Fixes to Fitness Aches & Pains

· Backache? - Start weight lifting. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, strength training 4 days a week for 13 weeks decreased lower back pain in chronic suffers by about 23%! This is especially true if you focus on strengthening your core muscles!


· Knee Pain? - when you run? Think you just have bad knees? Think again, believe it or not this pain could be due to weak hip muscles. “Weak hips change your normal ankle and knee alignment when you jog, which stresses tissues unnaturally,” says Reed Ferber, Ph.D. Ask your personal trainer for exercises to remedy this.




· Sore Muscles? - Stretch it out! “Stretching increases blood flow, bringing oxygen to the muscles while getting rid of lactic acid, which causes achiness,” says Pete McCall with the American Council on Exercise. Stretch each muscle group after your workout, holding each stretch for at least 30 seconds.



· Still Sore? - Suffer from arthritis or muscle pain? Ginger may reduce the inflammation that’s associated with pain and arthritis, so pick some up at your local grocery store and check out these recipes……

The Mediterranean Diet: Heart Healthy

"That is: no carbs, no fat, no sugar, no meat -- diets are all about forbidding particular foods. The Mediterranean diet is different. Instead of focusing on what you can't have, it focuses on what you can have -- the very best, freshest, healthiest foods." - Jenny Stamos Kovacs WebMD

Key components of the Mediterranean diet include:

• Getting plenty of exercise and eating your meals with family and friends
• Eating a generous amount of fruits and vegetables
• Consuming healthy fats such as olive oil and canola oil
• Using herbs and spices instead of salt to flavor foods
• Eating small portions of nuts
• Drinking red wine, in moderation, for some
• Consuming very little red meat
• Eating fish or shellfish at least twice a week

The Mediterranean diet has been associated with a lower level of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol — the "bad" cholesterol that's more likely to build up deposits in your arteries. In otherwords, the combination of fresh fruits and vegetables (which are high in antioxidants), good fats (olive oil and nuts), low saturated fat (low in red meat, high in omega-3 loaded fish) in the Mediterranean diet is thought to reduce your risk of heart disease. So Dig in! Here are some good recipes to get your started.....

Lentil & Bulgur Pilaf with Green & Yellow Squash

Grilled Tofu with a Mediterranean Chopped Salad

Whole-Wheat Couscous Pilaf

Farfalle with Marinated Grilled Chicken

Sources:
http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/the-mediterranean-diet
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/mediterranean-diet/CL00011

7 Ways to Stay on Track and Lose Weight

1. Set SMART Goals
Specific
Measurable
Action-oriented
Realistic
Time-bound
Make a contract with yourself, set goals, and chose non-food rewards for yourself (ie spa treatment, new shoes, etc)

2. Pick out your Sexiest "Skinny" Outfit
Find that sexy outfit that you haven't been able to fit into for years, or buy a new dress a size or two too small. Use this as a motivation and measuring tool for your progress!

3. Team up with a Friend
Studies have shown that having someone to exercise with helps many people stay on a consistent routine. Chose someone that lives nearby, has a good work ethic, and you enjoy spending time with; this will help you get out of bed on those cold rainy mornings to exercise.


4. Get Professional Motivation
By hiring a personal trainer and scheduling all your appointments ahead of time, this takes away your opportunity to rationalize and quit. Most likely you will be paying for that session whether you show up or not, so chances are....you will show up!

5. Group Exercise Classes
Belong to a gym? Experiment with the exercise classes they offer and find one that you love! Become a regular to this class, at least once a week, to help keep your exercise plan interesting.


6. Track your progress
Weigh yourself once every 2 weeks, and write the number down! Also take measurements of your waist, hips, arms, and thighs to keep track of inches lost! (the scale can lie, so it is better to go off of measurements)

7. Get a Dog
By having a dog you will have to go outside to walk it several times a day, and if your dog is a ball full of energy you will feel guilty not taking it for a run. Dogs can be a good motivator to start running.

Superfood Highlight: Pumpkin

A good source of:
-Alpha-carotene
-Beta-carotene
-Fiber
-Low calories
-Vitamin C
-Vitamin E
-Potassium
-Magnesium
-Pantothenic acid

Pumpkins offer a host of health benefits, including their bountiful supply of fiber, and various vitamins and minerals, but pumpkin deserves its Superfood status because of its rich and powerful supply of carotenoids. Carotenoids are the deep orange, yellow, or red fat-soluble compounds that are present in a variety of plants. The presence of carotenoids in the body has been associated with a reduction in rick for the following diseases:

-Lung, prostate, skin, bladder, and colon cancers
-Cardiovascular disease
-Inflammatory conditions including asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis
-Diabetes

Pumpkin Recipes

Baking Fresh with Pumpkin

Cranberry Pumpkin Bread

Spiced Pumpkin Seeds


Source: Superfoods Healthstyle - Steven G. Pratt M.D. & Kathy Matthews

Strategies to Enhance Fat Metabolism with Exercise

1. Incorporate low to moderate-intensity metabolic training workouts

-In other words, do a cardiovascular exercise (jogging, biking, elliptical etc.) for 60-80 minutes at a “conversational pace.” The “conversational pace” should be a pace at which you could carry on a conversation without getting out of breath.

-It has been proven that keeping the intensity low, but the duration high leads to greater fat utilization.


2. Incorporate some high-intensity, short duration workouts (intervals)

-Alternate 1 minute of high intensity cardiovascular exercise (sprint) with 3 minutes of low intensity cardiovascular exercise (active rest) for 15-20 minutes. The accumulation of sprints equals the 15-20 minutes, in other words, the active rest time does not count towards your 15-20 minutes.

-The increase of intensity increases the number of calories burned


3. Incorporate multi-mode training

-Try different modes of cardiovascular exercise to avoid over-use injuries, and to strengthen different muscles.

-Jogging, biking, elliptical, swimming etc.


4. Avoid high glycemic foods up to 2 hours prior to the cardiovascular workout

-Eating high glycemic index foods prior to cardiovascular exercise increases insulin, which inhibits fat burning.

-If you are exercising first thing in the morning, make sure you are eating something before your cardiovascular exercise , but make it low glycemic index rather than high glycemic index.


**Learn more about what the Glycemic Index is HERE!

Calling All Seattle Brides

Engaged? Wanting to get in shape for your big day? Follow these guidelines:

-Drink lots of water
No, diet coke doesn't count

-Get a partner
maybe your groom? or maid of honor?

-Circuit train
Move from one exercise to the next without rest, this helps burn more calories in less time

-Eat lots of fiber!
Both soluble and unsoluble, helps fill you up without the calories

-Eat lots of fruits and veggies
Low in calories, high in antioxidants, and vitamins

-Cardio, cardio, cardio!
Up the frequency and duration of your cardio, and lower the intensity. Run for 1 hour at a conversation pace

-Buy a swimsuit 1 size smaller for your honeymoon
You can use this to gauge your progress

-Cut out take-out
Try making all your meals at home, take-out tends to hide calories in the food. Above all, avoid fried foods!

-Try a personal trainer or group exercise class
Studies show that having a personal trainer gets you results faster! Some places even offer discounts for brides! Check this out!