The numbers on the scale only paint part of the fitness picture. Did you know that a lean bodybuilder and a pudgy couch potato the same height could weigh exactly the same? Yikes! That's because muscle weighs more than fat!
So get the best picture of how you're doing with a body-fat measure. Body fat is simply the percentage of fat your body contains. For example, if you weighed 150 pounds and had 10 percent body fat, you would have 15 pounds fat and 135 pounds lean body mass (bone, muscle, organ tissue, blood, and everything else). Women need a minimum body fat of 10 percent to survive. Athletes average 12 to 20 percent. A fit level is 22 to 24 percent. Between 25 and 31 percent is considered borderline and over 32 percent is obese. So keep these numbers in mind!
Ask to have your body fat measured by your doctor or at the gym, and then use that number to determine how far you have to go. Remember, you really want to lose FAT, not just weight!
---
Be Your Best, Do What It Takes, Have What You Want!!!
------------------------------------------
You can achieve your personal best!!
Re: From Denise Austin Children With "Adult" Diabetes?
Here's a scary result of the increase in childhood obesity: A new study confirms that it's been accompanied by a spike in the number of children diagnosed with type 2 — or adult onset — diabetes around the globe. In fact, some 45 percent of teens with diabetes now have type 2. Unlike type 1, which is caused by an inherited disorder where the pancreas doesn't make enough insulin, in type 2 diabetes the body becomes desensitized to insulin. Both types are serious, chronic illnesses that dramatically increase the risk of other problems (like kidney failure or heart disease). So beware!
What can parents do to protect their children? Fight back against the two primary causes of type 2 diabetes — a sedentary lifestyle and excess weight! But don't ever put your child on a diet by yourself. If you're concerned about the risk of diabetes, the best place to start is with a visit to the doctor for professional advice!
---
Be Your Best, Do What It Takes, Have What You Want!!!
------------------------------------------
You can achieve your personal best!!
Are you drinking at least 8 glasses of water each day? It's important that you keep hydrated — the right amount of clear, clean water will help your body set fat cells free and clear out other impurities! Seem like too much water? If you're having a hard time guzzling all that fluid, try these tips for working it in:
Add zest to plain water with a squeeze of lemon or lime, or add a splash of real fruit juice!
Soups with a clear broth base provide 3/4 cup of water per one-cup serving. Choose a broth that's low in salt and calories, or make your own broth full of fresh veggies!
Eat your water by choosing fruits and vegetables with a high water content. Watermelon, strawberries, apples, squash, broccoli, cabbage, cucumbers, carrots, lettuce, and green peppers all contain over 90 percent water!
Blend a few ice cubes into your morning smoothie to up the water content.
Water actually tastes different depending on whether it's ice cold, room temperature, or steaming hot. Vary the temperature for a change of pace!
Drink up and enjoy!
---
Be Your Best, Do What It Takes, Have What You Want!!!
------------------------------------------
You can achieve your personal best!!
You may have heard of a recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition where researchers found that chocolate may actually be good for you! While they didn't go so far as to recommend chocolate as a health food, moderate amounts of chocolate as part of an overall balanced diet may help protect your heart, they say. Why? Chocolate — especially the dark kind — contains flavonoids, the same heart-friendly substances also found in tea and red wine. It also contains sterols, B vitamins, magnesium, copper, potassium, and other heart-healthy substances.
Food companies have jumped on the marketing bandwagon, producing chocolate "health food" bars. But watch out, experts say! At 135 to 150 calories per ounce, chocolate — even the fat-free variety — adds up quickly!
Eating too many "empty" chocolate calories in place of healthier foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein could offset any potential health gains.
So don't start stocking up on chocolate! In fact, why not get your flavonoids from a decaffeinated tea, instead? At zero calories and zero fat — plus a delicious taste — it's one of the best heart-health foods around!
---
Be Your Best, Do What It Takes, Have What You Want!!!
------------------------------------------
You can achieve your personal best!!
Re: From Denise Austin Jumping rope: Minute per minute, this grade-school standby burns more energy than any aerobic activity other than running! You'll burn 200 calories in just 15 minutes.
Start by slowly swinging the rope to your side to get into the rhythm, and then jump in with both feet hitting the ground at the same time. There you go!
Mini-Trampoline: This compact piece of home gym equipment packs a powerful punch. You'll burn 75 calories in just 15 minutes of bouncing. You can also use the trampoline to jog in place during those rainy days!
Jumping Jacks: This gym-class classic burns 150 calories in 15 minutes flat! Start in a 45-degree stance, jump to the center with feet together, and then jump back out to 45 degrees. Snappy!
---
Be Your Best, Do What It Takes, Have What You Want!!!
------------------------------------------
You can achieve your personal best!!
Long before you ever sit down and talk to your child about the importance of being active, he or she will have already picked up many of the messages from just watching you. So make sure they're positive messages!
One of the easiest ways to do this is to make family time active time! Need some ideas to get your family moving in a fun way? The experts at the National Association for Sport and Physical Education suggest the following:
Walk to visit friends or family whenever possible. The same goes for shopping and dining out!
Try something new! Let your kids teach you to dance to "their" music, or take a fitness class as a family.
Plant a family garden, with each member taking care of a different section.
Visit a u-pick farm and enjoy getting in touch with the food you eat!
Plan a family "treasure hunt" that takes a route through the yard or park.
Enter a family-friendly walk, bike-a-thon, or other event. Help others and yourself!
---
Be Your Best, Do What It Takes, Have What You Want!!!
------------------------------------------
You can achieve your personal best!!
The summer months can be packed with activities, visitors, vacations, and outdoor fun! But are you remembering to get your beauty rest? You need it to look and feel your best!
Be sure to slow down every so often this summer. Need some ideas? Try these:
Put a hammock up in your yard and watch the world go by
Take a stroll along the beach or river at sunset
Build a sandcastle
Relax in a lawn chair at twilight. Use all your senses to experience the magic of summer!
Catch a summer open-air concert at a local park
Take in a small-town parade
Take a nature hike and stop to admire the wildflowers
Walk barefoot in the sand
Go for a run through the sprinkler
Play a game of croquet
Host a barbecue with healthy grilled and low-fat treats
---
Be Your Best, Do What It Takes, Have What You Want!!!
------------------------------------------
You can achieve your personal best!!
Re: From Denise Austin Don't Let Activity Get "Left Behind!"
No one would argue that making sure our children get the best education possible isn't a worthy cause. However, some education experts worry that in the quest to fund additional programs to meet the federal "No Child Left Behind" mandate, there will be cuts to already-weakening physical education programs. Even recess could be at risk if schools decide the time is better spent cracking the books (to meet testing targets) than running around on the playground! And that could lead to even higher levels of childhood obesity.
So what can be done? They say you can help by lobbying at the local level in your own school district to preserve programs that help children develop physically, as well as mentally. Even if your district does make the cut, all is not lost! You can encourage your child to be active on his or her own time, or as part of an organized after-school activity. The payoff? Better health, and a well-rounded education!
---
Be Your Best, Do What It Takes, Have What You Want!!!
------------------------------------------
You can achieve your personal best!!
If you're not making dairy a part of your healthy lifestyle, you could be missing out on some big benefits, say experts from the American Dietetic Association. For example:
Research suggests that dairy intake and weight-management are strongly connected. Just three servings a day may make losing weight and keeping it off much easier!
A single 8-ounce serving provides 25 percent of your daily riboflavin needs. This important nutrient helps your body convert food into energy.
Fat-free milk is one of the leanest protein sources around. It provides all of the good stuff, but without the fat!
Dairy is rich in calcium, too! Bone up with an 8-ounce glass of milk — it'll provide 30 percent of your daily calcium requirement.
Milk allows you to get vitamin D without the sun damage! A single serving provides 25 percent of your daily intake!
Milk is a great post-workout drink! An 8-ounce glass of skim provides hydration, electrolytes, carbohydrates, and protein — and all for a bargain calorie count of 80. Yum!
---
Be Your Best, Do What It Takes, Have What You Want!!!
------------------------------------------
You can achieve your personal best!!
Besides their abundance of vitamins, minerals, and feel-full fiber content, here's another great reason to eat your five servings of fruits and vegetables every day: You'll cut your cancer risk in half! The reason? Antioxidants! These powerful, naturally occurring nutrients boost your immune system and fend off cell damage! The Virginia Department of Health offers the following advice for squeezing in your five a day:
When you get home from the market, cut up fruits and veggies into serving-size pieces. You'll be more likely to reach for them if they're ready to go!
Have fruit or 100 percent fruit juice with your breakfast.
Stock your kitchen with fresh, frozen, dried, and canned fruits and vegetables so they're always on hand!
Munch on a fruit or vegetable snack daily!
Add a side of veggies (steamed or cooked) to your plate at dinner.
---
Be Your Best, Do What It Takes, Have What You Want!!!
------------------------------------------
You can achieve your personal best!!
