Dance Your Way To Better Health

As ABC-TV’s reality show “Dancing with the Stars” has shown, the choice is clear: America loves to watch dancing. Well, how about you create your own reality? Get off the couch and hit a dance class! It has long been known the health benefits of dancing exceed the mere physical advantages.

Not only is it good for your body, but the “good feeling” you get when dancing is good for the mind. This coupled with the fact that dancing is typically a group activity, causing you to interact and enjoy the company of like-minded individuals, makes for a wonderfully social environment.

Since dancing requires you to remember steps and routine it also aids in preventing memory loss among seniors. People of all ages can enjoy a variety of dances whether it’s the sexy salsa or tantalizing tango, the wedding waltz or a foxy fox trot, whether it’s the heart-pounding pace of hip-hop or jazz or even the very sensual belly dance or most-recently-added-to-the-fitness-repertoire pole dancing, you should be able to find a form of dance to work for you.

Benefits of dance

• Anyone can do it — You don’t need any special skill or ability to dance. If you have the will, you can pick up the skill. Simply enroll in one of the innumerable dance studios in your vicinity or check out your local gym and see if they offer classes. You can also do a couple of DVDS in the comfort of your own living room. (“Dancing With the Stars” has their own!)
• It’s fun — Does it bore you to get your cardiovascular workout on an elliptical machine, or to ride the stationary bike to nowhere? Does running on a treadmill remind you too much of that little hamster in a ball that you had as a kid? Well then get out there and dance! When done regularly, certain types of dance will provide the same elevated heart rates, and increase metabolism and endurance as any traditional cardiovascular workout.
• You’re getting a workout without working out — You may be a woman who understands all the benefits of exercise, but just can’t find the time or the motivation to hit the gym. Dance can provide you an excellent workout without it ever feeling like a workout.
• Improves balance and posture — Have you ever noticed how dancers tend to walk straighter and stand taller? Most dances require you to stand tall, square your shoulders and lead with your chest. This translates to an improved posture off the dance floor. Dance requires agility and balance as well as various speeds of movement. This helps to reduce the risk of falls in an older population.
• Improved joint mobility — Dances are multi-directional as opposed to the single forward movement of other cardiovascular exercises. This will lead to an improved joint mobility, which will increase your range of motion, thereby making you more flexible.
• Mental stimulation — Dance requires focus on coordination and remembering routines. Studies have shown people who don’t “zone out” on the treadmill or elliptical machine but stay conscious of their exercise reap higher benefits than those who just climb on and stay on for their designated amount of time. Dance is no different. Dance requires you to be totally mentally engaged with physical movement, which provides a constant mind-body connection.

How to incorporate it into your schedule?

You have a full calendar with your professional and personal commitments, and you’re wondering how you’re going to fit this into your schedule:

• Instead of hosting a dinner party for a friends birthday, suggest that you and your girlfriends take a dance lesson instead.
• Meet your best friend at dance class, instead of at coffee.
• Join a kid-friendly class and encourage your children to join you. There’s no better way to show your children the benefits of exercise than leading by example.
• Rekindle romance with your partner by signing up for a sensual dance such as the Tango or the Salsa.

As with any form of exercise, use precautions and realize your limitations. Don’t try and do any highly acrobatic moves like those that you see on “Dancing With the Stars.” Those actors practice more than five hours a day with professionals before they perform those intricate routines. Don’t give up even if you feel like you have two left feet; as with anything, if you persevere you will find a remarkable improvement and reap benefits within a short period of time.

So go ahead, lace up those dancing shoes and Change, Challenge and Confuse yourself!

Remarkable Resistance: The Value of Resistance Training

We’ve all made it into the gym and feebly picked up a few light-weight dumbbells and given it our half-hearted best while watching TV or listening to our MP3 players. And then, 20 minutes into it, we feel like we did enough.

But, we probably didn’t do enough to even tickle the muscle fibers, let alone work them out sufficiently to give us the boost in metabolism, or burn those extra calories after the workout is over.

Yes, properly done, resistance training will not only boost metabolism but you will also continue to burn up calories, long after you’ve done the last rep. Now, if this alone isn’t reason enough to keep reading, then perhaps the fact that for every pound of muscle you add, you will burn an extra 50 calories a day and lose inches quicker will …

What is resistance training?

Simply put, resistance training is pitting your muscles against an external resistance like dumbbells, bands, gallon milk jugs, aquatics and even your own body.

This forces your muscles to contract and breakdown during the workout. After the workout the muscles repair and rebuild themselves (which is why it’s critical to take in a good source of protein within 30 minutes of resistance training) which requires a larger amount of energy to do, which means greater caloric burn even after the workout ends.

As a woman, it is near impossible to “bulk up” without assistance from hormones or steroids; so, don’t worry, you won’t look like those overly muscled body builders with every muscle fiber visible when you flex your muscles. This fear keeps many women away from the weights in the gym, or if they do use weights, they’re afraid to go beyond 5lb.

Benefits of resistance training

• Increased metabolism and increased caloric burn
• Increased muscle mass and reduced body fat
• Improved balance and stability
• Reduced risk of diabetes, arthritis, osteoarthritis etc
• Lower blood pressure and heart rate, which is thought to reduce the risk of heart disease (although it has been found that if you have high blood pressure, using excessively heavy weight could cause increased blood pressure)
• A lean and toned body
• Increased muscle strength within a short time frame
• Improved self esteem and self-confidence

Examples of resistance training

Does the big bulky guy, who’s always in the gym no matter what hour of the day you’re there; the one who can’t put his arms straight down the sides of his body because he has so much muscle, intimidate you? He shouldn’t! He’s actually a mouse in disguise! Either way, you’re in luck, cable machines although a very effective way for a beginner to do resistance training is certainly not the only way of doing it.

Other methods include:

• Water — low impact, high resistance!
  1. Ever tried running in water as a kid. Well, strap on a couple of ankle weights and go jogging in the shallow end of the pool.
  2. Take a water aerobics class. — This class is no longer just for the active geriatric group. Water aerobics has taken on a completely new twist and can give you a run for your money!
• Elastic Bands — this versatile little piece of elastic can be the only piece of equipment you would need to do a full body resistance workout. From bicep curls (step on the band with one foot, and do a curl; increase resistance by stepping on it with both feet slightly apart) to butt toning exercises (step on the band with one foot, place the band on the arch of your second foot and bend it behind you so that the bottom of your foot is looking skyward, bring your foot as far up behind you as you can go, while straightening at the knee and then return to the ground)
• Free weights — If you don’t belong to a gym, and don’t want any gym equipment lying around your home, then raid your pantry and pull out two half gallon or gallon jugs of water and use them as weights. Cans of soup work just as well.

If you’re really serious, you can buy one of those single pair of dumbbells with add-on metal plates to vary the weight from 5lb all the way to 50lbs each. This will occupy minimal space in your house and you have a versatile piece of equipment to give yourself a full body workout. (exercises for the legs include lunges both stationary and walking with dumbbells in each hand, for the abs – lay on your back with a 5 or 8lb weight in both hands, with your arms stretched straight above you, reaching for the ceiling, bend your knees and raise your upper torso into a crunch)

• Your own body — you can use your own body for resistance. Push ups, pull ups, chin ups, chair dips etc.

Adding resistance training to your overall fitness regimens even just twice a week will result in marked improvements.

It is particularly important in women since we start losing bone density after the age of 30. While the jury is still out on whether it can reverse the osteoporosis it can certainly delay its onset. So go ahead, pick up those cans of soup and “use them” before consuming them!

Have Workout Will Travel

Whether you are looking to travel for holiday family trips or you travel for business, or you just need a good old fashioned vacation, it invariably takes a toll on the regularity of your exercise regimen and your life in general.

You’re jetlagged, in an unfamiliar town, uncertain of the roads, and you don’t have access to a gym because yours is a local gym with no franchises elsewhere. If staying in a hotel, you don’t have access to a kitchen or wholesome ingredients so you eat unhealthily — the reasons (excuses) are endless. (Or it is the holidays and portion size expands.)

If healthier living is a lifestyle instead of a resolution then there should be no “wagon” to fall off, and you won’t come home with more baggage than your dirty laundry!

Do your homework and plan ahead!

• Book yourself into a hotel with a gym.
• Create a routine for yourself that you can do in the confines of a hotel room. This way you’re more likely to actually do it because you’ve tried out its effectiveness in the familiarity of your own home.
• If you’re a runner, check in with a local running club and join them on their run! This is a great way to meet like-minded people and run with a pack, which is much safer, particularly on roads you’re unfamiliar with.
• Commit to healthier eating choices and research local eateries around your hotel so you know which ones to hit and which ones to avoid.
• If you’re traveling for business and expect to have long days in conference rooms with little time for yourself, bite the bullet and wake up just thirty minutes earlier and squeeze in a run around your hotel or a quick resistance workout in your hotel room. Resistance bands are light and take up no room in your suitcase — so don’t leave home without them. You can also use a phone book or big bottles of water in lieu of weights.
• Exercises like push ups, lunges, crunches etc. require no equipment.

Improvise!

• If the weather is bad, find a mall and “mall-walk.” (Leave your wallet -behind so you’re not inclined to shop, just carry some change and your ID in a pocket in case of an emergency.)
• Book yourself into a higher floor at the hotel and use the stairs instead of the elevator for an instant cardiovascular workout.
• Instead of eating every meal at a restaurant, find a local grocery store; buy some fruit, cereal (or oatmeal) and milk and store it in your room for a healthier (and cheaper) breakfast for everyday of your trip! Get yourself a sandwich from the deli section and you’ll be less inclined to get “chips, drink and a cookie” than if you were to go to a “Subway” or “Quiznos” or some such sandwich place. This way you can allow yourself to indulge a little for dinner and taste the local wares.
• If you don’t have 30 minutes to commit to your workout, then break it up into 10-minute chunks.

Make it Fun!

• Make exercise a part of your trip. Walk to all the sight-seeing icons; walk whenever to wherever you can.
• Most of the larger cruise ships offer state of the art gym equipment, so if you’re chowing down at the all-you-can-eat midnight buffet, make sure to work it off the next morning on the running track around the ship, in the pool or at the gym.
• Try something you’ve never done before, i.e., Seattle is home of the REI flagship store — which has a 65 foot tall, rock wall — test it out!
• Go skiing in Dubai, or indoor ice skating in South East Asia, whatever your pleasure, do something to elevate your heart rate while doing something you’ve never done before.
• Go on a different kind of vacation — adventure travel no longer means camping and eating out of a tin cup. There are enough adventure tour outfitters happy to tailor a trip that combines a healthy dose of adventure geared to your skill level with luxury accommodations and gourmet cuisine.
• Include the whole family; ask every member of the family to come up with different forms of exercise daily. Now you have diversity and accountability!
• Allow yourself an indulgence. Make a reservation at the French restaurant you’ve heard so much about and conserve your calories by eating healthily all day, so you won’t feel so guilty about eating every course — including the dessert and cheese!

When you travel, make it a habit to pack your workout gear. Yes, your athletic shoes are bulky and cumbersome to pack, but think about where you’d rather have those extra pounds … in your suitcases or on your person! You won’t leave home without your tooth brush — make your exercise clothes just as important and you’ll come home without the sense of doom of you now have to drop those extra vacation pounds.

Eat Healthy; Eat A Rainbow

We are all pretty good about eating our green leafy vegetables, but how many of us venture much further beyond this?

We eat spinach, broccoli and maybe different varieties of lettuce; but how often do we actually get creative with our vegetables and step outside the box and try things like radishes or eggplant (except perhaps as Eggplant Parmesan!)?

Yes, we do the carrots, tomatoes and celery in our salads but on a regular basis, if you pay attention to your side dishes for dinner, you might notice a pattern of similar vegetables week after week. Do you get at least five servings of fruit and vegetables a day? If you do, good for you! Now try and bump this up to 7 and then aim for 9!

It’s easier than you think to get your daily quota of fruit and vegetables, particularly if you think in terms of a rainbow.

Then not only will you eat enough servings (7 colors in a rainbow) but you’ll make sure you’ll cover the gamut of super nutrients (nutrients other than the usual protein, carbohydrates, fats etc.)

The Colors, The Health Benefits, The Fruit and Vegetable Options

Blue/Purple (Violet/Indigo/Blue)

• Rich in vitamin C, fiber and potassium
• Antioxidants and anti-inflammatory (assist arthritis sufferers)
• Promote heart and urinary tract health
• Improves memory function
• Reduces the risk of breast cancer
• Promote healthy aging
• Maintains healthy blood pressure

Eat black rice, eggplant, purple cabbage, plums, raisins, blueberries, blackberries, grapes, prunes

Green

• Rich in lutein
• Reduces the risk of colon cancer
• Promote vision health

Eat broccoli, kale, spinach, asparagus, brussel sprouts, green beans, cabbage, leeks, green peppers, okra, green apples, green grapes, honeydew

Yellow/Orange

• Rich in beta-carotene (the body converts this to vitamin A and vitamin C, E and folate, which reduces the risk of a woman giving birth to a child with brain or spinal cord defects
• Promotes vision, skin and heart health

Fights off environmental toxins, such as pollutants and second-hand cigarette smoke
Eat sweet potatoes, corn, squash, lemons, oranges, carrots, grapefruit, cantaloupe, mangoes, papayas, peaches, pineapples, bananas

Red

• Rich in vitamin C
• Reduces the risk of certain cancers
• Promotes heart and urinary tract health* Heals wounds
• Keeps gums and teeth healthy

Eat apples, cherries, pomegranates, red grapes, strawberries, cranberries, pink grapefruit, watermelon, beets, red onions, red peppers, tomatoes, red cabbage

According to statistics gathered by the Center for Disease Control in 2005, the average percentage of people who consumed fruit and vegetables more than five times a day was less than 35 percent across the nation. Washington DC was in the lead with 33 percent. Is there any wonder obesity, as a whole, is on the rise?

It’s not difficult to include more fruits and vegetables into your diet. A serving size is actually smaller than you think.

One medium piece of fruit or half a cup of cut up raw or cooked vegetables comprise one serving.

Here are some easy ways to incorporate more fruit and vegetables into your diet.

1. Add fresh fruit (berries or banana) to your morning cereal or oatmeal.
2. Blend some fresh or frozen berries with nonfat yogurt for a delicious antioxidant rich smoothie.
3. Instead of refrigerating your fruit, place it on your kitchen counter in a pretty basket or bowl for a bit of kitchen art. This way, if you see it, you’ll reach for it!
4. Toss up some spinach, tomatoes and avocado with your egg white omelet in the morning.
5. Reach for an 8 oz. V8 vegetable juice and get a whole serving of vegetables.
6. Make your own fruit and yogurt parfait by mixing nonfat plain yogurt with some strawberries, blueberries and some crunchy granola for a perfect 3 p.m. pick-me-up instead of the snickers bar you’re about to reach for.
7. Make it fun — include the whole family, particularly the kids; let them help you pick out different vegetables. Make a game of getting the “vegetable rainbow” into your grocery cart.
8. Grow a vegetable garden — either in your backyard or on your condo balcony in pots — there is nothing better than homegrown tomatoes.

As James Joseph, of the Human Nutrition Research Center of Aging at Tufts University in Boston, said, “The truth is that if grocery stores had the marketing muscle of drug companies, we would all be racing to try this miracle regimen of eating a color-packed diet full of fruits and vegetables. Patients would demand that their doctors prescribe it.”

Sources: www.5aday.org, www.timesonline.co.uk, www.healthyhawaii.com, www.fuitsandveggiesmatter.gov, www.cdc.gov

Create Your Own Circuit

Want a great workout to keep boredom at bay? It means mixing up what you do for exercise, but it can also mean mixing it up even within the same workout. Circuit training is a series of exercises performed one after the other where no two consecutive exercises work the same muscle group.

This is an effective method of exercising to improve your strength, flexibility, endurance and cardiovascular fitness. Do one repetition, and then with little or no rest, switch to a different exercise for an entirely different muscle group. This ensures you work out your entire body and get a cardiovascular workout because as you switch to the next machine or exercise without much of a break — your heart has to work just that much harder, which increases your heart rate, giving a nice aerobic edge to your workout.

The women’s gym “Curves” made this popular claiming you could get in, get a workout and get out in thirty minutes. Their target demographic is the mom on the run with little time for herself. Curves is a good place to start if you’re new to exercise because you don’t really have to think about anything, you follow the routine on the machines and you’re done. (But you’ll eventually have to change it up again, because you want to keep your body challenged by the exercises.)

Circuit training is highly versatile because it can be:

• toned down or ramped up for all levels of fitness or age.
• custom designed to accommodate recovery from certain injuries (i.e., you can avoid certain exercises).
• made sport specific to be a training mechanism to prepare for almost any sport.

You can customize your circuit so it emphasizes either upper or lower body, or whole body. Also, you can make it an entirely cardiovascular workout (otherwise called interval training – but this an entirely separate article!).

Always start any circuit workout with a 5- to 10-minute warm up and end with a 5-minute cool down. You can repeat the circuit 2 to 3 times or do it just once to get a quick workout. Complete the exercises in quick succession of each other. Try not to take a break until you complete the entire circuit once. If you must, stop, do so only for 30 seconds or better still use this time to stretch the muscles you’ve just worked.

1. Dumbbell Bench Press 1×15 (works your chest, biceps and triceps)
   • Lie on a bench with dumbbells in either hand.
   • Bring dumbbells to shoulder height, level with the rest of your body, palms facing skyward.
   • Raise dumbbells to the sky, straightening your arms, but not locking elbows.
   • Return to starting position.
2. Plank Pose 30 to 60 seconds (works your core)
   • Lie on your front, bring your toes under and support your upper body on your elbows and forearms and lift your body off the floor so you form a straight line from your shoulders to your toes. Don’t let your belly sag toward the floor.
3. Dumbbell Standing Lunges 1×15 each leg (works your quads and glutes)
   • Stand with a dumbbell in each hand.
   • Lunge forward with your left leg, so your left knee is directly over your toes (never in front of it) in a more or less 90 degree angle.
   • Return to starting position and repeat with right leg.
4. Bicep Curl 1×15 each arm (works your biceps and shoulders)
   • Stand with your arms by your side with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward.
   • Bend your arms at the elbow, while ensuring your upper arms don’t move
   • from the side of your body; bring your forearms up toward your shoulder.
   • Return your arm to your side and repeat with the other arm.
5. Lying Row 1×15 (works your back, biceps and triceps)
   • Lie face forward on a bench or a stability ball with dumbbells in each hand.
   • Pull the dumbbells to your sides until your triceps are either in line with your back or slightly behind the horizontal line of your back.
   • Return to starting position which is your arms nearly straight in front of you with elbows just slightly bent.
6. Traditional Crunch 1×15 (works your abdomen)
   • Lie straight on your back with your legs stretched out in front of you.
   • Place your hands behind your head so your fingers just lightly touch the sides of your head, with your palms facing skyward.
   • Looking at the ceiling above you, raise your upper body just a few inches off the ground, so your elbows are still straight out toward the sides. Your eyes should never leave the ceiling; if you’re looking at the wall or anywhere aside from the ceiling, you do not have correct form.

To create your own circuit, simply first identify the muscles you want to work and then find a couple of exercises for each of those muscles. String them together so no two exercises work the same muscle groups in succession (but there’s no rule preventing you from having 2 to 3 exercises for the same muscle group, just space it out). You can have as many as 20 exercises in a circuit. Can you think of a better way to Change, Challenge and Confuse?

Amazing Abs

Ah abs!! The area on our body plaguing us most of all … or at least this is the case for many of us. We’ve all at least once in our lives tried those machines the late night infomercials claim will magically covert layers of belly fat into a toned six-pack within a couple of weeks of 8 minutes a day abdominal (ab) exercises.

Contrary to popular belief, 1,000 ab crunches a day will not get you the six-pack you crave. As with all other muscle groups, exercises targeted at specific muscles build those muscles. So, abdominal crunches and other ab exercises build abdominal muscles, but if you have pounds of belly fat in front of the ab muscles, then this is all you’ll see.

In order to lose the belly fat, you have to incorporate all elements of the “Lifestyle Triage,” namely cardiovascular training, weight training and proper nutrition.

If you’ve been reading my previous articles on weight training then you know what I think about the stability ball, BOSU trainer and other such devices able to “unbalance” the body, requiring you to engage your core while working out. This undoubtedly gives you the biggest bang for your exercise buck!

Abdominal exercises are no different. While most of the exercises I prescribe here are done on stable ground, they are just as easily done on a stability ball, so why not add an extra bonus of core stabilization, which not only engages your abdominal muscles to keep you balanced but helps improve your posture, coordination and balance as well.

As with all exercises, make sure you do it with correct form and posture to prevent the risk of injury:

• Your shoulders, head and neck should be in line with the rest of your body and not brought forward or up.
• Contract your abs by pulling your belly to the spine.

Bicycle 2 x 15: This is scientifically tested and proven to be among the most effective ab exercises and works out all the different muscles that make up your abs.

• Lie on your back, bend your knees to a 90-degree angle and raise your legs so your shins are parallel to the floor.
• Place both your hands behind your head so your fingertips touch your head close to the nape of your neck, with your thumbs more or less behind your ears, and make sure your arms are flat on the floor, with elbows pointing outward.
• Contract your abs, keep your right knee bent at 90-degrees and bend your left knee to a 45-degree angle and at the same time twist and raise your torso so your left elbow touches your right knee, keeping your elbows open, and your head, neck and shoulders stay neutral as they raise off the floor.
• Return your torso to the floor as you bend your left knee back to starting position and then repeat the move on the other side to complete one repetition.
• Make this exercise more challenging, by bringing the legs closer (and straighter) to the floor instead of in a 90-degree angle.

Ball Alternative: Lie on a stability ball with the ball under the small of your back. Be sure to keep your chest, neck, shoulders and head in a neutral position parallel to the floor, with your knees at 90-degrees. Raise one knee up and bring the opposite elbow in to meet the knee (they don’t have to touch, merely attempt to). Exercise caution if you’ve never used a stability ball before as you might find yourself rolling off the ball in a very undignified manner!

Reverse Crunch 2×15

• Lie on your back, bend your knees to a 90-degree angle and raise your legs so your shins are parallel to the floor.
• Keep your arms straight by your body, palms facing the floor, elbows straight but never locked. (arms straight overhead makes this more challenging).
• Lift your lower body just slightly off the floor, so your knees come up toward your face, buttocks lift off the floor and you squeeze your abs. (Be sure not to use momentum to do this exercise. Do it in a slow and controlled manner so you engage your abs.)
• Return to starting position and repeat.

Ball Alternative: Lie on the floor with a stability ball squeezed between your knees or ankles and then repeat the exercise above. You can even try and grab the ball from between your ankles/knees, and then return it, for added challenge.

Plank: 2-3 times for 30 seconds with a 60 second rest between each. Ultimate goal is to work up to 1 minute pose with 30 seconds of rest.

• Lie on your front, with your upper torso off the floor, with your arms bent so your forearms rest flat on the floor, with your palms either facing the floor or hands clasped.
• Be sure your head and neck are neutral and your shoulders and elbows and knees and hips are in a straight line.
• Bring your toes under, and lift your hips off the floor so your entire body is in a straight line.
• Contract your abs and draw your shoulder blades down so you prevent your back from collapsing. Try to avoid hunching or rounding your shoulders or your belly sagging to the floor.
• Lower yourself to starting position and rest and repeat.

I haven’t even scratched the tip of the iceberg with regard to the number of excellent (and not so excellent) exercises there are for your abdominal region. But truly, you don’t have to do a whole host of them to build strength in your abs; nor should your ab workout be done as an afterthought to the rest of your workout.

Now that we’ve targeted all the major muscle groups, you can start getting creative and building workouts incorporating more than one muscle group at a time. There’s nothing saying you can’t do biceps, triceps and abs all in one session. Instead of taking a break between a set of biceps, do a set of crunches. Better still, do your bicep workout on the stability ball WHILE doing a crunch in between each bicep curl. The possibilities are endless! So go ahead Change, Challenge, Confuse yourself, or e-mail me questions and I’m happy to help!

Good Carbs, Bad Carbs

Carbohydrates have been getting a bad rap recently. With the “eat all the bacon and eggs and throw in some cookies for good measure” diets out there telling us carbohydrates are bad for us, it’s time to clear the good name of carbohydrates everywhere.

Why our body needs carbohydrates
Glucose is the fuel (or energy) our body runs on. Carbohydrates are the best source of glucose.

Metabolic rate is the rate at which your body uses energy (consumes calories) to go about your daily routine. It is glucose, when consumed into the blood stream, providing energy to your body (think 3 p.m. chocolate-pick-me-up).

Today, some marathon organizers still provide “pre-race-pasta-dinners.” This is simply because the simple carbohydrates found in pasta (the non whole grain variety) break down very quickly into usable glucose and provide energy to the runner, without depleting glycogen stores (glucose stored in muscles and lean tissue), which are set in reserve to be used when we over exert ourselves.

So if we don’t consume carbohydrates, then our body doesn’t have a ready source for fuel. When this becomes the case, the body will then tap into the stored glycogen in the muscles, and once this is depleted (because there’s only so much the muscles can store) it will tap into muscles and lean tissue as a source of energy, and you actually start to lose muscle mass.

Since muscle is denser than fat, you find yourself losing weight in the short term. This tricks the body into thinking it’s in starvation mode, and it stops being as efficient as it can be to consume calories, thinking it needs to store up for a “rainy day.” (Think starving man in the desert, i.e., preserving the last piece of dry bread to make it through until a new source of food is found.)

This causes the body’s metabolic rate to significantly slow down, and hence you start feeling sluggish and actually start putting on weight. Because now, whenever you do eat, your body thinks it is not going to be fed regularly, and so it stores the glucose, which in turn is converted to fat, instead of burning it up. (Again, the starving man analogy.)

Good carbs, bad carbs?
The “white foods” — pasta, rice, bread, potatoes and other foods containing refined flour are all sources of simple carbohydrates (which the body should use up as quickly as possible to prevent storage). These are excellent sources of energy prior to extensive exercise. It takes the body no time to break these foods down into glucose because they lack the density fiber provides.

These provide a quick spike in insulin levels (the hormone the body makes to process the glucose into physical energy) due to the quick production of glucose. This is why, when consumed in excess, it can lead to Type II Diabetes. These types of foods tend to be calorie-rich but for the most part nutritionally-poor, so you end up feeling hungry pretty soon after.

The sources of carbohydrates you should NOT, under any circumstance, deprive from your body are the fiber rich complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables. These give you a constant source of energy over a longer period of time. A simple rule is that if it comes from nature, eat it, if it is manmade, think twice.

Fiber-rich carbohydrates have the benefit of filling you up quicker because of their density — and hence you feel full sooner — so you eat in moderation because fiber bulks up the meal. According to Dr. Nagi Kumar, director of clinical nutrition at the Moffitt Cancer Center and professor of human nutrition at the University of South Florida in Tampa, “Fiber can bind with cholesterol in the digestive tract, which lowers blood cholesterol and another benefit is that fiber-rich foods are also loaded with phytochemicals which are known to have anticancer properties.” (source: WebMD.com)

If you’re not a label reader, now is as good a time as any to start reading those nutrition labels. When you pick up your next loaf of bread, make sure the first ingredient says “whole grain flour.” If it says anything else, then you can be assured the brownness of the bread has more to do with caramelized food coloring than whole grain or whole-wheat flour. If you spend a little bit of extra time at the supermarket being discerning about the groceries you buy, you might find you spend a lot less time later, trying to work off those unwanted calories.

Beautiful Back

Haltertops, backless dresses and even tank tops are all enhanced by a sexy back. But prevent “bra-strap bulge” by incorporating a back workout into your weight training regimen, while also improving your posture. Combat the forward rounding of your shoulders caused by sedentary jobs where you’re hunched over a computer all day!

Four out of five people are plagued by back pain sometime in their lives. Backs are often the most ignored areas as far as workouts are concerned because we feel like these are not muscles you can typically “see.” What you can certainly see, however, is the strength and beauty of a strong back in posture and even in the backless dress noted earlier. There’s nothing sexier on a women than a well-formed, muscular back with no bulges where there shouldn’t be any. A strong back will help you walk taller, feel more confident and improve your posture significantly.

Remember to always contract your abs when working out, which maximizes the benefit of weight training while giving you an abdominal workout without you realizing it.

As with any new exercise regimen, please check with your physician before doing any new exercises, particularly when related to your back and spine. Also remember correct form is critically important, more so with the back than with any other body part.

Pull Ups – 1×10: Let me start by saying, if you’re new to working out, then the first pull up you do, will be more in your mind than anything else. You’ll feel like your body hasn’t budged an inch! Lifting your body weight a couple of feet off the floor is something you definitely have to work your way into. This said, when you successfully complete a pull up, it’s very encouraging. You know you are developing back strength when you can successfully complete a single pull up. Imagine how you’ll feel when you do five. Ultimately your goal is to do 3 sets of 10, but for now, just 1 set of 10 will suffice.

Use a pull up bar at the gym, or its something you can install in any doorway of your home (typically it’s a tension bar). Using a wider than shoulder stance, grip the bar either with your palms facing you or away from you (whichever is easier for you to do — you’ll ultimately work your way into palms facing toward you) and bring your body up until your chin hits the bar. Slowly lower and repeat (if you can).

Lat Pull Down 3×15: This move is done on a cable or pulley machine at the gym. Sit upright, contract your abs, reach overhead and grab the bar so your palms face away from you. Bring the bar to the top of your chest in a controlled manner and then slowly return to the top. Don’t let the bar snap at the top. You can throw in an “ab” workout by sitting on a stability ball instead of a bench.

Bent Over Fly – 3×15: I particularly like this move because it helps to reduce stress and strain in your back and neck and also combats the hunched over look accompanying most desk jobs! You can also do this position while resting your chest on a stability ball.

• Stand with your feet hip width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand, with your knees slightly bent.
• Bend from the waist, and bring your torso parallel to the floor. Your arms will now hang in line with your shoulders, elbows in a slight arc, palms facing in. make sure your head, neck and spine are in a straight line.
• Lift your arms up and out to the sides, making sure not to “break” (bend unnaturally) your wrists until your elbows are level with your shoulders.
• Return to starting position slowly.

Bent Over Row – 3×15 – 15 reps on either side of the body:

• Kneel over the length of a bench, with your left leg bent at the knee in a more or less 90-degree position. Use the left arm to support you (as if to straddle the bench). Grasp a dumbbell with your right hand, and keep the arm close to the body but straight.
• Pull dumbbell up, until the upper arm is just beyond the horizontal or height of the back — your elbow will begin to point skyward. It’s important you don’t twist your torso in order to maximize the move for your back rather than your triceps.
• Return to starting position, switch sides and repeat.

Dumbell Shrugs – 3×15: I love this exercise, because it gives me a great stretch not only in my back and shoulders but also relieves tension in the neck.

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold dumbbells in each hand.
• Raise your shoulders as high as possible.
• Lower and repeat.

Superman 2×15: This specifically targets the area of the lower back and will provide relief for tense backs.* Lie on the floor face down with your arms stretched out in front of you.

• Slowly lift the opposite leg and arm off the floor while still keeping them straight. Inhaling as you do.
• Return to the floor and exhale as you do.
• Switch sides and repeat.
• You can also start this exercise by being on hands and knees. This adds the element of balance which means it engages your core (abdomen) and helps to strengthen your mid section.

There are so many more exercises to talk about, but it would keep us here a long time. This is a good start, and, as always, feel free to email me or write comments about questions you might have.

Ten Ways to Take Your Workout Outdoors for the Summer

Summer’s here, the weather’s great and you want to enjoy being outdoors. So here’s TheSavvyGal’s take on how best to get a great workout and enjoy the sun (responsibly, with sunblock slathered on, of course). Here are some tips of how to mix up your summer workout and engage both your mind and your body.

The calorie burn listed is an approximation for a 150 lb person who is moderately active; it is a guideline and should not be considered an absolute number. Your results are determined by the effort you put in! Instead of a leisurely day of sunbathing, ramp things up this summer and get your tan while burning some serious calories.

Sand running — 650 calories per hour

Take your cardio to the beach. Running in sand is guaranteed to burn 20 to 50 percent more calories than running on asphalt or grass. Start first by running on the water’s edge where the sand is more packed, which provides you with a better grip and then work your way up to running in the loose dry sand, which packs a bigger punch. You reduce the chance of injury, get a terrific strength and resistance workout, strengthen your core muscles and build great abs, not to mention increase your lung capacity.

Surfing — 200 calories per hour

Zip up and make like a seal! Surfing provides a great full body workout. Paddling helps develop your arms, jumping up onto the board to catch a wave engages your core as well as your glutes and upper leg muscles as they work to support you and keep you standing on your board.

Kayaking — 400 calories per hour

Water’s too cold? Well, stay on it, instead of in it with a sit on-top kayak. Kayaking provides an excellent cardio and upper body workout.

Play some Frisbee — 200 calories per hour

Take Rover to the beach and throw some Frisbee. Don’t have anyone to play with, play “Frisbee Golf” with yourself — mark a spot on the beach, throw the Frisbee to the spot, then run/walk to it; find another spot to throw it to, then run to it and so on. This works great in a park and also works better with a foursome, just like Golf!

Beach volleyball — 560 calories per hour

Beach volleyball gives you a great full body workout. All you need is a net, volleyball and one other person to partner up with and you’ve got yourself a pick up game at the beach!

Water aerobics — 450 to 700 calories per hour

Love the water but not sure about what’s floating out there? Well, check out your local YMCA or Aquatic Center and catch a water aerobics class. Water aerobics provide a great muscular, flexibility and cardiovascular workout. Next time you’re in the pool, try spot jogging!! Aside from being a great workout, water-based aerobics and exercises are gentle on your joints, making it ideal for rehabilitation from injury as well as for those with arthritic or problematic joints.

Hiking — 400 plus calories per hour depending on difficulty

The best thing about hiking is you need nothing more than the desire to be out in the open, a good pair of shoes, preferably specific for hiking and a water bottle! Don’t forget the sunblock though! There’s nothing more exhilarating than a panoramic on a clear day from a 1000 ft. elevation! (In California and prefer the mountains to the ocean, no problem, try out one of the hundreds of trails in the Santa Monica Mountains. Here you’ll find maps, descriptions and photographs of local trails for hiking and biking.)

Mountain or road biking – 500 plus calories per hour depending on difficulty

Biking not only gives you a cardiovascular workout, but also works all the major muscle groups (no, not just the legs). You end up using your arms, shoulders, core, back, neck, etc. Biking also is easier on the joints than running tends to be. It’s not a cheap sport, but if you’re so inclined check out one of your many local bike stores to get outfitted.

Rollerblading or inline skating — 500 calories per hour

Rollerblading combines the pleasure of a stroll with the speed of a bike and the muscle toning effects of a good aerobic and core workout. Skating is an excellent form of resistance training and helps work the muscles of your upper legs, glutes, hips and lower back. Throw in some arm motion and you’ve got yourself a full body workout. Rollerblading also has the added benefit of honing your reflexes while you dodge pedestrians, cars and bikes.

Walking or Nordic walking — 200 to 400 calories per hour

The biggest benefit of walking is no extra equipment is required, and it takes no time to head out the door for a walk. There’s nothing to prepare for. It’s a highly social activity and allows for good “girlfriend” time. Next time, instead of meeting at your local coffee shop for a 700-calorie-full-of-fat-coffee drink, go for a walk and indulge in ice cold water or Gatorade!

Nordic walking is a low stress exercise using walking poles to engage the legs and upper body in a total body workout. The best thing about it is it increases your heart rate and caloric burn without you feeling like you’re working any harder. However aside from just your legs you’re using your abs, arms, shoulders, upper chest and back muscles as you swing your pole-wielding arms back and forth. Nordic walking is said to improve posture as well.

Whatever your choice, just make sure you get out there and enjoy the summer weather and burn some calories while you do it! Go ahead CHANGE, CHALLENGE, CONFUSE yourself!