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HEALTH, FITNESS AND WEIGHT-LOSS LINKS
Weight-loss at About.com--Lots of articles and information. Sign up to recieve weekly emails and tips related to weight-loss. Very helpful!
Why Diets Don't Work! An article.
Just About Fitness--Online Fitness Video Store
Weight-loss and Diet Facts--This site aims to educate the Internet public about every aspect of weight loss, including the many diet myths often circulated through informal channels. It also reviews the many fad diets so the public can make their own choice as to the best diet program. There are also tons of articles on this site as well.
Weigh-Down "Diet"workshop. Join on line or at with a local group. Different from all the other "diets" because it really is no diet at all. Read the book by Gwen Shamblin. Liberating and it works!
Chasefreedom.com --Diet reviews and information regarding every known diet, pills, and weight loss program--over 300 in all.
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FITNESS FACILITIES
Curves--A great place for women!
Lifetime Fitness--A great place for the entire family at a great monthly price! Anita's favorite!
Fitness Works-- 6525 2nd Ave. Detroit, MI 48202. (313) 972-4040. A fantastic workout facility in the Detroit New Center Area. A partnership with Henry Ford Health Systems. Bright, cheery, conveniently located, towels and lockers. Payroll deduction. Great place to meet people, too! Check it out!
Franklin Athletic Club--Another great, all purpose facility that is great for families. Great kids programs too. Great place if you can afford it!
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EATING RIGHT
Here it is... The"New" way to eat right per the 2005 Federal guidelines.
Here's what the new dietary guidelines consider a serving for each group of foods and different foods within groups:
Vegetables (5 servings daily)
1 serving = 1/2 cup raw or cooked vegetable, 1 cup raw leafy vegetable or 1/2 cup vegetable juice.
Fruits (4 servings daily)
1 serving = 1/2 cup fresh, frozen or canned fruit; 1 medium whole fruit; 1/4 cup dried fruit or 1/2 cup fruit juice.
Grains (6 servings daily, including 3 whole-grain)
1 serving = 1 slice bread, 1 cup dry cereal or 1/2 cup cooked rice, pasta or cereal.
Meats and beans (5.5 ounces or equivalents daily)
1-ounce serving = 1 ounce lean meat, poultry or fish; one egg; 1/4 cup cooked dry beans or tofu; 1 tablespoon peanut butter or 1/2 ounce nuts or seeds.
Dairy (3 cups daily)
1 cup = 1 cup low-fat or fat-free milk, 1 cup low-fat or fat-free yogurt, 1.5 ounces low-fat or fat-free natural cheese, or 2 ounces low-fat or fat-free processed cheese.
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4-step plan to optimal health
By Murray Middlemost
The first step of the program is Healthy Nutrition and there are ten basic rules:
1. Never skip a meal again (keep the calorie burning furnace burning)
2. Eat real, unprocessed foods (if man made it do not eat it)
3. Eat balanced meals (protein, fat, and carbs in every meal)
4. Choose a protein as the main nutrient in your meal
5. Add some healthy fats (avocado, nuts, seeds, cold water fish, and olive oil)
6. Add real carbohydrates (whole grains)
7. Add non-starchy vegetables (green and brightly coloured)
8. Eat snacks (keep the calorie burning furnace burning)
9. Eat solid food (fiber)
10.Drink enough water (body weight x .7 = no. of ounces to drink)
The second step of the program is Stress Management:
1. Make downtime a daily practice (you are important)
2. Put your life in perspective (don’t sweat the small stuff)
3. Keep track of stress signals (heart rate increase, blood pressure, anxiety, yelling)
4. Get enough sleep (6-8hours)
Third, avoid all toxic chemicals including:
1. Nicotine
2. Alcohol
3. Refined sugar
4. Artificial sweeteners
5. Illegal drugs
6. MSG, additives & preservatives
7. Fake fats and fat blockers
8. Caffeine
9. Certain prescription drugs
Fourth, practice cardio, resistance and flexibility/relaxing exercises.
Murray has been a Health and Fitness Professional for 17 years. As owner of Phoenix Fitness and YOU it's about time! 30 minute fitness solution, he has helped thousands of people achieve their health and fitness goals. If you too would like to benefit from Murray's knowledge and experience you can visit http://www.phoenixfitness.ca or http://www.phoenixonlinept.com |
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Up and Out! 7 Ways to Get Fit with Your Family
by Anita S. Lane
Aah, the sweet smell of Spring and the longing for Summer fun. This season, use the warm weather to further your family’s fitness goals. Here are seven activities you can use to get fit with your family.
1 Take a Walk. After that scrumptious family meal, skip desert and finish it off with a 30 minute after-dinner walk. Speed-walking not required. The idea here is to move your joints, increase your heart rate and as a bonus—bond with your family. According to a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine in 1999, thirty minutes a day of walking brings as much risk reduction for heart attack as a high-intensity exercise program.
2 Take a Ride … A bike ride, that is. Cycling is a great way to tone your upper thigh muscles, backside, and calf muscles. Go for a ride on Saturday morning. Pack a lunch and plan a picnic at a local park. Be sure to take lots of water and wear your safety gear. A great calorie-burner, cycling raises the speed of your metabolism for hours afterwards, so your body continues to burn calories even after exercise.
3 Go for a Dip. Swimming is a wonderful aerobic activity that increases your cardiovascular system and tones your entire body. Go for a dip, do some laps and change your body for the better. However, if you don’t have the stamina for laps or even if you don’t know how to swim, get in the pool and have some fun. Play a game of volleyball in the pool. Chase the kids along the edge of the pool. See who can tread water the longest. Do some cannonballs, or dunk the kids in and out (hey, that’s weigh-lifting!) Water exercise can reduce joint stiffness and high blood pressure. So make it a family affair. Gather the young, the old and the in-between and head to the nearest pool. The entire family will reap the benefits.
4 Play With Your Kids. Want to keep your after-dinner activity close to home? Engage in an intense game of tag in the backyard or a fun game of jump rope or hopscotch. Just thirty minutes of vigorously playing and running with your kids can burn up to 200 calories.
5 Create Your Own Boot Camp. Take the family to the local park and do all of the exercises along the fitness trail. Make it even more challenging by adding push-ups and timing yourselves along the way. Try to shorten the amount of time it takes you to complete the trail and the exercises each time you go.
6 Strap on Those Blades. Back in the day we used to roller skate. Now we rollerblade. So be it. Pick up the blades and roll around the neighborhood or at your local park. Rollerblading offers similar fitness benefits to running. Just make sure you wear your helmet, knee and elbow pads and learn how to come to a complete stop!
7 Pull out the Racket. Sign up for family tennis lessons. Already a pro? Play a game of one-on-one or two-on-two. Running after that little yellow ball will really get your heart rate up.
Increasing your family’s fitness level may seem like an arduous task but there are plenty ways to make it fun. The warm weather inspires us to get outside. So get up and out and take the whole family with you.
Exercise Safety Tips
- Before you begin any new exercise regimen, consult your physician
- Wear the recommended safety gear
- Drink water before, during and after exercise
- When it’s really hot, engage in outdoor aerobic activity in the cooler early-morning or evening hours
- Remember to warm up, cool down and stretch
- Don’t over do it!
Calories Burned by 30 minutes of Activity
(the more you weigh, the more calories burned)
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Walking 3mph (moderately): 74-151
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Swimming: 236-345
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Treading water: 118-173
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Aerobic-type dance: 177-259
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Bicycling 10mph or less: 118-173
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Jumping Rope at a slow pace: 235-345
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Playing Tennis: 200-300
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Walk/run and play with Child (Vigorously): 118-216
(Source:www.healthstatus.com) |
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Tips for Getting In (and Staying in) the Exercise Groove
by Anita S. Lane
Instead of looking at exercise as an obligation, as painful or as impossible to sustain, make an attitude adjustment!
I've found regular exercise to be very invigorating. In fact, exercising is one of my favorite things to do. How have I come to enjoy exercise so much? Below are some of the positive ways I view exercise. You may want to adopt some of this "positive exercise worldview" if you're struggling to engage in regular exercise. Try it. It will change your life!
The Positive Benefits of Exercise
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My exercise time boosts my energy level and it lasts all day
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A great morning workout improves my sleep at night
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Exercising at home with the kids gets them involved and in the habit of regular exercise
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Working out at the gym gives me precious time alone
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A good workout relieves stress
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My heart and muscles really enjoy the workout
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I improve my heart and health
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The more I exercise, the more I like it and the easier it is to keep exercising
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I burn more calories and increase the potential for weight-loss
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I eventually see positive physical results and I'm further motivated
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I build muscle tone that improves my body shape, makes me stronger and improves my long-term health
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Exercising improves my mental health and helps me maintain a positive attitude
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A long, brisk walk clears my head and gives me quiet time alone with God. The fresh air is also very refreshing and good for the lungs
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Ultimately you, your spouse, your children and your children's children will reap the benefits of your regular exercise--a healthier, longer life. So endure for their sake too.
Remember, exercise is NOT punishment nor a waste of time. There truly are incredible physical and emotional benefits that only exercise can offer you.
Yes, you will have to make the time. You will have to press your way to the gym on those days where your willpower is waning, and your muscles will initially be sore after lifting weights. But it's worth it. Be persistent.
Soon exercise will become such an entrenched habit that it becomes a delight. It won't be long before you find yourself deep into an exercise groove. Boogy-woogy!
For more tips on how to incorporate regular exercise into your busy life, drop me an email. |
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Recommended Reading (Books & Exercise DVDs)
(Click Here to visit our list located on our Bookviews page)
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