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!

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 09!

December 4, 2008

Vermont’s strengths include ranking in the top five states for a high rate of high school graduation, a low violent crime rate, a low percentage of children in poverty, high per capita public health funding, ready access to primary care, low geographic disparity of mortality rates within the state and a low premature death rate. In addition, Vermont had a smoking rate that was 17.6% less than the national average of 20%.

Vermont was followed by Hawaii, New Hampshire, Minnesota, Utah, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Idaho and Maine.

At the bottom of the list at # 50 was Louisiana. It ranks in the bottom five states based on a high prevalence of obesity, a high percentage of children in poverty, a high rate of uninsured population, a high incidence of infectious disease, a low rate of high school graduation and many preventable hospitalizations.

The report also states that after a decade of robust gains, America’s health has leveled off and may be poised to take a plunge. Not great news - but as individuals you can do a lot to maintain your own health so start by eating healthy, exercising, and not smoking.

Where do you live? Check your state’s health ranking as well as others.  The entire report is available online.

November 24, 2008

In 1621 the Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast which is now known as the first Thanksgiving. The truth about the first meal may surprise you. Contrary to popular belief, they didn’t sit down to a meal featuring turkey,corn, cranberries, and pumpkin pie (in fact, they didn’t even eat with forks!).

What Was Actually on the Menu?

Historians aren’t completely certain about the full bounty, but it’s safe to say the pilgrims weren’t gobbling up pumpkin pie or playing with their mashed potatoes. Following is a list of the foods that were available to the colonists  at the time of the 1621 feast. However, the only two items that historians know for sure were on the menu are venison and wild fowl.

Foods That May Have Been on the Menu:

Seafood: Cod, Eel, Clams, Lobster

Wild Fowl: Wild Turkey, Goose, Duck, Crane, Swan, Partridge, Eagles

Meat: Venison, Seal

Grain: Wheat Flour, Indian Corn

Vegetables: Pumpkin, Peas, Beans, Onions, Lettuce, Radishes, Carrots

Fruit: Plums, Grapes

Nuts: Walnuts, Chestnuts, Acorns

Herbs and Seasonings: Olive Oil, Liverwort, Leeks, Dried Currants, Parsnips

What Was Not on the Menu

Surprisingly, the following foods, all considered staples of the modern Thanksgiving  meal, didn’t appear on the pilgrims’s first feast table:

Ham: There is no evidence that the colonists had butchered a pig by this time, though they had brought pigs with them from England.

Sweet Potatoes/Potatoes: These were not common.

Corn on the Cob: Corn was kept dried out at this time of year.

Cranberry Sauce: The colonists had cranberries but no sugar at this time.

Pumpkin Pie: Wasn’t a recipe that exists at this point, though the pilgrims had recipes for stewed pumpkin.

Chicken/Eggs: We know that the colonists brought hens with them from England, but it’s unknown how many they had left or whether the hens were still laying.

Milk: No cows had been aboard the Mayflower, though it’s possible that the colonists used goat milk to make cheese.

Talkin’ Turkey

Today, the holidays are a time to reflect on the bounty of nature and, more importantly, pig out with family and friends. How do you enjoy the great spread, especially the desserts, without giving up your game? [+]

Olympic swimmer Amanda Beard captured her first gold medal when she was just 14 years old, making U.S. swimming history as the second-youngest gold medalist ever. She competed in her second Olympics in 2004 in Athens and is heading to Beijing for the 2008 Games. At the height of her training, she’s in the pool four-plus hours a day. Find out how Shape Magazine helped get her hair back in peak condition.

You may not be in the water four or more hours a day - but if you’re a swimmer, you know the potential hair care problems.

The sun, coupled with chlorinated water, makes swimmers hair dry, brittle and in need of serious attention. For anyone who spends long hours in an outdoor pool, it’s critical to rehydrate the hair. It’s also a good idea to avoid overlayering too much to reduce exposure to lots of ends which eventually will split and look dull and frizzy.

In a quick search for great hair care advice, we came across some common hair-care myths. For example, do frequent trims make hair grow faster? No. Does switching shampoos make your hair healthier? No. Is brushing your hair 100 strokes each night good for your hair? No.

We also found out about some budget-friendly haircare products that can be purchased at the drugstore. These include Garnier Fructis Leave-In Conditioning Cream and Neutrogena Triple Moisture Deep Recovery Hair Mask.

Redbook offers some surprising ways you might be taxing your tresses — along with easy fixes.  Outdoor elements (wind, cool temperatures) can be rough even for dry hair but when hair is wet, it’s actually more fragile and susceptible to breakage so beware.

Once you get your hair in great shape, you have to decide whether to wear it hair up or down. Marie Claire taps some beauty pros who share what’s absolutely essential to sport each look.

Pretty Tough Tip
Here’s our advice: If you’re a swimmer and chlorine tends to turn your hair green, try squirting lemon juice in your hair. Let it soak in for about two minutes then rinse out in the shower. No guarantees but it’s worked for us!

• 1. No Run Sunscreen - Use a stick or spray sunscreen on your face instead of a cream to block harmful rays from ruining your skin and to avoid sunscreen from running into your eyes. (Editors Note: Also check out our own Xtreme Screen (R) Sun Defense - greaseless, water-resistant and fragrance-free)
• 2. Glare Beware -  Eye black strips block sun glare from messing with your game. Try the strips instead of the grease to avoid a mess.
• 3. Hats On - A visor or hat not only blocks the sun from beating on your face, but it also absorbs sweat from rolling into your eyes.
• 4. Under Armor - Developed by a college football player, Under Armor uses advanced technology to keep athletes cool and dry by keeping sweat off your skin. 
• 5. H2O - Yes, a water bottle is essential when it’s hot, but the right water bottle is key. Choose a water bottle that will keep your drink cool for hours at a time. The Polar Bottle is one that gets good ratings.
• 6. Pack a Rag - Toss a rag or towel in your bag. When you’re sizzling, try this. Dip the rag in cool water and place it behind your neck. Instant relief.
• 7. Attention Catchers - Since catchers wear the most gear, you must pay special attention to the heat. In between innings, cool off with water, a cold rag, and find some shade. Also, take off your equipment when you can so you don’t over heat. 

 What do you do to stay cool? 

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.

(more…)

Besides the sport of roller derby providing aerobic activity, it also provides the benfefits of muscle toning, strengthening and not to mention some nice bruises to show off to your friends and family.

Key benefits of roller skating:

• Low-impact exercise for joints
• High caloric burn
• Aerobically as good as jogging or cycling
• Involves all the major muscle groups
• Mentally uplifting

Where and when to roller skate:

• Roller rinks
• Parks and paved exercise pathways
• As a way to regain strength after an injury
• When you find exercise boring
• Winter or any day it’s impossible to exercise outdoors

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. (more…)