Thursday, October 31, 2013
Personal trainer offers fitness class for dogs and humans - Boston Globe
R ipley the chocolate Lab is doing push-ups. He pants in the cold autumn air as he sits, then lies down, then leaps up at the promise of a treat from his owner.
“Make sure you get at least 10 push-ups in,” certified personal trainer Mike Harb calls to the three dogs and three owners working out at Thorndike Field in Arlington last Saturday .
This was the last weekend of Harb’s first Fit Doggie and Me class, a new program where humans and their canine companions can exercise and train together. The next session starts this weekend and runs for six weeks.
Participants can sign up for either Saturday classes or Sunday classes; registration for the Arlington Recreation Department program costs $293, or $288 for town residents. For the first session, two participants signed up for Saturday classes and two signed up for Sunday.
Harb, who lives in Cambridge and works at Gold’s Gym in Arlington, said he first conceived of a training group for dogs and people six years ago. He said many of his clients at the gym told him they had no time to exercise after work because they were too busy cooking dinner and walking the dog.
“I asked them, ‘Why not run with the dog?’ Several times the response was, that’d be good because the dog’s getting kinda fat,” Harb said.
He went to the town for permission to start the program at a public park, and Arlington officials were so enthusiastic that they offered to run it through the Recreation Department.
Its director, Joe Connelly, said he jumped at the idea because it combined several popular programs that his department already offers.
“This really seemed to be a nice mix of programs that we’d been running, between programs for adults and programs for dogs,” Connelly said. “We thought it would be a really popular program. It hasn’t quite caught on yet, but we’re going to stick with it a little bit. By the springtime when the word gets out, I’m quite sure it’s going be very popular.”
Each one-hour class starts with a 10- to 15-minute talk from a local business, such as a veterinarian, a dog day care provider, or a dietician who provides nutritional advice. Dog trainers Joy Wrolson and Bette Yip, owner of Picture Perfect Pets in Arlington, also attend the classes, and Yip helped Harb design the training program. Both the owners and their pets are guided through workout regimens.
At the classes, dog owners dodge through weave poles, both alone and with their dogs. They do push-ups, sprints, lunges and other exercises while the dogs weave through their legs.
Three dogs and owners attended the class on Saturday, bolstered by Sunday participants making up for a session canceled by bad weather.
One of the students, Diane Healy of Needham, said she decided to sign up with her dog because Aster is the first puppy she’s had in 12 years, and she wanted an outlet for his energy. She also said Aster, who’s part poodle, part Shih Tzu, loves playing with other dogs.
“He really is a dog that belongs in a pack,” she said.
Healy said Aster now does his exercises from class while out on a walk with her. She also said the class has taught him to follow other dogs politely and to “mind his manners.”
Ripley’s workout partner, Somerville resident Kate Castle, said her pet has also learned good behavior and exercises from the class. Castle said she signed up for the class because after she got Ripley, she didn’t have as much time to go to the gym, and she felt guilty about leaving him alone.
“It’s hard to find things you can do together,” Castle said.
Harb, who hopes to expand his class to Cambridge and Charlestown, said that’s exactly why he decided to start the program.
“People love their dogs. People treat their dogs like kids,” Harb said.
“People want to spend time with their dogs.”
For more information on the classes in Arlington or to sign up for the next session, visit www.arlingtonrec.com.[1]
Reach Emily Cantaneo at emilycantaneo@gmail.com.[2]
References
- ^ www.arlingtonrec.com. (www.arlingtonrec.com)
- ^ emilycantaneo@gmail.com. (www.bostonglobe.com)
Find Out Your "Fitness Age" by Answering Five Questions - Lifehacker
How well does your body really function relative to your actual age? Researchers have figured out a way you can find out—without having to go through extensive physical stress tests. In fact, all you need to do is plug in your numbers into their calculator.
To create the fitness age calculator, the scientists from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology conducted an extensive test measuring 5,000 Norwegian volunteers between the ages of 20 and 90. They measured height, body mass index, cholesterol levels, and the like and made each volunteer run to the point of exhaustion on a treadmill to measure the volunteers' peak oxygen intake (VO2 max). The VO2 max, or how well the body delivers oxygen to your cells, has been closely associated with longer lifespans, and thus might indicate fitness age.
In the end, it turns out just five measurements—your age, gender, waist circumference, resting heart rate, and exercise habits—can accurately predict a person's VO2 max. And that number may be more important than your real age. A 70-year-old person could have the fitness of a 20-year old (and, unfortunately, it works in the reverse too).
Head to the calculator below to find out your fitness age. If it's not to your liking, the researchers have developed a 7-week fitness program[1] with 20-minute workouts to help you get back into shape.
Fitness Calculator | Norwegian University of Science and Technology via The New York Times[2] [3]
Photo by Twin Design[4] .
References
- ^ 7-week fitness program (www.ntnu.edu)
- ^ Fitness Calculator (www.ntnu.edu)
- ^ The New York Times (well.blogs.nytimes.com)
- ^ Twin Design (www.shutterstock.com)
Here are some healthy, kid-friendly Halloween food tips - Quad City Times
Q: With Halloween around the corner, can you suggest ways for my kids to understand healthy eating choices, but still have fun?
A: Now is the perfect time to get the kids together for some spooky, fright-filled snack-making and cooking.
Of course, Halloween is known to be a sugar-laden candy fest, a once-a-year occasion, and this is also a perfect opportunity to talk to your kids about moderation and healthy eating. Explain to them that candy, like many of our other favorite treats, is a "sometimes" food.
"Sometimes" foods, or treats, are not foods we eat every day because they don’t give our bodies the nutrients we need to grow and stay healthy. We enjoy “sometimes" foods on special occasions, and because we enjoy them only once in awhile, it makes them that much more special.
Now, nobody wants to rain on any kid’s candy parade, but not all Halloween treats have to be extremely high in sugar.
To keep things kid-friendly and ward off any candy battles, make up for the lost sugar by upping the fun factor! Here are a few suggestions for a frightfully delicious (and nutritious) Halloween-themed meal that kids and adults can agree upon:
Make Yummy Mummy Pizzas on whole-grain English muffins and explain to your kids that whole grains help fill their bellies with benefit and also provide the energy they need to play. Add a few chopped veggies and hide them as you wrap your mummy pizzas with pieces of reduced-fat string cheese.
To get a little more calcium, make Candy Corn Parfaits and mention the importance of dairy and other calcium-rich foods. Dairy and calcium help keep bones strong so they are resistant to falls and injuries.
To help the kids fill half their plate with fruits and vegetables, let them dunk a few fresh vegetables in Critter Crostini; research shows that when kids are offered vegetables with an accompaniment (such as cheese, a dip or salad dressing), they enjoy the vegetables more and will consume a greater quantity and variety.
Go ahead and give in to their sweet tooth by making Frozen Banana Ghosts. Fruit makes a great side dish, dessert or snack since the natural sweetness can satisfy cravings while also providing important nutrients like potassium, vitamin C and fiber.
With such a healthy menu, there certainly is room to round out the meal with dessert. This is the perfect opportunity to explain that when the majority of our food choices are healthy, there is room in a balanced and healthy diet for a yummy chocolate treat such as spooky Halloween cupcakes!
Don’t be afraid this Halloween season to allow the kids to enjoy the sweet holiday. Teach them a few things about moderation and a balanced diet, and get them involved in Halloween treat-making.
Research shows that kids are more likely to try foods they helped to make, so get their hands involved in something Halloween-themed and fun that's also something nutritious and delicious!
(The information is not intended as medical advice. Please consult a medical professional for individual advice.)
7 Diet Habits You Should Drop Now - Huffington Post
We get it: With so much contradictory advice floating around about the best diets for weight loss, it's no wonder many of us end up confused about what we should eat for optimal well-being and a healthy weight.
Read on for seven things you might think are helping you shed pounds, but could actually be sabotaging your weight loss and hurting your health. If you can drop these harmful habits, you might just become a healthy eater for life.
7. Skipping breakfast. About 10 percent of the U.S. population, or 31 million Americans, skip breakfast, according to a 2011 survey[1] . But according to a recent study from Tel Aviv university, breakfast is indeed the most important meal of the day -- especially for people who want to lose weight. The researchers put 93 obese women into two different groups and instructed them to eat a nutritionally similar diet of 1,400 calories a day. The only difference was that one group made breakfast their biggest meal (at 700 calories) and the second group made dinner their biggest meal (700 calories).
After 12 weeks, the group that had made breakfast their biggest meal lost an average of 18 pounds and three inches from their waist, while the big dinner group only lost seven pounds and 1.4 inches from their waists. Additionally, while both groups lost weight, those in the big dinner group actually had an increase in triglyceride levels, which is linked to heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol, reports Medical News Today[2] .
6. Going on a juice cleanse. Proponents of the juice cleanse claim[3] that going on an all-liquid diet of pressed vegetables, fruits and a small amount of nut milk for days or even weeks will clear your body of toxins, help you drop weight and make your skin glow.
Don't believe the hype, warns the Mayo Clinic[4] . Despite the appearance of hip juice bars in your city and the popularity of juice cleanses among some celebrities, long-term juice cleanses are one of the worst things you can do to your body if you want to shed pounds for good.
The reason? While long-term cleanses will make you lose weight, it's mostly water weight that will boomerang back once you resume your normal eating habits. And it could trigger other health problems, as well, including an out-of-whack metabolism and irritability[5] .
If you genuinely like the feel and taste of liquified vegetables and fruits, then juice away for a meal here or a snack there. But don't juice exclusively for long periods of time, and remember that juicing strips many foods of their fiber and nutrient-rich skins while concentrating the sugar in fruit, warns Glenn D. Braunstein, M.D.[6] of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
5. Filling up on diet soda drinks. It makes sense. Fizzy drinks make you feel full, which could help quell the need to snack. But if you're turning to diet soda drinks for your fix, then you could actually be sabotaging your weight loss.
Drinking diet soda and other artificially sweetened beverages could be linked to weight gain, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure, according to a 2013 analysis of recent studies[7] on artificial sweeteners by Purdue University.
The reason? Your body might be confused by artificial sweeteners, according to lead analyst Susan E. Swithers, Ph.D., a Purdue professor of psychological sciences and a behavioral neuroscientist. Swithers' research suggests that your body's natural ability to manage calories based on tasting sweet things is being seriously toyed with, thanks to the artificial sweeteners in diet sodas. Instead of diet drinks, try plain sparkling water for that fizzy full feeling.
4. Completely cutting out entire food groups. Gluten. Carbs. Sugar. Meat. There is no magic bullet to weight loss, but for some people, elimination diets seem like a quick and easy way to feel in control of their bodies. Unfortunately, for those at risk for disordered eating, some elimination diets can actually just be a mask for eating disorders like anorexia and orthorexia, according to Yahoo! Shine[8] .
The Mayo Clinic defines orthorexia nervosa[9] as an obsession with "eating foods that make them feel pure and healthy," by avoiding things like artificial additives, pesticides, genetic modification, and unhealthy amounts of fat, sugar and salt.
But wait a second! Aren't all those ingredients good things to avoid? Yes -- but some people with the orthorexia could become so obsessed that they eventually "isolate themselves and often become intolerant of other people's views about food and health." Even worse, they could be missing out on key nutrients, especially if they fling themselves into gluten-free or vegan diets by focusing on the foods they can't eat, instead of doing research on the nutritious foods they can eat.
Of course, people who have diagnosed celiac disease must avoid gluten because it damages the small intestine[10] and prevents the body from absorbing nutrients. When people with celiac disease eat gluten, they can suffer from chronic diarrhea, vomiting, constipation and weight loss, according to the National Institutes of Health. But be warned: just because a food is labeled "gluten free," doesn't mean it's healthy for you (check out MensHealth.com[11] for some gluten-free foods loaded with fat and sugar).
3. Opting for low-fat versions. Intuitively, it makes sense: If you want to get rid of body fat, stop eating fat. But research shows that the fat you eat isn't really linked to weight gain and disease, according to the Harvard School of Public Health[12] . Instead, it's the total amount of calories eaten, as well as "bad" fats like trans and saturated fats found in meat and processed foods, that seem to be linked to health problems. HSPH notes that people who go on low-fat diets often end up cutting out the good fats too, like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats found in olive oil and fatty fish.
Not only is fat good for you in moderation, but labels like "low-fat" and "nonfat" actually trick people into eating more, according to a study conducted by the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab[13] . Researchers found that people who saw snack foods with a "low fat" label ate up to 50 percent more than those who ate from bags without the label. Eaters also underestimated the calorie content of "low–fat" M&Ms and granola by 48 percent and 50 percent, respectively -- especially overweight people. Instead of assuming that low-fat or nonfat foods are automatically better for you, read the nutritional labels first. You might just find that low-fat or nonfat versions actually have more sugar or calories than the normal-fat foods.
2. Going hungry. For people who want to lose weight fast, dropping too many calories could actually be an exercise in futility.
A meta-analysis of 31 long-term diets that averaged 1,200 calories a day found that while people lost weight, the vast majority regained it all back within four or five years, reports RealSimple.com[14] . A better strategy would be to estimate the total amount of calories you use in a day, and then shave a small amount off that number.
"If you want to lose weight and keep it off forever, you need a modest calorie restriction that you simply continue and never stop," nutritionist Christopher Gardner told RealSimple.com. For example, if you figure out you need about 2,500 calories a day (using this formula[15] ), simply cutting out 250 calories a day could result in more successful, permanent weight loss over the course of a year than if you had plummeted down to 1,200 calories a day and could only stand to deprive yourself for, say, four months.
1. Thinking about it as a "diet" in the first place. This is the medical truth some weight loss professionals are scared to admit: The vast majority of people who lose weight won't be able to keep it off for good[16] .
But for people who prioritize lifestyle changes over diet, there is hope when it comes to longterm weight loss, according to obesity expert Sherry Pagoto, Ph.D. of the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Pagoto recently published an editorial calling for an end to the diet wars in the Journal of the American Medical Association, pointing out that no diet is better or worse at helping people shed pounds.
"The 'diet' used within a lifestyle intervention can be low-fat, low-carb, etc. It doesn't matter," Pagoto told LiveScience[17] . "Adherence is key, and the way to destroy adherence is forcing foods on someone they do not like, do not know how to prepare, or can't afford."
The faster you understand this, the better your chances are of making small, realistic and sustainable changes that you can carry on for the rest your life, as opposed to adopting dramatic, short-term diets that can ultimately result in an unhealthy cycle of losing and gaining weight.
References
- ^ according to a 2011 survey (www.huffingtonpost.com)
- ^ reports Medical News Today (www.medicalnewstoday.com)
- ^ Proponents of the juice cleanse claim (www.huffingtonpost.ca)
- ^ warns the Mayo Clinic (www.mayoclinic.org)
- ^ out-of-whack metabolism and irritability (www.nytimes.com)
- ^ warns Glenn D. Braunstein, M.D. (www.huffingtonpost.com)
- ^ 2013 analysis of recent studies (www.purdue.edu)
- ^ according to Yahoo! Shine (shine.yahoo.com)
- ^ The Mayo Clinic defines orthorexia nervosa (www.mayoclinic.com)
- ^ damages the small intestine (digestive.niddk.nih.gov)
- ^ MensHealth.com (eatthis.menshealth.com)
- ^ Harvard School of Public Health (www.hsph.harvard.edu)
- ^ Cornell University Food and Brand Lab (foodpsychology.cornell.edu)
- ^ reports RealSimple.com (www.realsimple.com)
- ^ this formula (www.realsimple.com)
- ^ won't be able to keep it off for good (www.nytimes.com)
- ^ Pagoto told LiveScience (www.huffingtonpost.com)
- ^ Send us a tip (www.huffingtonpost.com)
- ^ Send us a photo or video (www.huffingtonpost.com)
- ^ Suggest a correction (www.huffingtonpost.com)
7 Diet Habits You Should Drop Now - Huffington Post
We get it: With so much contradictory advice floating around about the best diets for weight loss, it's no wonder many of us end up confused about what we should eat for optimal well-being and a healthy weight.
Read on for seven things you might think are helping you shed pounds, but could actually be sabotaging your weight loss and hurting your health. If you can drop these harmful habits, you might just become a healthy eater for life.
7. Skipping breakfast. About 10 percent of the U.S. population, or 31 million Americans, skip breakfast, according to a 2011 survey[1] . But according to a recent study from Tel Aviv university, breakfast is indeed the most important meal of the day -- especially for people who want to lose weight. The researchers put 93 obese women into two different groups and instructed them to eat a nutritionally similar diet of 1,400 calories a day. The only difference was that one group made breakfast their biggest meal (at 700 calories) and the second group made dinner their biggest meal (700 calories).
After 12 weeks, the group that had made breakfast their biggest meal lost an average of 18 pounds and three inches from their waist, while the big dinner group only lost seven pounds and 1.4 inches from their waists. Additionally, while both groups lost weight, those in the big dinner group actually had an increase in triglyceride levels, which is linked to heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol, reports Medical News Today[2] .
6. Going on a juice cleanse. Proponents of the juice cleanse claim[3] that going on an all-liquid diet of pressed vegetables, fruits and a small amount of nut milk for days or even weeks will clear your body of toxins, help you drop weight and make your skin glow.
Don't believe the hype, warns the Mayo Clinic[4] . Despite the appearance of hip juice bars in your city and the popularity of juice cleanses among some celebrities, long-term juice cleanses are one of the worst things you can do to your body if you want to shed pounds for good.
The reason? While long-term cleanses will make you lose weight, it's mostly water weight that will boomerang back once you resume your normal eating habits. And it could trigger other health problems, as well, including an out-of-whack metabolism and irritability[5] .
If you genuinely like the feel and taste of liquified vegetables and fruits, then juice away for a meal here or a snack there. But don't juice exclusively for long periods of time, and remember that juicing strips many foods of their fiber and nutrient-rich skins while concentrating the sugar in fruit, warns Glenn D. Braunstein, M.D.[6] of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
5. Filling up on diet soda drinks. It makes sense. Fizzy drinks make you feel full, which could help quell the need to snack. But if you're turning to diet soda drinks for your fix, then you could actually be sabotaging your weight loss.
Drinking diet soda and other artificially sweetened beverages could be linked to weight gain, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure, according to a 2013 analysis of recent studies[7] on artificial sweeteners by Purdue University.
The reason? Your body might be confused by artificial sweeteners, according to lead analyst Susan E. Swithers, Ph.D., a Purdue professor of psychological sciences and a behavioral neuroscientist. Swithers' research suggests that your body's natural ability to manage calories based on tasting sweet things is being seriously toyed with, thanks to the artificial sweeteners in diet sodas. Instead of diet drinks, try plain sparkling water for that fizzy full feeling.
4. Completely cutting out entire food groups. Gluten. Carbs. Sugar. Meat. There is no magic bullet to weight loss, but for some people, elimination diets seem like a quick and easy way to feel in control of their bodies. Unfortunately, for those at risk for disordered eating, some elimination diets can actually just be a mask for eating disorders like anorexia and orthorexia, according to Yahoo! Shine[8] .
The Mayo Clinic defines orthorexia nervosa[9] as an obsession with "eating foods that make them feel pure and healthy," by avoiding things like artificial additives, pesticides, genetic modification, and unhealthy amounts of fat, sugar and salt.
But wait a second! Aren't all those ingredients good things to avoid? Yes -- but some people with the orthorexia could become so obsessed that they eventually "isolate themselves and often become intolerant of other people's views about food and health." Even worse, they could be missing out on key nutrients, especially if they fling themselves into gluten-free or vegan diets by focusing on the foods they can't eat, instead of doing research on the nutritious foods they can eat.
Of course, people who have diagnosed celiac disease must avoid gluten because it damages the small intestine[10] and prevents the body from absorbing nutrients. When people with celiac disease eat gluten, they can suffer from chronic diarrhea, vomiting, constipation and weight loss, according to the National Institutes of Health. But be warned: just because a food is labeled "gluten free," doesn't mean it's healthy for you (check out MensHealth.com[11] for some gluten-free foods loaded with fat and sugar).
3. Opting for low-fat versions. Intuitively, it makes sense: If you want to get rid of body fat, stop eating fat. But research shows that the fat you eat isn't really linked to weight gain and disease, according to the Harvard School of Public Health[12] . Instead, it's the total amount of calories eaten, as well as "bad" fats like trans and saturated fats found in meat and processed foods, that seem to be linked to health problems. HSPH notes that people who go on low-fat diets often end up cutting out the good fats too, like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats found in olive oil and fatty fish.
Not only is fat good for you in moderation, but labels like "low-fat" and "nonfat" actually trick people into eating more, according to a study conducted by the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab[13] . Researchers found that people who saw snack foods with a "low fat" label ate up to 50 percent more than those who ate from bags without the label. Eaters also underestimated the calorie content of "low–fat" M&Ms and granola by 48 percent and 50 percent, respectively -- especially overweight people. Instead of assuming that low-fat or nonfat foods are automatically better for you, read the nutritional labels first. You might just find that low-fat or nonfat versions actually have more sugar or calories than the normal-fat foods.
2. Going hungry. For people who want to lose weight fast, dropping too many calories could actually be an exercise in futility.
A meta-analysis of 31 long-term diets that averaged 1,200 calories a day found that while people lost weight, the vast majority regained it all back within four or five years, reports RealSimple.com[14] . A better strategy would be to estimate the total amount of calories you use in a day, and then shave a small amount off that number.
"If you want to lose weight and keep it off forever, you need a modest calorie restriction that you simply continue and never stop," nutritionist Christopher Gardner told RealSimple.com. For example, if you figure out you need about 2,500 calories a day (using this formula[15] ), simply cutting out 250 calories a day could result in more successful, permanent weight loss over the course of a year than if you had plummeted down to 1,200 calories a day and could only stand to deprive yourself for, say, four months.
1. Thinking about it as a "diet" in the first place. This is the medical truth some weight loss professionals are scared to admit: The vast majority of people who lose weight won't be able to keep it off for good[16] .
But for people who prioritize lifestyle changes over diet, there is hope when it comes to longterm weight loss, according to obesity expert Sherry Pagoto, Ph.D. of the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Pagoto recently published an editorial calling for an end to the diet wars in the Journal of the American Medical Association, pointing out that no diet is better or worse at helping people shed pounds.
"The 'diet' used within a lifestyle intervention can be low-fat, low-carb, etc. It doesn't matter," Pagoto told LiveScience[17] . "Adherence is key, and the way to destroy adherence is forcing foods on someone they do not like, do not know how to prepare, or can't afford."
The faster you understand this, the better your chances are of making small, realistic and sustainable changes that you can carry on for the rest your life, as opposed to adopting dramatic, short-term diets that can ultimately result in an unhealthy cycle of losing and gaining weight.
References
- ^ according to a 2011 survey (www.huffingtonpost.com)
- ^ reports Medical News Today (www.medicalnewstoday.com)
- ^ Proponents of the juice cleanse claim (www.huffingtonpost.ca)
- ^ warns the Mayo Clinic (www.mayoclinic.org)
- ^ out-of-whack metabolism and irritability (www.nytimes.com)
- ^ warns Glenn D. Braunstein, M.D. (www.huffingtonpost.com)
- ^ 2013 analysis of recent studies (www.purdue.edu)
- ^ according to Yahoo! Shine (shine.yahoo.com)
- ^ The Mayo Clinic defines orthorexia nervosa (www.mayoclinic.com)
- ^ damages the small intestine (digestive.niddk.nih.gov)
- ^ MensHealth.com (eatthis.menshealth.com)
- ^ Harvard School of Public Health (www.hsph.harvard.edu)
- ^ Cornell University Food and Brand Lab (foodpsychology.cornell.edu)
- ^ reports RealSimple.com (www.realsimple.com)
- ^ this formula (www.realsimple.com)
- ^ won't be able to keep it off for good (www.nytimes.com)
- ^ Pagoto told LiveScience (www.huffingtonpost.com)
- ^ Send us a tip (www.huffingtonpost.com)
- ^ Send us a photo or video (www.huffingtonpost.com)
- ^ Suggest a correction (www.huffingtonpost.com)
Healthy Halloween Tips From Adventure To Fitness - DigitalJournal.com
New York City, NY (PRWEB) October 30, 2013
On Halloween Eve, NYC-startup firm Adventure to Fitness has five “healthy Halloween tips” for kids and parents to keep in mind this year. The company’s popular series of educational fitness videos[1] are now used by over 90,000 teachers in all 50 states.
“Halloween is the beginning of a generally less-healthy time of the year for kids and adults alike,” stated Michael Rhattigan, Chief Adventure Officer for Adventure to Fitness. “We understand the need for fun - it’s what our program is all about. We want communicate that there are some practical ways to stay healthy during Halloween and the upcoming holiday season that don’t interfere with the fun of the festivities.”
The company distributed the following 5 tips to the more than 8 million kids using the program, and encouraged industry leaders to deliver the message to their audiences as well.
Adventure to Fitness’s 5 Healthy Halloween Tips:
1. Make sure children always walk from house to house. They should never run. Always accompany children while they trick-or-treat, and make sure they wear reflective gear.
2. Do something active each day to counteract holiday treats and sedentary time. Even if the weather is poor, there are always activities you can do inside. Fun fitness videos[2] are a great idea for kids.
3. If trick-or-treating in a city, take stairs instead of elevators. If trick-or-treating in the suburbs, pick a time on the route to have everyone stop and do as many jumping jacks as they can in 1 minute. Make a game out of it and reward the winner (not with candy!).
4. Limit your child’s candy consumption by giving her a weekly limit. This will provide more flexibility while helping children learn to self-limit on a day-to-day basis - a valuable skill to have.
5. Don’t ever take homemade treats from strangers. Respectfully, say no thank you and move on to the next house.
###
About Adventure to Fitness (http://www.adventuretofitness.com[3] )
Adventure to Fitness is an award-winning program that helps millions of children get active and healthy in a fun and engaging way. Each interactive episode is an exciting journey around the globe that integrates physical activity with lessons in health, math, science, social studies, and language arts. The website also provides additional educational activities along with expert recommendations to enhance each child’s experience. Created by leading educators and endorsed by America’s top doctors, the program gets kids moving, learning, and having fun!
Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/10/prweb11266718.htm[4]
References
- ^ Education Fitness Videos (adventuretofitness.com)
- ^ Fun Fitness Videos (adventuretofitness.com)
- ^ http://www.adventuretofitness.com (www.adventuretofitness.com)
- ^ http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/10/prweb11266718.htm (www.prweb.com)
Tips for getting out the door for some foul-weather exercise - The Olympian
Afew days before she ran her 200th marathon this month at Point Defiance Park, I asked Leslie Miller if it was hard to stay active in the outdoors during fall and spring.
I expected the typical outdoor lover’s refrain: “There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad gear.”
Instead, the 33-year-old Seattleite was much more concise: “No.”
She sees the Northwest’s cold and rain this time of year as a blessing, because the climate is hardly ever as harsh as many other areas.
“I prefer nice days, but I’m not going to stop running if it’s rainy,” said Miller, who has run a Washington marathon in each month. “We have a great climate here for running year round.”
Just because you can see your breath when you step outside this time of year, doesn’t mean you have to go running for the gym when you want to exercise.
Here are some tips for keeping your workouts outside during the fall:
1DON’T OVER THINK IT
Outdoor stores are packed with technical gear, much of it quite expensive, designed to keep you comfy and dry in unpleasant weather.
“I just grab a jacket and maybe a hat if it’s raining,” Miller said. “I don’t wear Gore-Tex because you’re going to sweat and get wet on the inside (under your clothes). You don’t need a bunch of those things out there. I think people sometimes over think it.”
2A SIMPLE LIST
You don’t necessarily need the most expensive, cutting edge gear in the latest colors to exercise outside, but there are some good items to have:
Head cover: A hat to keep rain out of your face or a helmet cover, skull cap or cycling beanie to stay warm on your bike. (Important style note: Unless you’re a bike mechanic, cycling beanies should only be worn while you’re riding.)
Glasses: Eye protection is good anytime of year to keep rain and road debris out of your eyes.
Gloves.
Layers: A jacket, pants and base layers are good to have on hand to allow you to layer up on cold days.
Good footwear: Sure maybe your usual running shoes are fine for a 5-mile run in the rain (Especially if you’re not wearing cotton socks try merino wool). But what about a 2-hour bike ride? Shoe covers can help keep your feet warm when you ride.
3TAKE CARE OF YOUR GEAR
Rain and road debris can shorten the life of a bike chain if you don’t take care of it. You can get degreaser, lube and a chain cleaning tool for about $35. Also adding a fender can keep you and the person riding behind you a little drier.
4BE SAFE
If your outdoor exercise takes you to the road to walk, run or bike, make sure you are visible. It can be difficult for motorists to see you on dark, gray days so dress accordingly. Colorful clothes, reflective fabrics, and lights (don’t forget the rear lights) make you easier to spot.
And if your workouts take you on to the trails, keep in mind the days are short and getting shorter. Plan to be done before dark and take a light in case you aren’t.
Give yourself a little extra time in poor weather and remember grates and painted markings on the road can be slippery when wet.
Paul Morrison, owner of Fleet Sports, once gave me some good safety advice that is often overlooked:
“Dogs need to be safe too,” Morrison said.
If you run with a dog, make sure it, too, is wearing something reflective.
5STRETCH
Don’t dash straight from your outdoor workout to the steaming shower. It’s important to stretch after your workout no matter how tempted you are to skip it in favor of getting warm.
6HAVE A PARTNER
For many people, the hardest part about exercising in nasty weather is getting out the door. The idea of leaving the comfort of home or a gym to splash through puddles can be intimidating. A workout buddy can be just the motivator to get you out there.
7FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT
Most people aren’t biking, walking and running outside when the weather gets poor. If you are, you must be tougher than most. Maybe that’s not really true, but if you believe it, then it should be a little easier to convince yourself to exercise outside in the rain and cold.
Craig Hill: 253-597-8497 craig.hill@thenewstribune.com thenewstribune.com/fitness[1] theolympian.com/fitness @AdventureGuys
Blast Fitness plans new location near Park East strip - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (blog)
Blast Fitness Group LLC plans to open a new fitness center just north of downtown Milwaukee's Park East strip.
The new center will open at the end of November at 1300 N. 7th St., said Joe Campion, regional manager for the fitness center chain.
The new facility will replace an older Blast Fitness location at 1237 N. Van Buren St., Campion said. That location is just over one mile from the N. 7th St. building.
Auburndale, Mass.-based Blast Fitness has two other Milwaukee-area locations in Cudahy and West Allis.
The 22,500-square-foot building on N. 7th St. is part of a complex of former industrial buildings, west of N. 6th St. and north of W. McKinley Blvd., that were redeveloped by Milwaukee real estate investor Dan Druml.
The site includes a 45,000-square-foot building, at 1311 N. 6th St., that was leased to Corinthian Colleges Inc., which operated a branch of its for-profit Everest College there before it closed last year.
Milwaukee Area Technical College[1] is now leasing the building, and will use it for classrooms and labs starting in January.
Student health study questions fitness levels - Jackson Clarion Ledger
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Runtastic Story Running and Libra fitness scale unveiled - Android Community
Runtastic[1] has returned with another set of app updates. This latest touches on the free and pro (paid) versions of the regular Runtastic app and is arriving as something called Story Running. We are seeing this touted as being both just for you and as a new way to run. More to the point, Story Running appears to be along the lines of audiobook listening.
Think of running to a story, or sort of guided tour. A visit to the Runtastic website breaks down four of the available listening options. These include stories ranging from adventure and motivation to fantasy and travel. Looking at the adventure as an example and we find one called “The Carrier of Truth, Beyond the Walls of Alcatraz.” This one is a 38-minute story and is arriving with the following in terms of a summary.
“A key, a moment of carelessness, a glimmer of hope. Maybe his only hope. Was it coincidence or destiny? His steps are echoing in the tunnel, suddenly, the noise of dogs barking. Are they at his heels already?”
Anyway, that being said, this new Story Running option can be found in the Runtastic apps as of today. As mentioned, both the free and pro versions have been updated and both can be found in the Play Store. Story Running also has full integration with the Workout mode. Additionally, Pebble and Google+ Sign-In support has also been to the pro version of the app.
Aside from the mobile apps, the folks at Runtastic also have some news on a scale. Specifically, the Libra Scale. This is available for purchase (through Amazon) beginning today and will allow the user to measure eight different items. These include weight and body fat as well as goals, muscle mass, Body Mass Index, body water content, calorie calculation and bone mass.
Along with being able to track eight items, each scale can also track data for eight users. The one catch with the scale, for now the device sync is limited to those with an iPhone. Otherwise, the news of Story Running and the Libra Scale come with word of Runtastic cresting the 50 million download milestone.
SOURCE: Runtastic, PR Newswire[2] [3]
References
- ^ Runtastic (androidcommunity.com)
- ^ Runtastic (www.runtastic.com)
- ^ PR Newswire (www.prnewswire.com)
New fitness center debuts in Liberty - Liberty Tribune
The owners of a new fitness center in Liberty aim to take away the often perceived roadblocks many people experience when it comes to maintaining an active workout routine.
With a focus on family and community involvement, Casey Homoly, Austin Walsh and their partner Heath Burch kicked off the opening of CrossFit Establish at 640 Haines Drive at the beginning of October. In just 24 days, the business added 74 new members, mostly by word-of-mouth. Memberships are continuing to grow with area sport teams contributing to the mix, Walsh said.
CrossFit gyms are located worldwide, but each location has the flexibility to customize its programs based on the goals and interests of the community it serves. With a team of certified instructors, the Liberty Crossfit works with people on all levels of fitness.
The 9,000-square-foot facility features what one might expect to encounter at a gym: weights. But there is also a professional batting cage, indoor turf for soccer practice, rowing equipment and a yoga studio that is heated to 85 degrees during classes, which are scheduled throughout the week and conducted by least five different instructors.
“It’s a place for all things fitness,” said Walsh, a 2000 graduate of Liberty High School.
Homoly and Walsh met a couple of years ago at another CrossFit location. As their friendship grew, so did their desire to open their own facility that would apply the CrossFit approach from all angles.
The facility is more than just a place to get in a good workout, Homoly said. Because class sizes are small, usually 10 to 15 people, everyone gets to know one another. That creates an atmosphere for sharing ideas on a variety of health topics like exercise and nutrition.
“It’s not like standing around alone in a weight room,” said Walsh. “You get to know people after a few workouts.”
Unique to CrossFit Establish is pre- and post-natal yoga classes, taught by Registered Nurse Jessica Dold, who has seven years of neonatal intensive care and post-partum care experience.
The facility is already in use by youth baseball and soccer teams that are expected to take advantage of the facility’s open space during the winter months. Team discounts are available.
“Sports have become so competitive, (teams) want a place to play indoors so they can be ahead of the curve,” Walsh said.
“Being in Liberty, we’re family focused,” Homoly said. “We all have small kids, so we’ve made it a safe, friendly place for kids to come.”
Standard CrossFit memberships run $125 per month. For those not ready to commit to an annual membership, a pay-as-you go punch card is available for classes.
As the population continues to grow around Liberty, Homoly and Walsh say their location on the city’s west side will be invaluable for residents who want a fitness center nearby. Having to travel several miles to get to the gym can be a deterrent for some people, Homoly said.
“We’re glad to be in the neighborhood,” he said.
Liberty Editor Stacy Burt can be reached at 389-6630 or stacy.burt@libertytribune.com.
© 2013 LibertyTribune.com . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.[1]
References
- ^ © 2013 LibertyTribune.com . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. (www.libertytribune.com)
Yoga Could Improve Lung Function In People With COPD - Huffington Post
Three months of yoga classes could help people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) breathe easier, a small new study suggests.
Twenty-nine people with COPD were trained in yoga, meditation and relaxation techniques[1] twice a week for four weeks, and then one hour a week every two weeks over the next eight weeks. Their lung functioning, inflammation, quality of life and breathing were all evaluated at the beginning of the study, and then at the end of the 12 weeks.
Researchers found that there were improvements in all of these categories after the 12-week period.
"We found that yoga can be a simple, cost-effective method that can help improve quality of life in patients with COPD," study researcher Randeep Guleria, M.D., a professor and the head of the pulmonary medicine and sleep disorder department at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, said in a statement.
The findings were presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians[2] , and have yet to be published in a peer-reviewed journal; as such, they should be regarded as preliminary.
Currently, COPD is the third leading cause of death[3] in the U.S., according to the American Lung Association. Estimates show that nearly 13 million American adults had COPD in 2011. The condition -- which gets worse with time -- can trigger coughing, shortness of breath and mucus production, and is most often caused by smoking[4] .
Also on HuffPost:
References
- ^ trained in yoga, meditation and relaxation techniques (nqa.org)
- ^ presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians (2013.chestmeeting.chestnet.org)
- ^ third leading cause of death (www.lung.org)
- ^ most often caused by smoking (www.nhlbi.nih.gov)
- ^ Send us a tip (www.huffingtonpost.com)
- ^ Send us a photo or video (www.huffingtonpost.com)
- ^ Suggest a correction (www.huffingtonpost.com)