Weighing in on the New Year

So you’re a resolutionist. You’ve resolved to eat right this year and get regular exercise, right? Slimming down and getting healthier are common New Year’s resolutions, but following through on the commitment is an uncommon accomplishment.

There are many pieces in the weight management puzzle. Emotions, appetite, will-power, self-image, and confidence all play a part. The road towards healthier eating usually starts with some simple lifestyle changes. Make healthy eating and regular exercise part of your everyday life. Sound easy? It’s not. You have to work at it.

In terms of exercise, the most important thing is to choose activities that are fun and that you can do on a regular basis. Instead of watching TV after dinner, go out for a brisk walk around the neighborhood. Recruit a friend or family member to keep you company.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Snow Fun!

Build a Snowman	285 calories burned per hour
Have a Snowball Fight	319 calories burned per hour
Make Snow Angels	214 calories burned per hour
Shovel the Driveway	428 calories burned per hour
Go Ice Skating	476 calories burned per hour

PT Tips that can help lead to a healthier New Year:

• Eat three meals a day that are low in saturated fat. Meals should include a variety of fruits, vegetables, fish, lean meats, grains, cereals and low-fat  dairy products.
• It’s okay to snack if you snack smart. Include fruits and veggies with fun dipping sauces. Fruits and veggies are low in fat, packed with nutrients. Smart Snacks
• Choose a variety of foods to get enough carbs, protein and other nutrients.
• Eat only enough calories to maintain a healthy weight for your height and build. If you’re training, take into account the extra calories you’re burning.

Here’s to a healthy, happy 2010!

Take the stairs – the piano stairs

It’s great when viral videos do more than just make us laugh.

Recently, we learned about a great video created by the Nike Foundation called the Girl Effect (definitely worth checking out)

We came across another video today from TheFunTheory.com. The  site is dedicated to the thought that something as simple as fun is the easiest way to change people’s behaviour for the better.

Many understand the importance of physical fitness and have read or heard the advice ”Take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator” but the fact is few people actually follow that advice.

Can we get more people to take the stairs over the escalator by making it fun to do? Volkswagen, the company behind the Fun Theory initiative, produced this video to find out:

Feel the flow – musings on the mind-body connection

It can happen on a ski slope, when the mountainside flies past in a timeless manner. It can happen on the crest of an uphill climb, as you realize you’ve stayed ahead of the other riders in the pack. It can happen on the soccer field as you unite with teammates after a magnificent play.

We’re describing how a whole athlete feels, a person whose dimensions—mind, emotions, spirit—have developed in such harmony with the physical self that you can’t imagine them as separate anymore. You can achieve this mind-body state of grace by supplementing your usual cardio and strength workouts with disciplines such as yoga and/or meditation – practices that work not only your body but all facets of your being.

Meditation

The goal of meditation is to quiet your mind. If you’re like many, however, clearing your mind enough to actually relax is tougher than it sounds. Learn to meditate and you’ll discover a host of fab benefits. The process involves focusing on one thought, chant, object, or mental image for a period of time. Once a spiritual practice, meditation is now thoroughly mainstream.

A common variation on meditation for athletes is visualization, where, say, a downhill skier envisions a successful race-course run. Practiced daily, both meditation and visualization clear the mind of distractions and focus it on the task at hand, making you better prepared to overcome any obstacle.

Guidelines

Try to meditate every day, preferably at the same time (morning is best).

Best to meditate before eating, when the stomach is empty.

Find a quiet and semi-dark place to use only for meditation.

Set aside at least 20 minutes (you may have to work up to this).

Basic Technique

There are many different types of meditation and no right technique for everybody. You need to find out what works best for you. Most types of meditation include the following basic elements:

Position

Sit in a comfortable position on the floor or in a chair.

Clasp your hands and let them rest in your lap.

Keep your spine straight and vertical, but not rigid

If you sit on the floor, choose one of these three poses:

1. Cross-legged with a cushion under your buttocks
2. Japanese fashion (on your knees, with your big toes touching and your buttocks resting on the soles of your feet) with a cushion between your feet and buttocks
3. Yoga full lotus position (not recommended for beginners)

Focus
In order to direct your thoughts:

Let your eyes relax but not shut tight.

Focus your attention on one of the following: A silent thought, word, or chant; a mental image; the sensation of each breath as you inhale and exhale;

Attitude

Do not be concerned about your goals, or whether or not you are meditating correctly. Keep the following points in mind:

As a beginner, it is natural for your attention to wander frequently.

When your attention wanders, gently redirect it back. Do not try to force your attention. Meditation should not be stressful

Breathing

Focusing on breathing in and out evenly while listening to each breath develops the capacity to concentrate better in all areas of school, sports and life.

Breathe through your nose, if possible.

Place your tongue on the roof of your mouth.

Focus your attention on your tummy and diaphragm rather than your nostrils and chest.

Place your hand on your tummy and feel the sensations as you inhale and exhale.

Your tummy should rise when you inhale and fall when you exhale.

Be attentive to your breathing, but stay relaxed and breathe naturally.Now, breathe in. Breathe out. There, you’ve started. Focus. Continue breathing. In. Out. In. Out….

Kimmy Fasani: Welcome to winter – let the adventures begin!

December is around the corner so it’s time to walk ourselves into the gym and get a membership. Let’s get serious about getting our muscles firing for those groomer and powder days. I will be spending November and December dedicated to refining my diet by eating lots of protein and foods packed with energy. These things, with a hearty workout, will hopefully make my body ready to start a quick coming season. I know I’ve mentioned working out in my past posts. Health is a topic that is very important to me and there is always something to discuss.

In order to get the results I want for the early season scramble I need to ensure I am eating lots of protein, which helps muscles grow and expand. I will also make sure to stay away from simple sugars and focus on and maintain a diet high in calories, fiber, and carbohydrates. These items will keep my body going with energy no matter how hard I am working on and off the hill.

In order to find success with this plan I have linked up with a trainer at Snowcreek Athletic Club in Mammoth Lakes, California. This woman is incredible and so knowledgeable about how athletes should sustain their health with an intense gym routine. During this process she is also helping me fine-tune my intake of food so I will become lean and fit with my goals of “strength” in mind. Training with an instructor is making me realize that I am not as strong as I thought I was and that my normal diet is not as effective as I thought it was. She is giving me incredible insight on how to meet my max heart rate and how hard I need to work with a heart monitor in order to see results. Her plan is bringing me to a new level with how I feel and how much energy I have at the end of the day. This plan she created gives me hope that I will have longer endurance and stamina for the coming season.

Some of the highlights of a workout like mine include: Daily cardio, plyometrics once a week, sprints thru a gym, and intervals in between vigorous weightlifting. These exercises are to be completed about 3-4 times a week and will provide a good start for the season. Welcome to winter and let the adventures begin. I hope to see you on the hill. Stay healthy and stay happy.

See Alanis Run

On October 11th, in Susanville, CA, award-winning singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette (Flavors Of Entanglement) is going to run the Biz Johnson Trail Marathon to raise money for the National Eating Disorders Association.

If you haven’t seen Alanis lately she is kicking some serious butt. Last year she started a new health regime, which focused on changing her diet and her lifestyle. While training for the marathon and changing her relationship with food, she decided to share this information with others and pair up with the NEDA. Through her run (it’s 26.2 miles!), she hopes to raise awareness to the complex love/hate relationship we have with food, exercise, and our body.

The NEDA is a non-profit organization based in the Pacific Northwest that provides support to both individuals and families affected by eating disorders, as well as advocate for the prevention, treatment, and research of them.

Support Alanis

FitTEEN helps teens stay healthy during the summer months.

Lady of America, a full-service chain of female-focused fitness centers, is offering teenage girls ages 13-19, the opportunity to workout for FREE at any participating Lady of America or Ladies Workout Express Center during the summer months. The FitTEEN™ workout program, now entering its sixth year, runs from June 1 through September 1, 2009.

Toni Negas, Lady of America Franchise Corp. National Marketing Director, says:

“Give teens a place in the summer where they can begin a health and exercise plan in a supportive, non-competitive environment, and help them to begin a long and healthy relationship with their overall health and self-confidence. It’s not hard to make exercise a part of your everyday life when you start young.”

Here are some tips for teens to keep in mind when beginning a fitness plan:

1. Don’t be embarrassed. So what if you can’t run a mile? Who cares if you can barely complete a full push-up? You must start somewhere and no one begins at the level of a professional athlete. The important thing is to not let embarrassment prevent you from beginning an workout routine.

2. Start small. Nobody expects you to run 10 miles or bench-press 200lbs on your first day. You need to work up to these things. In fact, if you do too much too quickly you’re likely to either burn out or seriously injure yourself. Set small, manageable daily or weekly goals, and chart your progress in a journal.

3. Do both cardio and weights. Many people do one or the other, but for faster results, you should do both cardio and weight training. If you’re a girl, lifting weights will NOT make you ‘bulk up’ like a bodybuilder. In fact, weight training is crucial to help keep you healthy and strong.

4. Don’t overdo it. Muscles need time to repair. Don’t exercise the same group of muscles two days in a row, including abs. So while keeping a regular schedule is important, too much of a good thing is still too much.

5. Find a buddy. Things are easier when you’ve got someone to help you along the way. Team up with a friend and exercise together. Even when you can’t find the time to workout together, you can still motivate each other to stick with it and stay active.

For more information on the summer health and exercise plan, FitTEEN™, visit www.ladyofamerica.com. To participate in FitTEEN™, please bring along a parent or guardian  for initial consent.

Today is…National Running Day

Get out there and run! It’s all about that first step! Running is an incredibly healthy, easy, and accessible form of exercise. Whether it’s five minutes, 15 minutes, or 45 minutes, every little bit of time spent running makes a difference in the goal to live healthy, happy, and heart strong.

Join National Running Day on Wednesday, June 3 (that’s TODAY), and come together as a nation to take strides toward leading healthier, fitter lives.

We Run LA – In my little burg, there’s an organized run this afternoon run through the streets of Downtown, beginning at the start line of the Los Angeles Marathon at 5th and Figueroa Streets. Run up Figueroa past the LA Convention Center, past The Staples Center (GO LAKERS!!) through the beautiful and historic USC campus and Historic West Adams village.  Come out and connect with other Downtown runners who enjoy running LA!

To register for We Run LA or find a Running Day event near you! Click here.

Marching in the band as tough as playing sports

Playing oboe in the middle school orchestra probably doesn’t give me enough experience to really weigh in this subject, but a Reuters Health article today does point out some interesting parallels between band members and athletes:

The physical challenges and demands of participating in a competitive high school marching band are similar to those experienced by athletes who compete in sports like football, according to research presented at the American College of Sports Medicine’s annual meeting in Seattle.

Today, marching bands no longer just march in precision formation, study presenter Gary Granata, told Reuters Health. “In the past 20 years, marching bands have gone to these highly choreographed visual shows, where performers are literally running around the field at very high velocities with heavy instruments while playing very difficult passages.”

“At the top levels of marching band and drum corps, you get a level of competition and athleticism that is equal to a division I athletic program,” added Granata, an exercise physiologist, registered dietitian and owner of the New Orleans-based company PerformWell.

Based on an anonymous questionnaire regarding physical demands, challenges and injuries, common responses included fatigue, muscle soreness, and injuries — the same as those  associated with competitive sports and athletics.

Nearly a quarter said they felt faint or sick to their stomach after marching band participation and more than half experienced heat-related illness.

In addition, more than 38 percent said they had suffered an injury as a direct result of participating in marching band.

The wealth of research conducted on traditional sports has led to guidelines that help ensure the safety of participants and proper methods to enhance training regimens, Granata noted. “Yet, there is essentially no research on marching bands,” he told Reuters Health, “a sport where kids participate in the heat at very high intensity levels that are incurring injuries.”

Safety guidelines and effective training regimens are needed for marching band and drum corps — a “strenuous physical activity that has rates of both participation and injury similar to competitive sports”– he concluded.

Though not great quality, this YouTube video provides some evidence of the above.

Training: A Kick in the Class

Fitness classes cater primarily to women. Guys generally shy away from group exercise because so many of the classes involve dance moves and that intimidates them. Whatever your chromosone mix, here’s a quick guide to the best class offerings:

Pilates: a series of movements that improve strength and balance. Pros: good for abs and core strength, improves flexibility. Cons: slow calorie burn, not effective for weight loss.

Spinning: Riding a stationary bike at different speeds and resistance levels. Pros: great cardio workout and calorie burner (about 500 calories in 40 mins). Cons: little upper-body conditions.

Yoga: series of exercises that emphasize specific postures and controlled breathing. Pros: strengthens core, improves flexability, improves mind-body fitness. Cons: slow calorie burn, difficult for newbies.

Kickboxing: series of punches and kicks. Pros: works most muscles including core, improves balance, great aerobic workout. Cons: may induce false sense of security.

HipHop: exercise class using the latest trends in choreography. Pros: great calorie burn and aerobic workout, fun. Cons: self-esteem issues if you can’t get the moves.

Looking for a class or a place to workout? Check our camp, clinic and league resource for a gym near you. Know of a great place not included in our database, be sure to let us know!

Sabrina Bryan wants your workout video!

Think you’ve got the latest and greatest moves to get fit? Show them off in a new contest to promote physical activity!

Sabrina Bryan, of the Cheetah Girls and Dancing with the Stars ” has teamed up with The Alliance for a Healthier Generation to launch empowerME, a campaign challenging kids to make their own workout videos.

How to enter:

Record an original 3-5 minute workout or dance video starring you*

Include at least two of Sabrina’s top tips (found on the EmpowerME site)

Submit your video

For more information on The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, the empowerME campaign and Sabrina Bryan’s video contest please visit www.empowerME2B.org.

So get up, grab a camera and get moving!

The top five finalists will receive autographed copies of Sabrina’s newest “Byou” DVD — and the winner will also receive a personalized video message from Sabrina!

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