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March 2009 - Posts
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The past few weeks we’ve been looking at how to exercise from home. This week we thought we’d focus on weight training. An inexpensive way to start your own weight training program from home is with the use resistance bands. They allow you to do many exercises you can do on an expensive piece of equipment at the gym. You will see these exercise bands for sale everywhere – in fitness stores, local gyms or on infomercials.
Here are some reasons to consider using these bands for your workouts:
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Resistance bands increase coordination. Since resistance bands create tension throughout the exercise, you have to stabilize your body. This will help you increase your coordination and balance and it will also help you involve more muscles than if you where using plain free weights.
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Exercise bands are made for all fitness levels. Whether you are strong or not so strong, flexible or inflexible, a beginner or a more advance exerciser, resistance bands come in many sizes and strengths organized by color. You can learn to use them for basic exercises or to add to the intensity of traditional moves.
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Resistance bands add variety. With free weights or machines you are limited to what you can do with the weights and how you lift weights. Adding resistance bands will allow you to change how you position yourself in many different ways, which will affect how your body works and how each exercise feels.
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Exercise bands are inexpensive and portable. One of the biggest reasons to get exercise bands for your workout is they are cheap compared to machines and heavy free weights. Since resistance bands come in different weights, you can buy stronger strengths as you become more adept at using them. They are also fairly light and can do the same job, if not better, than free weights. Finally, they are easy to pack to take on a trip.
You can consult a fitness expert to learn more about the types of exercises to do with resistance bands – and get started today!
Rebecca
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Have you heard about the fruit called acai berry? Acai berries are thought to be superfoods with anti-aging and weight loss properties. Acai juice is showing up in many local grocery stores and health food stores. But do scientific studies support the claims that acai makes?
The acai berry is a small red fruit found in Central and South America. It’s related to other dark fruits such as blueberries and cranberries. Research on the acai berry has focused on its possible antioxidant activity. Acai contains anthocyanins and flavonoids, which are antioxidants that help defend against stressors by protecting the cells. According to some research, eating a diet rich in antioxidants may slow down aging and prevent certain diseases, such as heart disease and cancer. According to most literature, one can receive the health benefits of acai berries by drinking 1-2 oz of the acai juice daily.
Some studies show that acai berries have even more antioxidant content than cranberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, or blueberries, but the research has yet to prove the medical benefits of the acai fruit. Although acai is touted in some weight loss products, few studies have tested the benefit of acai in promoting weight loss.
Although the research on this fruit is sparse, for now, plenty of research shows that eating a diet rich in antioxidants is beneficial – and there is no doubt that berries and other fruits are a key part of any healthy diet.
Rebecca
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If you are thinking about setting up a gym at home, there are three parts of the home gym workout you should consider – cardiovascular, muscular strength building, and flexibility. Be sure to include all 3 parts in your workout routine.
You can start by coming up with a plan for deciding which exercises you will do for each muscle part – for example, you may want to develop a chart to keep track of your workouts. For each part of the workout, take these suggestions into consideration:
Cardiovascular Workouts
Tools: Workout videos and cardio machines like the elliptical, stationary bike, and treadmill. Exercise equipment varies from simpler machines to extremely elaborate ones.
Benefits: Cardiovascular health, improved mood and sleep, burning fat/calories, improved energy.
Caution: Start at your level and not somebody else's. Make sure not to over-exercise at the beginning or you risk injury.
Muscular Strength Building Workouts
Tools: Muscle toning videos, weights, home gym exercise equipment (e.g., weight machines) and exercise bands.
Benefits: These workouts can be used to tone and/or achieve a bigger look. Women often worry that they will become too big, however normal muscle workouts just help get rid of fat, jump start your metabolism, and build some strength.
Caution: Be sure to use proper form and start with lighter weights to avoid injury. Consider talking with a professional, such as a personal trainer, to learn the proper form before working out at home.
Flexibility Workouts
Tools: Exercise mat, stretch bands, and yoga or stretch videos.
Benefits: Flexibility workouts allow the body to workout with less risk of injuries, because it allows for more fluid movement. Flexibility workouts can be done before and after other workouts to prevent muscle soreness.
Caution: Don’t bounce when stretching and only go as far as feels comfortable to avoid straining the muscles.
As with all new exercises, talk with your doctor before beginning an exercise program.
Rebecca
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Summer is just around the corner and what better time of year for a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, which are at their best quality and freshness. Watermelon, strawberries, cantaloupe, cherries, blueberries, peaches, apricots are some of the seasonal fruits of the summer.
Farmer's markets are a great source for value-priced organics during the summer months. If there are no markets in your area, look for locally grown organics in your grocery store. Since local produce doesn't have to travel far, the prices are often lower. You may even want to take a look at Farm Co-ops and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) groups, which allow you to buy a share in a local farm in exchange for a portion of the food that the farm produces – a real bargain. Locate an organic co-op or CSA in your area through Local Harvest.org, and enjoy more organic fare for your money.
Since warm weather is in the air in many parts of the country, let’s take a look at a very popular summer fruit – watermelon. Despite there very sweet taste, watermelon is very low in calories and very high in lycopene, which is a very heart-healthy phytochemical. Watermelons also have a lot of vitamin A and beta carotene too.
Watermelon has only 46 calories per cup – compared with some other summer fruits, this is a savings of an extra 10-15 calories compared with cantaloupe, peaches and apricots. Most people know very little about watermelon seeds, which are a good source of protein (8 grams of protein for ¼ cup). A watermelon seed is about 35% protein, 50% oil, and 5% dietary fiber. Watermelon seeds are also rich in micro- and macro-nutrients such as magnesium, calcium, potassium, iron, phosphorous and zinc. In many parts of the country, salted and roasted watermelon seeds are consumed as a snack, so why not give this a try this summer.
 
Rebecca
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If you are ready to begin an exercise program, you may be interested in finding one you can do from home. Before you get started, you want to look at your age, whether or not you’re active and, if you are not active, how long you have been in an inactive state. If you are over 35 years of age and have been inactive, you should consult your physician before starting an exercise program.
You should also consult with a physician prior to beginning an exercise program if you currently have or have ever had any of the following medical conditions: high blood pressure, heart trouble, family history of stroke or heart attacks, frequent dizzy spells, extreme breathlessness after mild exertion, arthritis or other bone problems, severe muscular, ligament or tendon problems or other known or suspected diseases or medical conditions, including back problems.
When beginning, be sure to incorporate an aerobic exercise program that is low-intensity. The best exercise to do from home that does not require any aerobic equipment is walking. Start out slowly to allow your heart and lungs to become conditioned; this allows for the body to adapt, which decreases risk for injury. If you can carry on a conversation during exercise then the level of intensity is appropriate.
You should start out exercising 3-5 times a week and start with 10 minutes each session. After a few weeks you can gradually increase your frequency and length of exercise sessions. Gradually work up to 30 minutes for each workout session. As a general rule, space your workouts throughout the week and avoid consecutive days of hard exercise.
Each workout should begin with a warm-up and end with a cool down. The walking program should also include stretching before and after each workout to improve flexibility. Stretch each muscle group and hold the stretch for at least 30 seconds. Be sure to hold the stretch only until you feel a slight amount of tension and do not bounce.
Lastly, if the weather is bad, you can go to a mall to walk or put in a DVD such as “Walk Away the Pounds,” which allows you to do 3-4 miles of walking in your living room. This is an easy way for new moms to start exercising without leaving their newborn.
Next week we will discuss other ideas for exercising from home.
Rebecca
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Eating fruits and veggies in a variety of colors can give you a broad range of nutrients. So “think variety, think color” and you will get a wonderful variety of nutrients too. When it comes to good nutrition, all forms of fruits and vegetables matter—fresh, frozen, canned, dried and 100% juice. There are so many convenient options and a variety of convenient packaging to make fruits and vegetables easy to store and easy to serve – there’s really no excuses for not getting adequate fruits and vegetables servings per day. Here are a few things to remember about the convenient fruit options:
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Most frozen and canned foods are processed within hours of harvest, so their flavor and nutritional value are preserved.
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Studies show that recipes prepared with canned foods had similar nutritional values to those prepared with fresh or frozen ingredients.
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Canned foods are cooked prior to packaging, so they are recipe ready.
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Frozen foods also require little preparation—washing and slicing, for instance, is already done.
Remember to save money and to get the best tasting fresh produce, you should choose fruits that are in season. Here’s a list of the fruits that are in season during the months of March, April, and May – apricots, honeydew, mango, oranges, limes, pineapple, rhubarb, and strawberries.
Let’s take a look at the nutritional content of strawberries (see label below). Strawberries are found in local markets nationwide during the spring and there are tons of nutritional benefits from 1 cup of berries. Eating just 1 cup of these fruits provides 160% of your daily vitamin C and 220 mg of potassium for less than 50 calories. Remember, the juicier the fruit the lower calorie content.
Remember, you can enjoy the taste of any fruit or vegetable year-round by using the canned, frozen, or dried variety – it all counts! Next week we will take a look at another fruit from a different season.
Rebecca
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Throughout February and March, Rebecca Mohning has been sharing tips on helping you make – and keep – your healthy changes. Rebecca is a registered dietician and personal trainer and she’s been sharing everything from making healthier lunches to finding exercises that work for you. She hosted a Live Chat on March 10th and answered many Ignite user questions (stay tuned for the transcript to be posted). Rebecca will continue to provide healthy advice on the blogs throughout the month so feel free to ask questions by commenting on her blogs!
If you have some healthy suggestions you can share about your own successes, please share them in our Health Buddies Channel. Kerry
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If you’re a regular on Ignite, then you may recognize the book, Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think, by Brian Wansink, Ph.D. It was an Oprah’s Book Club favorite and also reviewed in the Ignite book club. In the book, Wansink discusses the psychological reasons why we eat, the influences that go into to our food choices and why, many times, we overeat. Read More.
Well, Dr. Brian Wansink and a colleague, Collin Payne, recently came out with an interesting finding, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The study reviewed the serving sizes and calorie content for classic recipes over a span 70 years. The study reviewed 18 recipes published in all seven editions of the classic cookbook, The Joy of Cooking. The study found some interesting results. It found that there was a 40 percent increase in calories per serving for nearly all of the recipes. For example, the chicken gumbo recipe made 14 servings at 228 calories in the 1936 edition but made 10 servings at 576 calories in the 2006 edition.1 Read More.
The study’s findings were attributed to a couple of different factors. First, standard serving sizes have increased over the past 70 years. Our concept of portion size has grown so we’re accustomed to eating larger amounts quantities of food. Also, some of the more recent dishes in the study added or substituted ingredients. For example, the recipes included more sugar or butter or replaced ingredients with high-caloric alternatives (i.e. meat instead of vegetables).
Some critics say that this study holds little weight because it focuses on a small # of recipes that cannot be applied to the larger population. But what do you think? Do you Wansink and Payne's findings highlight trends in food consumption?
Justin
1 Wansink, Brian & Payne, Collin. The Joy of Cooking Too Much: 70 Years of Calorie Increases in Classic Recipes, Ann Intern Med, Feb 2009; 150: 291 - 292.
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Last week I discussed ways to fit fitness into a busy schedule, such as looking at your work environment for ways to incorporate fitness. This week I wanted to provide some tips on carving out time each day to exercise. If you are someone who constantly says you are going to exercise and have not been able to follow through, consider these five steps below (adapted from a Ladies Home Journal article).
1. Commit to exercise by making it a priority. Exercise should be as important as your other daily activities, like working, eating dinner and watching TV. If you need more incentive then the clear health benefits of exercise, it can help you sleep better and relieve stress.
2. Find an exercise routine you can live with. Starting with smaller steps is always the best way to start an exercise routine. For example, you can start with 10 minutes of activity (like walking) three times a week. Once you are comfortable with this routine, it becomes easier to add to the 10-minute intervals and expand to new activities.
3. Get help from the family. If it’s possible, ask your family – like kids or spouse – to help with household activities, like cleaning and making meals. Use this time you’re saving to exercise.
4. Take a look at your work schedule. If you regularly work long hours, you may want to talk with your supervisor about prioritizing your projects and managing your workload and time. Your supervisor may have ideas to help prioritize projects, giving you time to exercise – and he or she may even want to join you for walking meetings.
5. Exercise in the morning. Morning exercise may not be for everyone, but getting it out of the way early in the day is a smart move. For starters, you don’t need excuses not to exercise since you will have it out of the way. And exercising in the morning will give you more energy throughout the rest of the day.
Rebecca
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Last week we touched on the importance of eating breakfast and what goes into a healthy breakfast. The next step is to start eating breakfast every day. Below are a few options that you will be able to fit into your quick morning routine:
1. Milk-based fruit smoothie – you can mix it up and carry it out the door. Include some ice, fruit, and milk or yogurt in the blend so you get a balance of fiber and protein.
2. Trail mix – make your own trail mix with nuts, cereal, and dried fruit; portion it into baggies to grab and go.
3. Yogurt and cereal – a individual serving of Greek-style low fat or non-fat yogurt is packed with 13 grams of protein or more. Combine that with cereal or fruit for a crunchy high protein/low calorie breakfast.
4. Oatmeal – oatmeal is a nutritious fiber-filled breakfast. Add dried fruit and/or nuts to flavor it up. If you’re in a rush, make a huge batch on Sunday to reheat during the week or grab an instant packet and just add water.
5. Egg sandwich – microwave an egg for 1 minute and add it to a toasted English muffin with a slice of low fat cheese. This makes a quick low calorie, protein packed breakfast.
6. Meal replacement – in a pinch, this makes an easy, fast alternative that has protein, calcium, vitamins, and minerals. There are various ready to drink options in a can or carton.
7. English muffin with peanut butter – you can make it quick in the morning or the night before. Stick with the English muffin instead of bread to save calories and don’t overdo the peanut butter.
8. Protein bars or granola bars – choose bars with at least 8 grams of protein so you won’t get hungry.
Remember to prepare your breakfast in advance so you can just grab it in the morning when you are in a hurry.
Rebecca
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Please join us on Tuesday, 3/10 at 3:00 p.m. ET for a Live Chat with Fitness and Nutrition Expert, Rebecca Mohning. Rebecca is an expert in providing specific tips to help you lose weight as well as exercises you can do at home, with no equipment. She can also help you in making smarter and healthier food choices.
And there are two opportunities to win prizes, too!
- If you register for the Live Chat by Friday, 3/6 at 11:59 p.m. ET, you’ll be entered into a drawing for a $25 gift card to a healthy food store.
- If you submit a question or comment during the Live Chat on 3/10, you’ll be entered into a drawing for a $50 gift card to a healthy food store.
To register now, click on Live Chat on the Ignite home page (you need to be signed into Ignite), find the 3/10 Live Chat and then select Register Now. Make sure to select Confirm and we'll send you a reminder before the Chat.
Hope to see you on 3/10!
Kerry
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