Healthy tips!

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Ask the Expert: Can You Be Overweight and Healthy?

By Denis Faye

The Short Answer:

There are always anomalies, but generally, the answer is no. The laundry list of ailments that accompany excess body fat grows every day: type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, and on and on.

Mind you, I'm not talking about a few extra pounds. You can be healthy as a horse without a six-pack or that little gap skinny women have between their thighs when they wear boy shorts. If you eat a nutritious, varied diet and exercise regularly, you may not be as thin as the bikini model who lives across the street, but you're fine. Healthy comes in all shapes and sizes—except maybe XXXL.

The Long Answer:

Before considering the science, consider the common sense. Being overweight or obese means you're lugging extra pounds around. If it's just a matter of five or six lbs. over your ideal weight, then it's not that big of a deal. It's kind of like spending all your time with a backpack filled with textbooks. But once you go beyond that, you're putting a lot of strain on your body. Imagine carrying around a 50-lb. dumbbell all day, every day. It's almost as though you're forcing your body into a perpetual state of overtraining. That extra weight puts pressure on your joints, which can lead to arthritis. It also puts extra pressure on your cardiovascular system, which can lead to heart complications.

Then, there's the question of diet. Overweight people tend to eat too many calories—and those calories are often heavy on the refined carbs and "bad" fats. Both of these substances can cause a buildup of plaque on arteries. Refined carbs can also cause insulin resistance, leading to type 2 diabetes.

There are also the other illnesses that, according to the National Institute of Health, are statistically higher in heavier people, including colon, breast, endometrial, and gallbladder cancers, sleep apnea, and gallstones.

The "fit and fat" debate hit the spotlight last January when a meta-review in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA)came out claiming that overweight people lived longer than skinny people. Advocates of the overweight lifestyle, or "fatvocates," took to the streets singing the praises of the study.

Much of the media glossed over the fact that the JAMA study made a distinction between "obese" and "overweight." Overweight people with a body mass index (BMI) between 25 and 29 were the ones who supposedly lived longer. "Grade 1" obese people with a BMI between 30 and 34 fared the same as normal-weight people. People with a BMI of 35 or more had the highest risk of death of anyone.

Unfortunately (for overweight people), the review turned out to be flawed and spent the rest of 2013 being roundly criticized. The Center for Science in the Public Interest reported on a number of flaws in their newsletter Nutrition Action. The study didn't account for smokers, who tend to be thinner. It didn't account for people with cancer, dementia, or emphysema; all who tend to lose weight. It also didn't account for age, and people tend to lose weight before they die of old age–related illnesses. So people can become thin—too thin—when they're sick or dying, but that doesn't mean being thin was the cause of death. Not accounting for this threw off the numbers.

Next, the Canadians jumped into the fray, releasing their own meta-review that accounted for people with metabolic syndrome—a group of conditions that includes high blood pressure, high blood sugar levels, dodgy cholesterol, and excess abdominal fat. These put you at higher risk for heart disease and diabetes. They found that metabolically unhealthy people were at risk regardless of weight. However, when they looked at people without metabolic issues, they found that obese ones had a higher risk of death.

Healthy overweight and healthy normal-sized people had the same level of risk. However, overweight people had slightly higher metabolic markers (for instance, slightly higher blood pressure) and this indicated a greater chance of complications down the road.

And, of course, there are other studies such as the National Cancer Institute's research in The New England Journal of Medicine, which crunched its own numbers and discovered that, among nonsmokers, normal-weight people had a much better chance of living when compared to even mildly overweight people.

To sum all this up, if you're obese, you should really do something about it because multiple studies have confirmed that you're more susceptible to the shopping list of sicknesses listed above. But if you're just a little overweight, you may or may not be in trouble; it depends on who you want to believe.

But as much as I'm a crusader for wellness-inspired weight loss, one flaw with all these studies is that they're based on BMI, which is a faulty measurement. Given it's a simple height/weight ratio, most bodybuilders—not to mention athletes in other sports requiring serious muscle—would be considered obese.

Or take me. I'm 5' 11", 160 pounds. My BMI is 23, which puts me right in the middle of "normal." However, I also have about 9% body fat, which is considerably below "normal." According to the American Council on Exercise, 14–17% is a "fitness" level and 18–24% is "normal." If I'd added that amount of fat to my frame, my BMI would classify me as overweight, maybe even obese.

So you need to take all this science with a grain of salt.

If your BMI is 30+, your waistline is on or near to 35 inches (for women) or 40 inches (for men), and you don't know a barbell from a kettlebell, then you're probably obese and headed for trouble. Otherwise, use your common sense as a guide.

Does your blood work come back sparkling? Do you eat a diet that's primarily veggies and fruits, followed by whole grains, lean proteins, and good fats? Do you eat little or no added sugar, processed food, and fried food? Do you work out or get some serious exercise at least 4 times a week? Do you feel good in your body? If you can answer "yes" to these things, you're probably at a good weight—and if you're not, you'll get there soon enough.
Learn more about the Beachbody Challenge, and get started on YOUR fitness journey: http://kellyr.AutomaticCEO.com/go10

Join my GROWING Team! http://kellyr.automaticceo.com/
Subscribe ▶https://www.youtube.com/user/espoir6180
Facebook ▶ http://facebook.com/kellyricard
Twitter ▶ http://twitter.com/kellyricard
Pinterest ▶ http://pinterest.com/kellyricard/
Instagram ▶ http://instagram.com/espoir6180

http://www.teambeachbody.com/about/newsletters/-/nli/315#401718198

Monday, July 14, 2014

5 Reasons You Should Walk More

By Zack Zeigler

More than one-third of the adults in the United States are obese, according to the eggheads at Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). And, over the years, that number hasn't been getting better…it's been getting worse. And obesity can lead to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and much more.

But, taking a daily walk can help you stay in shape—and if you are obese or overweight, it's a low-impact way to ease into exercise. If you combine your daily jaunt with sensible dietary substitutions, like consuming fewer simple carbs and replacing soda with water, the walk can be surprisingly beneficial for weight loss. On top of that, walking can also elevate mood and alleviate stress. But that's not all.

Here are 5 more reasons you should take a walk.

1. Walking Aids Digestion
According to research that appeared in The New York Times, a post-meal walk can aid digestion and control blood sugar levels. Alternatively, physically moving away from the dinner table eliminates the possibility of going back for seconds, thirds, or nineteenths.

2. Walking Is Good For Your Bones
You won't bulk up your quads, hammys, or glutes in the same manner you would by performing load-bearing exercises like barbell squats or deadlifts, but walking still builds strength.

"Walking strengthens the legs and core, and improves cardiovascular fitness," says Lisa Lynn, PT, FT, a specialist in performance nutrition. "In fact, walking strengthens the bones better than biking, swimming, or elliptical training."

Just a friendly tip: Avoid texting while walking. Researchers found that walking texters or readers were found to have shoddy balance. Stumbling into oncoming traffic while texting increases your odds of having all 206 bones in your body smashed into bits. Plus, you might also dent the person's car.

3. Walking Is Low Impact

Sometimes our bodies need a break from demanding exercises like burpees, rock star hops, and jump squats. But taking a time out from high-impact movements doesn't give you permission to become a loafer.

When your goal is to lose weight aim to walk for 20 minutes per day, suggests Lynn. If your diet isn't as clean as it should be (put those Funyuns down right this second!), boost your walking time up to an hour per day. "We're supposed to be getting 10,000 steps daily," Lynn recommends, "so how long you walk really depends on how active you are and how much you sit."

And on the topic of sitting, use some of those steps to stand up and walk around a little at least once an hour. Prolonged time on your posterior isn't healthy.

4. Walking Can Improve Your Mood
Sitting all day under florescent lights, dealing with annoying emails and TPS reports as you watch your lunch hour blow past can be both infuriating and stressful. So, go for a walk. Assuming you're not walking through a methane garden, the new stimuli and fresh air you encounter during a walk can help calm you down and prevent you from Hulking up on your coworkers.

"A walk is a great way to clear your head and serve as a form of meditation for today's anxious society," Lynn explains. "It's a fast way to boost mood…and a great way to detox both mentally and physically."

5. Walking Cures Laziness
There's no excuse not to take a walk. "When you don't feel up to the hardcore, overzealous exercise, walking is a huge victory," adds Lynn. "Walking keeps our bodies pliable and our joints and muscles loose and in working order. I tell my clients that if you rest you'll rust, but you won't if you walk!"

Friday, July 11, 2014

Three Powerful Tools for Losing Weight

By Rebecca Swanner

Losing weight—and keeping it off—isn't always easy. Just ask Jessica W. and Andy A., the two Grand Prize Winners of the 2012–2013 Beachbody Challenge™ Contest.

Though their journeys—and the workout programs they followed (Andy worked out regularly with INSANITY®, while Jessica became a LES MILLS PUMP devotee) were different, they each lost nearly half of their body weight and won $100,000 for their efforts.

Woman Measuring Her Stomach and a Scale Showing almost 140 pounds

Of course, getting great results like this requires more than just buying a workout program. (If that were the case, it wouldn't really be achallenge, would it?) It takes hard work, commitment, a healthy eating plan—and a few secret weapons.
Here are a few of the tricks that helped push our winners across the finish line.

They Had a Support System

Whether it's your family, a workout buddy, friends on the Message Boards, or your Team Beachbody® Coach, having someone you can lean on when you're struggling can make all the difference between making it and giving up. Ideally, you can rope in your cousin, sibling, or BFF to take the journey with you. That way, you'll support each other.

You can also log on to the Team Beachbody Message Boards, where you'll find FREE advice and inspiration. In addition to the inspiring board community, our expert Advice Staff is available to answer all of your fitness or nutrition questions.

Finally, there's your Team Beachbody Coach, who will always be there when the going gets tough. Jessica's Coach is also her best friend, so you can imagine how integral she was to her success. And, Andy's Coach, even though he lives over 3,000 miles away, made sure to check in on him regularly and made sure that he was on the right track. "My Coach Hiram S. is an example of willpower," says Andy. "Nothing is impossible, and he has proven that. He pushed me to reach my goal."

They Kept Track of Their Habits

Fruit, Juice, Tablet and a Tape Measurer

How many calories do you think you ate today? 1,500? 2,000? 3,500? No idea? When you don't follow a meal plan or track the foods you eat, it's hard to pinpoint how many calories you're eating and if you need to adjust those numbers to gain, lose, or maintain your weight. Consistently, studies show that when you log your food, you are up to twice as likely to lose weight.1 Measure your portions and record everything you eat, and you'll see results soon enough.

The same goes for your workouts. This might be as simple as tacking the calendar that comes with most of our programs to your wall and crossing off the days as you go. Or of you want get serious about it, the SuperGym® allows you to track your workouts—whether they're P90X, INSANITY, LES MILLS PUMP, or another workout including running, yoga, tennis, and many others. Why does logging your workout matter? As Jessica explains, "Logging my workouts daily on the website was a great tool. It made me feel so accomplished when I could hit the 'submit' button." The positive feedback and the accountability helped keep her moving toward her goal.

They Added Supplements to Their Diet

While a solid, nutritious diet including fresh fruits, veggies, lean protein, and "good" fats goes a long way toward helping anyone reach their fitness goals, sometimes you need to hedge your bets a little. That's where supplementation comes in.

When you're eating at a calorie deficit, you might not be able to get all the vitamins and minerals you need in a day. A good multivitamin such as ActiVit® (as taken by Andy) acts as a nutrient safety net, making sure you get what you need to stay strong.

And then there's Shakeology, which serves triple duty as a safety net, a meal replacement, and a healthy way to teach your sweet tooth who's boss. Andy, who used to "spend long hours eating," found that Shakeology helped him gain control over his overall eating habits. For Jessica, Shakeology came first. In just 11 days, she lost 11 pounds and that gave her the jump start and confidence boost she needed.

Now that you know their secrets and how to make them work for you, it's time to take a look at their incredible "before" and "after" photos!

Learn more about the Beachbody Challenge, and get started on YOUR fitness journey: http://kellyr.AutomaticCEO.com/go10

http://www.teambeachbody.com/about/newsletters/-/nli/291#304390256

15 Great Road Trip Foods under 200 Calories

By Rebecca Swanner

The car is packed, the kids are happily occupied in the backseat, and you're ready to hit the road. But, when stomachs start rumbling, what's the plan? To stop you from making a pit stop at a greasy spoon or swinging through a drive-thru, we've pulled together a list of 15 road trip foods that will keep those hunger pangs at bay—and your car not full of detritus. And, most of them can be taken on a plane as well!

1. Fruit

Fruit's fiber and high water content will help keep you full and hydrated as you travel. But, unless you want a messy car, it's best that you either choose fruit that doesn't have a stem, a pit, or an outside covering—namely, blueberries, figs, and grapes—or prepare fruit ahead of time and place it into Tupperware® containers. Strawberries, banana slices, peaches, and nectarines are great for this.
Calories per serving: 85–105

2. Kale Krunch™

I discovered this when I was doing P90X earlier this year. They're low in calories, high in vitamin A, and totally addictive. Plus, they're flavored with ingredients like organic olive oil and organic chia seeds. They are a little on the expensive side though, so if you want to make your own make these Kale Chips, chop them into bite-sized morsels, and pop them in a Tupperware or Ziploc® bag.
Calories per serving: 110

3. A Better Nut Butter and Jelly

The trouble with most sandwiches is that they require a cooler . . . unless you like eating warm chicken salad. Peanut (or any nut, frankly) butter and jelly is one that doesn't. Make it with whole-grain bread (my personal favorite is Ezekiel 4:9®), an all-natural nut butter, and all-natural fruit spread like St. Dalfour® to up the health factor.
Calories per 1/2 sandwich: 150 (varies depending on ingredients)

4. Shakeology® Packets

Want to take your Shakeology on the road? Just mix a single-serving Shakeology packet (available in Chocolate, Vanilla, Greenberry, Chocolate Vegan, and Tropical Strawberry) with water and shake!
Calories per serving: 160–170

5. Eggs

You might find the idea of taking eggs with you on the road a little odd, but hard-boiled eggs are great for a quick power-up. Plus, they're loaded with B vitamins, which may help keep tempers cool on long trips.
Calories per serving: 78

6. Homemade Energy Bars

The bulk of prepackaged bars sold at gas stations or convenience stores are loaded with sugar, preservatives, and empty calories. These homemade bars can be made in minutes and contain only good-for-you ingredients like fruit and nuts.
Calories per serving: 124

7. Nuts

Nuts are highly caloric, but they're also high in healthy omega-3 fats and travel well. Choose raw, unsalted nuts like almonds or walnuts that don't require you to dispose of a shell.
Calories per serving: 130–180

8. Spiced Nuts

Deepen the flavor of nuts by roasting them with spices. This recipe that combines cinnamon, cayenne, and cumin with a touch of honey will keep you away from the store-bought trail mix.
Calories per serving: 120

9. Baby Carrots

Maybe we're weird, but we think baby carrots are fun to eat, and they don't make a mess! They're sweet on their own, or you can combine them with hummus for a yummy, crunchy treat.
Calories per serving: 30

10. Split Pea Crisps

Peas are really good for you thanks to their fiber and vitamins A and C. But, good luck getting your kids to eat them on a road trip. Unless . . . you disguise them as a crunchy snack. These split pea crisps from Whole Living® combine peas with just a touch of olive oil and salt.
Calories per serving: 55

11. Other Vegetables

It's a classic for a reason. Slice up your favorite veggies—snap peas, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and celery all travel well—and pop them into a sealable container. Persian cucumbers are also a yummy single-serving snack.
Calories per serving: Less than 20

12. Dried Fruit

On day 2 of the road trip, when you've run out of regular fruit, try dried fruit. It's higher in calories by volume than fresh fruit, so just be mindful of how much you eat and look for options without sulfites, but it's better for you than a candy bar. Or a Fruit Roll-Up®.
Calories per serving: About 150

13. PopChips®

This is probably the least healthy option on this list since they're made with potato flour and not whole potatoes, but you could do a lot worse. Plus, they're a Tony Horton–approved road trip snack. Original PopChips contain just potatoes, salt, a touch of rice flour, and oil, so you can feel like you're snacking on chips without loading your body up with who knows what.
Calories per serving: 120

14. Spicy Baked Chickpeas

Chickpeas, garbanzo beans, little weird things that come in a can . . . whatever you call them, these little nuggets of goodness are high in fiber and will help keep you full. Try this road-friendly recipe for them.
Calories per 1/4 cup: About 200

15. Seeds

Though high in calories, seeds are high in heart-healthy magnesium and protein. Plus, cracking pumpkin or sunflower seeds open will keep your hands (if you're not driving!) and your mind busy while you're on the road. They can be high in sodium, so just take a look at the sodium levels or consider roasting your own.
Calories per 1/4 cup: About 160

Questions about your workout program, diet, the latest newsletter, or anything wellness related? Check the Team Beachbody Chat Room for the next impromptu video chat. Or, if you just can't wait, log onto the Information & Education section of the Team Beachbody Message Boards for questions, answers, and scintillating conversation.

Monday, July 7, 2014

The Best Workout for Those With Bad Knees

"What's a good workout if you have bad knees?" – Martha W.

The Short Answer:

"Bad knees" is a broad term, but in general, the more you can work your knees, the stronger they will get. Unfortunately, this turns into a Catch-22 when your knees hurt during exercise. You need to exercise to relieve the pain, but the pain is caused by exercise.

The key is patience. Seek expert medical advice and follow the rehab exercises they give you. Then, when you're ready, return to your regularly scheduled activity, following the advice of your therapist. If that activity happens to be a Beachbody® program, you'll find additional advice below.

The Long Answer:

Here's a five-step rehabilitation plan to help with those aching knees.

Step 1 – Talk to your doctor. Some doctors, whether through laziness or fear of liability, shell out advice akin to "if it hurts, don't do it." Unfortunately, most of us have knee pain at some point in life. If we don't work through it, the situation gets worse.

Regardless of your doc's optimism, your rehabilitation begins with a diagnosis. That's why you need a doctor. Whether your knee pain is debilitating or just nagging, it's well worth your time to find out exactly what is going on. The alternative solution is trial and error—and that can make your knees worse.

Step 2 – Do your rehab. No matter what your problem is, your doctor will recommend some physical therapy (PT). Like doctors, some PTs are better than others, but do what they say regardless. Even archaic protocols shouldn't hurt you. A good PT will just push you harder and take you further. Either way, you must do your PT before moving on. I know, it's boring (everyone says this), but if you're serious about fixing your knee issues you need to take this step seriously. It's the foundation for everything else!

Step 3 – Think holistically. Most chronic knee problems don't begin with your knee. Unless you've had an acute injury, most knee (and back) pain radiate from imbalances in your pelvic girdle (your hips). The simple exercises and stretches in these videos should be incorporated into your regimen as soon as you're cleared from your PT. Hopefully, they're similar to what you've been doing with your therapist.

Video:Gluteus Medius: Activation and Strengthening Exercises

Video:Back and Hip, Prehab/Rehab: Psoas Stretching

Step 4 – Assess your doctor's clearance advice. This is where the steps diverge, as all knee issues are not the same. Eliminating knee pain follows a "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" rationale, meaning that the more you're able to handle training-wise, the quicker and more effective your comeback will be. Along with that advice, however, is the more important logic that you don't want to reinjure your knee. That is first and foremost, and should dictate all of your actions.

For simplicity sake, we'll use the two most-common diagnoses: 1) You are cleared for any activity, and 2) Avoid anything that puts excessive stress on your knees, like running.

Step 5, part A – If you are "cleared for any activity." Congrats! Go start exercising! However, if you want to make sure this doesn't happen again, I strongly recommend a round of P90X2®, by far Beachbody's most effective workout program for knee issues. It's designed around protocols used to keep professional athletes on the field—and keeping knees healthy is the biggest challenge they face. The program targets stabilization, especially in the hip area, and building a super-solid foundation.

Whether or not you're fit enough for X2 is a different discussion. It has an extremely modified version (hotel room modifications), so you can do the program if you aren't super-fit, but it's still very advanced. If you're in reasonable shape, this would be your go-to. If you are unsure, try the P90X® Fit Test, which you'll find here. If you can handle P90X, you should be fine with P90X2.

If you can't do the Fit Test, start with an easier program (see below). Body weight is stress for your knees, and losing extra weight will function in the same way as making your body stronger. So even if you're cleared for anything, if you have a lot of weight to lose, pretend you're cleared for limited activity.

Test H3

Step 5, part B – If you are "cleared for limited activity." Again, congratulations! (Sort of.) This diagnosis usually happens after an acute injury or for those who've ignored pain for years and lost knee cartilage. You still have the same biomechanical goals of stabilizing your body, but you have to be more careful about how you do it.

Almost any Beachbody entry program might be right for building knee strength in this situation, depending on the severity of your condition. The rule to think on is this: Whatever you do that doesn't make you worse, makes you better. So every time you finish a workout without pain, or pain worse than you already have (if you're at a constant dull level of pain but still cleared to move), you're improving your ability to eliminate the pain altogether. Also, every pound you lose is less stress on your knees, which will help lessen strain, and, thus, pain. So watch your diet, and move as much as you can. Your body will respond in kind.

Here's a rundown and synopsis of some options to consider, from easiest to hardest.

Tai Cheng®– This is a great mobility and stabilization program that almost anyone can do. Downside is that it won't burn many calories or quickly change your body composition. Upside is that, no matter who you are, it will improve your knee issues.

21 Day Fix® – Currently, Beachbody's best entry-level, knee-friendly program for those who need to lose some weight. While there is some jumping in this program, and even a "plyo" workout, there are always modifiers you can follow.

Hip Hop Abs® – This predecessor to INSANITY® takes jumping out of the equation, combining basic hip hop (you don't need to know how to dance) and a lot of ab and hip work in the entry-level weight loss program.

Brazil Butt Lift® – There is some light jumping, and a lot of squatting, but if you can handle it, this program focuses on your butt and hips and greatly improves the stability of your pelvic girdle. This makes your body "track" better, reducing the strain on your knees.

Body Beast® – Controlled weight training is a great way to change your body composition without putting a lot of stress on your knees. If you want to lose weight, don't follow the "bodybuilding" focus of the nutrition guide. You can both lose weight and strengthen your knees effectively pumping iron with Sagi.

PiYo® – Chalene Johnson's combination of yoga and Pilates is great for hip stability and core strength, both vital for combating knee pain, making it a good choice for those who don't have specific ACL/MCL (or lateral) knee issues, as there is a lot of twisting at speed.

P90X3® – While it's a hard program, you can modify every move in every workout and have it serve as an effective entry point. This program, like X2, builds a super-solid foundation. It lacks the specified stabilization movements (because it doesn't use stability balls) but that also makes it a bit easier to adapt to.

For more information please visit my website:Kelly's Home Page

Thursday, July 3, 2014

10 Ways to Stay Fit While Traveling

By Kim Kash

When you travel, do you leave your healthy habits at home? On business trips, it's easy to overdo it with carb-fest lunches and expense account dinners, sedentary meetings, and late nights at the hotel bar. (It's networking, right?) And pleasure trips are all about cutting loose, living it up. But do you really want to return home feeling worse than when you left?

A far more satisfying way to travel is to stay active, and fuel your body and mind with all the things that keep it running at its best. Try just a few changes in your travel habits and you'll be sharper and more effective on business trips, and more alert, comfortable, and energetic on vacation.

1. Bring fitness DVDs for your laptop.

If you're on the road for business, then you're probably carrying your laptop. Throw a fitness DVD or two into the computer bag, and pop one in first thing each morning. Do a quick workout early, and notice how much easier it is to resist the temptations of the breakfast buffet.

However, if you're on vacation, skip the computer. Aren't you trying to get away from it all? Leave the laptop and all that seated screen time back at home. Your eyes, back, and wrists need a holiday too.

2. Explore the local area on foot.

If you really want to get a feel for an area, the best way to see it is by walking. (Unless you're in Los Angeles. Nobody walks in LA.) If you're on a business trip, try to schedule it so that you can walk to at least some of your meetings.

Skip the cab unless you're late, it's raining like crazy, or your destination is more than a mile or two away. And steer clear of tour buses, unless there is really no other way to visit a particular sight.

Also, avoid the hotel dining room in the morning. Instead, walk to a nearby breakfast place. You'll probably get a more satisfying meal at half the cost. You'll also see some street life on the way—businesses opening their doors, sidewalks getting swept, locals waiting for the bus or hurrying to work.

3. Use the hotel gym.

Some people thrive on routine. If you have a regular gym schedule that's working for you, then continue it while you're away. Keep your healthy habit going, and it won't be a struggle to get back to it when you return home. Most hotels have some sort of gym or exercise facility. Even if it's just a basement room with a couple of stationary bikes—use it!

At the other extreme, you may find that your hotel has a big, glamorous gym with machines you've never used before. It's like being a kid at a new playground! Schedule a session with a personal trainer to learn how to use the stuff, and experience your workout as a novelty, a pleasure. The hotel might also have a great sauna or steam room, and maybe they offer spa services that are new to you. Bodywork is definitely a part of keeping fit and healthy. Schedule a Thai massage, or some other kind of therapy that sounds interesting.

Travel is about experiencing the new and the novel. Apply this attitude to your exercise routine as well, and you'll find that even your same old workout in a new setting can be a treat.

4. Take the stairs.

This one's easy. Never, ever take the elevator, unless you're schlepping luggage. No excuses. It doesn't matter how many flights up your room is. In fact, book a high floor. Better views from the room, and more calories burned to get there!

5. Discover local fitness activities.

Whatever your destination, there's probably some kind of sport or physical activity that's popular in the area. Go skiing, hiking, bouldering, or climbing if you're in the mountains. At the beach, take a surfing lesson, or boogie board, or at least get off your beach blanket and actually swim in the ocean. Those are the obvious ones, but think of others. Near a river or lake? Spend an afternoon canoeing, sailing, or rafting.

In urban parks, there are inevitably pickup games of soccer, ultimate frisbee, and basketball. Big cities are also rife with climbing gyms, martial arts dojos, a million yoga emporiums, and even dance studios. Think how much more fun your museum day would be if you capped it off with a salsa lesson!

6. Rent a bike.

Most major European cities—and an increasing number of American ones—have "smart bike" arrangements, with checkout stations all over town that allow users to pick up a bicycle in one location and drop it off in another. These are great for urban commuters, but are also ideal for tourists, since the services tend to be located in the busiest core of cities. Get around town on a bike and you're sure to see more of it.

Beaches and other tourist destinations almost always have rental services that allow you to take out a bike by the hour or by the day. Have you been curious to try a recumbent bicycle, or a bicycle built for two? Rent one! Take it for a spin up and down the boardwalk and see what you think.

If you're traveling by car, load up the bike rack and vow to leave the car parked once you arrive. In crowded resort towns, you'll be pleased as punch as you pedal past cranky tourists stuck in high-season traffic.

7. Keep one habit, no matter what.

Vacations are notorious for undoing months of virtuous diet and exercise. This may have a little something to do with a steady holiday diet of fried appetizer platters and piña coladas. However, what really derails a healthy fitness routine is an interruption to it.

But it's a vacation! It's time for a break! True enough, but consider keeping just one healthy habit while you're away, to keep your momentum going. For example, go to bed at your normal time (if you're happy with that habit), or wake up at your normal time. If you have a yoga or meditation practice, continue doing even a very abbreviated version of it. Say, one Sun Salute without fail when you first get out of bed. Or, if you're used to a specific, healthy breakfast, keep eating it every day. Make a promise to keep one good thing going, and then follow through on that commitment. This will create a powerful sense of control and continuity that will make it easier to get back on the health and fitness wagon when you return home.

8. Have a day of gluttony.

Early in your trip, pick one day to totally overindulge. Eat like a starving hound. Drink like a lush. Stay up too late. Make an ass of yourself. Seriously. You have been dreaming about this holiday for months. You are livin' la vida loca!

When you wake up the next morning, notice how you feel. Don't gulp down your usual hangover remedies, whatever they may be, and don't have a big guilt trip. Simply notice what is going on with your body. Let yourself feel it. Your head is pounding, right? Your stomach feels sour. You have no energy. Everything feels awful. You want to go back to bed. Ask yourself, do I want to feel like this every morning of my vacation? Do I really have that kind of time to spare?

Later in the day when you're thinking of having a fourth mai tai or a second dessert, bring your mind back to what it was like when you woke up. No judgment, no worries. Just remember how you physically felt. Then make a conscious decision about whether or not you want to feel that way again tomorrow morning. If you do this on day one or two, maybe the lesson will sink in.

9. Downshift.

The American lifestyle is so fast-paced, frenetic, and stressful that it can be hard to downshift into vacation mode. That go-go-go attitude can cause you to miss what's right in front of you.

Are you back for a third helping at the all-you-can-eat buffet on the pool deck, and you can't specifically recall what was on your first or second plate? Relax. There's more than enough food for everyone, and no rush for you to finish eating. Remember, you're on vacation. Slow down and enjoy whatever you're eating, whether it's "healthy" or not. Relish it. If you focus on and savor your food, you won't eat as much. That's not the reason to slow down, though. Go slow so that you can truly enjoy every single, delicious bite.

10. Make your vacation an adventure.

Do you really just want to sit on the beach for a week and drink? (Wait. Don't answer that.) The best way to stay fit when you're on vacation is to get out and do stuff. Tips number one through nine will help you shoehorn a little bit of wellness into any business or pleasure trip. But this last tip is the biggie, and doing this one means you won't need to bother with the others.

If you have been taking good care of yourself—working out, eating right, getting enough sleep—then you have been in training for real-life adventures. Reward yourself on your next holiday. Pick a fun, physically active adventure, and build a trip around it.

Cycle from Saigon to Angkor Wat, or through New England. Dive or snorkel in the blue waters of the Caribbean, or the Pacific, or the Indian Ocean. Refine your yoga practice at an ashram in India, or Costa Rica, or upstate New York. Go climbing in the Swiss Alps, or Utah, or Kentucky. Take a rafting trip down the Colorado River—or through the French countryside, where you'll float past vineyards and villages.

Are these just pipe dreams that are too expensive or complicated to be considered? Think again. If you can afford a family vacation to Disney World, or a Caribbean cruise, or a high-season week at any seaside resort, then you can afford something better. You can do something much more memorable, interesting, and active. Before you go on autopilot and book the usual beach holiday, think for a minute.

What's your dream? Do you want to charter a sailboat in the Mediterranean, or on the Chesapeake Bay? Have you always talked about wanting to cross-country ski in Vermont? Then do it. Go! Why else have you been clocking all those hours in the gym? You have the strength and the energy—and if you don't, you know how to train for it.

Do some Internet research, and book a trip that excites you and makes you a little nervous. These are the eyes wide open, active experiences that you will remember for the rest of your life. As an added bonus (not that you need one), you'll return from an adventure vacation looking and feeling exhilarated, recharged, inspired, and even more fit and fabulous than when you left home.

Can six days of all-you-can-eat seafood buffets and beach lounging do all that? Hardly.

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

6 Cooking Mistakes That Make You Fat

Cooking Mistake #1: You're too generous with the olive oil

No doubt olive oil is a healthy fat—it's rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids. In addition, the aroma of olive oil may even improve satiety, prompting you to eat less at later meals, finds a recent German study¹. But that doesn't mean you can pour it on with abandon. One tablespoon of olive oil contains 120 calories, and if you're eyeballing how much you add to a pan, it's easy to pour twice that—and therefore, twice the calories. Washington, D.C.–based personal chef and registered dietitian Jessica Swift, MS, suggests using just enough oil to coat the pan's cooking surface, then using a paper towel to wipe off any excess oil before adding other ingredients. In addition, try sautéing veggies in low-sodium chicken or veggie stock or white wine.

Cooking Mistake #2: You forget to spice things up

Rethink how you add flavor to foods. Instead of covering steamed broccoli in butter, sauces, or cheese, reach for your spice rack. One new study from the University of Colorado found that when people added herbs and spices to reduced-fat foods, they rated those foods as tasty as their full-fat versions.² Swift likes rubbing fish with dill, paprika, and garlic and topping with a squeeze of lemon. Also try covering chicken breasts with rosemary, garlic, lemon or orange slices, and sage before baking it in the oven.

Cooking Mistake #3: You bake meat in the oven

Baking chicken in the oven can definitely help save calories over pan-frying or sautéing, but here's what you're probably missing: you should elevate the meat and cook it on a rack. This allows the fat to drain away, Swift says. Do the same with veggies. Toss them with oil, salt, and pepper, then roast on a rack placed atop a baking sheet. When done, they won't be swimming in gobs of oil, but you'll still enjoy the same delicious flavor.

Cooking Mistake #4: You're "cleaning up" baked goods

You know the tricks to "healthify" treats like cookies, muffins, and brownies: use puréed fruit instead of refined sugar, and add black bean purée to brownies. Try whole-grain flour in your muffins. And while it's a good idea to make an effort to add as much nutrition as possible to treats, it makes it easier to justify a splurge. In fact, people eat larger portions if food is marked "healthy," shows research in the International Journal of Obesity.³ So you may snack on four cookies instead of two because your new recipe contains half the fat—but this defeats the entire purpose.

Cooking Mistake #5: You're, well, cooking everything

Because research shows that adults are eating far too few fruits and vegetables, it's a good idea to try to get more into your diet, whether steamed, roasted, or grilled—whatever way you love them the most. But don't forget to eat them raw, too. According to a 2011 study published in the journal PNAS, the process of cooking produce makes more calories available to the body.⁴ That means your body burns more calories by simply digesting raw foods, which could translate into weight loss. (Sure, it's a minimal amount, but over time this can add up.) So don't forget to include big salads; crudités, like sliced cukes and red peppers, dipped in salsa or guac; or gazpacho in your meal rotation.

Cooking Mistake #6: You think pasta was made for noodles

If you've already switched from white pasta to whole wheat versions, then give yourself a pat on the back. Pasta made with 100% whole wheat flour digests slower than refined versions, so you stay fuller for longer. But there's life beyond wheat noodles, and it saves mega-calories and dials up the nutrition: veggies masquerading as noodles. Think spaghetti squash, zucchini and squash ribbons, and sliced asparagus. Want proof? One cup of spaghetti squash contains 42 calories compared with one cup of pasta at 200 calories. Top veggie "noodles" with a tomato sauce and turkey meatballs and you've got a lower-carb and lower-calorie (but still satisfying) meal. One tip: when making spaghetti squash, don't salt it before cooking, which adds about 16% of your daily value of bloat-inducing sodium. The sauce you put on top will contain enough salt to flavor the dish.
Sources: