Blog

National Osteoporosis Prevention Month

Posted: 05/16/2012

Did you know that May is National Osteoporosis Prevention Month? Take a minute to learn the best lifestyle strategies you can take to keep your bones healthy and strong. It is possible to eat and exercise your way to stronger bones!

Healthy Eating

Posted: 03/23/2012

Healthy Eating: Tips and Tricks for a Nutrition Transition

 

Spring is in the air bringing changes to weather, wardrobes and waistlines. With the holidays and cold weather months behind you and plans for spring break trips, pool time lounging and outdoor activities in the near future, this is the perfect time to focus on healthy eating.

 

In light of National Nutrition Month, now is the time to shake off the winter doldrums and make the transition to healthier eating habits. Here are five nutrition tips and tricks to help you “spring” into action and transform your eating habits, one step at a time.

Nutrition Tip 1: Don’t Do It Alone

The most important step to successfully transitioning to healthier eating is to establish a strong network of support in preparation for your journey. Breaking old habits and making healthier lifestyle changes is a difficult task, so don’t be afraid to ask for help. By enlisting support from family, friends and a health and fitness professional, you will get started on the right path to continued nutrition success. A nutrition specialist can help you evaluate your goals and set a plan in motion, one that is smart – specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely – to your particular lifestyle.

Nutrition Tip 2: You Bite It, You Write It

The simple act of writing down and keeping track of all food or beverages that enter your mouth will increase awareness of the amount and variety of foods you eat each day. Keeping an Accountability Food Journal is the best tool available to help increase your consciousness regarding the foods you eat. A journal also enables you to analyze the circumstances that contribute to making less healthy food choices. Journaling should be as specific as possible and include the date, time, amount of food, situation and hunger level. Your journal will not only help you keep track of your daily food consumption, but also serve as an insightful follow up tool to share with your nutrition professional. The information in your journal will enable your nutritionist to identify which foods are working for you, as well as which foods and circumstances are barriers that may be getting in the way of attaining your healthy eating goals.

Nutrition Tip 3: Take Baby Steps

Few people are successful with major lifestyle changes when they dive in head first. The best strategy to achieve major goals in life is to break the goal down into small doable steps. For instance, if your goal is to improve your eating habits and you have a problem eating too much high fat, high calorie fast food (and you truly enjoy the food), then it would probably not be realistic to cut it out completely. Instead, you would work with your nutrition consultant to come up with a better plan, one that is doable for you such as cutting back on fast food consumption or even choosing healthier fare at fast food restaurants. Rome was not built in one day and neither should your transition to healthier eating.

Nutrition Tip 4: Focus on the Positive

Some people equate healthy eating with deprivation and eliminating favorite foods from your diet. To keep your nutrition transition from stalling before you take the first step, give yourself the gift of positive thinking and keep your momentum toward healthy eating moving strong. Instead of putting the sole focus on eliminating foods from your day, switch your mindset to a more positive approach…what healthy foods can you add into your day? For example, if you want to cut back on your red meat consumption, perhaps commit to eating a vegetarian dinner on Mondays (Meatless Mondays); or reserve one day a week dedicated to trying different kinds of fish from around the world (Fish Fridays). Have fun with it and make your journey to healthy eating an adventure.

Tip 5: Break it Down

A marathon (26.2 miles) is run one step at a time. Many people fail in making the transition to a healthier lifestyle when they take the all or nothing approach. The key to successfully making this transition is to work with your support team to embrace the opportunities, work through the challenges and learn from your mistakes during each step of the journey. By breaking your nutrition transition plan down into one step, one meal and one day at a time, you will cross that finish line healthier and happier.

Fitness Together

Do some spring cleaning by starting now to make a healthy nutrition transition. Start off on the right foot for your healthy eating journey by contacting your local Fitness Together nutrition professional today. With Fitness Together’s Nutrition Together program, you will receive all the help and support you need including a detailed roadmap to eating healthy, eating light and eating often—in tandem with your exercise routine. Let Fitness Together support you as you take the right steps to “spring” into action!

Go Outside Your Comfort Zone

Posted: 02/28/2012

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.

Healthy Heart, Healthy You

Posted: 02/15/2012

Heart candies, heart shaped valentines and chocolate hearts are everywhere this time of year, but the heart that should be getting your undivided attention everyday is the one in your chest that works 24/7 to power your body and fuel your internal system. As the powerhouse of your body, the heart needs to run in tip-top shape for overall health and fitness. To celebrate National Heart Month this February, give your heart and body the gift of longevity and health by starting a heart healthy fitness regimen that focuses on metabolic cardiovascular exercises and combines muscle pumping strength workouts with healthy nutrition choices.

Six Ways to Beat the Most Depressing Days of the Year

Posted: 01/23/2012

The exact date of Blue Monday for 2012 may be debated, but these tips can help you get through SAD, the winter doldrums, or any time when you're feeling blue.

April may be the cruelest month, but January seems to take the cake for being the most depressing. Post-holiday letdown turns into failed New Year's resolutions, which are exacerbated by short days, long nights, bad weather, and holiday credit card bills. This kind of low-level winter depression seems to be a seasonal fact of life. "It's very common for people to get down during long winter months," says Dawn LaFrance, PsyD, associate director of the Counseling Center at Colgate University in upstate New York. "And while January seems bad, February can be bad, too. People keep waiting for spring, and winter just keeps going."

As seen on msn.com, by Emily Main, Rodale.com

Working Out Your Stress

Posted: 01/12/2012

Have you experienced a period of the blues?  Do you feel like you are missing something and you don't know quite what it is?  Often our jobs, our relationships, and our lives create stress, which can lead to that down-in-the-dumps feeling. Finding a way to crawl out of it is a necessity and a good workout is one way which not only provides a physical benefit, but serves as an important mental rejuvenator as well.

Keys To Keeping Your New Year's Resolution

Posted: 12/29/2011

2011 is on its way out and as we get ready for another year, New Year's resolution time has arrived with it. How many times have you come up with a grand plan to change something in your life for the new year?  How many times have you let that resolution fizzle out as quickly as you decided to go for it? We have some tips to help you stay on top of your resolution and finally see it through!

A Healthy Breakfast Will Jump-Start Your Day

Posted: 12/14/2011

How many of us wake up, jump in the shower, and run out the door to speed off to work sans breakfast? It’s hard to make time in the early AM to make a healthy meal to get out day started. Time is of the essence and in some cases, time is money for many of us, but missing out on breakfast can be a damaging to your health and in reaching your health and fitness goals.

Avoid Gaining Those Holiday Pounds

Posted: 11/23/2011

Starting in November and all through January, the average person gains anywhere from 6-15 pounds.  We all know what eating during the Holidays is like.  Thanksgiving with family, a Christmas party here, a Christmas party there; Food is in front of us constantly.

All You Need To Know About Your ASPIRE 8 Programming

Posted: 10/12/2011

In this week's blog entry, I'll discuss our ASPIRE 8 programming and how it affects you and your progression moving forward at FT Overland Park.