It’s that time of year I dread as a fitness instructor. The mid-part of February when so many people give up going to the gym.
I think I know what happens. Or really, what doesn’t happen: instant weight-loss.
If you joined the gym this January and have been exercising regularly, I have to ask you something: Did you remember that fitness begins in the kitchen?
It’s not a pleasant topic. Nobody likes change. But if you really want your time on the treadmill and the hours you spend lifting weights to count, you have to think about what you eat. Exercise and eating healthy meals work wonders for weight-loss when you do them at the same time.
Personally, I think dragging myself to the gym for a heart-pumping aerobic workout is a lot easier than saying no to the double chocolate brownies sitting on my kitchen counter. (They’re a treat for the kids.)
When I talk to people at the gym where I work, I realize that most of them just don’t know what they should be eating. That’s why it’s so important to learn about nutrition and seek advice from someone qualified to give it, not - ahem – a magazine that promises amazing abs in 10 days.
Instant weight-loss equals instant disappointment.
Alice Warchol is a freelance health blog writer and fitness instructor.
+ Know Your Body Mass Index
+ Read about the Risks of Obesity
Candy hearts aren’t the only hearts you need to worry about in February. Working out as a couple offers an endless variety of heart healthy benefits, but it can strengthen your relationship even as it improves your cardiovascular fitness.
Research suggests that dieting and exercising as a couple (or with a buddy) is easier than going alone. Not only do you get the satisfaction of working together towards a shared goal, you also reinforce the idea that your relationship is about health and feeling good. And, unlike a huge meal or chocolate-fest, shared gym time is a great way to enjoy time together guilt-free as often as you want. Experts have also linked shared gym time with improved intimacy.
For couples who are looking into getting started on a program, some personal training programs will allow two people to share a session. Sharing a workout may help you build trust, improve communication, establish more intimacy all while getting healthier.
This year forget chocolates, wine, and cheese for Valentine’s day – instead, try to do something for each other that helps shrink the waistline rather than expand it.
If you exercise and eat nutritious food, you probably figure you’re pretty healthy.
That’s where the danger lies.
Your jeans might fit but your heart could tell a different story.
More than one-third of the population consider themselves to be in ideal cardiovascular health, according to a survey conducted by the American Heart Association. When in reality, less than 1 percent meets the organization’s criteria for ideal heart health.
Cardiovascular disease is scary. It’s the leading cause of death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And one in every three deaths is from heart disease and stroke. It’s no wonder federal health authorities dedicate every February to promote American Heart Month.
Clearly, we all can do better for our hearts.
It starts with the understanding the “Simple Seven,” according to the American Heart Association. Practice these healthy behaviors and you’re on a good start to living a longer life:
That’s advice you can take to heart.
Alice Warchol is a freelance health writer and fitness instructor.
Sources: American Heart Association, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Learn More about Maintaining a Healthy Weight
Read about the Risks of Obesity
If you might describe yourself as a bit of a people-pleaser, beware this Super Bowl Sunday.
You could have a hard time saying no to that plate of cheesy nachos and bowl of ground beef chili.
Researchers from Case Western Reserve University have found that people who don’t like upsetting others will often eat food just to make someone else happy.
Even when they’re not hungry.
“They don’t want to rock the boat or upset the sense of social harmony,” said Julie Exline, lead author of the study, in a news release. Exline is a Case Western Reserve psychologist.
Ultimately, they pay an emotional price for giving in to the social pressures to eat.
“Those who overeat in order to please others tend to regret their choices later on,” Exline said. “It doesn’t feel good to give in to social pressures.”
The study’s findings, published in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, adds to the growing evidence that other people can influence our eating behaviors. It’s studies, like this one, that can help those of us trying to lose weight.
So, pack up that spinach salad or eat before you head over to your friend’s house for the big game. And learn to say no.
It’s time to focus on your happiness.
Alice Warchol is a freelance health writer and fitness instructor.
+ Learn More about Nutritious Eating
+ Read about Emotional Triggers and Eating
Knee pain can be miserable and debilitating – especially among women aged 50 and older. According to the American College of Rheumatology, around 2/3 of all women aged 50 and older suffering from some degree of knee pain – chronic or recurring.
Orthopaedic specialists note that women have a higher risk for developing arthritis than men.
If you are suffering from knee pain, your primary care physician can help you determine the cause of the pain. From there you may go visit a sports medicine specialist, or a physical therapist to help manage the pain.
Oftentimes exercise is used as a medicine to strengthen the knee by building the muscles around the aching joint. If you’re already active hire a personal trainer to help you focus on low-impact exercises targeting the muscles around the knees. Also, keep in mind that weight is one of the biggest sources of knee pain – losing weight may also mean losing the pain!
We suspect that the root of this question is a lack of clarity about what differentiates these two groups of exercises. We’ve broken them down below:
- Cardio Training
According to the American Heart Association, cardiovascular exercise includes any aerobic exercise that increases you heart rate and “involves the steady and repetitive movement” of your upper (arms) or lower (legs) body.
- Strength Training
Strength training is any exercise that involves – well – strengthening the muscles through “efficient force production, stability and mobility.” This type of training builds endurance and help your muscles use oxygen more efficiently.
Cardio training and strength training are not mutually exclusive and both should be practiced together to optimize weight loss and fitness results. Our personal trainers incorporate both kinds of training, along with nutritional evaluations, in their fitness programs to maximize client results and prevent injury.
We recently encountered a question from a weight loss client, who was wondering if potatoes were “healthy” or if they should be removed from her diet.
Potatoes are not always a diet disaster. One large potato has about 280 calories and 63 grams of carbohydrates. The most important thing about potatoes is the manner in which they are prepared. Deep fried potatoes or potato chips will accelerate an individual’s weight gain if they are part of a normal diet.
If you want to enjoy potatoes, our nutrition and weight loss experts recommend that you prepare them by baking or steaming them to avoid the additional calories of oil and salt. The moderate serving size is one medium-sized potato a day.
Jacqueline Browning, RD
We’re consulting with our fitness, nutrition, and weight loss experts to get the correct answers to your most frequently asked questions!
Jacqueline Browning is a registered dietitian who works closely with the Medically-Supervised Weight Loss Program at the Bon Secours Weight Loss Institute. In this installment, Jackie answers a question about how much bike riding is beneficial to your fitness and overall health:
According to the American College of Sports Medicine, the average adult needs a certain amount of exercise each day. This amount is based on the intensity level of the activity. You should aim for either 30 minutes of “moderately intense cardio” five days a week, or 20 minutes of “vigorously intense cardio” three days a week. If you’re pedaling at a higher intensity on a stationary bike, then 20 minutes a day four days a week may be enough exercise to meet the cardiovascular recommendation for physical activity.
To get cardiovascular heart benefits, one would need 150 minutes per week, or 30 minutes/5 days a week! So 30 minutes of biking 5 days a week would be an appropriate amount of time on a recumbent bicycle.
Have more questions for Jackie or our team of weight loss experts? Leave them in the comments or contact us today!
Whether you like celebrity chef Paula Deen or not, she sure has Americans talking about nutrition.
And I think that’s fabulous.
It’s sweeter than her recipe for chocolate cheese fudge, which calls for one-half pound of Velveeta cheese and one cup of butter.
In case you haven’t heard, Mrs. Deen was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes almost three years ago. However, she didn’t confirm the rumors until this week when she also announced that she will be a paid spokeswoman for a pharmaceutical company that makes a diabetes drug.
Hmmm…I can see why critics are turning up the heat.
Type 2 diabetes is a serious and potentially fatal condition often linked with obesity and lack of exercise. It’s the “leading cause of new cases of blindness, kidney failure and amputations of feet and legs not related to accidents or injury,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
And roughly 23 million Americans have it.
But I think this is a wonderful opportunity for Mrs. Deen.
She has the attention of many Americans who love her cooking and need to make better choices in the kitchen. This is her moment to educate her fans, show them how delicious food can be healthy, too.
She’s already given up sweet tea.
That’s a good start. Now it’s time to reinvent some of her recipes.
Alice Warchol is a freelance writer and fitness instructor.
+ Learn about Medically Supervised Weight Loss
+ Read More about Nutrition
