Posts Tagged ‘exercise’

If the stuffy gym just isn’t doing it for you anymore, and you find yourself putting off exercise because you are bored with routine or too busy during the holiday season, don’t give up just yet.

We all know the holidays can be stressful, rushed, and filled with decadent treats and overindulgence, which is why this time of year is especially important to keep on top of your fitness regime.

But how?

The weather is much cooler now, but what better time to seek out fun activities you can do with your friends?  Check out your local ice skating rink.  Grab some friends and practice your figure 8’s and Axel jumps.   Or bundle up and take a walk or a hike in a nearby park.  The cold will make you move faster while you enjoy the beautiful winter scenery.  And if you’re lucky enough to live close to a ski resort?  Well, you know what to do!

Give a gift that keeps on giving.  Why not buy a series of yoga classes for you and a friend as a special gift that is good for both of you?  The class will keep you both committed, and will allow you plenty of hang out time while attempting downward facing dog or the plank.

By being creative and adding some social components to your workout routine, you’ll be much more likely to keep up some kind of physical activity during this hectic holiday season.  And hey, even holiday shopping at the mall can count.  Just make sure to take the stairs!

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Every little bit helps. We’ve heard that piece of sage advice our whole lives.  Whether we’re discussing saving a few dollars, or cutting out excess fats or sugars in our diet, the little changes can really add up.

So why not extend this theory to physical activity? Small efforts like taking the stairs instead of the elevator, walking during your lunch break, or riding your bike to the grocery store can add up to big, positive changes in your health and waistline over time.

Don’t self-sabotage.  If you can’t set aside an hour a day for the gym, a walk or bike ride, don’t blow off exercise entirely.  Try taking a power walk for 15 minutes instead.  Getting your blood pumping and enjoying being outside can only benefit you.

Got 10 minutes at home between work and dinner?  Try doing 25 sit-ups, 10 push-ups, and then either running around the block or working out with free weights for 5 additional minutes.  10 minutes of vigorous exercise is great for your heart, immune system, and will help to tone your muscles.   And as little as 10 minutes of brisk activity can keep your metabolism revved for up to an hour!

By incorporating exercise and physical activity into our daily lives, we not only stay fit, we achieve better health.  And we can all agree that being healthier is a wonderful thing!

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A new study shows that consumption of calcium and vitamin D while on a diet regimen, actually helps to facilitate further weight loss:

In a study involving an analysis of data collected from a 2-year trial involving 322 subjects (mean BMI: 31 kg/m(2), mean age: 52 years), of which 126 were followed for 6 months for serum vitamin D changes, higher dairy calcium intake and increased serum vitamin D were found to be associated with greater diet-induced weight loss. According to multivariate logistic regression modeling adjusted for age, sex, baseline BMI, total fat intake, diet group, vitamin D concentration, and dairy calcium, a 1 SD increase in dairy calcium intake increased the likelihood of weight loss >4.5 kg in the preceding 6 months (OR=1.45), and a similar increase was seen for serum 25(OH)D at 6 months as well (OR=1.7). The authors conclude, “Our study suggests that both higher dairy calcium intake and increased serum vitamin D are related to greater diet-induced weight loss.”

In addition, vitamin D & calcium can offer some protection against Osteoporosis and are thought to enhance the immune system.  So get plenty of exercise, eat a healthy, low fat diet, drink milk, and be sure to take a highly absorbable calcium/vitamin D nutritional supplement for stronger bones and better overall health.  Your bones, waistline and health will all thank you!

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Reference: http://www.vitasearch.com/get-clp-summary/39386, “Dairy calcium intake, serum vitamin D, and successful weight loss,” Shahar DR, Schwarzfuchs D, et al, Am J Clin Nutr, 2010 Nov; 92(5): 1017-22. (Address: S. Daniel Abraham Center for Health and Nutrition and the Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel. E-mail: dshahar@bgu.ac.il ).

When it comes to either chronic health conditions or a troubling diagnosis, many of us feel powerless in the face of what is happening to us or to a loved one.

But the fact is the body is an amazing, resilient piece of equipment, and given the proper fuel, rest, and care, it can help us fight disease and perhaps overcome insurmountable odds.

We, however, need to help our bodies.

Make sure you are getting enough sleep.  The body regenerates as we rest, and if we can’t squeeze in more than a few hours, we may lose some of this benefit.  Lack of sleep can also affect how (and what) we eat, stress level, and our motivation to exercise, which in turn can make us even more lethargic.

Don’t underestimate a daily walk or a trip to the gym a few times a week.  Exercise helps to keep our blood pressure and stress level down, it can contribute to a stronger immune system, and can make us produce more endorphins, the “feel-good” hormone.  Not to mention, exercise tends to keep our weight in check, making us look and feel great!

Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables and cutting back on sugar and fats can help give your body the proper nutrition and fuel it craves.  Taking nutritional supplements can also contribute to better health.

If you or a loved one is struggling with a health condition or disease, eating right, getting enough sleep, and exercising as much as possible all help to empower our bodies to be as strong and resilient as they can be, even when facing adversity.  Be strong and be well.

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I tried something crazy last month.  At first, it was simply impetuous, but now I’ve continued to do it and have actually seen results.  I’m wearing things I had no hope of squeezing into before and feel better than I have in years.

I take my dinner plate, and I cut it in half.  Yep. That’s the secret.  I load up with all the food I think I want and then divide half of it into Tupperware to take to work the next day for lunch.  Not only does this save me roughly $50 a week in lunch costs, but I’ve also lost about 6 pounds with minimal effort.

I don’t feel deprived-I’m eating what everyone else eats for dinner.  But I’m eating less.  And I’ve discovered something fascinating.  Less is actually plenty.

I’m enjoying another unexpected result from this food experiment.  I have more energy.  I no longer experience that stuffed feeling of remorse as I push away from the dining room table, ready for a nap on the couch.  Because the better I feel and look, the less I want to gorge myself.  It’s a very simple concept.

In addition, I feel so good that I find I want to do more to enhance my health.  I am starting to actually look forward to going to the gym-albeit with trashy magazine in hand-and am dedicated to cutting down on the caffeine, alcohol and sugar in general.  My sleep patterns have improved, and frankly, so has my outlook on life.

Sound dramatic?  Maybe.  But it’s working.

Are you ready to find your catalyst for better health?  Try something unexpected and see what happens.  You may just find yourself $200 a month richer and a size or two smaller.

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Do you ever find yourself unhappy, dwelling on the fact that you don’t own a Bentley or a house on Lake Como?  It’s natural to feel mildly envious of others’ good fortunes, but it’s important to keep that envy in check.

One of the secrets to happiness is to remind yourself of what you do have.  You may not jet off to Brazil every year for Carnival, but that annual camping trip you go on with friends or family is just as wonderful in its way.  And one thing we can all be thankful for is good health.

Encourage your body to be as healthy as it can be by eating well, exercising as much as possible, cutting down on stress, and allowing yourself to enjoy a little R & R when warranted.

At Solanova, we have many ways to help you ensure continued good health.  Take a look at our health concern articles, with heart health, and everything in between.  And our highly absorbable, quality vitamins and nutritional supplements will help keep your health humming.

So the next time you feel a little jealous that you don’t have that 3- karat diamond ring or house in the Hamptons, put it in perspective.  You have your friends, family and hopefully very good health to be thankful for-and therefore already possess the best things in life.  Enjoy these last weeks of summer!

Ever heard that expression, “The more things change, the more they stay the same”?  I want to tweak that slightly: “the more things stay the same, the less chance they will EVER change.”

The cold, hard fact is this: If we want to change our less-than-stellar health habits, the time is now.  We all have to actually make some sort of concerted effort to do things differently in order to expect different results.

This idea is elementary, I know, but it’s amazing how many of us (myself included) don’t practice what we preach.  Here’s an example:

Last year I noticed that my favorite jeans were becoming harder and harder to button.  I blamed the dryer and the hot water I accidently washed them in one time (months before). Because I didn’t own a scale, I was in relative denial about my gradual weight gain.  I continued to eat my-ahem-nightly bowl of ice cream.  I didn’t have a lot of energy, which lead to me skipping the gym most days.  The less I exercised, the more lethargic I felt and the more I ate (to keep my energy up).  This became a classic vicious cycle.

One day I could no longer deny it and my favorite jeans were banished to the back of my closet, along with the other clothes I couldn’t squeeze into anymore.  That day was my breaking point, my “moment of clarity” if you will.  I forced myself to the gym that afternoon, and most evenings after work.  I stopped eating my beloved ice cream (except on weekends), and tried my best to get enough sleep so I didn’t need to rely on food to enhance my energy.

Everyone has their breaking point, their moment of clarity.  Find yours and then act upon it.  It may take a little while to see some results, but you absolutely will.  Changing your bad habits can ultimately change the course of your health-and life-for the better.  Good luck!

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If you’re still struggling to shed some of those unwanted winter pounds, you’re not alone.  It can be very trying to get rid of excess weight, especially if you aren’t an enthusiastic dieter-and let’s face it-who is?  But now there is some evidence that Omega-3 fatty acid can help lower your triglyceride levels and make you healthier.  Too good to be true?  Better health is just a nutritional supplement away!

It turns out that Omega-3 fatty acids can lower triglyceride levels, increase HDL “good” cholesterol and reduce joint inflammation and some symptoms of Arthritis.  It can also help to reduce the risk of stroke and lessen the symptoms of hypertension as well as decrease the chance of other cardiac complications.

As you’re weaving in good eating and exercise habits into your daily, healthy lifestyle, couple these positive efforts with a quality Omega-3 fatty acid nutritional supplement.  Taking a safe, filtered, high quality supplement will ensure that you are deriving the most health benefits from fish oil, but without the potential dangers from mercury in fish.

A fish fry is fine once in a while, but it’s also smart to seek out other foods that are rich in Omega-3’s.  Cantaloupe, broccoli, nuts and cauliflower are but a few excellent sources of Omega-3’s.  Hit that bike or treadmill and grab a healthy source of Omega-3 fatty acid.  Your heart will thank you!

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Reference:  http://www.vitasearch.com/get-clp-summary/38955“Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid dose-dependently reduce fasting serum triglycerides,” Musa-Veloso K, Binns MA, et all, Nutr Rev, 2010; 68(3): 155-67. (Address: Cantox Health Sciences International, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. E-mail: kmusa-veloso@cantox.com ).

If you’re anything like me, your day may go like this:  Get up early (acute torture for we non-morning persons), check email, make coffee/breakfast/lunch/kid’s breakfasts etc. Jump in your car with seconds to spare, fight your way through ungodly traffic to get to work, school, or both, squeeze in errands in between meetings, stay late, commute home, try to get to the gym for 40 minutes, come back home, cook dinner, clean up the dishes, throw a load of laundry haphazardly into the machine, and read to the kids and/or pass out in front of the TV.  Get up the next day and start the whole chaotic process again.

This strikes me as no way to live.

So last week I took one day and experimented; I only did the things I absolutely HAD to do.  I did get up, made coffee and went to work, fighting the commute and arriving (basically) on time.  But I forced myself to eat a sandwich somewhere other than my desk, and eschewed all non-essential errands.  I found that I had time to take a walk in a nearby park, allowing myself to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine, if only for my lunch hour.  When I got back to my desk, instead of feeling harried and frenzied, I felt centered and somewhat relaxed.  I continued with this idea throughout the day.  I drove home, changed into casual clothes and took the dog for a walk around the neighborhood.  I did not go to the gym.  With that extra hour, I spent some quality time with my pooch and actually had a chance to talk to a couple of neighbors who were also out and about.  When the rest of the family came home, we all cooked together and turned our collective noses up at the laundry piling high in the utility room.  It felt great.

The point is this: give yourself permission to kick around the dust bunnies.  It’s very noble to try to do it all day after day after day, but it doesn’t make for a particularly happy or enriched life.  So let yourself have a day or two off from the gym, the cooking, the laundry, and anything else non-essential.  You will feel more relaxed, centered and ultimately more productive.  And if all else fails, send the laundry out once a month.  Let someone else do your dirty work.  After all, you have a life!

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As we grow older, it can become increasingly more difficult to maintain a healthy weight.  Our metabolism is slower, and we tend to lose muscle mass, if not motivation.  But recent research has shown that something as simple as taking quality vitamins and supplements can help battle obesity.

In two studies, one a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study involving 45 obese non-consumers of supplements participating in a 15-week weight-reducing program, and the second a cross-sectional study involving consumers and non-consumers of vitamin and/or dietary supplements, results indicate that use of dietary and/or vitamin supplements may be associated with lower body weight and reduced appetite. In the cross-sectional study, male consumers of vitamins and/or minerals had lower body weight, fat mass, body mass index, and a tendency for greater resting energy expenditure, compared to men in the placebo group. The results were similar in women, although statistical significance was not reached. In the placebo-controlled study, the participants received an energy-restricted diet along with a placebo (placebo group) or multivitamin and mineral supplement (active group) for 15 weeks. Fasting and postprandial appetite ratings were significantly reduced among women in the active group, compared with the placebo group. Thus, the results of this study suggest that intake of vitamins and/or dietary supplements may play a role in weight reduction and inhibition of appetite.

If we can encourage each other to commit to healthier lifestyle choices like exercising regularly, eating properly, and taking healthy supplements, we can fight back against the hands of time and the extra pounds that can accumulate too!

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Discover a healthier you!  Try some of our powerful nutritional supplements and antioxidant vitamins for better overall health and improved weight control.

Reference: http://www.vitasearch.com/get-clp-summary/36960, “Multivitamin and dietary supplements, body weight and appetite: results from a cross-sectional and a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled study,” Major GC, Tremblay A, et al, Br J Nutr, 2007 Nov 1; [Epub ahead of print]. (Address: Division of Kinesiology, Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Laval University, Quebec, G1K 7P4, Canada).