The Dieting Mindset -- Keeping Focused on Your Goals

Millions of people all over the world are starting on new diets every single day. This is good because it reflects our society's general desire to be fit and healthy. However, only a few of these individuals will have the dieting mindset that allows them to actually finish what they have started and achieve the weight loss they had been reaching for. The rest will simply quit their diet program a few weeks or even days after starting it. One of the common misconceptions that people have of diet programs is that diet programs prohibit you from eating your favorite foods like that sumptuous slice of chocolate cake. Because of this belief, many dieters stuff themselves with these sinful delicacies the day before starting on their new diet. If this is the dieting mindset you are putting yourself into, you will never be able to succeed regardless of what diet program you follow.

For any diet program to succeed, one must have a healthy and wholesome perception of food and eating. Totally depriving yourself of your favorite foods while on a diet will do nothing to help you lose weight. In fact, this dieting mindset will only cause you to feel unhappy, which is a very common reason why people simply quit their diets. Eating these foods occasionally and in strictly regulated portions, is not only allowed but in fact encouraged to keep dieters feeling good about themselves while on the diet.

Many people find it hard to stick to a diet program because they are constantly feeling hungry. A great way to avoid this problem is to snack on fresh fruits and vegetables in between meals. These healthy foods will give you loads of vitamins and minerals and keep you nourished without causing you to gain weight. These are excellent alternatives to the typical calorie-laden snacks and desserts that we have all gotten used to.

Watching your portions will also help you trim down to a healthier body weight. For some reason, up-sizing food and beverage servings have become an American way of life. Because of this practice, the single servings offered in most restaurants and fast foods these days are actually large enough to feed two people. The next time the waiter asks you if you want to super-size anything, just say no, unless you are planning to share the meal with your dining companion.

One of the most important elements of a successful diet is having the right attitude and way of thinking. Before you even start dieting, you have to realize that you are doing this for your own good, to improve your health and perhaps your appearance as well. Never start a diet with the expectation that everything will go according to plan, because nothing ever does.

Be prepared for obstacles and temptations along the way, and have a plan on how to handle these unexpected events. Generally, having a positive dieting mindset is the best approach that you can have when it comes to dieting and weight loss.

Another common problem of dieting is that people tend to focus too much on the numbers. Every time they eat something, they have to count the calories. At the end of the day, they get on the scales to see how much they have lost, and beat themselves up if they didn't meet the daily target. An excellent way to avoid these stresses and pressures is to simply relax and just exert your best effort.

So many dieters find themselves dwelling on their failures and kicking themselves in the rear for not accomplishing more. If this is the dieting mindset you have, you won't even have the chance to succeed. In order to have certain success, the dieting mindset you want to have is one that is optimistic and focuses on the good things that you have achieved or experienced. If you can do this, you will be able to lose weight and have a healthier body in no time at all.

Author: Robin Darch, copyright 2009

Happy Tails Yoga: 3rd Annual Yoga Event Seeks Teachers

Patrick the Dog + You = Perfect Together If you live in New Jersey, you know the tale of Patrick; the cruelly starved and discarded dog rescued on St. Patrick’s Day who each day defies the odds by getting stronger and gaining weight on his skeletal 20 pound frame.

As any animal owner and lover knows, the care of Patrick and many other abandoned and neglected animals in the Garden State does not come cheap. It is through agencies like the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (http://www.njspca.org/) that these animals have a chance at all.

Happy Tails Yoga: A Cause for Paws (http://www.happytailsyoga.org/) was established in 2008 to raise money to assist the NJSPCA in helping to save animals like Patrick, but they can’t do it alone. For the third year in a row, Happy Tails Yoga is hosting their annual statewide yoga event and is looking for facilities and instructors to donate their space and time.

Making a difference to animals couldn’t be easier. During the month of May studios donate their space and yoga teachers donate their time by teaching classes. Attendees donate money to take these classes and Happy Tails Yoga turns over 100% of the proceeds to the NJSPCA.

Happy Tails Yoga was established in 2008 by Energy in Motion (http://www.einmotion.com/) and Rockaway, NJ resident Tiffiny Twardowsky as a way to combine two of her passions: yoga and animals. "Yoga is the country's fastest growing exercise. There's so much good energy and so many good people in this community. Nobody was combining the good of yoga for the good of animals as a way to raise funds," stated Twardowsky. "So I thought of leveraging the yoga community to help do something good for animals in need. Especially after hearing the horrible stories of animals like Patrick."

Studios and yoga teachers who would like to donate their time can register on the Happy Tails Yoga website (http://www.happytailsyoga.org/teachers.htm) or contact Tiffiny directly at info@einmotion.com. The deadline to register is April 31, 2011.

Happy Tails Yoga has raised almost $5,000 in its endeavor to give every animal the respectful life it deserves. Won’t you do Patrick proud and volunteer your time today?

Burning Fat: Myths and Facts

A popular myth is that there is a specific range of heart rates in which you must exercise to burn fat. Even many cardio machines display a “fat-burning zone” on their panels, encouraging people to exercise in a specific heart rate range. Have you ever wondered if you really have to exercise in a specific heart rate zone to lose fat? And what happens if you venture out of that zone? Jason R. Karp, PhD, a nationally recognized speaker, writer and exercise physiologist who coaches recreational runners to Olympic hopefuls through his company, RunCoachJason.com, sheds light on this issue.

Fuel Use During Exercise
You use both fat and carbohydrates for energy during exercise, with these two fuels providing that energy on a sliding scale. During exercise at a very low intensity (e.g., walking), fat accounts for most of the energy expenditure. As exercise intensity increases up to the lactate threshold (the exercise intensity that marks the transition between exercise that is almost purely aerobic and exercise that includes a significant anaerobic contribution; also considered the highest sustainable aerobic intensity), the contribution from fat decreases while the contribution from carbohydrates increases. When exercising just below the lactate threshold, you are using mostly carbohydrates. Once the intensity of exercise has risen above the lactate threshold, carbohydrates become the only fuel source.

If you exercise long enough (1.5–2 hours), your muscle carbohydrate (glycogen) content and blood glucose concentration become low. This metabolic state presents a threat to the muscles’ survival, since carbohydrates are muscles’ preferred fuel. When carbohydrates are not available, the muscles are forced to rely on fat as fuel.

Since more fat is used at low exercise intensities, people often assume that low-intensity exercise is best for burning fat, an idea that has given birth to the “fat-burning zone.” However, while only a small amount of fat is used when exercising just below the lactate threshold, the rate of caloric expenditure and the total number of calories expended are much greater than they are when exercising at a lower intensity, so the total amount of fat used is also greater.

The Bottom Line
For fat and weight loss, what matters most is the difference between the number of calories you expend and the number of calories you consume. Fat and weight loss is about burning lots of calories and cutting back on the number of calories consumed. For the purpose of losing weight, it matters little whether the calories burned during exercise come from fat or carbohydrates.

SIDEBAR: Workouts for Fat Loss
To maximize your fat loss, try these workouts. For assistance in designing effective, safe workouts, consult with a certified personal trainer.

Go Hard
A great way to perform high-intensity exercise and decrease your body fat percentage is through interval training, which breaks up the work with periods of rest. Not only does interval training allow you to improve your fitness quickly; it is also more effective than continuous exercise for burning lots of calories during exercise and increasing your postworkout metabolic rate. Try one or two of these workouts each week:

• 5–6 x 3 minutes at 95%–100% maximum (max) heart rate (HR) with 2-minute active recovery periods
• 4 x 4 minutes at 95%–100% max HR with 3-minute active recovery periods
• 8–12 x 30 seconds fast with 1-minute active recovery periods

Each of these interval workouts should include a warm-up and a cool-down.

Go Very Long
Long runs or bike rides (≥ 1.5–2 hours at 65%–70% max HR) that stimulate mitochondrial synthesis and promote the depletion of glycogen threaten the muscles’ survival, since carbohydrates are muscles’ preferred fuel. In response to this threat, muscles “learn” how to use fat more effectively and over time become better fat-burning machines.

IDEA FitnessConnect
Looking for a fitness professional, fitness facility, or class? Search IDEA FitnessConnect, the largest directory of personal trainers and fitness instructors, with the most verified profile information from the most trusted certifications in fitness.

Source: IDEA Fitness Journal, Volume 7, Number 5. © 2010 by IDEA Health & Fitness Inc.

Cholesterol and Saturated Fat: Understanding the Difference

When we talk about nutrition and health, saturated fat and cholesterol are terms we often hear. There's also a lot of confusion about where these nutrients come from and how much we're suppose to eat.

For starters, cholesterol is a waxy substance made by the liver. It's used by the body to protect nerves and make hormones, vitamin D, and other materials. Because it cannot dissolve in water, it's carried through the blood stream attached to a lipoprotein (ex. HDL and LDL). It's an essential nutrient, required by the body in order to function and survive. Your body is capable of producing all the cholesterol it needs but it can also be consumed through the diet. Cholesterol is only found in animals and animal products such as meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, and dairy. It is especially high in egg yolks and organ meats such as liver, brains, and kidneys. For most people, consuming too much cholesterol has only a modest affect on the amount of cholesterol circulating in the blood. However, the affect dietary cholesterol has on blood cholesterol varies from person to person and some are more sensitive to cholesterol than others.

Total fat intake, especially saturated fat and trans fat, plays a larger role in blood cholesterol than intake of dietary cholesterol itself. Saturated fat and trans fat are solid at room temperature and have a high shelf life. Saturated fat is found mainly in animal products but is also highly concentrated in palm oil, palm kernel oil, and coconut oil. Due to their high shelf life, these oils are often found in many processed foods like cookies, cakes, muffins and crackers. And even know the box may say "no cholesterol," there is still a high content of saturated fat. Both saturated and trans fat raise your LDL's (bad cholesterol) and are the main dietary factors in raising blood cholesterol. Trans fats are slightly more dangerous because they also lower HDL's (good cholesterol).

Blood cholesterol is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease so it's important that you watch your intake of saturated fat, trans fat and to some extent cholesterol. The American Heart Association's Nutrition Committee strongly advises these fat guidelines for healthy Americans over age 2:

• Limit total fat intake to less than 25-35 percent of your total calories each day:
• Limit saturated fat intake to less than 7 percent of total daily calories;
• Limit trans fat intake to less than 1 percent of total daily calories;
• The remaining fat should come from sources of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats such as nuts, seeds, fish and vegetable oils; and
• Limit cholesterol intake to less than 300 mg per day, for most people. If you have coronary heart disease or your LDL cholesterol level is 100 mg/dL or greater, limit your cholesterol intake to less than 200 milligrams a day.

Related articles

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How Muscle Mass Affects Metabolism

The main purpose of weight training is to increase muscle mass and strength. This mode of exercise has other benefits as well including enhancing bone density, burning calories, reducing the decrease in muscle mass as we age, increasing metabolism, etc. Increasing metabolism is where helping to reduce body fat comes in. Muscle is metabolically active tissue. Every pound of muscle requires energy to maintain itself. Therefore, the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn even when you’re just sitting around.

Also, after age 30, adults lose about a 1/3 - 1/2 a pound of muscle each year without strength training. So even with aerobic exercise and a moderate diet, if you're not strength training you could have a higher percentage of body fat. Less muscle means fewer calories burned and more calories stored as fat. The bottom line with muscles: "use them or loose them." Strength training will help reduce the amount of muscle mass lost with age and help reduce body fat.

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ACSM Fitness Focus: What is Oxygen Consumption?

Oxygen consumption is frequently used when discussing exercise, but what it is, what it means, and why it is important is often misunderstood.

Background
Our bodies need a constant supply of energy to sustain life. Energy is used to contract skeletal muscles, pump blood, sustain tissues, and many other functions. The form of energy the body needs for these processes is adenosine triphosphate (ATP). This high-energy compound is split apart, releasing energy to perform cellular work. Think of it as the gasoline for your cells. Because the body does not store large quantities of ATP, our bodies must continually make more. Although there are processes that can produce ATP without oxygen (O2), these anaerobic systems are limited in their capacity to produce ATP. The greatest capacity to produce ATP is through the breakdown of carbohydrates, fats, and to some extent proteins. To make ATP from these nutrients, O2 is required. Ultimately, oxygen-requiring - also known as aerobic - processes are necessary to sustain the body's energy needs.

What is Oxygen Consumption?
Oxygen consumption (V˙O2) is the amount of oxygen taken in and used by the body per minute; thus, it is the rate of oxygen use. V˙O2 is sometimes expressed in liters of O2 per minute (liters per minute). Alternately, it can be expressed as a function of body weight, frequently as milliliters of O2 per kilogram of body weight per minute (milliliters per kilogram per minute). Expressing V˙O2 as a function of body weight is important when comparing people of different sizes during exercises such as running.

How is Oxygen Consumption Measured?
When we inhale, 20.93% of the air that we bring into our lungs is O2 and 0.03% of the air is carbon dioxide (CO2). When we exhale, the percentage of O2 is lower (we consume O2), and the percentage of CO2 is higher (we produce CO2). In exercise physiology laboratories, machines that measure the amount of air inhaled or exhaled and devices that measure the percentage of O2 and CO2 in expired air are used to calculate V˙O2. There also are portable devices that can be used outside laboratory settings to measure V˙O2 during various types of activities (e.g., playing golf, performing yard work, etc).

Why is it Important?
V˙O2 reflects energy expenditure, meaning that measuring V˙O2 provides an estimate of calories burned. Approximately 5 kcal of energy are expended for every liter of O2 consumed. Thus, a person with a V˙O2 of 1 L/min is burning 5 kcal each minute. As one exercises harder, V˙O2 rises, meaning that energy expenditure is higher. The interrelationship of the type and intensity of activity, O2 consumed, and energy used allows researchers to estimate the caloric expenditure for different tasks. This information can be used to shape exercise plans to meet weight control goals.

Information about V˙O2 also can be useful for athletes. Economy tests examine the relationship between work performed and energy expenditure during exercise. Athletes who are able to move smoothly, without wasting energy, perform better. For example, a person who runs with his arms out to the side of his body uses extra energy but that doesn't help him run faster. Coaches closely examine the movement patterns of athletes to improve the economy of effort. Maximal V˙O2 (V˙O2max) is another measurement often used by coaches and athletes (see Fitness Focus from issues 9:3, 9:4, and 9:5 published in 2005). V˙O2max provides a measure of the maximal ability to perform high-intensity aerobic work. This value is strongly associated with performance and health.

© 2010 American College of Sports Medicine Author: Thompson, Dixie L. Ph.D., FACSM, ACSM'S Health & Fitness Journal: January/February 2010 - Volume 14 - Issue 1 - p 4

What to Look for When Hiring a Personal Trainer

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Whether you’re a beginner looking for a new workout program, an athlete wanting to enhance a performance skill, or a sports enthusiast looking to better your game; a personal trainer can give you the tools and know-how to help you achieve your goals. Personal trainers either work in health and fitness centers or they work privately, visiting their clients at home or the office. While there’s no shortage of personal trainers, finding and choosing a trainer that’s right for you can be difficult and even intimidating. So how do you find a trainer that’s right for you? What qualifications should you look for? Here are a few questions you should ask before hiring a personal trainer (PT).

Are They Certified?
There are literally hundreds of PT certifications. Some just require payment for a certificate, while others require a Bachelors Degree in the health/fitness field before you can even sit for their comprehensive and lengthy exam. With so many reputable (and not so reputable) certifications out there, there’s no wonder people are confused. The bottom line: All PT’s should hold a nationally recognized certification accredited by The National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). Some of the more popular PT certifying organizations include: The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), American Council on Exercise (ACE), and National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), just to name a few. When in doubt, find out the name of the organization your trainer is certified by and go to their website or the NCCA website. If they are accredited by NCCA, it will be listed on the website.

Are They Insured?
Most trainers working at a gym are insured through their employer. However, if they are working as an independent contractor they need to carry their own liability insurance. Trainers that come to your home or outside trainers going to your gym for the PT session are most likely contractors. If so, ask for a copy of their certificate of insurance and make sure it’s renewed when needed.

Do They Have a College Degree in the Health/Fitness Field?
Ask your potential trainer if they have a degree in the fitness field. This is not necessarily a requirement, and not all PT’s have a college degree, but those that do generally have a greater background in and understanding of anatomy, physiology, kinesiology, etc. This level of education can come in handy for those with special needs such as, medical limitations, injury recovery, cardiac rehabilitation, or even athletes looking to enhance their sports performance.

What is Their Experience and Area of Expertise?
It goes without saying; experience brings knowledge. Perhaps you are looking to achieve a specific goal such as body building, reducing your blood pressure so you don’t have to take medication or lowering your risk of heart disease. Find a trainer with experience in that specific area. A trainer whose area of expertise is body building may not be a good choice if you are trying to focus on health issues.

Do They Follow the Code of Ethics?
Each certifying organization has their own written Code of Ethics that trainers must follow. The Code of Ethics is intended to establish and maintain high standards and professionalism for personal training professionals. It’s understood that the welfare of the client is central to all considerations in the trainer-client relationship. For example, a PT should never recommend a product, such as supplements, when the trainer receives a commission for its sale. This is often done in gyms and is a conflict of interest. PT’s can offer diet and nutrition education backed by national organizations such as the American Diabetes Association, American Heart Association, Food Guide Pyramid, etc., but unless the PT is a Registered Dietitian, they should not be giving clients meal plans. This is beyond the scope of their education and practice.

Do They Have a Compatible Personality?
You can have a well-educated and highly experienced PT with all the credentials listed above, but your personalities just don’t click. That doesn’t mean you haven’t found a great PT, but maybe just not the one that’s right for you. You’re going to be spending a lot of time with this person so you want to make sure you find a trainer that fits your style.

Do They Have References?
Ask the personal trainer for names, phone numbers and even testimonials of other clients he/she has worked with, particularly those who share similar traits and goals. Find out if the trainer was professional, punctual and prepared, and whether the client’s individual needs were addressed. Inquire if the trainer was a good listener, focused on client challenges and goals, and tracked progress.

What are the Rates?
Personal training rates vary by geographic location, trainer qualifications, and the type of training your looking for. Expect to pay more for a trainer that is well educated and/or comes to you, especially if they bring their own equipment. Whatever you choose, personal training is an investment in your health. A personal trainer gives you guidance on reaching your goals, education about strength training and cardiovascular exercises, and general nutrition. They also help keep you accountable, motivated, and track your progress.

Working out should be fun! Just be sure you choose the right personal trainer for YOU. If you do, you'll be more likely to stick to those workouts that will produce amazing results.

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• The Benefits of a Personal Trainer (everydayhealth.com)

Body Fat vs. Body Weight: What is the Difference?

Body fat percentage refers to the amount of body fat mass in relation to total body weight. Percentage of body fat is important for 2 reasons. First, the higher the percentage of fat above average levels, the higher the health risk for weight-related illness like heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Second, the higher the body fat percentage the lower the metabolism (your body requires fewer calories to maintain your weight).

Weight alone is not a good indicator of our physical health. Two people could be the same height and weight, and have completely different body fat percentages. In this case, the amount of muscle mass is usually the factor determining the difference. Muscle weighs more than fat which is why it is possible to lose body fat and still gain weight. Following a consistent exercise routine can lead to an increase in lean muscle mass. This is the ultimate goal because muscle mass is metabolically active tissue resulting in an increase in strength, endurance and metabolism.

Your body was designed to store fat so it would have reserves of energy during famine; when you take in fewer calories than you expend, your body burns these fat reserves. However, if you eat too few calories (fewer than 1,200 per day) or cut out all carbohydrates, the weight you lose will likely be water and muscle, not fat. So, not only are you not losing body fat, but you are also slowing down your metabolism from the loss of muscle mass. Take you time; focus on the lifestyle change, not the diet itself. Lose weight slowly-one to two pounds per week-and continue exercising to maximize fat loss and minimize muscle loss.

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Benefits of Workplace Yoga Classes

Office workers face many physical demands which add pain and stress to their bodies hindering their wellness. This stress inevitably takes its toll on employee's emotional and physical health  As more employees are required to work longer hours and handle greater amounts of work, more companies are trying to make the workplace a friendlier, healthier place by providing on-site amenities, such as yoga classes. Having yoga on company grounds helps employees improve their productivity and mental clarity while reducing the number of sick days.

A recent study by the Health Education & Behavior Journal found that twenty minutes per day of guided workplace meditation and yoga combined with six weekly group sessions can lower feelings of stress by more than 10 percent and improve sleep quality in sedentary office employees. This leads to more productive and less stressed employees. Yoga at work also provides both the physical and mental components that can help reduce the common aches and pains created through tight muscles and repetitive use patterns, while strengthening the body and having it be in correct aligment. Workplace yoga is also convenient, affordable, and easy to set up.

One or two classes a week will develop concentration, focus and mental flexibility. It will strengthen the immune system, reducing absenteeism from work. It will also compliment the company's working community and team building efforts, provide each staff member a time for personal development, and can be used as a recruitment and retention tool.

Bringing yoga to the worksite gives employees the break they deserve. Energy in Motion provides that benefit with cost effective workplace yoga classes allowing employees to take an active role in their health. Held in an empty conference room, yoga classes enable participants to return to work with a calm focused energy. All classes consist of breathing exercises, warm-up stretches, flowing sequences, and exercises that build strength and stamina. Each session ends with a relaxing guided meditation designed to decrease stress and promote physical and mental wellness.

Please contact us if you would like further information on any of our programs. We welcome all of your inquiries, comments and suggestions.

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Does Running Burn More Calories Then Walking?

This answer is not so clear-cut. Generally speaking, running does burn more calories than walking. But...not always. Efficiency of movement will help us understand why.

Walking is a more efficient way of moving and involves fewer muscles than running. This efficiency means less calories burned. With running, as your lead foot comes down, it is absorbing more than your body weight due to the effects of gravity. This force on the leg muscles varies depending upon how fast you are running. When you run faster your stride becomes longer. A longer stride equals more force with each stride. A lot more calories are required to absorb these higher impact forces and to propel you forward with the next stride.

However, the number of calories burned during walking and running is not a static number. It is a dynamic measure that will increase as your speed and effort level increases. At a speed where walking becomes challenging, less efficient, and has a higher effort level, more calories and burned then a jog at the same speed. This "cross over" speed, where walking becomes very strenuous, occurs somewhere at around 4 to 5 miles per hour for most people. Jogging at speeds slower than your cross over will feel easier and burn fewer calories than walking. Walking at speeds faster than your cross over will feel harder and burn more calories than running.

If this is confusing, let me simplify it. Walking has the advantage of being easy to do and virtually injury free. Running can burn more calories but is harder on the joints.

So you need to determine what's best for you. For most of us, a mix and match approach is probably the best. Or, you may find that the small amount of extra calories burned while running are not worth the impact on your joints. The choice is yours.

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Is it possible to selectively train your lower abdominal muscles?

Based on electromyographic (EMG) activity recorded during the performance of various abdominal exercises (e.g., crunches, reverse curls, leg lifts), the upper and lower rectus abdominis act as one muscle group. Despite the common misconception, data shows that it's not possible to recruit the "upper" and "lower" abdominal muscles separately. Part of the confusion is the fact that during certain abdominal exercises (e.g., reverse curls, leg lifts), people experience localized muscle fatigue and discomfort in the lower abdominal region. This occurs because the primary muscle used in hip flexion, the iliopsoas, originates below the lower portion of the rectus abdominis. The key point to keep in mind is that the feeling of local muscle fatigue and discomfort should not be misinterpreted as specific recruitment of "lower" abdominal muscles.

Exercising in the Cold

The biggest concern for exercising in the cold is hypothermia, or too much heat loss. When you exercise in a cold environment you must consider one primary factor: How much heat will your body lose during exercise?

• Heat loss is controlled in two ways:
• Insulation, consisting of body fat plus clothing
• Environmental factors, including temperature, wind and whether you’re exercising in the air or in the water. Each of these factors plays a role in the body’s ability to maintain a comfortable temperature during exercise.

Insulation
Although many people aspire to have a lean figure, people with a little more body fat are better insulated and will lose less heat. Clothing adds to the insulation barrier and is clearly the most important element in performance and comfort while exercising in the cold. Generally, heat loss from the head alone is about 50% at the freezing mark, and by simply wearing a helmet or hat, a person can stay outside indefinitely.

Clothing is generally a good insulator because it has the ability to trap air, a poor conductor of heat. If the air trapped by the clothing cannot conduct the heat away from the body, temperature will be maintained. Unlike air, however, water is a rapid conductor of heat and people will sweat and risk significant heat loss even in the coldest of temperatures. With this in mind, you want to choose clothing that can trap air but allow sweat to pass through, away from the body.

By wearing clothing in layers, you have the ability to change the amount of insulation that is needed. While many new products can provide such a layered barrier, it is important to avoid heavy cotton sweats or tightly woven material that will absorb and retain water. Because these materials cannot provide a layer of dry air near the skin, they can increase the amount of heat your body loses as you exercise.

Keeping the hands and feet warm is a common concern when exercising in the cold. Lower temperatures cause blood to be shunted away from the hands and feet to the center of the body to keep the internal organs warm and protected. Superficial warming of the hands will return blood flow to prevent tissue damage. Blood flow will not return to the feet unless the temperature of the torso is normal or slightly higher [0.5 to 1.0 degree Fahrenheit (F) above normal]. So, to keep your feet warm you must also keep the rest of your body warm at all times.

Check With the Weatherman
Always check the air temperature and wind chill factor before exercising in the cold. Data from the National Safety Council suggest little danger to individuals with properly clothed skin exposed at 20° F, even with a 30 mph wind. A danger does exist for individuals with exposed skin when the wind-chill factor (a combined effect of temperature and wind) falls below –20° F.

That can be achieved by any combination of temperatures below 20° F with a wind of 40 mph and temperatures below –20° F with no wind. If you are exercising near the danger zone for skin exposure, it also is advisable to warm the air being inhaled by wearing a scarf or mask over your nose and mouth.

Rules for Exercising in the Cold

• Check the temperature and wind conditions before you go out and do not exercise if conditions are dangerous.
• Keep your head, hands and feet warm.
• Dress in layers that can provide a trapped layer of dry air near the skin (avoid cotton sweats and other similar materials).
• Warm the air you are breathing if temperatures are below your comfort level (usually around 0° F).

Additional Resources
How to Exercise Safely in Cold Weather: www.sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/environment/a/aa121100a.htm
Runner’s World—Run and Race Well in the Cold: www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-267-269-12331-0,00.html
Runner’s World—Is Cold Weather Running Bad for You? www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-267-269-7442-0,00.html

ACE Fit Facts Reprinted with permission. http://www.acefitness.org/fitfacts/fitfacts_display.aspx?itemid=2619#learn

Reflecting Forward 2011

December, the last month of the year is here. That means most of us work on a list of things we are going to change in the New Year...our resolutions for 2011.

This year, instead of only looking forward at what you want, spend some time reflecting on what you have (your health, your family, a roof over your head, etc.). Some of those new resolutions might not seem as important.

While it is important to keep pushing oneself and setting new goals to reach, don't set impossible goals or ones that have no reward along the way. And while you're setting practical goals and resolutions, know that it is okay to enjoy the holidays and those extra treats that come but once a year. Enjoy...but do it in a healthy way.

Finally, we'd like to wish everyone much happiness this holiday season and in the New Year. We thank you for your friendship, your business and for challenging us. We know 2011 will be a great year with lots of new exciting things in store. Happy Holidays!!

Get Out of Your Slump: Good Posture Tips to Relieve Pain and Stress

Poor posture is often due to our daily activities such as hours of sitting in front of a computer, slouching while driving and watching television, and leaning forward when cleaning, gardening, etc. Nobody thinks about his or her posture all day---the trick is programming yourself into creating new habits.

To help change those bad habits, start by strengthening the muscles of the neck, back and core. Pilates offers many different exercises, for all levels of ability, which strengthen the back and core. Examples include the hundred, single leg stretch, plank and swimming. Resistance exercises such as reverse flies and rear delt row will strengthen the posterior deltoids and help keep your shoulders from rounding forward.

Exercises that focus on posture correction, including those that incorporate relaxing the shoulders away from the ears and pulling the chin towards the back of the head to align the spine, are helpful for eliminating bad slouching habits. Stretching and reducing stress is also key. A gentle style of yoga can help increase flexibility in the chest and shoulders and the breathing exercises do wonders for turning stress into bliss!

My recommendation is to find a trainer that can assist you with learning these different exercises; proper form and technique is essential to see results.

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Does Too Much Cardio Exercise Slow Down Your Metabolism?

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More then 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise does NOT slow down your metabolism. The number of calories burned during cardiovascular exercise is mostly based on body weight, exercise time and exercise intensity. The greater the body weight, time and intensity; the more calories burned. Research also shows that the body's metabolism is elevated for a period of time after a cardiovascular exercise session.

Besides cardiovascular exercise, strength training also helps elevate metabolism. Muscle is metabolically active tissue. However, after age 30, metabolism slows by 5 percent each decade due to age related muscle mass loss. There is nothing you can do to prevent this, but you can slow down the loss of muscle with strength training. Not only will you burn calories while strength training, but as you gain muscle your metabolism will be elevated all day long.

Below are the American College of Sports Medicine and American Health Association exercise guidelines for healthy adults under age 65.

• Do moderately intense cardio 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or
• Do vigorously intense cardio 20 minutes a day, 3 days a week, and
• Do eight to 10 strength-training exercises, eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise twice a week.

Moderate-intensity physical activity means working hard enough to raise your heart rate and break a sweat, yet still being able to carry on a conversation. It should be noted that to lose weight or maintain weight loss, 60 to 90 minutes of physical activity may be necessary. The 30-minute recommendation is for the average healthy adult to maintain health and reduce the risk for chronic disease.

Related articles

• Don't believe the hype about fat-burning exercise (nationalpost.com)

Aerobic vs. Anaerobic Exercise: What is the Difference?

Your body has two sources of energy: sugar and fat. Sugar, stored as glycogen in the liver and muscle cells, is the easiest from of energy for your body to use. Glycogen is the bodies preferred source of energy. Fat on the other hand, requires more work/time to be used as energy. Oxygen must be present for your body to burn fat for energy, but not to burn glycogen.

Aerobic respiration uses oxygen as its energy source. Aerobic exercise can be any type of exercise that causes your heart rate to increase, makes you breath harder than normal, but can be sustained for a significant length of time. Examples are activities such as jogging, aerobic classes, biking, and swimming.

In anaerobic exercise, muscles do not receive enough oxygen; they react by burning glycogen in higher quantities than fat. Anaerobic exercise is usually performed in sets requiring intense bursts of energy. Examples of this type of exercise include weight training, sprinting, and plyometrics.

A balanced and effective workout routine is usually a combination of aerobic and anaerobic exercise. Both forms of exercise have their own benefits. Aerobic exercises increase endurance, energy and stamina, burn calories for weight loss, strengthen the cardiovascular system, and improve overall health. Anaerobic exercises increase muscle mass and strength, decrease body fat, and raise the basal metabolism causing your body to burn more calories even when at rest.

Stretching the Truth: Why Experts Recommend Stretching After Exercise

Flexible muscles allow your joints to move through a full range of motion. Having flexible muscles improves daily performance and balance making tasks such as lifting packages, bending to tie your shoes or hurrying to catch a bus become easier and less tiring. Your muscle's ability to shorten and lengthen quickly in a full range of motion will also aid in preventing injury and increasing sport performance.

There are several different types stretching techniques, each with it's own benefits. Most often people use a stretching technique called static stretching as the warm-up for their exercise program. Static stretching involves reaching to a point of tension and holding the stretch for an extended period of time while the body is at rest.

In the last few years, several studies have found static stretching before a workout or playing a sport can make you slower and weaker. While static stretching may not be recommended before an activity, it is very effective in increasing flexibility after an activity. After activity, static stretching takes advantage of the warm, pliable muscles and connective tissue, and lengthens muscle fibers. Over time, post-activity stretching has been found to improve all-around joint range of motion.

One the other hand, stretching for a warm-up should do two things: loosen muscles and tendons to increase the range of motion, and literally warm up the body. A well-designed warm-up starts by increasing body heat and blood flow. Dynamic stretching involves moving parts of your body and gradually increasing reach, speed of movement, or both. This is the stretching technique that should be used as a warm-up to increase power, flexibility and range of motion for performance.

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• New Ideas on Proper Stretching Techniques (webmd.com)

Grey Sky Films Celebrates 10 Years

Energy in Motion was invited to Grey Sky Films 10 year anniversary celebration! Grey Sky - You do amazing work and we are so glad we found you! Congratulations!

Check out the Director of Energy in Motion, Tiffiny Twardowsky on their video...

Tips For Eating Out The Healthy Way

Most of us want to be health conscious but, let’s face it, preparing healthy, fresh meals three times a day takes immense amounts of time. It is not often realistic to spend that much time fixing meals after spending a full day at work or taking care of children. Today more and more people are instead eating out for sake of convenience and time. But how do we still maintain a healthy balance when eating out? There are a few simple things we can do to improve our overall health when eating out, whether we eat out once a month or twice a day.

The first thing to take into consideration is portion size. This is a huge problem in eating out that can often lead to weight gain. Most restaurants provide larger meals than you should be eating in one sitting. These meals are also different than the ones you would prepare for yourself in a healthy way. They are often loaded with extra calories, so while you could eat three bowls of whole grain cereal at home and get a moderate amount of calories, one large, rich hamburger might fill your calorie quota for the day. So a basic key to eating out is eating less of your main meal. One way to control this if you are at a restaurant is to ask only half your meal to be brought out and the other half boxed to take home for later. If you are eating fast food, a smart way to go is ordering a kids meal which has more appropriate portions.

However, we all want to be satisfied at the end of a meal and how do we do that if we are not eating tons of food? We can help control our appetite in a variety of ways. One way is to carry around healthy snacks, maybe some good quality granola bars that you can take between meals to help with hunger. Another recommendation is to drink one to two full cups of water before eating your meal. Not only is water important to your health and hydration, it will help you become full faster. You should also consider taking a multivitamin. Often we crave certain foods when we have nutrient deficiencies. It is also just a smart idea to take a multivitamin especially if we are eating out so we can be sure to get in our vitamin and mineral needs. Also ordering a side salad or a healthy soup can help fill you up with less calories before beginning your meal.

One more thing to think about is making healthy choices to start with. Order a water instead of a soda or coffee or alcohol. Water is the best drink for you and helps you cut out needless calories. Most menus now have meals that are marked as low fat, or healthy choice. Go for those meals. Also think about healthy substitutions you can make?soup instead of the fries the meal comes with, or fresh fruit.

There are many simple ways to eat out the healthy way if we just pay attention to what we eat and how we eat it. From multivitamins to drinking water, don’t let your health get out of control because you eat out.

Article Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_1019297_23.html

Eat Well at Work: Tips and Ideas to Make Better Choices

The workplace can be a nutritional battlefield with doughnuts in the break room, co-workers’ candy bowls, and afternoon birthday cake. More organizations are coming up with strategies — like healthy meeting guidelines — to help employees make better food choices.

But when it comes to wellness, workplace culture change can happen at a glacial pace — so don’t rely on corporate policies to protect you from nutrition pitfalls. Take charge of your choices to nourish your mind and body — so you can move through your day feeling fantastic and doing your best work.

Create a Plan
Make a habit of meal-planning once a week — simply map out your breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack ideas for each day. Then, make a shopping list and stock your fridge and cupboards. Download your worksite’s cafeteria menu and decide when to buy lunch and when to brown-bag it. Freeze dinner leftovers for grab-and-go meals — and prepare snacks and lunches the night before. Planning ahead gives you more choices — and saves money.

Rise and Dine
It’s no secret that starting your day with a power breakfast is vital when it comes to all-day energy — and weight management. Skipping breakfast might seem to cut calories, but studies show it actually promotes weight gain and stifles brain function. Not hungry in the morning? Eat dinner earlier and cut back on bedtime snacking.

Choosing a variety of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, low-fat or skim dairy products, and whole grains with your morning meal is your best bet for a high-energy day and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Including protein-rich foods like eggs, nuts, seeds, and dairy products starves off hunger more effectively than a mostly carbohydrate meal. Try these delicious, easy-to-fix ideas:

• Blueberry smoothie with low-fat yogurt
• Nut butter or sunflower seed butter on whole-grain toast with fruit
• Scrambled eggs with basil, oregano, tomatoes, bell peppers, whole-grain toast and orange juice
• Whole-grain hot cereal topped with a sliced banana, 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts or almonds, and skim milk
• Roll up a whole-wheat tortilla with Neufchatel cheese and strawberries

Sensible Snacks
Skip the vending machines and stock your own scrumptious snacks for long-lasting vim and vigor. Pair complex carbohydrates with protein and a small amount of fat for sustainable energy — and control portions to avoid calorie overload:

• Whole wheat crackers and low-fat cheese
• Sliced bell peppers, baby carrots, whole-grain pita slices, and hummus
• Apple slices with 1 tablespoon peanut or sunflower seed butter
• ½ turkey sandwich on whole grain bread with low-fat cheese and mustard
• 1 ounce of almonds with a cup of mixed fruit

Lunchtime Cuisine
Avoid fatty foods and highly processed fare, which can leave you feeling sluggish and wanting more after a meal. Instead, choose foods close to their natural state whenever possible — they’re more satisfying, more nutritious, and more likely to sustain you through the afternoon. Check out these examples:

• Whole-grain pita stuffed with 1/3 cup homemade egg salad (made with reduced-fat mayo) and vegetables
• Vegetable soups: mushroom-barley, chicken-vegetable, or potato- broccoli, for example. Pair a bowl of soup with a ½ sandwich and a cup of grapes or strawberries.
• Whole-wheat burrito with low-fat refried beans and/or lean ground beef and vegetables plus pair of mandarin oranges.
• Spinach, arugula, and romaine salad tossed with cherry tomatoes, onion, peppers, carrots, and 1 ounce of cubed low-fat mozzarella. Top with 2 tablespoons of light vinaigrette. Add a whole-grain dinner roll with deli turkey on the side.
• Find healthier restaurant choices with the Healthy Dining Finder.

Sweets for the Sweet
It’s OK to treat yourself to a little something sweet as long as you keep the portions — and calories — under control. In fact, a small periodic indulgence may help prevent binge-eating that often results from restrictive eating habits. Tricks and tips:

• Fill up on fiber while curbing your cravings with fruit and berries.
• Keep only single-serving portions of chocolate and other high-calorie treats at your work station.
• Steer clear of the vending machine, with its super-size candy bars and multiple-serving bags of candy.
• Make some homemade trail mix with dried cranberries or bananas, nuts or seeds, and pretzels.
• Savor it. Satisfy your taste buds with smaller amounts by eating slowly, fully experiencing the treat’s appearance, scent, taste, and texture.

Additional Resources

• Workplace Wellness: Healthy Eating on the Job, New Jersey Cooperative Extension: http://somerset.njaes.rutgers.edu/pdfs/fs1106.pdf
• The Many Benefits of Breakfast, WebMD: www.webmd.com/diet/features/many-benefits-breakfast
• Tips for Making Healthier Fast Food Choices, HelpGuide.org: http://helpguide.org/life/fast_food_nutrition.htm

ACE FitFacts Reprinted with Permission. Original article: http://www.acefitness.org/fitfacts/fitfacts_display.aspx?DCMP=RSSFitFacts&itemid=3117