Balanced Fitness

Strength Training 101 - Free Fit Fact for Weight Loss, Workouts, Health and Fitness Challenges from the American Council On Exercise

2011-08-23T21:24:00.000-04:00

Strength Training 101 - Free Fit Fact for Weight Loss, Workouts, Health and Fitness Challenges from the American Council On Exercise

Breakfast Tips

2010-10-07T19:42:00.000-04:00

Breakfast the most important meal of the day.
We are breaking the "fast" from the night before. Think about going on a long car trip. Would you start with an empty tank of gas? I didn't think so.
That's why starting your day with breakfast is so important. Try including some protein in your first meal. This includes eggs, yogurt, protein powder.
There is also evidence that when you eat breakfast you don't binge later on at night.

Blueberry-Beef Burgers

2010-08-10T10:24:00.000-04:00

Blueberry-Beef Burgers

Consumer Reports Health Blog: Lose weight with a little help from your friends

2010-07-25T10:46:00.000-04:00

Consumer Reports Health Blog: Lose weight with a little help from your friends

LE Magazine November 2006 - Report: Why DHEA May Be the Best-Validated Anti-Aging Supplement

2010-07-01T19:56:00.000-04:00

LE Magazine November 2006 - Report: Why DHEA May Be the Best-Validated Anti-Aging Supplement

Fit People Burn Fat Faster

2010-06-02T23:37:00.000-04:00

Fit People Burn Fat Faster

50 Best Brain Foods – Amen Clinics

2010-05-26T10:21:00.001-04:00

50 Best Brain Foods – Amen Clinics

Posted using ShareThis

Oat Meals: 1 Ingredient, 3 Recipes

2010-05-23T09:20:00.001-04:00

Keyword Ad Tag: Recipe 1 2 3 next >> Apple Cinnamon Frittata ...

Memory Loss Can be Reversed -- Just Do THIS

2010-02-02T09:29:00.000-05:00

Memory Loss Can be Reversed -- Just Do THIS

Workouts help to reduce cholesterol in women

2009-08-05T11:50:00.006-04:00

It is not surprising to find out that not only does exercise make us feel better , help us lose weight, and build bone density, but it helps to reduce cholesterol in women. The study done at eh University of North Carolina found that just adding one extra hour of moderate physical activity lowered levels of cholesterol than those who exercised less.
This study indicates the importance of increasing our physical activity for our overall health and well-being.
link:http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/04/health/research/04exer.html?_r=1&ref=health

Exercise at any age does you good.

2009-05-01T13:33:00.000-04:00

It has been prove again and again that it does not matter what age you start exercising. The important thing is to start soon.

Foodie beware of calories

2008-07-07T13:18:00.000-04:00

Calories posted for fast food restaurants in New York City. You may think twice before ordering your next Coffee Frappuccino® Blended Coffee, @240 calories, your best bet is their new skinny lattes.

Scones are actually 420 calories, and even the bran muffin is 430 calories. WHAT!!! another caveat be carefull how you read the nutrition label. At first glance you see the number 130, but that refers to the grams, not calories. Very sneaky.

The good news is that you can make healthier choices now that you know the calories involved. At McDonalds, Cosi, and Starbucks the nutrition information is right on the menu so choose well.

Happy eating.

Importance of push ups

2008-03-11T22:53:00.000-04:00

From the New York Times today March 11, 2008
The New York Times
Printer Friendly Format Sponsored By

March 11, 2008
Well
An Enduring Measure of Fitness: The Simple Push-Up
By TARA PARKER-POPE

As a symbol of health and wellness, nothing surpasses the simple push-up.

Practically everyone remembers the actor Jack Palance performing age-defying push-ups during his Oscar acceptance speech. More recently, Randy Pausch, the Carnegie Mellon professor whose last lecture became an Internet sensation, did push-ups to prove his fitness despite having pancreatic cancer.

“It takes strength to do them, and it takes endurance to do a lot of them,” said Jack LaLanne, 93, the fitness pioneer who astounded television viewers in the 1950s with his fingertip push-ups. “It’s a good indication of what kind of physical condition you’re in.”

The push-up is the ultimate barometer of fitness. It tests the whole body, engaging muscle groups in the arms, chest, abdomen, hips and legs. It requires the body to be taut like a plank with toes and palms on the floor. The act of lifting and lowering one’s entire weight is taxing even for the very fit.

“You are just using your own body and your body’s weight,” said Steven G. Estes, a physical education professor and dean of the college of professional studies at Missouri Western State University. “If you’re going to demonstrate any kind of physical strength and power, that’s the easiest, simplest, fastest way to do it.”

But many people simply can’t do push-ups. Health and fitness experts, including the American College of Sports Medicine, have urged more focus on upper-body fitness. The aerobics movement has emphasized cardiovascular fitness but has also shifted attention from strength training exercises.

Moreover, as the nation gains weight, arms are buckling under the extra load of our own bodies. And as budgets shrink, public schools often do not offer physical education classes — and the calisthenics that were once a childhood staple.

In a 2001 study, researchers at East Carolina University administered push-up tests to about 70 students ages 10 to 13. Almost half the boys and three-quarters of the girls didn’t pass.

Push-ups are important for older people, too. The ability to do them more than once and with proper form is an important indicator of the capacity to withstand the rigors of aging.

Researchers who study the biomechanics of aging, for instance, note that push-ups can provide the strength and muscle memory to reach out and break a fall. When people fall forward, they typically reach out to catch themselves, ending in a move that mimics the push-up. The hands hit the ground, the wrists and arms absorb much of the impact, and the elbows bend slightly to reduce the force.

In studies of falling, researchers have shown that the wrist alone is subjected to an impact force equal to about one body weight, says James Ashton-Miller, director of the biomechanics research laboratory at the University of Michigan.

“What so many people really need to do is develop enough strength so they can break a fall safely without hitting their head on the ground,” Dr. Ashton-Miller said. “If you can’t do a single push-up, it’s going to be difficult to resist that kind of loading on your wrists in a fall.”

And people who can’t do a push-up may not be able to help themselves up if they do fall.

“To get up, you’ve got to have upper-body strength,” said Peter M. McGinnis, professor of kinesiology at State University of New York College at Cortland who consults on pole-vaulting biomechanics for U.S.A. Track and Field, the national governing body for track.

Natural aging causes nerves to die off and muscles to weaken. People lose as much as 30 percent of their strength between 20 and 70. But regular exercise enlarges muscle fibers and can stave off the decline by increasing the strength of the muscle you have left.

Women are at a particular disadvantage because they start off with about 20 percent less muscle than men. Many women bend their knees to lower the amount of weight they must support. And while anybody can do a push-up, the exercise has typically been part of the male fitness culture. “It’s sort of a gender-specific symbol of vitality,” said R. Scott Kretchmar, a professor of exercise and sports science at Penn State. “I don’t see women saying: ‘I’m in good health. Watch me drop down and do some push-ups.’ ”

Based on national averages, a 40-year-old woman should be able to do 16 push-ups and a man the same age should be able to do 27. By the age of 60, those numbers drop to 17 for men and 6 for women. Those numbers are just slightly less than what is required of Army soldiers who are subjected to regular push-up tests.

If the floor-based push-up is too difficult, start by leaning against a countertop at a 45-degree angle and pressing up and down. Eventually move to stairs and then the floor.

Mr. LaLanne, who once set a world record by doing 1,000 push-ups in 23 minutes, still does push-ups as part of his daily workout. Now he balances his feet and each hand on three chairs.

“That way I can go way down, even lower than if I was on the floor,” he said. “That’s really tough.”

well@nytimes.com

* Back to Top

Copyright 2008 The New York Times Company

Summer Foods

2007-08-14T00:26:00.000-04:00

It's a great time for fruit right now. Peaches have been great. Hurry before the strawberries, blueberries, and cherries get too expensive. You can always add fruit, yogurt and ice into a blender and you have great iced dessert. Enjoy the rest of the summer

Latest Diet Books

2007-06-19T00:09:00.000-04:00

This year there seems to be new diet books every month instead of once a year.

Bob Green's The Best Life Diet is no nonsense information

Duke Diet, from Duke University's team that has delt with weight loss for years.

The advice is simple. Less Calories, More exercise. It's a question of learning better food choices.

Good web sites are: ideafit.com, acefitness.com,

OOPS

2007-06-19T00:07:00.000-04:00

Well now that I finally realized that I had the wrong blog address on my email, I know why no one had commented on my blog. So I'm back on track and ready for more info. Please send me any inquiries you may have thanks.

Going Nuts,

2007-04-18T11:43:00.000-04:00

Nuts are an excellent option for snacking. Packed with healthy fats,fiber and protein. Quantity is what you need to be aware of. 1 ounce of almonds, walnuts, peacans, or any other unsalted/roasted variety is great.

Nut butters are also a great addition to snacking. Amy's makes great "Kamut" or "Spelt" cakes, instead of rice cakes, and you can add a spread of peanut, or almond butter, and I have even tried tahini. It's filling, and again packed with fiber and protein which will satisfy more than plain rice cakes.

Healthy eating, and remember, it's all in the portion sizes where you will see any major difference if you are trying to lose weight.

Happy Snacking

What's For Breakfast ?

2007-03-31T23:55:00.000-04:00

What's for Breakfast?

Fast and easy
1/2 cup Yogurt
1/2 cup milk
1 tbsp protein Powder
1/2 cup fruit
ice
put in blender, enjoy

Egg w/ Oats
1 egg or 2 egg whites
1/4 cup milk (can use soy)
3 tbsp oatmeal
1 tbsp Protein Powder
Option to add ground flax seeds
stir
Place in bowl sprayed with Pam
MICROWAVE @ 60% FOR 2 1/2 MINUTES

From Vita Cost Blog

2007-03-12T14:15:00.000-04:00

Vita Cost, a great online vitamin place

Go to www.vitacost.com to save money on vitamins

More Energy, Less Fat: Try MCTs

Medium chain triglycerides, or MCTs, are fatty acids that are easily digested and more rapidly absorbed by the body than other fats. They function similarly to carbohydrates, supplying the body with an immediate, efficient source of "quick" energy.

MCTs are popular among athletes and bodybuilders looking to increase endurance and enhance sports performance. They're also used to promote weight loss, as they induce ketosis, a state in which the body burns stored fat for energy.

While MCTs are found in foods such as coconut oil, palm kernel oil and butter, they're also available in supplement form, usually as a liquid oil that can be taken by the spoonful or added to dressings and other foods. Due to its low smoke point, MCT oil is not recommend for cooking.

To view Vitacost.com's selection of MCT products, please click here.

February 19, 2007 in Sports Nutrition | Permalink

Still Pumping iron @ 91

2007-03-12T13:51:00.000-04:00

Yesterday's New York Times had an article about a 91 year old man who goes to the gym 5 0r 6 days a week. He works the machines. "You want to increase your strength and exhaust your muscles,".."But, I'm never tired when I leave. I don't go home and plop down."

It turns out the gym has helped his depression since his wife died, it keeps his mind sharp.

Check out www.nyt.com/styles

"The Secret" Buzz

2007-03-08T13:33:00.001-05:00

The Bestseller "the Secret" is nothing new. It's bringing together old material even from the bible, basically "Ask and you shall receive".

Other classics that were borrowed from
Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill
Creative Affirmations, Shakti Gawain
The Power of Positive Thinking, Vincent Pealel

The message is Have a vision, see it, feel it, believe it to be real.

On a holistic level, this is true.

Our thoughts change how we feel, even how our physical body feels.

Change your thoughts, change your body.

Don't refer to a body part as a "bad" knee, or other part. That's the message that the mind/body receives, and that's what you get.
Change the message, refer to the body part as getting stronger.

Get the picture?

Great News

2007-03-08T13:26:00.000-05:00

Yes , We're back.

Ready to keep you informed on news of health,fitness and other fields of interest.