Archive for August, 2011

The Low Down on Sugar…If You Knew Better You’d Do Better…

Posted: August 28, 2011 by williampower in Nutrition
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The Average American consumes around 2 to 3 lbs of sugar a week due to its ubiquitous use in almost all foods that we eat (processed foods, fast foods, condiments, etc.) The biggest drawback of sugar is its effect on the body’s insulin level. Sugar spikes (increases) insulin which in turn prevents the release of GH (growth hormone) which depresses one’s immune system making you more susceptible to disease. Insulin spikes also promote fat storage making way for faster weight gain. There are 4 types of simple sugars that most nutrionists agree are harmful to ones health when consumed in amounts in excess of 15% of your carbohydrate intake; sucrose, fructose, honey (yes…honey) and malts. That pretty much means 85% or more of your carb intake should be of a complex variety (see Summary of Macronutrients).

Here are some little known side effects of the over consumption of simple sugars:
Upset mineral balance
Hyperactivity anxiety, depression, concentration difficulty, and crankiness in children
Reduction of HDLs
Elevation of LDLs
Hypoglycemia
Kidney Damage
Tooth Decay
Overly acidic stomach
Excess adrenaline in children
Speed the aging process (wrinkles, grey hair)
Increase risk of weight gain and obesity
Inrease risk of Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis
Increase risk of diabetes
Decreased glucose (sugar) tolerance
Increase in blood pressure
Food allergies
Cause free radical formation
Toxemia during pregnancy
Artherosclerosis
Periodontal disease
Insulin sensitivity
Enlarged liver
Fatty liver
Eczema in children
Pancreas damage
Headaches/Migraines
Increased risk of stroke due to blood clots

Just some sugar-less food for thought…

Fat Loss Tips

Posted: August 26, 2011 by williampower in Exercise, Nutrition
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Fat Loss Tips

• Never skip meals
• Exercise daily
• Maximize the thermogenic effect of food (calorie converting process) by keeping protein levels up, increasing activity, and taking advised supplemental factors.
• Vigorous resistance training will maintain or increase your lean body mass (muscle). Muscle burns calories, which means that, for every pound of muscle gained, you will be burning more calories and increasing the rate of fat loss.
• DO NOT DRASTICALLY REDUCE YOUR TOTAL DAILY CALORIC INAKE.
• Reduce fat intake to fewer than 25% of total daily calories.
• Increase foods high in fiber and complex carbohydrates to help satisfy hunger.
• Avoid foods high in salt and fat, like all processed foods or snack foods.
• Eat fresh foods.
• Do not fry foods or use oil or fat in the cooking process. Instead bake, broil, or microwave foods.
• Avoid using heavy sauces on foods.
• Learn to read food nutrition labels. Look for foods that have less than 2 grams of fat per 100 calories.
• Aim for fat free foods.
• Eat low fat protein foods.
• Ask about low calorie protein supplements to help meet daily protein requirements.
• Eat egg whites as a snack to help reduce hunger pangs at night.
• Do not eat out daily and avoid eating fast foods. These foods are usually high in fat, salt, and calories.
• Eat plenty of vegetables.

Why Most Fat Loss Diets Fail
Most people are interested in quick weight loss gimmicks that are easy to use. They want a magic pill or food that melts away fat. While many of these diet programs can reduce weight, recent evaluations report that they have less than a 10% success rate in keeping the weight off. This is because these plans do not use real food and do not advocate sensible exercise. They also result in loss of lean body mass, which means lowering your metabolic rate. When you lose lean body mass, even if you are losing fat, your percentage of body fat may not change or even increase if the amount of lean body mass lost is greater than the body fat lost. Avoid weight loss gimmicks and drugs. Use an integrated approach of good diet and appropriate exercise as an approach to reach your goals.

What’s your body type…or should I say Somatotype?

Posted: August 26, 2011 by williampower in Genetics
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Everyone’s body is different; they look different, smell different, work different, move differently, etc. Your body type is a big factor in determining how easily you gain or lose fat and muscle. Some people are genetically predisposed to being large and muscular like a bodybuilder #ArnoldSchwarzenegger and others stay skinny no matter what they do #JessieEisenberg. The three categories of body types are Ectomorph, Mesomorph and Endomorph.

Ectomorphs
Ectomorphs are what we in the industry call “hard gainers”, in order to build muscle you have to work extremely hard and eat any and everthing. You usually have low body fat, small muscles and thinner skeletons. In order for you to gain weight with this body type you need a structured workout and eating plan that allows you to gain quality lean muscle mass without all the “excess baggage” so to speak.

Mesomorphs
You are the “genetically gifted” people who excel at things like bodybuilding and pack on quality muscle mass easily. You arent exactly “easy gainers” but you aren’t “hard gainers” either. You are most likely very athletic looking; you build muscle faster than ectomorphs and lose fat faster than endomorphs (as long as you exercise and diet properly). In order to take full advantage of your gifts you need to train in the proper modalities that challenge your body and force it to maximize its own potential.

Endomorphs
Endomorphs have the toughest time losing fat out of all body types; you are usually larger than most and soft in appearance. No matter what you do it seems impossible to lose fat on a permanent basis, if at all. Your body type however, is moldable with proper nutrition and a proper dedicated workout routine.

To sum up, genetics play a big role in how we look . You can’t control what genetics you receive nor can you change them now. However, just like genes can be manipulated through the science of biology, your body can be manipulated by the science behind exercise and nutrition #fact. All it takes is a little bit of know how and the right guidance. Where there’s a Will there’s a way (pun intended)…

10 Common Misconceptions When Losing Weight (ACSM)

Posted: August 26, 2011 by williampower in Exercise, Nutrition
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Severely restrict their caloric intake. A starvation diet ( i.e., reducing your caloric intake to less than 50% of what your body requires) presents a number of problems to people who are trying to lose weight. First and foremost, it doesn’t work. Any weight that may have been lost is subsequently regained because most individuals cannot maintain such a restrictive eating plan over the long haul.

Have an unduly narrow perspective of the problem at hand. Too many people view losing weight as simply a matter of cutting back on what they eat. In reality, it’s an issue of basic physics – balancing energy in with energy out. As such, if you really want to lose weight and keep it off you need to increase your level of physical activity and eat in moderation.

Ignore the need to maintain their level of lean body mass. A common tendency among individuals who exercise is to focus their activity efforts only on aerobic exercise. In this process, they lose muscle mass, which is replaced by fat when they inevitably regain whatever weight they lost. In turn, their metabolic rate as well as the number of calories that they need to maintain their current weight, is diminished. This adjustment creates a cycle that is counterproductive to sustained weight loss.

Misinterpret food labels. It is extremely important for individuals who want to control their weight to be aware of the fact that labels that state that a particular foodstuff is either “no fat” or “no sugar” does not mean “no calories“.

Try to lose too much weight too rapidly. Research shows that a weight-reduction program that involves a slow and steady loss (i.e., approximately 1lb or less per week for women and 2lbs or less for men) has the best chance for success, particularly when it is combined with an effort to change any inappropriate lifestyle habits.

Believe that spot reduction is possible. The concept of spot reducing is a complete myth. No exercise will eliminate fat from a specific area of the body, just as no change in your caloric intake will guarantee that the fat will melt away in the area of the body you most want to address. As a rule, the pattern in which you lose body fat is genetically predetermined.

Mistake water lost through sweating for actual fat and weight loss. Your body has millions of sweat glands that cover your skin, excreting water and electrolytes. When you exercise, the amount of water (sweat) that is perspired increases in an effort by your body to keep you cool and regulate your body temperature. The water you lose from perspiring can mislead you into believing that you’ve lost more fat and body weight than you may have actually lost. Such water weight is replaced when you subsequently consume fluids.

Buy into the “magic beans” theory. Selling supplements and related pills and powders and potions that will purportedly somehow facilitate a person’s efforts to lose weight is a multi-billion dollar a year industry. Other than being a waste of money and a purveyor of false hope for individuals who are looking for an easy and quick-fix approach to losing weight, such items also can have negative health consequences.

Follow unproven and spurious dieting advice. The number of unsound diets that target unsuspecting individuals with undocumented claims and unhealthy practices seems to grow exponentially every year. Truth be known, these diets share at least two traits – they don’t work, and they may actually be harmful (physically and financially) to a person who tries them.

Consider a surgical solution to their “weight” problem. Some individuals consider a surgical option for losing weight. In this regard, two procedures tend to receive the most attention – liposuction and gastric bypass surgery. Liposuction involves the removal of fat from specific regions in the body. Gastric bypass surgery, on the other hand, is a procedure that makes the stomach smaller and allows food to bypass part of the small intestine, resulting in fewer calories being absorbed. Although guidelines vary, gastric bypass surgery is generally reserved for severely obese individuals.

Dine Right or Die

Posted: August 25, 2011 by williampower in Nutrition
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Cooking Tips:
• Avoid the use of MSG.
• Always trim any excess fat and skins from meats and poultry if you are trying to reduce fat intake.
• Boil, bake, microwave, steam, and grill foods; this will reduce excess fat.
• Use spray cooking oils such as Pam rather than regular oils (1tbsp of oil is equivalent to 120 cal and 14g of fat).
• Use low fat cheese and skim milk instead of regular processed cheese and whole milk.
• Use non stick frying pans, pressure cooker, steamer baskets, roast racks to cook food. These tools aid in separating unnecessary fats from foods.

Eating Out Tips:

• Choose restaurants that offer a variety of foods included in your meal plan.
• In a restaurant, start your meal with a salad packed with veggies, to help control hunger and feel satisfied sooner.
• As a beverage choice, ask for water or order fat-free or low-fat milk, unsweetened tea, or other drinks without added sugars.
• Ask for whole wheat bread for sandwiches.
• Choose main dishes that include vegetables, such as stir fries, kebobs, or pasta with a tomato sauce.
• Order an item from the menu instead heading for the “all-you-can-eat” buffet.
• Ask to have sauces and dressings served on the side.

• Study your menu and look for broiled meats and fish. These tend to be the best healthy choices at most restaurants.
• Seafood restaurants offer low fat meals such as broiled sole, swordfish, etc.
• At steak houses, order a lean cut of meat such as a filet, ground steak, or grilled skinless chicken breast, preferably broiled.
• Order steamed, grilled, or broiled dishes instead of those that are fried or sautéed.
• Choose a “small” or “medium” portion. This includes main dishes, side dishes, and beverages.
• Remember restaurant servings tend to vary in size. Be aware of portion size.
• If main portions at a restaurant are larger than you want, try one of these strategies to keep from overeating:
• Order an appetizer or side dish instead of an entrée.
• Share a main dish with a friend.
• If you can chill the extra food right away, take leftovers home in a “doggy bag.”
• When your food is delivered, set aside or pack half of it to go immediately.
• Resign from the “clean your plate club” – when you’ve eaten enough, leave the rest.
• Don’t always feel that you have to clean your plate. Take it home for another meal.
• To keep your meal moderate in calories, fat, and sugars:
• Ask for salad dressing to be served “on the side” so you can add only as much as you want.
• Order foods that do not have creamy sauces or gravies
• Add little or no butter to your food.
• Choose fruits for dessert most often.
• For Chinese food, choose steamed vegetables with chicken or beef. Ask for no MSG or soy sauce.

General Tips:
• Plan to eat meals at approximately the same time everyday to increase the efficiency of the body’s digestive process.
• Eat fresh foods whenever possible.
• Keep a food diary to keep track of what you are eating.
• Try your very best to not eat in front of the TV or when reading the paper, etc. This will allow you to focus on enjoying the meal and concentrate on eating. There is a tendency to overeat and not chew food properly when distracted.
• TRY YOUR VERY BEST TO NOT SKIP MEALS.
• Plan meals ahead of time and stay on a consistent schedule. This will keep you from becoming uncontrollably hungry and will help the body’s digestive system work more efficiently.
• Use calorie free beverages, such as water, club soda, or flavored seltzer to maintain proper fluid intake.

Traveling Tips:
• Pack fruit, cereal, appropriate meal replacements, nuts, and other healthy foods.
• PREPARE LUNCH IF YOU KNOW YOU WILL BE ON THE ROAD. DONT PUT YOURSELF IN A POSITION WHERE THERE IS NO HEALTHY FOOD AVAILABLE.
• On long commutes or shopping trips, pack some fresh fruit, cut-up vegetables, low-fat string cheese sticks, or a handful of unsalted nuts to help you avoid stopping for sweet or fatty snacks.
• Order special meals when making plane reservations if possible. Kosher food plates, fruit plates, and other meals may be available when pre-ordered through a travel agent.
• Bring bottled water with you to insure daily water intake requirement.

30-Second Sprints Build Endurance and Quickly Boost Performance

Posted: August 25, 2011 by williampower in Exercise
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Get More Fit in Less Time
Pro athletes and weekend warriors know that you must train your cardiovascular system to improve your endurance and sports performance. Getting at least 20 or 30 minutes of exercise at least three times per week has become the foundation of cardiovascular fitness. However, there are other ways to get cardiovascular benefits. In fact, evidence supports the benefit of short, high intensity efforts as a means of improving aerobic capacity and endurance.
Sprint training is becoming a new way to train. Recent studies involving bicyclists showed great results in very little time. In fact, one study found that just six sessions of 4-7 all-out 30 second sprints (with four minutes of recovery) could be as effective in improving cardiovascular fitness as an hour of daily moderate activity.
The subjects in one study showed a full 100 percent increase in endurance capacity (from 26 minutes to 51 minutes) versus the control group who showed no change. In another study by the same researchers, subjects improved their time trial performance by nearly 10 percent in the two weeks.
These short bouts of intense exercise (similar to interval training) improved muscle health and performance comparable to several weeks of traditional endurance training. The muscles of the trained group also showed a significant increase in citrate synthase — an enzyme that is a marker of the tissue’s ability to utilize oxygen. Other findings have shown that short, high intensity exercise burns more calories.
Click Here To Learn The Workout!

6 ACSM Approved Tips for Working Out

Posted: August 25, 2011 by williampower in Exercise
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  1. Get you body ready to exercise. Always warm up before you work out. Warming up properly ( i.e., doing enough to raise your body temperature) helps to ensure that your body is prepared to safely handle the stress of exercise.
  2. Don’t put yourself at risk. Don’t exercise if you’re ill or feeling unduly fatigued. Physical activity can exacerbate your illness if you are sick, and possibly expose you to increased risk of being injured if you’re extremely tired.
  3. Organize you workout environment. Keep your exercise area free of clutter. Rerack weights. Don’t allow your exercise area to become an obstacle course which can elevate odds of injury (tripping, falling).
  4. Proceed sensibly. Never try to do too much too soon. When you first begin to workout, start at a sensible level, and then progressively adjust how much you do as your body adapts to demands imposed on it.
  5. Use your lungs. Never hold your breath while exercising, particularly when you’re lifting weights. Holding your breath while exercising can cause a buildup of inner thoracic (inner rib cage) pressure, which can inhibit the return of blood to your heart. This action also can compromise the amount of blood flow (and subsequent oxygen) to your entire body.
  6. Listen up. Don’t argue what your body may be trying to tell you if you’re doing too much when you’re exercising. Always respond to such signals (e.g., sharp pain, dizziness, nausea, etc.) Having a “warrior” mindset will not protect you if you exceed your body’s capability to adapt to the amount of physical stress imposed on it.

Healthy Eating on the GO!

Posted: August 24, 2011 by Bizzy Amor in Nutrition
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Tips for healthy eating on the go…

Healthy eating at a restaurant:

  • Choose an omelet filled with vegetables or a piece of whole wheat toast with peanut butter
  • A bowl of oatmeal with fresh fruit

At the hotel continental breakfast bar:

  • Choose a whole grain cereal with low-fat milk.
  • Fresh fruit
  • Yogurt or hard-boiled eggs are good sources of protein.
  • Avoid sugary muffins, sweet-rolls, and pre-sweetened cereal.

***When you stop for gas and restroom breaks, if possible, find a local grocery store which will have a better selection than the gas station***

 At the service station:

  • Look for single-serving whole grain breakfast cereals and low-fat milk.
  • Protein bars can make a good breakfast food substitute, but watch out for extra sugar and calories–read the labels.
  • As a last resort, choose a hot breakfast sandwich or small breakfast burrito over donuts and sweet-rolls.

 Fast food restaurants:

  • Fruit and yogurt parfaits will give you some calcium and protein without too much saturated fat.
  • Drink low-fat milk or water.

 Snacks in the Car

Snacks should be low in saturated fats, low in sugar and nutritious. Take a cooler with ice packs to keep your snacks and beverages cold.

 

  • Load up on fresh-cut vegetables and fruit. Bring along a small cooler with ice packs to keep your snacks fresh.
  • Bring plenty of water
  • Individually wrapped portions of string cheese or deli meats can be kept in the cooler with the fruit and vegetables. They are a great source of calcium and/or protein.
  • Bring baked whole grain crackers along on your trip. This is good for added fiber and nutrients.
  • You can also pack sandwiches made with whole grain bread/ whole grain crackers and peanut butter or lean meats.
  • Nuts such as almonds, cashews, and walnuts contain polyunsaturated fats and are easy to take on a trip in either individual bags or larger containers.

Lunch and Dinner

Lunch and dinner on the road usually means going to a restaurant. If possible opt for full-service restaurants that offer more choices.

  • Order a soup or a salad to eat with your main course. Soups and salads are generally healthy and start to fill you up so that you eat less of the more calorie-dense main meal.
  • Skip the entrée altogether. Soup and salad might be enough for a healthy meal.
  • Split a meal with your dining partner. Most restaurants serve huge portions, so there is usually enough food to share. This saves calories and money. Besides, sharing eliminates the temptation to take leftovers back on the road, where they can’t be properly stored.
  • Select foods that are prepared with healthier, low-fat methods. Baked chicken is healthy, but fried chicken has too much fat.
  • Eat the vegetables. Most entrées come with at least one vegetable. If not, be sure to order a vegetable side dish.
  • Skip dessert, or choose some fruit. A full meal that ends with a sugary dessert may make you feel sleepy.

At the Hotel

If your trip requires a hotel stay, you might get a bit hungry after a long day of travel. If going to a restaurant is not an option, you should still find healthy foods.

 Eating at the hotel:

  • Find a local grocery store and buy healthy snack items such as fruit, nuts, or healthy choices from a salad bar or deli section.
  • If your only choice for a snack is the hotel vending machine, skip the candy and chips and look for nuts or microwave popcorn.

Follow these easy tips for better nutrition on the road, and have a safe and healthy road trip.

Great Snack Items:

Fresh Vegetables: These are the best source for vitamins, for example, and for the fiber your gastrointestinal system needs to function properly.
Dehydrated Vegetables: These are important because you can get most of the nutritional benefits that come from fresh vegetables, but they will last much longer on the road. For example, dried sweet potato packs a hefty portion of your daily requirement of potassium as well as Vitamin A. Any of the vegetables you can prepare in your dehydrator before you leave home will be ideal for a trip.

Fresh Fruits: Again, you can pack a few fresh ones for your first day or days on the road. Maybe the most important reason to take along fresh fruits is their ability to leave you satisfied. Bananas won’t keep for very long, but they’re important because of the nutritional punch they provide; they’re excellent for carbohydrates, fiber, potassium, and Vitamin C. Kiwifruit, which is excellent for Vitamin C, is also a good one, and it will keep longer. Apples keep well and provide a bundle of nutrition, including Vitamins A and C.  Citrus fruits are great because they have a lasting effect on the stomach (they cause the pH of the stomach to stay elevated which burn more fat over time).

Citrus fruits

  • Clementine
  • Kumquat
  • Minneola
  • Mandarin
  • Orange
  • Satsuma
  • Tangarine
  • Tangelo
  • Lemon
  • Rough Lemon
  • Lime
  • Leech Lime
  • Grapefruit
  • Pummelo
  • Sweety
  • Ugli

 
Dried Fruits: They contain more sugar and more calories, but they can be safely stored for a long time and are not as bulky as fresh fruit. These two factors make them ideal for the traveler. You’re probably going to find yourself in a situation where you can’t obtain fresh fruit, and these are an excellent alternative. For example, dates are a good source for iron.

Raw Crackers: You can make these ahead of time. They will keep even longer than raw cookies. Preferably whole grain or wheat crackers.

Raw Granola: Make a hefty batch of this ahead of time. It fills in a lot of the cracks in your dietary needs on a trip. It can be breakfast, it can be a snack, and it can also be dessert. Take plenty of this one along. Look at this website for a recipe: www.recipezaar.com.

Almond Milk: This can be packaged in glass bottle and will keep for a long time. It can certainly make a good breakfast along with your granola.

Nuts: These are perfect for traveling. They’re easy to pack, they don’t take a lot of space, and they pack a hefty punch when it comes to nutrition. Be sure to include almonds in your selection; however, peanuts, pecans, and walnuts are also very good choices.

RTD Meal Replacements:

Oh yea protein drink (only the carb conscious 18g protein variety)

  • 18 Grams of Protein
  • Only 2 Grams of Sugar
  • Lactose Free
  • Unprecedented Taste
  • Carb Conscious

A Summary of Macronutrients

Posted: August 24, 2011 by Bizzy Amor in Nutrition
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A Summary of Macronutrients

By: William Moore

        Macronutrients are chemical substances that are needed by the body in relative amounts in order to maintain the body’s normal growth and development.  The three types of macronutrients are carbohydrates (simple and complex), fats (saturated and unsaturated) and proteins (constructed from various amino acids).  Carbohydrates (carbs) are the body’s most preferred source of energy since they are the easiest of the macronutrients to metabolize.  Simple carbs are digested quickly and are usually made up of refined (machine processed) sugars that have been stripped of most of their vitamins and minerals.  Examples of simple sugar sources are juices, soda, candy, and white bread.  Complex carbs take longer to digest and are usually good sources of fiber, vitamins and minerals.  Examples include vegetables, whole grain, cereals, breads, and pasta.  The bulk of our carbs consumed should be complex.

Fats, although digested very slow and metabolized for energy relatively slow, contain the highest amount of energy per gram in relation to the other macronutrients (9 Kcal/g in fat to the 4 Kcal/g in carbohydrates and protein).  Fats also play several roles in the body such as protection of organs, thermal insulation, and aiding in the absorption and production of certain vitamins among other things.  Of the two types of dietary fat (among the several other types of fat in the body), saturated fats (sat. fats) are difficult to oxidize (breakdown) and, in excess, is linked to higher rates of cardiovascular disease.  Sources of sat. fat are dairy products, certain animal meats and certain processed foods among several.  Unsaturated fats are a bit easier to oxidize and are less toxic within the body but they also provide somewhat less energy than its saturated counterpart because of its unsaturation.  Sources include avocadoes, nuts, vegetable oils and olive oils.

Proteins are chemical compounds of various amino acids that the body requires to grow and function.  Proteins can even be used as energy in certain circumstances.  Of the 22 amino acids, 9 are essential (cannot be synthesized in the body and must come from dietary sources) and the rest are nonessential (synthesized in adequate amounts in the body).  Sources of protein are eggs, meat, fish, and milk.  Protein also comes in different qualities whereas some of the sources don’t contain complete proteins (proteins with complete amino acid profiles i.e. some aminos are missing).  The best quality proteins are eggs, whey, and meat.  Incomplete, poor quality proteins come from plant sources.  However, incomplete proteins can be mixed to yield complete proteins (i.e. rice and beans).

Download: A Summary of Macronutrients by William Moore

Tips For Increasing Physical Activity

Posted: August 24, 2011 by Bizzy Amor in Exercise
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What is physical activity? 

Physical activity simply means movement of the body that uses energy. Walking, gardening, briskly pushing a baby stroller, climbing the stairs, playing soccer, or dancing the night away are all good examples of being active. For health benefits, physical activity should be moderate or vigorous and add up to at least 30 minutes a day.

Moderate physical activities include:

  • Walking briskly (about 3 ½ miles per hour)
  • Hiking
  • Gardening/yard work
  • Dancing
  • Golf (walking and carrying clubs)
  • Bicycling (less than 10 miles per hour)
  • Weight training (general light workout)

Vigorous physical activities include:

  • Running/jogging (5 miles per hour)
  • Bicycling (more than 10 miles per hour)
  • Swimming (freestyle laps)
  • Aerobics
  • Walking very fast (4 ½ miles per hour)
  • Heavy yard work, such as chopping wood
  • Weight lifting (vigorous effort)
  • Basketball (competitive)

Some physical activities are not intense enough to help you meet the recommendations. Although you are moving, these activities do not increase your heart rate, so you should not count these towards the 30 or more minutes a day that you should strive for. These include walking at a casual pace, such as while grocery shopping, and doing light household chores.

Tips For Increasing Physical Activity

Make physical activity a regular part of the day.
Choose activities that you enjoy and can do regularly. Fitting activity into a daily routine can be easy—such as taking a brisk 10 minute walk to and from the parking lot, bus stop, or subway station. Or, join an exercise class. Keep it interesting by trying something different on alternate days. What’s important is to be active most days of the week and make it part of daily routine. For example, to reach a 30-minute goal for the day, walk the dog for 10 minutes before and after work, and add a 10 minute walk at lunchtime. Or, swim 3 times a week and take a yoga class on the other days. Make sure to do at least 10 minutes of the activity at a time, shorter bursts of activity will not have the same health benefits. To be ready anytime, keep some comfortable clothes and a pair of walking or running shoes in the car and at the office.

More ways to increase physical activity
at home:

  • Join a walking group in the neighborhood or at the local shopping mall. Recruit a partner for support and encouragement.
  • Push the baby in a stroller.
  • Get the whole family involved—enjoy an afternoon bike ride with your kids.
  • Walk up and down the soccer or softball field sidelines while watching the kids play.
  • Walk the dog—don’t just watch the dog walk.
  • Clean the house or wash the car.
  • Walk, skate, or cycle more, and drive less.
  • Do stretches, exercises, or pedal a stationary bike while watching television.
  • Mow the lawn with a push mower.
  • Plant and care for a vegetable or flower garden
  • Play with the kids—tumble in the leaves, build a snowman, splash in a puddle, or dance to favorite music.

At work:

  • Get off the bus or subway one stop early and walk or skate the rest of the way.
  • Replace a coffee break with a brisk 10-minute walk. Ask a friend to go with you.
  • Take part in an exercise program at work or a nearby gym.
  • Join the office softball or bowling team.

At play:

  • Walk, jog, skate, or cycle.
  • Swim or do water aerobics.
  • Take a class in martial arts, dance, or yoga.
  • Golf (pull cart or carry clubs).
  • Canoe, row, or kayak.
  • Play racket ball, tennis, or squash.
  • Ski cross-country or downhill.
  • Play basketball, softball, or soccer.
  • Hand cycle or play wheelchair sports.
  • Take a nature walk.
  • Most important – have fun while being active!

Source: Mypyramid

Download: Tips For Increasing Physical Activity

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