While it's true that walking doesn't burn calories as quickly as jogging or Spinning classes or other high-intensity workouts, scores of studies have shown it to be a very effective weight-loss tool. For example, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that brisk walking is very effective for reducing deep abdominal fat, the most dangerous kind of fat. And a University of Colorado study found that if people could commit to walking 2,000 steps a day more than they do now -- the equivalent of about one additional mile or about 15 minutes worth of movement -- they may not necessarily lose weight but would probably stop gaining. The typical adult gains 1 to 3 pounds a year, which means they're eating, on average, an excess of 10 to 30 calories a day. The 100 calories per day burned off from walking 2,000 steps would more than compensate for this excess.
Researchers have also found that walking an additional 6,000 steps a day (or about 3 miles) is the point at which the pounds really start coming off, as long as it is done in conjunction with sensible eating habits like fat, calorie and portion control.
A report from the National Institutes of Medicine makes similar recommendations, advising one hour of daily walking or other moderate exercise for weight loss. What's more, the majority of participants in the National Weight Control Registry, an ongoing survey of more than 3,000 people who have lost at least 30 pounds and kept it off for more than a year, report walking as one of their major-weight loss strategies. You may notice that I reference the registry frequently. That's because it is the only "living laboratory" to examine weight loss in the real world.
So if walking doesn't exactly melt calories like hot butter on toast, why is it such a successful weight loss strategy? For one thing, walking has a major advantage over most other fitness activities: It doesn't require a lot of stuff. No helmets, gloves, wrenches, pumps, kneepads, wrist guards, caps, goggles, pools or poles. Just lace up your shoes, open the front door, and off you go. (For women, I also recommend a decent bra. If you're not doing power walking, it doesn't even have to be a sports bra, just something sturdy with lots of support to minimize the bounce.) Plus, unless you're a toddler, walking has virtually no learning curve.
Of course, running is equally accessible and convenient, but it also has a much higher injury rate. Walking is considerably easier on your joints, tendons and ligaments -- although a small percentage of walkers do get injured from overdoing it or wearing the wrong shoes. Walking is also less exhausting, so you may be more likely to stick to your program. Running may burn twice the calories per minute as walking (running burns an average of 8 to 12 calories per minute compared to walking which only burns 4 to 8 calories per minute at a moderate pace), but if you quit after 5 minutes because your knees feel like they're about to explode, what's the point? Even most beginners can walk for at least 10 minutes straight without feeling winded and from there, it's fairly easy to build up stamina.
Walking is also an especially good weight-loss activity because it's so easily adaptable to your fitness level. As you become more fit, you can walk faster, walk more often, walk up steeper hills or walk for longer periods.
If you don't find walking especially motivating, find a way to make it more entertaining. You can bop along to your ipod mix so long as you stay on the treadmill or keep the volume low enough to stay aware of your surroundings. You can walk with a friend or join a group. I even found one way to get paid for walking: Check out fitness pro Leslie Sansone's Walk Leadership program.
My 2 cents: Even if you do other types of exercise, walking should be the foundation of your activity plan. National Weight Control Registry participants cited walking as their top weight-loss strategy; they walk off an average of 1,000 calories a week. Even though I am an avid exercise and exhibit OCD running behavior myself, I still walk 20 minutes to 2 hours a day between appointments, with my daughter or just strolling along thinking. Trust me, regular walking has many benefits. Click here for more information on AOL Health about how it attacks deep abdominal fat.
Walking is the easiest fitness program to maintain and sustain due to the fact that there are no equipment needed and it doesn't burn people out like all the other exercise or fitness activities. It helps me keep a calm mind as well. It is actually very therapeutic if you walk outdoors. Try it!
Source
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Nutrition IQ 101: True or False? Common Food Myths by Lee-Ann Watanabe, Honolulu Extreme Training Examiner
Eating fat will make you fat
False. Many foods pump up their low fat versions with sugar and calories to make up for the lost flavor from fat. Eat healthy full fat products in small portions and save yourself from the additives and chemicals their low fat counterparts come with.
If you want to lose weight, you shouldn’t snack
False. “Studies show that people who avoid eating between meals may end up consuming more calories overall,” says Keri Glasman, R.D., author of The Snack Factor Diet.
Low fat chocolate milk can be used as a post-exercise recovery drink
True. Low-fat chocolate milk contains high-quality protein and carbohydrate, which make it an excellent sports drink. Experts suspect one reason for chocolate milk's effectiveness in helping athletes recover is its carbohydrate-to-protein ratio, which is approximately 4:1. White milk would not work as well because it has less carbohydrate than chocolate milk.
Eating carbohydrates makes you fat
False. Carbohydrates are your body’s primary source of energy. Reach for veggies or whole grain carbohydrates and limit consumption of their cousin – white carbohydrates. White starches increase blood sugar and causes your body to release insulin; a hormone that signals your body to store fat.
To kick start weight loss, it’s a good idea to follow a detox diet
False. People who are sleep deprived have a harder time losing weight.
True. Sleep deprivation disturbs the body’s natural balance of hormones that regulate energy and hunger. Researchers at Standford University have found that those who had less than 7.5 hours of shut eye each night also carried a higher body mass index.
Don’t eat after 8 p.m.
False. It doesn’t matter what time you eat versus what you are eating. A calorie is a calorie is a calorie, so if you are consuming more than you are burning, you’ll gain eight. Also, if you exercise in the evening, it is crucial that you refuel your body.
You’ll lose more weight if you eat breakfast
True. Your body is like your car engine and needs fuel to get moving once you ride from your “fast.” You need to break the fast which is why breakfast is so important. Eating breakfast will rev up your metabolism to stoke that calorie fire burn throughout the day.
So, there you have it. The most common myths about nutrition and weight-loss. As Lee-Ann said, a calorie is a calorie no matter what time you eat it. Choose what you eat wisely and make sure that you don't overeat.
Source
False. Many foods pump up their low fat versions with sugar and calories to make up for the lost flavor from fat. Eat healthy full fat products in small portions and save yourself from the additives and chemicals their low fat counterparts come with.
If you want to lose weight, you shouldn’t snack
False. “Studies show that people who avoid eating between meals may end up consuming more calories overall,” says Keri Glasman, R.D., author of The Snack Factor Diet.
Low fat chocolate milk can be used as a post-exercise recovery drink
True. Low-fat chocolate milk contains high-quality protein and carbohydrate, which make it an excellent sports drink. Experts suspect one reason for chocolate milk's effectiveness in helping athletes recover is its carbohydrate-to-protein ratio, which is approximately 4:1. White milk would not work as well because it has less carbohydrate than chocolate milk.
Eating carbohydrates makes you fat
False. Carbohydrates are your body’s primary source of energy. Reach for veggies or whole grain carbohydrates and limit consumption of their cousin – white carbohydrates. White starches increase blood sugar and causes your body to release insulin; a hormone that signals your body to store fat.
To kick start weight loss, it’s a good idea to follow a detox diet
False. People who are sleep deprived have a harder time losing weight.
True. Sleep deprivation disturbs the body’s natural balance of hormones that regulate energy and hunger. Researchers at Standford University have found that those who had less than 7.5 hours of shut eye each night also carried a higher body mass index.
Don’t eat after 8 p.m.
False. It doesn’t matter what time you eat versus what you are eating. A calorie is a calorie is a calorie, so if you are consuming more than you are burning, you’ll gain eight. Also, if you exercise in the evening, it is crucial that you refuel your body.
You’ll lose more weight if you eat breakfast
True. Your body is like your car engine and needs fuel to get moving once you ride from your “fast.” You need to break the fast which is why breakfast is so important. Eating breakfast will rev up your metabolism to stoke that calorie fire burn throughout the day.
So, there you have it. The most common myths about nutrition and weight-loss. As Lee-Ann said, a calorie is a calorie no matter what time you eat it. Choose what you eat wisely and make sure that you don't overeat.
Source
Exercise's Benefits Good for Weight, Mind by James Konopack, Assistant Professor of Health Studies, Momnouth University
As a member of the American College of Sports Medicine, I can affirm the answer is yes. A significant body of research has demonstrated that exercise, when combined with a healthy diet, results in both weight loss and maintenance of a healthy weight.
Further, there is little evidence supporting the claim that exercising produces hunger so uncontrollable that it leads to weight gain. In fact, a recent study from the University of Pittsburgh showed just the opposite: overweight and obese women didn't eat any more food after 40 minutes of exercise than they normally would when inactive.
Exercise does require both effort and self-control, but when these are combined to form a healthy lifestyle, the rewards are substantial. Economically, expenditures are reduced (the recent Weight of the Nation conference reported that obesity accounts for $147 billion in annual health care costs), and people tend to lead more enjoyable, more energetic and happier lives.
Even for the non-overweight, exercise provides benefits that no single pill or prescription ever could. It treats and prevents numerous chronic conditions, including heart disease, high blood pressure, type II diabetes and depression.
Exercise is a health tool we all need, regardless of our weight, and the public must take its importance seriously. Further, advice about weight loss should come from a qualified health or fitness professional, instead of articles that may not showcase the full realm of scientific information surrounding the issue.
There are indeed a lot of benefits of exercise besides weight-loss. One can expect a calmer mind as well. Exercise should be part of every person's lifestyle.
Source
Further, there is little evidence supporting the claim that exercising produces hunger so uncontrollable that it leads to weight gain. In fact, a recent study from the University of Pittsburgh showed just the opposite: overweight and obese women didn't eat any more food after 40 minutes of exercise than they normally would when inactive.
Exercise does require both effort and self-control, but when these are combined to form a healthy lifestyle, the rewards are substantial. Economically, expenditures are reduced (the recent Weight of the Nation conference reported that obesity accounts for $147 billion in annual health care costs), and people tend to lead more enjoyable, more energetic and happier lives.
Even for the non-overweight, exercise provides benefits that no single pill or prescription ever could. It treats and prevents numerous chronic conditions, including heart disease, high blood pressure, type II diabetes and depression.
Exercise is a health tool we all need, regardless of our weight, and the public must take its importance seriously. Further, advice about weight loss should come from a qualified health or fitness professional, instead of articles that may not showcase the full realm of scientific information surrounding the issue.
There are indeed a lot of benefits of exercise besides weight-loss. One can expect a calmer mind as well. Exercise should be part of every person's lifestyle.
Source
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Yoga
A lot of people have this notion that flexibility and strength are prerequisites of yoga. The truth is, anybody can start doing yoga. Strength and flexibility can be developed at any age. Physical built and age doesn’t matter as well.
Yoga is breath, body and mind, or body, soul and spirit. First, let me explain to you what yoga is in simple layman’s terms.
Physical/Body
The physical part of yoga pertains to the asanas or the different poses. Through these poses, we develop strength, balance and flexibility. Poses are classified into seven groups: Standing poses, Sitting Poses, Forward Bendings, Twisting Poses, Back Bendings, Hand Balancings and Inverted Postures. By doing these poses, we also develop a more heightened sense of body awareness resulting in better movement, space awareness and control. The physical part of yoga also deals with balancing the different areas of the body, balancing the right and left hemispheres, front and back part of the body and the upper and lower parts.
Breath/Soul
Breathing is an integral part of yoga. It is a way of releasing pent-up energy or stress that we’ve put into our bodies. Breathing in yoga is deep and diaphragmatic. This type of breathing together with the different yoga poses, achieves internal organ massage as the diaphragm expands and contracts. It is somewhat like a cleansing routine or you could also liken it to taking an internal organ shower, rendering the organs tuned-up to their true functions.
Mind/Spirit
Yoga poses are done statically. That means, the poses are done in stillness. In stillness there is focus. In focus, there is silence. Yoga quiets the mind. It brings the mind into a calm, clear and focused state. Depending on the focus of the individual practitioner, sometimes it brings the mind into a really good meditative state. Being focused doesn’t mean that the yoga practitioner has to stress to concentrate. It is not required at all. To achieve focus in yoga, all one has to do is to let go of thoughts, worries and concerns, and just focus on his or her breathing and the asanas or poses. It’s just being at the moment.
Yoga is the integration of the body, mind and spirit. It is being aware of the self as a total being. It is uniting the body with the mind and the mind with the spirit. We do not live by the physical aspect alone. The body has to follow the mind, the mind has to obey the soul and the soul must surrender to the spirit.
If you’re a beginner in yoga or just starting to contemplate on doing yoga, please don’t get intimidated by the different poses that you see on print or on television. As a yoga teacher, I always tell my students to do only as much as they can for the moment and I always remind them that strength and flexibility or the perfect pose can be achieved in time. The different poses can even be modified to suit each individual and it will have the same effect on them as the ones who are doing the more advanced pose. Yoga is not a competition, it is inner work.
Another note on breathing, people tend to hold their breath when they are faced with difficult or stressful tasks (sometimes even as simple as playing computer games). Yoga can help individuals become more aware of their breathing and the type of breathing that they do whether it is deep, heavy, labored, shallow or relaxed.
Total wellness and healing can be achieved through yoga. Try it and see for yourself.
Yoga is breath, body and mind, or body, soul and spirit. First, let me explain to you what yoga is in simple layman’s terms.
Physical/Body
The physical part of yoga pertains to the asanas or the different poses. Through these poses, we develop strength, balance and flexibility. Poses are classified into seven groups: Standing poses, Sitting Poses, Forward Bendings, Twisting Poses, Back Bendings, Hand Balancings and Inverted Postures. By doing these poses, we also develop a more heightened sense of body awareness resulting in better movement, space awareness and control. The physical part of yoga also deals with balancing the different areas of the body, balancing the right and left hemispheres, front and back part of the body and the upper and lower parts.
Breath/Soul
Breathing is an integral part of yoga. It is a way of releasing pent-up energy or stress that we’ve put into our bodies. Breathing in yoga is deep and diaphragmatic. This type of breathing together with the different yoga poses, achieves internal organ massage as the diaphragm expands and contracts. It is somewhat like a cleansing routine or you could also liken it to taking an internal organ shower, rendering the organs tuned-up to their true functions.
Mind/Spirit
Yoga poses are done statically. That means, the poses are done in stillness. In stillness there is focus. In focus, there is silence. Yoga quiets the mind. It brings the mind into a calm, clear and focused state. Depending on the focus of the individual practitioner, sometimes it brings the mind into a really good meditative state. Being focused doesn’t mean that the yoga practitioner has to stress to concentrate. It is not required at all. To achieve focus in yoga, all one has to do is to let go of thoughts, worries and concerns, and just focus on his or her breathing and the asanas or poses. It’s just being at the moment.
Yoga is the integration of the body, mind and spirit. It is being aware of the self as a total being. It is uniting the body with the mind and the mind with the spirit. We do not live by the physical aspect alone. The body has to follow the mind, the mind has to obey the soul and the soul must surrender to the spirit.
If you’re a beginner in yoga or just starting to contemplate on doing yoga, please don’t get intimidated by the different poses that you see on print or on television. As a yoga teacher, I always tell my students to do only as much as they can for the moment and I always remind them that strength and flexibility or the perfect pose can be achieved in time. The different poses can even be modified to suit each individual and it will have the same effect on them as the ones who are doing the more advanced pose. Yoga is not a competition, it is inner work.
Another note on breathing, people tend to hold their breath when they are faced with difficult or stressful tasks (sometimes even as simple as playing computer games). Yoga can help individuals become more aware of their breathing and the type of breathing that they do whether it is deep, heavy, labored, shallow or relaxed.
Total wellness and healing can be achieved through yoga. Try it and see for yourself.
Fitness and Weight-Loss
I plan to start my blogs with a topic on weight-loss and fitness because this is where it all started.
Let us first discuss the word fitness. What is fitness? Being fit is being in a state of good physical condition. It is a state wherein a person is able to do his or her daily tasks without undue fatigue or stress. What then is weight-loss? It is actually the giving up of unnecessary weight particularly body fat to achieve a more desirable figure/body, or for some people, to achieve better health because obesity is related to diseases.
There is a strong relationship between these two concepts: weight-loss and fitness. There is a lot of concern right now on weight-loss because more and more people are becoming obese. Being obese can mean that a person might not be able to do his or her daily tasks without undue fatigue or stress. Most people (I am not saying all) who are overweight tend to get tired easily, and are more prone to injuries and aches due to their body weight. Then of course for some, it is a confidence issue. Being “just the right size” adds up to one’s desirability or attractiveness. For a lot of people, this gives them enough motivation to achieve fitness.
Fitness can mean a whole lot of different things to different people. Goals vary. For some, losing just a certain number of pounds will do, some would rely on body measurements. Still some would try to achieve the body that they truly desire. Usually for men, it is the rock hard body-types and for women, the long and lean look.
That’s how it all started for me. In my early 20’s I gained a lot of weight that I couldn’t fit into my clothes anymore. Every time I went to purchase new ones, the sizes would just get bigger and bigger. I didn’t like what I saw on the mirror as well. My confidence dropped and I found it difficult to perform daily tasks with ease. This is when I decided that I had to do something about it and so I attended fitness classes. At first, I went for just three classes a week. After a while, I progressed to attending classes every single day. I was hooked and I enjoyed it. I was young and probably because of too much inactivity prior to this, my body craved for it. After a few months, I knew that I already achieved what I wanted, but I wanted more. And so I worked harder. This is just about the time when the fitness instructors at the gym offered me a teaching post. I readily accepted it and they trained me to become a fitness professional as well.
In our world today, people have this notion that they have to go to the gym or work-out to achieve weight-loss and/or fitness. It is true that fitness and weight loss can be achieved through physical exercise but it doesn't necessarily mean going to the gym or being physically exhausted from working-out, unless you really want to do it that way, or you really enjoy doing it that way. Not all people have the money and the time to spend in fitness centers. There are other ways. Outdoor fun can be one of them. If you enjoy playing any sport or any physical game, that would be a great way to achieve fitness, and lose weight in the process. You can organize your physical activities with friends, be it a game of volleyball, badminton, soccer or even just a game of tag. Achieving fitness and weight-loss, and having fun in the process is a great way to go. Still, there are some people who enjoy being alone, and running or just plain walking around the park will do. Walking is very calming and therapeutic as well. If you enjoy dancing, then dance to your heart’s desire. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to attend dance classes to achieve fitness and weight-loss unless you are into the artistic side or if you want to learn a particular type of dance (ballet, jazz, belly dancing, street-dancing, tap dancing, etc.). You can dance for about 30 minutes to an hour inside your room, or you can split it up to dancing for 10 minutes at a time for about 3-5 times a day. If you want to learn certain martial arts, that’s another great form of exercise that will help you achieve fitness and weight-loss, but it is best to practice with certified instructors in the discipline if you choose this as your path. Let us not forget the eastern forms of physical activities that not only takes care of your physical aspect but mental, emotional and spiritual as well. Under this umbrella, we have Tai Chi, Qi Gong, Yoga and others. Still let’s not forget our favourite childhood toys, the hula hoop, the skip rope and the all-time favourite bicycle or any other toy from way back that we can use for movement.
To sum it all up, achieving weight-loss and/or fitness can be fun and exciting. It doesn’t have to be boring and you don’t even have to get really physically exhausted to achieve your goals. Choose any activity that you like doing and that you can stick to doing on a regular basis. It doesn’t have to just be a single activity either. You can choose to combine all the activities that you like doing. For example, if you feel like dancing with joy today, then do so. If tomorrow, you feel contemplative, then take a walk. If the next day, you feel like hanging out with your friends, then organize a game of football.
Another thing, watch what you eat. But that’s another story. ‘til next time...
Let us first discuss the word fitness. What is fitness? Being fit is being in a state of good physical condition. It is a state wherein a person is able to do his or her daily tasks without undue fatigue or stress. What then is weight-loss? It is actually the giving up of unnecessary weight particularly body fat to achieve a more desirable figure/body, or for some people, to achieve better health because obesity is related to diseases.
There is a strong relationship between these two concepts: weight-loss and fitness. There is a lot of concern right now on weight-loss because more and more people are becoming obese. Being obese can mean that a person might not be able to do his or her daily tasks without undue fatigue or stress. Most people (I am not saying all) who are overweight tend to get tired easily, and are more prone to injuries and aches due to their body weight. Then of course for some, it is a confidence issue. Being “just the right size” adds up to one’s desirability or attractiveness. For a lot of people, this gives them enough motivation to achieve fitness.
Fitness can mean a whole lot of different things to different people. Goals vary. For some, losing just a certain number of pounds will do, some would rely on body measurements. Still some would try to achieve the body that they truly desire. Usually for men, it is the rock hard body-types and for women, the long and lean look.
That’s how it all started for me. In my early 20’s I gained a lot of weight that I couldn’t fit into my clothes anymore. Every time I went to purchase new ones, the sizes would just get bigger and bigger. I didn’t like what I saw on the mirror as well. My confidence dropped and I found it difficult to perform daily tasks with ease. This is when I decided that I had to do something about it and so I attended fitness classes. At first, I went for just three classes a week. After a while, I progressed to attending classes every single day. I was hooked and I enjoyed it. I was young and probably because of too much inactivity prior to this, my body craved for it. After a few months, I knew that I already achieved what I wanted, but I wanted more. And so I worked harder. This is just about the time when the fitness instructors at the gym offered me a teaching post. I readily accepted it and they trained me to become a fitness professional as well.
In our world today, people have this notion that they have to go to the gym or work-out to achieve weight-loss and/or fitness. It is true that fitness and weight loss can be achieved through physical exercise but it doesn't necessarily mean going to the gym or being physically exhausted from working-out, unless you really want to do it that way, or you really enjoy doing it that way. Not all people have the money and the time to spend in fitness centers. There are other ways. Outdoor fun can be one of them. If you enjoy playing any sport or any physical game, that would be a great way to achieve fitness, and lose weight in the process. You can organize your physical activities with friends, be it a game of volleyball, badminton, soccer or even just a game of tag. Achieving fitness and weight-loss, and having fun in the process is a great way to go. Still, there are some people who enjoy being alone, and running or just plain walking around the park will do. Walking is very calming and therapeutic as well. If you enjoy dancing, then dance to your heart’s desire. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to attend dance classes to achieve fitness and weight-loss unless you are into the artistic side or if you want to learn a particular type of dance (ballet, jazz, belly dancing, street-dancing, tap dancing, etc.). You can dance for about 30 minutes to an hour inside your room, or you can split it up to dancing for 10 minutes at a time for about 3-5 times a day. If you want to learn certain martial arts, that’s another great form of exercise that will help you achieve fitness and weight-loss, but it is best to practice with certified instructors in the discipline if you choose this as your path. Let us not forget the eastern forms of physical activities that not only takes care of your physical aspect but mental, emotional and spiritual as well. Under this umbrella, we have Tai Chi, Qi Gong, Yoga and others. Still let’s not forget our favourite childhood toys, the hula hoop, the skip rope and the all-time favourite bicycle or any other toy from way back that we can use for movement.
To sum it all up, achieving weight-loss and/or fitness can be fun and exciting. It doesn’t have to be boring and you don’t even have to get really physically exhausted to achieve your goals. Choose any activity that you like doing and that you can stick to doing on a regular basis. It doesn’t have to just be a single activity either. You can choose to combine all the activities that you like doing. For example, if you feel like dancing with joy today, then do so. If tomorrow, you feel contemplative, then take a walk. If the next day, you feel like hanging out with your friends, then organize a game of football.
Another thing, watch what you eat. But that’s another story. ‘til next time...
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