Fitness Notes

The Benefits of Pilates

2010-07-17T18:28:00.000-07:00

"I must be right. Never an aspirin. Never injured a day in my life. The whole country, the whole world, should be doing my exercises. They'd be happier." -- Joseph Hubertus Pilates, in 1965, age 86.

Runner or golfer, tennis player or new mom, chances are you've heard someone talking about the benefits of Pilates. Many types of people, at many levels of fitness, who have begun doing Pilates exercises say they've seen improvements in range of motion, flexibility, circulation, posture, and abdominal strength -- and decreases in back, neck and joint pain.

Forty years after his death, the system of exercises developed by Joseph Pilates has never been in such demand. But can the benefits of Pilates (puh-LAH-teez), the system of strengthening and stretching exercises designed to develop the body's core, mobilize the spine and build flexibility, really be that far-reaching?

Zumba Dance

2010-04-14T16:50:00.000-07:00

http://www.dancetoenddomesticviolence.org/

Maureen McCormick quote on Pilates

2010-03-28T12:22:00.000-07:00

we did Pilates for the first time in my life - it's better than sex! I felt like I was massaged for a full hour on the Pilates machine! Fantastic work out!

What causes aging?

2010-03-11T18:04:00.000-08:00

The environment continually ages our bodies through oxidation or other internal processes. What is oxidation? Like the rusting of your house's foundation or pillars, it is a natural process and a byproduct of your body functioning properly. But when too much oxidation occurs, it puts you at a higher risk of aging-or rusting-your body. This is why so many foods that are good for us contain antioxidants, which slow the oxidation process. We don't know for sure if the antioxidant property of these foods is responsible for the health benefits you get from eating them, but it's likely a contributor

Split Routine

2010-03-04T17:53:00.000-08:00

Design a split routine -- You don't necessarily need to work every major muscle group in each workout. One day, work only your upper body for 20 minutes and then finish with 10 minutes of cardio. The next workout, do lower body and finish with 10-15 minutes of cardio.

Exercise Myth

2010-03-02T19:06:00.000-08:00

Stay Skinny With Diet Alone

You can lose weight simply by cutting back on calories. But combining exercise with diet will help you lose weight more quickly. More importantly, it will help you keep the pounds off permanently. The majority of participants in the National Weight Control Registry (a survey of thousands of people who have lost a significant amount of weight and kept it off for years) report that a consistent exercise program is one of their key weight maintenance strategies.

Zumba for Teenagers

2010-02-21T11:27:00.000-08:00

Starting in the summer of 2010, I will be offering Zumba targeted for the teenagers, ages 14-18. Please have your teenager sign up and avoid adolescent obesity. Times and dates to be announced.

12 Reasons to Really Quit Smoking

2010-02-11T09:02:00.000-08:00

Never mind cancer or heart disease for a moment. Here are some nonobvious reasons to snub cigarettes.
By Lindsay Lyon, U.S. News & World Report

We'll spare you the lecture. (Seriously, though. Stamp out that butt and flush the pack, already.) Tobacco use, namely cigarette smoking, is the chief cause of preventable death in the United States. Left unbridled, smoking could kill more than a billion people this century, according to the World Health Organization. That equals the number who would die if a Titanic sank every 24 minutes for the next 100 years, as former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop so starkly put it at a March 2008 press conference.

Still, it may be harder than ever to quit: Three quarters of today's smokers trying to shed the habit are heavily hooked on nicotine, up 32 percent from almost two decades ago, according to research presented at the American College of Chest Physicians' annual meeting last October. So quitting, for most, is not merely a matter of willpower. Nonetheless, the reasons to do so keep amassing—and they're not all about heart disease, lung cancer or respiratory problems. Here's a few downsides you might not have considered:

1. It fogs the mind. Smoking may cloud the mind, according to accumulating research. A June study in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that smoking in middle age is linked to memory problems and to a slide in reasoning abilities, though these risks appeared lessened for those who'd long quit; this is important, the authors wrote, because other research has shown that people with mild cognitive impairment in midlife develop dementia at an accelerated rate. Their report piggybacks on several focused on the older set: A 2007 analysis of 19 prior studies concluded that elderly smokers face a heightened risk of dementia and cognitive decline, compared with lifelong nonsmokers. And in 2004, researchers reported in Neurology that smoking appeared to hasten cognitive decline in dementia-free elderly smokers, bringing it on several times faster than in their nonsmoking peers.

2. It may bring on diabetes. As if we need any more risk factors for diabetes, an analysis published in the Journal of the American Medical Association last year found that across 25 prior studies, current smokers have a 44 percent greater chance of developing type 2 diabetes than nonsmokers do, and the risk was strongest for those with the heaviest habit, who clocked 20 or more cigarettes per day. In an accompanying editorial, researchers made a striking estimation: That some 12 percent of all type 2 diabetes cases nationwide might be attributable to smoking.

3. It invites infections. In October, the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices made its first ever recommendation that all smokers ages 19 to 64 be added to a short list of candidates for the pneumococcal vaccine. That's because there are very strong data showing that the risk of infection by pneumonia-causing bacteria is substantially greater for smokers than for nonsmokers, says Pekka Nuorti, a medical epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Exactly why is unclear, though there's evidence that smoking may damage the respiratory system's protective mucous membranes, making it easier for infectious organisms to latch on and cause disease, says Nuorti. Other research suggests that smoking may interfere with immunity, compromising people's ability to fight infections, he adds.

Heightened susceptibility to infections, it appears, isn't limited just to those who do the smoking: A May 2008 study in Tobacco Control found that children exposed to secondhand smoke at home during early infancy (especially those born prematurely or with a low birth weight) are more prone to a throng of severe illnesses that may land them in the hospital at some point during childhood. The findings were based on an analysis of more than 7,000 Chinese children from 1997 to 2005.

4. It may stultify a sex life. If men want to hop aboard the Viagra bandwagon, mounting evidence suggests that puffing cigarettes might be just their ticket. Smokers are more apt to experience erectile dysfunction than nonsmokers are, and this risk climbs as the number of cigarettes smoked increases. A study in the American Journal of Epidemiology in 2007 tracked more than 7,500 Chinese men with low risk for artherosclerosis, a chief underlying cause of erectile dysfunction, and found that smoking could independently hike a man's chance of wrangling with the sexual condition. Preventing smoking is an "important approach" for cutting the risk of ED, the researchers concluded.

5. It may lead to wrinkles ... everywhere. Not only does smoking contribute to premature facial wrinkles, but a 2007 study in the Archives of Dermatology found that it may also lead to wrinkling of skin that rarely sees the light of day—in areas such as the inner arm and perhaps the buttocks.

6. It may hasten menopause. Women who smoke face an increased risk of infertility, and they may experience natural menopause at a younger age than do nonsmokers, according to the 2004 and the 2001 Surgeon General's Reports, respectively. Further evidence: A 2001 animal study in Nature Genetics found that chemicals in cigarette smoke can hurry menopause by killing off egg cells made by ovaries, thereby dwindling the egg cell reserve. Since the timing of menopause is dictated by the size of a woman's egg cell reserve—which is stocked with about a million eggs at birth and vanishes by menopause—anything that speeds up its loss could logically lead to a much earlier onset of fertility troubles, notes Jonathan Tilly, one of the study's authors and director of the Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology at Massachusetts General Hospital. More worrisome: Women who smoke during pregnancy may be compromising not only their own future fertility but the fertility of their unborn daughters. In studies testing that idea, mice exposed to chemicals in cigarette smoke during gestation were born with shrunken egg reserves. "Even under the best-chance scenario—you're a nonsmoker, you're healthy, you're young, you eat well, you're in shape—human fertility isn't 100 percent," says Tilly. "Anything you can do to make it better is certainly worth your while."

7. It may dull vision. Several studies have found a robust link between smoking and eye disease, specifically age-related macular degeneration, which can permanently blur vision or cause blindness. A 2005 review of 17 studies in the journal Eye reported that active smokers may face two to three times the risk for developing the disease experienced by those who have never smoked.

8. It hurts bones. Smoking weakens the body's scaffolding and is a serious risk factor for osteoporosis, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. It's been shown to fritter away bone density in postmenopausal women and to hike the risk of hip fractures in both sexes, according to the 2004 Surgeon General's Report. (People who endure hip fractures are 12 to 20 percent more likely to die than those who don't, the Report notes, though there are ways osteoporosis sufferers can protect themselves.) Smokers may also experience slower healing of broken bones and wounded tissues than do nonsmokers.

9. It may injure the insides. Sure, cigarettes may be smooth to inhale, but they can rough up the digestive system, leading to heartburn, peptic ulcers and possibly gallstones, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. What's more, current and former smokers have an elevated risk of developing Crohn's disease, a condition characterized by inflammation in the digestive tract and causing pain and diarrhea, says NIDDK.

10. It may stifle sleep. Feeling groggy despite a night's slumber might be a problem for those who light up: A February study in Chest found that smokers are four times more likely to get nonrestorative sleep than those who don't smoke, and researchers deemed nicotine the likely culprit. They theorized that its stimulant properties deal smokers a double blow, making it difficult to fall asleep and also potentially sending the body into nicotine withdrawal during the night. (Half of the chemical's effect wears off within two hours.) Since inadequate shut-eye can invite health problems, consider forgoing cigarettes for the sake of your sleep.

11. It shaves years—and quality—off life. Men who have never smoked live on average 10 years longer than their peers who smoke heavily, according to an October report in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Moreover, they enjoyed a higher quality of life throughout those extra years, throwing sand in the face of the old smokers' defense that an early death is a small price to pay for a lifetime of pleasure. The study's Finnish authors drew their conclusion after scrutinizing data on more than 1,600 men tracked for nearly 30 years.

12. It's tied to lots of cancers. Not to belabor the point, but tobacco use and smoking have been linked to much more than lung cancer. In September, the CDC released a report estimating that more than 2 million cases of tobacco-related cancers were diagnosed nationwide between 1999 and 2004. Lung and bronchial cancer topped the list, naturally, but other types included stomach, pancreatic, kidney, urinary bladder and cervical cancer. "We knew this was a big problem and a preventable problem," says Sherri Stewart, the epidemiologist at CDC who led the research. "But when you present the hard numbers, you start to see the profoundness of the problem." Her message: To protect your health, do everything you can to quit.

Salmon

2010-02-11T05:07:00.000-08:00

http://healthnews.ediets.com/recipes/2009/02/ginger-honey-salmon-with-potato-wedges.html

5 Worst Exercises; 5 Better Choices

2010-02-10T06:21:00.000-08:00

By Raphael Calzadilla, BA, CPT, ACE, RTS1

How do you know that all the exercises you're performing are safe and efficient? For the most part, many people use atrocious form when exercising so we can't necessarily blame the exercise itself for poor results.

But there are actually exercises that are unsafe and inefficient. Here are my top five worst exercises.

1. Upright rows: In this exercise, you grasp a barbell with hands approximately four inches apart with palms facing the body. Standing in an upright position, the bar is pulled all the way up to the neck. The objective: to strengthen the muscles at the base of the neck. The exercise puts undue stress on the very sensitive rotator cuff muscles of the shoulder and can easily cause injury.
Better Choice: Dumbbell shrugs. With dumbbells by your sides and palms facing the body, simply raise the trapezius and shoulders as high as possible while keeping your neck stable and your arms extended by your sides.

2. Side bends: Taking a broomstick or dumbbells and bending side to side in the hopes that the oblique muscles (love handles) will shrink. Side bends may actually make the area larger if you use heavy enough dumbbells. The only thing that's going to shrink those love handles is reducing overall body fat through cardiovascular exercise, brisk weight training and a reduced-calorie diet.

Better Choice: The seldom-seen Cable Woodchop exercise. This is a somewhat complex exercise. Members of eDiets can post on the support boards and I'll describe it in vivid detail.

3. Behind-the-neck lat pull-downs: Performing this cable pull-down movement puts unnecessary stress on the rotator cuff muscles of the shoulders. Many people experience injuries from this behind-the-neck movement.

Better Choice: Lat Pull-Downs to the front. A slight arch of the back, chest high, and as you pull the bar down, squeeze your elbows into your sides. This provides a perfect contraction for the lat muscles of the back.

4. Straight Leg Sit-Ups: Performing straight leg sit-ups (knees locked and extended) puts lots of stress on the lower spine. The jerky type movement required to lift from the floor can result in injury.

Better Choice: A basic Bent-Knee Abdominal Crunch. This takes pressure off the lower back and places it on the abs.

5. Seated Rotation Machine: People use these gym machines in the hopes of shrinking the waistline. It does not shrink the waist but can place a great deal of pressure upon the ligaments of the spine.

Better Choice: Any type of abdominal crunch to strengthen the abs combined with a reduced-calorie diet. Cardiovascular exercise and brisk weight training will help to further reduce overall body fat and help to make the waist smaller.

A drug-free competitive bodybuilder and winner of the prestigious WNBF (World Natural Bodybuilding Federation) Pro Card, Raphael Calzadilla is a veteran of the health-and-fitness industry. He specializes in a holistic approach to body transformation, nutrition programs and personal training. He earned his B.A. from Southern Connecticut State University and is certified as a personal trainer with The American Council on Exercise (ACE). In addition, he successfully completed the RTS1 (Resistance Training Specialist) program based on biomechanics.

Kids’ Sweet Tooth Linked to Alcoholism, Depression

2010-02-10T06:07:00.000-08:00

(Feb. 10) – A new study finds that children
are more likely to have an intense
sweet tooth if they have a family history of
alcoholism, or if they’ve suffered from depression
themselves.

The research was conducted by scientists
at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in
Philadelphia, and published online in the
journal Addiction. Sugary foods and alcohol trigger many of
the same reward circuits in the brain, so
scientists in this case decided to test the
sweet tooth of children with a family history
of alcohol dependence. They also hypothesized
that children who suffer from
depression might be more likely to crave
sweets, because they make them feel better.
The study involved 300 children between
the ages of 5 and 12. About half of them had
a family history of alcoholism, defined as
having a parent, sibling, grandparent, aunt
or uncle diagnosed with alcohol dependence.
About a quarter of the children were
classified as showing depressive symptoms.
Researchers gave the children five different
sweetened water samples, with varying
levels of sugar saturation, and asked them
which one they liked best. The children who
preferred the sweetest sample were also the
ones who had both a family history of alcoholism,
as well as symptoms of depression.
The findings suggest that a preference for
sweets might not be solely about taste buds,
but instead could have to do with the child’s
chemical makeup and family history.
“We know that sweet taste is rewarding
to all kids and makes them feel good,” the
study’s lead author, Julie Mennella, said in
a news release from Monell, where she
works as a developmental psychobiologist.
“In addition, certain groups of children
may be especially attracted to intense
sweetness due to their underlying biology.”
Previous studies have illustrated a link
between adult alcoholism and a sweet
tooth. But other research has also shown
that children’s preference for sweet drinks
coincides with growth spurts, rather than
any underlying family biology.
For the 37 children in this study who had
both the alcoholism and depression factors,
the level of sweetness they most preferred
was a solution with 24 percent sugar – the
equivalent of about 14 teaspoons of sugar
dissolved in a cup of water. That’s more
than twice the level of sweetness in a typical
can of cola.
It was also a third more intense than the
sweetness level preferred by the other children
without the same family history,
which was an 18 percent solution.
The study is careful to note that children
with
a sweet tooth won’t necessarily grow up to
become alcoholics or suffer debilitating depression.
“At this point, we don’t know
whether this higher ‘bliss point’ for sweets
is a marker for later alcohol use,” Mennella
said.
She and her colleagues also measured the
ability of sweets to mitigate pain, by timing
how long the children could keep their
hand submerged in a tub of cold water
while holding a sugary substance in their
mouth. The sweets worked best for the
non-depressed children, who kept their
hands in the cold water for 36 percent
longer.
“It may be that even higher levels of
sweetness are needed to make depressed
children feel better,” Mennella said.
An outside expert at the U.K.’s Cardiff
University, professor Tim Jacob, told the
BBC the Monell study’s findings were interesting,
but that it’s tough to make firm conclusions
from one study alone. The results
could reveal something about children’s
brain chemistry, but also might be explained
by behavior and upbringing, he
said.
“While it is true that sweet things activate
reward circuits in the brain, the problem is
that sweets and sugar are addictive, because
the activation of these reward circuits
causes opioid release, and with time more
is needed to achieve the same effect,” Jacob
said. “But the taste difference may be explained
by differences like parental control
over sweet consumption.”
The Monell research received funding
from the National Institute on Alcohol
Abuse and Alcoholism and the National Institute
of Child Health and Human Development.

The Healthy Heart Preventing Detecting And Treating Coronary

2010-02-08T04:55:00.000-08:00

Content provided by the Faculty of the
Harvard Medical School

The Healthy Heart: Preventing, detecting,
and treating coronary artery disease

You often hear only bad news about heart
disease. After all, it is the leading cause of
death in the United States, killing one in
five people. But here is the good news: Prevention
efforts and treatment advances
have made a difference. Between 1950 and
1999, the death rate from heart disease fell
by almost 60% and is still falling.
If you follow the news about heart disease
closely, however, it’s easy to be overwhelmed
or confused about what puts you
at risk and how you can protect yourself.
Sometimes it seems as if every year scientists
either identify a new risk factor for
heart disease or revise the advice about an
established one. To some degree, this reflects
the way that science progresses and
the extraordinary effort under way to understand
what causes heart disease. But
where does this leave you as you try to figure
out how to avoid heart disease?
First, focus your energy. It is becoming
clear that 80%–90% of the people who develop
coronary artery disease have at least
one major controllable risk factor. Most of
these risk factors can be eliminated or at
least managed if you take steps to protect
yourself (see “Recognizing and reducing
risk factors,” below).
Second, learn all you can about improvements
in diagnosis and treatment so that
you are aware of your options and can talk
with your doctor about them. One of the
most exciting advances in cardiology is the
development of improved technology that
enables doctors to take better pictures of
the heart and arteries. The hope is that
these techniques and others still in development
will provide a noninvasive way to
diagnose heart disease, thus sparing people
the risks involved in angiography and other
procedures.
And it’s not just diagnosis that is changing.
Advances in management and a better
understanding of how to fine-tune treatment
for each individual have also helped
to save lives.
Information and choices abound. As you
consider your options, remember that with
heart disease, as in most areas of medicine,
one size does not fit all. Work with your
doctor to determine how best to protect
yourself. This report should help you to develop
a personalized strategy for your own
heart health.
The Healthy Heart: Preventing, detecting,
and treating coronary artery disease: 1
of 1
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Last updated: May 03, 2007
Medical content reviewed by the Faculty
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February - American Heart Month

2010-02-07T06:14:00.000-08:00

Cardiovascular diseases, including stroke, are our nation's No. 1 killer. To urge Americans to join the battle against these diseases, since 1963 Congress has required the president to proclaim February "American Heart Month." (Note this is not "Heart Month" or "National Heart Month.")
The American Heart Association works with the administration to draft and sign this annual proclamation.

During American Heart Month, thousands of our volunteers visit their neighbors. Their goal is to raise funds for research and education and pass along information about heart disease and stroke.

To learn more about the American Heart Association, see our Annual Report.

Regular Exercise

2010-02-06T07:41:00.000-08:00

There are 1,440 minutes in every day. Schedule 30 of them for physical activity!

Regular exercise is a critical part of staying healthy. People who are active live longer and feel better. Exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight. It can delay or prevent diabetes, some cancers and heart problems.

Most adults need at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity at least five days per week. Examples include walking briskly, mowing the lawn, dancing, swimming for recreation or bicycling. Stretching and weight training can also strengthen your body and improve your fitness level.

The key is to find the right exercise for you. If it is fun, you are more likely to stay motivated. You may want to walk with a friend, join a class or plan a group bike ride. If you've been inactive for awhile, use a sensible approach and start out slowly.

Zumba and other Classes

2010-02-04T06:26:00.002-08:00

Thanks to all for signing up for all of my classes. I am waitlisted on many until June 2010. I appreciate and am humbled by your confidence in me.

I have my credential on-line. It is important, for you, to know that you are in good hands. I am not doing this do boast or get more business.

What scared me when I first went to a Zumba class was the lack of qualifications of most of the newly certified. Many of these instructors teach at your local gyms and fitness centers. I talked to people that had never taught before. I talked to instructors that had no background in physical fitness. The only requirement to get "Zumba certified" is a driver's license.

Ask your instructor their background. It is your body. It is your life. I do not sign up for weekend certifications. I have studied each of my specialities for years. I have been trained by the greatest in each field.

Thank you and have a great weekend! Be careful while shoveling.

Valentine's Day

2010-02-04T06:26:00.001-08:00

I realize this isn’t a lot of time, I’m
at
a normal weight but I’d like to look
more toned in some nice lingerie for
Valentine’s Day (and beyond!) What
can I do to firm up my back, butt and
chest?
Well, Valentine’s Day is definitely an important
day to want to look extra good, especially
if you are planning on sharing that
day with someone special. Since you only
have two weeks before the big day, and your
concerns are your butt, back and chest, I
would suggest performing the following exercises
in a circuit-like manner. In other
words, you will perform one set of each exercise
with up to 15 seconds rest between
each exercise, except the last one, which
you will rest two minutes before repeating
the circuit 2-3 more times. Note: Perform
this routine three times per week on nonconsecutive
days.
The Exercise Prescription: Perform
3-
4 sets of 8-10 repetitions. You will take one
second to rise up; hold for 3-5 seconds;
then take two seconds to lower yourself.
Repeat for the prescribed repetitions.
The Movement: Supine Glute
Bridge
Lie on the floor so that you are facing the
ceiling; your knees bent; your feet are flat
on the floor and your arms are extended
away from the body at about a 45 degree
angle with your palms facing up. Before you
actually begin pull your toes up toward
your shins so that only your heels are in
contact with the floor (Pic. 1: Glute Bridge,
Bottom Position).
Next, raise your hips so that your knees,
hips and shoulders form a straight line.
Pause for 3-5 seconds in this position and
return to the start position (Pic. 2: Glute
Bridge, Top Position). Make sure that you
push down through your heels and squeeze
your butt as you lift your hips.
The Exercise Prescription: Perform
3-
4 sets of up to 12 repetitions (normal or
modified position) of push ups. You will
take two second to lower yourself; slight
pause in the bottom position; then take one
second to raise yourself. Repeat for the prescribed
repetitions.
The Movement: Push Ups
Position yourself so that your hands are
on the floor in line with your shoulders and
slightly wider than shoulder width and that
your feet are close together and you are on
your toes. Make sure that your body is in a
straight line from the ankle to the head.
Tighten your glutes and your abs throughout
the entire set (Pic. 3: Push Up, Top Position).
Begin by lowering yourself until your
chest
is a few inches from the floor; pause briefly
and then push yourself back to the starting
position. As you descend your upper arms
should move so that they form a 45-degree
angle to your upper body. Your head should
stay in the same alignment from the beginning
of the set to the end of the set. Do not
drop you hips and keep your abs tight (Pic.
4: Push Up, Bottom Position). If your hips
begin to drop, either stop the set immediately
or switch to the modified push up position
with the knees on the floor and continue
(Pic. 5: Push Up, Modified Push Up
Position).
The Exercise Prescription: Perform
3-
4 sets of 10-12 dumbbell row repetitions
per side. All reps should be completed on
one side then switch to the other side. You
will take 1 second to raise the dumbbell up;
hold for one second; then take two seconds
to lower the dumbbell. Repeat for the prescribed
repetitions.
The Movement: Single Arm Dumbbell
Rows
Grab a dumbbell in your left hand and
place your right hand on the bench or chair
in front of you. Bend at your hips and keep
a slightly Lordotic (i.e., arched) lower back
position. Your feet should be about hip
width apart. Let the dumbbell hang at arms
http://www.thatsfit.com/2010/02/03/valentines-day-workout/
2
length and your palm facing in toward your
body (Pic. 5: Single Arm DB Row, Bottom
Position).
As you row the weight, keep the elbow
close to your body and pause for a second in
the top, contracted position (Pic. 6: Single
Arm DB Row, Top Position) and then return
to the start position.
The Exercise Prescription: Jog in
place for 30-60 seconds depending on your
fitness level.
The Movement: Jog In Place
This is pretty self-explanatory. Just begin
to jog in place and make sure you keep a
nice upright posture.You don’t have to lift
your feet that high if you don’t want to (Pic.
7 Jog in Place for the beginner). But, if you
are capable of doing the high knee version,
it will get your heart rate elevated even

Protein for Muscle Repair

2010-01-29T08:36:00.000-08:00

Carbs serve mainly as energy for the body, while protein provides the necessary amino acids to build and repair muscle. For muscle growth, carbohydrates are not as essential as protein and fats. High quality protein, which the body breaks down into amino acids, should be the center point of all your meals. There are many studies that show intense exercise increases demand for amino acids, which support muscle repair and growth. To build muscle, you should try to get at least 1g of protein per pound of bodyweight.

Super Fit Kale Chips

2010-01-28T18:16:00.000-08:00

Super Fit Kale Chips | Family Fresh Cooking

www.familyfreshcooking.com

In a very satisfying healthy way? Well have I got the thing for you. Get your hand out of that bag of overly processed, salty, fatty, hard to resist chips. You gotta try the kale chip….really you do!

Adding classes

2010-01-24T06:14:00.000-08:00

Thanks everyone! My step classes are also waitlisted...

Due to the popularity of Pilates and Zumba, the following have been added to the Winter-Spring season offerings:

Pilates class just added at Fishing Creek Elementary! Registrations now accepted!
Pilates is a body conditioning system that works your core muscles including the abdominals, back and buttocks. Pilates’ theory is that if your middle is strong, the rest of your body will become stronger as well. The exercises lengthen your muscles and help you develop balance, proper alignment and flexibility. Bring a mat. Instructor: Marisa Stipe.
Level I: Wednesdays, 8:30-9:15 pm
J. March 3 - April 7
K. April 28 - June 9 (no 5/12)
Fishing Creek Elementary - bldg. I cafeteria
Cost: $35; discounted resident rate: $29

Zumba class pending at Fishing Creek Elementary! Registrations accepted soon!
Zumba fuses hypnotic Latin rhythms and easy to follow moves to create a dynamic workout system that will blow you away. Zumba fanatics achieve long term benefits while experiencing an absolute blast in one exhilarating hour of caloric-burning, heart-racing, muscle-pumping, body-energizing, awe-inspiring movements meant to engage and captivate for life! The routines feature interval training and resistance training to tone and sculpt your body while burning fat. Add some Latin flavor and international zest into the mix and you've got ZUMBA! Instructor: Marisa Stipe.
Mondays, 8:30-9:30 pm
J. February 22 - March 29
K. April 19 - May 24
Fishing Creek Elementary - bldg. I cafeteria
Cost: $49; discounted resident rate: $41

10 Best Butt Exercises

2010-01-21T09:00:00.000-08:00

The 10 Best Butt Exercises!
By eDiets Staff

Is your body trying to tell you something? There's a sexy, slimmer you just waiting to come out! eDiets can you show you the way... Take our FREE diet profile and find your most effective diet today!
It's time to turn the other cheek and put your trust in the able hands of in-demand personal trainer Brad Schoenfeld. After all, the best-selling author of Look Great Naked makes a living by toning butts of all shapes and sizes.

Although they're super popular, squats and lunges do not earn top spots on Schoenfeld's list of the 10 best butt exercises.

1. Stiff-Legged Deadlift: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Grasp two dumbbells and let them hang in front of your body. Keeping your knees straight, slowly bend forward at the hips and lower the dumbbells until you feel an intense stretch in your hamstrings. Then, reverse direction, contracting your glutes as you rise upward to the starting position.

2. Good Morning: Begin by resting a barbell across your shoulders. Assume a shoulder-width stance and keep your lower back taut throughout the movement. Slowly bend forward at the hips until your body is roughly parallel with the floor. In a controlled fashion, slowly reverse direction, contracting your glutes as you raise your body up along the same path back to the start position.

3. Reverse Hyperextension: Begin by lying face down on a flat bench with your lower torso hanging off the end of the bench and your feet just short of touching the floor. Grasp the sides of the bench with both hands to support your body. Slowly raise your feet upward until they are just short of parallel with the ground, contracting your glutes at the top of the move. Then, reverse direction and return your legs to the start position.

4. Unilateral Hip Extension: Begin by placing your left knee on the bottom of an incline bench. Bend your elbows and place your forearms across the top of the bench so they support your body weight. Slowly raise your right leg as high as comfortably possible, keeping it straight throughout the move. Contract your glutes and then reverse direction, returning back to the start position. After performing the desired number of repetitions, repeat the process on your left.

5. Lying Abduction: Begin by lying down on your left side. Bend your left leg at a 90-degree angle and bring your left foot to rest underneath your right knee. Keeping your right leg straight, slowly raise it as high as possible. Contract your glutes and return to the start position. After finishing the desired number of repetitions, turn over and repeat the process on your left.

6. Standing Abduction: Begin by attaching an ankle weight to your right ankle. Stand with your feet together and grasp a sturdy, stationary object for support. Bring your right leg directly out to the side as far as comfortably possible. Contract your glutes and then slowly return the weight along the same path back to the start position. After finishing the desired number of repetitions, invert the process and repeat on the left.

PAGEBREAK 7. Lying Leg Curl: Begin by lying face down on a leg curl machine, with your heels hooked underneath the roller pads. Keeping your thighs pressed to the machine's surface, slowly curl your feet upward, stopping just short of touching your butt or as far as comfortably possible. Contract your hamstrings and then reverse direction, returning back to the start position.

8. Standing Leg Curl: Begin by attaching an ankle weight to your right ankle. Grasp onto a stationary object and slowly curl your right foot forward, stopping just short of touching your butt or as far as comfortably possible. Contract your right hamstring and then reverse direction, returning back to the start position.

9. Kneeling Abduction: Begin by kneeling on the ground, assuming an "all fours" position. Keeping your right leg bent, raise it to the side as high as comfortably possible. Contract your glutes and then slowly return the weight along the same path back to the start position.

10. Floor Kick: Get into an "all fours" position, placing your palms on the floor to support your body weight. Keeping your left knee on the floor, straighten your right leg and extend it behind your body just short of touching the floor. Slowly raise your right leg as high as comfortably possible, keeping it straight throughout the move. Contract your glutes and then reverse direction, returning back the start position.

Are food labels lying to you?

2010-01-18T05:56:00.000-08:00

http://healthnews.ediets.com/2010/01/convenience-foods-carry-extra-calories.html

Classes being Waitlisted

2010-01-12T14:35:00.000-08:00

IMPORTANT----------

Please sign up for classes throughout April. Classes are all waitlisted. I want to make sure you all get in. Remember, you only get the best at STIPE Personal Training.

Pilates Instructor

2010-01-07T14:55:00.000-08:00

Please welcome my new Pilates instructor, Tim. He will be teaching for me in the Silver Springs area. Tim is also training at the Physicalmind Institute. As I said, I have the best team in the area..

One Exercise Best Attacks Belly Fat

2010-01-03T14:30:00.000-08:00

Women who lift weights just twice a week for an hour can fight middle-age spread, that buildup of tummy fat that seems to take hold--and rarely let go--as we age, reports The Associated Press of new research from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

Best of all, they flattened their tummies without dieting. This is more than an issue of vanity. The kind of fat that weightlifting fights is that deep, intra-abdominal fat that wraps around internal organs and is linked to heart disease.

Belly fat is also the No. 1 complaint of women as they go through menopause. "It's the apple-shaped person I'm most worried about," Dr. Tracy Stevens, a cardiologist who directs the women's heart center at St. Luke's Hospital in Kansas City and was not involved in this study, told Reuters. "The more central the fat, the more it's laid down in the arteries."

The study: More than 160 overweight and obese women between the ages of 24 and 44 were divided into two groups. One group participated in a two-year weight-training program using both free weights and machines with a focus on the chest, back, shoulders, biceps, triceps, lower back, buttocks and thighs. The other group was given a brochure that recommended they exercise 30 minutes to 60 minutes a day most days of the week. Neither group was asked to change their diets in a way that would lead to weight loss, reports Reuters.

The results: Those who lifted weights for two years experienced a 7 percent increase in intra-abdominal fat, compared with a 21 percent increase among the group that was given exercise advice. Even more encouraging, the weightlifters decreased their body fat percentage by almost 4 percent, while the other group remained about the same.

The downside? Unlike walking or running on a treadmill, this is not something you can do in your basement unless you can afford to install a full gym.

2010 Health Checklist

2009-12-31T05:04:00.000-08:00

Every year you make a list of things to change, and every year you change some things while leaving the rest for next year's resolutions. What you need is a checklist -- something that prioritizes the important things you need to do this year, this decade and for the rest of your life. Like an owner's manual for your body...

Luckily, Dr. Manny Alvarez has just what you need. He's the author of The Checklist: What You and Your Family Need to Know to Prevent Disease and Live a Long and Healthy Life. A combination of extensive research and common sense, The Checklist is a step-by-step guide that skips straight to the important facts, tests and precautions that should be observed in every decade of life -- from prenatal to postretirement.

Whether you're a sporty new model or a garage-kept classic -- or even if you haven't been following the recommended maintenance program -- it's never too late for a tune-up or too early for an overhaul.

"Early prevention is the key to good health," says Alvarez. "You'll feel better along the way, and when you get to your senior years, you'll be able to live a healthy and joyful life, instead of being hobbled with disease and medical problems."

He outlines a very specific preventative strategy based on your age, showing how to maintain your body in each decade to reach your next significant milestone healthier and happier than you thought possible. Alvarez wants to erase the concept of age and have you cruising like a well-kept classic instead of a rundown jalopy.

One of the biggest priorities in keeping you running on all cylinders down this long and winding road we call life is streamlining yourself from the start, he says.

"If obesity starts as a child, it will certainly have implications later in life," Alvarez says. "As you get older, being obese becomes increasingly more challenging. You're dealing with the cumulative stress of excess weight, plus, the higher incidence of eating disorders, diabetes, gastrointestinal and joint problems."

He recommends what he calls "nutrition from conception." He suggests tackling preventable problems -- such as obesity -- from an early age to stave off the consequences that accompany hauling excess weight around for several decades.

The tenets of his program are simple: nutrition, exercise and big-picture implications of your actions. One important aspect of this is taking the fear out of living. Get preventive tests to acquire early recognition of problems on the horizon.

"Don't be afraid," he says. "The earlier it's caught, the more treatable and curable the problem will be."

Just like life itself, maintaining your health is a constant process, and the choices you make when you're young will affect the way you live when you're older. Alvarezexplains it with this analogy:

"The results will be better the earlier you start -- like return on your investment. The earlier you start saving, the better your return. The earlier you start taking care of yourself, the better you'll feel down the road."

If you've spent the last 10, 20 or 30 years as the pedal-to-the-metal, free-spending, live-for-today type, don't worry -- it's never too late to change. So what exactly are you waiting for?

If all you require is a roadmap to hit the highway to better health, you're in luck because eDiets is like the last gas station before a bridge to oblivion. Don't be afraid to stop and ask for directions.

Highway to Health

20s: "This is an important decade for developing the right habits: eating right, not smoking, exercising and knowing future problems that can arise from your lifestyle choices today. You are at the peak of your physical health, so develop proper habits for the rest of your life."

30s: "Now we can assume responsibility for our lives and our health," says Alvarez. "Age issues begin to arise. Start thinking about your first oil change -- start focusing on preventative tests like skin checks, cholesterol readings, regular trips to the gynecologist and real attention to weight management."

Alvarez calls this the most important decade -- the "make-or-break" years.

40s: Family and professional obligations lead to stress, which becomes a major factor in mental and physical health in this decade. Your time restraints lead to a lack of exercise and time to prepare healthy meals, which contribute to obesity. It's important to recognize how stress affects your medical conditions, sexual function, weight and overall well-being.

"This is when most people suddenly realize they need to take care of themselves, which is good because it's really never too late to start doing something good for yourself."

50s: "The most important thing is to listen to your body. You'll experience changes in metabolism, hormones and be at increased risk for diabetes, which makes the preventative tests for certain at risk organs like prostate (men) and breast cancer (women) even more crucial than before."

60s and Beyond: Retirement can be a new beginning. So focus on the big issues: heart, cholesterol, lungs, eyes, hearing, colon cancer prevention and macular degeneration. For the most part, if problems can be identified early, they can be managed appropriately.

"Be proud of getting into this age bracket," says Alvarez. "Now just remember this: Youth is a state of mind. You can be old at 30, and young at 70."

Notice the warning signs along the roadside, follow the health highway and, most importantly, keep on truckin'.

10 worst foods and drinks to consume while you're behind the wheel

2009-12-30T12:11:00.000-08:00

1. Coffee: Even with a travel lid, hot coffee can find its way out of the opening when hitting a bump.

2. Hot soup: Many people drink soup just like they would drink a cup of coffee--and run similar risks.

3. Tacos: These can disassemble and leave your car's interior looking like a salad bar.

4. Chili dogs: There is a huge potential for drips and slops down clothing.

5. Hamburgers: The grease and the toppings could end up on your hands and clothing.

6. Ribs and wings: Because they are so greasy, it's tempting to take your hands off the wheel and lick your fingers.

7. Fried chicken: Just like ribs and wings, there is the potential for greasy fingers.

8. Jelly donuts: If the jelly oozes out, it makes a mess.

9. Soda: In addition to it fizzing in your nose, those lids can leak.

10. Chocolate: If it melts in your the hands, it can make the steering wheel slippery.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

2009-12-23T15:06:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays to all of my faithful following. I am looking forward to the year 2010 and all of the working out we are going to do. I will make sure we will all stay in great shape and have fun! Stay safe and see you all next year...

January 2010 Schedule

2009-12-21T11:56:00.000-08:00

Hi all--

Remember to sign up for some/all of my classes. You are getting top-notch fitness training by the most qualified instructor in the area.

Sunday - Zumba - 11am
Monday - BB Fit - 10:30am
Zumba - 4pm
Yoga - 5pm
Zumba - 6pm
Step Aerobics - 7:30pm
Pilates - 8:45pm
Tuesday - Zumba - 5:15pm
Pilates - 6:15pm
Zumba Toning - 7:30pm
Wednesday - Zumba - 5pm
Yoga - 6pm
Zumba - 7:30pm
pilates w/Tim - 7:15pm
Thursday -BB Fit - 10:30am
Thursday - Zumba Toning - 5:15pm
Pilates-6:15pm
Yoga-7:00pm
Friday - Zumba - 5:35pm
Saturday - Pilates - 7:30am
Zumba - 8:15am
Zumba - 10:30am
Pilates- 6:15pm

10 Ways to Cut Calories

2009-12-21T05:17:00.000-08:00

By Susan Burke March MS, RD, LD/N, CDE

1. Nonstick: Stock up on nonstick pans for baking and grilling, breads and cookies, sauteing and even for soup. Nonstick is one of life's little pleasures because you don't need oil. Instead use a little cooking spray, wine, water or juice.

2. Method: Bake, broil, grill, poach or saute foods instead of deep-frying. Check out the "Better-Than-Fried Chicken" recipe below... It's awesome.

3. Reduce: Simply reduce the amount of fat and/or sugar in your recipes. For example, replace half the oil with applesauce or fruit puree for an equally moist muffin or cake; use one-third less sugar in cakes or cookies and use dried fruit, not sugar, to add sweetness to cereal. Experiment with sucralose (Splenda) for baking.

4. Baste: Instead of basting the turkey with butter or margarine, cut the saturated, and especially trans fat, by basting with flavorful vegetable broth, white wine or orange juice (my personal favorite!)

5. Lean: Buy the leanest cuts of meat and trim all visible fat before cooking. Pam Ofstein, Director of Nutrition Services, recommends ground round, at least 91-percent lean. Lighten it up even more by replacing a third of the beef with ground turkey breast. Just be sure to buy turkey breast --"ground turkey" could also contain skin and dark meat, nutritionally no better than ground beef.

6. Dairy: Buy low-fat and nonfat varieties of milk, sour cream, yogurt and cheese. Low-fat buttermilk works great as a substitute for whole milk in any recipe. Nonfat evaporated milk works famously in dishes calling for cream, like sauces, pies, ice cream and, of course, in tea and coffee. Don't confuse "evaporated" with "condensed" milk, which is heavily sweetened with sugar.

7. Chocolate: Why deny yourself the sensuous pleasure of chocolate when there's cocoa? Three tablespoons of cocoa and one tablespoon of canola oil lowers saturated fat compared to one ounce of baking chocolate.

8. Eggs: When cooking, just substitute two egg whites for one whole egg (the fat, cholesterol and most of the calories from eggs are in the yolks). I make my "famous" frittata for two with six whites and two whole eggs, cutting calories without flavor. My secret: Add a clove of minced garlic, plus herbs and spices and 1/3 cup of low-fat buttermilk.

9. Crumbs: Substitute crunchy cereal for higher-calorie commercial bread crumbs. I like to use crushed corn flakes or Grape Nuts.

10. Cut: Make servings smaller. Americans suffer from "portion distortion" and think everything needs to be bigger to be better. Use smaller plates, and make that cake serve 12 instead of eight.

Snow for the Weekend

2009-12-18T17:30:00.000-08:00

Tonight
Cloudy...snow...mainly after midnight. Snow accumulation up to 1 inch. Lows in the mid 20s. East winds around 5 mph... becoming north. Chance of snow 90 percent.

Saturday
Snow. Snow may be heavy at times. Snow accumulation of 4 to 6 inches. Highs in the upper 20s. North winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow near 100 percent.

Saturday Night
Snow...mainly in the evening. Total snow accumulation of 4 to 8 inches. Lows around 20. North winds 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow near 100 percent.

Sunday
Partly sunny. Highs in the lower 30s. Northwest winds 10 to 15 mph.

Five Ways to Avoid the 10 LB Christmas Weight Gain

2009-12-13T06:19:00.000-08:00

1. Have the right attitude

If you go into Christmas with the idea that you'll just eat everything you possibly can and worry about it in January then you will bitterly regret it when Christmas is over. Decide to enjoy the festive season without going plain silly over all the goodies on offer. Choose the things you particularly like and say no to anything which you're really not bothered about.

2. Eat how much you need

At every meal aim for a comfortable feeling of satisfaction rather than getting to the stage where you need to loosen your waistband. Decide to enjoy your meal AND feel great afterwards. This tip alone will save you hundreds of calories every meal. If you want to try all the courses, have small portions of everything you really want.

3. Keep up your exercise

Don't give up your usual exercise routine over the holidays because it will be hard to get back into it later. If you really can't get to the gym, do a few exercises at home or go out walking. It will not just use up some calories, it will keep you in touch with your desire to stay slim and healthy. Also keep as active as possible as you go about your day - don't sit about watching the TV specials, nibbling nuts and chocolate.

4. Put it away

If you have lots of extra treats at home "for guests", get them out when people come and put them away when they go home. Out of sight, out of mind will help a little but if those treats do start calling out to you from the cupboard, put a few on a plate and put the rest away so that you are not constantly nibbling from the packet.

5. Peace and goodwill

Try and keep calm over Christmas. As stress levels rise, so does our tendency to eat for comfort. Just remember that you don't have to make Christmas perfect for everyone else while running yourself into the ground. Do the best you can with the time available and then just decide to enjoy it however much you've done. If others have expectations of how Christmas should be then get them involved in making it so! Have some (non-food) treats up your sleeve to enjoy when it all gets a bit too much. It doesn't cost a lot to tuck away a sachet of perfumed bubble bath, a glossy magazine or a novel you've been dying to read. If all else fails call an old friend for a chat rather than eating the fridge empty.

Copyright 2005, Janice Elizabeth Small

One Odd Trick of Successful Dieters

2009-11-29T06:12:00.000-08:00

When eating less and exercising more result in noticeable weight loss, something unusual happens to your body besides fitting into smaller pants. Your brain changes. Successful dieters show unique brain patterns related to inhibition and self-control, reports HealthDay News of preliminary research from the Brown University Medical School in Providence, Rhode Island.
When you eat at one particular time of day, you're far more likely to get fat.

What does that mean? When presented with images of food, these successful dieters are able to tap into regions of the brain that control the urge to eat. "It may be that they actually recruit new brain regions to help with their weight loss," lead study author Jeanne McCaffery, an assistant professor of psychiatry and human behavior, told HealthDay News. "People make decisions about whether or not they're going to eat food and that decision-making usually comes when they first smell or see the food." After all, being able to resist food is the best way to lose weight or maintain a weight loss.

The study: To better understand how people react to food cues, McCaffery and her colleagues recruited three groups of volunteers:
--18 people of normal weight.
--16 overweight people.
--17 successful dieters who each lost at least 30 pounds and kept it off for at least three years.
Brain scans were conducted on the participants while they viewed photos of high-calorie and low-calorie food.

The results: The MRI scans revealed that those who had successfully lost weight showed more activity in the parts of the brain that are associated with inhibition and in dealing with complex tasks, reports HealthDay News. Even people of normal weight did not show this pattern, perhaps because they were of a normal weight their entire life. "The successful weight losers have to put in more effort to avoid eating foods or to control their response to food," McCaffery explained to HealthDay News. The study findings were published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

If You Ate This as a Kid, You'll Live Longer

2009-11-24T15:38:00.000-08:00

People who consumed a diet rich in calcium and dairy products as children live longer lives as adults, according to a 65-year study from the Queensland Institute of Medical Research in Brisbane, Australia. The BBC News reports that higher daily intake of calcium and dairy as a child cuts the chance of dying as an adult, especially from stroke, by as much as 60 percent.
If you take this one vitamin daily, you could live longer. Find out why!

The study: Led by Jolieke van der Pols, the team collected data on children from 1,343 families in England and Scotland, all of whom were from families that took part in a survey of diet and health conducted in Great Britain from 1937 to 1939. Fast forward to 2005. The researchers were able to track the adult health of 4,374 of the children between 1948 and 2005. By 2005, 1,468 of these individuals had died, including 378 from heart disease and 121 from stroke.

The results: Children who were from families that had the highest intake of calcium and dairy products had lower overall death rates, especially from stroke, than those who were from families who ate less dairy. "Children whose family diet in the 1930s was high in calcium were at reduced risk of death from stroke. Furthermore, childhood diets rich in dairy or calcium were associated with lower all-cause mortality in adulthood," the researchers concluded.

Why dairy? A diet rich in calcium is good for keeping blood pressure low. Prolonged high blood pressure can lead to stroke. How much should children consume daily? A pint of low-fat milk, a container of low-fat yogurt and a small piece of cheese will do it. The study findings were published in the online edition of the journal Heart.

BEWARE: 13 Foods That Kill

2009-11-11T04:48:00.000-08:00

By Debra Holtzman, JD, MA

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 76 million Americans will suffer from food-borne illnesses, and at least 5,000 will die this year. Children, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems are at the greatest risk.
Looking for more healthy tips like this? Get one-on-one help from live nutritionists when you sign up for one of eDiets' meal plans. There are more than 20 to choose from... Click here to find your best match today!
Symptoms of food-borne illnesses include diarrhea, abdominal cramping, fever, blood or pus in the stool, headache, vomiting and severe exhaustion.
Be aware: Sometimes symptoms may appear as early as a half-hour after eating; other times, it could take several days or weeks.
Simple tips for safer eating
1. Lettuce: Because it is grown so close to the ground, it can come into contact with manure or irrigation runoff. When you buy lettuce, you should first discard the outer leaves, then separate the inner leaves and thoroughly wash them. All raw fruits and vegetables can harbor disease-causing bacteria. Thoroughly wash any raw produce under cold running water before eating it. If appropriate, use a small scrub brush to remove any visible dirt. This is true for even organic fruits and vegetables.
2. Water: Contaminated water can be a major source of trouble, especially for those drinking from private wells or streams. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends private-water supplies be tested at least once a year for nitrates, total dissolved solids and coliform bacteria, the presence of which (although generally harmless) may indicate other contamination. You may need to test more frequently and for more potential contaminants if a problem is suspected. In some places, people who get their water from a public utility receive a yearly consumer confidence report that analyzes the water. Read it.
PAGEBREAK 3. Raw sprouts: Alfalfa sprouts, clover sprouts and radish sprouts have all been associated with salmonella and E. coli. Cook sprouts thoroughly to kill off the bacteria.
4. Unpasteurized juices, milks or cheeses: Make sure you always purchase the pasteurized versions of your favorite products. Pasteurization kills bacteria. When you go to a juice bar, make sure the juices are pasteurized. Unpasteurized products have been linked to salmonella, E. coli and Listeria -- all can lead to death.
5. Moldy peanuts: Aflatoxins are by-products of common, naturally occurring mold growth on certain agricultural products such as peanuts, wheat, cereals and corn. Alfatoxins have been found to cause liver cancer in animal species. Check carefully for any sign of discoloration or mold.
6. Raw or undercooked shellfish: Shellfish, such as clams and oysters, must be cooked thoroughly. Consuming raw or undercooked animal protein can increase the potential for illness.
7. Swordfish, shark, king mackerel and tilefish: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and EPA advise young children, women who are planning to become pregnant, and pregnant or nursing women not to eat these fish. Swordfish, shark, king mackerel and tilefish have much higher levels of methyl mercury than other commonly consumed fish. Mercury is most harmful to the developing brains of unborn children and young children, affecting cognitive, motor and sensory functions.
8. Caesar salad: Many restaurant or homemade recipes call for raw eggs in Caesar salad. Always ask if the salad dressing contains raw eggs.
9. Wild mushrooms: Portabello and shiitake lovers have no reason to worry. Just don't go scavenging in your backyard. Only eat mushrooms you've purchased in the grocery store. A few common species of mushrooms are poisonous... deadly poisonous.
10. Raw homemade cookie dough. We're not talking about the prepackaged kind that many of us prefer to nibble on straight from the tube or tub. We're talking about homemade batter that's made with eggs. Raw eggs can be contaminated with salmonella, a food-borne illness that can prove fatal if untreated.
11. Rare hamburger. Hamburger and other ground meat should be cooked to at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent E. coli. Always use a food thermometer to ensure you've cooked the beef to a safe temperature.
12. Turkey and stuffing. Cooking stuffing in a turkey or chicken is a major no-no. The bird cooks both from the outside and the inside. When you stuff the bird, it reduces the heat penetration. Your best bet is to cook the turkey and stuffing separately. If you choose to cook them together, make sure the temperature reaches at least 180 degrees Fahrenheit in the innermost part of the thigh while the center of the stuffing inside the turkey reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Bacteria can survive in stuffing that hasn't reached that temperature.
13. Shakes and eggs. A popular favorite these days is protein shakes. Unfortunately, they can do more harm than good when raw eggs are added to the mix. Once again, you're putting yourself at risk for salmonella when you consume raw eggs. Also, beware of sunny side up or runny eggs. The rule of thumb is to cook the egg until both the yolk and the white are firm.

Thanksgiving by Numbers

2009-11-08T13:20:00.000-08:00

3000: Number of calories eaten during an average Thanksgiving meal

Slip into sweatpants for this one: that feast you're about to eat is going to amount to some major calorie intake. According to the American Council on Exercise, the average turkey day meal sets you back about 3000 calories, or the equivalent of running at a moderate pace for four hours, swimming for five hours or walking for 30 miles. But keep in mind that's on the low end, says Dr. Cedric Bryant, ACE chief exercise physiologist. If you add in the calories from snacking throughout the day, the count can easily hit 4,500 calories.

Acai Berry

2009-11-08T07:02:00.001-08:00

Acai Berry Benefits

Here are just a few of the benefits you’ll experience after trying Acai Berry.

Weight Loss
Increased Energy
Better Digestion
Improved Sleep
Enhanced Mental Health
Stronger Immune System
Healthier Skin
Youthful Appearance
Detoxification Benefits
Improved Circulation
Healthier Heart

The verdict is in: the Acai Berry is one of the most effective natural food products on the market today! Don’t waste your time taking dangerous unnatural products that don’t work. Instead, take Acai Berry supplements to improve your overall health.

Dr. Oz

2009-11-01T13:17:00.000-08:00

Dr. Oz is kicking off a National Sex Experiment, a 90-day incentive to have the best sex of your life. The country is experiencing a national sex famine. Then, Bob Harper is kicking your workout into gear with the 10 Years Younger in 60 Day Challenge. Check with the Dr. Oz show...

Why Skipping Exercise Can Be Deadly

2009-10-30T15:39:00.000-07:00

By Rebecca Ruiz
Recent studies show how neglecting your weight and fitness has serious consequences for your health.

One day in the summer of 2001, Dan Radin decided to run to the end of his block. For many, that short distance might be conquered in a minute or two. But Radin, a 21-year-old who weighed nearly 275 pounds at the time, barely made it--and hobbled back to his doorstep. Yet, he refused to quit and increased his distance daily; it was three months before he ran a mile, but the challenge changed his life.

Weight Matters
Experts weigh in on eight benchmarks that are critical to conquer for healthy living. Find out what they are.>>
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• How To Overcome Your Exercise Slump
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Now, Radin, a marketing copywriter in Los Angeles, exercises for an hour most days of the week. He is a lean, muscular 170 pounds. At an annual checkup, his physician remarked that his low blood pressure and cholesterol were likely an improvement from even before he gained excess weight in the late 1990s.
In Depth: Why Skipping Exercise Can Be Deadly

"Losing a lot of weight and changing your body has a profound impact," Radin says.

More than he may expect, it turns out. According to a study of more than 4,300 people published this summer in the journal of the American College of Sports Medicine, the least-fit individuals had a three-fold increased all-cause mortality risk and a nearly four-fold increased cardiovascular mortality risk when compared to the most fit. In other words, improving your fitness level can better your chances for a longer life.

That study is just one in a recent spate of research in children and adults that draws connections between physical inactivity or obesity and poor health outcomes. It’s no secret that exercise is critical to excellent health, but many of us let the week slip by with nothing more than a brisk walk to the parking lot. Yet, neglecting one's weight and fitness is a certain path to increased risk for life-shortening ailments and conditions.

In Depth: Why Skipping Exercise Can Be Deadly

Exercise as Medicine
While physical activity is just one component of developing fitness--the others include overall health and genetic predisposition--exercise is essential.

The ideal amount, says Jonathan Myers, Ph.D., a co-author of the ACSM study and a health research scientist at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System in northern California, is a half-hour of moderate-intense activity five days of the week. Even better is an hour of exercise most days of the week.

When Myers and his co-authors separated their 4,300 participants into different fitness quintiles and studied them for nearly 20 years, the ones that performed the best reached that five-hour-a-week threshold. Those with the poorest fitness had a three-fold increase in overall mortality risk; 170 participants in this category died of all causes while only 55 in the highest quintile died.

"We've been chasing this for the last 20 years or so," Myers says of the results, "and we've seen it over and over again." Fifty years of epidemiological studies, he says, have demonstrated that people who are more fit or are more physically active have lower mortality rates.

A study published last week in the British Medical Journal found a similar correlation between weight gain and maintaining optimal health into old age. Of the 17,000 women who participated in the 20-year observational study, those who were overweight at age 18 and gained more than 22 pounds by 50 had the worst odds for optimal health. For every 11 pounds gained during that time, the chances for "healthy survival" decreased by 5%.

But it’s never too late to start exercising. Myers' research shows that there are tremendous benefits to be had for the worst-off individuals who can change their ways. When the co-authors compared the least-fit group to the next least-fit group, they noticed a striking difference: The two-fold increase in mortality risk was predominantly due to variations in physical activity, not other risk factors like hypertension and diabetes.

"We don't know yet why exercise has such protective benefits," says Myers, "but your fitness level can outperform the traditional risk factors"--such as smoking and high blood pressure--"in predicting mortality."

In Depth: Why Skipping Exercise Can Be Deadly

The Kids Aren't Alright
Though fitness often becomes a major concern in adulthood, when aging and the onset of chronic disease makes exercise imperative, there's increasing evidence that physical activity in childhood has significant long-term implications for health.

Kathleen F. Janz, a professor in the departments of Health and Sport Studies and Epidemiology at the University of Iowa, found in a recent study that children who lead less active lives are more likely to be overweight years later.

Janz studied 333 5 year olds over eight years by monitoring their physical activity with a device known as an accelerometer and measuring the subjects’ fat mass with body imaging. The protective benefit of physical activity, according to Janz and her co-authors, continued through childhood; the most active children at age five had significantly lower fat mass at eight and 11 compared with those in the lowest quartile.

It's not unusual that there are windows of opportunity for critical periods where it's most important to do it right," says Janz. Childhood is one of them, she adds.

It's not just fatness that matters, either. A recent study in Circulation found that some Type 2 diabetic and obese teenagers have a thicker carotid artery, an association that had only been seen previously in adults and one that may put them at greater risk for stroke and heart attacks later in life.

Yet, like Jonathan Myers at the Palo Alto Health Care System in northern California, Janz says the protective benefits of exercise are immediate, regardless of how long it's been since the last workout. Certainly, Dan Radin considers himself an example of what can be accomplished with enough determination and direction.

"I hadn't grown up playing sports," he says. "Exercising was something I had to figure out."

But he's far beyond using the corner block as a benchmark or gateway to a longer, healthier life; his next target is a triathlon.

Does One Vegetable Prevent Cancer?

2009-10-16T15:47:00.000-07:00

Eating just 2.5 ounces of broccoli sprouts or broccoli a day appears to not only reduce the risk of stomach ulcers, but also prevent stomach cancer, according to researchers from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland. Broccoli may be the biggest superfood of them all. Previous research has already shown that this leafy, green vegetable helps reduce the risk for cancer of the esophagus, bladder, skin and lung, among others. Now we can add the stomach to that list. "I have to be careful about how enthusiastically I state the case," Jed W. Fahey, the faculty research associate at Hopkins whose research led to the study, told HealthDay News. "This was a small trial. But the evidence is all pointing toward broccoli or broccoli sprouts being able to prevent cancer in humans."

What is the magic ingredient in broccoli? It's sulforaphane, which Fahey first described in 2002 as a potent antibiotic against Helicobacter pylori, a bacterium that is closely associated with the risk of stomach damage and gastric cancer. The Hopkins team chose to conduct their study in Japan because 90 percent of the population of that country is infected with H. pylori infection, compared with an infection rate of 25 percent to 30 percent in the United States. The bacterium, which is spread by person-to-person contact, is so high in Japan because of crowding and poor economic conditions.

Forty-eight people infected with H. pylori were recruited for the study. Half of them ate 70 grams of broccoli sprouts daily, while the others ate alfalfa sprouts, which do not contain sulforaphane. After eight weeks, tests showed significantly lower levels of H. pylori infection in those who ate broccoli sprouts, with no reduction among the alfalfa sprout eaters. "H. pylori is a known carcinogen," Fahey told HealthDay News. "The fact that we were able to reduce the effects of an infectious agent that is also a carcinogen gives us hope that if someone were to eat broccoli sprouts or broccoli regularly, it would reduce levels of H. pylori and, over a period of many years, reduce the chance that they would get that cancer. It is not proven, but the results are highly suggestive."

The World's Unhealthiest Snack Is

2009-10-09T08:13:00.000-07:00

...a Krispy Kreme cheeseburger. A what? It's a burger topped with cheese and bacon, sandwiched between two Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Where can you get this delicacy? For now, only one place: the charming baseball park just outside St. Louis that is home to the Gateway Grizzlies.

CBS News has dubbed it "the world's unhealthiest snack," a designation that's hard to dispute. And it's billed as being so perfect that you're not supposed to doctor it with condiments. It costs $4.50, a bargain when you consider it's breakfast, dinner and dessert--all in one. Or a heart attack on plate. Take your pick. This concoction has 1,000 calories and 10 grams of sugar.

Since the ballclub is one step below Single A, management has to do something to make money, and gimmicks like this are crucial to the team's bottom line. "With minor league baseball we have to work extremely hard to get fans to come out here," Jeff O'Neill of the Grizzlies told CBS correspondent Cynthia Bowers. So what's next on the menu? He said, "We were in the concession stand the other day trying to come up with 'Baseball's Best Pizza.'" One can only imagine...

...a Krispy Kreme cheeseburger. A what? It's a burger topped with cheese and bacon, sandwiched between two Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Where can you get this delicacy? For now, only one place: the charming baseball park just outside St. Louis that is home to the Gateway Grizzlies.

CBS News has dubbed it "the world's unhealthiest snack," a designation that's hard to dispute. And it's billed as being so perfect that you're not supposed to doctor it with condiments. It costs $4.50, a bargain when you consider it's breakfast, dinner and dessert--all in one. Or a heart attack on plate. Take your pick. This concoction has 1,000 calories and 10 grams of sugar.

Sprinkle this tasty seasoning on your burger and it could break up cancer-causing compounds that form during grilling.

Since the ballclub is one step below Single A, management has to do something to make money, and gimmicks like this are crucial to the team's bottom line. "With minor league baseball we have to work extremely hard to get fans to come out here," Jeff O'Neill of the Grizzlies told CBS correspondent Cynthia Bowers. So what's next on the menu? He said, "We were in the concession stand the other day trying to come up with 'Baseball's Best Pizza.'" One can only imagine...

12 Reasons to Really Quit Smoking

2009-10-07T11:46:00.000-07:00

By Lindsay Lyon, U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News

We'll spare you the lecture. (Seriously, though. Stamp out that butt and flush the pack, already.) Tobacco use, namely cigarette smoking, is the chief cause of preventable death in the United States. Left unbridled, smoking could kill more than a billion people this century, according to the World Health Organization. That equals the number who would die if a Titanic sank every 24 minutes for the next 100 years, as former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop so starkly put it at a March 2008 press conference.

Still, it may be harder than ever to quit: Three quarters of today's smokers trying to shed the habit are heavily hooked on nicotine, up 32 percent from almost two decades ago, according to research presented at the American College of Chest Physicians' annual meeting last October. So quitting, for most, is not merely a matter of willpower. Nonetheless, the reasons to do so keep amassing—and they're not all about heart disease, lung cancer or respiratory problems. Here's a few downsides you might not have considered:

1. It fogs the mind. Smoking may cloud the mind, according to accumulating research. A June study in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that smoking in middle age is linked to memory problems and to a slide in reasoning abilities, though these risks appeared lessened for those who'd long quit; this is important, the authors wrote, because other research has shown that people with mild cognitive impairment in midlife develop dementia at an accelerated rate. Their report piggybacks on several focused on the older set: A 2007 analysis of 19 prior studies concluded that elderly smokers face a heightened risk of dementia and cognitive decline, compared with lifelong nonsmokers. And in 2004, researchers reported in Neurology that smoking appeared to hasten cognitive decline in dementia-free elderly smokers, bringing it on several times faster than in their nonsmoking peers.

2. It may bring on diabetes. As if we need any more risk factors for diabetes, an analysis published in the Journal of the American Medical Association last year found that across 25 prior studies, current smokers have a 44 percent greater chance of developing type 2 diabetes than nonsmokers do, and the risk was strongest for those with the heaviest habit, who clocked 20 or more cigarettes per day. In an accompanying editorial, researchers made a striking estimation: That some 12 percent of all type 2 diabetes cases nationwide might be attributable to smoking.

3. It invites infections. In October, the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices made its first ever recommendation that all smokers ages 19 to 64 be added to a short list of candidates for the pneumococcal vaccine. That's because there are very strong data showing that the risk of infection by pneumonia-causing bacteria is substantially greater for smokers than for nonsmokers, says Pekka Nuorti, a medical epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Exactly why is unclear, though there's evidence that smoking may damage the respiratory system's protective mucous membranes, making it easier for infectious organisms to latch on and cause disease, says Nuorti. Other research suggests that smoking may interfere with immunity, compromising people's ability to fight infections, he adds.

Heightened susceptibility to infections, it appears, isn't limited just to those who do the smoking: A May 2008 study in Tobacco Control found that children exposed to secondhand smoke at home during early infancy (especially those born prematurely or with a low birth weight) are more prone to a throng of severe illnesses that may land them in the hospital at some point during childhood. The findings were based on an analysis of more than 7,000 Chinese children from 1997 to 2005.

4. It may stultify a sex life. If men want to hop aboard the Viagra bandwagon, mounting evidence suggests that puffing cigarettes might be just their ticket. Smokers are more apt to experience erectile dysfunction than nonsmokers are, and this risk climbs as the number of cigarettes smoked increases. A study in the American Journal of Epidemiology in 2007 tracked more than 7,500 Chinese men with low risk for artherosclerosis, a chief underlying cause of erectile dysfunction, and found that smoking could independently hike a man's chance of wrangling with the sexual condition. Preventing smoking is an "important approach" for cutting the risk of ED, the researchers concluded.

5. It may lead to wrinkles ... everywhere. Not only does smoking contribute to premature facial wrinkles, but a 2007 study in the Archives of Dermatology found that it may also lead to wrinkling of skin that rarely sees the light of day—in areas such as the inner arm and perhaps the buttocks.

6. It may hasten menopause. Women who smoke face an increased risk of infertility, and they may experience natural menopause at a younger age than do nonsmokers, according to the 2004 and the 2001 Surgeon General's Reports, respectively. Further evidence: A 2001 animal study in Nature Genetics found that chemicals in cigarette smoke can hurry menopause by killing off egg cells made by ovaries, thereby dwindling the egg cell reserve. Since the timing of menopause is dictated by the size of a woman's egg cell reserve—which is stocked with about a million eggs at birth and vanishes by menopause—anything that speeds up its loss could logically lead to a much earlier onset of fertility troubles, notes Jonathan Tilly, one of the study's authors and director of the Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology at Massachusetts General Hospital. More worrisome: Women who smoke during pregnancy may be compromising not only their own future fertility but the fertility of their unborn daughters. In studies testing that idea, mice exposed to chemicals in cigarette smoke during gestation were born with shrunken egg reserves. "Even under the best-chance scenario—you're a nonsmoker, you're healthy, you're young, you eat well, you're in shape—human fertility isn't 100 percent," says Tilly. "Anything you can do to make it better is certainly worth your while."

7. It may dull vision. Several studies have found a robust link between smoking and eye disease, specifically age-related macular degeneration, which can permanently blur vision or cause blindness. A 2005 review of 17 studies in the journal Eye reported that active smokers may face two to three times the risk for developing the disease experienced by those who have never smoked.

8. It hurts bones. Smoking weakens the body's scaffolding and is a serious risk factor for osteoporosis, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. It's been shown to fritter away bone density in postmenopausal women and to hike the risk of hip fractures in both sexes, according to the 2004 Surgeon General's Report. (People who endure hip fractures are 12 to 20 percent more likely to die than those who don't, the Report notes, though there are ways osteoporosis sufferers can protect themselves.) Smokers may also experience slower healing of broken bones and wounded tissues than do nonsmokers.

9. It may injure the insides. Sure, cigarettes may be smooth to inhale, but they can rough up the digestive system, leading to heartburn, peptic ulcers and possibly gallstones, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. What's more, current and former smokers have an elevated risk of developing Crohn's disease, a condition characterized by inflammation in the digestive tract and causing pain and diarrhea, says NIDDK.

10. It may stifle sleep. Feeling groggy despite a night's slumber might be a problem for those who light up: A February study in Chest found that smokers are four times more likely to get nonrestorative sleep than those who don't smoke, and researchers deemed nicotine the likely culprit. They theorized that its stimulant properties deal smokers a double blow, making it difficult to fall asleep and also potentially sending the body into nicotine withdrawal during the night. (Half of the chemical's effect wears off within two hours.) Since inadequate shut-eye can invite health problems, consider forgoing cigarettes for the sake of your sleep.

11. It shaves years—and quality—off life. Men who have never smoked live on average 10 years longer than their peers who smoke heavily, according to an October report in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Moreover, they enjoyed a higher quality of life throughout those extra years, throwing sand in the face of the old smokers' defense that an early death is a small price to pay for a lifetime of pleasure. The study's Finnish authors drew their conclusion after scrutinizing data on more than 1,600 men tracked for nearly 30 years.

12. It's tied to lots of cancers. Not to belabor the point, but tobacco use and smoking have been linked to much more than lung cancer. In September, the CDC released a report estimating that more than 2 million cases of tobacco-related cancers were diagnosed nationwide between 1999 and 2004. Lung and bronchial cancer topped the list, naturally, but other types included stomach, pancreatic, kidney, urinary bladder and cervical cancer. "We knew this was a big problem and a preventable problem," says Sherri Stewart, the epidemiologist at CDC who led the research. "But when you present the hard numbers, you start to see the profoundness of the problem." Her message: To protect your health, do everything you can to quit.

Angie made the New York Post

2009-10-07T05:48:00.000-07:00

Hi all---

My sweet daughter, Angie, made the NY Post. Her band, Menya, is moving up the charts. They are doing great..Here is the link:

http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/popwrap/popwrap_fall_new_music_must_haves_6A2uhYXVn0UpmSp0SFZP3K

Top 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer's

2009-09-30T03:38:00.001-07:00

Alzheimer's disease is a fatal brain disease that causes a slow decline in memory, thinking and reasoning skills. According to the Alzheimer's Association, these are the 10 warning signs of Alzheimer's. If you or a loved one experience one or more, it's time to stop joking and make a doctor's appointment.

Top 10 warning signs of Alzheimer's:
1. Memory changes that disrupt daily life
In the early stages of Alzheimer's, it's common to forget recently learned information, as well as important dates or events. One signal is asking for the same information repeatedly and relying on family members or reminder notes for things that were once routinely remembered.
What's typical? Sometimes forgetting names or appointments, but remembering them later.

2. Challenges in planning or solving problems
Some people may experience changes in their ability to develop and follow a plan or work with numbers. For example, they may have trouble following a familiar recipe or keeping track of monthly bills. Sometimes, they cannot concentrate and take far longer to do things than they did before.
What's typical? Making occasional errors when balancing a checkbook.

3. Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work or at leisure
People who have Alzheimer's find it difficult to complete daily tasks. For example, they may have trouble driving to a familiar location, managing a budget at work or remembering the rules of a favorite game.
What's typical? Occasionally needing help to use the settings on a microwave or to record a television show.

4. Confusion with time or place
People with Alzheimer's can lose track of dates, seasons and the passage of time. They may have trouble understanding something if it is not happening immediately. Sometimes they may forget where they are or how they got there.
What's typical? Getting confused about the day of the week but figuring it out later.

5. Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships
Difficulty reading, judging distance and determining color or contrast are vision problems that can be a sign of Alzheimer's disease.
What's typical? Vision changes related to cataracts.

6. New problems with words in speaking or writing
When people have trouble following or joining in a conversation, it could be a sign of Alzheimer's, as well as stopping in the middle of conversing, having no idea how to continue or repeating themselves. Vocabulary struggles are common, including calling everyday items by the wrong name. Example: calling a "watch" an "arm-clock."
What's typical? Sometimes having trouble finding the right word.

7. Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps
People who have Alzheimer's may put things in unusual places or lose things and then be unable to go back over their steps to find them again. Sometimes, they may accuse others of stealing. This may occur more frequently over time.
What's typical? Misplacing things from time to time, such as a pair of glasses or the remote control.

8. Decreased or poor judgment
Alzheimer's can cause changes in judgment or decision-making, including poor judgment when dealing with money. People with the disease may pay less attention to their grooming or keeping themselves clean.
What's typical? Making a bad decision once in a while.

9. Withdrawal from work or social activities
It's common for those with Alzheimer's to remove themselves from hobbies, social activities, work projects or sports. They may have trouble keeping up with a favorite sports team or remembering how to complete a favorite hobby. They may also avoid being social because of the changes they have experienced.
What's typical? Sometimes feeling weary of work, family and social obligations.

10. Changes in mood and personality
The mood and personalities of people with Alzheimer's can change. They can become confused, suspicious, depressed, fearful or anxious. They may be easily upset at home, at work, with friends or in places where they are out of their comfort zone.
What's typical? Developing very specific ways of doing things and becoming irritable when a routine is disrupted.

Foods Surprisingly High in Added Sugar

2009-09-29T03:34:00.000-07:00

Fortune cookies: Just one fortune cookie packs about 3.6 grams of added sugar.
Flavored booze: Exercise good judgment when you drink—1 ounce of crème de menthe has 14 grams of added sugar; 53-proof coffee-flavored liqueur has 16 grams of added sugar per ounce.
Baked beans: A 1-cup serving of canned baked beans with no salt added will cost you nearly 15 grams of added sugar.
Dried, sweetened cranberries: Without the sweetener, this fruit can be incredibly tart. But one serving—a third of a cup—of this treat will hit you with 25 grams of added sugar.
Ketchup: A favorite condiment, a single 1-cup serving of regular—or low sodium—ketchup racks up nearly 40 grams of added sugar.
Cream substitutes: A 1-cup serving of a liquid "light" cream substitute packs 22 grams of added sugar, while a 1-cup serving of a powdered "light" cream substitute adds a whopping 69 grams.
BBQ sauce: A 1-cup serving of this summertime favorite adds 9 grams of added sugar onto those ribs and chicken.
"Reduced" salad dressings: A 1-cup serving of reduced-calorie French dressing heaps 58 grams of added sugar, and a 1-cup serving of reduced-fat coleslaw dressing hits a home run with 103 grams of added sugar.
Lemonade: A cup of lemonade powder has a massive 200 grams of added sugar. A single serving of the drink has almost 17 grams of added sugar.
Flavored popcorn: Think the added sweetener can't be that bad here? Fat-free-syrup caramel popcorn has 18 grams of added sugar per ounce serving.
Granola bars: Often deemed a healthful snack, some are tricky—a 1-ounce serving of a granola bar with oats, fruit and nuts has 11 grams of added sugar.

A Hidden Danger of Flip-Flops

2009-09-28T04:37:00.000-07:00

Flip flops are comfy, colorful and contaminated with bacteria, including the potentially deadly germ Staphylococcus aureus. If it seeps into your skin via a cut, Staphylococcus aureus can enter the bloodstream, making you very sick or even kill you if left untreated.

The New York Daily News worked with Dennis Kinney, Ph.D., the manager of the microbiology lab at EMSL Analytical, to test the flip-flops of two reporters who trekked around New York City in them for four days. They wore their new $3.50 flip-flops on the New York subway, on walks through Prospect Park, in bars in the West Village and to a Cyclone baseball game in Coney Island. They also walked through a public restroom at the Coney Island subway station. Then they sent the flip-flops to Kinney to be analyzed.

The results? Pretty disgusting. The flip-flops were coated in a stew of approximately 18,100 bacteria--in just four days. And one of those bacterium was Staphylococcus aureus. "It can make you pretty sick if it got into a wound and into your blood, where it could attack any of your internal organs," Kinney told the Daily News. "If you didn't treat it with antibiotics, you could die from it." Even contact with skin that doesn't have a cut can be nasty, causing boils and skin infections.

Not all of it was deadly bacteria. Some were non-disease-causing germs, but some--Aerococcus viridans and Rothia mucilaginosa--are bacteria that are typically found in our mouths. "It's not a good sign," says Kinney. "It means that people are spitting. If someone were sick and spitting on the ground, you could pick something up."

And it's not just flip-flops that gather harmful bacteria. "If you wear shoes for three months, 93 percent have fecal bacteria and 20 percent have E. coli," Dr. Charles P. Gerba, professor of microbiology at the University of Arizona, told the Daily News.

10 Diet Don'ts That Do Us In

2009-09-22T04:37:00.001-07:00

By Amy Paturel, M.S., M.P.H.

Most women claim they eat healthy. But according to Elizabeth Somer's new book, '10 Habits That Mess Up a Woman's Diet,' most women are actually delusional. Dieting is an American obsession. Yet according to recent obesity statistics we're as heavy as ever. Why?

"Women are unintentionally eating more calories than they think," says Tara Gidus, M.S., R.D., of the American Dietetic Association. But if you can kick a few bad habits -- 10 to be exact -- you're bound to drop the pounds. Here's a quick look at Somer's terrible 10.

Mindless Eating: You grab a handful of M&M's from your colleague's desk, test the spaghetti sauce while you're cooking and dig into a few bites of your hubby's dessert. Never mind the kids' leftover PB&J crusts or the hidden oil in your cafe lunch. Unfortunately, these little indulgences add up to weighty matters on the scale.

Putting Others' Needs Before Your Own: You love veggies. Your hubby digs meat and potatoes. What gives? Your man wins, hands down. Throw kids into the mix and hot dogs, hamburgers and French fries win out every time -- unless you put on the brakes.

Not Being Honest: "Most people drastically underestimate the number of calories they eat," says Gidus. We downplay our Krispy Kreme intake and play up our cardio workout. And with restaurant portion sizes on the rise, many of us have no concept of a "standard" USDA serving size.

Skip the Broccoli, Eat the Fries: According to Somer's book, if you do nothing more than double your current intake of fruits and vegetables, you'd be on your way to eating a good diet. 'Nuff said.

Setting Off Without a Plan: It's easy to overeat if you don't have a road map specifying your diet and exercise goals. Gidus advocates keeping a food diary, setting measurable, attainable goals and sticking to them.

Excuses, Excuses, Excuses: Whether it's a sluggish metabolism, lack of time or our poor diets, we're masters of coming up with excuses. Change your outlook, believe you can lose weight (make the time, decompress, whatever) and set priorities accordingly.

I'm Moody -- Let's Eat: "People turn to food for comfort," says Gidus. "They think they deserve a treat." And while overindulging may make you feel good in the moment, it sets you up for diet disaster over the long haul.

Give Me the Quick Fix, Now! We've all fallen prey to the latest fad diet, downing gallons of cabbage soup, eating nothing but grapefruit or loading up on eggs and bacon grease. The end result is always the same: We gain the weight back and then some.

Drinking Away Our Waistlines: People who drink soda consume more calories. Alcohol isn't much better. "It's very common to eat more or make poor food choices when you've had a drink or two," says Gidus.

The All-or-Nothing Approach to Dieting: If you ate a plate of fries, you might feel like you've blown it. But don't let one setback completely derail you. Instead, focus on baby steps and reward yourself along the way.

Fitness: Stuff You Need to Know!

2009-09-20T07:10:00.000-07:00

By Raphael Calzadilla, BA, CPT, ACE, RTS1

Rowing harder doesn't help if the boat is headed in the wrong direction.
-- Kenichi Ohmae
I really enjoy writing about one topic that can help make a positive impact on your fitness level and nutrition habits. However, sometimes it's fun and useful to cover a lot of different quick tips based on a variety of subjects.
I'd like to cover multiple bits of valuable information, or as I like to refer to it, "stuff you should know." I'll cover exercise, training technique, nutrition and fact versus fiction. If you love scanning information, learning quickly and then moving on to the next thing in your day, then this article is for you.

Whether you are a beginner, novice or experienced exerciser, here's some stuff I think you should know:
1. THE MAGIC WORKOUT -- Get it hammered into your mind that there is no "best and only way" to workout. I get a multitude of questions concerning the efficiency of "super slow rep" workouts, "the best video-tape workout," "the best number of days to workout," etc. In reality, it's all good if it works for you, but you don't want to stay with any of it for too long.
Don't let the body or the mind adapt. The body will adapt to any exercise routine in approximately four to six weeks. Vary volume of sets, time between sets, reps, exercises, cardiovascular exercises, exercise tapes and so on. Manipulate your routine every three to four weeks and view CHANGE as the key constant.
2. NUTRITION -- When a person starts eating less food than their body needs on a daily basis (calorie restriction); intermediate energy sources are used to make up the caloric difference. These sources are blood sugar, liver and muscle glycogen (sugar) and blood lipids (fat). After a few days of intelligent calorie restriction, the liver begins to convert stored body fat into new glucose (carbohydrate). This process, known as glucogenesis, will convert as much body fat to glucose as necessary to make up any caloric deficit. That's part of the major process in losing body fat.
3. RATIOS OF PROTEIN, CARBOHYDRATE AND FATS -- Contrary to what many believe, a calorie is not a calorie. I guarantee that your body will look and feel very different if you take in 60 percent of your calories from carbohydrate compared to 40 percent. Your muscles will look and feel very different if you take in 30 percent of your calories from protein, compared to 15 percent. In addition, energy levels will also be quite different.
4. EXERCISE FORM AND TECHNIQUE -- Cheating on form and technique while weight training eventually catches up to everyone in the way of injuries. In weight training, we place too much emphasis on how much weight to lift and not enough on how or why we perform the lift. Always perform your weight training with perfect form and technique, and you'll make great progress and prevent injury
5. FATIGUE DURING EXERCISE- Most people think too much along the lines of "No pain, no gain" or "If I workout two hours a day seven days per week, then I'll improve." Don't seek fatigue. Instead, MANAGE it during the workout. If you have a lot of energy during a certain workout, do a few more sets or add five minutes to your cardio routine. If you're super tired, back off a few sets or reduce the time of your cardio session. Relish in your ability to manage your energy and your mind.
6. STAY WITH THE BASICS -- Weight train for about 35 minutes to an hour three to four days per week and perform cardio three to four days per week for 30 to 40 minutes. Eat a little less, take in enough protein, drink a lot of water, get plenty of rest and be consistent. That's how you make progress. If you don't have time for this much exercise, that's OK. Simply scale back the program -- but remain consistent.
7. HEIGHT AND WEIGHT -- Height and weight rarely tell you all you need to know. The key is finding out how much muscle versus fat that's on your body. One person can be 5 feet 4 inches and weigh 125 pounds and look great. Another person with the same height and weight may look soft and out of shape. The first undoubtedly has more muscle mass.
8. THE BEST WAY TO LOSE BODY FAT -- Fall down, get back up... fall down, get back up... fall down, get back up. I don't care how many times you screw up on your diet, don't give up. Try to focus on the emotion you'll eventually feel when you achieve your goal. That's the key. We live in a very "hand holding" society. I encourage you to challenge yourself and call upon your own levels of discipline. It sits there waiting for you, always waiting for you to exercise it.
9. BEWARE OF MAGIC POTIONS -- Don't get hooked into supplements that promise to magically reduce body fat or infomercials that sell ineffective products and make claims to flatten your abs. Remember, these companies are just in it for a quick buck and don't provide all the information you require to make a wise decision. They prey on emotion and impulse buying. Stay far away.
10. APPLIED KNOWLEDGE -- Hey look, I know you know this, but I have to say it anyway. No matter how much knowledge you have about nutrition and exercise, it doesn't matter unless you apply it. Application does not mean perfection. It simply means that you steadily move towards your goal. You do know what your short and long-term goal is, don't you? Gather as much knowledge as possible concerning exercise and nutrition and how YOUR body reacts to changes and don't take anything in this industry at face value.

Zumba Toning

2009-09-18T08:12:00.000-07:00

The response to "Zumba Toning" has been incredible. Thanks to all of my participants. I hope to have more Zumba Toning in the Mechanicsburg area by the end of the year.

Everyone is doing well with the Toning Sticks. As I said before, I am also a Personal Trainer and hold a Weight Training Certification as well. You can feel very safe when doing this class in a controlled environment.

Have a great weekend and thanks for all of the great responses to all of my classes.

Marisa

'Housewives' Actress Has Lung Cancer

2009-09-17T04:19:00.000-07:00

Emmy Award-winning "Desperate Housewives" actress Kathryn Joosten, who plays Mrs. McCluskey in the ABC drama has been diagnosed with lung cancer--for the second time.

Joosten, 69, told PEOPLE magazine that she was "devastated" when she first heard the diagnosis, but she is now "doing great." The cancer was spotted during an annual checkup in September after she had been in remission following the original diagnosis in 2001. A longtime smoker, Joosten stopped smoking cold turkey the day she was first told she had cancer.

"My other goal is to try to erase some of the stigma of lung cancer," she told PEOPLE. "The first thing everyone says is: 'Did you smoke?' Yeah, I smoked. I smoked because Bette Davis said it was very glamorous. I smoked because it was seen everywhere and done everywhere. I got addicted because the tobacco companies add additives to their tobacco to make it more addictive. I'm damned mad at all of them.

Shape-Up Secrets From Top Fitness Trainers

2009-09-14T04:06:00.000-07:00

1. Pay lip service to hot abs

To achieve the firm midsection you've always wanted, become a blowhard. "When doing crunches, I exhale during the contraction, my lips pursed, as if I'm blowing through a small straw," says Jay Blahnik, a trainer in Laguna Beach, Calif., who has worked with Jane Fonda. "I feel my stomach muscles contract more intensely, and I stay more focused."

2. Set it and forget it

Watch the clock go ticktock and a 20-minute treadmill jog can feel like the Boston Marathon. (It's only been five minutes?!) Instead, try a countdown. "I set a kitchen timer with the minutes I'm aiming to be active and go until I hear the alarm," says Tom Seabourne, Ph.D., director of exercise science at Northeast Texas Community College in Mount Pleasant. When you can't see the time, you're more likely to concentrate on what you're doing right now—your form, how strong you feel—rather than how long until you can stop. Plus, you'll avoid the urge to let up on the intensity when you have only a minute or two left.

3. Grab an icy beverage

Chilled H²O (You thought we meant beer? Sorry!) could help you maximize your exercise. Cyclists were able to work out 23 percent longer when they drank cold water than when the beverage was at body temperature, a study in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise found. Blahnik's keep-it-cool tool: a refillable aluminum bottle.

4. Be belle of the ball

A $1 rubber ball can help you score million-dollar legs. During crunches and other ab moves, "holding an 8- to 12-inch ball between your knees or ankles gets your inner thighs and glutes in on the action," says Brooke Siler, owner of re:AB Pilates Studio in New York City, who has worked with Kirsten Dunst.

5. Keep a to-do list

Planning strength workouts ahead can get you out of the gym (and into those skinny jeans) in record time. "I have a template—I always know what to do next so I'm not wasting time wandering around," says fitness and lifestyle consultant Ashley Borden of Los Angeles, who trains singer Natasha Bedingfield. You can make your cheat sheet basic (a quick list) or more structured—whatever works best to keep you focused. The SELF Challenge has a simple but effective example.

6. Groove and get fit

Music is a great distraction; these iPod ideas turn it into a magic motivational tool, too. Make your music meaningful. "I pick songs with lyrics that support the goals in my life," says Mandy Ingber, a yoga and Spinning instructor in L.A. who trains Jennifer Aniston. "For example, I'm letting go of a relationship and a job. George Michael's 'Freedom 90' and Frou Frou's 'Let Go' reflect that theme of release and let me use emotional energy to fuel my workout. It becomes a cathartic, therapeutic experience." Add a goal song. "Put your favorite song or a new tune at the end of your playlist, like a special treat to keep you exercising until you hear it," says Meaghan B. Murphy, SELF's fitness director and a personal trainer.

7. "Cheat" on your treadmill

If you do the same cardio over and over, your body adapts and reaps fewer benefits. Solution: Switch it up every month, rotating the elliptical, treadmill, stairstepper and bike. "Day 1, I test how far I can go in a set time. Initially, a steady pace is challenging, so I keep it up for a week," says Michelle Kennedy, an exercise physiologist in Washington, D.C. "The next three weeks, I play with intervals, changing resistance, speed and incline. At month's end, I test myself again. I stay motivated to see how my performance improves."

8. Begin at the bottom

When doing your strength work, start with your lower body. "Legs are your largest muscle group, so the moves require more energy than ones for your upper body," says Naomi Watts's pro, Rob Parr, author of Star Quality: The Red Carpet Workout for the Celebrity Body of Your Dreams (Wiley). Tackle below-the-belt moves when you're fresh to sculpt a better bottom half.

9. Praise your assets

Dragging it mid-workout? "I repeat a funny mantra like, 'I have a great butt! I have a great butt!'" says Ingber, who also cues thoughts of sex and her latest crush to rev up her energy. "It's sort of a joke, but when I think of how sexy I am, versus how I've got to get rid of cellulite, the positive message makes me want to sweat harder. But don't take my word for it; check out my butt!"

10. Make a workout a win-win

A little friendly competition can turn a so-so sweat session into a serious slim-down—and the other party doesn't even have to know it's a contest! Next time you feel as if you're phoning it in, pick a person in the gym who has a killer body or is working hard and make it your goal to do more than she does, says Mike Heatlie of Edinburgh, Scotland, Gwen Stefani's trainer.

11. Switch sides

Most people have a stronger leg or arm that picks up slack for the weaker side, says Geralyn Coopersmith, senior national manager of Equinox Fitness Training Institute in New York City. Her solution: Choose single-arm or -leg moves (like lunges) that force each limb to get stronger and toned for even more stellar sculpting.

12. Dream in detail

A vow to lose some weight usually doesn't fuel you beyond a few weeks, says Ashley Conrad, owner of Clutch Bodyshop in L.A. (Kate Hudson has been a client.) "Visualize exactly what you want. Write down what your dream body looks like or the number of pounds you want to drop," she says. "The more specifics, the easier it is to make a plan, track your progress and meet mini-milestones—all powerful motivators."

13. Catch some elliptical air

Add some treadmill-style action to your elliptical session. By mimicking a running motion as you step, you can torch extra calories, says Angela Corcoran, director of education at the American Academy of Personal Training in NYC. "Raise the resistance so you don't fly off, then swing your arms and pick up each foot a half inch or inch from the pedals on the up cycle," she says. You'll use less of the machine's momentum to keep moving, and more effort on your part means more fat and calories erased.

14. Sprint to slim

"Studies show you lose more weight, especially around your middle, with short bouts of high-intensity cardio than with long, steady sessions," Kennedy says. In fact, intervals were the lose-fat-fast secret of just about every expert SELF consulted. This pyramid technique from Paul Katami, who teaches celebrity-studded classes at Equinox in Hollywood, vanquishes boredom and body fat (warm up with a five-minute slow jog first): Sprint for 30 seconds, then jog for 30. Next, sprint for 45 seconds, followed by a 45-second recovery. Keep increasing by 15 seconds until you reach a minute and a half, then work back down to 30. You're using an elliptical or doing some other cardio instead of running? Not a problem. Simply sub the words, "Work as hard as you can" for sprint and, "Whew! You can slow down a bit," for jog.

15. Erase Aches

Sore muscles can leave you limping through (or skipping) exercise. Yet few people take time to stretch, which releases lactic acid so muscles recuperate faster. Enter foam rollers ($10 to $25; PerformBetter.com ). Almost every trainer SELF interviewed named these tubes as their must-have gear. Place one on the floor and sit or lean on it, rolling your hip flexors, glutes, calves and IT band (the difficult-to-stretch connective tissue along the outside of your thigh) over the foam cylinder. "I sit in front of the TV and roll. It's like a massage, helping me recover from the day's workout and prepare for my next," says Jason Walsh, a trainer in Santa Monica, Calif., whose roster includes Hollywood hardbody Jessica Biel.

16. Cut out counting

The fastest way to sculpt sexy muscles is to leave them as fatigued as you are after a weekend babysitting your nephews. But being rigid about reps can keep you from reaching that intensity, says Adam Ernster, the guru in L.A. responsible for the übersleek physique of the Pussycat Dolls' Nicole Scherzinger. "If you set out to do 12, mentally you shut down at 12, even if you could do more," he says. Instead, have a ballpark figure you need to surpass, then keep going until you couldn't possibly do another. If you find yourself doing many more, congrats: You are stronger than you think and can use heavier weights.

17. Do an ab-athon

Abs can be one of your strongest muscle groups because you use them while sitting and standing. Unfortunately, that means it can take extra effort to tone them. A tighter-tummy trick: Do all of your ab exercises (bicycles, crunches, roll-ups) back-to-back, says Nicole Stewart, a pilates instructor sought after by stars in Los Angeles. Working your abs to the burning point delivers smoking-hot results.

18. Shake up your sets

Varying your strength-training sets maximizes their ability to deliver the sexy, sculpted muscles you want. One day a week, do sets of high reps (15 to 20) with light weights (8 to 12 pounds) to build muscle endurance; one day, do low reps (five to eight) with heavier weights (15 to 20 pounds) for strength, suggests Mike Bracko, Ed.D., a sports physiologist in Calgary, Alberta. Targeting different muscle fibers gives you a diminishing rump, not diminishing returns!

19. Get a high-tech reality check

Intense, heart-pumping exercise melts fat fast, but are you really working as hard as you think? Wear a heart-rate monitor to stay on track—in the 80 to 85 percent of maximum range. "A monitor won't let you delude yourself into thinking you're pushing your limits when your heart says otherwise," says Coopersmith. Her top pick: the Polar FT60, $240. "I input my goals, and it devises a program and tracks my progress. If I reach my target for the week, it flashes a trophy. I'm so motivated by that silly trophy that when I don't get it, I'm annoyed but driven to work harder the next week!"

20. Stand up to fat

Concentrating on standing tall while running or on the elliptical machine sneaks in extra tightening as your abs and back muscles engage to support your posture. "To test myself, I make the loser sign, placing the tip of my index finger on the tip of my chin and my thumb on the high part of my sternum," Blahnik says. This way, your head is in line with your spine and your shoulders are back.

21. Use gratitude to get going

When the lure of the couch is stronger than that of cardio, take a minute to give thanks that you can get off the couch at all. "I think about how lucky I am to be capable of doing so many activities that many people aren't," says Patrick Murphy, a celebrity trainer in L.A. who has helped Eva Longoria get buff. Chances are, within minutes you'll be lacing up your sneakers (and putting on a smile) to at least head out for a walk!

How death and divorce deal a health blow

2009-09-13T16:23:00.000-07:00

-- Divorced or widowed people have 20 percent more chronic health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes or cancer than married people. They also have 23 percent more mobility limitations, such as trouble climbing stairs or walking around the block.
-- People who have never married have 12 percent more mobility limitations and 13 percent more depressive symptoms, but report no difference in the number of chronic health conditions from married people.
-- People who have remarried have 12 percent more chronic conditions and 19 percent more mobility limitations, but no more depressive symptoms, than those who are continuously married.

9 Ways to Add 30 Years to Your Life

2009-09-11T10:18:00.000-07:00

How long will you live? While good genes help, fully 70 percent of your longevity is determined by your lifestyle. That means, to a certain extent you are in control of your destiny.

Taken together, all of these lifestyle changes--some are small, others are big--will help you live as much as 30 years longer! That's quite a pay-off. These tips for adding years to your life were compiled from three sources:

Dr. Sanjay Gupta's book "Chasing Life"
Dr. Thomas Perls' livingto100.com longevity calculator
Health.com
9 ways to add 30 years to your life:

5 years: Don't smoke
It's not cool to smoke. You smell, your teeth turn yellow, your skin looks like leather and your voice gets low and raspy. It also gives you lung cancer. Ick.

5 years: Eat power foods
It's all about the antioxidants. Every day you should eat a handful of dark chocolate and almonds, as well as fruits, vegetables, garlic and even a glass of wine.

4 years: Skip the fast food
Drive past the McDonald's and Wendy's without stopping and you'll live a lot longer since you're not ingesting all that fat and cholesterol.

3 years: Get moving
Run for 30 minutes, five days a week and you can live up to four years longer. If you walk, you'll add three years.

3 years: Get married
Numerous studies have shown that married people are happier and healthier. Why? They take care of each other. Face it, most men see a doctor because their wives made the appointment and told them to go.

3 years: Eat salmon twice a week
Eating fatty fish that contains omega 3 fatty acids, such as wild salmon, herring, mackerel and sardines, not only appears to lower your risk of Alzheimer's disease, but also helps control triglyceride levels and inflammation.

3 years: Lose the fat
You'll not only look and feel better, but you'll be healthier if you lose weight. Being overweight increases your risk of death by 20 to 40 percent. Now that's motivation!

3 years: Have sex
Having sex two to three times a week helps you live longer by cutting in half your risk for heart disease and stroke. How? Sexual intercourse burns about 200 calories, which is the same as running for 30 minutes.

1 year: Floss daily
The greatest benefit of regular flossing is healthy gums. Research has shown that gum inflammation is linked to heart disease. Keep your gums healthy and your heart may follow.

Fall has been crazy

2009-09-10T11:50:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't written in awhile. But, Fall has been so busy. My classes are all booked. We have many classes with waiting lists. It has been great. Please hang in there if you have been waiting to get into some of my classes. I am constantly creating more. Just email me and I will try to get you in somewhere.
I will be getting as many people in the shape, this Fall, as I can. Take care and stay fit.

Marisa

The Hidden Benefits of Lemonade

2009-09-03T18:27:00.001-07:00

A perfect glass of lemonade does more than cool and relax you on a summer day. It may protect your lungs against a potentially serious condition: adult asthma. People who eat little or no fruit and shun citrus are more likely to develop asthma or to be victim to its wheezing, gasping symptoms than people who fill up on citrus. Vitamin C in these fruits probably facilitates the breathe-easier effects.

Just because you haven’t had asthma yet doesn’t mean your lucky streak will continue: It can start at any time in your life. It can be caused by a number of factors, including your environment (for instance, dust mite droppings inside your mattress or pillow), where you live, and genetics (you have at least a 25% greater risk of developing asthma if your parents have allergies). But even if your situation ups the numbers on the wheeze dial, you have the power to roll it back and possibly to tame the long-term damage caused by frequent attacks.

Adding all things citrus -- grapefruit, oranges, lemons, limes -- to your shopping basket reduces your risk of this respiratory bane, regardless of how active or how old you are.

Fall Signups

2009-09-01T04:52:00.000-07:00

Remember to sign up for all of my Fall classes;

--the greatest Step Class in town
--Zumba
--NEW. Zumba Toning
--Pilates - I am the only fully certified instructor in the area
--Yoga
--Personal Training

See me at any of my many convenient locations

Get Your Kids to Eat Healthy

2009-08-28T04:01:00.000-07:00

Be a good role model As the study shows, kids will mirror your own eating habits. So let them see you eating whole-grain toast at breakfast, enjoying a piece of fruit for a snack and filling up on veggies at dinner. If you can’t give up your cookies and soda, try to eat them when the kids are in bed and keep them out of sight in your cupboard.

Combine favorites with the unfamiliar “Don’t just always serve their favorite food,” advises Johnson. “At a meal, mix their favorites with what you’re trying to challenge them with.” And don’t give up after the first time your child rejects a food. “Don’t force them [to eat it], but keep offering it to them,” says Sutherland. “You might have to [offer] new things eight times before a kid will eat it.”

Follow the “Rule of Three” At each meal, try to include at least three of the following food groups from the USDA food pyramid: grains, vegetables, fruits, milk, meat/beans. A snack can consist of two food groups.

Make grocery shopping a fun learning experience Let young children pick out their favorite fruits; older kids can learn math concepts, like finding the best value or comparing nutrition labels.

Involve kids in the kitchen Letting your children help with the cooking can give them a better understanding of food, notes Sutherland. Johnson agrees: “The more kids get involved, the more likely they’ll eat and appreciate the food once it shows up on their plate. Plus, you’re teaching them cooking skills.”

Allow for occasional junk Insisting that your children eat only healthy foods can backfire, leading to lunch-swapping and overindulging when you’re out of sight. Instead, teach them a healthy balance by allowing them to have the occasional treat, even if it’s something that’s not good for them. Johnson recommends a blend of 90 percent relatively healthy food and 10 percent junk food and other treats.

Zumba Toning coming to Marisa's classes

2009-08-27T04:23:00.000-07:00

Zumba Toning

Zumba Toning combines the entire dance of Latin Rhythms combined with fitness moves utilizing an innovative muscle training protocol and the addition of light weight toning sticks or dumbbells. Created to emhasize muscle work along with rhythms , this combination of cardio and dynamic resistive exercises is an effective use of progressive light weight training to improve overall performance. You will still enjoy the great music and be able tol work all of your muscles getting an all body workout.

Zumba toning takes the original Zumba dance fitness class to the next level utilizing an innovative muscle training protocol and the addition of light weight toning sticks or dumbbells. Created to emphasize muscle work along with rhythms, this combination of cardio and dynamic resistive exercises is an effective use of progressive light weight training to improve overall performance.

Improve muscle /tone definition

Improve cardiovascular endurance

Improve metabolic function

And best of all dance away and melt body fat.

Be one of the first ones to start the revolutionary , latest fitness craze that will give you quick results.Zumba Toning exclusive at Stipe Personal Training. Write to marisatrainer@aol.com for schedule.

Tweak of the Week

2009-08-26T04:45:00.000-07:00

People don't become overweight from one bad habit.

In fact, it's a confluence of factors that led to the obesity epidemic in this country. You cannot change your body by just "doing everything right starting tomorrow." It doesn't work that way.

The experts say the best way to lose weight and keep it off is to set small, realistic goals.

"Tackle one unhealthy habit at a time and once you have successfully met that goal set another one," recommends eDiets Manager of Nutrition Support Tracey Ryan, MS, RD.

So, in the first step on your journey to become the person you want to be, we're going to start where every day starts: breakfast.

Face it, studies have shown that your mother was right about this -- children who eat breakfast do better in school. And breakfast is just as beneficial for adults as well. In fact, people who ate breakfast were less likely to develop heart disease or diabetes, according to a 2003 study.

"Breakfast is crucial for fueling your body, providing energy, maintaining metabolism and even improving concentration," explains eDiets Director of Nutrition Pamela Ofstein. "If you skip breakfast, you may find yourself lacking energy, hungrier and more apt to overeat later in the day."

It's obvious that everyone should eat breakfast, but so many still skip it for a whole host of reasons -- from time to taste and everything in between. The key is simply to eat something.

"Eating a balanced breakfast is the goal -- protein, carbohydrate and fat sources," Ofstein says. "But if time is a constraint or you need something convenient, you don’t always have to go with the typical breakfast -- grab a piece of fruit, yogurt and some nuts or wrap a slice of turkey and cheese in a tortilla."

Blueberries

2009-08-24T04:58:00.000-07:00

With their bright flavor and unmistakable blue hue, blueberries seem to be trying to catch our attention. Today the humble blueberry is experiencing a new level of popularity, not because it has a significant amount of any one vitamin or mineral but because of its unusual antioxidant profile. Researchers at a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) laboratory at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts, rank blueberries number one in antioxidant activity when compared to 40 common fresh fruits and vegetables. Blueberries contain many plant compounds that combine to make this sweet fruit an antioxidant superstar. Blueberries is also a beauty food because their antioxidant, antiaging, and anti-inflammatory effects protect you from premature aging.

Four Ways to Prevent Cancer

2009-08-24T03:54:00.000-07:00

Eat a mostly plant-based diet
You don't have to give up meat entirely, but think of meat as a side dish and not the main course. Make sure your diet is packed with fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Avoid sugary, processed foods and fast foods. Limit your red meat consumption to no more than 18 ounces a week. Cut back on the salt and the booze.

Maintain a healthy weight
While a body mass index (BMI) of up to 24.9 is considered normal, keep your BMI between 21 and 23 and avoid gaining weight during adulthood for cancer prevention.

Exercise regularly
Find an exercise or sport you love to do and then do it. To reap the benefits, all you really have to do is walk briskly for at least 30 minutes a day while you limit sedentary activities, such as watching television. And if you're feeling particularly energetic, exercise moderately for 60 minutes a day or vigorously for 30 minutes for even greater cancer protection.

Don't smoke and avoid secondhand smoke
Not only does cigarette smoking cause 87 percent of lung cancer deaths, but also it is responsible for most cancers of the larynx, oral cavity and pharynx, esophagus and bladder. In addition, secondhand smoke is responsible for an estimated 3,000 lung cancer deaths annually among U.S. nonsmokers. Tobacco smoke contains thousands of chemical agents, including over 60 substances that are known to cause cancer. While the risk of developing smoking-related cancers, as well as noncancerous diseases, increases with total lifetime exposure to cigarette smoke, stopping smoking has major and immediate health benefits, including decreasing the risk of lung and other cancers, heart attack, stroke and chronic lung disease, according to Cancer.gov.

Fired and Fabulous

2009-08-20T03:56:00.000-07:00

Take it from Madonna, Suzanne Somers and J.K. Rowling – getting fired can be a great career move.

As more and more Americans are discovering, losing your job is rough and scary. But it can also be the jolt you need to launch a great career. Take it from J.K. Rowling, Suzanne Somers and Madonna, all of whom made millions after getting fired from an unhappy day job: Opportunity can be hidden just about anywhere – even on a pink slip.

Here is one story:

J.K. Rowling – A Wiz With Shorthand
As a secretary in a busy London office, Rowling's boss often accused her of daydreaming, eventually letting her go. That gave the budding fantasy writer time to commit her tales of a young apprentice wizard and his adventures in a magical English boarding school to paper. Since then, the Harry Potter books have sold more than 400 million copies, spawning a billion-dollar blockbuster film series. Rowling is now among Britain's richest women -- and has a secretary or two of her own.

Surprising Signs You'll Live to 100

2009-08-19T04:11:00.000-07:00

Corbis
Provided by Prevention

Extroverts, runners are more likely to become centenarians

You don't snore

Snoring is a major sign of obstructive sleep apnea, a disorder that causes you to stop breathing briefly because throat tissue collapses and blocks your airway. In severe cases, this can happen 60 to 70 times per hour.

Sleep apnea can cause high blood pressure, memory problems, weight gain, and depression. An 18-year study found that people without OSA were 3 times more likely to live longer than those with severe apnea. If you snore and have excessive daytime drowsiness or mood changes, talk with your doctor about a referral to a sleep center.

You're the life of the party

Outgoing people are 50 percent less likely to develop dementia, according to a recent study of more than 500 men and women age 78 and older from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden. Participants also described themselves as not easily stressed.

Researchers speculate that their more resilient brains may be due to lower levels of cortisol -- studies show that oversecretion of this "stress hormone" can inhibit brain cells' communication. Science-backed ways to cut cortisol levels: Meditate, sip black tea, or take a nap.

You run for 40 minutes a day

Scientists in California found that middle-aged people who did just that -- for a total of about 5 hours per week -- lived longer and functioned better physically and cognitively as they got older; the researchers tracked runners and nonrunners for 21 years. "What surprised us is that the runners didn't just get less heart disease -- they also developed fewer cases of cancer, neurologic diseases, and infections," says study author Eliza Chakravarty, MD, an assistant professor of medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine. "Aerobic exercise keeps the immune system young." If you don't like to run, even 20 minutes a day of any activity that leaves you breathless can boost your health, she says.

You like raspberries in your oatmeal

Most Americans eat 14 to 17 g of fiber per day; add just 10 g and reduce your risk of dying from heart disease by 17 percent, according to a Netherlands study. Dietary fiber helps reduce total and LDL ("bad") cholesterol, improve insulin sensitivity, and boost weight loss. One easy fix: Top your oatmeal (½ cup dry has 4 g fiber) with 1 cup of raspberries (8 g) and you get 12 g of fiber in just one meal.

Try some of these other potent fiber-rich foods: ½ cup of 100 percent bran cereal (8.8 g), ½ cup of cooked lentils (7.8 g), ½ cup of cooked black beans (7.5 g), one medium sweet potato (4.8 g), one small pear (4.3 g).

You feel 13 years younger than you are

That's what older people in good health said in a recent survey of more than 500 men and women age 70 and older. "Feeling youthful is linked to better health and a longer life," says researcher Jacqui Smith, PhD, professor of psychology at the University of Michigan. "It can improve optimism and motivation to overcome challenges, which helps reduce stress and boost your immune system and ultimately lowers your risk of disease."

You embrace techie trends

Learn to Twitter or Skype to help keep brain cells young and healthy, says Sherri Snelling, senior director for Evercare (part of United-Healthcare), a group that sponsors an annual poll of U.S. centenarians. Many of the oldest Americans send e-mails, Google lost friends, and even date online. Researchers say using the latest technology helps keep us not only mentally spry but socially engaged: "Stay connected to friends, family, and current events, and you feel vital and relevant," says Snelling.

Smoking

2009-08-14T04:08:00.000-07:00

It's been drilled into the public consciousness that smoking cigarettes is expensive, addictive and downright unhealthy. Even smoking just one a day can triple a person's risk for dying of heart disease. But what about smoking hookah or clove cigarettes? Is there any wiggle room? The answer is no and no. Clove cigarettes, also called kreteks, contain a mixture of tobacco, clove and other additives. According to the CDC, kreteks deliver more nicotine, carbon monoxide and tar than conventional cigarettes. Because hookah sessions can last anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour, an hour-long session is the equivalent to smoking 100 to 200 cigarettes.

The Best Way to Tone Your Waistline

2009-08-11T04:57:00.001-07:00

To trim your waistline and tone your abs, just play with a hula hoop! While hula-hooping may have been a 1950s craze, personal trainer Lorrie Henry of Phoenix, Arizona says the still-popular toy is becoming a staple in many fitness and exercise routines. KNXV-TV in Phoenix reports that when you use it correctly, a hula hoop can actually give you a great cardiovascular workout.

The four biggest benefits of hula-hooping:
-- Strengthen your core
-- Tone your waistline
-- Tone your arms, glutes and thighs
-- Promote rhythm, coordination and flexibility

5 Secret No-Sweat Exercises

2009-08-05T07:23:00.000-07:00

Walk into any gym and you’ll see plenty of bench-pressing, crunching, and curling. But you probably won’t see anyone doing these five exercises. Which is a shame, because they work your muscles in a way that shores up common weak spots—the ones most likely to suffer injury, and sidetrack your fitness goals. Stay on track with this countdown of the most productive—but most ignored—exercises on the planet. I guarantee that they’ll rev up your metabolism, melt fat, prevent injury and improve your health. Best of all, you can do them at home, with nothing more than a couple of dumbbells and your own body weight.

5. The Core Hold

Want to tighten your abs? Just resist the twist, with this exercise called the core hold. Unlike many ab exercises in which you twist your torso to the left or the right, the point of this move is to actually keep your body from rotating. So you hold your core still as you move a light weight around your body. This forces your to abs to constantly fight to keep you from falling over. The end-result: You work your core from every angle, without doing a single crunch. Do the exercise 3 times a week. Perform the move as directed for 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds, and repeat one to two more times.

Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat. Hold a light weight plate straight out from your chest.

Lean back so your torso is at a 45-degree angle to the floor.

Brace your core and rotate your arms to the left as far as you can, pause for two to three seconds, then reverse your movement and rotate your arms all the way back to the right as far as you can.

(Your shoulders and belly-button should point straight ahead the entire time.) Continue to alternate back and forth.

4. The Pushup and Row

Like any other pushup, this variation hits your chest, shoulders, and triceps. But the rowing portion of the exercise also targets your back muscles. So with every set, you work twice as much muscle--and as result, burn twice as many calories, for a leaner, fitter body. What’s more, the exercise works just about all the other muscles in your body, too. That’s because your abdominal, lower back, and hip muscles have to contract forcefully to keep your body stable each time you lift the dumbbell.

Too hard? Just try the rowing portion of the exercise, and work your way up to the pushup. Do 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 12 repetitions, resting 60 seconds between sets.

Place a pair of hex dumbbells at the spot where you position your hands for a pushup. Grasp the dumbbell handles and set yourself in pushup position.

Lower your body to the floor, pause, then push yourself back up.

Once you’re back in the starting position, row the dumbbell in your left hand to the side of your chest, by pulling it upward and bending your arm. Pause, then lower the dumbbell back down quickly, and repeat the same movement with your right arm. That’s one repetition. (Your torso shouldn’t rotate as you row.)

3. The Goblet Squat

Plenty of people are intimidated by the squat. But this version couldn’t be easier to learn how to do--especially since it only requires a single dumbbell. It’s named for the way you hold the dumbbell, like a giant goblet in front of your chest. This makes it safe and simple, yet still every bit as effective as the classic barbell squat. And once you master this move, you’ll be sold on it forever. That’s because the squat burns more calories per repetition than almost any other exercise. What’s more, besides melting the flab that covers your six-pack, Canadian researchers determined that squats work your core harder than many ab and lower-back exercises.

A good place to start: Do two to three sets of 12 to 15 repetitions, twice a week.

Grab a dumbbell and hold it vertically in front of your chest, with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.

Keeping your back naturally arched, push your hips back, bend your knees, and lower your body until the tops of your thighs are at least parallel to the floor.

(Your torso should stay as upright as possible throughout the movement.) Pause, then push yourself back up to the starting position. That’s one repetition.

2. The Dumbbell Shoulder Raise and Shrug

Sculpt shoulders worth showing with just a pair of light dumbbells.

This clever combination move targets your deltoids—the shoulder muscles that cap the tops of your arms and that leave you looking great in a sleeveless top. But it also works the muscles that help control the movement of your shoulder blades. That may sound clinical, but here’s why it matters: Strengthening these oft-neglected muscles can help improve poor posture and keep you from slouching—a benefit that makes you look even more fit.

Try doing two to three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions twice a week.

Stand holding a pair of dumbbells with your feet shoulder-width apart. Let the dumbbells hang at arm’s length next to your sides, your palms facing each other and your elbows slightly bent. That’s the starting position.

Without changing the bend in your elbows, raise your arms at a 30-degree angle to your body (so that they form a “Y”) until they’re at shoulder level.

At the top of the movement, shrug your shoulders upward.

(Imagine that you’re trying to touch your shoulders to your ears without moving any other part of your body.) Pause, then slowly lower the weight back to the starting position.

1. The Dumbbell Swing

Who said exercise can’t be fun? You’ll have a blast doing this movement (really!), and you’ll burn a ton of calories at the same time. That’s because this exercise targets the muscles of your hips and thighs, including your glutes—which happen to be your body’s largest muscle group. After all, your muscles need energy to contract--so the more muscle you work, the more calories you burn. And as bonus, swinging the weight back and forth will get your heart and lungs pumping, too--for a terrific cardio workout.

Give it a try: Choose a challenging weight and do as many repetitions as you can in 30 seconds. Then rest for 30 seconds and repeat two more times.

Also be sure to sign up for the Exercise of the Week newsletter, for exercises just like this delivered straight to your inbox.

Grab a dumbbell with an overhand grip and hold it in front of your waist at arm’s length. Set your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Keeping your lower back slightly arched, bend at your hips and knees and lower your torso until it forms a 45-degree angle to the floor. Now swing the dumbbell between your legs.

Keeping your arm straight, thrust your hips forward, straighten your knees, and swing the dumbbell up to chest level as you rise to standing position. Reverse the movement and swing the dumbbell back between your legs again. That’s one rep. Continue to swing the weight back and forth forcefully.

Surprising Best Way to Prevent Alzheimers

2009-08-05T06:33:00.000-07:00

If you want to keep your wits about you when you're in your 70s, you had better keep your cholesterol level and blood pressure down when you're in your 40s. It turns out that the same things that are bad for your heart in mid-life are bad for your brain in your later years. High cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes and smoking in mid-life raise the risk of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia many years later, according to joint project by researchers from the Kaiser Permanente division of research in Oakland, California and the University of Kuopio in Finland.

Tanning Beds

2009-07-29T05:48:00.001-07:00

The International Agency for Research on Cancer announced Wednesday that it had elevated sunbeds, used by tens of millions of people for tanning, to its highest cancer risk category.
Classified in 1992 and a "probable" cancer agent, research since then has left no doubt that soaking up UV rays at tanning salons significantly enhances the chances of developing the disease, the World Health Organisation (WHO) agency found.

"The use of sunbeds is carcinogenic to humans. It causes melanoma of the skin, and melanoma of the eye," said Vincent Cogliano, an IARC researcher who led the new assessment.

"I cannot see any reason why a healthy person should use them," he told AFP by phone.

The risk of melanoma -- the most lethal form of skin cancer -- increases by 75 percent when use of tanning devices starts before the age of 30, according to the findings, published in the British medical journal The Lancet Oncology.

The link between artificial tanning devices and cancer is not new. The WHO and national health agencies have long cautioned against using sunbeds, much as they have warned about the ill effects of overexposure to the sun.

But threshold of scientific proof is high, and required additional research on animals as well as epidemiological studies of cancer rates among humans before sunbeds could be labeled -- along with tobacco, asbestos and alcohol -- as a carcinogen.

Cogliano said it is not the IARC's role to issue recommendations, but that he hoped the new evaluation would focus attention on the issue.

"We are not a regulatory agency. We publish the scientific results so that the public health agencies can take action as they see fit."

Physicians hailed the decision, and called for tighter regulations for the multi-billion dollar tanning industry.

"We welcome the recognition that sunbeds are carcinogenic," said Nina Goad, spokeswoman for the British Association of Dermatologists.

"It is high time that steps were taken to regulate the industry, to prevent children using sunbeds, and to ensure that sunbeds are subject to health warnings like other known carcinogens."

"We have been trying for a long time to call the attention of the government to the potential risks," said George Reuter, head of Frances National Union of Dermatologists.

Both associations stopped short of calling for an outright ban.

"The solution is to inform the public, not to outlaw sunbeds," said Reuter, adding that many dermatologists in France tell their patients not to exceed ten sessions in year.

Those who use the devices to stay tanned year round are especially at risk, he added.

"People have the right to make their own health choices. Other known carcinogens are not banned, so I don't think you want to set a precedent with sunbeds," Goad said by phone.

Sunbeds are more common in northern Europe and the United States than most other regions. According to a survey conducted last year, some 14 million Germans aged 18 to 45 use them, with a quarter starting before the age of 17.

Earlier studies indicate that nearly a quarter of the adult population in many European countries -- including France, Belgium, Germany and Sweden -- have used sunbeds, which emit a higher concentration of UV rays than sunlight.

The sunbed association, and industry lobby group based in Britain, disputed the IARC's reclassification of tanning devices as carcinogen to humans.

"The relationship between UV exposure and an increased risk of developing skin cancer is only likely to arise where over-exposure -- i.e. burning -- has taken place," it said in a statement

Cinnamon

2009-07-29T04:16:00.001-07:00

Sweeten your oatmeal or frothy coffee drinks with this sweet spice instead of sugar (which has 16 calories per teaspoon) and you can save a couple hundred calories a week, enough to shed 2 to 3 pounds in a year without doing anything else. You'll also be doing your heart a favor as protective estrogen levels decline: Pakistani researchers found that 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon a day could lower heart-damaging cholesterol by 18% and triglycerides by 30%.

Best Food to Eat After Exercise Is...

2009-07-27T04:01:00.000-07:00

Detox for Energy Boost

2009-07-24T05:44:00.000-07:00

I recommend Dr. Elson Haas's SNACC program: cut out all SNACCs (Sugar, Nicotine, Alcohol, Caffeine and Chemicals) for a week or so. Limit your menu to raw foods like nuts, berries and fruits, tons of vegetables, small portions of cooked non-gluten grains like oatmeal or quinoa, 3-4 ounces of grilled or steamed fish or grass-fed beef a day, and lots of fresh vegetable juice and broths. You'll feel amazing, and your energy will go through the roof.

Stress-Killing Exercises

2009-07-22T05:47:00.000-07:00

Regular gym goers are typically working out for one of two reasons: either to improve their physical appearance or boost their fitness and health level. Another important thing that regular gym sessions can accomplish that shouldn’t be overlooked is decreased stress levels. If you suffer from stress on a regular basis, this can lead to decreased energy levels, lower work performance and even chronic illnesses such as heart disease.

By incorporating some stress-killing exercises into your workouts on a regular basis, you can reduce the negative impacts it has on the body and progress faster since your recovery rate will be higher.

All of the following exercises will either cause an endorphin release in the body, which helps to eliminate stress, or put the mind in a more relaxed state, reducing the tension you feel.

Kickboxing or boxing
Kickboxing classes are rapidly growing in popularity, and not only is this a great exercise to get in shape quickly, but it will only take minutes before the endorphin release kicks in. There are a variety of different styles including traditional kickboxing, jujitsu, Muay Thai, Taekwondo, kung fu, Judo, and Karate, so try a few classes to learn what you prefer.

This type of exercise will also be good for boosting your flexibility and quickness, so if these are fitness components you want to work on, it will be a perfect fit.

High-intensity sprint training
Sprint training is another way to get endorphins circulating throughout the body very quickly. As you couple very high-intensity paced running with a light-walk period, you’ll increase the heart rate, blood flow, oxygen uptake, and decrease any stress you might be feeling. Many individuals also find the higher-paced nature of this type of cardio great for blowing off anger as well. So if anger’s what's at the heart of your stress, this should be the form of exercise you choose.

For best results, your high-intensity sessions should be performed for 15 to 20 minutes with intervals lasting between 30 and 60 seconds. Try to schedule these either at another time in the day from your lifting sessions or on a day you aren’t lifting at all.

Deep breathing
Yoga is the traditional stress-killing exercise, but if this is a form of exercise you’re not all that interested in, the simple act of practicing deep breathing on a regular basis can prove to be beneficial.

This will work best if you find someplace quiet to sit and concentrate on your lungs expanding upward and outward as they fill with air. By turning your focus inward you reduce the focus on whatever is stressing you, placing you in a much calmer state.

These stress-killing exercises will keep you calm and in good shape...

You should try to devote 10 minutes to deep breathing a few times a week to clear your mind. Also consider setting up some type of reminder at your desk to go off throughout the day so you take a few moments to take a few deep breaths and relax while you're at work as well. Often, stress will build up without you even realizing it and will cause tension-related headaches or back and neck pain.

Long-distance running
Opposing high-intensity sprints is long-distance running. This is used by many to kill stress since it allows you to get away and exercise out your thoughts as well as your body. Those training for marathons for example often say that this is the one thing they enjoy most about their long runs -- it gives them a chance to think and clear their minds. The endorphin release with long-distance running typically does take longer to kick in, but when it does it will feel as though you’re on a natural high, almost euphoric-like.

One thing to keep in mind is that if you couple long-distance running with heavy weight-training, your weight performance may suffer, so be sure you weigh the pros and cons of the stress relief versus the performance decline.

exercise you enjoy
Finally, it should also be said that one of the best exercises for stress relief is the one that you enjoy the most. If you aren’t looking forward to your workout sessions each day you visit the gym, that’s going to cause even more stress in itself.

By selecting a workout program that you truly enjoy doing, you’ll feel natural stress-killing benefits and will also be more consistent.

Even if it’s just a recreational activity that you do once in a while such as golf, fishing or cross-country skiing, making the time in your schedule will release tension and go a long way toward helping you relax.

So start making stress relief one of the priorities of your workout. When you couple this with good eating and aim to only take on responsibilities you truly can handle, your health and overall sense of wellness will improve dramatically.

Stay out of the Sun

2009-07-21T04:10:00.000-07:00

Best-Selling Author Dies of Melanoma
Frank McCourt, the author of the best-selling memoir "Angela's Ashes," died on July 19 at age 78 of melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer. Although he was also suffering from meningitis, the official cause of death is metastatic melanoma.
See photos of Frank McCourt, author of the best-seller "Angela's Ashes."

The Associated Press reports that McCourt, who experienced a childhood of unspeaking suffering and poverty, overcame these significant early obstacles to become a beloved teacher and eventually an author. "He was a survivor of poverty who became rich, the child of immigrants who made good. He was the retiree who stepped into a magical second life. He was the winning ticket for every ordinary person who has imagined that he or she could turn their lives into a book," writes AP reporter Hillel Italie.

After he moved to New York from Limerick, Ireland, McCourt taught high school by day and spent his evenings with his brother, Malachy, singing songs and telling stories at the White Horse Tavern and other literary hangouts. Eventually those stories found their way into print in the form of "Angela's Ashes," a memoir about his childhood in Ireland. The book has been published in 25 languages and 30 countries and made into a movie in 1999 starring Emily Watson and Robert Carlyle. "We had this big dinner party in Roxbury (Conn.) last month, and he was there," author Gay Talese and a longtime friend told AP. "I made him a vodka martini, and he didn't look at all like he was going to disappear from the Earth in a month. He was very jovial, as usual."

Myth: Beef Up to Gain Muscle

2009-07-17T17:47:00.000-07:00

"The body uses protein, carbs and fat to build muscle," Wyche notes. Any excess protein you eat beyond what your body needs will simply be expelled through your urine or stored as body fat. Your best bet is to eat a balanced diet that includes a variety of vitamins and minerals and enough calories to build strong, shapely muscles.

My sympathies to Joseph F. Kuhns

2009-07-15T11:30:00.000-07:00

A good friend of mine's father died yesterday. Mr. Kuhn's was a pillar in the Steelton community. He started many of the athletic programs in Steelton. He was a kind, unassuming man. He lived in Steelton until his death. He was loyal to his family, friends and community. This type of man is hard to find nowadays. My sympathies go to his lovely wife, Mary and his sons.
May he rest in peace.

Angie and Me in New York

2009-07-11T15:32:00.000-07:00

Lack of 1 Vitamin Causes Diabetes

2009-07-09T05:12:00.000-07:00

Take your vitamin D. Lower levels of this hard-to-get vitamin could put you at a higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes, according to new research from Finland. The No. 1 source of vitamin D is sunlight. While few foods other than salmon are naturally rich in it, many foods are fortified with it, including milk and cereal.
Find out how much vitamin D you need to get daily to prevent a heart attack.

Reuters Health reports that researchers, led by Dr. Paul Knekt of the National Public Health Institute in Helsinki, found that men who had the highest serum vitamin D levels were the least likely to have developed type 2 diabetes 22 years later. Why? Too little vitamin D interferes with insulin secretion. While previous research has also suggested a link between low vitamin D levels and type 2 diabetes, this is the first study to follow people over a long period of time, which is a more effective way to investigate a causal relationship.

Drink this. It may prevent type 2 diabetes.

The study: The researchers examined men and women who were 40 to 74 years old and did not have diabetes when they enrolled in a health examination survey. They were followed for 22 years. The team compared baseline levels of vitamin D in the 412 people who developed type 2 diabetes with 986 control individuals who remained free of the disease.

Is this a miracle vitamin? Find out why vitamin D can not only help you to lose weight, but also slash your cholesterol.

The results: The men who had the most vitamin D in their blood were 72 percent less likely to have developed type 2 diabetes than the men wh

My favorite ballerina---Robbie

2009-07-05T08:30:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th of July

2009-07-02T08:35:00.001-07:00

To all--

Have a great holiday. I am going to New York to see my baby girl, Angie. Please take time to listen to her band, "Menya" on youtube. They are going to be soooo big.

A special shoutout to the veterans--my Dad and husband especially.

Stay fit and watch those nitrates!!!

Marisa

Great Quote

2009-07-01T08:09:00.001-07:00

'I know the creator will go but his work survives, that is why to escape death, I attempt to bind my soul to my work.' . Michaelangelo

Sunscreen Myths—Busted

2009-07-01T04:34:00.000-07:00

The sun—friend or foe?
By the Editors of Women's Health

Look Younger Longer

Myth: Dark skin doesn't burn, so you don't need sunscreen.

Reality: "All complexions can burn," says Karyn Grossman, M.D., a dermatologist in Santa Monica and New York City. "A dark-skinned African-American doesn't need as high an SPF as a pale redhead, since she has more melanin in her skin for natural protection." Still, that extra melanin doesn't guard against the UV damage that accelerates aging or causes cancer. If you have dark skin, you need a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher.

Myth: The sun gives you great highlights.

Reality: "Sun exposure damages your hair too," says Katie Rodan, M.D., of Stanford University. In fact, those highlights are evidence of damage that can give your hair a dry, strawlike texture and cause breakage. Keep your hair healthy by using UV-shielding products. Try Barex Sun Essential Oil ($27, beautyhabit.com).

Myth: Getting a tan zaps zits.

Reality: A tan can temporarily camouflage the redness of a pimple and dry out the skin's surface, but sun exposure will eventually lead to more breakouts. "It causes a buildup of dead skin cells that clogs pores," Rodan says. "This actually worsens acne." The sun also dehydrates the skin; when that happens, your oil glands try to compensate by pumping out more oil, which may leave you with more zits.

Myth: There's no benefit to an SPF higher than 30.

Reality: A higher number is slightly better. "You get 99 percent sunburn protection with SPF 90, versus 96 percent with SPF 30," says Howard Sobel, M.D., of Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. Over a lifetime, a few more percentage points of protection can add up to a lot less sun damage.

First Comes Love, Then Comes Obesity?

2009-06-29T11:06:00.000-07:00

Monday, Jul. 06, 2009
By Bonnie Rochman

It's full-on wedding season, but anyone about to pledge to have and to hold should pay closer attention to the bit about "in sickness and in health." New research shows that within a few short years of getting hitched, married individuals are twice as likely to become obese as are people who are merely dating.

The study, published in the July issue of Obesity, set out to determine how romantic relationships affect the tell-no-lies number on the scale. Researchers tracked changes over a handful of years in the weight and relationship status of 6,949 individuals, and their findings don't bode well for commitment. Not only are married people more likely to become obese than those who are just dating, but young people who move in with a boyfriend or girlfriend tend to pack on the pounds too. (See pictures of the busiest wedding day in history.)

And in a twist sure to tick off all the ladies in the house, the study notes that unmarried women who have been living with their sweeties for five years or less run a 63% increased risk of obesity. What about unmarried men? On average, they have no increased risk during cohabitation.

"With women, we saw incremental risk after one year," says Penny Gordon-Larsen, one of the two nutrition epidemiologists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) who conducted the study. "The longer she lived with a romantic partner, the more likely she was to keep putting on weight." Meanwhile, the risk of obesity among guys — married and unmarried — spikes only between the first and second years of living together.

What's behind the weight gain? Gordon-Larsen and the paper's lead author, Natalie The, have their theories after questioning 1,293 couples for a separate part of the study. Mealtime may become more important than it was when the people were living alone. Gym memberships may not get the same workouts they did before nuptials. And maybe, after months of prepping to squeeze into crinolined and cummerbunded finery, couples just let themselves go. (Watch TIME's video "How to Lose Hundreds of Pounds.")

Scientists have known for a while that having a close relationship with an obese person, whether a friend or a spouse, makes you more likely to become obese. So how to break the cycle? Perhaps by drawing inspiration from the same person who helped get you into this mess: your better half. Amy Gorin, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Connecticut, published a study last year that showed if one spouse participates in a weight-loss program, the unenrolled spouse tends to lose about 5 lb. Now Gorin is exploring whether enlisting the support of spouses can help both partners shed more pounds. In June she wrapped up a 16-week pilot study of 20 couples, in one of which, the support person lost more weight than the main participant in the study.

Couples don't have to live chubbily ever after. And studies show that marriage conveys some health benefits, like living longer and being more likely to quit smoking, notes UNC's The, who lives with her boyfriend but insists her obesity findings haven't scared her away from the idea of marriage. "This is an interesting paradox," she says, "but it certainly wouldn't stop me."

Michael Jackson

2009-06-26T05:18:00.001-07:00

RIP Michael Jackson.

Stay smoke-free

2009-06-25T04:21:00.000-07:00

You know regular smoking is a killer but think the occasional smoke can't hurt? Not true. University of Arizona researchers found that just one cigarette impairs blood flow in the heart. And a Norwegian study showed that women who smoked one to four cigarettes a day tripled their risk of dying from heart disease and saw a fivefold jump in the risk of dying from lung cancer.

The threat of secondhand smoke is no less scary: Exposure kills nearly 50,000 adult nonsmokers every year. There are even new worries that thirdhand smoke (what's left in your hair or your clothes after being in a smoke-filled room) is harmful, especially to babies. Sadly, you can't stop other people from smoking. But you can help your body rebound by eating a lot of broccoli and cauliflower. These cruciferous vegetables (which also include Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and watercress) contain sulfouraphane and other compounds linked to lower disease risks. Studies suggest that people who regularly eat these vegetables enjoy protection from lung cancer. Three to five servings a week should do the trick, but don't boil or microwave them to mush; overcooking may destroy the toxin-fighting compounds.

Step Classes

2009-06-24T05:22:00.000-07:00

I have heard that because of poor management and egregious behavior on the part of your gym management, some of you longer have step classes. I do have a step class that is filled to capacity. I am in the process of creating more step classes for the Fall. Please write me where you live and Stipe Personal Training will try to accommodate you. I am sorry for what you have all been put through. Marisa Stipe

The No. 1 Reason Women Should Exercise

2009-06-24T04:40:00.000-07:00

You don't have time. You hate to sweat. Oh, and did you say again that you really don't have time? If those are your excuses for not exercising, take a minute and read this: After age 30, exercising for more than one hour a week may help cut the chance of developing breast cancer, according to a study by researchers from the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley.

Led by Lisa Sprod, the team asked 4,296 women to recall their physical activity levels during four key stages of life: 10 to 15 years old, 15 to 30 years old, 30 to 50 years old, and 50 years old and older, reports Reuters Health. They found that the odds of developing breast cancer weren't affected by exercise levels under age 30, but after that birthday milestone, regular exercise significantly cut a woman's chances of developing breast cancer.

Eat a diet rich in these vegetables and you could cut your risk for breast cancer in half.

"An average amount of exercise was defined as 60 minutes per week," Sprod explained to Reuters Health, "so anyone exercising less than 60 minutes was below average, above 60 minutes was above average, and anyone that considered themselves 'highly competitive' chose that category." Among those women who classified themselves as "highly competitive" between the ages of 30 and 50, fewer developed breast cancer, compared to women who were less physically active. And the exercise benefit continued past the age of 50, too.

"Preliminarily," Sprod told Reuters Health, "the take home message is that accumulating greater physical activity after the age of 30 may play a role in reducing the risk of developing breast cancer." The study was presented at the American College of Sports Medicine's annual meeting in Seattle, Washington.

Yoga for Beginners

2009-06-22T04:19:00.000-07:00

The goal of yoga is to create harmony between the mind and body. Thislow-impact workout won't just give you inner peace -- it will also give you killer abs. After just a few classes, many people feel stronger, more flexible and toned, and less stressed. Yoga also improves your balance and posture, sharpens your concentration and makes you feel more centered.

Yoga routines run the gamut from slow and gentle to fast and sweaty. To get the most out of your workout, choose the type of yoga that best matches your fitness level and your personality. Lots of beginners start with Hatha yoga, which teaches the basic poses at a relaxed pace. Iyengar yoga is a more precise practice that focuses on proper muscle alignment and involves holding poses for extended periods of time. If you prefer a fast-paced workout, Ashtanga, or power yoga, may be your best fit. This athletic routine moves quickly through a series of postures in a specific order. And Bikram, or hot yoga, is ideal if want to sweat. This 26-pose routine is practiced in a room that’s around 100° Fahrenheit.

You can find classes in all of these popular yoga styles at yoga studios (which often specialize in one type of yoga) and most gyms. Classes are typically 30 to 90 minutes long, and you can opt for a group or private lesson. Most yoga classes expect similar etiquette: no shoes or cell phone allowed. And experts advise that it’s best to practice yoga on an empty stomach.

If you would rather not do the downward dog in front of a bunch of strangers, you can create a challenging at-home workout with one of the many yoga DVDs, books or online tutorials available. The advantage of working out on your own is that you can move at your own pace. But the downside is that you don’t have an expert on hand to help you perfect each pose.

Regardless of where you work out, what you choose to wear is important. While you don't need a trendy yoga outfit to master a sun salutation, you do want your clothes to be comfortable and unrestrictive. And, since you may find yourself is some tangled positions, be sure to wear an outfit that won't make you self-conscious.

To create a well-rounded fitness plan, complimenting weekly yoga classes with cardio workouts is suggested. The muscles you build in yoga class will boost your cardio performance, and your cardio routine will up your endurance during yoga -- translating to a fitter, more centered you.

Hotdogs

2009-06-19T07:44:00.001-07:00

All Hotdogs contain sodium nitrite.
Researchers consider sodium nitrite a carcinogen. Sodium nitrite does protect effectively against botulism and is used as a preservative and flavor enhancer in many foods, including the hot dog. Some research has indicated that sodium nitrite is associated with higher risks of lung cancer and heart disease. It has also been reported that some people experience a drop in blood pressure after consuming sodium nitrite.

Aloe vera helps on the inside

2009-06-19T04:57:00.000-07:00

While it’s most commonly known as a topical solution for burns and cuts, there’s increasing research showing that consuming aloe juice or gel can have wide-ranging health benefits. You shouldn’t actually eat an aloe leaf, but adding a couple teaspoons of its juice or gel to your daily diet may improve your digestive system from top to bottom. Aloe vera is said to promote healthy teeth and gums, improve digestion, repair skin, enhance energy levels and boost the immune system. Some tests have shown that aloe can help balance the blood glucose levels of diabetics, relieve heartburn and reduce inflammation for those suffering from colitis. Aloe vera is a detoxifier, meaning it will help to cleanse the body -- especially the digestive tract -- of unwanted bacteria. It gives users a healthy dose of minerals as it naturally contains such helpful substances as zinc, potassium, calcium, and iron.

Because it contains aloin, aloe vera can also be a powerful laxative. Many producers of aloe vera juice remove the aloin, while processed gel can often contain the laxative. Make sure to ingest aloe in small doses until you determine how your body reacts to it. It might be bold to suggest that aloe can extend one’s lifespan, but a University of Texas Health Science Center lab test showed that rats that were fed aloe experienced a 10% longer life span than those that weren’t.

How to use aloe vera

As it surges in popularity, aloe vera juice and gel are becoming more common not only in health food stores, but also in mainstream drug stores. It’s important to note, however, that some forms of aloe are better than others. Consuming an energy drink that contains aloe won’t be a huge help if that drink is loaded with sugar and caffeine. Like most health supplements, the purer the better. Depending on its concentration, the gel can be either tasteless or pungent. If you have trouble choking it down (though that’s doubtful, as even at its most powerful it just tastes somewhere between the juice of a fruit and vegetable), you can mix it with water or apple juice. For optimum benefits, it’s recommended you drink two to four ounces of aloe each day.

a plant with many benefits

Though it’s been around for centuries, aloe vera has only recently become a household name. You’d be remiss not to keep a plant -- or at the very least, a bottle of gel -- in your home. It can certainly come in handy when you need quick, natural relief for an ailment such as a burn, and if you work a couple teaspoons of gel into your daily diet, you may be surprised to discover how good you’ll feel.

Stipe Personal Training Update

2009-06-18T04:46:00.000-07:00

Zumba classes - eight spots left. I can only accommodate 45 safely.
Step Classes - Filled (waiting list)
Babyboomers - Filled
Pilates - Filled
Yoga - Filled
More Yoga in the Fall due to the high demand.

We offer Zumba, Zumba 2 and Zumba Toning. All of my Zumba classes are safe and monitored. Any new instructor I hire must have a Exercise Science degree.

More to come in the Fall. Thanks for the continues support. Don't go second rate. Come to the best training in the area. Resume given upon request.

Thanks,
Marisa

Weight Training

2009-06-18T04:23:00.000-07:00

If you need to lose weight and have been struggling along with modifying your diet and not losing weight, one way you can help to increase your metabolism and burn more fat is by weight lifting exercises.

You don’t need to join a fitness club to get access to weights. Write to Marisa for her inexpensive classes throughout the area. You can purchase a couple of sets of free weights and bench to accomplish the goals. If you have a difficult time challenging your weight lifting routine you can hire a personal trainer (Stipe Personal Training). If you don’t have a budget for a personal trainer you can invest in body sculpting DVD’s that will coach you as you go. I will be glad to make recommendations.

How Fast You Eat Can Make You Fat

2009-06-16T06:07:00.000-07:00

How fast you eat could be the key to obesity. Gobbling down your meals quickly and continuing to eat until you are full may be enough to nearly triple your risk of being overweight, HealthDay News reports of research from Japan's Osaka University.
Find out the dirty little secret of calorie overload and the alarming effect it has on your brain.

The study: Led by Hiroyasu Iso, the team analyzed the eating habits of 1,122 men and 2,165 women ages 30 to 69, each of whom completed a dietary history questionnaire. Based on this, 50.9 percent of men and 58.4 percent of women said they ate until they were full, while 45.6 percent of men and 36 percent of women said they ate quickly.

The results: Those who said they ate quickly and until they were full had a higher body mass index (BMI) and total energy intake and were three times more likely to be overweight than those who didn't eat until they were full and didn't eat quickly, reports HealthDay News. Iso said the combination of eating fast and until you're full has "a supra-additive effect on overweight."

We tend to eat quickly for four reasons:
-- The accessibility of inexpensive food in larger portions
-- Fast food
-- Not eating dinner together as a family
-- Eating while distracted, such as while watching television

When mealtime is deliberately slowed down, however, it can have a marked effect on how much food we consume. "If you eat quickly, you basically fill your stomach before your gastric feedback has a chance to start developing. You can overfill the thing," Ian McDonald of Nottingham University told the BBC News. "The old wives' tale about chewing everything 20 times might be true. If you did take a bit more time eating, it could have an impact." Parents should encourage their children to eat slowly, and when kids say they are full at mealtime, they should be allowed to stop eating. No more clean plate club. The study findings were published in the British Medical Journal.

Congratulations to my Son

2009-06-15T04:42:00.000-07:00

My son, Michael, graduated high school last week. We had the party on Saturday. It was such a fun time. It has been a long and fruitful journey raising two beautiful children. I hope all of you have had the good ride that I have experienced.

My kids have always been a part of my fitness life. They have gone to classes with me. They took classes while I taught. They are both very proficient in many sports and activities. They both eat healthy and have had a great education of their bodies and good health.

Remember, we are the pace car for our kids. If we eat potato chips and ice cream, they will follow suit. If they see us sit down with a nice salad and juice, they will do the same.

Give your kids a great start in life. We want them to be on this earth a long time.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF THE GRUADUATES!!

Best Food to Eat After Exercise Is...

2009-06-12T08:14:00.001-07:00

...a bowl of cold cereal and skim milk.

Call it the new sports supplement. When it comes to recovery after exercise, whole grain cereal can be just as effective at a much lower cost than one of those popular, carbohydrate-based sports drinks, according to researchers from the University of Texas at Austin.

The study: Led by exercise physiologist Lynne Kammer, the team investigated the post-exercise physiological effects of sports drinks vs. cereal and milk by studying 12 trained cyclists, eight of whom were male and four of whom were female. In contrast to many sports nutrition studies, however, the exercise protocol was designed to reflect a typical exercise session. After a warm-up period, the subjects cycled for two hours at a comfortable work rate, rather than the more frequently seen test-to-exhaustion.

The results: Glycogen repletion, or the replenishment of immediate muscle fuel, was just as good after consuming whole grain cereal, compared with sports drinks. Even more surprising, some aspects of protein synthesis were actually better with the cereal and milk. "Cereal and non-fat milk are a less expensive option than sports drinks. The milk provides a source of easily digestible and high quality protein, which can promote protein synthesis and training adaptations, making this an attractive recovery option for those who refuel at home," said Krammer.

The takeaway: For amateur athletes and moderately physically active individuals who are trying to keep in shape, popping into the kitchen for a quick bowl of whole-grain cereal with a splash of skimmed milk may be a smarter move than investing in a high-priced sports drink, notes HealthDay News.

This study, which was supported by General Mills Bell Institute of Health and Nutrition, was published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.

Quote from Old Yeller

2009-06-11T04:56:00.000-07:00

That was rough.... Thing to do now is try and forget it.... I guess I don't quite mean that. It's not a thing you can forget. Maybe not even a thing you want to forget.... Life's like that sometimes... Now and then for no good reason a man can figure out, life will just haul off and knock him flat, slam him agin' the ground so hard it seems like all his insides is busted. But it's not all like that. A lot of it's mighty fine, and you can't afford to waste the good part frettin' about the bad. That makes it all bad.... Sure, I know - sayin' it's one thing and feelin' it's another. But I'll tell you a trick that's sometimes a big help. When you start lookin' around for something good to take the place of the bad, as a general rule you can find it. ~From the movie Old Yeller

Five Small Steps

2009-06-10T04:56:00.001-07:00

1. Take advantage of healthy convenience foods

I admit it: I pay extra for convenience foods when I know they'll help me eat nutritiously. I used to feel guilty when I bought those outrageously priced packages of vegetables that are washed, sliced and ready to go. No longer. When I get home from the office at 6 p.m., having these packages in the fridge can mean the difference between a healthy or not-so-healthy meal. What's more, by staying home and cooking rather than eating out, I've still saved money.

2. Schedule exercise and make it nonnegotiable

I'm amazed when high-powered, well-paid executives tell me they have no time for exercise. Who controls their lives? For years, I've set aside noon to 1:15 p.m. on my weekday calendar for exercise. Sure, things come up, but by scheduling it I consistently get in three to four days of noontime workouts every week. I'm also part of a group of women who have been exercising together for years. We have fun, and we keep each other motivated. We sometimes muse about what we'd all look like if we hadn't been sweating together all these years. I vary what I do to keep it interesting. Lately I'm spinning to music on a stationary bike, practicing yoga and running on the days I can't make it to the gym. I know I'm more productive, better able to handle stress and more content when I exercise.

3. Don't waste calories on bad food

Think about what you are eating. I was on an early-morning flight to Chicago not long ago and was served a croissant breakfast sandwich. Knowing it was loaded with calories, my first thought was to just eat half. I took a bite. The croissant was greasy and tough, the egg was tasteless and the ham was still frozen. Yuck. I decided to eat the honeydew and cantaloupe and skip the sandwich. I saved the tasteless calories for something more enjoyable later. Turned out that night

I had a fabulous meal in a great restaurant and knew I could indulge a bit because of the choice I made earlier in the day.

4. Never travel without workout clothes

When I pack for a trip, business or pleasure, the first things that go in my suitcase are sneakers and workout clothes. Yes, this means I can't cram everything into a carry-on, but I rarely have to wait more than a few minutes at baggage claim anyway. Having my workout clothes means that if the weather cooperates and the area is safe, I head out for a morning run. I travel to Washington, D.C., regularly and look forward to a run past the Washington Monument before my workday begins. If I can't get outside, I use the treadmill in the hotel gym. It's not my first choice, but the exercise helps keep me alert during long meeting-filled days.

5. Weigh yourself often

Research shows that people who weigh themselves regularly are more likely to be at a healthy weight. I weigh myself just about every morning. I try to use the scale at the same time every day for consistency (and besides, I weigh less in the morning). I know if I weigh myself often I can get on top of a two- or three-pound weight gain. But if three pounds turns into five or more, it becomes overwhelming. By the way, according to obesity experts, daily weighing does not promote eating disorders. Yes, people with anorexia weigh themselves obsessively—but the disease came first, not the weighing.

We all have tricks that work for us. My son Nicholas tries not to eat a serving of any one food that is larger than his fist. My husband's mantra is "Don't let your waist size get larger than your inseam"—easy for him to say at 6'4" tall. My beautiful friend Susan tries hard to eat only when she's truly hungry, knowing that's when food tastes best. The trick is establishing those small steps that work for you. Once they become routine, people might just start accusing you of being one of those people who are naturally fit and thin.

Easy Exercise Shortcuts by Marisa

2009-06-09T06:16:00.000-07:00

Use heavier weights and do fewer reps.

Work multiple muscle groups together, such as perform biceps curls with lunges, or shoulder presses with squats.

Add 60-second cardio bursts (jumping rope, running in place) between weightlifting sets.

For six-pack abs, do standing abdominal workouts. Come to Marisa's classes.

Mix several two-minute high-speed intervals into your standard cardio routine.

Alternate three to five minutes of cardio with 30 to 60 seconds of squats, lunges, sidekicks, or push-ups.

Perform an upper-body, lower-body and core exercise with no rest in between, then jump rope for one minute; repeat circuit.

Comment from my son

2009-06-09T04:33:00.000-07:00

Hi all---

I was talking to my son, Mike, last night, about fitness. I was telling him that I have the energy of when I was 20. I never get sick. I teach over 35 classes per week. Many have been jealous and tried to get in my way. Many have put me down and said that I would not last. It has been 30 years and counting. It has never worked. Mike looked at me and said "Mom, no one can kill a shark". I just laughed. He is right. If we have a mission, no one can kill it. Only we can do it to ourselves. Thanks Mike for the introspection.

Thanks to all of my following

2009-06-08T12:16:00.000-07:00

As the summer session draws upon us, I am so proud of all of you! My classes are all filled. Step, Zumba and Pilates have incredible numbers. You have all discerned who is giving the best instruction in the area. Thank you for your confidence and your loyalty. I will continue to give the best workouts offered in the central pennsylvania area. Some things I offer:

(1) Multi-certifications and degrees in the Exercise Science field
(2) Endless hours of research and consultation with the best fitness minds in
the industry
(2) Promptness and courtesy
(3) Personal training advice added at no cost to you
(4) Guarantees of your training. I am not hear to be on an ego trip. I want to
see results
(5) Free products and merchandise

As Judy Garland said, "Be a firt rate version of yourself, not a second rate version of someone else". So many are trying to imitate me. They cannot do it. They do not have the passion I have for fitness.

Anytime any of you need advice, please write to me at marisatrainer@aol.com

Gilad

2009-06-08T05:03:00.000-07:00

See him on FIT TV every day. You will get a great, at home, workout:

Gilad Janklowicz is one of the world's most popular fitness personalities. A pioneer in the fitness industry, he has helped millions to stay fit with his popular TV shows Bodies in Motion, Basic Training the Workout and Total Body Sculpt with Gilad along with home exercise dvds and videos.

Filmed on location in the beautiful Hawaiian Islands, Bodies in Motion is a half-hour aerobic and toning workout show launched in 1983. The show won Cable Magazine's "People's Choice Award" for best health and fitness show every year the category was offered. In a FitTV viewer poll, Gilad won "Fitness Instructor of the Year" for the years 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007.Most of Gilad's life has been devoted to fitness since high school, where he excelled in track and field. A record holding decathlon athlete in Israel, Gilad was also an Olympic hopeful in 1980.

After an injury shattered his Olympic dreams, Gilad enrolled at the UCLA film school and began instructing fitness classes in some of Los Angeles's top studios. Fitness personalities Arnold Schwarzeneger, Jack La Lanne and Joe Thiesman all trained with Gilad and appeared on Bodies in Motion.

In March of 2007, Gilad was inducted into the National Fitness Hall of Fame.

Fitness Notes

The Benefits of Pilates

Zumba Dance

Maureen McCormick quote on Pilates

What causes aging?

Split Routine

Exercise Myth

Zumba for Teenagers

12 Reasons to Really Quit Smoking

Salmon

5 Worst Exercises; 5 Better Choices

Kids’ Sweet Tooth Linked to Alcoholism, Depression

The Healthy Heart Preventing Detecting And Treating Coronary

February - American Heart Month

Regular Exercise

Zumba and other Classes

Valentine's Day

Protein for Muscle Repair

Super Fit Kale Chips

Adding classes

10 Best Butt Exercises

Are food labels lying to you?

Classes being Waitlisted

Pilates Instructor

One Exercise Best Attacks Belly Fat

2010 Health Checklist

10 worst foods and drinks to consume while you're behind the wheel

Top 10 Exercise Answers

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

January 2010 Schedule

10 Ways to Cut Calories

Snow for the Weekend

Five Ways to Avoid the 10 LB Christmas Weight Gain

One Odd Trick of Successful Dieters

If You Ate This as a Kid, You'll Live Longer

BEWARE: 13 Foods That Kill

Thanksgiving by Numbers

Acai Berry

Dr. Oz

Why Skipping Exercise Can Be Deadly

Does One Vegetable Prevent Cancer?

The World's Unhealthiest Snack Is

12 Reasons to Really Quit Smoking

Angie made the New York Post

Top 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer's

Foods Surprisingly High in Added Sugar

A Hidden Danger of Flip-Flops

10 Diet Don'ts That Do Us In

Fitness: Stuff You Need to Know!

Zumba Toning

'Housewives' Actress Has Lung Cancer

Shape-Up Secrets From Top Fitness Trainers

How death and divorce deal a health blow

9 Ways to Add 30 Years to Your Life

Fall has been crazy

The Hidden Benefits of Lemonade

Fall Signups

Get Your Kids to Eat Healthy

Zumba Toning coming to Marisa's classes

Tweak of the Week

Blueberries

Four Ways to Prevent Cancer

Fired and Fabulous

Surprising Signs You'll Live to 100

Smoking

The Best Way to Tone Your Waistline

5 Secret No-Sweat Exercises

Surprising Best Way to Prevent Alzheimers

Tanning Beds

Cinnamon

Best Food to Eat After Exercise Is...

Detox for Energy Boost

Stress-Killing Exercises

Stay out of the Sun

Myth: Beef Up to Gain Muscle

My sympathies to Joseph F. Kuhns

Angie and Me in New York

Lack of 1 Vitamin Causes Diabetes

My favorite ballerina---Robbie

Happy 4th of July