If you are an iPhone user you probably know that when it comes to exercise and diet, “there is an app for that!” –10,000 apps to be exact.  It would be a cumbersome task to weed through so many applications to find the most effective one so fortunately for you the research has already been done.  Check out the following link to find great apps on cooking, counting calories, exercise, healthy recipes, mental health and more!  http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703961104576148732585957902.html?mod=dist_smartbrief

Research Assistance Provided by:  Sarah Volling

Here are some tips to help you get through those sniffles:

1. Hydrate: Drinking plenty of fluids is key.  Aim for 8 glasses of fluids.  The best test to see if you are hydrated sufficiently is colorless or slightly yellow urine.  Depending on the water content of your foods (lettuce is mostly water for example), a greater percentage of your fluids may need to come from water.  It’s important to remember that being thirsty is a sign of early dehydration.

2. Go Natural: Pass on the pills as your first defense and select fresh veggies in a variety of colors.  Beets, carrots, spinach, sweet potatoes and winter squash are all in season and great sources of vitamins and minerals!

3. Tea: It’s common to wake up with a sore, scratchy throat.  Try making some green tea with a tablespoon of honey for a soothing drink packed with antioxidants.

4. Rest: Your body works overtime when sick, so make an extra effort and get 8 hours of sleep.  After a few days of adequate rest, you’ll wake up feeling less groggy and ready to start the day.

5. Exercise: With a cold, light to moderate physical activity such as walking can boost immune function.  Take the dog for a walk or call a friend and enjoy the fresh air.

So the next time you’re sick, try these little changes.  They can assist in the recovery from a cold and get you off the couch and back to your normal routine!

Research assistance provided by Jessica Bennett

Source for picture: http://www.howtoprevent.com/misc/how-to-prevent-sneezing/

Don’t fall into the winter weight gain trap. Beat the tendency to put on the pounds with these FIVE ways to burn calories this winter:

1. BUILD A SNOWMAN: sounds simple? Maybe. But pushing around snow for a few hours can burn quite a few calories. So have fun and see how realistic your snowman can look!
2. GO ICE-SKATING! You don’t have to be an Olympic skater to have fun on the ice and get in a good workout too!
3. SHOVEL THE SNOW! Why pay to have your driveway shoveled when you can do it yourself and burn calories! What a great, healthy way to save money!
4. HAVE FUN SLEDDING! Who said sledding is only fun for kids? Walking up a snowy hill multiple times in bulky clothing and boots will definitely get those muscles moving and heart pumping!
5. PLAN A SKIING TRIP: Need an idea for a family getaway? Ditch the warm weather this year and try skiing! This is a great winter exercise to bring the family closer together!

Outsmart the Winter Weight Gain this year and have fun while burning calories!

Keep Healthy and Stay Warm!

Research Assistance provided by Marsi Shapiro

Here are some tips to fuel the fire and reach your fitness goals.

Work out with a buddy and fulfill the need for companionship. Why it works? Numerous studies have shown that exercising with a friend helps to keep you motivated. It could be that you and your friend switch off days of feeling energized, and push each other on days when the other is not feeling so hot. If you feel responsible to another person, not only yourself, then you will be more likely to keep on going.

Create a contest and fuel the competitiveness. Why it works? It doesn’t matter if you are reaching toward a goal of beating yourself or winning a prize, either way you will be inclined to push yourself. Competition is human nature, and when used to your advantage, can be great for your health!

Be responsible to yourself; keep an online workout journal and fuel the autonomy. Why it works? Working out can be a stress reliever, mental health therapy, and a just be a way for you to just have some time for yourself. Buy yourself some new workout clothes or gear, and keep it in eyeshot to remind yourself of your goals and your commitment to yourself.

Most importantly have fun with your routine. Mix it up, find what works for you, and stay out of the exercise rut!

Assistance provided by Stephanie Horvath

There are five colors of the bands, each with a different difficulty levels. Depending on your strength level, you can see which level band would fit your exercise plan by reading the descriptions of each below. The taller you are the more the band will stretch, so the harder it is.

Yellow-Extra Light- For small muscle groups. This is great for the small muscle groups of the upper body

Green-Light- For small to medium muscle groups. This is great for upper body and beginner lower body work.

Red-Medium- For medium muscle groups. This is for intermediate level users. It is good for lower body moves.

Blue-Heavy- For medium to large muscle groups. This is great for advanced upper body work and intermediate lower body training.

Black-Extra heavy- For large muscle groups. This is the most advanced band. It is great for serious athletes and perfect for advanced lower body training.

Tips for using the resistance bands:

• When one becomes too easy move up to the next color.
• If the resistance bands are difficult for you to handle, you can purchase some with handles attached.
• Be careful with the bands when using them. Always check for rips and tears before starting your exercises.
• Always use slow controlled movements while using the bands. This will help to avoid injury.
• Maintain good form and posture during the exercises.

Click here for a great website with visuals and explanations to some exercise with the resistance bands.

Try the resistance bands today!

With assistance provided by Colleen Poling

1. “I don’t have enough time”

Start with small segments like 10 minutes at a time. Wake up 10 minutes early for a quick walk around the block. Then take 10 minutes at lunch to walk around the building. Then take 10 min after work to walk the dog. Gradually increase these segments. Block off time your work calendar and label it “Meeting.” Then you will have that time slot free everyday.

2. “I don’t have enough money, exercise is expensive.”

All you need is a good pair of walking shoes. Walking around the mall, park, biking on a path are all free. Most gym memberships are 30 dollars a month, that is the price of a can of pop everyday for a month. A gym membership will most likely save you money on health care costs in the long run. It is a matter of perspective, choice and priorities.

3. “I will exercise tomorrow.”

Ask yourself why will you not exercise today. Lack of motivation? Call a friend to go on a walk with you. Listen to music as you exercise for motivation. Make a special playlist on your ipod. Start today, so you can exercise again tomorrow. You will have double the activity under your belt, and be that much better in shape.

4. “Exercise is boring.”

Stick with fun activities that you might enjoy, such as walking, dancing, water aerobics, gardening. Lift the groceries yourself, lift weights at home, try Pilates, yoga or a bike ride with the family. Change Exercise to Enjoyment.

5. “Exercise is too hard.”

Start off easy and gradually increase your the amount of time you exercise and the intensity. Do not push yourself to exhaustion, you must listen to your body. If you have some aches and pains after exercise don’t give up, keep moving, it will help ease the muscle pain.

6. “I am too embarrassed to exercise.”

Try out a gym that makes you comfortable, such as men only, women only gyms. Bring a friend along for moral support. Try an exercise DVD at home. Walk in a neighborhood where you know no one.

7. “Exercise doesn’t work for me.”

Try an exercise you have never done before. Perhaps join the zumba class at the gym. Make a log of all your feelings after the exercise so you can analyze your feelings. This can help you find a way around your barriers. Try using a pedometer. It can help motivate you to keep moving.

8. “I am not the exercising type.”

You don’t have to have parents as marathon runners to be included in as the exercising type! Everyone was made to exercise. Research shows that physical activity is essential for living well and living longer.

9. “I am too old, it won’t make a difference anyway.”

One of the biggest myths! Research shows that people as old as 90 years can build muscle mass, increase aerobic ability and improve balance with exercise. Older people will actually feel better, can decrease medication usage, and will be able to get around better with regular activity.

10. “I can’t make activity part of my every day”

Just making small changes in your routine can help you burn extra calories. Use exercise logs to track the time you move each day. Challenge yourself to increase the the time spent exercising every week. Here are some tips on how to incorporate exercise into your everyday lifestyle:

Take the stairs up one floor and gradually increase a floor each week to your 5^th floor office. If you have an office job, every hour get up and walk once around your floor. When doing household chores, take separate trips for each errand. Work in the yard. Shovel the snow. Park your car at the back of the parking lot. Do desk exercises.

No more excuses! Start today! Also, check out my new Mitzi Dulan’s Adventure Boot Camp! Here’s what one of my new campers had to say… Hey Mitzi! I’m so happy to be a part of your camp. I feel soo much better! Day 3, I made it!! With all of your encouraging pep (old people slang) I will do this an get to a level of fitness I dreamed of having again!!! You both are a gift from above for me!  You really make it feel “do-able”!  I am so lucky I found you, your skillful style and kind encouraging manner is wonderful! Thank you!!

-Pat Wilderman (your grateful recruit)

With assistance provided by Colleen Poling

Most sports drinks have been specially formulated to replenish lost electrolytes like sodium and potassium which can be lost in sweat but there are also contain carbohydrates and sugar typically making them a higher calorie drink. This is where issues can arise because those who simply drink them to enjoy the taste or think because a beverage is a sports drink it’s a healthy choice could be making a mistake. These drinks are still higher in calories and if not coupled with physical activity, could actually aid in weight gain. To understand if sports drinks fit into your lifestyle consider these three basic questions:

1. How often are you exercising?
2. How vigorous is the activity?
3. How much do you sweat?

If you participate in moderate to high intensity activity and you are sweating at a relatively high rate, a sports drink could help improve your performance and recovery. This is a good option because it can replace the lost electrolytes as a result of sweating and help replenish carbohydrate energy stores. If however, you are taking part in short duration, low to moderate intensity exercise, and you are trying to lose weight, good ole’ water will do the trick. I have seen people sabotage weight loss efforts by drinking too many calories throughout the day. Sports drinks are generally not necessary because your body simply has not lost a significant amount of electrolytes or burned up too much energy from carbohydrates to need immediate replacement. At this point, water is usually the best and most natural choice for hydration. Make sure to get 4-6 ounces for every 15-20 minutes of exercise to stay properly hydrated, especially if you’re performing physical activity in hot environments.

Research has shown that kids increase fluid intake when it is a sports drink so keep this in mind if you are out at the ballpark this summer. Personally, I give my kids sports drinks without any artificial sweeteners during most of their sporting events in the summer and also drink while I’m playing my tennis matches to help maintain my blood sugar and delay fatigue.

Research assistance provided by Robert Masterson.

A recent study done by the American College of Sports Medicine which involved 266 undergraduates, students who engaged in at least 20 minutes of vigorous physical activity had higher grade point averages (GPA) than those who did not exercise as often. Students who participated in vigorous activity seven days per week showed the most benefits regarding GPA, having on average one that was 0.4 higher compared to those who did not participate in any vigorous activity at all.

But while the positive association between vigorous activity and GPA has been documented, the benefits don’t end there either. Experts have been recommending a daily regimen of physical activity to also reduce stress, improve physical and mental performance, and to increase one’s overall well-being. So next time you set out for a jog or hit the gym, think about ALL the benefits you can reap besides the physical ones!

Research assistance provided by Robert Masterson.

Sometimes in the middle of a tough or long workout you really need that great, motivating song to push you through.  More often than not, I find that those inspiring songs are the classics, the ones we’ve all heard time and time again.  When they come through my headphones, I know I can make it through the next couple minutes of the workout.  Recent research even indicates that the type of music we listen to during exercise can influence our performance – when we love the song we’re listening to, we disregard any physical pain we’re feeling and push on through!

Eye of the Tiger – Survivor.  Yes, it’s that cheesy song from the Rocky movies, but who listens to this song and doesn’t picture themselves running up those steps in Philadelphia?

Hit Me With Your Best Shot  - Pat Benatar.  A great song for those workouts where you’re blowing off some frustration!

Thunderstruck – AC/DC. The chanted lyrics never fail at getting me pumped up in the middle of a tough strength training session.

Don’t Stop Believing  - Journey.  Whether the original or the recently covered version by the Glee cast, this ‘never give up’ anthem is a welcome addition to any exercise playlist I have.

It’s My Life – Bon Jovi.  ‘Don’t bend don’t break, baby don’t back down’ – a great lyric, and a great song for motivating you when you’re strength training or pushing through that long run.

I’m always looking for new tunes – let me know what your favorite rock songs to workout to are!

Assistance provided by Megan Skinner

Excuse No 1: I’m Too Busy, There’s No Time.
The Solution: Set Priorities! When you make exercise and an active lifestyle a priority, you’ll find the time!  Schedule fitness into your day as you would any other appointment, and you’ll find it getting easier and easier to commit to your workouts.  You can even multi-task with exercise – catch up with a friend on an afternoon stroll, read a magazine on a bike at the gym, or do push-ups and lunges during a TV commercial break.

Excuse No 2: The Gym is No Fun.
The Solution: Go Somewhere Else! Who says you have to go to the gym?  Make exercise about what YOU want to do, not what other people do.  If you like being outside, look for a beautiful trail or park where you can jog.  If you need to have fun, try a dance class to learn some new moves.  If you get bored easily, sign up for that new rock climbing or yoga class you’ve been eyeing.

Excuse No 3: I Feel Fine, So I Don’t Need to Exercise.
The Solution: Exercise Anyway! You may not be ill, but that’s not the same thing as being fit and well.  Exercise has so many benefits, including lower stress levels, elevated mood, and a stronger heart, that it’s hard to find reasons NOT to exercise!

Excuse No 4: I’m So Tired All the Time.
The Solution: Start Slow! Speaking of benefits associated with exercise, increased energy and improved sleep quality are two more on the list.  Start slowly with adding exercise to your day, and then gradually build up to more once your energy levels return.  Try to exercise whenever you feel the most awake, whether in the early morning, afternoon, or evening.

Excuse No 5: I’ve Skipped Too Many Workouts To Get Back Into Exercise.
The Solution: Think Positively! Temporary setbacks aren’t the end of the world – in fact, they happen to all of us!  The trick is not letting yourself get dragged down by negative thinking.  Acknowledge that you slipped up, and that it’s okay, and simply start again where you left off.

What about you – what’s the most common exercise excuse you fall victim to?  How do you convince yourself to exercise anyway?  Leave me a comment – I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Assistance provided by Megan Skinner