Nourish Your Body, Nurture Yourself

"Man is what he eats." 

First published in an essay in 1863, this statement by German philosopher Ludwig Andreas Feuerbach has become the mantra of modern-day fitness and nutrition gurus in describing the effect that food has on your body: Eat healthy foods, become physically healthy. But your dietary habits can affect far more than your physical self -- they can make or break your self-esteem.

 

First, Seek Pleasure

 

What excites you? Makes you laugh or smile? When is the last time you "played"? You might not be accustomed to considering these things in the context of your diet and physical health, but if you're drawing blanks in answering these questions, it's time to make a change -- for your body as well as your mind.

In her book "The Emotional Energy Factor: The Secrets High-Energy People Use to Beat Emotional Fatigue," psychotherapist Mira Kirshenbaum explores a number of findings regarding energy and emotional fulfillment. After surveying nutritionists, endocrinologists and sports medicine experts, she concluded that 70 percent of a person's total energy is related to emotions. Feeding your emotional self with activities, relationships and practices you enjoy is more important than any other factor in promoting energy and a sense of well-being. 

Your diet should promote pleasure as well. Savoring your food, dining with loved ones and creating visually pleasing dishes all promote physical health, a sense of gratitude and self-esteem, according to Stanley J. Gross, a psychologist and author of "Pathways to Lasting Self-Esteem." If you're in the beginning stages of increasing your self-esteem, Gross suggests setting an unusual goal: developing the ability to experience pleasure when you desire it. Contemplating the pleasure of food before each meal is a first step.

 

Don't Let "Diet" Be a Verb

 

As you seek to improve your emotional and physical health related to food, consider the words you use to describe your quest. Are you eating a healthy diet -- or are you dieting?

Dieting typically promotes deprivation -- of your favorite foods, entire nutrient groups or sufficient amounts of calories -- and can pose serious damage to your sense of self-worth. Regardless of well-publicized findings that dieting rarely leads to long-term success and may pose risks, Americans spend more than $40 billion annually on dieting and dieting-related products. 

"Unfortunately, most women and many men base their self-value on how they look and what they weigh," said eating disorder specialist and registered dietitian Ellen Reiss-Goldfarb. "One of the most important things I tell people is to avoid deprivation. It leads to disordered thinking and, possibly, bingeing." 

Consuming too few calories also forces your body into starvation mode -- a condition in which your body reserves fat and your metabolism slows down. Severely limiting carbohydrates increases your risk for depressive moods and foggy thinking, as well as less serious but socially isolating conditions such as bad breath. 

A more effective approach, according to Reiss-Goldfarb, involves eating primarily healthy foods and incorporating modest amounts of pleasurable, or "treat," foods. Having white bread, pizza or dessert on occasion can help prevent food cravings and fixation on foods you "can't" have -- a fixation that is the perfect setup for emotional distress and overeating. Tell yourself you're worthy of healthy foods but also have the right to enjoy occasional indulgences.

 

Breakfast for a Better Life

 

Many people mistakenly think that skipping breakfast is a sign of self-control, Gross says in "Pathways to Lasting Self-Esteem." But eating poorly or too little during morning hours often leads to low blood sugar, moodiness, excessive hunger and overeating. A healthy, balanced breakfast, on the other hand, jump-starts your metabolism, boosts your energy, helps you think clearly and provides a prime opportunity for self-nurturing.

Gross says breakfast should contain complex carbohydrates, high-quality protein and healthy fat. Replace your typical pastry, latte or lack of breakfast, for example, with old-fashioned oatmeal topped with low-fat yogurt, fresh fruit and toasted almonds. 

Starting each day with self-care may strengthen your willingness to care for yourself the remainder of the day. A healthy breakfast routine may also help you reach or maintain a healthy body weight -- another factor that will enhance your self-esteem.

 

Take Aim at Toxins

 

Do specific foods trigger poor self-esteem? Probably not. Eating a generally unhealthy diet rich in added sugars, saturated fat and preservatives, however, is unlikely to fuel positivity. Every meal and snack provides an opportunity to make healthy or unhealthy choices and to seek pleasure or not. What you choose does make a difference.

Consider the balance of two vital nutrients in the typical American diet: omega-6 fatty acids and omega-3 fatty acids. While both are essential to human health, Americans tend to consume excessive amounts of omega-6 and too little omega-3. High dietary levels of omega-6 fatty acids increase inflammation and may dampen hormonal levels and moods. Most omega-6 fats are found in vegetable oils -- such as safflower, corn and sunflower -- and in meat.

"I'm a big fan of fish oil and omega-3 fatty acids," Reiss-Goldfarb said. Eating more fish, flaxseed, walnuts and canola oil, she said, may help relieve depression, hormonal imbalances and infertility. 

By eating primarily fresh, whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains, you are taking care of your body -- a practice known to bolster self-esteem. Complex carbohydrates also boost production of feel-good brain chemicals, such as serotonin.

 

Reach Out to Rise Up

 

It's easy to become so focused on the internal aspects of physical and emotional health that you neglect external factors such as support from others -- and that could be a big mistake. Whether you turn to your spouse, your best friend or a therapist, emotional support is important for making lasting, healthy changes in your diet and self-esteem.

J. Scott Shonka, a personal trainer and lead drill instructor at Extreme Bootcamp in Santa Monica, California, offers succinct advice: Choose your friends wisely. "Eat and exercise with a friend with similar goals who cheers you on," he advised. "Anyone who puts you down is bad news."

Addressing underlying emotional issues before or while making dietary changes is also important. If you carry excess body weight, diet compulsively, have disordered attitudes about your body and food or frequently turn to food to cope with emotional stress, seek therapy that addresses your emotional and behavioral health.

 

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Work Out Like An Olympic Athlete

We don't all need superhuman legs like Olympic speedskater Allison Baver, but we can all gain something from her lower-body training plan. When she's not on the ice, Baver (along with more than half of all U.S. speedskaters) uses inline skating to strengthen and tone her whole body with minimal impact to the joints.

Try this Rollerblade Leg and Glute Buster developed by Baver to tighten and tone your core, hips, thighs, and glutes. If you really want to kick up the intensity, take it outside and try these five moves on inline skates!

1. Calf Raise: This exercise targets your calves and shins, but your quads, hamstrings, and glutes are all engaged. 

How to do it: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Without pitching your upper body forward, bend your knees about 45-degrees. Maintain this position as you rise up onto the balls of your feet and lower back down, moving only your ankles. Continue this movement for 30 seconds.

Variations: Angle your knees in or out to really target your inner/outer calf muscles.

2. Skate Position: It looks easy, but this one move works your legs, glutes, lower and upper back, shoulders, and hip flexors. 

How to do it: Start with feet shoulder-width apart and a 45-degree bend in your knees. Extend one leg out to the side, keeping toes forward and knees bent the entire time. Bring your leg back in and repeat to the other side. Pump your arms as if you were skating and continue alternating legs until you complete 20 reps.

RELATED: 25 Fat-Burning Workouts To Get You In Shape

3. Single Leg Squats: Squats target your quadriceps, but they also activate your core and just about every other muscle in your lower body, including your glutes, hamstrings, and calves.

How to do it: Stand on your left leg with your hands on your hips. Extend your right leg in front of you, bend your left knee and slowly lower your body until your left knee is at a 45-degree angle. Pause, then push yourself up. Perform 10 reps on your left leg and then switch to the other side.

4. Leg Lifts: Legs lifts work your ab/adductors and hips, while engaging the muscles in your legs and butt.

How to do it: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes facing forward. Push your hips back as if sitting in a chair and lower into a half-squat (45-degree bend in your knees). From this position, extend your left leg out to the side, lift it off the ground, and return it to the starting position. Repeat with the opposite leg. Alternate sides until you complete 20 reps.

Variation: Try extending your leg to the back instead of to the side.

RELATED: 19 Fitness Moves Women Do Better Than Men

5. Lower-Back Booster: This exercise targets the muscles in your low back, hips, glutes, and hamstrings.

How to do it: Stand with your hands on your hips and knees slightly bent (about 45 degrees). Without changing the bend in your knees, bend at your hips and lower your torso until it's almost parallel to the floor. Pause, then raise your torso back to the starting position. Repeat until you complete 20 reps.

BONUS: 30-Minute Interval Cardio Workout on Skates
1. Warm up for 10 minutes by skating at a fast pace with 3 easy, 10-second bursts of speed.
2. Alternate between 35 seconds of complete rest and 25 seconds of skating as fast as you can. Repeat this 35/25 pattern 20 times total.
3. Cool down with 10 minutes of easy skating.

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5 Reasons You're Healthier Than You Think

By: Hallie Levine

Haven't done a healthy thing all week? If you've had a latte, gossiped with pals or watched Wedding Crashers, you're in luck! The latest research shows that the simple pleasures in life, like going out for lunch, laughing and even having sex, boost your immune system. Here, other simple ways you're improving your health without even knowing it.

You Drink Three Cups of Coffee a Day

So what if the cashier at Starbucks greets you by name? "Drinking three 8-ounce cups of coffee every day slashes your risk of both Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's, by 40 percent and 20 percent respectively. Enough studies have been done that we can say this with confidence," says Michael Roizen, MD, chair of the division of anesthesiology, critical-care medicine and comprehensive pain management at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.

Top That: Need an afternoon caffeine boost? Instead of java, drink two or more cups of tea. You'll reduce your risk of ovarian cancer by 46 percent, according to a new study from Sweden -- perhaps because of theantioxidants in tea.

You Never Sleep for Eight Hours

Rest easy: Research shows that seven hours is actually best for your health. According to a 2002 study, women and men who slept about seven hours a night had the lowest mortality rates. "The average woman sleeps about six and a half to seven hours, which is close to the ideal," says study author Daniel Kripke, MD, a professor of psychiatry at the University of California at San Diego. "We found at least a 15 percent increased risk of dying among women who slept more than eight hours or less than four." (Researchers theorize that these women may be prone to conditions such as depression or sleep apnea.) The bottom line? "If you're getting six or seven hours a night and feeling energized and alert, you've got nothing to worry about," says Dr. Kripke.

Top That: Schedule a.m. workouts. Women who exercised for more than 30 minutes each morning were 60 percent less likely to have sleep problems than on days when they didn't work out, according to a study done at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.

You Eat Cereal for Breakfast

That bowl of bran may improve your mood. People who ate cereal felt more positive, did better at memory-related tasks and were less stressed than those who just grabbed a cup of coffee, according to studies at the University of Bristol in England. Cereal may also help you ward off a cold; research shows that those who eat it report fewer symptoms of respiratory illness. "Some brands are high in fiber, which helps reduce fatigue and increases energy; and they're fortified with micronutrients such as folate and magnesium, which may help boost your immune system," says Andy Smith, PhD, a psychologist at the University of Cardiff in Wales.

Top That: Toss in a handful of blueberries and half a banana and you'll get more than 200 milligrams of potassium, 18mg of magnesium, and 14mg of folate, which may help fight heart disease.

You Read the Newspaper This Morning

Your 20s and 30s are the best time in your life to build up brain reserve; you lose about 1 percent of your brain cells each year by the time you hit your 40s, says Zaldy Tan, MD, director of the Memory Disorders Clinic at the Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Boston and author of Age-Proof Your Mind. Mentally challenging activities, including reading and playing musical instruments at least three times a week, can provoke the growth of new cells and connections in the brain. "Someone who does the New York Times crossword puzzle four days a week has an almost 50 percent lower risk of developing Alzheimer's than someone who does it once a week," says Dr. Tan.

Top That: Take ballroom dancing lessons. A study at Albert Einstein College of Medicine found it may be the most effective exercise in warding off dementia. "Ballroom dancing works your body and your mind -- it may be you need both to offer your brain protection," Dr. Tan says.

You Take Your Lunch Hour

It might seem virtuous to scarf down a sandwich in front of your computer every day, but a 15- or 20-minute break outdoors is a much smarter move. The sunlight can boost your mood, making you more productive for the rest of the afternoon, and it may also help prevent disease. A review of studies published in theAmerican Journal of Public Health found that getting sufficient vitamin D significantly reduced the risk of developing colon, breast, prostate, and ovarian cancers. Fifteen to 20 minutes of daily sun exposure helps your body manufacture vitamin D, which can boost your immune system. Just don't go more than 20 minutes unprotected, as that increases the risk of skin cancer and sun damage. If you live north of Washington, D.C., however, you're probably not getting enough sun to produce vitamin D from November to March. Make up for it by taking a multivitamin that has at least 200 IU daily; and also load up on D-rich salmon and fortified milk and orange juice.

Top That: Spend your time outside strolling, not sitting. In a Harvard Medical School study, women who walked about a half an hour a day reduced their risk of heart disease by 35 percent.

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Beware of Colored Contact Lenses

Decorative contact lenses are quickly becoming a familiar beauty trend, worn regularly by fashion icons like Lady Gaga and Rihanna. At first glance, they seem harmless enough, because corrective contact lenses are medically safe and worn by millions. But look again and you'll seevery real dangers lurking beneath their tinted surface.

Cheaply produced lenses are easily misused in the hands of inexperienced young fashionistas, and many are learning the hard way that they can cause severe damage, painful infections, and even permanent loss of vision.

Recently, novelty decorative lenses have been popping up in beauty shops across the country. Unfortunately, it seems that most consumers don't intuitively understand that these lenses could be potentially harmful, and retailers are more than happy to sell them over the counter, no questions asked. After all, we dye our hair, paint our nails, get Botox -- why should decorative lenses be any different in the path to perfection?

The fact is that any contact lens, decorative or not, is a medial device that can legally be sold by prescription only. The science behind how contacts are designed and shaped is complex, and it's important to realize that one size doesn't fit all. Most injuries stem from contacts slicing the cornea, causing viral infections and temporary--or worse, permanent--loss of vision. The risks of novelty lenses simply aren't worth it, especially when safe, legal options are only a doctor's visit away.

Eye care specialists have a vast array of beautiful, safe lens options for anyone looking to change up their look, and most are more than happy to help you find the pair that's right for you. They'll also be able to show you how to properly maintain and store your lenses. Express yourself, but be smart; you'll be much happier and healthier in the long run.

More Information on Contacts:
Find an Optometrist near you
The FDA's Consumer Update on decorative contact lenses
Health Risks associated with decorative contact lenses

Do you wear colored contacts?

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3 Types of pizza you should never, ever eat

A crispy, chewy, carb-filled crust, sweet tomato sauce, gooey mozzarella, and spicy pepperoni... you know that pizza, though irresistible, isn't exactly a health food. But even dieters indulge periodically in this classic American comfort food. There are, of course, tried-and-true ways to cut some fat from this favorite. Topping a piece with veggies, not meat; dabbing the surface with a paper napkin to soak up excess oil; and using part-skim mozzarella help make the occasional slice part of a healthy lifestyle. But recently, a trend has emerged, making pizza more fattening (and frightening) than ever. Here are three especially scary versions, plus ways to enjoy pizza in good health.

How Healthy Are Your Eating Habits, Really? 

1) Deep-Fried Pizza
Scotland is the home of the deep-fried candy bar, so it's no wonder it invented this diet disaster as well. Pizza is dunked in doughy batter and then deep fried for a crunchy exterior. Now, deep-fried pizza has leaped across the Atlantic and has been embraced here in the States. Served with french fries, this greasy duo can easily deliver more than a whole day's worth of fat and calories.

Ridiculously healthy: Our version of grilled pizza is so perfectly crunchy that we think you'll prefer it to anything fried. Bonus: You don't have to heat up your kitchen. Get The Recipe!

2) Chocolate Pizza
This crazy matchup of dinner and dessert appears in restaurants and on food blogs and cooking shows with disturbing regularity. Toppings often include calorie bombs like marshmallows, peanut butter, and candy. A single serving can contain over 500 calories, an amount more appropriate for dinner than dessert.

Ridiculously healthy: If your heart is set on a sweet pizza, we suggest our lighter option, which uses plenty of healthy fruits instead of all that added sugar and fat. Get The Recipe!

3) Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza
Once upon a time, someone dipped a pizza in ranch dressing. And though clearly a sad day for arteries, a food trend was born. Now the big pizza chains have created pies with a ranch flavor—plus toppings like bacon and chicken—and sky-high calorie counts to match. Domino's version has almost 900 calories per the usual 2-slice serving.

Ridiculously healthy: Lose the ranch and bacon, but keep the lean protein in our chicken and vegetable pizza.Get The Recipe!

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10 Tweaks to Instantly Improve Your Health

By: Heather Hurlock

Try just one of these tips each day and you'll feel better and get fitter and smarter in just one month.

1. Reboot Your Brain

Mundane tasks, such as entering data into a spreadsheet, can switch your mind into default mode, making you more likely to mess up within about 30 seconds, scientists say. Feel like you're operating on autopilot? Snap out of it by going for a quick walk down the hall.Related: Strength Train Your Brain

2. Get Sappy

Spending just 30 minutes a day consciously thinking of a loved one can promote mental and emotional well-being, say University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers. Cultivating the feeling of love and compassion stimulates the brain to make new connections and neural pathways. Related: The 7 Things You Should Never Regret

3. Grab Some Garbanzos

People who regularly consume beans typically weigh six pounds less than those who don't, even though they take in more daily calories. Researchers believe this may be because the legume eaters get more fiber but consume less fat, especially saturated fat, than those who shy away from beans. Throw a handful into salads, soups, or pasta sauce for an extra boost of protein and fiber. Related: Mix-and-Match Meals

4. Reach New Heights

Wearing a pair of moderately high heels (2 to 2 1/2 inches) can strengthen your pelvic-floor muscles, which can improve your sex life. Related: Your Better-Sex Workout

5. Get Cracking

Adding one egg a day, yolk and all, to your diet can increase good HDL levels without increasing bad LDL cholesterol levels. Low levels of HDL have previously been linked to memory loss. Related: Easy, Healthy Egg Recipes

6. Try the Silent Treatment

Being exposed to just 35 decibels of noise (about the sound of people talking softly) while in bed could raise your blood pressure by six or seven points, according to a recent study. Snooze more peacefully by investing in a white-noise or sound machine like the Obus Forme Sound Therapy Relaxation System ($30,amazon.com). Related: 7 Surprising Signs You're Way Too Stressed

7. Run for Your Life

Joggers have a 40 percent lower risk of dying than people who don't lace up their sneakers, according to Stanford University researchers. Runners are less likely to have cardiovascular problems or develop disabilities as they age. Motivate yourself to become fit by training for a 5K. Related: Our Guide to Running

8. D-Stress

Getting plenty of calcium and vitamin D can decrease your risk of developing a stress fracture by 20 percent. Active women should strive for 1,000 IU of vitamin D and 2,000 milligrams of calcium daily to keep their bones strong, experts say. Related: Get More Vitamin D: Healthy Foods to Add to Your Diet

9. Give Lip Service

Thirty minutes of making out can improve allergy symptoms. Research shows that kissing reduces the amount of chemicals your body releases in response to allergens. Related: 7 Beauty Balms for Lips, Skin, and Hair

10. Chill Out

Just two to three minutes under cool water in the shower can boost your mood. The cold may cause the brain to release feel-good hormones. Related: 20-Minute Water Workout: Sculpt Your Body in the Pool

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6 Bad Habits to Keep for a Calmer, Saner Life

By: Lynya Floyd

Stick out your tongue, refuse to answer work e-mail, carry a lot of cash. Sounds risky, but these "bad" behaviors may be the key to a less stressful life.

We asked experts in everything from finance to romance for their take on when you should shake off conventional wisdom. Here, their tips on when it's okay to color outside the lines.

The Rule: Don't go to bed angry

Break it because...endlessly rehashing a disagreement only amps up agitation. Sometimes, the smartest strategy is to set the fight aside and let tempers cool. Peter Post, author of Essential Manners for Couples, recommends that you learn to recognize when you're getting nowhere and then just "put the argument out of its misery." It can be as simple as saying "I'm sorry we're so mad at each other, but I still love you" or even "I don't want this to be a huge issue." Then pick up the subject again when you've calmed down. "One couple I know sticks their tongues out at each other at the end of a fight," says Post. "It signals that they're both ready to move on andhelps break the tension."

The Rule: Answer every e-mail right away

Break it because...if you're a slave to the ding, you'll have maybe only 5 to 10 minutes between receiving each new message to tackle a project -- not exactly the best way to achieve deep focus. "To get more work done, block off one e-mail-free hour during the day," says Julie Morgenstern, author of Never Check E-Mail in the Morning.

How do you avoid missing important messages? Try setting the automatic out-of-office notice to turn on at the same time every day. Word the reply so that people know you won't be checking e-mail and to call you if the matter is urgent. Tip off your boss and coworkers that you're trying to boost productivity -- not ignore them --during this time. Can't spare an entire hour unplugged? Check your mailbox only every 10 to 15 minutes, and even then, scan the subject line and sender. Finally, don't get pulled into a gossipy e-mail discussion with your chatty friend from down the hall; save that for your afternoon break.

The Rule: Cleanliness is next to godliness

Break it because...although having an orderly home can reduce anxiety, getting your house in order shouldn't stress you out. Instead of berating yourself for not keeping on top of your housework, adopt a kinder and gentler (to you) clean routine. Rather than devoting hours to getting rid of your junk, stop the clutterbefore it even makes it inside your house by employing rigid border control. "Remove two items from your house for every new one you bring in," says Jan Jasper, productivity expert and author of Take Back Your Time: How to Regain Control of Work, Information, and Technology. Sure, it might be hard at first to pass up that set of vintage plates or those great new books, but finally being able to find your favorite sweater in your closet or see the countertops in your kitchen will make it all worth it.

The Rule: Always make time for friends

Break it because...forcing yourself to attend every social gathering, regardless of how overtired, overstressed, or overworked you are, will not only burn you out but will also make you resent your pals for intruding on your scarce time. "Stop worrying about disappointing someone else, and learn to say no to the things you can't -- or don't want to -- do," says Yvonne Harris Jones, leadership-training expert and CEO of Yvonne Harris Jones Enterprises.

We're not saying it's easy to turn down your cousin's barbecue or brunch with the girls. We're saying it's worth it. The next time someone asks you to do something you'd rather skip, try responding, "Thanks for inviting me, but I already have too much on my plate." If the other person keeps insisting, just repeat your answer, says Harris Jones. Taking control over your schedule will ensure that you spend time on the friends and activities you value the most, which will make you feel more empowered, invigorated, and happier.

The Rule: Multitasking = Maximum Efficiency

Break it because...no matter how consumed with work you are, you decrease your odds of becoming more successful if you're constantly flying off in a million different directions. "Pick your number one goal for the day, then start off by doing one thing that helps you achieve it," says Dorothy K. Breininger, owner and CEO of the Center for Organization and Goal Planning in Canoga Park, California.

If your schedule keeps you crazy busy, do a little task triage by delegating smaller jobs and relegating nonpressing items to the back burner. "Put a dot next to the priority moves on your to-do list and make sure to tackle them first," she suggests. For example, identify bold initiatives you can take to raise your profile with your boss. "Ask yourself what is the brashest thing you can do to bring in more clients, business, or money," says Breininger. "Or figure out one small step you can make toward getting a raise or promotion." That way, you'll feel like you're accomplishing biggoals instead of just spinning your wheels.

The Rule: Don't keep a lot of cash in your wallet -- you'll just blow it

Break it because...it's easier to lose track of just how much you're spending if you're repeatedly withdrawing money from the cash machine or charging everything. "Limit yourself to hitting the ATM just once per pay period, and take out enough to cover all your expenses," says Dave Ramsey, author ofThe Total Money Makeover. This will help to take your money management out of the nebulous realm of credit- and debit-card purchases.

Draw up a budget for all purchases that can be made with cash, like food, restaurant meals, transportation costs, clothing, and entertainment. "Then put the money you've allotted for each expense into individual envelopes," says Ramsey. On the front of each envelope, make a note of every cent you take out. That will help you keep track of where you spend your money. Once the groceries envelope is empty, for example, you can borrow from the entertainment or clothing one -- but with the understanding that you'll have to skip seeing a movie or put off buying that new pair of shoes you've been eyeing. And don't fall back on plastic -- cut up your cards or put them away. "This will keep you from spending the money you should be saving," says Ramsey.

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Workout Routines for Toning

Mix and match these exercises to create great workout routines for
toning, which comes from building muscle and losing fat. This will
require aerobic exercise, strength training, and a healthy diet.
As cyclists, most of us are probably already pretty fit. At least our
bodies look ok. I mean, we typically aren't obese. But, we all have
that "trouble area" on our bodies, where the fat seems to go first and
leave last. Maybe it's our hips, butt, thighs, or abdomen. That's
where workout routines for toning come in.
If you have trouble with storing fat in your stomach, it isn't going
to help much simply to do hundreds of crunches each and every day. The
muscle is probably tone, but you can't see it through the fat.
We need to perform aerobic exercise to burn fat, with some anaerobic
thrown in for variety. Additionally, we need light strength training
targeted to all of our muscles, not just a single group. This is what
defines workout routines for toning.
So, here we go...
Warmup
You always want to complete a 10 – 20 minute aerobic warmup in the low
aerobic heart rate zone (about 60% maximum heart rate). This gets your
body ready for exercise and will help you to avoid any muscle strain
when it comes to the strength portion of these workout routines for
toning.
Strength
Studies have shown that completing the strength portion of your
workout routine first can increase your metabolism and help burn
calories at a much higher rate during your aerobic workout.
I like to perform either upper body or lower body exercises combined
with core exercises. This way I can workout every day without
overdoing any particular muscle group. The core can be worked daily as
part of your workout routines for toning.
I also like to move directly from one exercise to another without much
rest, typically referred to as a circuit. This keeps my heart beating
close to the aerobic level. I do three circuits and vary the exercises
in all three. In other words, I rarely do 3 sets of 10 as I typically
will only complete one set of any exercise. This keeps it interesting.
Finally, I don't like to go to the gym so prefer my exercises to be
with body weight, exercise ball, exercise bands, yoga, or light
dumbbells. I like to select compound vs. isolation exercises to get
the best bang for my buck. Workout routines for toning do not need to
include heavy weight.
Choose 3 or 4 exercises for each circuit and perform 3 circuits.
Perform as many reps as you can comfortably complete. Remember the
cardio workout is yet to come so don't blow yourself out. You can do a
full-body workout, just pay attention to your body and allow
appropriate recovery between workouts of the same body part.
Cardio
Now, let's hop on the bike for 20 – 30 minutes of cardio. Choose
between aerobic and anaerobic depending on how rested you are. You
probably want to skip days between anaerobic workouts to ensure full
recovery. If you feel tired, always stick with the aerobic workout, or
skip the entire day's workout if necessary.
Aerobic
Simply spin in the aerobic training zone for the duration. I like to
stay near the high-end of the zone for maximum effect.
Anaerobic
Complete 3 – 6 anaerobic interval sets pushing your heart rate to 80%
of maximum or more for at least 30 seconds. Follow each interval with
a rest period of at least 1 minute. Ensure your heart rate has
descended to the aerobic level before starting the next interval.
Cooldown
Always follow your workout with 5 – 10 minutes on the bike (or other
aerobic activity) in the low aerobic zone.
Stretching
Perform your stretching routine immediately after your workout if
possible. This will give you maximum flexibility while your muscles
are still warm and pliable. They will tense up if you just go crash on
the couch. Stretch to the point just before discomfort and hold each
for at least 30 seconds.
Diet
You will want to consume some carbohydrate and protein immediately
after your workout to replenish your system. Follow that with a
healthy meal within 3 hours.
Try to eat whole fresh foods as much as possible and stay away from
fried foods and processed sugar. This advice applies all the time, not
just after a workout.
This workout routine, coupled with a healthy diet, will tone your
body. Complete it at least 3 times a week during the off season and
once or twice when you are riding consistently.

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Specialized Search Dog Add New Weapon to Fight

Specialized search dogs have become a new weapon in the war on
improvised explosive devices, roving more than 100 meters in front of
their handlers to find the deadly devices before they can be
triggered.
SSD handlers with Military Police Support Company, III Marine
Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group, III MEF worked with their dogs
to perfect their detection abilities at Oura Wan beach at Camp Schwab
July 26, clearing designated lanes of travel of explosive devices
planted for training purposes, much as they would do on a combat
deployment.
"We set up scenarios such as a possible IED lane that friendly forces
need passage through. The SSD handlers needed to clear the passage-way
prior to the friendly forces going through," said Cpl. Anthony J.
Manfredini, combat tracking dog handler, MP Support Co. "We set up
what we call 'aids'. They are live explosives without the initiating
system and I can either bury them or hide them under something."
SSDs and their handlers also train to be able to identify other
threats and bomb-making materials along with IEDS.
"Our dogs are trained to find different types ammunition, explosives,
IEDs, weapons caches, whether they be freshly dug or hidden for a long
time. They are also trained to find homemade explosives," said Lance
Cpl. Joel Juarez, specialized search dog handler, MP Support Co.
It is the ability of the dogs to be released from the leashes to move
freely in front of their handlers that makes them unique.
"Most dogs in the military working dog program work on-leash, and
there is always a limitation there. Even though they have leashes that
go from six-feet to 50-feet, there is still a limitation, so SSDs were
implemented into the military working dog program to extend those
limitations," said Juarez. "That provides a safety barrier for the
handler. When the handler is working on-leash, he is always in greater
danger because he is right up there with the dog finding the IEDs."
SSDs are only one of the tools in the fight against IEDs, but their
ability to remotely detect explosives saves lives.
"SSDs are not the answers to everything even though they are very
effective. They are just one of the tools we have, and they, along
with military working dogs in general, save lives," said Juarez.
To achieve this level of effectiveness, extreme care must be taken in
the dogs' training, according to the handlers.
"We always take notes (on the dogs' training), The handlers post
records everyday of exactly what kind of training they did and the
proficiency and deficiencies they have with their dog," said
Manfredini. "The records let them know what their dogs need to work at
and what they are good at."
The bond between an SSD handler and their dog is unlike that of other
military working dogs and their handlers.
"One of the unique things about SSD handlers is that they usually stay
with their dogs for the course of their careers," said Juarez. "Almost
from day one, a handler is assigned two dogs, and throughout the
training the handler take cares of his dogs and trains his dogs as
best as possible."
The IED-detection training here served to make the bond stronger,
helping prepare the dogs and their handlers for potential service in
Afghanistan.
The specialized search dogs did very well locating the bomb-making
materials that were planted, according to Manfredini. He went on to
say that the dogs demonstrated a good ability to determine their own
search patterns and focus on high-probability areas for improvised
explosive devices.

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School obesity-prevention curriculum can reduce medical costs

Teaching middle-school children about nutrition and exercise and
encouraging them to watch less TV can save the health care system a
substantial amount of money, suggests an economic analysis from
Children's Hospital Boston and the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.
Using data from a randomized, controlled study conducted at 10
Massachusetts middle schools, five of which adopted the obesity
prevention curriculum Planet Health, the researchers created a model
projecting a net savings of $14,000 for the 254 girls receiving the
curriculum, by averting the costs of treating obesity and eating
disorders. They project that expanding the program to even just 100
schools could save the health care system $680,000.
The study, published in the August issue of the Archives of Pediatrics
& Adolescent Medicine, was led by S. Bryn Austin, ScD, an
epidemiologist in Children's Hospital Boston's Division of Adolescent
Medicine, and CDC health economist Li Yan Wang.
Planet Health, developed at the Harvard School of Public Health, is a
curriculum for academic, physical education and health education
teachers to guide middle-school students in choosing healthy foods,
increasing physical activity and limiting TV and other screen time. It
provides teacher training, lesson plans, materials and FitCheck, a
self-assessment tool for students.
In an earlier study of 10 middle schools, half offering the Planet
Health program and half offering regular programs (schools were
matched by town, school size and ethnic composition), obesity
prevalence declined in the schools with Planet Health but increased in
control schools over the two years of follow-up. In addition,
overweight girls in Planet Health schools were twice as likely as
girls in control schools to return to a healthy weight over the two
years.(Gortmaker SL et al, 1999). Unexpectedly, girls in Planet Health
schools were also less than half as likely as girls in control schools
to begin purging or using diet pills to control their weight (Austin
SB et al, 2005); this study was later replicated in a separate group
of middle schools (Austin SB et al, 2007). The effects were not
statistically significant for boys.
"We were really surprised and encouraged to see how protective Planet
Health was for eating disorder symptoms in girls," says Austin, the
study's senior author. "When we found the same protective effect --
cutting the risk for girls in half -- in a different set of middle
schools several years later, we knew we were on to something
important."
Bulimia typically develops in adolescence, and often begins with a few
behaviors, such as using diet pills or purging to control weight.
Full-blown bulimia is a life-threatening disorder that carries a
variety of medical complications such as electrolyte imbalances,
dehydration, metabolic alkalosis (an imbalance in the body's acid/base
balance), heart rhythm disturbances, tooth erosion and bowel
dysfunction.
"Eating disorders cause an enormous amount of suffering," says Austin.
"They can also be chronic and expensive to treat, which is often a big
financial burden on individuals, their families, and society. That's
what led us to want to do the economic study."
In their economic analysis, Austin and Wang first estimate that 3.4
percent of girls receiving the Planet Health intervention would be
prevented from developing disordered weight-control behaviors by the
age of 13 ½, based on numbers from the original randomized study (7 of
254 girls in the Planet Health schools, or 2.8 percent, developed
these behaviors, versus 14 of 226 controls, or 6.2 percent). Based on
current knowledge about the progression of eating disorders, they
calculate that, in turn, 1 case of bulimia would be prevented by the
age of 17 among the 254 girls.
Factoring in typical treatment costs -- which can be tens of thousands
of dollars over a decade -- and known rates of remission and relapse,
Austin and Wang estimate that an average of $34,000 would be saved by
preventing one girl in the five Planet Health study schools from
developing bulimia nervosa. Adding Wang's previous finding of $27,042
in savings resulting from prevention and reduction of obesity in the
same schools (Wang LI et al, 2003), the program would yield a net
savings of $14,238 after subtracting the $46,803 cost of offering
Planet Health in those schools.
"Because eating disorders can be so expensive to treat, preventing
even one case in the five Planet Health schools translated into
reducing medical costs by $34,000," says Austin. "But if we scale up
our calculations to include, say, 100 middle schools in Massachusetts,
the medical costs reduced by preventing bulimia increase to over half
a million dollars. And if we scale up nationwide, to say 1,000
schools, the potential reduction in the medical cost burden is
sizable."
Austin notes that obesity prevention programs that stigmatize obesity
or create a sense of blame can actually contribute to eating
disorders. "We need to be smart about choosing obesity prevention
strategies that, at the same time, can prevent eating disorders," she
says. "Our study shows that when we do both, we substantially increase
the benefits, both in terms of health and reducing medical costs."
The study was funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau of the
Health Resources and Services Administration. Lauren Nichols of the
Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine at Children's Hospital
Boston was coauthor.

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