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             Thanks for lucianvenutian for permission to use this Photo.

Exercise Tip:  Get the Most From Your Workout!! 

When using the treadmill, increase the incline/grade a bit.  Every 1% grade increases the calories you burn by 10%.  For example, a 150lb. person burns about 100 calories per mile walked (or ran).  At a 1% grade this increases the calories burned to 110 calories per mile, 2% to 120 calories per mile. 

10 Reasons To Lose Weight Now!! 

When you look good, you feel good.  So, not only does slimming down make you look and feel your best, it’s the best thing for your health, too.  You can significantly reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer, back pain, joint problems, and more.  In other words, you can maximize all the good things that life has to offer.  Here are 10 important reasons to get serious about losing weight…. 

1.  Slow down the aging process and actually look and feel younger

2.  Keeps your mind sharp

3.  Boost your immunity

4.  Increase energy level

5.  Reduce risk of breast cancer, heart disease and stroke

6.  Breathe easier

7.  Manage menopause more easily

8.  Reduce stress

9.  Live to see your grand-children

10. Feel Fabulous

Carla Hardy MS, CSCS
Fitness and Exercise Instructor
Ashworth University

           Thanks to Monica Semergiu for permission to use this Photo.

Experience has taught me that it really doesn’t matter how rational, educated, or seemingly healthy a person is—any one of us is susceptible to “chasing dragons” in search of that instant and painless answer to our problems.  Consider the aggressive expansion of an already billion dollar weight loss industry into younger and younger market sectors for additional proof.  Not quite as sinister, but perhaps more humorous is the following weight loss video by British hypnotist, Paul McKenna.  By blindfolding his study participants as they eat, McKenna is attempting to creatively demonstrate the often argued relationship between what we see and how much we actually desire to eat.  I’m not sure that this experiment is revelatory in any sense, but there are some interesting implications to consider regarding the role of visual perception, craving, and consumption.  Check out this video and let us know what’s the strangest weight loss method you’ve ever tried…

Ryan Rode
Interactive Services Manager
Ashworth University

             Thanks to freeparking for permission to use this Photo.

There are many physiological changes that occur in a woman’s body and in the fetus during pregnancy. Many of these changes create a need for more nutrients. By being well informed of her options, a pregnant woman can meet her own nutritional needs and those of her baby. The bottom line is that proper nutrition plays a major role in reducing health risks during pregnancy. You’ll discover, too, that a woman’s nutritional needs post-partum (after the separation of birth) may actually be greater than they were during pregnancy.

With her doctor’s approval, a woman can and should engage in regular physical activity during the months when she is expecting. A friend of mine was marking chalk lines on softball fields the day before she gave birth, and another was teaching aerobics right up to her ninth month. The difference between an active, healthy pregnancy and one marked by serious health concerns may well be the woman’s overall nutritional status. Is her normal diet providing all the nutrients a healthy woman needs? Is she a smoker? Does she consume alcohol? Is illegal drug use threatening the future health of mother and child?

Pregnancy brings a whole new set of worries to all women, no matter how healthy and active they have been. While some health risks are unavoidable because they are hereditary or simply unforeseen, the nutritional status of most women is largely within their control. For instance, the majority of women in America appear to make conscious choices about what they eat and drink. However, it’s also their choice whether or not to drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes, or take illegal drugs. If women choose a healthy diet and lifestyle, they shouldn’t have to worry about the effects of poor nutrition and unhealthy personal habits when they become pregnant.

Moderate physical activity has many benefits for a pregnant woman. For example, mild walking will help tone the mother’s muscles and will not put stress on her body or the growing fetus. However, experts recommend that someone who hasn’t been exercising prior to pregnancy should not begin a vigorous exercise routine on her own once she learns she’s expecting. Her growing baby has enough adaptations to make without also having to adapt to unaccustomed exercise. The general rule is this: Before beginning any strenuous exercise program, a pregnant woman should consult her physician to make sure her exercise plan is appropriate to her physical condition. (more…)

           Thanks to catnipintoxicating for permission to use this Photo.

To estimate your daily calorie requirement, you can follow these steps:

• Estimate your resting metabolic rate, the amount of calories you need simply to breathe, pump blood, and be alive, by multiplying your healthy weight by 10 calories per pound.  If you are significantly overweight, use an adjusted weight halfway between your current weight and desired weight.
• Add more calories for daily activity apart from your purposeful exercise.
• Add more calories for purposeful exercise.
• To lose weight, subtract 20 percent of your total calories needs.

Carla Hardy MS, CSCS
Fitness and Exercise Instructor
Ashworth University

 
                   Thanks to Joey for permission to use this Photo.

We have a running debate chez Freberg regarding the best diet strategies. Mr. F dines on absolutely the same Jenny Craig options every day (Complete Start Cereal, Turkeyburger, Meatloaf, and Chocolate Cake). His motto for dieting has always been “Boring is Good.” I like variety, and order a bit of this and a bit of that for my weekly menus.

Caroline Goukens and her colleagues may have shed some light on our differences [1]. They demonstrate that hungry people react differently to menu choices than satiated people. In their experiments, hungry people (who hadn’t eaten for four hours before being tested) were more likely to crave variety in their snack choices than satiated people (who ate a piece of cake at the beginning of the experiment).  So does this mean that I’m hungrier most of the time than Mr. F? (more…)

                 Thanks to J. Parks for permission to use this Photo. 

In a series of posts, each titled Calorie Learning: [something], I’m going to use a blog to communicate self-experimentation. To see the whole series, look in the category Calorie Learning (under Self-Experimentation).This research will be about how we (or at least I) learn to associate flavors with calories — more precisely, smells with calories. This learning is at the heart of the Shangri-La Diet, which derives from a theory that says the flavors of your food increase your set point if they are associated with calories. The stronger the association, the bigger the increase. Why study this?

1. Maybe I can improve the diet.

2. It matters. It happens with every bit of food you eat. It controls what you eat and your appearance (assuming my theory is right).

3. Little is known about it. As I wrote in the appendix to The Shangri-La Diet, Anthony Sclafani has studied this learning extensively in rats. No one has studied it extensively in people.

4. The experiments can be simple and easy — or at least that’s what I think now.

A few weeks ago, a friend told me how much she liked those cellophane-wrapped white-bread sandwiches sold in delis and bodegas. Egg salad sandwiches, for example. They were addictive, she said. That sounded about right: White bread (and bread in general) is digested very fast, witness its very high glycemic index. Fast digestion means the calorie signal it generates in the brain overlaps a great deal with the flavor signal it generates in the brain. The more overlap of the two signals, the stronger the association created. The stronger a flavor’s association with calories, the more you like it. (more…)

Tea and coffee are the major sources of caffeine in our diet, but there are significant amounts to be found in less likely foods such as cocoa, chocolate bars, drinking chocolate, cola, sports drinks, some desserts and ice creams. Caffeine is also important ingredient in some cold and pain relief medications. Without doubt, caffeine acts as a stimulant, which can stave off fatigue and enhance mental performance when we are feeling sluggish. It stimulates the heart, open the airways and can even aid digestion by stimulating gastric juices. However, there is another side to this most acceptable of drugs.

Stress And Stimulation

Caffeine acts like stress on the body, causing the physical symptoms of the ‘flight or fight’ response. It stimulates the adrenal glands to release the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol which, in turn, cause the liver to break down its store of glycogen and release it as glucose into the bloodstream. In response, the pancreas releases insulin, which helps deposit the blood glucose into the body cells. As calcium is needed to increase the heart rate, improve muscle contraction and thicken the blood, this mineral is mobilized from the bones. In short, the body prepares for action.

The problem is that when we drink or eat caffeine, we are rarely preparing for any physical action. We are usually sitting down, eating and drinking, or having a cup of tea, coffee or cola at our desks to keep us going. In effect, the body has responded to a false alarm but the physical results of this state of alert remain the same. If caffeine were the only stressor in our lives then perhaps it would be less of a problem. However, the combination of stressors we all live with can make caffeine detrimental to our health. (more…)

Wellsphere is an online community devoted to fitness, exercise, and the overall promotion of a healthy lifestyle.  Think of Wellsphere as a social network for people interested in discussing the latest in health matters from a personal perspective.  I’ve actually developed a lot of good relationships there and learned a lot of useful tips along the way.  From weight loss advice to nutrition plans, there are informative discussions going on all the time.  Take a few minutes to check it out.  Perhaps there are elements of the Wellsphere community that you’d like to see included in our Ashworth Health Care community?  If so, please share your suggestions in the comments section.  Let’s open up the possibilities!

Carla Hardy MS, CSCS
Fitness and Exercise Instructor
Ashworth University

                 Thanks to Rinux for permission to use this Photo.

A Kaiser Permanente study released today virtually confirms the link between high caffeine intake during the pregnancy period and an increased risk of miscarriage.  This link has often been suspected by researchers, but past studies have proven inconclusive due to a lack of testing control over pregnancy symptoms such as nausea, which made it difficult to directly measure caffeine’s precise impact.  Although the conclusions of this study are troubling, mothers should also feel empowered to make healthier decisions regarding their consumption of caffeine.  Furthermore, the study provides expectant mothers with some practical advice to help balance their need for extra energy, i.e. switch to sources of natural energy such as walks, yoga, and dried fruits.  This is a must read article for all of our mothers to be out there.  Keep your Ashworth Health Care community updated if you begin to make some positive lifestyle changes in this area.  Take care! 

Ryan Rode
Interactive Services Manager
Ashworth University

 
            Thanks to Mykl Roventine for permission to use this Photo.

As we enter February, most people have already lost the motivation that inspired their New Year’s resolutions.  Perhaps you are thinking to yourself, “If I can stick my health and nutrition resolutions longer than three months, I know that I can keep going for the rest of the year.”  Well, let’s talk about what you can do to stick to those resolutions that will most contribute to a healthy lifestyle.  Let’s make it past those first three months of 2008 with our resolutions intact!  Although most people have good intentions about their resolution, most seem to fail within the first few months.  But you do not have to fail! All you need to do is follow these easy tips to keep your fitness regimen going strong throughout the year. 

Set Realistic Goals 

By telling yourself that you are going to look like Jennifer Anniston or Patrick Dempsey or that you’re going to break the four-minute mile mark; you are most likely setting yourself up to fail.  On the other hand, if you plan to lose one pound a week by exercising 3 times a week, for at least 30 minutes along with following a healthy diet, you are setting a realistic goal for yourself.

Find Support 

Finding an exercise partner as a “buddy” support system to help you keep your New Year’s resolution is a way to stay accountable.  Having this accountability will allow you to reach your target a lot easier versus only relying on yourself. You can lean on each other for encouragement and can help each other when you find yourself making one excuse after another, such as “It is too cold outside, so I will double my time tomorrow.” (Because of course, tomorrow never comes).

Set Mini Goals 

Perhaps a reason you have not succeeded on your past New Year’s Resolutions was because the goal you set was too much to accomplish at one time.  Setting mini goals may help you reach your main objective whether it be to lose weight or increase your cardiovascular fitness.  For instance, if your aspiration is to run a marathon or a half marathon, begin by walking, then run/walk.  Run a 5K race in the spring, a 10K by summer and by Thanksgiving you will be lining up to complete the half marathon in Atlanta!  If you’ve committed to stop eating fast food and drinking soda, don’t feel that you have to quit “cold turkey” so to speak.  In the long run, simply make a conscious effort on a daily basis to change your eating habits.  As you increase your self-control, you’ll gradually discover that you longer crave the unhealthy foods you once did—at least you won’t crave them nearly as much. (more…)