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

Master the Swim by Mark Kleanthous

July 5, 2013 By hywo Leave a Comment

There are many things you can do in a swimming pool to prepare yourself for open water swimming.

If you improve your technique you are more likely to swim in a straight line. Anyone planning on open water swimming should first practise straight line swimming in a pool.

Any imperfection of stroke technique, like pulling your arm across the body will send you off course every single stroke. Most swimmers benefit from a faster stroke rate when swimming in open water, just like mountain biking on a rough road. A quick but efficient stroke during open water swimming is essential because you need to be able to adjust your stroke to the conditions, if you’re unable to do this you’ll have a slow laboured stroke.

An average triathlete takes 1.2 seconds to cover 1.0 metre so every metre that is inefficient, you have wasted at least 2.4 seconds going wrong and correcting. During an open water swim triathlon if you deviate you will also bump into other swimmers who are going in a straight line, this will slow you and other swimmers down wasting even more time and energy.

1- Avoid drills that cause you to glide, as this should be avoided when open water swimming. Do not try and slow your stroke down during pool swimming in the belief that this will mimic wearing a wetsuit in open water. Swim with fingers open during the warm up and cool down and at any time you are getting fatigue and your arms are aching or you feel your stroke is slow and laboured.

2 – Swim with your head out of the water polo style during every other work out. Aim to practise this for half of each length for at least 20% of the total distance of the water polo style segment. This is a very time efficient and demanding work out. If you plan to cover 2,000m in training then you need to incorporate a total of 400m, half length sprints then half lengths water polo emphasis. Recover for half the time taken and repeat. Many triathletes slow down to recover during a competition because they failed to practise this during pool swimming training.

3 – At least one session a week swimming in a pool should involve either treading water in the deep end or during the recovery. No standing in the pool or tumble turns or pushing off from each end. Start floating in a star fish shape away from the edge and make sure you u-turn at each end without touching the sides. During open water swimming you will be constantly swimming and there will be no ends to push off or places to stand up during a swim.

Mark Kleanthous has competed in more than 450 triathlons and has competed as an elite and recorded some of the fastest T1 & T2 transition times overall. Mark Kleanthous has competed in triathlons for 30 consecutive seasons and crossed the finish line in more than 450 triathlons including 35 ironman events. He is the author of The Complete Book of Triathlon Training and is a full time sports and nutrition coach. Mark can be contacted via his web site www.ironmate.co.uk

Filed Under: Your Fitness Tagged With: better your swimming, how to compete in triathlon, how to swim, open water swimming, swim, swimming drills, swimming for exercise, swimming tips, swimming workout, triathlon, triathlon swimming

Worst Weight Loss Advice by Danielle Prestejohn

July 3, 2013 By hywo Leave a Comment

Admit it, at some point in time we’ve all fallen suspect to the lure of some fabulous new diet or weight loss tip. Maybe it was to stop snacking at night, eating mini meals, or swapping half of your grains for vegetables. Regardless of whether they’ve worked, you’ve likely tried or at least thought about it. Let’s be honest some of these tips actually work wonders, and others not so much.

Here is a collection of some of what I consider to be the world’s worst weight loss advice. Dieters Beware!

Low fat diets. Luckily we are slowly moving away from this trend. Eat a diet low in fat and you will be hungry, cranky, and likely not absorbing key vitamins you need to thrive. Fat does not make us fat; instead it protects our major organs, absorbs certain vitamins, and helps our bodies to function. Worst of all are the “health” foods geared at dieters that are far from healthy. Beware of fat free cookies, candy, and snack foods. It’s not healthy and will not lead to weight loss, even if it’s low fat.

100 calorie packs. Limiting your food to 100 calories does not make it a weight loss food. Packaged, processed, and packed full of not so good for you ingredients, 100-calorie packs are simply a marketing gimmick for dieters. You will not lose weight snacking on these. Most are high in carbohydrates and devoid of fats and protein meaning you will burn them off quickly and be hungry again in 20 minutes. Eating 3-100 calorie packs does not equal a healthy snack.

No carb diets. I say no carb as opposed to low carb. Some people thrive on a lower carbohydrate diet that is still full of fruits and vegetables and that is fine. What are not okay are diets that promote an extremely low number of carbohydrates, we’re talking less than 60 grams. This is a quick way to lose energy fast, and put your body into ketosis, which can potentially do some serious damage to your kidneys. The only reason people see initial success with low carb diets is because they lose water weight. Carbohydrates store water in our bodies while fats and protein do not. This means the second you start eating carbohydrates again; your weight will come back.

Skipping meals. Skipping meals is not an effective way to lose weight. You will slow your metabolism and end up hungrier in the long run, likely eating more at your next meal.

Very low calorie diets. I’m not talking about Very Low Calorie Diets, which are considered to be diets consisting of 800 calories or less, are monitored by medical professionals and are designed for those who are obese with serious health problems. I’m talking about the diets that dip below 1200 calories a day. These diets are not only incredibly difficult to follow, but they are also unsafe. Follow a really low calorie diet and you can expect the not so pleasant side effects of low energy, fatigue, a slowed metabolism, potential heart problems, and dehydration.

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 healthy, healthy living, losing weight, Nutrition, weight loss

Healthy and Refreshing!

July 1, 2013 By hywo Leave a Comment

Beat the summer heat with these healthy and refreshing smoothies!

Summer Smoothie
6oz non-fat honey greek yogurt
1/2 banana
1 ripe mango
1/2 cup pineapple
1/8 cup coconut water
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Combine ingredients and blend until smooth

Vegan “Ice Cream” Smoothie
2 ripe bananas
1/3 cup raw cacao powder
Agave syrup to taste (*depending on how sweet you want it to be)
Handful of ice cubes

Combine ingredients and blend until smooth

Recipes contributed by Jessica Matthews. Jessica, MS, E-RYT, is an exercise physiologist, yoga teacher, group fitness instructor, personal trainer, adjunct professor, blogger and fitness personality. Jessica strives to open minds, ignite passion and inspire the world to health and fitness through purposeful movement, quality nutrition and kind words. She has been featured as a fitness expert on CNN and has been quoted in numerous publications including Shape, Self, Oxygen and Oprah.com. For more health and fitness information, follow Jessica at www.twitter.com/fitexpertjess

Filed Under: Your Fitness Tagged With: healthy eating, healthy lifestyle, nutritious snacks, smoothie recipes, summer treats

Meet your new training partner, RockMyRun!

June 27, 2013 By hywo Leave a Comment

Looking for an exercise partner? Thanks to RockMyRun you don’t have to look any further than your computer! Since 2012 RockMyRun has been insuring awesome workouts of all kinds through their creative, eclectic and motivating music mixes.

“RockMyRun is different from other music applications because we provide music that is specifically tailored to help runners and other active people better perform and better enjoy their activities” says Founder and Chief Rocker Adam Riggs-Zeigen. “We’ve done hundreds of hours of research with runners to better understand how music impacts their runs and took that knowledge to DJ’s from around the world who publish mixes to our system that best serve the needs of runners” Adam shares.

RockMyRun’s competitive edge lies in the user’s ability to choose their mixes based on their specific criteria. “We allow runners to filter and sort by criteria that’s relevant to them, like BPM, length, clean vs. explicit lyrics, as well as read comments and votes from other runners, making it easy to find great running music” Adam explains. Although designed initially for runners, RockMyRun has enjoyed additional popularity among athletes and fitness enthusiasts everywhere from motivating gym workouts to exercise classes to a wide variety of sports.

RockMyRun offers two categories of memberships: standard and premium. “You can access a lot of RockMyRun for free! Mixes up to 45 minutes in length can be accessed 100% for free from the app. Access to premium mixes ranges anywhere from $4.99 per month to $35.99 per year” explains Adam.

Adam not only talks the talk, but walks the walk. He shares his story, “I spent 10-plus years as a traveling DJ – playing large nightclubs, corporate events, house parties, wedding etc. When I started training for my first half-marathon about 6 years ago, I decided to put my DJ skills to work and create a mix rather than a playlist.” He continues on “the results were amazing! I found myself more energized, more motivated and it really helped the training fly by.”

Want to run a 2 hour Half-Marathon? Use RockMyRun’s ‘The 2 Hour Half-Marathon‘ as your training partner and pacer with their music mix specifically designed with a consistent beat to get you to the finish line. Or check out their ‘Disco-Dash‘ Mix for a steady beat of 130 per minute, an ideal pace for a mid-week run of 30 minutes. If you want to find your favorite rock songs all in one 30 minutes mix for your gym workout, check out ‘Rock-it Fuel’ and you’ll be cranking out more solid reps than ever before. ‘Dose of Energy’ is another mix that will keep you going strong for 60 minutes as you’ll become energized by House and Pop tunes. With over 15 genres of music represented, you’ll find a mix for every music-interest and every type of workout.

Fan and RockMyRun user, Katy Widrick, a runner and triathlete, explains “I was so excited to find it, since I’m one of those people who not only can’t run without music, but whose workouts are made better by a great beat.” One of Katy’s favorite aspects of RockMyRun is “I love that some of the mixes are free to download, because it lets people get to know the style and flavor before buying. But in general, I think the best aspect is the quality of the mixes — they include great music, really well-done mixes, consistent beats.” Nic Akins, a fellow RockMyRun enthusiast agrees, saying,“it’s a great way to keep you focused and energetic.” Nic continues, “the descriptions are really good in helping you decide what mix will work best for what you want in a workout. Knowing and understanding the BPM (beats per minute) is very helpful.”

Look for more innovation from this cutting edge business. “We’re even more excited about the prospects of building in additional technology into our application and creating truly amazing experiences for runners, cyclists, weight lifters, fitness instructors and active people everywhere” Adam explains.

Feel free to drop Adam an email via adam@rockmyrun.com. Be sure to join their Facebook and Twitter communities for all updates and new mix info! And check out their blog: http://blog.rockmyrun.com/

Choose RockMyRun as your workout partner; you’ll get motivated, get energy and get better workout results with your high-quality, fun, and consistent exercise sessions. No matter what genre you prefer, you’ll find it. From country to classic to reggae to seasonal music, YOUR ideal music mix awaits!

Filed Under: Your Fitness Tagged With: fitness, how to get fit, motivation, running music, workout motivation, workout music

Pushups and Pull-ups: Worthwhile Exercises? By Derek Peruo, CSCS.

June 25, 2013 By hywo Leave a Comment

There are so many options when it comes to fitness. You can attend classes, lift weights, use resistance machines or go running, just to name a few. With all these choices, how do you pick the best, most beneficial exercise?

At times like this, it’s a good idea to return to the basics. And nothing is more basic than body weight exercises!

Body weight exercises are some of the most beneficial exercises you can do. Ask a gymnast if you don’t believe me. Gymnasts spend their entire workout pulling, pushing, and lifting their body weight against gravity, and they are some of the most fit athletes around.

Incorporating body weight exercises like pushups and pull-ups into your routine will help you get stronger, faster and leaner in a very short amount of time, regardless of your current fitness level.

Here are my top 3 reasons why pushups and pull-ups are so beneficial:

They’re Portable
Very little equipment is need to do pushups and pull-ups. All you need is the ground and a secure bar. This makes them amazingly portable. You can do them in the park, at your hotel, or anywhere else. Such portability means you never worry about missing a workout because you lack the proper equipment.

They’re Adjustable
With hundreds of variations, pushups and pull-ups can be made super easy or extremely hard depending on your needs. As you become stronger and more fit, you can adjust these exercises accordingly so you never plateau.

They’re Efficient
No one likes spending hours in the gym training each muscle individually. Pushups and pull-ups allow you to condense your workouts by hitting all the muscle groups simultaneously, reducing the time it takes for you to complete your workout.

Proper technique for pushups and pull-ups are very important to prevent injury, and I recommend consulting a certified fitness professional for guidance. But once you learn the techniques, you’ll know it for a lifetime and will feel empowered to exercise no matter where you are.

Derek Peruo, CSCS, is considered “one of the rising stars in the fitness industry,” and specializes in training high-stress clients. Derek writes and consults for magazines like Men’s Health and Men’s Fitness. For more information, check out www.RenaissanceFitnessInc.com.

Filed Under: Your Fitness Tagged With: exercises to do, fitness, getting fit, gym workout, healthy living, home exercise, how to exercise, pullups, pushups

“I don’t have time!” By Nicole Burley

June 23, 2013 By hywo Leave a Comment

I-Don’t-Have-Time-For-Lunch Excuse Busters!

“I’m too busy to stop for lunch!”

“I don’t have time to eat something healthy.”

“Life gets so crazy, I just forget to eat!”

Skipping meals is not healthy! If you have ever uttered any of these words, I’m here to beg and plead with you to make a change.

I promise you – one of the most important things you can do for your health, your moods, your energy levels – and your waistline – is to eat meals on a regular schedule.

I know what you’re thinking, “but I don’t have a regular schedule!” Your body doesn’t care! Your body really likes a predictable routine – even if YOU don’t, or even if your life is not set up that way.

Here are some mega-simple strategies for making sure that you are never left in the lurch – or without lunch!

1. Lunch doesn’t have to be a full, sit-down affair with 3 courses. If you are constantly on-the-go, lunch can consist of a handful of nuts, a healthy snack bar, or a piece of fruit. The goal is to simply put SOMETHING in your body so that you have some fuel and nourishment every few hours.

2. A teensy bit of planning can go a long way. Could you find 10-minutes once a week to stash healthy snacks in your office, in your car, and in your bag? This way, you’ll never be left without an option.

3. If you have time to go to the bathroom, you have time to eat something. Think about it. If it was urgent, you would make the time to use the facilities! I encourage you to consider it just as urgent that you fuel your body throughout the day. 5-minutes is all it takes!

Nicole Burley, M.Ed is a certified Life Coach and Health Coach with a private practice in NYC. She is the creator of the Healthy Habits Coaching Club – a warm and upbeat online membership community designed to help you stay healthy, stay motivated – and quit dieting. For more information visit www.NicoleBurley.com and www.NicoleBurley.com/Healthy-Habits-Coaching-Club

Filed Under: Your Fitness Tagged With: healthy eating, healthy lifestyle, losing weight, meal planning, Nutrition, nutritious meals

Too Much of a Good Thing? By Gretchen Scalpi, RD

June 18, 2013 By hywo Leave a Comment

Too Much of a Good Thing: Check Those Portions

Every week I meet at least a few new clients who are having trouble losing weight, despite making healthy food choices. When it comes to those food choices, you can get too much of a good thing.

Being able to recognize what makes a normal portion is essential if want you to maintain your health and your weight. Some people are just eating too much, or at least, enough food to keep their weight right where it is… not budging at all!

It really is about how much you eat of any food.

One quick and easy way to determine portion size is to use what is known as the “plate method.”

This method has received a lot of attention recently and it is one of my favorite ways to show clients how to zero in on those portions.

My Plate is the new guide for healthy eating. To use the plate method:

Start by dividing your plate in half. Fill half of the plate with vegetables or fruit. Divide the remainder of your plate into two quarters.

One quarter of the plate is used for a protein food (meat, fish, beans, etc) and the other quarter is used for a whole grain or starchy food (potato or rice.)

Visualizing the plate in this way makes it easy to learn about healthy portion sizes, especially for those who don’t want to measure their food.

One thing you must consider, however, is how big are your plates? It is not unusual for standard size dinner plates to come in sizes of 10 inches or more. A nine inch plate used to be the standard. Unfortunately, if you start with a larger plate, the tendency will be to fill it up. Portioned food on a large plate looks like you aren’t getting enough food! So if you have large plates, think about scaling down to a 9 inch size.

Besides using the plate method, weigh or measure your food portions from time to time. Big portions are everywhere, and we get used to seeing too much food on the plate no matter where we go. It’s easy to lose sight of reasonable portions. I recommend getting a food scale or using measuring cups every few months to “revisit” portion control.

Here are some basic guidelines for correct portion sizes:

*Protein foods: (such as lean meat, fish or poultry): 3-4 ounces
*Vegetables: 1 cup raw or 1/2 cup cooked (try to eat at least 4-5 portions daily!)
*Fresh fruit: 1 piece is one serving. Berries or Melon: 1 cup.
*Juices or canned fruit: 1/2 cup.
*Starchy foods or whole grains: 1 portion is usually 1/2 cup or 1 oz. if a bread
*Non-fat milk or yogurt: 1 cup
*Fats: (oil, butter, mayonnaise): 1 tsp.

Maintaining reasonable food portions, and “checking in” on the amount you put on your plate from time to time is one of the most effective ways to get back on track with weight loss. If you eat healthy but your weight is stuck, check to see whether you are getting too much of a good thing!

Gretchen Scalpi is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator. She is the author of the books “The Quick Start Guide To Healthy Eating”, “The Everything Guide to Managing and Reversing Pre-Diabetes”, “The Everything Diabetes Cookbook, 2nd ed.” and “Pre-Diabetes Your Second Chance At Health”. Purchase her book “Quick Start Recipes For Healthy Meals” for .99 cents via Amazon.

Filed Under: Your Fitness Tagged With: food portion sizes, healthy eating, healthy lifestyle, how to eat healthy, Nutrition

3 Tips for Healthy BBQ by Lori Rosenthal, MS, RD, CDN

June 16, 2013 By hywo Leave a Comment

It’s barbecue season! Want to partake in this American summer staple, but worried about the effect on your body? Don’t fret. Barbecue can be both healthy and delicious. Just remember these three tips!

Choose Lean, Fresh Meat:
It’s a common misconception that meat needs to be fatty to taste great grilled. Lean meats such as skinless poultry (i.e. chicken and turkey), pork tenderloin and fish can be just as tasty as their fatty counterparts. Red meat is higher in fat, but that does not mean a barbecue season without burgers and steaks. Stick to leaner cuts such as round, flank, sirloin or lean ground and trim away visible fat.

When it comes to bacon, hot dogs and other processed meats, beware. Most processed meats are high in sodium, saturated fat and preservatives. Sodium nitrate, the preservative that keeps meats such as hot dogs pink, has been found to increase risk of heart disease. Studies have also found that high intake of processed meat can increase risk of colon cancer by about 20%. Fresh meat doesn’t contain any of these harmful substances, making it a much healthier option.

Maintain Balance:
Fruits and vegetables are low in calories, high in nutrients and should make up half your plate. So, don’t let meat steal the spotlight. Give produce its time to shine.

Veggies hot off the grill are delicious enough to stand on their own, but can also be used to jazz up a salad or sandwich. Vegetable sides such as green bean and cucumber salads are healthy, refreshing and easy to prepare.

Kabobs are another great way to incorporate fresh summer produce. Adding fruits or vegetables between the cubes of meat cuts calories and enhances flavor. Having trouble getting your little one to eat their veggies? Let them create their own kabob combo. Studies find that kids are more likely to try new foods that they helped prepare.

Store bought condiments are often laden with sodium and sugar. Accompany meat with fresh guacamole, salsa or pico de gallo instead. They are easy to make and elevate the flavor of any dish. In a time crunch? Add fresh fruit, such as watermelon or mango to your favorite store bought salsa or pico de gallo to liven it up. Fresh summer fruits are sweet, juicy and vitamin packed. Grilled pineapple, peach and pear make excellent desserts. Serve them alone or as a topping.

Be Clean:
Barbecue safe, clean and foodborne illness free! Raw meat and its juices contain harmful bacteria. Each type of meat has a specific minimum internal cooking temperature that must be reached to ensure safety. Invest in a meat thermometer and before firing up the grill, check out this Safe Minimum Cooking Temperatures chart from FoodSafety.gov. Be sure not to use the same platters or utensils for raw and cooked meat to avoid recontamination. Got lots of leftovers? Toss any dishes that have been out for more than two hours (one hour on hot days). Rule of Thumb: When in doubt, throw it out!

Research shows that exposing meat to open flames produces carcinogens, cancer causing compounds. This does not mean to forgo the grill, but there are some precautions to take. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) recommends precooking meat in a microwave to decreased cook time on the grill. When fat melts and drips into the fire, it creates harmful aromatic carcinogens, which end up on our food. Choosing lean meat, removing skin from poultry and trimming visible fat decreases this phenomenon. Overcooking meat also produces carcinogens, which a study suggests significantly increases risk of pancreatic cancer. Once the minimum internal temperature has been reached, remove the meat from the heat. To prevent both overcooking and charring, cook meat over a low flame. If accidental charring does occur be sure to scrape it off before eating.

Lori Rosenthal, MS, RD, CDN
Bariatric Dietitian
Twitter: LoRoRD

Filed Under: Your Fitness Tagged With: BBQ tips, healthy bbq, healthy eating, healthy lifestyle, healthy meals, nutritious cooking

Everywhere and Anywhere Fitness with FitBlok

June 13, 2013 By hywo Leave a Comment

There really is no excuse to miss a workout, thanks to FitBlok. The new app is created by those in the fitness business who not only understand first-hand the challenges of keeping up with workouts while traveling or away from your usual exercise routine, but also understand the importance of a properly executed exercise session. The FitBlok professionals will guide you through a workout offering tips on form, technique and everything else you need to complete an effective workout…from absolutely anywhere!

Getting fit really is as easy as 1-2-3:
1. Go to their website, www.fitblok.com or download their FREE App from the itunes store.
2. Choose your workout.
3. Feel better and look better with an efficient and effective professional-guided exercise session.
Getting started is easy! Begin browsing available exercise sessions immediately. If you like what you see, sign up and create a profile either through Facebook or via your ipad app. You can even invite friends to join you in the workout.

What makes FitBlok different? “Most online workout programs offer a specific trainer, or small handful of trainers from a particular exercise discipline” explains Brett Klika, featured Fitblok Trainer. “With Fitblok, the user can choose from a variety of credible, professional personal trainers from a variety of disciplines including Pilates, yoga, sports performance, dance, kettlebell training, TRX, and much more” Brett adds.

FitBlok also serves as an economical option to keep up with exercise when your usual routine is challenged, as you only pay for the classes in which you participate. “There are no monthly fees” Brett states, and continues “users only pay for ‘classes’ they attend.” At $1.00- $4.00 per class, that’s far less than a day-use pass at a gym, and you’ll save time on the commute to and from the gym, avoid the crowds, and even having to pack a gym bag. What’s more convenient than that? User Mark McGovern has enjoyed FitBlok and says, “it is a great ‘fallback’ if traveling and in a hotel room, or pressed for time in the early morning.”

Check out Brett’s three most popular workouts. There really is something for every interest and every fitness level.
Body Weight Training (The Naked Workout)
Injury Prevention and Recovery (No Pain, Big Gains)
Sports Training (Weekend Warrior)

While the workouts on FitBlok come in a variety of intensities, you can try a FREE 30 minute high intensity sports-based workout by clicking here.

So whether you prefer to work out in the privacy of your own home or you travel often, and would like the accountability, motivation and instruction of a Fitness Professional, this app should be #1 on your list. Brett explains “I travel quite a bit as a professional speaker and fitness consultant. I became involved with the Fitblok platform because I’ve seen a vast global need for access to professional exercise guidance.” Brett continues, “the every-day world doesn’t require much physical activity, so people have to create it. Many don’t know how. Now they have an affordable, accessible resource to help improve their fitness and health.”

Let’s face it, who isn’t busy these days, children, long work hours, we’re all pulled in so many directions- slow down the pace, take care of your health and exhale with FitBlok; your on-the-go fitness solution.

Filed Under: Your Fitness Tagged With: exercise, fitness, fitness apps, free workout apps, getting fit, health, healthy lifestyle, how to workout, travel fitness, workouts

Master the Swim by Mark Kleanthous

Worst Weight Loss Advice by Danielle Prestejohn

Healthy and Refreshing!

Meet your new training partner, RockMyRun!

Pushups and Pull-ups: Worthwhile Exercises? By Derek Peruo, CSCS.

“I don’t have time!” By Nicole Burley

Too Much of a Good Thing? By Gretchen Scalpi, RD

3 Tips for Healthy BBQ by Lori Rosenthal, MS, RD, CDN

Everywhere and Anywhere Fitness with FitBlok

Top Exercise Question Answered! By Tera Busker

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