Take A Stand Against Sitting

With so many distractions for kids not to exercise, from video games to computers and the fattening of American taking place at an ever increasing pace, kids are more unfit than any other time in our histroy. In major studies during the last ten years, children from the ages of six to 17 scored extremely low in areas of strength, flexibility and cardio respiratory edurance. Television watching, electronic games and inactive parents were implicated as a major sources of the lack of exercise. Join me each day while we discuss how your family can take a stand against sitting...

Exercising in Water

 

Benefits Of Water Aerobics
Provides Buoyancy & Support Do you want to feel how it feels to walk on the moon? Jump in the water! One of the major benefits of water aerobics is that it provides buoyancy and support for the body, making it less likely for the muscle, bone and joint to get injured. Water supports upto 80% of your weight, thereby causing less strain on the joints, back and torso, when compared to exercises performed on land.
Quick Muscular Endurance The high density of water, as compared to air, leads to increased resistance, thereby augmenting muscular endurance and tone. This means that water aerobics builds-up toned and endured muscle mass all around the body. Also, one tends to get quicker results exercising in the water, than on land.
Improved Flexibility The reduced effect of gravitational force in water leads to improved flexibility in the body. The joints can be easily moved through a wider range of motion, which makes water aerobics all the more beneficial as we age. Since there is no joint pain caused, you can perform the exercise without any kind of anxiety.
Improve Cardiovascular Conditioning Water aerobics exercises prove to be extremely beneficial in terms of cardiovascular conditioning. In such an exercise, the heart rate is maintained at a lower rate, when compared to cycling or running. The heart seems to work better when you indulge in water fitness.
Helps Keep Cool The 'cool' quotient cannot be ruled out when we talk about the benefits of water aerobics. It is refreshing activity and lifts up the mood instantly. It keeps the body temperature constant throughout the exercise. Also, water keeps you cool and comfortable, even when the mercury is rising.
Burn Calories We all know that exercising is the best way to get rid of those bulging fats and ever-increasing waistlines. However, do you know that water fitness are more effective, as compared to land exercises? Water fitness can burn about 450 to 700 calories per hour. So, if you want to shed those extra weight, jump right in to Water Fitness!

 

Check out my Book 101 Cool Pool Games * Kid's Splash Cards * Adult Splash Cards

See You Outdoors Today at 1 p.m.

Take a walk everyday between noon and 1 p.m. Even if it's a quick stroll around the block, here's why, "Around 1 p.m. there's a natural lull in you circadian rhythm that signals the body to release melatonin, which makes you drowsy," says sleep expert Michael Breus. You can prevent that dip by exposing your body to 10 minutes of sunlight at noon. See you outdoors at 1p.m.

Play Halfsies with Your Spouse

Do you know the average portion size of a typical restaurant meal can feed at least two people. When Jonathan and I go out for dinner or even if I go out with my parents or a girlfriend, we split an entree rather than order two entrees. Now I can order a side salad as an appetizer and we share the house special or a dish that we usually don't prepare at home. I enjoy every bite so much more.

Food Education: Protein and Green

Digesting high-fiber green vegetables is an easy way to make your metabolism work harder, and it can kill cravings for unhealthy foods. Likewise, your body burns twice as many calories by digesting proteins than it does when digesting carbs. Add more protein to your diet with two fish-based meals per week. Packed with protein, fish, such as halibut or salmon, also contains omega-3 fatty acids, which increase fat-burning enzymes in the body.

Food Education: Are you nuts?

Once a week I focus on power foods and share some recipes and tips that will help you incorporate these nutrient dense foods into your weekly menu planning on Cooking Lessons from Home.com. Power foods are the foods that have a proven track record of fighting diseases, and promoting good health, this weeks power foods, ...nuts.

Did you know nuts are sodium free? If your nuts have salt, it wasn't mother nature who added that bit of sodium, it was some guy at the plant. So if you are on a sodium free diet, just read the labels carefully. Okay, lets talk nuts. These are some of the best nuts for your health are, almonds, hazelnuts, brazil nuts,peanuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachio's and walnuts. Yes, I know you are thinking, but nuts are high in fat, well yes but its the good fat that lowers the bad cholesterol in our bodies. Now I am not saying to eat tons of nuts, just a handful daily that's all. By eating a handful of nuts daily it has been reported that you can reduce blood pressure, help keep bad cholesterol down, reduce chances of Alzheimer's, help in weight control, and help reduce your chances of diabetes 2.. Almonds contain vitamin E, peanuts contain folate, vitamin B and niacin, walnuts omega fatty acids. The fat, protein and fiber in nuts make you feel full so it is a good snack to munch on between meals. I think the best way to eat nuts is raw. By roasting nuts you lose some of the nuts natural oils and I do not add any salt either. The best way to start to add nuts to your diet is to add them in your yogurt, salad, cereal. You can chop the nuts and add them to pasta's or on top of vegetables. I keep small containers of nuts on my desk and in the pantry. So add nuts to this weeks grocery list. I prefer to buy the nuts in the bins in the organic section of the market. If you buy them in a sealed bag, check for the expiry date, nuts can go bad. The best way to store nuts at home is once you open the bag, place the unused portion in a tightly sealed plastic container.

Thinking about becoming a vegetarian?

I have just made the lifestyle change of becoming a vegetarian. I have thought about it in the past and then I saw the movie..you know which one I am talking about and if you don't and you want to know email me and I will send it to you, but I do respect the fact that each one of us has a choice, so I am not here to promote vegetarianism, I am here to provide you and your family only the healthiest of foods that fit your beliefs and lifestyle.

Vegetarian cuisine refers to food that meets vegetarian standards by not including meat and animal tissue products. For lacto-ovo vegetarianism (the most common type of vegetarianism in the Western world), eggs and dairy products such as milk and cheese are permitted. The strictest forms of vegetarianism are vegan-ism and fruitarianism, which exclude all animal products, including dairy products as well as honey, and even some refined sugars if filtered and whitened with bone char.

Vegetarian foods can be classified into several different types:
•Traditional foods that have always been vegetarian (cereals/grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, etc.)
•Soy products including tofu and tempeh which are common protein sources
•Textured vegetable protein (TVP), made from defatted soy flour, often included in chili and burger recipes in place of ground meat
•Meat analogues, which mimic the taste, texture, and appearance of meat and are often used in recipes that traditionally contained meat.
•Vegans may also use analogues for eggs and dairy products

Making the switch to a vegetarian or vegan diet can help cut saturated fat from your diet, but it may also reduce your iron intake. Vegetarian sources of iron (called nonheme iron) aren't as easily absorbed by the body. Whereas omnivorous premenopausal women need 18 mg per day of iron, vegetarians require 33 mg per day. Good vegetarian choices for iron include lentils, beans, oatmeal, spinach, tofu and small amounts of black strap molasses. You can increase the amount of iron that your body uses by including vitamin C-rich foods like citrus, tomatoes, broccoli and strawberries in your meal. Calcium, coffee and tea decrease iron absorption, so save your iron-rich dishes for after your morning brew or calcium supplement.