Are You Increasing Your Risk of Diabetes?

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People who were sedentary for roughly 12 hours a day had higher blood sugar levels than those who were sedentary for around 9 hours. Doing less exercise and being overweight also raised the risk of higher blood sugar, but among people with equal levels of exercise or excess weight, those who sat the longest had a higher risk.

What to do: Get out of that chair whenever possible, even if it's only for a few minutes at a time. Try standing at your desk, during meetings, or during other activities where it's feasible. Walk to the bus or train (or your destination!) to minimize your time behind the wheel. Don't spend all your leisure time sitting in front of a TV, computer, or movie screen. And don't forget aerobic exercise (like brisk walking) and strength training.

Sources: Diabetologia 2013. doi:10.1007/s00125-013-2845-9. Int. J. Behav. Nutr. Phys. Act.2013. doi:10.1186/1479-5868-10-20.
 

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How Many Servings of Fruit And Vegetables Should You Consume?

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The average person should consume two pieces of fruit and three servings of vegetables per day as a minimum. Athletes probably need even more - I recommend 10-15 servings per day for each of my athletes. Expert often spend too much time arguing about organic vs. regular fruits and veggies. I agree that raw, organic fruits and vegetables are best since they have a higher micronutrient count, but any fruits and veggies are better than none! Get sufficient fruits and vegetables in your diet before worrying about whether they're organic or not.

What Are The Benefits Of Exercise?

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Remember, there are numerous benefits of regular exercise besides just losing weight. So, don’t base your fitness results purely on whether you are losing pounds or inches. Other important factors include having more energy, sleeping better, increased stamina and increased endurance. Or, even simply being able to walk up a flight of stairs without getting as winded.



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Are Salads A Healthy Option?

You really can't go wrong with fresh fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts. Salad dressings however are a different story.  I personally just use fresh lemon juice for my dressing.  

When eating out watch out for too much salad dressing. Restaurants often drown a salad in dressing causing your "lite" menu option to be not quite so. Salad dressing can easily add 200-300 calories! Ask for it on the side and try to limit your amount to about 2 tablespoons.

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Restaurant Portions

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Restaurant potions tend to be huge. To help control your portions ask the waiter to immeditaly put half of your meal in a take home box and the bring the rest to your table. Chances are that half portion will satisfy your hunger and you can save the remainder for another day.

Muscle and Weight Loss

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Even when your sitting still muscle burns more energy than fat. So weight training is a very essential part of a healthy weight loss/maintenace program

Preventing Shin Splints

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To prevent or relieve shin splints, stretch and strengthen the muscles of the lower leg.

Consider A Charity Fitness Event

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Consider registering for a charity fitness event (e.g. a walk that benefits a specific disease). This will help provide you with additional motivation to get more fit because you will have a specific goal to achieve on a pre-determined future date. With that date looming over you, it will help you stay motivated to get more fit in time for the event. Plus, you will also be helping a charity.

Is Your Ab Workout Effective?

Abdominal Crunch with Oblique Twist 2 (Photo credit: Scott & White Healthcare)

When doing abdominal exercises be sure to concentrate on using just those specific muscles. And, think about pulling your belly button to your spine, which will make the exercise more effective.

What Are The Benefits of Exercising?

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Remember, there are numerous benefits of regular exercise besides just losing weight. So, don’t base your fitness results purely on whether you are losing pounds or inches. Other important factors include having more energy, sleeping better, increased stamina and increased endurance. Or, even simply being able to walk up a flight of stairs without getting as winded

Watch Your Posture

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We tend to spend most of our time with our back in flexion position (bent forward). For better back health, be sure to occassionally arch your back slightly (don't hyperextend). This will help keep your back more in balance.

Are You Breathing Correctly?

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Here are some swim breathing technique tips: As you put your face in the water, release some of the air once through your nose to keep the water from entering your nose. Also, be sure your mouth is closed whenever your face is in the water.

Water and Swimming

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Although it may seem strange, you can easily suffer heat exhaustion while swimming. Remember that the water you are in does not help you stay hydrated. You still need to drink the same amount of water and as frequently as you would when performing any other exercise.

Running Your First Race

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If running a first race be sure to pace yourself. Many people start the race by running too quickly and then find themselves too fatigued to finish the race or even find themselves throwing up on the side of the road. So while it may be tempting to start off fast with the rest of the crowd, the best thing you can do is try to run a consistent pace. Determine ahead of time how fast you want to run and try to stick with that pace throughout. You'll be more successful if you speed up toward the end of the race rather than the beginning. Also, if possible eat a light carbo/protein mix snack about an hour before the race and also consume some water then too (unless you find that food that close to working out causes you problems).

Are You Ready For Your Race?

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It's common for people to purchase new running shoes just before a race or event. However, it's best to wear shoes that aren't brand new. It's best to break-in shoes about a month before an event. New shoes can cause discomfort from blisters or just not fit right. It's best to find that out BEFORE race day.

Are You Lifting Correctly?

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When strength training be sure to use full range of motion. This means that for each exercise you should move your joint through its maximum extension (just be sure not to "lock-out" a joint -- for example when doing a bicep curl don't lock-out your elbow as this could cause an injury). Your muscle should always bear the weight workload, not your joint. If you don't use full range of motion, then your muscle won't work as hard and consequently won't get as strong as it could.

Don't Forget Your Veggies

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At every meal eat a rainbow of colors. The more variety of colors in your food, typically the more well-balanced it is. For example, try to include several vegetables of different colors: green, orange, red, and more.

What Should You Drink?

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Don't waste your calories on drinks. One can of cola can pack 150 - 200 calories! Drink low/no calories drinks like water, decaf tea, sparkling water, etc. Switching to low/no calorie drinks can really reduce your daily caloric consumption. Of course, water is always the best choice.

Are You Breathing?

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Breathing is an often overlooked practice that can really help your workout routines. Try to breathe more from the lower abdomen then from the chest. Try to practice breathing in a slow, rhythmic and consistent manner.

Stay Positive

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Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative. If you consistently concentrate on things you don’t have, then it will be more challenging for you to achieve the other things you really want. If you focus on what’s wrong in your life, you won’t see what is right. This is good advice not only for the health/fitness area of your life, but for all aspects of your life.