Your Fitness and Health Tips and Advice from Health Your Way Online

Figure Friendly Snack Ideas by Helen Agresti, R.D.

October 23, 2013 By hywo Leave a Comment

Snacking can either slim down or inflate our waistlines. Portion control, timing and composition of snacks are essential. Snacks should be between 100-200 calories. Consistency is key. Try to eat your healthy snack within the same hour every day. If you need fuel after a vigorous workout, be sure to eat within 20-40 minutes in order to prevent the break down of lean body mass. Choose foods that contain protein, fiber and carbohydrates. Eating well-balanced snacks will ensure our waistlines stay slim and trim!

Figure Friendly Snack ideas:

If you’re in need of some crunch…Sugar Snap Peas are the perfect substitute for chips and a lot more nutritious. They’re rich in iron, fiber, and vitamins C, K, and B6. Pair them with hummus or enjoy them solo.

Toasted whole grain Flatbread and Chipotle Hummus. It’s a great source of protein and fiber. Adding a little “heat” to snacks helps ignite the metabolism.

Part skim Ricotta Cheese on a slice of whole grain Toast sprinkled with cinnamon, nutmeg and berries. This is a fun and easy snack to make with kids. They love to spread, sprinkle and build.

Lightly salted Pistachios travel well. They’re a wonderful source of B vitamins, protein and fiber. Most importantly, they’re known for melting away belly fat.

Apple slices wrapped in thin layers of Provolone Cheese offer a sweet and salty taste. It’s a great afterschool snack that provides vitamin C, protein, and fiber.

Healthy and Happy Snacking!

Helen Agresti is a Registered Dietitian with Professional Nutrition Consulting, LLC. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and 5 children. For more Nutrition advice and healthy recipes follow her on twitter @HelenAgresti and on the web www.pronutritionconsulting.com

Filed Under: Your Fitness Tagged With: boost metablism, healthy eating, Healthy snacks, nutritious foods

3 Tricks to a Time Efficient Workout by Gen Levrant

October 21, 2013 By hywo Leave a Comment

Not having enough time has become one of the biggest excuses, for not being able to fit in a workout. As a trainer, one of my jobs in recent years has been helping my clients manage their time and work/life balance better so they see it actually IS possible to fit in quick effective workouts! And we all know the endless positive side effects of these…Yet on the other hand, so many who DO find the time end up not actually making the most

Whether you have a personal trainer or not, what are the workouts you do on your own like? Are they as time efficient as they could be?

Here are 3 ways to guarantee a time efficient and effective workout:

1. Schedule your workouts. Look at your weekly routine to decide the most realistic time with the least chance of distraction or disturbance. Once you have determined this, treat your workouts as essential meetings with someone whom you cannot afford to cancel. If you value your health, mind and wellbeing then you will have no trouble viewing and scheduling them this way!

2. Set a timer. Say to yourself for this period of 20, 30 or 40 minutes, I am going to train with no distractions. Then set an alarm. If you are using your phone or iPad, put them in flight mode. If you have young children, perhaps try this during nap or school time.

3. Change the variables. Meaning your rest time, number of reps/sets, exercises or order – every workout you do should be slightly different. In doing so, you’ll trick your body into working harder as it will not have a chance to get used to what you are doing!

If you attend a gym or health club, think how many people you see dawdling, reading magazines, chatting to their friends…or perhaps not even setting foot in the gym and going straight to the coffee lounge!

Don’t get me wrong, it’s great to socialise but we all want results from our workouts, right? So if you have a tight schedule, try these tips to always have time for a workout! Happy training and have fun!

Gen Levrant is an Advanced Personal Trainer and weight-loss specialist. She runs a private functional training studio in Southampton UK helping people to get safe and permanent results. For further info on how Gen can help you email her via gen@fasterpt.com or visit http://www.fasterpt.com/personal-trainer-southampton. Follow her on Twitter @PTGen, and find her on Facebook

Filed Under: Your Fitness Tagged With: efficient exercise, fast fitness, fast workout, gym workout, healthy lifestyle, how to fit in exercise, how to workout, save time, time management

Does Running Build Life Skills? By Jason Saltmarsh

October 18, 2013 By hywo Leave a Comment

Being a runner is not always just about logging miles and monitoring our pace. Being a runner builds life skills that translate into our work world, family world and social world. Here are just a few reasons why being a runner builds character and other life-skills:

Stress Relief – This one seems obvious. What better way to let go of the stress you absorb throughout the day than a run?

Common Ground – Our family talks about running, shoes, racing schedules, diet, PRs, and other running topics. We all contribute to the conversation and we all are invested in the subject. How many other sports allow for the entire family to participate in the same event and be on the same team?

Shared Challenges – Who doesn’t appreciate the agony of side stitches, blisters, and running hills? When things don’t go so well we seem to know the right words to say, because we’ve been there too.

Shared Joy – Age group awards, personal bests, great runs, new trails, and successful races are shared accomplishments to be enjoyed and celebrated by all.

Environmental Awareness – We take care of the world we occupy. To run on the roads makes one appreciate safe drivers and responsible pet owners. It makes you think about your role in keeping the environment safe and clean for yourself and others.

Healthy Living – When you’re healthy, you’re usually happy. Running helps keep all of us healthier so that we can avoid the pitfalls of poor health.

Goal Setting – Long term goal setting contributes to a focused and positive attitude. Runners have to see the bigger picture and appreciate that hard work produces results.

Discipline – Perseverance takes lots of personal discipline. This carries over into other aspects of life including school and work.

Humility – There is always somebody running faster or further than you. Runners know this and remain some of the most unpretentious people I know.

Self Confidence – When you train hard and you feel good about yourself it shows. Hold your head high and run with your back straight and your eyes forward.

Jason Saltmarsh is an competitive masters runner at distances ranging from 5K to the half marathon. In November 2013, he will race his first 26.2 at the iconic New York City Marathon. Jason’s goal is to share with others the benefits and joys of running, fitness and healthy living. For more information, please visit saltmarshrunning.com

Filed Under: Your Fitness Tagged With: fitness, getting fit, healthy fitness, healthy lifestyle, how to workout, lose weight, running, why running is healthy

Breaking a “No Fat” Mindset By Laura Maydak

October 16, 2013 By hywo Leave a Comment

Weight struggles may create somewhat of a “dietary fat phobia”, but it’s important not to let a low-fat mindset become a no-fat mindset. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend healthy adults consume 20 – 35% of their daily calories from fat. These recommendations aren’t made without reason, so let’s focus on why we need fat in our diet – and how to choose the best sources.

Key Functions of Fat:
•      Digestion, absorption, and utilization of fat-soluble vitamins and phytonutrients (who knew that consuming fat with fruits and vegetables was so important?)
•      Delayed gastric emptying, making us feel fuller longer (meaning fat can be good for weight loss)
•      Providing a concentrated source of energy
•      Proper cell functioning
•      Hormone production
•      Regulation of body temperature
•      Cushioning of organs and bones
•      Providing flavor and texture to food

Types of Fat
The “Good” – Unsaturated fats
- Monounsaturated fat
• Benefits: may lower total cholesterol, LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, and triglycerides when substituted for saturated fats
• Sources: olive oil and other vegetable oils, nuts and nut butters (especially peanut), avocado

- Polyunsaturated fat
•      Omega-6 benefits: may lower LDL cholesterol when substituted for saturated fats
•      Omega-6 sources: corn oil, sunflower oil, soybean oil, nuts, seeds
•      Omega-3 benefits: may lower triglycerides when substituted for saturated fats
•      Omega-3 sources: Fatty fish (such as salmon), flaxseed, canola oil, walnuts

The “Bad” – Saturated and trans fats

Note the word “substituted” – adding unsaturated fats to an already high-fat diet is not beneficial. If you’re unsure of a food’s fat content, read the nutrition facts panel to see the amount of saturated, unsaturated, and total fat per serving.

Smart Swaps
•      Guacamole instead of cheese-based dip
•      Nut butter in place of cream cheese on toast
•      Replace high-saturated fat condiments on sandwiches with avocado
•      Use vegetable oil instead of butter to sauté
•      Substitute avocado for butter or shortening while baking (1:1); vegetable oil may also be used (ratio is a little less than 1:1)
•      Choose fatty fish instead of red meat

Laura Maydak has a B.S. in Clinical Dietetics and Nutrition from the University of Pittsburgh, and is currently a graduate student in the school’s Coordinated Masters in Nutrition and Dietetics program on her way to become a registered dietitian. Aside from school, she is an avid runner, fitness enthusiast, and wanna-be chef. Connect with Laura on twitter (@lmaydak) for motivation and tips for living your healthiest, happiest life – all given with a healthy dose of humor.

Filed Under: Your Fitness Tagged With: dietary fat, dietary guidelines, fat, fat content in food, fat intake, healthy eating, healthy lifestyle, how to eat healthy, Nutrition, weight loss, well balanced nutrition

Put enthusiasm back in your exercise! By Nicole Bryan

October 14, 2013 By hywo Leave a Comment

If your workout routine has become boring and you’re body is no longer changing, you may be on a fitness plateau. A plateau simply means your body has adapted to your current exercise routine. It is time to shake up your workout and make your body learn something new.

Performing a new exercise means the mind must develop a new muscle/memory pattern. In other words, a new neurological pathway will give your body a stimulus to adapt to, and therefore you’ll continue to get stronger, more fit, etc.

Try the following ideas to energize your workout routine and break through the plateau.

Change the order of your exercises. While we usually work larger muscles to smaller muscles, changing the order of similar muscle groups will be just enough unaccustomed exercise to prompt change again.

Change the angle at which you are working a specific muscle. Pick an entirely different exercise or machine to work a particular muscle group.

Change the number of sets and repetitions. While the basic number of sets and repetitions is determined by your goal, try supersets or giant sets for a more challenging workout. Supersets involve exercising opposing muscle groups back to back without a rest period. Performing giant sets involve choosing three exercises done in a circuit format.

Cross train. Choose a completely different mode of exercise. For example, join a spin class or try the rowing machine at the gym.

Circuit train. Alternate one set of a resistance exercise with one minute of cardiovascular work. Repeat until all exercises/sets are completed.

It is a good idea to change a component of your routine once every six weeks. You will increase your chance of reaching your goal, and decrease your chance of injury and boredom.

Filed Under: Your Fitness Tagged With: exercise, fitness plateau, gym fitness, healthy living, how to exercise, how to get fit, how to get workout results, losing weight

Food-Swaps for your Teen by Maggie Ayre

October 11, 2013 By hywo Leave a Comment

Improvements You Can Make to Your Teens Diet, Without them Noticing

Keep Your Teens Tastebuds Happy With These Tasty but Healthy Alternatives

It’s a struggle every parent faces when their children start at secondary school. On the one hand you want them to be more independent on the other you still want some control over the choices they make.

When it comes to healthy eating there are two main ways you can influence their choices:-

Be a top role model – keep serving plenty of fresh fruit and veggies and other unprocessed foods at family meal times. Be the epitome of good health and they’ll want to follow suit.

Keep going with the healthy eating advice - It may feel like it just bounces back at you but you’ll be surprised how much is absorbed and put into practice at a later date.

There are some healthy foods you can sneak in almost without being noticed. Try these delicious alternatives to your usual teen fare:-

1. Swap regular chips for sweet potato fries. Many teens tell me they’re even tastier than the real thing!

2. Buy a cool fold up water bottle. Guaranteed to get your teen drinking more of the good stuff.

3. Serve eggs for breakfast. Who doesn’t love a fry up? You can prepare scrambled eggs on toast (or better still oatcakes) in the same time it’ll take to make a bowl of cereal yet the protein in them is guaranteed to keep your teen full until lunchtime and away from the vending machine at morning break.

4. If your teen takes sandwiches for lunch why not swap bread for rye bread or oatcakes? A change is as good as a rest and it’ll wake up their taste buds. Once they’re used to this idea introduce 1 or 2 salads or soup in a flask every week.

5. Does your teen struggle to east their greens? Green veggies are full of goodness for teens. Search for new and exciting recipes on Google or simply mix with a white sauce for the less adventurous teen.

6. Leave homemade snacks out for after school nibbles. Even the sweetest cake will be healthier if it is homemade rather than shop bought. Better still cook with your teen. Homemade popcorn is delicious for all ages and ready in minutes.

Maggie Ayre is the UKs leading Fitness Coach for Teen Girls. As well as one-to-one and small group nutrition and fitness work with teens she has developed the 3G Program designed to be run at schools as part of the PE curriculum. She also offers mentoring for PE departments on how to re-engage teen girls with PE and has recently published her third book; “Nutrition for Exam Success – A Parent’s Guide” which is now available as a Kindle and paperback at Amazon.

Filed Under: Your Fitness Tagged With: healthy kids, healthy meals, how to help kids eat healthy, teenage nutrition

Must Do Moves at the Gym by Sarah Johnson

October 9, 2013 By hywo Leave a Comment

If you have limited time, space or comfort level at your gym, there is one machine to stick by during your entire workout – and you can strengthen your whole body in just a short amount of time. The cable machine is one of the most versatile pieces of equipment in the gym – with its various attachments, you can strengthen your upper body, lower body, core and even get some cardio work in without trekking all over the facility. Below are a few of my favorite combination exercises you can do using just one side of the cable machine and only two attachments. Moving quickly from one exercise to the next will keep your heart rate elevated and keep rest time to a minimum – you’ll be in and out in 30 minutes or less! (Consult your physician before beginning exercise.)

Need help adjusting the cable height or removing attachments? Gym staff will be happy to help!

Using Single Handle:

Lunge & Row: Place handle at abdomen level. Facing machine, stagger feet into lunge position and grab handle with arm opposite front leg. When lunging down, pull handle back, reaching elbow to wall behind you. Stand and release. Repeat with other arm and leg.

Core Twist & Step Away: Place handle at abdomen level. Facing perpendicular to machine, grasp handle with both hands, keeping arms straight. Step away from machine with leg further from cable, while turning the upper body using your arms. Carefully return leg and arms to starting position. Repeat with other side.

Using Straight Bar:

Press Down & Squat: Place bar above shoulder height. Standing shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, grasp bar with straight arms and bring down to shoulder height. Keeping your back straight and abdominals engaged, press the bar straight down to your thighs, as you sit back into your hips. Slowly return to a standing position and return the arms to shoulder height.

This article is written by Sarah Johnson. Follow Sarah on Twitter via @SarahJChicago

Filed Under: Your Fitness Tagged With: exercises at the gym, gym fitness, gym workout, how to workout, strength training exercise

Is Calorie-Counting For You? By Danielle Prestejohn

October 7, 2013 By hywo Leave a Comment

For a very long time I was convinced the answer to my weight loss would come down to math. If I could just figure out the perfect amount of calories to eat then I could finally lose weight for good. Problem with this was I got a bit carried away and dipped into some dangerously low calorie counts in the process. When I started to learn that my weight or life for that matter, wasn’t all about the number of calories I consumed I started to get a little less strict.

Eventually I gave up calorie counting all together but in the process I came across a minor hiccup; I knew how many calories were in just about everything. Even now I can easily rattle on the calorie contents of dozens of foods. It seems to be something I retained and have never forgotten. As you can imagine this made taking a blind eye to how many calories I was consuming rather difficult. In the process I developed some strategies to help me get away from the structure of my calorie counting diet and they have brought me tons of success in moving away from such a rigid diet.

Eat out. This was one of the scariest things for me but eating out helped me immensely because I learned to give up the control of my food. Someone else was preparing what I was eating and I had no clue how many calories I was consuming. Was it frightening? Absolutely. Was it worth it? Totally.

Cook. During the deepest of my dieting days I would rely on packaged foods that had a definite number of calories. Things like bars, shakes, and frozen dinners were perfect because they had an exact number of calories. No thinking included. When I started cooking this all became a little less obvious. Sure I knew how many calories were in a piece of chicken, but when I added peppers, spinach, and unknown amount of oil, I had no idea how many calories I was getting. This brings me to my next point…

Don’t weigh or measure a thing. For a very long time my food scale was my best friend. When I threw mine away I took away the knowledge of just how much I was eating. Suddenly I was estimating portions and slowly forgetting what exactly 4 ounces of chicken or a tablespoon of peanut butter looked like.

Cook in batches. I started experimenting with things like soups, stews, and chili because I could throw a ton of ingredients in a bowl, mix it up, and take out a portion without knowing exactly how much of anything was in that meal. I was really hesitant about this one but this ended up being one of the secrets to learning how to listen to my hunger cues again.

This article is written by Danielle Prestejohn, M.S. Applied Nutrition. Sign up for Danielle’s free guide to ditching the diets and ditching the misery via http://danielleprestejohn.com/free-updates/ For more information go to http://www.danielleprestejohn.com and http://www.Facebook.com/daniellegracep

Filed Under: Your Fitness Tagged With: eating healthy, getting fit, healthy lifestyle, how to get healthy, improve fitness, losing weight, weight management

Beginners Guide to Weight Training by Tera Busker

October 2, 2013 By hywo Leave a Comment

Recently decide to start strength or weight-lifting program, but don’t know where to start? Do you walk in to the gym and you’re not sure what machines do what? Everyone has been in this position at least once before; we were all once new at the gym, and you didn’t know where to go or what to lift or how to use the machines. Well, have no fear – your beginners guide to lifting is here! (As always, consult your physician before beginning every exercise program. The following exercises are for those without injury.) A basic understand of neutral posture and stabilization mechanics should be mastered before beginning a weight training program. If you’re unsure, ask a Fitness Professional for guidance.

First off – you have to get your body warmed up before you start working your muscles. Doing a short, low to moderate intensity warm up on any cardio machine for 5-10 will increase the blood flow and warm up the muscles preparing them for the workout.Now that you are warmed up and ready to go, it’s time to do work.

Leg Press - Sit on the machine, feet shoulder width apart and heels flat on the platform. Release the safety handle(s) and lower the knees towards the chest, keeping your low back and hips flat on the pad. Once your legs are at a 90 degree angle, return to the starting position. Repeat for 12-15 reps, 2-3 sets.

Assisted Pull up Machine - This machine will allow you to do a perfect pullup by helping you pull up your own body weight. Grasp the handles slightly wider that shoulder width, pull yourself up to the bar and slowly lower yourself down until your arms are straight. Repeat for 12-15 reps, 2-3 sets.

Chest Press Machine - This machine is a great way to help beginners perfect the chest press/bench press movement. Set the machine so the handles are right at chest level. Push the weight out, keeping your back on the pad, and as you bring the handles back towards your body, stop before your hands are in line with the chest. Repeat for 12-15 reps, 2-3 sets.

Dumbbell Curl and Press - This exercise is great for the biceps and shoulders. Hold a pair of dumbbells at arm’s length and sit on a bench. Without moving your upper arms, curl the dumbbells up to your shoulders. Rotate your palms so they face away from your body, and press the weights above your head. Return to the starting position and repeat. Repeat for 12-15 reps, 2-3 sets.

Tricep Pressdown - This exercise strengthen the back of your arms and posture muscles. Attach a straight bar to the high pulley of a cable station. Bend your arms and grab the bar with each hand, your palms facing the floor. Keep your elbows locked to your sides and bend your elbows so your arms are in a 90 degree angle. This is your starting point. Keep abs tight and without moving your upper arms or leaning forward or back, push the bar down until the arms are fully extended. Slowly return to the starting position. Repeat for 12-15 reps, 2-3 sets.

Plank – The best exercise for the core! To get into the plank position, start on elbows and knees, locking hands together. Straighten legs and raise your body so that you’re supported by the balls of your feet, with feet hip-distance apart. Face the ground, being careful not to arch your back or raise your hips up. Hold for 15-60 seconds, 2-3 sets.

Tera Busker is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and owner of Fitness To Go, an exclusive In Home & Private Studio Personal Training Service based out of Roberts, WI. www.fitnesstogo.net

Filed Under: Your Fitness Tagged With: exercises, fitness, gym workout, healthy lifestyle, how to get fit, weight training, what exercises to do at the gym

Thank You: September Trend Setters

September 30, 2013 By hywo Leave a Comment

Cutting-edge, relevant, innovative and current: all words to describe our September Chat Sponsors. Health Your Way Online offers them each a THANK YOU for Sponsoring our Motivational-Monday Live Fitness Chat on Twitter.

Here are your September Trend-Setters.

Check them out to learn how they can help make your health and fitness, BETTER.

Shaping Her Esteem. Shaping Her Esteem (SHE) promotes the participation of girls in physical activity to increase their health and wellbeing. They share nutrition tips, motivational videos and facilitate boot camps for young girls. They offer fun community events, like this SHEmob- check it out here: SHEmob. Shaping Her Esteem is looking for girls between 8-16 who would love to write about her experiences in sport/dance, and to share positive experiences in physical activity! Follow them on Twitter for more info.

Sockwa. Sockwa is excited to present their newest model, the X8. Now boasting an odor-free, breathable, recyclable mesh fabric that has a moisture wicking inside to keep you cool. They’ve also perfected the Playa Lo and Playa Hi models. Developed for the beach soccer and beach volleyball players of the world, these minimal beach socks provide comfort and protection. They are expanding their products into retail centers everywhere, so please reach out to stores@sockwa.com and tell them the name and city of the store where you’d like to see Sockwa! Follow them on Twitter for updates and product information.

RecoFit. Discover the RecoFit Compression Gear difference for yourself! Their technical-fit and uniquely designed gear helps you get more oxygen to your muscles, reduce swelling and delay fatigue. RecoFit is the only compression gear that cuts their fabric in a cross-grain process; this means effective compression and no-slip positioning! Their breathable material disperses body heat and moisture, and has a negative ion charge to help oxygenate blood. As an American-made durable product, RecoFit’s specific manufacturing method allows users the exact amount of compression, exactly where they need it most. They offer 4 cost-effective products targeting legs, as well as arms. Founded by an athlete, tested on athletes, but made for everyone! Contact your compression experts directly at Recofit@gmail.com or via phone 303/415-0580. Check them out on Twitter!

Jessica Matthews. Health Your Way Online welcomed back our chat co-host Jessica Matthews. Jessica is a fitness expert, @acefitness health coach, fitness blogger, yoga educator and college professor, just to name a few. View her latest YouTube video for expert tips how to get in your workout without equipment, without a gym. Check out her blog for motivation and inspiration.And be sure to follow her on Twitter.

Filed Under: Your Fitness Tagged With: exercise, fitness, healthy lifestyle, healthy living, how to live healthy