 fellow staff members, seldom did a week go by without a cake or party celebrating a birthday, wedding anniversary or birth. What did she do? She found a few charities that the staff could get behind and at every party they decided to donate $1 in that person’s name instead of buying and eating cake. At the end of the year they had over $1000 for charity and celebrated an end to eating cake!

It’s hard to change your diet overnight, but you can form one or two new habits every month and change your life. Try eating healthier tips such as these: ½ a sandwich instead of a whole at lunch. Swear off fried foods. No soda. One piece of fruit per day. Cut-back or eliminate the alcoholic drinks.

Maybe you can’t workout every day, but an easy way to start is to find a buddy or co-worker and walk together at lunch. Then make sure you go out every day. If the weather’s bad – look for an indoor mall or other enclosed facility. After you’re in the habit of going 5 days a week, carve out some time each you can control in life that will make you healthier and ultimately happier. Start with only 1-2 things that you can control and then go to work on them. You’ll soon see your world change!

Creating Your 2011 New Year’s Resolution Recipe for Success

Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:24:00 -0600

It’s that time of year again when many of us make New Year’s resolutions to improve our health and well-being. Unfortunately, we often have a tough time sticking to our goals, and by the time Valentine’s Day rolls around, our best-laid plans may have gone by the wayside. That’s why now is the time to create your recipe for New Year’s resolution success.

According to the dictionary, a “resolution” means both a firm decision and a firmness of purpose, or determination. The decision part of the resolution equation should be planned out carefully. Here are five tried and true tips for New Year’s resolution success that incorporate both decision and determination:

Set attainable goals. The biggest mistake people usually make in outlining their New Year’s resolutions is to set unattainable goals. Try to set achievable goals so that you’re ensured of success. It’s important to understand that big changes come from a combination of many small changes over time. Instead of making a New Year’s resolution to lose 30 pounds (and you haven’t been at that goal weight since high school), why not set a goal to lose 5 pounds by Valentine’s Day?
Get support from a personal trainer. Change is always easier to accomplish when another person is cheering you on. Two heads are better than one when it comes to making decisions and the determination to complete your goals. Share your resolution verbally with someone you trust. Talk about your plans with another person and review them often, together. A verbal commitment can help people cement a firm decision in their mind.
Plan ahead and outline a schedule for getting you to your goal. Tracking your progress is extremely helpful for keeping you on target. It also allows your support person or trainer to help you more efficiently. And don’t forget to reward yourself with small gifts for succeeding with your weekly “mini-goals.”
Never strive for perfection. Everyone has a temporary blip where they fall off the horse occasionally, especially under times of duress. Lapses are an important part of the process of making successful permanent changes. Share these temporary setbacks with your trainer and it will ultimately help you to strengthen your resolve.

Visualize yourself after you’ve attained your goals. Visualization can be a strong motivational tool for many people, particularly when they “see” the positive rewards of making those behavioral changes

Tis the Season to Be Jolly and FIT

Sat, 01 Jan 2011 00:10:00 -0600

While the holidays can be a joyous time of the year, they can also be disastrous for our fitness and healthy eating routines. 'Tis the season for shopping, cookie baking, decorating, and parties—lots of parties with rich food everywhere. Do you ever wonder why some people manage to stay vibrant, happy, and fit over the holidays, appearing to let holiday stress roll off them like the rooftop icing on the gingerbread cake? You can be one of these holiday fitness success stories, too. Here are some simple tips to add sparkle to your holiday cheer by giving yourself the gift of health this season.

Three Tips for Sticking to Your Fitness Routine

During this oh so hectic time of year, a personal trainer can be very supportive. You can make a contract with a trainer to plan and be accountable for your fitness routine using a triple-pronged approach: daily cardio; strength training at least three days a week; and eating healthy, eating light, and eating often. Let’s take a closer look at the three pieces of a good fitness routine and see how you can work them into your holiday schedule.

1. Daily cardio. Set a regular time every day to get those sneakers on and get out there and move a little! No marathons required. Just a thirty-minute dog walk, a few flights of stairs, or an extra few loops around the shopping mall will make a huge difference in balancing out your calories and shaving off stress. Your daily cardio will also give you energy, which will help keep your holiday demeanor bright.

2. Strength workouts. If sticking to your regular workout regimen during the holidays seems daunting, think of it this way: Carving out that time for you, and just for you, will not only help keep you healthy and fit but bring back routine into a time of year that lacks routine—often with negative health consequences. By making a commitment to keep your fitness up, you’ll benefit both physically and mentally. Impress your family and friends by looking and feeling your best this holiday as a direct result of maintaining your workout regimen and staying accountable to your trainer.

3. Nutrition. The holidays are not a good time to try and lose weight! A much more realistic goal is to simply maintain your fitness level and body weight. You can accomplish this goal by planning ahead to enjoy small portions of your favorite holiday treats while eating healthy and light most of the time. Balance out those extra calories by maintaining your daily cardio and strength workouts so that you can partake in the holiday festivities without any deprivation.

Make a plan to stay accountable during this “dangerous” six-week time period and when the New Year rolls around, you’ll have given yourself and your family the gift of staying vibrant, happy, and fit over the holidays, which is ultimately the best gift of all—the gift of good health!

Light Eggnog Holiday Makeover Recipe

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 00:16:00 -0600

Creamy and delicious, with zero fat!

2 small ripe bananas, peeled

1 cup fat-free milk

½ tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp rum extract

Makes 1 serving

Put all the ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Pour into a festive cup and enjoy!

Nutritional Information Per Serving (~ 1 cup):
Food Weight: 2.0, Calories: 190, Total Fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 130 mg,
Total Carbohydrate: 31 g, Dietary Fiber: 4 g, Sugars: 30 g, Protein: 11 g

Fitness Together can help you with your holiday fitness and eating routines. Contact Fitness Together today to set up a personal training program. At Fitness Together you will also get the Nutrition Together program which is a customized plan for healthy eating which complements their 1 on 1 personal training sessions. To find the Fitness Together near you to fitnesstogether.com

Tips for Avoiding Holiday Weight Gain

Wed, 15 Dec 2010 00:11:00 -0600

Gobble, gobble…that’s your cue that the holidays are upon us and it’s time to start putting on the brakes NOW before the real damage is done. The old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” really applies to the holiday season. The following tips will help you fend off that holiday weight gain so that you won’t end this season with a New Year’s resolution to lose those added holiday pounds!

How Much Weight Do We Really Gain?

Most people think the average American gains about 5 pounds over the holidays. In actuality, most of us gain an average of 1 pound (5 pounds for overweight people) between Thanksgiving Day and New Year’s Day.¹ The problem is, we fail to lose that 1 pound of holiday weight gain, which adds up to many excess pounds over the years.

Why Do So Many of Us Gain Weight over the Holidays?

When you think about it, the holidays really boil down to just three days: Thanksgiving, Christmas (or Chanukah), and New Year’s. If you gorge only on those three days, you probably wouldn’t cause too much damage. However, many of us take on that holiday mentality of six weeks of nonstop feasting and putting our regular exercise routine on the back burner. Plus, let’s face it, this time of year is very hectic and stress filled—many commitments compete for our precious time. So start now to strategize how you’ll move yourself to the top of your Christmas gift list by making you and your fitness and healthy eating habits a priority.

Five Tips for Fending Off Holiday Weight Gain

Get off the “I’m on a diet” mindset. Now is no time to diet—in fact, a wonderful goal for the next six weeks is to simply maintain your current body weight so that the number on the scale reads the same on New Year’s Day as it does on Thanksgiving. You can accomplish this by allowing yourself (and planning ahead for) indulging in small amounts of your favorite holiday treats. But be sure to make sensible eating choices the rest of the time.

Exercise more to offset holiday overeating. Don’t let your shopping and party commitments squeeze out your workouts. Now more than ever is when you need to up your physical activity so that you can balance out the extra holiday splurges. If you have an exercise partner or a personal trainer, make a “contract” with them to get an extra weekly workout in to cover your inevitable holiday indulgences.
Follow good eating guidelines: Eat breakfast, don’t skip meals, drink all your calorie-free liquid, and eat small, frequent, lighter meals at home. Carry healthy snacks like fruits and veggies and light yogurt, and never, ever arrive HUNGRY at an event where holiday treats are being served. These yummy delights are impossible to resist when one is famished. Before you go, appease your appetite with some light snacks such as whole-grain crackers and string cheese, veggies and hummus dip, or a glass of tomato juice. And don’t forget to bring your own “lighter” holiday makeover dish to the party.
Use only small plates and load up on salad first if you attend a buffet. Take small tastes of the food and eat only what you love.
Limit alcohol consumption (liquid calories). Alcohol is highly caloric, plus it can sabotage your best laid plans by affecting your judgment. After a few drinks it’s much harder to refrain from eating all those rich gooey desserts. If you do drink, stick with the lighter choices: A 4-ounce wine or champagne weighs in at just 80 calories versus a 5-ounce cocktail, a heavy 300 calories. Try alternating an alcoholic drink with a sparkling water and lime.

The Gift of Health

Remember what the holidays are all about. Focus less on the food and drinks and more on celebrating the beauty of the season and the company of the people you love—your family and friends. Give yourself the gift of health this holiday season by sticking with your fitness routine and planning ahead to curb excessive overeating.

3 Ways to Kick the Habit ... of Skipping Workouts

Thu, 02 Dec 2010 11:20:00 -0600

Trying to get into an exercise habit, but finding you’re more in the habit of making excuses? You can break out of that pattern with these tips from fitness experts on staying motivated and sticking to your fitness routine. Our Fitness Together trainers and studio owners recommend these three strategies to help you stay inspired to work out regularly.

1. Keep your eye on the prize. You must have a very strong “why” you are doing it. Always connect to that “why,” especially when things get tough or you get busy. If your goal is to get back into your favorite jeans, hang them on the outside of your closet where you’ll see them every morning when you wake up. For an extra nudge, pin up an old photo of yourself wearing them. Or, if you’re working toward a health goal such as lowering your blood pressure or relieving chronic back pain, mark your improvements on a chart posted on the fridge. Or tape a photo on your bathroom mirror of someone who’s achieved a goal you’re striving toward. Think fit, healthy-looking people your age playing tennis, climbing a mountain, training for a triathlon, running a 5K, or skiing with their kids!

2. Schedule a consistent workout time. Set a regular time that fits into your daily and weekly schedule, and prioritize it just like you would a meeting with your boss or a top client. Think of it this way: Skipping out on your commitment to take good care of yourself means sooner or later you’ll start feeling depleted and run-down, with nothing left to give to those who count on you. Sticking to your fitness regimen not only helps keep you healthy, but also refills your well of physical and mental energy. So you’re more likely to be there and be “on” in your job, relationships, family and others who matter to you.

3. Use the power of a pro to keep you on track. You’re much less likely to be a no-show for your workout when someone’s waiting for you at the gym, track, pool, court …. Agree on a time and place to work out with a trainer. When someone’s there, waiting, and holding you accountable to your exercise commitment, it’s a mighty motivator. Scheduling sessions with a personal trainer creates an especially powerful incentive to work out: You’ll feel a natural desire to make your trainer proud, and to respect the time commitment he or she blocked out to work with you. That’s powerful inspiration when you’re mulling whether to pull the sheets back over your head or pull on those gym shoes!

Tips for Avoiding Holiday Weight Gain

Wed, 17 Nov 2010 00:13:00 -0600

How Much Weight Do We Really Gain?

Why Do So Many of Us Gain Weight over the Holidays?

Five Tips for Fending Off Holiday Weight Gain

Get off the “I’m on a diet” mindset. Now is no time to diet—in fact, a wonderful goal for the next six weeks is to simply maintain your current body weight so that the number on the scale reads the same on New Year’s Day as it does on Thanksgiving. You can accomplish this by allowing yourself (and planning ahead for) indulging in small amounts of your favorite holiday treats. But be sure to make sensible eating choices the rest of the time.
Exercise more to offset holiday overeating. Don’t let your shopping and party commitments squeeze out your workouts. Now more than ever is when you need to up your physical activity so that you can balance out the extra holiday splurges. If you have an exercise partner or a personal trainer, make a “contract” with them to get an extra weekly workout in to cover your inevitable holiday indulgences.
Follow good eating guidelines: Eat breakfast, don’t skip meals, drink all your calorie-free liquid, and eat small, frequent, lighter meals at home. Carry healthy snacks like fruits and veggies and light yogurt, and never, ever arrive HUNGRY at an event where holiday treats are being served. These yummy delights are impossible to resist when one is famished. Before you go, appease your appetite with some light snacks such as whole-grain crackers and string cheese, veggies and hummus dip, or a glass of tomato juice. And don’t forget to bring your own “lighter” holiday makeover dish to the party.
Use only small plates and load up on salad first if you attend a buffet. Take small tastes of the food and eat only what you love.
Limit alcohol consumption (liquid calories). Alcohol is highly caloric, plus it can sabotage your best laid plans by affecting your judgment. After a few drinks it’s much harder to refrain from eating all those rich gooey desserts. If you do drink, stick with the lighter choices: A 4-ounce wine or champagne weighs in at just 80 calories versus a 5-ounce cocktail, a heavy 300 calories. Try alternating an alcoholic drink with a sparkling water and lime.

The Gift of Health

Exercise Your Way to a Healthy Heart

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 12:42:00 -0500

Exercise Your Way to a Healthy Heart

Physical inactivity is just as big a risk factor for heart disease as high blood pressure and smoking are. So, be the exception rather than the rule. Exercise for a healthier heart.

8 ways to help your heart

Look at all the ways exercise can help your heart:

Reduces your risk of developing heart disease
Lowers your risk of developing high blood pressure
Lowers blood pressure in some people who have high blood pressure
Raises your HDL ("good") cholesterol level
Lowers your LDL ("bad") cholesterol level
Lowersthe amount of triglycerides, a form of fat, in your bloodstream
Helps you lose extra weight, which can strain your heart
Makes your heart and lungs work more effectively

Over time, fat and cholesterol can build up in your blood vessels. When arteries that supply the heart and brain with blood become clogged, a heart attack can occur. Exercise can help keep the blood vessels open. This can help prevent heart disease.

Added benefits

Exercise may also protect against stroke. Walking, stair climbing, dancing, jogging and other activities of at least moderate intensity also reduce stroke risk.

Plus, exercise can help you prevent or manage several chronic diseases that become more common with age: type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and arthritis.

Both your body and mind can benefit from exercise. Exercise can help you manage stress. It's not clear whether stress affects the heart directly or has an effect on other risk factors and behaviors that affect the heart. These may include blood pressure, cholesterol levels, smoking and overeating. Cutting down on stress, however, can at least make your life more enjoyable. Exercise can also boost your self-image and help counter anxiety and depression.

To continue reading this article visit yahoohealth.com and search "Exercise Your Way to a Healthy Heart."

Top 6 Exercise Excuses and How to Beat Them

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 12:39:00 -0500

Exercise Excuse No. 1: "I Don't Have Time."

"How much television do you watch?" asks Walter Thompson, PhD, professor of kinesiology and health at Georgia State University. During your shows, use resistance bands, or walk in place. Or use Tivo so you can skip the commercials and see a one-hour show later in just 40 minutes, says James Hill, PhD, co-founder of the National Weight Control Registry: "That's 20 minutes right there." Better yet, turn off the TV and spend your newfound time working out. If it's work that's sapping all your spare time, try exercising on the job. Close your office door and jump rope for 10 minutes, or walk in place, Thompson suggests. Your exercise doesn't have to be a formal workout either. Try making small lifestyle changes that help you move more: take the stairs instead of the escalator, don't drive when you can walk, and get a pedometer and try to increase the number of steps you take throughout the day. The U.S. Surgeon General recommends at least 150 minutes of aerobic activity per week, which may sound daunting, but actually works out to a little over 20 minutes each day. The good news is that three 10-minute exercise sessions work just about as well as one 30-minute one, and can be much easier to fit into your schedule. People who exercise regularly "make it a habit," says Hill, who is director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado, Denver. "They haven't bought any more time during the day than anyone else. What we've done is prioritize it. We find time for things we value."

Exercise Excuse No. 2: "I'm Too Tired."

It may sound counterintuitive, but working out actually gives you more energy, says Marisa Brunett, a certified athletic trainer in Orlando, Fla, and spokeswoman for the National Athletic Trainers Association. Once you get moving, your fatigue will likely disappear. "You're getting the endorphins [feel-good hormones in your body] to release,” says Brunett. "And you're getting the circulation going -- as opposed to coming home and crashing on the couch." It may help to work out in the morning, before you get wiped out by a demanding workday, says kinesiologist Lynette Craft, PhD, assistant professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University. But if you're just not a morning person, don't worry. Brunett, who likes to work out in the middle or end of the day herself, recommends doing it whenever you feel best.

Exercise Excuse No. 3: "I Don't Get a Break From the Kids."

The answer is to multitask, experts say. "Take the kids with you," says Hill. While they're swinging, you can walk around the playground or the backyard, or jump rope. Walk the kids to school instead of driving them. During their soccer games or practices, walk briskly around the field. Use your family time for active pursuit, Brunett suggests. Go biking with your kids, put up a badminton net in the yard, sign up as a family for "fun runs," or just walk around the neighborhood with your children. When the weather's bad, try active video games like Dance Dance Revolution, Wii Sport, and Wii Fit. And remember that your fitness is good for your kids as well as you. "When mom or dad is more fit, has more energy, the whole family benefits,” says psychologist Christina Recascino, PhD, a professor in the human factors department at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Exercise Excuse No. 4: "Exercise Is Boring."

Exercise Excuse No. 5: "I Just Don't Like to Move."

Exercise Excuse No. 6: "I Always End up Quitting."

If you are interested in learning to beat excuses 4 through 6, visit WebMD.com and search "Top 6 Exercise Excuses and How to Beat Them" under fitness.

By Karen Springen
WebMD Feature

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

Outsmart pesky cravings

Wed, 20 Oct 2010 13:39:00 -0500

Understanding how and why we crave foods may be the key to resisting them.

We’ve all been there: One minute you are sitting idly, minding your own business when – BAM! – a craving strikes that’s so intense, you can’t think of anything else. Why and when we crave certain foods has been debated for years, but scientists are coming close to an answer. As you might have guessed, cravings are all in your head. Research shows that how strong your cravings are depends on how vividly you can imagine them. Look at it this way: When you are intensely thinking about a forbidden treat, it can take up the majority of your brainpower, and concentrating on other tasks becomes downright difficult. That’s why when you suddenly want a piece of chocolate, only a piece of chocolate will do, and everything else takes a backseat to the visions of bon bons dancing in your head. Luckily, you can use the same logic to thwart those random snack attacks. Distracting yourself with thoughts that aren’t food-related can quash cravings. The next time a bag of chips or a gooey cinnamon bun comes calling, try one of these simple craving busters:

1. Pop a piece of sugar-free peppermint gum into your mouth. The feeling of clean teeth will prevent you from noshing on unhealthy snacks, and the scent has been proven to reduce appetites.

2. Take a quick walk around the neighborhood and soak in your surroundings. The beautiful flowers, yapping dogs and clear skies can take your mind off of that nagging internal itch.

3. Intense exercise has been shown to reduce your appetite. Hop on your bike or grab some weights for a 30-minute sweat session. Cravings? What cravings?

4. Sniff some eucalyptus. Just thinking of this scent was found to be successful in a cravings study.

5. Try accupressure. Some believe that accupressure can help alleviate stubborn cravings. Place two fingers below your ear where your jaw hinges. Open your mouth until you feel a bump, then press and hold.
http://oxygenmag.com/whywecrave

Do You Have Sitting Disease?

Wed, 06 Oct 2010 13:36:00 -0500

Too much time sitting down may spell bad news for your health. Here are 11 solutions.

Chances are, you're reading this article sitting down. And if you're like most computer users, you've been in your chair for a while.

You're probably inactive for more of your day than you realize. Do you sit in your car while commuting to an eight-hour-a-day desk job, then unwind in front of the television all evening? Do you depend on email, direct-deposit paychecks, and online shopping to accomplish tasks that would have required you to run errands 10 or 20 years ago?

If so, then you may have "sitting disease." That's the new buzzword for a sedentary lifestyle, which may put your health at risk.

A growing body of research shows that long periods of physical inactivity raise your risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and obesity. In January 2010, British experts linked prolonged periods of sitting to a greater likelihood of disease. And that same month, Australian researchers reported that each hour spent watching TV is linked to an 18% increase in the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, perhaps because that time is spent sitting down.

You're Meant to Move

"Human beings evolved as a walking entity, exploring the world on our feet," says James Levine, MD, PhD, professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and author of Move a Little, Lose a Lot.

"The strangest thing in the world is that people spend all day scrunched in a chair. It's a form of physical entrapment," says Levine, who walks his talk. He strolled on a treadmill in his office at a 1 mile-per-hour pace while being interviewed for this article.

Levine's advice: Fight sitting disease by taking steps to become more physically active. But how do you actually do that when you're locked into a lot of sitting time at work and getting around town?

Beat Sitting Disease: 11 Simple Solutions

It's possible to drastically revamp your life to become more physically active – adding an expensive treadmill to your office or home, placing a new exercise bike in front of the television, hiring a personal trainer. But there are also simpler, less costly solutions.

Get NEAT. Levine recommends studding your day with nonexercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT), which includes stretching, turning, and bending. Aim for 10 minutes of NEAT each hour. "When I speak to the patient who is battling with [a sedentary lifestyle],'I can't afford the gym' is no longer a barrier," Levine says. "What I'm asking you to do doesn't cost anything. You integrate activity into your day, whether pacing around on the telephone, not using email, or taking the kids for a walk in the mall."
Think beyond your workout. Even if you exercise at lunch, you may still be sitting too much. "Getting one hour of exercise in the middle of the day is obviously going to be better than not doing anything, but that still leaves approximately seven hours of predominantly sitting during the workday," David Dunstan, PhD, tells WebMD in an email. "We have to have a whole-day approach to physical activity promotion," says Dunstan, who heads the physical activity laboratory in the division of metabolism and obesity at Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne, Australia. He led the study on TV time and the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.
Mix standing and sitting. Sitting constantly is unhealthy, but standing still for long stretches of time can cause problems, too, such as bad backs or sore feet. It's better to frequently shift between sitting and standing, Dunstan notes.
Take regular breaks. "Most people know that if they don't exercise, they'll gain weight, but they aren't motivated to become more active," says exercise physiologist Fabio Comana, spokesman for the American Council on Exercise in San Diego. Get yourself moving more often with small goals, he says. "Stretch out your entire body, all the muscles that are cramped. If you do it five or six times a day, you'll start to notice a difference."
Pretend it's 1985. Have a question for your co-worker down the hall? Don't shoot him an e-mail; walk to his cubicle and ask him face to face. Some companies have instituted email-free Fridays to get employees out of their chairs more often, Levine says.
Adopt new habits. Standing uses more muscles and burns more calories than sitting, so train yourself to stand whenever you talk on the telephone. Pace during staff meetings, if your boss will allow it. Ask friends to go for a walk during lunch instead of chatting in the break room. Use the stairs instead of the elevator.
Rearrange the office. Help your company encourage its employees to be more physically active without suggesting that they install treadmills at every workstation, Levine says. Start having walk-and-talk meetings with your co-workers, rather than conference room meetings. Move trash cans out of cubicles to make people walk to throw out garbage. Relocate water coolers by windows, where people will want to congregate.
Embrace new technology. Telecommute from a park on a sunny day, or walk around outside while participating in a conference call. "Instead of tying people to their desks, technology is starting to release people from their desks," Levine says, noting the widespread use of text messaging, laptops, and cell phones with wireless Internet access. "The evolution of technology allows people to be far more mobile."
End your workday with a bang, not a whimper. Prolonged sitting at work can tire you out, making you zone out as 5 p.m. approaches, Comana says. "But if you take a brisk, 15-minute walk in the afternoon, you'll be far more productive in your last two hours. If you're worried that you don't have time for a walk, you may be surprised that you get your work done more quickly afterwards."
Rethink your commute. It's dangerous to try to exercise while you're driving, but if you take a bus or train to work, you can stand, clench, and relax your muscles or get off a stop early and walk several blocks. If mass transit isn't an option, find a distant parking spot so you walk for a few minutes before and after work, Dunstan says.
Watch more television. That is, if you vow to be active when you watch. "It is not our objective at all to discourage people from watching TV," Levine says. Pull your dust-covered treadmill out of retirement, place it in front of the television and only allow yourself to watch when you're walking. No exercise equipment? March in place or tidy the room while watching. Just don't be a couch potato: Research shows that the longer you sit watching television, the greater your waist circumference, and the higher your risk is of dying from cardiovascular disease, Dunstan says.

This article and others can be found at WebMD and the following link:

http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/do-you-have-sitting-disease

10 Tips for Fall Fitness

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 13:35:00 -0500

10 Tips for Fall Fitness

How many New Year's Eves have you spent sipping champagne and vowing to get more fit in the coming year? And how many times have you failed to follow through?

"December 31 over a drink is too late to set goals and make promises," says Justin Price, owner of The Biomechanics, a personal training and wellness coaching facility in San Diego, Calif.

Fall, on the other hand, is a great time to start a fitness program because "'you're going to create good habits for the holiday season and the upcoming winter months," says Price.

Chris Freytag, a fitness instructor and fitness expert with Prevention magazine, agrees.

"With the change of seasons comes a renewed time to rethink and restart," she says. "'What's so special about January?"

Besides, says Freytag, a mother of three, moms with school-aged kids "think of September as the new year."

Here are 10 ways to start making the most of the season. And who knows? This year, you might be in great shape before that New Year's Eve party rolls around.

1. Take advantage of the weather. Fall can be a treat for the senses: the crisp air, apple picking, pumpkin carving, a gorgeous canopy of fall foliage, and the crunch of leaves underfoot. These months are a great time to exercise outdoors and enjoy cooler temperatures.

"Walking, hiking and cycling are all awesome in the fall," says Todd Durkin, MS, fitness coach and owner of Fitness Quest 10 in San Diego, Calif.

Discover park trails and take in some new scenery, whether you're walking, biking, or in-line skating, he suggests.

In places where snow falls early, try cross country skiing or snowshoeing. Or, if you live near the beach, get out and play volleyball, throw the Frisbee around, or play a vigorous game of fetch with your dog.

"It's a great time to do beach activities because it's so much less crowded," says Price.

If you're near a lake, try kayaking or canoeing, for an excellent whole-body workout and a great change of pace.

And remember, it doesn't have to seem like exercise to be a great workout.

"Raking leaves or doing some fall outdoor yard work is a great way to get the heart pumping, and it's great calorie-burning," says Freytag.

2. Think outside the box. Always wanted to learn to tap dance? Attempt to box? Master the jump rope? Ask any schoolchild: Fall is a great time to learn something new.

Many classes at gyms and elsewhere get started in the fall, so look around and see if something intrigues you.

And with the kids in school, parents have more time to check out those classes, Freytag says.

Fall is the perfect time to gain new physical skills, Price says, because you burn fewer calories when you begin a new activity (thanks to the learning curve). If you learn something new now, by next summer, you'll have mastered the skill -- and you'll burn more calories doing it, just in time for swimsuit season.

3. Be an active TV watcher. Many people get geared up for fall premieres of their favorite television shows, says Freytag. "If you're going to sit down and watch hours of TV, get moving," she suggests. "Make a date with exercise and TV."

While you watch, you can walk or run in place, do standing lunges, do tricep dips off the couch, or lift weights. During commercials, do push-ups or sit-ups. In a one-hour show, you probably have close to 20 minutes worth of commercial interruption.

4. Integrate exercise into your life. You already know the obvious suggestions: park farther away from your destination; take stairs instead of elevators; take a walk during your lunch break. Here are a few that are less obvious:

If you're spending the afternoon taking kids to soccer practice, instead of reading a book or visiting with another parent, "why not walk around the outside of the field while they practice?", suggests Price. "Or (if you feel comfortable) warm up and cool down with the kids."
Or try "walking meetings," like those Price and his colleagues at Biomechanics often hold. '"We go for a walk, we brainstorm, and we figure out who's going to take what responsibilities," says Price. "'Things get achieved much more quickly," he says, and everyone feels better for doing it.
You can even get moving while you get motivated -- for fitness or other life goals. '"Get some inspirational music or find a motivational talk and download it to your iPod," suggests Durkin. Walk while you listen for 30 minutes.

5. Rejuvenate yourself. Fall is the time to rejuvenate body, mind and spirit, says Durkin. Get a massage after your run. Learn to meditate. Take an art class. Treat yourself not just with exercise but other activities that promote wellness, he says, so you can feel good physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

6. Remember the 30-day rule. "'It takes about four weeks for the body to adapt to lifestyle changes," says Price. That's why people who give up on their fitness programs tend to do so within the first 30 days.

So, when the alarm goes off in the morning and it's darker and colder, don't roll over and hit the snooze button.

"Try to stick with a program for a month," Price says. "After a month, behavior patterns will have adapted and it will be much easier to stick with it after that."

7. Strive for the 3 Cs. Freytag calls commitment, convenience, and consistency "the three Cs", and says having all three will lead to a successful fitness program.

First, exercise takes commitment. When a client complains to Freytag about a lack of time, she responds: "Tell me something I haven't heard before. We're all busy; that's just part of our lives.

"You have to start planning exercise, just like you do everything else," like meetings, dinners, and getting kids to lessons and practice, she says. "Put in on the calendar, because later always turns into never."

Convenience means choosing a gym that's close by, or an activity you can do at home, or a time when you're not likely to be interrupted.

Finally, there's consistency. "I'd rather see a brand-new client work out for 10 minutes a day rather than one hour every month," Freytag says

8. Deal with darkness. The best way to enjoy fall is to exercise outdoors. But it is getting darker earlier, and staying dark later in the morning, so be smart and safe.

"Just because it's 6 p.m. (or a.m.) and dark doesn't mean you can't work out," says Durkin. If walking or running outdoors, he says, "wear a reflective vest and carry a flashlight."

When cycling, affix a light to your helmet or bike.

If possible, use trails or a local school track to avoid vehicle traffic. Try to work out at the same time every day, so drivers get used to seeing you.

9. Dress in layers. When exercising outside, layer your clothing. Before your body warms up, you may feel chilled, but once the blood gets pumping, you'll feel overdressed.

These days, there's no lack of great weather gear. Freytag and Price recommend clothing with wicking, often called "DriFit."' This fabric wicks moisture away from your skin so you're not exercising with wet fabric hanging on you.

Freytag suggests three layers: "The inner layer should be a moisture-wicking fabric, so it wicks away sweat and you're not chilled. The second layer should be a warmth layer, and the third layer should be a protective layer (like a windbreaker or rain slicker, depending on the weather)."

"And don't forget the sunglasses," she warns. UV protection is important year round. Fall sun can be blinding at certain times of the day.

10. Find your motivation. "People are motivated by different things," says Durkin. It's important to first discover what your individual goals are, whether it's losing weight, strengthening and toning, or preparing for a race or event, says Durkin.

But goals aren't enough to get you there; you have to be motivated by the day-to-day workouts, he says. So choose something you'll enjoy doing and will be likely to keep up, whether it's walking or hiking with a friend, working with a trainer, or taking part in a "boot camp" class.

Creating a challenge for yourself will motivate you, as will encouragement and accountability, he adds. "You want to know when you're doing a good job, and when you're not," says Durkin.

Remember too, that anything worth having takes work.

"Tell me something you can do three times a week for 10 minutes and be great at? It doesn't exist," he says. "If it was easy to be great, everybody would be great."

Article From WebMD.com

Even Healthy Tailgating Can be Fun!

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 13:34:00 -0500

As the days begin to shorten, the air begins to cool, and the leaves begin to fall from the trees, many sports fans think of football games. And, what would football be without a tailgate party? However, sometimes the fun of tailgating is shadowed by the fear of how to handle all the food.

There is no reason why you can't enjoy a tailgate party; you just need to do it wisely. The key to a fun and healthy tailgate party is being adventurous with food preparation. All foods can be enjoyed in moderation.

The following are some tips for successful, healthy tailgating:

Have a nutritious snack before going to the game. Fuel up on fruit, veggies, half a sandwich, or a big glass of water or diet drink.
Prepare some light finger food to bring to the tailgate party. Try a new recipe and create something tasty and low fat.
Take a step back from the food offerings and look at everything before digging in. This may help you to decide what foods you truly want to have. Take only the foods you will enjoy the most.
Think through your strategy. Try a half portion, have the burger without cheese, and try munching on pretzels instead of chips.
Take a seat! Instead of standing while eating, take a plate, sit down, and enjoy.
Have a drink on hand, such as water or diet soda. Liquids fill you up at a low cost to your calorie budget for the day.
Keep your mouth busy! Have some breath mints, gum, or sugar-free candy to decrease your need to eat more.
Balance is the key. No food is good or bad. All foods fit into your nutrition plan if you make sensible choices.
Remember that the first priority for the party is the event and the fellowship -- not the food.
The No. 1 tailgate tip -- be happy with your choices and enjoy!

In addition, you can take the chill off of a cool day and make chili using the leanest ground beef or ground turkey, including a variety of beans for color and nutrition. And, to satisfy hearty appetites, make a barbecue using skinned turkey or chicken breasts and a bottle of low-fat barbecue sauce.

For vegetarians, try grilling mushrooms, zucchini, sliced onions, and peppers. Marinating the vegetables in fat-free Italian dressing before grilling will add extra flavor. Other suggestions include preparing a veggie tray with low-fat or fat-free dip, or filling a basket with seasonal apples, grapes and pears. Crunchy snacks such as pretzels and baked chips are also always a good, low-fat choice.

If you are still hungry, you can top it off with healthy desserts. For instance, fruit kabobs with a fat-free frozen topping and pureed berries is a satisfying and healthy choice. Or, in place of butter or margarine, use applesauce (the no sugar added variety) when making your favorite brownies or cookies.

While preparing your tailgating food, you should be mindful of the following food safety tips:

Before, during, and after preparing your food, make sure you wash your hands, lathering them with warm soap and water for a full 20 seconds.
Include moist towelettes for guests to use or a hand sanitizer.
Be sure to pack meats in a sealed plastic bag to keep juices from contaminating other foods.
Keep two separate insulated coolers: one for drinks and one for foods. This will keep your foods chilled until you are ready to cook or serve them, especially with guests utilizing the drink cooler more frequently.
Pack foods in reverse order, so that the last ones packed will be the first ones used.
Include a thermometer if you are cooking raw meats, and be sure to cook to the proper temperature.
Toss all refrigerated foods that have been unrefrigerated for more than two hours. If the temperature is above 90 degrees Fahrenheit, toss them after one hour.

If you're sensible and include a variety of nutritious foods at your tailgate party, while incorporating smart food safety practices, you can't go wrong.

Click here to view article

10 Secrets That Make You a Winning Cyclist

Sun, 15 Aug 2010 11:54:00 -0500

1. Know how hard to train

Understand the terms ‘overreaching’ and ‘overtraining’ and use them to improve your performance. Distinguishing overtraining from overreaching is important, because overreaching is a very natural process when we train. Actually that is an advanced use of the super compensation principle.

2. Make a training plan

Plan your training and set a goal for your training. Find out how much time you can spend on training and how you can get the best results with the time you have. When you know what your goals are and what time you have to achieve your goals, it is time to make a detailed training program.

3. Power meter training

Measure your effort in watts and evaluate your training rides and races. A power meter is a very powerful tool, which gives you opportunity to make even better training plans. It is best way to follow your progress.

4. Strength training

Heavy and explosive lifting makes you more efficient and stronger. Use Cycling Training Tips’ strength training program for cyclists.

5. VO2 max intervals

Increase your maximum oxygen consumption. For a cyclist a large aerobic engine is essential. When you go for a ride you stimulate your aerobic system, but how much stimulation depend on the intensity you ride with. VO2 max intervals triggers a great response from your aerobic system.

6. Anaerobic intervals

Increase your anaerobic endurance. After only a few of these sessions your body will be better to work at an anaerobic environment. This skill is primarily used in competitions, where jumps and sprints demand anaerobic efforts. This art of training is very exhausting and therefore it should primary be used for competition preparation.

7. Sprint training

Get faster and more explosive. When it comes to true sprinters, genes play a big role. Sprinters are born to be sprinters. It is said that you can make a slow donkey to a faster donkey, but you can never make a donkey to a race horse. This animal is simply born to be slow and it is the same situation for many non-sprinters. But even slow donkeys can get faster, so sprint training is strongly suggested.

8. Fartlek

Improve your tactical skills (and aerobic endurance, anaerobic endurance, sprints… etc.) If you have a period where your motivation for regular interval training is low or non-existing, then try Fartlek. It is fun and often you will experience that you get a really good workout.

9. Aerodynamics

Improve your aerodynamics. Cheat the wind… The biggest changes in aerodynamic drag come from changes in body position.

10. Recovery

Optimize your recovery. When you train hard, you deserve to get good results. One of the best moments to improve your performance is the first hour after your training session.

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Turn Over a New Leaf: Better Summer Salads

Sun, 01 Aug 2010 00:54:00 -0500

Ah, the summer salad. Nothing could be so healthy, so easy, so... freakin' boring! But walk past the sorry-looking heads of iceberg and the been-there-done-that spinach in the supermarket produce aisle and you'll find an array of interesting greens. These leafy wonders will introduce you to a cool new world of flavors, plus they're packed with nutrients that will keep you slim and healthy. Here are the salads they work best in—as well as some unexpected uses beyond the bowl.

Radicchio

Looks like: Deep-red cabbage with white veins

Flavor profile: Bittersweet, tender leaves

Nutritional powers: High in folate, which may help reduce dementia risk

Super salad: Michael Schlow, executive chef and owner of Radius in Boston and author of It's About Time, combines radicchio with endive, sliced red onion, walnut pieces, and raisins. Top with a mixture of three parts olive oil to one part sherry vinegar, Dijon mustard, chopped fresh rosemary, and salt and pepper to taste. Beyond the bowl: Catherine McCord, founder of Weelicious, a recipe website, uses radicchio for this twist on bruschetta. Saute onion in olive oil, then add chopped radicchio. Coat with balsamic vinegar and heat through. Spread low fat goat cheese on slices of toasted whole grain bread; top with the radicchio mixture.

Escarole

Looks like: A head of broad-leafed, ragged-edged lettuce leaves with a yellow heart

Flavor profile: Slightly bitter and nutty

Nutritional powers: An excellent source of vitamin A, which helps maintain healthy eyes and skin, and may help maintain a strong immune system

Super salad: Escarole's strong but not overpowering essence makes it McCord's go-to base for a chicken salad. Toss cooked chicken, wholewheat croutons, and escarole, then coat with a dressing of olive oil, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, minced garlic, and a few shavings of Parmesan cheese.

Beyond the bowl: For a sweet and spicy side dish, saute chopped escarole in olive oil and garlic, and then mix in golden raisins, pine nuts, and crushed red pepper, suggests Schlow.

Arugula

Looks like: Small, bright-green leaves

Flavor profile: Spicy, pungent, and rich, with a mustard-like zing

Nutritional powers: Contains glucosinolates, nutrient compounds that may help eliminate harmful toxins in the body

Super salad: Its natural peppery flavor screams for a sweet complement, says McCord. Top arugula leaves with blood-orange segments (use navel oranges if your grocery store doesn't have blood oranges), shaved fennel, and pomegranate arils (the pulpy seeds). Then coat the mixture with an easy vinaigrette made from blood orange juice (or regular OJ), sherry vinegar, minced shallot, olive oil, a touch of honey, and a dash of salt.

Beyond the bowl: Shrimp's mild sweetness pairs well with zesty arugula, says Schlow. Saute chopped garlic in olive oil, then add shrimp, lemon juice and zest, a dash of chicken stock, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss with either cooked whole wheat penne pasta or white beans, then add a handful of arugula leaves and let them wilt in the hot dish.

Belgian Endive

Looks like: Firm bunches of greenish-white boat-shaped leaves

Flavor profile: Bitter

Nutritional powers: High in vitamin K, which may help keep bones strong and ward off osteoporosis

Super salad: Because of its bitterness, endive is better as a secondary ingredient rather than a main attraction. McCord uses endive in hearty yet healthy salads like this one: Chop and mix endive, pears, walnuts, and shallots, add blue cheese crumbles, then drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Serve on top of endive leaves.

Beyond the bowl: For an appetizer, Schlow serves up endive Caprese-style. Cut the leaves in half lengthwise and sprinkle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Slightly grill or broil them—heat tempers endive's bitterness—then top with a slice of smoked mozzarella and chopped tomatoes, extra-virgin olive oil, and basil.

Watercress

Looks like: Green oblong or heart-shaped leaves

Flavor profile: Spicy

Nutritional powers: Rich in potassium, a mineral that is necessary for building muscle and keeping blood pressure at healthy levels

Super salad: Balance peppery watercress with smooth avocado and sweet tropical mango. Dice a ripe avocado and a ripe mango, and combine with a bunch of watercress leaves. Mix two parts olive oil with one part champagne vinegar, add a pinch of salt, then pour over the salad and toss to coat.

Beyond the bowl: Fighting a summer cold or allergies? Steep watercress in hot water (like a tea), then add lemon, ginger, and honey. The green's spicy kick helps break up congestion, says McCord Click Here to View Article

It’s a Beautiful Day for a Strength Workout

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0500

It’s a Beautiful Day for a Strength Workout

As warmer temps invite you outside more for summer activities, you may think it’s a given that you’ll get more active and stay slimmer. But as you add cardio activities like biking, hiking, running or tennis, do you tend to slack off on strength training and figure it all evens out because you’re burning more calories?

Not so fast. Cardio alone isn’t enough for weight management or staying fit and healthy overall. Yet it’s so easy to let it slip, especially in the summer when you just want to get outside.

Stay on track this summer with the helpful tips in this Q&A with certified personal trainer and Owner Operator of Fitness Together – Columbus, Ohio - Alexandra Craig.

Q. Why is it so important to include strength training (not just cardio) in a workout routine?

We actually like to refer to strength training as resistance training because it brings many benefits beyond just building strength. Whether you’re trying to lose weight, improve your mobility for sports, or simply move better throughout the day, incorporating resistance training into your exercise routine will give you added benefit than just doing “cardio”.

Understand that I’m not talking about “bulking up”; resistance training is about keeping the muscles strong and toned, while adding lean muscle. And, as you may already know lean muscle burns more calories throughout the day than fat, another benefit of adding resistance training to your routine.

Regarding strength building, research has shown that resistance training, more so than just cardio, is one of the best ways to build lean muscle. Cardio can build some muscle, but resistance training is the most effective method. Resistance training also helps to support your joints – especially the shoulders, knees, and spine — by strengthening the muscles around those areas.

Q. Why is it so easy to neglect resistance training?

It’s the perception that it takes too much time. Many people think that this type of training needs to be done separately. The fact is you can get an incredibly great workout by incorporating strength training INTO your cardio routine.

Q. What are the best ways to integrate resistance training into a cardio regimen without adding a lot of time to my workout routine?
There are three ways to do cardio and resistance training in the same amount of time as a typical cardio workout. Some of these are just as easy to do outside as inside.

1. Full-body exercises/Compound Movements

Instead of doing just a squat or just a shoulder press incorporate the two into one efficient energy burning set. Take a set of dumbbells that you can shoulder press about 12-15 times. Stand straight with your feet about shoulder width apart. Bring the dumbbells to the shoulder press position (dumbbells level with your ears or higher) Begin to perform a squat keeping the weight on your heels. As you squat down extend your arms overhead. Your arms should be extended at the bottom of the squat. As you squat up the arms begin to bend back to the starting position. If you haven’t done this exercise before it might feel a bit awkward so try it with no weight.

2. Increase the number of repetitions/Decrease Rest time.

A couple ways to get the heart rate up during your resistance training is to do two or three times the number of repetitions you’d normally do in a single set — and/or perform multiple sets with shorter rest times between sets. This will cause your heart rate to be higher during that same period. One note is that if you are increasing your reps and/or decreasing your rest you may need to decrease the weight you use as well.

3. Intervals

Alternate 30 second to two minutes sets of high, low, and moderate intensity cardio with resistance exercises. For example, start with a brisk walk, then do some lunges, then sprint, then do pushups, then jog or do jumping jacks, then do crunches…in this type of workout routine it’s less important the exact reps or rest. Rather, the key is to keep moving!

Q. What are the benefits a hiring a trainer?

People get trainers because they’re not sure what to do. If you try an exercise you saw on TV, injure your back and can’t work out for two weeks, that’s not gaining you anything. A trainer can observe and evaluate whether you’re at an appropriate level of conditioning for higher intensity, higher impact activities, and design a program specifically for you.

And if you’re getting bored with your routine you’re probably not working out as hard or as often as you would like, a trainer is a great way to add newness that gets you excited about working out again.

Not seeing the results you want? Not sure if you have good form? Just need new inspiration? Ask Fitness Together about a personal training consultation including an assessment of your health and fitness condition today. We’ll match you with the best trainer for you based on your goals, priorities and preferences, and we’ll even map out a Nutrition Together nutrition plan customized for you to help you maximize the benefit of your workout program. Just call Fitness Together today at 614-488-3300 to set an appointment.

Consult a doctor before beginning any new fitness program.

How to Choose the Right Personal Trainer for You

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 00:00:00 -0500

How to Choose the Right Personal Trainer for You

This is a big decision! Choosing the best personal trainer for you is ... well, personal. To get the most from your personal training sessions and the program your trainer creates for you, it’s essential to know what to ask and how to decipher whether your trainer is a good fit for you before you commit to a program with him or her. Start with this guide to the three most important things to ask before embarking on a fitness path with a new personal trainer.

1. Certification

This is not so much about which certifications the trainer holds as it is about making sure they’re certified by a nationally recognized organization. You should ask to see their certificate and look for acronyms including any of the following:

NSCA – National Strength & Conditioning Association

ACSM – American College of Sports Medicine
NASM – National Academy of Sports Medicine
ACE – American Council on Exercise
ISSA – International Sports Sciences Association

2. Why you want a personal trainer

If your biggest reason for seeking out a trainer is to get the results you haven’t been able to achieve on your own, ask the trainer questions about how he or she will push you safely to improve your health and fitness condition.

Do you mainly need someone to hold you accountable? “This is one of the biggest reasons people go to personal trainers,” says Alexandra Craig, owner/operator of the Columbus Fitness Together. Ask the trainer about the most challenging experiences he or she has had with “slackers” or clients who lose their motivation, and listen for insight into how they handle difficult, emotionally charged situations.

Be brutally honest with yourself here. Picture how you’ll feel and act when challenged or outside your comfort zone, and think about the communication styles you respond best to in that sort of situation.

Some people like the in-your-face yelling and screaming style and find it motivating, while others thrive more on positive reinforcement or a trainer who’s just super energetic and excited that they’re there.

If you have a very negative idea of what exercise is all about that’s a very different perspective from someone coming in and saying, ‘I want you to kick my butt.’ A personal trainer needs to know when to be nurturing, when to be tough, when to listen — and mold his or her approach to the personality of each individual client.

3. Whether they have practical experience with your situation

Ask the trainer how they’ve helped other people with the same type of injury, health condition or other special situation you’re in. While training and certifications are important, experience with your situation will help your trainer better tailor your workout to your unique needs. For example, they may need to modify certain types of exercises to protect and strengthen a traumatized or vulnerable area of your body, or take a heart condition into account when structuring your cardio regimen.

It’s about the trainer’s practical knowledge. If you have a knee issue, make sure the trainer has the knowledge to help you protect that knee.

4. What kind of nutrition training does the trainer have?

Look for a trainer who’s received instruction from a credentialed nutritionist in strategies to help clients improve their eating habits.

Multiple studies show that including dietary change into a weight loss program can produce two to three times greater weight loss than programs focused on exercise alone. Bonus: the same studies also show that changes in one’s (diet or exercise habits) can help promote changes in the other, especially among women.

Look for a package deal that includes both fitness coaching and nutritional guidelines tailored specifically for you, and you’re far more likely to achieve your goals.

Need new motivation and better results? We specialize in developing GREAT trainers and matching them to your specific goals, preferences and priorities. Every Fitness Together trainer is nationally certified first, then completes our rigorous proprietary certification program that focuses on practical knowledge, client interaction and presence.

Every trainer also completes Nutrition Together training with a registered dietitian, and our personal training programs include a customized eating plan to help you maximize the benefit of your workout program. Ask us anytime about a free, no-obligation consultation and see the difference our one-on-one Fitness Together approach can make for you.

Five ways to shed fat and have fun!

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Fitness Together June Newsletter

Five ways to shed fat and have fun!

Spend time with Fido

Sure, having to walk your four-legged friend will get you moving and burning calories, but there’s more to it than that. Studies show that having a pet helps relieve stress, a major contributor to your expanding waistline due to cortisol – the hormone released into your bloodstream in response to a fight-or-flight situation. Getting out with your furry companion is a great way to get a double dose of fat-fighting activity.

Sign up for a fundraiser

Committing to participate in an event that supports a worthy cause is a great way to get you training, fundraising and shedding fat all at once. Try a national event like the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, the world’s largest 5K run/walk. This event, which runs locally in various cities across the US, raises funds for breast cancer research.

Enter a fitness event

It's all about setting goals. Consider training for a fitness competition in your city; that extra push could help you keep your eye on the prize. It could be just the motivation you need to shed those last 10 pounds. Check out local gyms or community centers for events in your area.

Have a potluck makeover

Host a potluck dinner and invite friends over to reinvent high-fat entrées into clean, nutritious versions. Need a little inspiration? Check out Tosca Reno’s Eat Clean Cookbook (Robert Kennedy Publishing, 2009). The latest edition – in hardcover – is loaded with nutritious takes on classic favorites like burgers, chili, fajitas, pasta dishes and dessert (yes, even crème brûlée!).

Test a new fitness class

Most gyms include group fitness classes as part of your membership fee, so take advantage of what’s available to you. Experts say trying new forms of exercise and varying your workouts will help keep you motivated to reach your weight-loss goals. Just one aerobics class can burn up to 350 calories per hour*!

Click Here to View Article

Six foods to help you burn more fat

1. Ginger

This root has the spice it takes to get your metabolism running laps. It’s a vasodilator, which means it expands blood vessels to increase body heat and metabolism by as much as 20 percent.

2. Garlic

An Oxygen favorite for flavoring any clean dish, this spicy bulb is known as a thermogenic, packing enough power to keep insulin levels low to maximize fat-burning and boost metabolism. Garlic also supports a healthy immune system, according to The World’s Healthiest Foods, written by food expert and author George Mateljan.

3. Plums

Mother Nature’s “eliminator.” Plums are a great source of fiber, which can help keep you regular – an important (and often overlooked) piece of your fat-loss puzzle. According to Mateljan’s book, just one plum has up to two grams of fiber, or about eight percent of your daily recommended intake (which is around 25 grams per day). Double up your serving and you’re up to four grams of fat-fighting fiber!

4. Extra-virgin olive oil

Like rock, paper, scissors, good fat trumps bad fat. A recent study suggests that the monounsaturated fats (like those found in “EVOO,” thanks Tosca Reno) increase the breakdown of fat in fat cells. Also, swapping other fats, like saturated oils and butter, for extra-virgin olive oil is a better, waist-happy option overall.

5. Balsamic vinegar

A recent Harvard study looked at the benefits of this ancient goodness and found that it not only carries essential enzymes to help digestion and boost metabolism, but it’s also a natural appetite suppressant. And if that wasn’t enough, the amino acids in balsamic vinegar have been shown to slow the effects of aging.

6. Spinach

The iron maiden of leafy greens. According to Mateljan’s book, spinach is a fat-free way to get a dose of iron to help boost energy when you’re, well, pumping iron at the gym. Unlike red meat – which is also packed with iron, but contains fat – spinach is a good choice for vegetarians or people who have a difficult time digesting meat. Not to mention that it’s portable, less expensive and easy to eat on the go.

Recipe of the Month

Combine these ingredients to give your metabolism a kickstart this season.

Super Salad
Ready in 5 minutes • Makes 1 serving

Ingredients:
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 medium garlic glove, pressed
• A pinch of grated gingerroot (optional for added spice!)
• 1 cup spinach (organic is best)
• 1 medium-sized plum, cut into chunks, skin on

What to do: To make the dressing, combine wet ingredients, garlic and ginger (if desired) into a small bowl and whisk. Add a pinch of salt and coarse black pepper if you like.

Combine the spinach and sliced plum in another bowl and drizzle dressing over top. Enjoy! A fiber-packed, fat-burning, age-defying salad to go.

NUTRIENTS PER SERVING:

Calories: 190 g, Total Fats: 14 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g,
Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 40 mg, Total Carbohydrates: 14 g,
Dietary Fiber: 2 g, Sugars: 8 g, Protein: 2 g, Iron: 1 mg

FOR ADDED FAT-BURNING ADD THIS:

Spicy Gingerroot Tea
Ready in 20 minutes • Makes 1 serving

Ingredients:
• 250 ml filtered water
• 2-inch piece of fresh gingerroot, washed

What to do: Place ginger into water and bring to a boil. Once water is boiling, turn heat down to low and let simmer for an additional 20 minutes. If you like, add one teaspoon of raw agave nectar for added sweetness and flavor. Enjoy after your Super Salad for a spicy treat that aids digestion.

Exercise of the Month

Reverse Crunch on a Bench

Target muscle: rectus abdominis (lower segment)

Set Up: Lie face up on a bench, grasping its sides just above your head for support. Keep your eyes focused on the ceiling, your back flat and your toes pointed [A].

Action: Contract your abdominal muscles and lift your hips from the surface of the bench, bringing your thighs toward your chest. Try to ensure that your calves are perpendicular to the floor at the top of the motion and use muscle control, not momentum, throughout the move [B]. Slowly lower your legs back to the starting position. Do three sets of 15 reps.

Articles from Oxygen Magazine

Happy Birthday!!!

Monica Ray

Amanda Werling

Saundra Tabler

Shaikha Alansari

Trish McClanahan

Welcome New Clients!!!

Saundra Tabler

Louise Conie

Contact Us!

1295 West Lane Ave

Columbus, Ohio 43221

alexcraig@fitnesstogether.com

(614)-488-3300

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Three Personal Trainers' Resolutions to Inspire You

Mon, 03 May 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Three Personal Trainers' Resolutions to Inspire You
Do personal trainers think resolutions are worth making? What do they resolve to change in themselves? We asked three trainers how they seek continual self-improvement, which is always a priority even if you're not trying to lose weight.

“Every December I list three or four big-picture goals and map a plan to achieve them one by one over the course of the year. I like to include both business goals (like earn a training certification in a new method, or do a really challenging climb or race) and personal milestones (like learning a new language). I challenge myself to make these goals very pie in the sky. The first time I did that, I thought, ‘These are too hard to achieve,’ but then I achieved all of them and it was extremely gratifying. Dream big!”

– Sean B.

“I resolve every year to refocus on why I really became a personal trainer — to help people get and stay healthier and happier, not just physically change their appearance. As a trainer I find that recommitting to this resolution every year inspires me to be a real change agent for my clients. To do that, you have to really believe in the fact that you’re not just creating workout regimens for people. Gyms were originally known as ‘health clubs,’ and health is the larger goal for most clients, even if they come in to lose weight.”

– Chris S.

“I avoid making resolutions simply for the sake of it because that feels arbitrary to me. Instead, I set specific goals when I notice that I need to improve in a particular area. For example, at certain age milestones in life, the body naturally tends to lose muscle mass. I adjust my training regimen accordingly, so I can continue maintaining the physical abilities I want to have for the activities I enjoy, as well as the healthy weight where I feel best.”

Karen L.

Need help making your own resolutions attainable and sustainable? Ask us about a personal training session today or talk to your Fitness Together trainer about your bigger dreams and goals in your life. Our trainers have the knowledge and expertise to help you zero in on the right resolutions and goals for you right now — and improve your self, not just your shape.

Invisible belly fat: how you can be thin but not healthy

Sat, 01 May 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Cholesterol-lowering supplement	What it does	Side effects and drug interactions	Usual suggested doses
Artichoke extract	May reduce total cholesterol and LDL, or "bad," cholesterol	May cause gas or an allergic reaction	1,800 to 1,920 milligrams a day, divided into 2 to 3 doses
Barley	May reduce total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol	None	3 grams barley oil extract or 30 grams barley bran flour a day
Beta-sitosterol (found in oral supplements and some margarines, such as Promise Activ)	May reduce total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol	May cause nausea, indigestion, gas, diarrhea or constipation May be ineffective if you take ezetimibe (Zetia), a prescription cholesterol medication	800 milligrams to 6 grams a day, divided and taken before meals, or 2 tablespoons of margarine containing beta-sitosterol a day
Blond psyllium (found in seed husk and products such as Metamucil)	May reduce total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol	May cause gas, stomach pain, diarrhea, constipation or nausea	5 grams seed husk twice a day, or 1 serving a day of products such as Metamucil
Fish oil (found as a liquid oil and in oil-filled capsules)	May reduce triglycerides	May cause a fishy aftertaste, bad breath, gas, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea May interact with some blood-thinning medications, such as warfarin (Coumadin)	2 to 4 grams a day
Flaxseed, ground	May reduce total triglycerides	May cause, gas, bloating or diarrhea May interact with some blood-thinning medications, such as aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix) and warfarin (Coumadin)	40 to 50 grams a day, stirred into cereal or yogurt, or mixed into the batter for baked goods
Garlic extract	May reduce total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides	May cause bad breath or body odor, heartburn, gas, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea May interact with blood-thinning medications, such as warfarin (Coumadin)	600 to 1,200 milligrams a day, divided into 3 doses
Oat bran (found in oatmeal and whole oats)	May reduce total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol	May cause gas or bloating	Up to 150 grams of whole-oat products a day
Sitostanol (found in oral supplements and some margarines, such as Benecol)	May reduce total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol	May cause diarrhea	800 milligrams to 4 grams a day, or 4 1/2 teaspoons of margarine containing sitostanol a day

Another popular cholesterol-lowering supplement is red yeast rice. There is some evidence that red yeast rice can help lower your LDL cholesterol. However, the Food and Drug Administration has warned that the following red yeast rice products could contain a naturally occurring form of the prescription medication known as lovastatin:

Red Yeast Rice and Red Yeast Rice/Policosanol Complex sold by Swanson Health Products Inc. and manufactured by Nature's Value Inc. and Kabco Inc.
Cholestrix sold by Sunburst Biorganics

The presence of lovastatin in the red yeast rice products in question is potentially dangerous because there's no way for you to know what level or quality of lovastatin might be in red yeast rice.

Sometimes healthy lifestyle choices, including supplements and other cholesterol-lowering products, aren't enough. If your doctor prescribes medication to reduce your cholesterol, take it as directed while you continue to focus on a healthy lifestyle. As always, if you decide to take an herbal supplement, be sure to tell your doctor. The herbal supplement you take may interact with other medications you take.

Article from Mayoclinic.com

Exercise of the Month: SQUAT THRUST

SQUAT THRUSTS

Target Muscles: shoulders, core, quads, glutes

Set Up: Stand with your feet together, arms extended toward the ground [A]. Squat down allowing your hands to touch the ground for support [B].

Action: Quickly thrust your legs rearward and land on your toes in a position identical to a push-up [C]. Immediately jump your legs between your extended arms bringing yourself back to the squat position [D] and then drive through your heels until you are standing upright [E]. Repeat.

Note: Once you get the rhythm of the squat thrust, it may become one of your go-to cardio moves!

Article from Oxygen Magazine

Recipe of the Month: Snapper and Then Some

Snapper and Then Some
Ready in 20 minutes • Makes 2 servings

• 1 cup summer squash, chopped
• 1 cup sweet peppers, chopped
• ¼ cup lime juice, plus wedges
• 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
• ¼ tsp hot chili flakes
• 8 oz snapper
• Ground pepper, to taste
• 1 cup cooked brown rice

1. In a bowl combine summer squash, sweet peppers, lime juice, ginger and chili flakes. Set aside.

2. Sprinkle fish with pepper. In a nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook fish, turning until brown (approximately 6 minutes). Set onto plates.

3. Spoon vegetable mixture over fish, squeeze lime wedges over fish and serve with rice.

Nutrients per serving:
Calories 310, Total Fats: 4 g, Saturated Fat: 0.5 g, Trans Fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 55 mg, Sodium: 75 mg, Total Carbohydrates: 34 g, Dietary Fiber: 5 g, Sugars: 6 g, Protein: 34 g, Iron 1.5 mg

Happy Birthday!!!

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Vijay Ambati

Janice Hale

Happy Anniversary!!!

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Tammie Stephen

Welcome New Clients!!!

Christy Kranich

Carol Whitacre

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Contact Us!!!

1295 West Lane Avenue

Columbus, Ohio 43221

(614)-488-3300

alexcraig@fitnesstogether.com

NEW at Fitness Together

***NUTRITION TOGETHER***

Learn to eat healthy for safe and permanent weight loss

Get Results

Eat out guilt free

Learn how to read labels and grocery shop effectively

Accountability... You are what you eat!!!

Click Here f

Top 10 Eating Strategies for Permanent Weight Loss

Fri, 02 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Top 10 Eating Strategies for Permanent Weight Loss

If you’ve ever worn (or chuckled at) one of those “I run so I can eat” T-shirts, this info is for you! How you eat goes hand in hand with your workout plans and is proven to bring people’s weight loss goals into their grasp more quickly and easily. Try these top 10 strategies from experts with our Nutrition Together program to help you spell double trouble for extra pounds!

1. Eat healthy to stay healthy.

Studies show that people who eat an unhealthy diet (loaded with fast-food meals, sugary drinks, high-fat snacks, lots of desserts/sweets, and low in fruits and vegetables) have significantly higher rates of chronic disease such as high blood pressure and heart disease. The most successful weight loss programs provide clear and uncomplicated nutrition guidance via tools such as “this is a healthier choice than that” food graphics.

2. Lose weight at a safe rate.

Weight lost too quickly often returns — sometimes with additional pounds. The safest diets promote weight loss of no more than two pounds (or 1% of total body weight) a week.

3. Learn how to control emotional eating.

Experts estimate that 75% of overeating is caused by emotions. Successful weight losers have learned to apply behavior modification tools to help them deal with their emotional eating triggers and learn healthful techniques to help manage these emotions.

4. Control calories and portions.

Research has proven time and again that to lose weight you must consume fewer calories than your body expends, regardless of the carbs/fat/protein ratio. Nutrition Together uses a special “food-weight” system to help make these calories-in, calories-out calculations quick and easy to do on the fly — so you can still eat the foods you love and lose weight.

5. Keep a journal.

Studies show that people are most successful at maintaining healthy eating habits when they watch and record the type and quantity of food consumed. Take it a step further with an Accountability Journal to help you track both eating and exercise choices.

6. Weigh yourself often.

Frequent weighing is proven to help clients achieve and sustain weight loss. Not weighing in is actually associated with greater weight regain. The Nutrition Together program encourages private, weekly weigh-ins, as well as periodic body fat and waist circumference measurements.

7. Get support and rewards for your successes.

Weekly contact with a support person — and small rewards along the way — are proven to increase the likelihood of maintaining new healthy habits. Ask for details about our Nutrition Together program that spurs you on with contests, prizes, online support and nonfood rewards for your accomplishments!

8. Eat small, frequent meals.

The more meals and snacks you eat a day, the healthier your weight is likely to be. Eating breakfast and eating frequently increases total calorie burn. Aim to eat a healthy breakfast every morning followed by four or five small meals throughout the day.

9. Choose the macronutrient content of your meals wisely.

The type of food you select can help you boost your metabolism and feel fuller and more satisfied longer. For example, protein reduces appetite and costs your body the most calories to metabolize. Fiber is filling and helps keep hunger at bay, helping you make wiser choices at major meals.

10. Include strength training, not just cardio.

The most successful programs for promoting health and long-term weight control involve combinations of exercise and diet. Balancing cardio exercise with strength training is the best prescription for promoting health, fitness and weight control. Fitness Together and Nutrition Together offer the ideal combination, (healthy eating advice and exercise) under one roof, with private, personalized one-on-one workouts and nutrition guidance.

Nutrition Together offers a calorie-controlled nutrition plan that, when combined with the Fitness Together exercise program, results in a safe and effective rate of weight loss. For more information about how Nutrition Together can help you succeed at your weight loss goals, contact Alexandra Craig, owner of Columbus, Ohio FT.

New at Fitness Together... Nutrition Together

Thu, 01 Apr 2010 00:00:00 -0500

April Newsletter

New at Fitness Together...

NUTRITION TOGETER

Nutrition together is a personalized one-on-one nutrition program that will help you establish sustainable eating habits. The program involves six private sessions with a Nutrition Together consultant who will work closely with you and guide you through the skills needed to put the basics of a healthy and fit lifestyle into practice.

Included in the program is a new and improved accountability journal that is based off of a calorie translation system. This program teaches calorie and portion control- the only scientifically proven method for successful weight loss. It also includes tools to balance your diet and ensure all food groups are consumed in the correct amounts. A guide of common foods and their caloric translation is included to take out any guess work and decrease the time spent looking up calories.

Each session begins with a discussion of the accountability journal and ways to eat healthier for weight loss.

Topics for each session are described below.

Session 1:

Developing a healthy weight range
Goal setting
Going over the eat light system
Using the accountability journal

Session 2:

Eat Healthy (ways to choose healthier foods)
Eat Light (balance calorie intake with calorie expenditure)
Eat Often (to raise metabolic rate and improve health)

Session 3:

Learn to read nutrition and ingredient labels
Choose mostly fresh and whole foods
Stock your refrigerator, freezer, and pantry with nutritious ingredients (and clear the junk food out of the house)

Session 4:

Cook healthy recipes at home
Plan ahead when dining out
Order it simple

Session 5:

Break the negative behavior chain
Know your stomach- are you truly hungry?
Take time for just you and relieve stress using healthful techniques

Session 6:

Keep tracking
Overcome setbacks
Continue getting support

We are currently accepting appointments for Nutrition Together. If you are interested in scheduling or learning more about it please call (614)-488-3300 or e-mail Alex at alexcraig@fitnesstogether.com

Is coffee a good energy boost for a workout?

Let's clarify the question, is it smart to down a cup or two of coffee before you work out or is it better to refrain until after you get your exercise in?

Caffeine is the most widely used ergogenic aid (a substance that can purportedly enhance sports performance) and has been scientifically proven to be a highly effective sports aid. Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant that can help you perform better because it acts to increase alertness as well as lower your perception of effort during exercise—so you can exercise harder and it won’t feel as difficult.

The science has shown that caffeine is most valuable for endurance-type athletes involved in sports such as cycling and long-distance running. Caffeine has been shown to increase the amount of fat floating in the bloodstream of endurance athletes, which would theoretically improve endurance performance by helping to spare muscle glycogen. When muscle glycogen runs low, endurance athletes need to slow their pace, so an ergogenic aid that enables athletes to “spare” the glycogen in favor of using the fat for fuel would be highly beneficial and potentially delay fatigue.

If you do decide to drink a cup of coffee before exercising, there are a few caveats. Caffeine is a diuretic, so if you choose to consume it before exercising in a hot, humid environment, be sure to drink extra fluids to compensate. Furthermore, many people are caffeine sensitive and can have negative side effects from consuming caffeine, such as nervousness, upset stomach and a rapid heart rate. If you are caffeine sensitive, I would suggest that you abstain.

By Dr. Janet Bond Brill

Exercise of the Month: Hip Thrust

HIP THRUST

Target Muscles: gluteus maximus

Set Up: Lie on your back on the floor with your feet comfortably apart (15 to 20 inches). Place a weight plate across your pelvis (as shown), holding it in place with your hands

[A]. Action: Raise your hips as high as possible

[B], lower and repeat. Your feet can be flat on the floor or you may choose to keep only your toes on the floor

[C]. The up-on-the-toes position will activate additional stabilizer muscles in your core and isolate the hamstrings a bit more than the flat-footed version. Tip: At the conclusion of your set, you can perform a dozen quick pulses to maximize the intensity in the glutes area (i.e., at the top of the movement where your hips are raised, perform a series of quick pulses where the up-down action is limited to just two to three inches).

Exercise from Oxygen Magazine

Recipe of the Week: Sexy shakes

Ready in 5 minutes

• Makes 1 serving

A high-protein shake that provides a modest amount of carbohydrates can be consumed one hour or less before weight training, and/or one hour after weight training to support muscle rebuilding and increased strength.” – Monique Ryan, MS, RD, author of Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes (VeloPress, 2007).

Blend these ingredients for a high-protein shake we know you’ll love.

• 8 oz low-fat chocolate milk

• 1 scoop (30 g) of whey protein

• 1 cup frozen raspberries or blueberries

NUTRIENTS PER SERVING: Calories: 345, Total Fats: 5 g, Saturated Fat: 3 g, Trans Fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 73 mg, Sodium: 208 mg, Total Carbohydrates: 44 g, Dietary Fiber: 8 g, Sugars: 37 g, Protein: 31 g, Iron: 1 mg

From Oxygen Magazine

Happy Birthday!!!

Stephanie Justice

Barb Taxier

Scott Treadwell

Jen Messersmith

Charity McGuire

Christine Newsome

Happy Anniversary!!!

Vicki Probst

Janice Hale

Marcia Ouellette

Cat Hackett

Contact Us!!!

Stop in...

1295 West Lane Avenue

Columbus, Ohio 43221

Give us a call...

(614)-488-3300

E-mail us...

alexcraig@fitnesstogether.com

Or visit our website!

www.ftcolumbus.

Walking for wellness

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0600

March Fitness Together Newsletter

Walking for wellness

With warm weather coming, start to think about heading outside for cardio. Walking is always a good option, and all you need are some good shoes. So get moving this spring so you feel as good as you can on your spring break or summer vacation!

Introduction

Walking is one of the easiest ways to get the exercise you need to stay healthy.

Experts recommend at least 2½ hours of moderate activity (such as brisk walking, brisk cycling, or yard work) a week. It's fine to walk in spurts of 10 minutes or more throughout your day and week.

Key points

Before you start, talk with your doctor to make sure it's okay for you to begin a walking program.
Start with a short-term goal. For example, walk for 5 or 10 minutes every day. Or increase your number of steps by 300 to 500 each day.
After you've made walking a habit, set a longer-term goal. You may want to set a goal of walking briskly for at least 30 minutes a day or work up to 10,000 steps a day. You can try to do this 5 days a week or more.
You can wear a pedometer to track your steps each day.
To stay motivated, find a walking partner, such as a family member, friend, or coworker. Daily dog walks are also a great way to keep up your walking routine.

What do you need to know to start a walking program?

You don't have to walk all at once. You can split it up. It's fine to walk in spurts of 10 minutes or more at a time. If you use a pedometer, you might be surprised to see how many steps you take by simply doing chores and errands or by taking walking breaks during the day.

There are many ways to walk more without going on a long walk. Use the stairs instead of the elevator, or park farther away from work or a store. Instead of e-mailing or phoning a coworker or neighbor, walk over. When you meet with someone or visit with a friend, suggest taking a walk instead of staying inside.

To get the heart-healthy benefits of walking, you need to walk briskly enough to increase your heart rate and breathing, but not so fast that you can't talk comfortably.

Why walk for wellness?

Brisk walking is a form of aerobic exercise. This is exercise that increases your heart rate for an extended time. Aerobic exercise helps strengthen your heart, lungs, and muscles. A strong heart carries more blood, along with oxygen and nutrients, to the rest of the body. Aerobic exercise also lowers blood pressure and can help you stay at a healthy weight.

Walking and other aerobic exercise also can improve your mood and energy. Regular exercise helps prevent anxiety and depression.

Walking also keeps your bones healthy. It is a weight-bearing activity, which means that it works the muscles and bones against gravity. This can help reduce your risk of osteoporosis and broken bones.

Walking, like all physical activity, burns calories. Being active is important for staying at a healthy weight.

How can you make a walking program part of your life?

Think of walking as an easy way to burn calories and stay fit while you go about your daily routine. You can make walking an important part of your life by getting friends and family to join you and by finding new ways to put steps in your day.

Walk with others

Ask family members, friends, and coworkers to join you. Set goals together.
Join a walking group or club.
Set a goal to take part in an organized fitness walk.
Walk a dog every day.
Plan family outings around walks together. Being physically active with kids sets an example they'll follow as they grow older.

Add steps whenever you can

Schedule walks on your daily calendar.
Buy a pedometer at a sporting goods store. A pedometer counts how many steps you take. The first time you wear it, count how many steps you normally take in a day. Wear your pedometer every day, and set a goal for increasing the number of steps each day. At first, try to add 300 to 500 steps to your day. Then work toward 2,000 more steps a day. A good long-term goal is to get 10,000 steps a day.
Instead of watching TV or going out to eat, go out for a walk.
At work, get up and move around once an hour.
When possible, walk to the grocery store, doctor appointments, work, school, or shopping. You could walk a lap around the grocery store before you start shopping.
Park your car farther away from work or other places you're going.
Walk around your neighborhood or around a park.
Walk during TV commercials.

Be safe

Know your surroundings. Walk in a well-lighted, safe place.
Carry a cell phone for emergencies.
Wear comfortable shoes and socks that cushion your feet.
Pay attention to your walking surface. Use sidewalks and paths.
If you usually walk outside and the weather is bad, take comfortable shoes to the mall and walk several laps inside.
Drink plenty of water. Take a water bottle with you when you walk.

Where to go from here

Now that you have read this information, you are ready to plan a walking program that suits you.

Talk with your doctor

If you have questions about this information, print it out and take it with you when you visit your doctor.

Click Here for More Info

Busted! 5 Major Eating Mistakes

We checked with some of the top US nutrition experts, who admitted they secretly spy on the rest of us as we make real-world choices in restaurants and grocery stores. Here are their top five gripes.

1. We can't tell the good fats from the bad ones.
"Most people still don't get that some fats are actually good for you," says Alice Lichtenstein, DSc, an American Heart Association spokesperson. "You want to avoid saturated and trans fats, but you need more monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Good sources are fish, nuts, avocados, and soybean and canola oils."

Smarter:Fit in good fats. "If you keep track of total calories, you don't have to worry about how much fat you eat, just what kind," explains Dr. Lichtenstein. Grandpa Po's Slightly Spicy Nutra Nuts use only canola oil (160 cal, 10 g fat, 1 g sat. fat, 2 g fiber, 60 mg sodium); at healthy food supermarkets.

2. We supersize to save money.
"People think that supersizing a restaurant meal is a money saver, but it's not a health bargain if it has way too many calories," says Karen Weber Cullen, DPH, RD, research nutritionist at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

Smarter: Judge with your palm, not your purse. A serving size is about what fits into the palm of your hand (larger for men than women, smaller for children). For most meals, pick one protein, one starch, one veggie, and one fruit based on the serving that will fit into your palm.

3. We think anything liquid has no calories.
"What freaks me out is the amount of sugared soda and juice we drink," says Judith Stern, ScD, RD, professor of nutrition and internal medicine at the University of California, Davis. "I'd like to see all the sugared drinks sent out into space, where they could orbit the Earth forever." Sugared drinks balloon your calorie intake and squeeze out more nutritious foods.

Smarter:Try a cup of tea. Available in myriad varieties, the calorie-free brew promotes heart health, staves off several types of cancer, strengthens bones and teeth, and protects the skin.

4. We don't know how "hungry" really feels.
"If you don't know when you're hungry, you don't know when you're full, so you won't know when to stop eating," says Elisabetta Politi, RD, nutrition manager of the Duke University Diet & Fitness Center in Durham, NC.

Smarter: Tune in with mindful eating. Here's how.
1. Before you eat, relax, and rate your hunger from 1 (hungriest) to 7 (fullest).
2. Eat slowly, pausing often to rate how your hunger changes.
3. When finished, rate yourself one more time. Try to stay between 2 1/2 and 5 1/2: not too ravenous when you start and not completely full when you stop.

5. We have a microwave addiction.
Many women come home from work and pop a frozen entrée into the microwave. "Eating too many heavily processed foods can leave you short on fiber and antioxidants such as vitamin C," explains Jo Ann Hattner, RD, clinical dietitian at Stanford University Medical Center.

Smarter:Complement a frozen entrée with a green salad, a 100 percent whole wheat roll, and fruit for dessert. Stock up on the freshest fruit for maximum flavor.

Click Here for More Info

Exercise of the Month: Your best abs stretch . . . ever

Note:
This pose – when done to the full extent – is an inversion. Avoid extending back over the ball if you’re pregnant or have high blood pressure.

How to get into this stretch:
Start by sitting on the floor, your knees bent in front of you, feet flat and your back resting against the side of the ball. Leaving your hands at your sides for balance, slowly push back onto the ball as you straighten your legs.

How to come out of this stretch:
Bring your hands to the sides of the ball; holding on lightly, bend your knees up and roll forward until you’re sitting on the floor again, with your back pushed into the ball.

Form Tips:
• Your arms should be relaxed, whether open at your sides or overhead.
• Keep your neck relaxed.
• Keep feet hip-width apart. If you feel wobbly and unbalanced, bring them further apart.
• Make sure feet are flat on the floor.
• If you straighten your legs too quickly, your lower back can tighten up. Move very slowly.
• If your muscles start to feel tense and resistant halfway through the stretch, slowly come out, take a breath and try again.

Article from Oxygenmag.com

Recipe of the Month: Chicken rice cakes

Chicken rice cakes

Ready in 25 minutes • Makes 4 servings

• 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 2 cups chicken breasts, cooked and finely shredded
• 1 cup sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed
• 1 cup brown rice, cooked
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup low-fat mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
• Sea salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1–2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

2. In a bowl, mix together chicken, mashed sweet potatoes, rice, egg, cheese, rosemary, salt and pepper. Shape into 8 patties.

3. Cook until golden brown on both sides and heated through. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.

4. In the same skillet, heat remaining olive oil. Add mushrooms and cook until lightly browned. Add vinegar to skillet to coat mushrooms; cook 1 minute longer. Serve on top of chicken rice cakes.

NUTRIENTS PER SERVING:
Calories: 410, Total Fats: 14 g, Saturated Fat: 3 g, Trans Fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 110 mg, Sodium: 210 mg, Total Carbohydrates: 41 g, Dietary Fiber: 5 g, Sugars: 10 g, Protein: 31 g, Iron: 2 mg

*************************************************************

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Heather Johnson

Lynn Schwarz

Dawn Hatton

Leslie Pomeroy

Christine Atchley

Jan Bauman

Leanne Lance

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!

Annette Houck

WELCOME NEW CLIENTS!!!

Trish McClanahan

Alexie Mieskowski

Karen Gallaugher

Bill Gallaugher

Svetlana Khodorkorsky

Coming Soon...

Nutrition Together Program is a personalized, one-on-one nutrition plan that will help you establish sustainable healthy eating habits.

The program is designed to complement your Fitness Together exercise routine, providing a common sense approach to healthy living.

Stop in...

1295 West Lane Avenue

Columbus, Ohio 43221

Give us a call...

(614)-488-3300

Send us an e-mail...

alexcraig@fitnesstogether.com

Or visit our website for more info!

www.ftcolumbus.com

Go Outside Your Comfort Zone

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Go Outside Your Comfort Zone

Convinced you “can’t” run a marathon, or sprint at level 10 on that treadmill? … Are you sure about that?

Even if you have a physical challenge or condition that limits you in some way, most of us also create false boundaries for ourselves — “no-can-do’s” that are only in our heads. And more and more studies are showing that the thing you think you can’t do just might be the one thing you MUST do to light a fire under your workout results.

Breaking through these false limits can also lead you to be more consistent about your workout regimen.

“Intensity is by far the most important factor affecting increases in, and maintenance of, cardio fitness,” notes Jeffrey M. Janot, PhD, technical editor of the IDEA Fitness Journal. “Although we do not know the exact level of intensity that provides optimal health and fitness benefits, we know the optimal range and that it is directly related to exercise program adherence. You may not enjoy an exercise program if you get sore or injured because the intensity is too high. On the other hand, you can grow bored with a program if intensity is below the optimal range and you aren’t improving.”

Why push your limits in your workout regimen?

The body is wired to adapt to routine. Once your body gets used to a routine of walking 2 miles a day, for example, you’ll likely see less or slower weight loss than when you first began that routine. Extensive research has shown that to keep seeing results from an exercise routine, it’s essential to continually include intervals of higher stress and demand on the muscles and cardiovascular system.

Many people work out only hard enough to maintain their existing weight and physique. Going outside your comfort zone includes adding some intense workout challenges to build muscle and get stronger, faster, leaner. That doesn’t mean you have to run a marathon or work out 6 hours a day to lose weight or reach your goals. The point is to keep adding new challenges and different ways of pushing past your limits for speed, distance, weight you can heft, etc.

Why don't more people go "outside the lines" with their workouts?

Challenging yourself is uncomfortable by nature. It’s normal to feel a sense of fear or angst when you think about pushing beyond the places where you usually stop, ease up, or take a break. Common fears include whether you can handle an intense “burn” in your muscles and not get injured; or feeling embarrassed about getting out of breath, or even sweating more than you’re used to.

Can a trainer help you break through that fear — without yelling at you?

Yes! A great personal trainer should confidently instill in you the belief that you can do this.

“We know they can, even though you might not know it yet,” says Russ Yeager, owner of three Fitness Together studios north of Atlanta. “The empowerment our clients gain once they actually do it is awesome. We recently helped a client who at first could barely get through a workout and was very self-conscious. She’s now lost 50 pounds and did a 3.5 mile hike with a straight-up climb at the end!” You or your personal trainer can determine your optimal cardio exercise intensity range via a number of methods including percent of maximum heart rate, the “talk test,” or rating of perceived exertion (RPE). Whether you’re training for a triathlon, hitting a weight loss plateau or ready to give up on ever having toned upper arms, one-on-one training can help you go where your mind has never let you go before.

Article provided by Alexandra Craig , Owner of Fitness Together, Columbus, Ohio

At Fitness Together our approach to success is one client, one trainer, one goal. Contact us at 614-488-3300 or online at ftcolumbus.com.

Exercising with arthritis: Improve your joint pain and stiffness

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0600

Exercising with arthritis: Improve your joint pain and stiffness

As you consider starting an arthritis exercise program, understand what's within your limits and what level of exercise is likely to give you results.

Exercise is crucial for people with arthritis. It increases strength and flexibility, reduces joint pain, and helps combat fatigue. Of course, when stiff and painful joints are already bogging you down, the thought of walking around the block or swimming a few laps might make you cringe.

You don't need to run a marathon or swim like an Olympic competitor to help reduce the symptoms of your arthritis. Even moderate exercise can ease your pain and help you maintain a healthy weight. When arthritis threatens to immobilize you, exercise keeps you moving. Not convinced? Read on

Why exercise is vital

Exercise can help you improve your health and fitness without hurting your joints. Along with your current treatment program, exercise can:

Strengthen the muscles around your joints
Help you maintain bone strength
Give you more strength and energy to get through the day
Make it easier to get a good night's sleep
Help you control your weight
Make you feel better about yourself and improve your sense of well-being

Though you might think exercise will aggravate your joint pain and stiffness, that's not the case. Lack of exercise actually can make your joints even more painful and stiff. That's because keeping your muscles and surrounding tissue strong is crucial to maintaining support for your bones. Not exercising weakens those supporting muscles, making your bones more prone to breaking.

Check with your doctor first

Talk to your doctor about how exercise can fit into your treatment plan. What types of exercises are best for you depends on your type of arthritis and which joints are involved. Your doctor or a physical therapist can work with you to find the best exercise plan to give you the most benefit with the least aggravation of your joint pain

Exercises for arthritis

Your doctor or physical therapist can recommend exercises that are best for you, which might include:

Range-of-motion exercises
These exercises relieve stiffness and increase your ability to move your joints through their full range of motion. Range-of-motion exercises involve moving your joints through their normal range of movement, such as raising your arms over your head or rolling your shoulders forward and backward. These exercises can be done daily or at least every other day.

Strengthening exercises
These exercises help you build strong muscles that help support and protect your joints. Weight training is an example of a strengthening exercise that can help you maintain your current muscle strength or increase it. Do your strengthening exercises every other day — but take an extra day off if your joints are painful or if you notice any swelling.

Aerobic exercise
Aerobic or endurance exercises help with your overall fitness. They can improve your cardiovascular health, help you control your weight and give you more stamina. That way you'll have more energy to get through your day. Examples of low-impact aerobic exercises that are easier on your joints include walking, biking and swimming. Try to work your way up to 20 to 30 minutes of aerobic exercise three times a week. You can split up that time into 10-minute blocks if that's easier on your joints.

Other activities
Any movement, no matter how small, can help. If a particular workout or activity appeals to you, don't hesitate to ask your doctor whether it's right for you. Your doctor might give you the OK to try gentle forms of yoga and tai chi. Tai chi may improve balance and help prevent falls. Be sure to tell your instructor about your condition and avoid positions or movements that can cause pain.

Tips to protect your joints

Start slowly to ease your joints into exercise if you haven't been active for a while. If you push yourself too hard, you can overwork your muscles. This aggravates your joint pain.

Consider these tips as you get started:

Apply heat to the joints you'll be working before you exercise. Heat can relax your joints and muscles and relieve any pain you have before you begin. Heat treatments — warm towels, hot packs or a shower — should be warm, not painfully hot, and should be applied for about 20 minutes.
Move your joints gently at first to warm up. You might begin with range-of-motion exercises for five to 10 minutes before you move on to strengthening or aerobic exercises.
Exercise with slow and easy movements. If you start noticing pain, take a break. Sharp pain and pain that is stronger than your usual joint pain might indicate something is wrong. Slow down if you notice inflammation or redness in your joints.
Ice your joints after exercising. This can reduce swelling and pain. Use a cold pack on your joints for 10 to 15 minutes.

Trust your instincts and don't exert more energy than you think your joints can handle. Take it easy and slowly increase both the amount of time and intensity of your workout.

Don't overdo it

You might notice some pain after you exercise if you haven't been active for a while. In general, if your pain lasts longer than an hour after you exercise, you were probably exercising too strenuously. Talk to your doctor about what pain is normal and what pain is a sign of something more serious.

Tell your doctor if your exercise causes:

Persistent fatigue or increased weakness
Reduced range of motion in your joints
Joint swelling
Continuing pain

If you have rheumatoid arthritis, whether you should exercise during general or local flares is up to you and your doctor. Consider working through your joint flares by doing only range-of-motion exercises, just to keep your body moving.

Article From Mayoclinic

The Benefits of Healthy Whole Foods

What's the difference between whole foods and processed foods?

Healthy whole foods: you might know that you're supposed to eat them. But do you really know what they are?

"We live in a society that eats so much processed and manufactured food, that I think there's some genuine confusion about what qualifies as a whole food," says Tara Gidus, RD, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. Even for the health conscious, the phrase gets tangled up with other terms. Whole foods might be organic, or locally grown, or pesticide-free. But they aren't necessarily. The definition of healthy whole foods is much simpler.

"When you eat whole foods, you're getting the food in its natural state," Gidus tells WebMD. "You're getting it intact, with all of the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that are in the food." Basically, it's the healthy whole food, rather than the bits that remain after refinement and processing. It's the difference between an apple and apple juice , or a baked potato and mashed potatoes.

While whole foods might be associated with the upscale grocery store of the same name, they are available to all of us anywhere in the country. Most dietitians feel that eating healthy whole foods has all sorts of benefits. Their nutrients may help to keep your immune system strong and protect you from disease.

"If you're trying to eat a healthier diet, relying on more whole foods is a great place to start," says Lucia L. Kaiser, PhD, community nutrition specialist in the department of nutrition at the University of California, Davis.

Healthy Whole Foods

Many studies have found that a diet high in healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are associated with a reduced risk of diseases such as:

cardiovascular disease
many types of cancer
type 2 diabetes

So what's so good about healthy whole foods? For one, they're loaded with fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They also contain phytochemicals, the general name for natural compounds in plants. While thousands of individual phytochemicals have been identified, countless more remain unknown. They help in different ways. Some are antioxidants, which protect cells against damage. Examples of antioxidant phytochemicals are flavonoids, carotenoids, and lycopene.

Usually, the term whole foods is confined to vegetables, fruits, and grains. But any dietitian will agree that eating a skinless chicken breast is preferable to eating processed chicken nuggets.

One problem with processed food is that, during manufacture, many healthy nutrients are removed.

For instance, "When whole grains are refined, the bran and the coat of the grain are often removed," says Kaiser. Some nutrients are lost, most significantly fiber. Then, during the enrichment process, nutrients may be artificially added back in. But even after enrichment, the final product is likely to be less nutritious than the whole grains you started with.

The Synergy of Healthy Whole Foods

"One of the biggest advantages of eating whole foods is that you're getting the natural synergy of all of these nutrients together," says Gidus.

Gidus points to studies of vitamin E, selenium, and a number of antioxidants. We know that when they're eaten in food, they have all sorts of health benefits. But studies of the single vitamins and minerals in supplement form have not shown the same success. Why? "It could be the natural combination and interaction of all of these different phytochemicals and proteins that give a food its health benefit," Gidus says. "Trying to extract a single nutrient and take it by itself may not work."

There's another thing. We simply don't know all of the nutrients in a food that make it healthy.

"Nutrition science is always discovering new components of foods, things that we didn't know are there," says Kaiser. "Many of them are not even available in supplement form." If we don't know what they are, we obviously can't synthesize them.

Avoiding Additives in Food

The nutrients lost during refinement are not the only disadvantage of eating processed foods. What's added can also be a problem.

A lot of health conscious people are wary of the preservatives and chemicals that are added to processed and manufactured foods. You know -- the ones with the scary-sounding eight-syllable names. But in fact, Kaiser says that some of the worst food additives are household words.

"I think the most worrisome additives are not the preservatives," says Kaiser. "It's the salt, sugar, and saturated and trans fats." While there's been a lot of attention paid to the risks of trans fats in recent years, Kaiser thinks salt is gravely underestimated.

"As a country, we eat way too much salt," she tells WebMD, and observes that it's closely associated with high blood pressure and numerous other health problems.

With all of the extra fat and sugar in processed foods, the calories can quickly add up. That leads to weight gain. But eating more healthy whole foods may actually help you maintain or lose weight. The natural fiber in many vegetables, fruits, and grains may fill you up without adding many calories, Gidus says.

The Cost of Whole Foods

There's another bonus to eating healthy whole foods. Although the name may now be synonymous with that fancy grocery store, whole foods are much cheaper than processed foods. They're also available everywhere.

"Generally, the more processed things are, the higher the cost," says Kaiser. "A bag of healthy brown rice is going to be cheaper than a fancy prepackaged rice mix."

Of course, there may be a different cost to eating healthy whole foods: the preparation time. It's hard to deny that popping a processed sandwich pocket in the microwave for three minutes is easier than cooking a proper meal with whole-food ingredients.

But Gidus stresses that you don't need to cut out all processed foods. The goal is just to decrease the number of processed foods you eat and increase the proportion of healthy whole foods. That isn't hard, especially when it comes to snacks. The next time need something to tide you over, eat a handful of nuts or a piece of fruit instead. It's no harder than reaching for an energy bar -- you'll even be spared the labor of unwrapping it.

The other key to a healthy diet is variety. It's easy to get caught up in the details -- the nutritional value of specific healthy whole foods, and exactly how much you need of each. But Gidus and Kaiser say the best advice is to relax and just eat a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Not only is it simple, but it's the best way to be sure you're getting all the nutrients you need.

"After some research into this, my husband decided that the smartest thing he could do was eat as many fruits and vegetables as he could stand every day," says Kaiser. "That's not very scientific, but it isn't bad advice."

Click Here to View Article

Exercise of the Month: Medicine Ball Twist

Set Up: Sit on an exercise ball with your feet shoulder-width apart while holding a medicine ball with both hands. Slowly walk your feet forward, leaning back on the exercise ball until your head and upper back are fully supported. Hold the medicine ball directly over your chest with your arms extended, but not locked, and lift your hips up until they are in line with your shoulders and knees (A). Action: Keeping your body still from the waist down and your arms straight, lower the medicine ball towards your right side. Hold for a second (B); return to the start position and repeat on the other side to complete one repetition. Do as many as you can – if you’re a beginner, aim for 5 on each side. Tip: Keep your eyes on the ball as you twist.

Click here to view this exercise and more

Recipe of the Month: Tomato Sage Chicken

Ready in 30 minutes • Makes 1 serving

• ½ cup low-sodium chicken stock
• ½ tsp fresh minced garlic
• Ground pepper, to taste
• ½ onion, chopped
• 4 oz boneless skinless chicken breast
• 8 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp fresh sage
• ½ cup steamed brown rice
• ½ cup steamed mixed vegetables

1. Heat chicken stock in a saucepan. Add garlic, pepper and onion and simmer for about 5 minutes.

2. Add chicken and simmer until chicken is golden on all sides.

3. Stir in tomatoes, vinegar and sage. Cover partially and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes. Thicken sauce by simmering uncovered. Serve with rice and vegetables.

Nutrients per serving:
Calories: 440, Total Fats: 6 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Trans Fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 95 mg, Sodium: 330 mg, Total Carbohydrates: 38 g, Dietary Fiber: 5 g, Sugars: 9 g, Protein: 44 g, Iron 4 mg

Recipe from Oxygen Magazine

...................................................................................................................................

Happy Birthday!!!

Gretchen Diaz

Marcia Summers

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Happy Anniversary!!!

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Welcome New Clients!!!

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Charity McGuire

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As you consider starting an arthritis exercise program, understand what's within your limits and what level of exercise is likely to give you results.

Why exercise is vital

Exercise can help you improve your health and fitness without hurting your joints. Along with your current treatment program, exercise can:

Strengthen the muscles around your joints
Help you maintain bone strength
Give you more strength and energy to get through the day
Make it easier to get a good night's sleep
Help you control your weight
Make you feel better about yourself and improve your sense of well-being

Check with your doctor first

Exercises for arthritis

Your doctor or physical therapist can recommend exercises that are best for you, which might include:

Tips to protect your joints

Start slowly to ease your joints into exercise if you haven't been active for a while. If you push yourself too hard, you can overwork your muscles. This aggravates your joint pain.

Consider these tips as you get started:

Apply heat to the joints you'll be working before you exercise. Heat can relax your joints and muscles and relieve any pain you have before you begin. Heat treatments — warm towels, hot packs or a shower — should be warm, not painfully hot, and should be applied for about 20 minutes.
Move your joints gently at first to warm up. You might begin with range-of-motion exercises for five to 10 minutes before you move on to strengthening or aerobic exercises.
Exercise with slow and easy movements. If you start noticing pain, take a break. Sharp pain and pain that is stronger than your usual joint pain might indicate something is wrong. Slow down if you notice inflammation or redness in your joints.
Ice your joints after exercising. This can reduce swelling and pain. Use a cold pack on your joints for 10 to 15 minutes.

Trust your instincts and don't exert more energy than you think your joints can handle. Take it easy and slowly increase both the amount of time and intensity of your workout.

Don't overdo it

Tell your doctor if your exercise causes:

Persistent fatigue or increased weakness
Reduced range of motion in your joints
Joint swelling
Continuing pain

Article From Mayoclinic

The Benefits of Healthy Whole Foods

What's the difference between whole foods and processed foods?

Healthy whole foods: you might know that you're supposed to eat them. But do you really know what they are?

Healthy Whole Foods

Many studies have found that a diet high in healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are associated with a reduced risk of diseases such as:

cardiovascular disease
many types of cancer
type 2 diabetes

Usually, the term whole foods is confined to vegetables, fruits, and grains. But any dietitian will agree that eating a skinless chicken breast is preferable to eating processed chicken nuggets.

One problem with processed food is that, during manufacture, many healthy nutrients are removed.

The Synergy of Healthy Whole Foods

"One of the biggest advantages of eating whole foods is that you're getting the natural synergy of all of these nutrients together," says Gidus.

There's another thing. We simply don't know all of the nutrients in a food that make it healthy.

Avoiding Additives in Food

The nutrients lost during refinement are not the only disadvantage of eating processed foods. What's added can also be a problem.

"As a country, we eat way too much salt," she tells WebMD, and observes that it's closely associated with high blood pressure and numerous other health problems.

The Cost of Whole Foods

"Generally, the more processed things are, the higher the cost," says Kaiser. "A bag of healthy brown rice is going to be cheaper than a fancy prepackaged rice mix."

Click Here to View Article

Exercise of the Month: Medicine Ball Twist

Click here to view this exercise and more

Recipe of the Month: Tomato Sage Chicken

Ready in 30 minutes • Makes 1 serving

1. Heat chicken stock in a saucepan. Add garlic, pepper and onion and simmer for about 5 minutes.

2. Add chicken and simmer until chicken is golden on all sides.

3. Stir in tomatoes, vinegar and sage. Cover partially and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes. Thicken sauce by simmering uncovered. Serve with rice and vegetables.

Recipe from Oxygen Magazine

...................................................................................................................................

Happy Birthday!!!

Gretchen Diaz

Marcia Summers

Larry Lance

Happy Anniversary!!!

Susan Reiser

Welcome New Clients!!!

Monica Ray

Charity McGuire

Julie Jenkins

Lynn Schwartz

Vigay Ambati

Kristina Givens

Contact Us!

1295 West Lane Ave.

Columbus, Ohio 43221

(614)-488-3300

alexcraig@fitnesstgether.com

Click Here for More Info

3 Ways to Kick the Habit ... of Skipping Workouts

Sat, 02 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0600

3 Ways to Kick the Habit ... of Skipping Workouts

1. Keep your eye on the prize.

You must have a very strong “why” you are doing it. Always connect to that “why,” especially when things get tough or you get busy. If your goal is to get back into your favorite jeans, hang them on the outside of your closet where you’ll see them every morning when you wake up. For an extra nudge, pin up an old photo of yourself wearing them.

Or, if you’re working toward a health goal such as lowering your blood pressure or relieving chronic back pain, mark your improvements on a chart posted on the fridge. Or tape a photo on your bathroom mirror of someone who’s achieved a goal you’re striving toward. Think fit, healthy-looking people your age playing tennis, climbing a mountain, training for a triathlon, running a 5K, or skiing with their kids!

2. Schedule a consistent workout time.

Set a regular time that fits into your daily and weekly schedule, and prioritize it just like you would a meeting with your boss or a top client.

Think of it this way: Skipping out on your commitment to take good care of yourself means sooner or later you’ll start feeling depleted and run-down, with nothing left to give to those who count on you. Sticking to your fitness regimen not only helps keep you healthy, but also refills your well of physical and mental energy. So you’re more likely to be there and be “on” in your job, relationships, family and others who matter to you.

3. Use the power of a pro to keep you on track.

You’re much less likely to be a no-show for your workout when someone’s waiting for you at the gym, track, pool, court …. Agree on a time and place to work out with a trainer. When someone’s there, waiting, and holding you accountable to your exercise commitment, it’s a mighty motivator.

Scheduling sessions with a personal trainer creates an especially powerful incentive to work out: You’ll feel a natural desire to make your trainer proud, and to respect the time commitment he or she blocked out to work with you. That’s powerful inspiration when you’re mulling whether to pull the sheets back over your head or pull on those gym shoes!

Article provided by , Alexandra Craig, Owner of Fitness Together, Columbus, Ohio

At Fitness Together our approach to success is one client, one trainer, one goal. Contact us at 614-488-3300 or online at ftcolumbus.com.

Counting calories: Get back to weight-loss basics

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0600

January Newsletter

Counting calories: Get back to weight-loss basics

Your weight is a balancing act, and calories play a big role. Find out how calories determine your weight and ways you can best cut calories from your diet.

Despite all the diet strategies out there, weight management still comes down to the calories you take in versus those you burn off. Fad diets may promise you that avoiding carbs or eating a mountain of grapefruit is the secret to weight loss, but it's really all about calories.

Calories: Fuel for your body

Calories are the energy in food. Your body has a constant demand for energy and uses the calories from food to keep functioning. Energy from calories fuels your every action, from fidgeting to marathon running.

Carbohydrates, fats and proteins are the types of nutrients that contain calories and are the main energy sources for your body. The amount of energy in each varies. Proteins and carbohydrates have about 4 calories a gram, and fats have about 9 calories a gram. Alcohol also is a source of calories, providing about 7 calories a gram.

Regardless of where they come from, the calories you eat are either converted to physical energy or stored within your body as fat. These stored calories will remain in your body as fat unless you use them up, either by reducing calorie intake so that your body must draw on reserves for energy, or by increasing physical activity so that you burn more calories.

Tipping the scale: Cutting calories

Your weight is a balancing act, but the equation is simple: If you eat more calories than you burn, you gain weight.

Because 3,500 calories equals about 1 pound (0.45 kilogram) of fat, you need to burn 3,500 calories more than you take in to lose 1 pound. So if you cut 500 calories from your typical diet each day, you'd lose about 1 pound a week (500 calories x 7 days = 3,500 calories).

Cutting calories doesn't have to be difficult. In fact, it can be as simple as:

■Skipping one extra high-calorie indulgence a day

■Swapping high-calorie foods for lower calorie options

■Reducing portion sizes

Here's a closer look.

Saving calories by cutting a high-calorie item

Skipping one or two high-calorie items is a good place to start when cutting calories. For example, you could skip your morning latte or that bowl of ice cream you always have after dinner. Think about what you eat and drink each day and identify items you could cut out. If you think that skipping your indulgence will leave you with a craving, try a low-calorie substitution.

Healthier options

Instead of this ...	Calories*	Try this ...	Calories*
1 snack bag (3 ounces) ranch-flavored tortilla chips	426	3.5 cups popcorn, air-popped	100
1 slice thick-crust pepperoni pizza (1/8 of a 14-inch chain pizza)	301	1 2/3 cups grapes	100
1 medium, 3-inch glazed doughnut	192	2 tablespoons peanuts	100

*Calories may vary by brand

Choosing lower calorie foods

Beyond your indulgences, you can also replace common foods that are high in calories with ones that are lower in calories. You may not realize how much you can cut with some simple substitutions. For example, drink fat-free milk instead of whole milk and sparkling water or diet soda instead of blended coffee drinks. Have an extra serving of vegetables at dinner instead of an extra serving of meat. Or snack on sliced fresh fruit instead of chips.
To Read More Click Here

Cross-training: Rev up your exercise program with variety

Cross-training is an easy way to add variety to your exercise program. Here's how it works — and how to get started.

Cross-training combines two or more types of physical activity. If it sounds intense, don't worry. Cross-training is an easy way to add variety to your exercise program, whether you want to live a healthier lifestyle or you're an advanced athlete who wants a more varied training regimen.

What is cross-training?

If you're bored with the same old workout, you're struggling to lose those last few pounds or you're ready to add a new level of fitness to your routine, cross-training may help you meet your fitness goals. Consider these basic approaches to cross-training:

Multiple activities. With this approach to cross-training, you combine two or more types of activity with the same goal — such as aerobic activity — in the same workout. For example, you might ride a stationary bike before your morning jog.
Alternating days. As another option, you may choose to alternate two or more types of activity during the week. For example, you might swim on Monday and Wednesday and jog on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Simply pick various activities you enjoy and incorporate them into your exercise plan.

What are the benefits of cross-training?

Cross-training can help you improve your overall fitness and performance. But that's not all. Cross-training can also:

Reduce your risk of injury. Cross-training gives your bones, muscles and joints a rest from repetitive stresses. Alternating between a high-impact activity, such as running, and a low-impact activity, such as cycling, can help you avoid overuse injuries and reduce the risk of other injuries.
Keep you interested. Exercise can be more fun when you're not doing the same activity every day. The variety may help you stick with your exercise program.
Help you burn extra calories. Cross-training can keep you exercising more regularly, which helps you burn more calories. Any fat you lose can improve your performance.
Double as a backup plan. If your bike breaks down, you can still jog. If you hurt your ankle, you may still be able to swim.

How do I get started?

To begin cross-training, make a plan based on activities you'll enjoy. Get creative! In addition to walking, swimming and cycling, remember that you can get a good workout from activities such as dancing, jumping rope and housework. Ideally, your fitness program will include elements of aerobic activity, strength training and flexibility.

Once you choose your activities, make sure you have the appropriate gear. You might need various types of athletic shoes for different activities, for example. Then start slowly. Space your workouts throughout the week, being careful to avoid consecutive days of strenuous exercise. As with any fitness program, take time to warm up before each workout, as well as cool down and stretch afterward.

If you're interested in cross-training, go for it! You might find that experimenting with different exercises and schedules keeps you on the go.
Click Here to Read Article

Recipe Of the Month: Cheesy chicken and pepper with polenta

Ready in 35 minutes •
Makes 4 servings

• 14 oz polenta, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds (look for premade polenta logs at your grocery store)
• 4 oz part-skim mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced, divided
• 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 1 orange bell pepper, chopped
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 20 kalamata olives, halved
• 4 3-oz chicken breast tenderloins
• Sea salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2.In a foil-lined 8x8-inch pan, layer polenta slices to cover bottom. Layer 2 oz cheese over top. Add peppers, tomatoes and olives. Lay chicken on top. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Top chicken with remaining 2 oz cheese. Drizzle oil evenly over contents.
3. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Nutrients per serving:
Calories: 258, Total fat: 8 g, Saturated fat: 4 g, Trans fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 67 mg, Sodium: 673 mg, Total Carbohydrates: 22 g, Dietary Fiber: 3 g, Sugars: 5 g, Protein: 29 g, Iron: 2 mg
Recipe from Oxygen Magazine

Exercise of the Month

Dumbbell curl on STABILITY ball

Target Muscles: biceps brachii

Set Up: Sit on a stability ball with your back straight and your feet flat on the floor. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and hang your arms at your sides [A].

Action: Bring the dumbbells up toward your chest by contracting your biceps. Rotate your wrists at the top of the move so that your palms are facing you [B]. When you’ve come as high as you can, reverse the move and slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.

Do three sets of 8-10 reps.

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Email us...

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