Category Archives: Motivational Tips
Your Guide to Understanding Food Labels
This article was contributed by Debbie J., MS, RD -
A product’s packaging is good for enticing you as a consumer to buy that product; glossy pictures and tag lines attempt to lure us in at the grocery store. But to really compare foods and understand how they fulfill your daily nutrition needs, the most important part of the packaging is the food label. Read the rest of this entry
Cut Down on Television and Cut Down Your Weight – 7 Things You Can Do
Have you ever wondered how many more calories you could be burning if you actually did something productive instead of watching television? You may be pleasantly surprised at how many calories you can burn making your home and your body look amazing at the same time! But don’t use you these activities as a substitute for your weight and cardio workouts, instead use them as a way to compliment your weight loss efforts while you enjoy beautifying your home.
All of the following activities are based on a 150 pound person performing each activity a duration of 60 minutes at a moderate (as opposed to vigorous) intensity[i]. Read the rest of this entry
Inspired by Kayaking, Harry’s First Day in a Gym at Age 57
When he talks about his childhood and growing up, Harry doesn’t describe himself as an athlete. In fact, Harry never stepped foot into a gym during the first 56 years of his life.
But that would all change, and so would Harry’s life. Read the rest of this entry
10 Week Workout Routine to have YOU Looking like a 10 this Summer
There’s only 10 weeks left until swimsuit season! If you haven’t committed to a solid workout plan to get your body ready for summer, don’t worry. We have a plan that can help you to get back into the gym and back into shape for summertime with this 5 Part Series.
Fuel your Workouts to Maximize Your Results
This article was contributed by Debbie M., MS, RD
Did you know that during anaerobic activity like resistance training, sugar is your body’s primary fuel source?
Daylight Saving Time Change 2013 is this Weekend, Spring Forward Your Clocks and Your Fitness
That’s right, this weekend marks that time of year again when we all sacrifice an hour of sleep in the wee hours of Sunday morning in order to gain a precious extra hour of daylight to enjoy in the evenings for the next eight months. So mark your calendars and set your alarms because on Sunday, March 10th, 2013 at 2 a.m. we all need to “spring forward” our clocks one hour as we tear apart the space-time continuum warping time as it instantaneously changes from 2 a.m. to 3 a.m.
Read the rest of this entry
Get Back to the Basics for a Tight and Toned Body (Part 1 – Walking / Running)
Tips and Exercises to get you Back in Shape – How to get started RUNNING (or back into it again).
Fun, Get in Shape and Help Augie’s Quest by taking a ZUMBA class? Yep!
It is perhaps the best opportunity of the year for you to feel great after a workout both inside and out! On Saturday, February 23rd at 3pm LA Fitness is holding a special Zumba class that you can attend in order to support Augie’s Quest and help find a cure for ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). CLICK here to learn more about this event and make a donation. *LA Fitness clubs not participating in this promotion: Grove City, OH (Former Urban Active), Grandview, OH (Former Urban Active), and Presale locations.
You probably want to know more, right? Well, who better to tell you than Augie Nieto himself? So, we contacted Augie for a Q&A about Augie’s Quest, ALS and the LA Fitness Zumba event.
Why is it important for everyone to participate in this event?
Augie: The fitness industry has been instrumental to MDA’s Augie’s Quest…we’ve raised over $35 million to date because of clubs and members around the country. YOU have the opportunity to be a part of history and help families fighting ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). Plus, I can’t think of a more entertaining way to get a workout!
How will the donations received from the LA Fitness Zumba event help Augie’s Quest, ALS and MDA?
Augie: Donations received will go directly to fast-track research for ALS. Our goal is to find an effective treatment for this disease as soon as possible.
How far has research and treatment come since you were first diagnosed?
Augie: When I was first diagnosed, there were ZERO dollars being invested in ALS research from ‘Big Pharma.’ We’ve been able to change the landscape of ALS research drastically. The lab we fund is called ALS TDI (www.als.net). It’s the largest ALS research lab in the world and we are focused on finding drugs to treat ALS. We currently have two drugs moving into Phase 2 clinical trials and 11 more in the pipeline. I know that one day soon, thanks to the support from the fitness industry, we’ll have effective treatments for ALS.
Your challenges, and the challenges faced with treating ALS are daunting, and yet you continue to persevere with Augie’s Quest, how do you do it?
Augie: What keeps me going is the momentum we have right now…we are truly making great strides in ALS drug development. Right now there is only one FDA approved drug on the market for ALS patients and it doesn’t do much. I’m confident the research we are funding will result in new effective drugs for the ALS community.
What would you like to tell those who are attending the Zumba event?
Augie: THANK YOU! Most people who attend probably haven’t had their lives touched by ALS…it’s amazing to me that so many people come out to support our cause. Oh…and get there early to get a front row spot!
Fun Question: What would you like to tell those who are hiding behind their poor dance skills as an excuse to skip the Zumba event?
Augie: If I can do it, you can do it! Zumba isn’t about perfect choreography…it’s about having fun. I promise you won’t regret it…no one has ever left a Zumba class and said “that wasn’t fun!”
Popular Thanksgiving Foods, Calories and Healthy Options
Last year Americans consumed around 736 million pounds of turkey on Thanksgiving[i], which was likely served with several favorite holiday side dishes and courses. This belt busting MEAL can have up to 3,450 calories, which is astounding when you consider that the average amount of calories consumed PER DAY for males is 2,475 and for females is 1,833[ii].
Though your traditions and recipes may make some of your Thanksgiving foods non-negotiable—such as a family recipe for gravy, or maybe this year it is your turn to get one of the savory dark meat legs— perhaps you just didn’t realize how many calories are in some foods, or you never thought to consider other options. You never know, you just might end up loving sweet potato pie, but never considered having anything else but pumpkin pie.
Below is a table with the most popular Thanksgiving Day foods and some healthy options for you to consider. Who knows, maybe this year will be the beginning of some new Thanksgiving dinner traditions that have you feeling energized and invigorated instead of sleepy and uncomfortable.
| Food | Portion Size | Calories | Healthy Option (same portion size) | Healthy Option CALORIES | Healthy Option Calorie Difference |
| Turkey, dark meat w/skin | 4 oz. | 249 | Turkey, light meat no skin | 189 | 60 |
| Mashed Potatoes w/ sour cream and butter | 1 cup | 313 | Mashed Potatoes w/ milk and butter | 212 | 101 |
| Stuffing (Bread) | 1 cup | 404 | Stuffing (Cornbread) | 358 | 46 |
| Gravy, made w/meat drippings | 1 cup | 271 | Gravy, made w/out fat | 71 | 200 |
| Green Bean Casserole | 1 cup | 276 | Cooked green beans | 44 | 232 |
| Bread Rolls (white) | Medium size (about 2.5” across) | 147 | Bread Rolls (100% whole wheat) | 96 | 51 |
| Cranberry Sauce | 1 cup | 418 | Fresh Cranberries | 51 | 367 |
| Candied Yams | 1 cup | 293 | Baked Yams | 165 | 128 |
| Apple Pie | 1/8 of 9” pie | 356 | Sweet Potato Pie | 265 | 91 |
| Pumpkin Pie | 1/8 of 9” pie | 374 | Sweet Potato Pie | 265 | 109 |
| Pecan Pie | 1/8 of 9” pie | 464 | Pumpkin pie | 374 | 90 |
| Soda, cola | 12 oz. | 136 | Diet Soda, cola or Water | 0 | 136 |
| Beer | 12 oz. | 155 | Skip it | 0 | 155 |
| Wine | 5 oz. | 125 | Again, skipping the alcohol is the healthiest option | 0 | 125 |
| Squash w/butter and brown Sugar | 1 cup | 154 | Squash w/salt and sugar, no butter | 121 | 33 |
If none of these options work for you, you could just make sure to keep your portions reasonable, but keep in mind that you are having more courses during this particular meal than you may be used to.
Some of you may have noticed that today’s article was not our normal Monday post of REAL STORIES, and was instead a TOP TIP. We wanted to make sure you had this information before the holiday since TOP TIPS posts every Thursday. So look for another great TOP TIP on Thanksgiving day, and REAL STORIES about real people accomplishing their health and fitness goals will resume on its regularly scheduled day again next Monday.
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HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
[i] Information was obtained from http://www.eatturkey.com/consumer/history/history.html
[ii] Information was obtained from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhanes/databriefs/calories.pdf
[iii] Information for this table was obtained from https://www.supertracker.usda.gov/foodapedia.aspx
How Roy Lowered His Blood Pressure Through Fitness with 3 Simple Steps
Like many people, small business owner Roy Amor, 59, watched his blood pressure rise as his sales decreased during the recent recession. Though he could not control the state of the economy, Roy read an article that gave him confidence that he could control his blood pressure and his health. He decided he needed a more dedicated approach to his health and fitness to get his health back on track. So, Roy made 3 simple changes to his lifestyle; changes that he attributes to lowering his high blood pressure to a now healthy level. To find out the 3 healthy lifestyle changes that Roy made, simply click the play button on the player above.
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This article should not replace any exercise program or restrictions, any dietary supplements or restrictions, or any other medical recommendations from your primary care physician. Before starting any exercise program or diet, make sure it is approved by your primary care physician.
The 6 Weeks to Summer Slim-Down Workout – Look Better in Your Bathing Suit!
May 13
Posted by Adam W.
If you’re sweating because summertime is drawing near…Perfect! You are on the right track; well as long as you’re sweating from all of the hard work you are putting into getting ready for bikini and board-short season. LIVING HEALTHY is here to help with Part 3 of our preparation for summer workout program – The 6 Weeks to Summer Slim Down Workout to Look Better in Your Bathing Suit!
If you missed Part 1 – 10 Week Workout Routine to have YOU Looking like a 10 this Summer or Part 2 – 8 Weeks Left to Prepare for Swimsuit Season, Your Next Workout is Here, simply click one of the links to get started!
For those of you who are ready, weeks 5 & 6 are sure to challenge your body as we hit the weight room for some Strength Training with Free Weights and integrate High-Intensity Interval Training as your fat-melting cardio workout. Read the rest of this entry →
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