I just got back from my cardio jam class at the Upper Main Line YMCA, and every time I go it drives home the point of how important exercise is for our overall health. I was feeling lethargic when I woke up this morning, and as the class was wrapping up, I had so much energy I felt as if I could run a marathon! Maybe not literally, but I certainly had a lot more vim and vigor leaving class than when I arrived. The trick is finding physical activities that you enjoy, then it’s not a workout, it’s a treat. I love dancing and lots of movement, so anything aerobic fits the bill for me, and keeps me coming back for more.

Another great thing about getting up and moving is, once you’ve finished, you can sit down and do your work without worry. It clears your mind for your other tasks. I know that if I don’t do something physical every day, I actually begin to worry how my body is going to handle being inactive. It doesn’t take long for me to begin feeling stiff, but once I exercise everything feels like it should again. I’m more agile, more energetic, and happier. There’s nothing like activity to get the kinks out, no longer in my 20’s or 30’s, the kinks come a lot more frequently,and take a lot longer to iron out if I don’t keep moving.

When it gets down to it, all most of us want to be is fit & happy. Getting off the sofa is the first step, and getting off the SoFAS is also mandatory. By SoFAS, I mean solid fats and added sugars. That’s right, because to stay fit & happy, or to get there, we must not only exercise, but watch what we’re eating.

Food is an important part of a balanced diet; a great funny line by Fran Lebowitz. But seriously, eating the right foods can make all the difference in how you look and feel, it’s all about building healthy eating patterns. Include more vegetables and fruits, whole grains and a variety of proteins. Choose low-fat or fat-free milk and milk products, and reap the wonderful benefits of physical activity.

Do it all and enjoy a healthier, happier life.

Janet at www.janetzappala.com and www.janetzappala.tv

I love life, make no mistake, but it can be very difficult at times as we all know. One of the reasons for this is cancer, seems not a day goes by that I don’t hear the word, or much worse learn of a loved one or friend who has it. I lost my mother, who was also my best friend to cancer six years ago. Now a dear friend has breast cancer and must undergo a double mastectomy. Her doctors feel they will get it all and she’ll go on to live a long healthy life, may our prayers be answered.

All this said, we need to keep in mind how very important eating the right foods can be when it comes to warding off sickness. Researchers now say that calcium may help to keep certain cancers, including colorectal cancer at bay. Fish we know is good for us, as long as we keep an eye on what types we’re eating and how often, because of mercury levels. Salmon, a fatty fish, along with trout and mackerel, can help protect against breast cancer according to Weill Cornell Medical College, and a study done on postmenopausal women.

All fatty fish contain a good amount of omega 3 fatty acids, essential to good health. Women in the study who consumed the healthful nutrients in fatty fish reduced their risk of breast cancer three-fold.

And let’s not forget how critical exercise is to enjoying and maintaining good health. The Cleveland Clinic cites research that suggests men who exercise regularly may be reducing their risk of prostate cancer, and higher grade tumors. The men who walked three to six hours a week were 65 percent less likely to have prostate cancer than their sedentary counterparts.

The American Heart Association recommends getting at least 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise most days of the week for optimum health. So go fishing, and keep moving, little things really, considering what we stand to reap in return.

www.janetzappala.com

Janet Zappala/Certified Nutritional Consultant/Cookbook Author

As we get ever closer to the “eat as much as you can” holidays, we may want to stop for just a moment and remember that Americans who are not overweight are now in the minority. That’s right, and it’s also a sobering thought to realize that one in three children is overweight or obese.

One of life’s greatest pleasures is food and eating, but we need to find a balance, and a true understanding of portion control and healthier alternatives, like choosing baked potato crisps over classic potato chips, lean, organic, grass-fed beef over antibiotic, hormone-riddled, grain-fed beef, and free-range turkey and whole-grain stuffing, over caged poultry and white bread stuffing.

I haven’t forgotten about all you pasta lovers out there either. You can have your pasta and eat it too, but try whole-grain pasta for starters. It makes you fuller faster and is a great source of dietary fiber. Also, cut out the creamy sauces, add more vegetables, and again, watch your portion size.

A reminder that excess pounds can raise the risk of several types of cancer including, colon, kidney, breast, uterus and fatal prostate cancer, we don’t want to dig ourselves an early grave with our forks.

All of this said, it is the season for enjoying family, friends, and food,  we just need to pay attention to what’s in the foods we eat, how much we eat, and how active we are. Take the stairs and skip the elevator, walk as much as you can at a good clip, and instead of watching football all day, get up and play a game of touch football, you’ll work off those extra calories and feel flexible and energized all at the same time. Score big for your health and feel great for years to come!

Janet Zappala/Certified Nutritional Consultant/Author/Award-Winning Journalist

Zumba! If you do, you’ll stay agile and flexible, active and healthy.

If you haven’t already heard of, or experienced zumba, well I’m here to tell you that you’re missing a fun-filled workout that you’re sure to become addicted to. Zumba is a combination of aerobic dance moves with a latin twist, and with Dancing with the Stars all the rage these days, it almost seems the natural thing to do.

You’ll learn some cool dance moves that you can show-off at your next social event, you’ll glisten, (never let ‘em see you sweat) and most important, you’ll be off the couch and on your feet, burning calories and building endurance. Personally, treadmills and ellipticals just don’t call my name. Zumba on the other hand is such a blast that I’m disappointed when the class is over, and I always look forward to the next one. I never thought I would say that about an exercise class, and that’s the beauty of zumba, it’s a workout, but it doesn’t feel like it.

My local YMCA offers zumba classes, but with the growing popularity of this “dance,” classes are popping up all over. I highly recommend zumba for overall health, body and mind. You’ll not only get into, and stay in shape, you’ll also impress with the plethora of new moves you’ll learn.

So what are you waiting for? Put on your dance shoes and zumba!

Janet Zappala/Certified Nutritional Consultant/Cookbook Author/Award-Winning Journalist

www.janetzappala.com

Like many people you no doubt found yourself excited about the upcoming Twilight film.  However, upon returning home from The Twilight Saga:  Eclipse, you perhaps found yourself in front of the mirror comparing yourself to the fit teens of the film.  How does Taylor Lautner, who plays the character of the werewolf Jacob Black, keep in such great shape?  Well it’s no accident.  He has a personal trainer who has been educated on how to exercise and what foods to eat to get fast muscles gain and quickly lose fat.  Now you too can learn how to do it!  The first step is learning how to get fast muscles gain the smart way.

There are three main tricks to fast muscle gain:  how you eat, what you eat, and exercise.

A lot of people find at some point in their life that they want to gain muscle weight.  Maybe they feel too skinny or they need to get into a new weight class for their sport.  Unfortunately, a lot of these people know very little about how to gain weight.  Our society tends to put a stress on losing weight more than gaining, so society may be steering you in the wrong direction without you even realizing it.  Here are some tips that you need to know if you want to gain muscle weight.

• Eat a lot overall.  This is not the time to be dainty about your eating–go for seconds or thirds and always eat until you are completely full.
• Most people need to add at least 500 calories to their regular diet in order to start gaining weight.  If you are doing a lot of exercise, then you need to add even more on top of that.
• Eat three large meals a day and then continue to eat throughout the day in the form of snacks.  Your goal is to always be full.
• Some great weight gain snack include peanuts, potatoes, protein shakes, and fruits.  You are trying to get more calories into your diet and if you can also get some more protein then that is great too.
• Protein and calories are your new focus points for your diet.  Read the back of things that you are buying to find things that are rich in both of them and relatively low in fat.  Some great choices are egg noodles, whole grain rice, dense breads, yogurt, all meats (especially chicken), and nuts.
• Drink protein shakes and eat protein bars as part of your daily snacking, but don’t try to make them your whole diet.  They are supplements to help you, but they don’t contain enough calories to fulfill your weight gaining needs.
• To add calories to just about anything, cook it in some olive oil.  Normally you will be told to avoid oils, but for weight gain it’s okay.
• Exercise at least three times a week if not more.  Resistance training is the most effective for gaining weight.  Focus on getting a good number of reps, not the weight that you are on.  Getting the full motion of the exercise is more important than the weight.
• Weight yourself every couple of days or once a week.  It is normal for body weight to fluctuate, but after a few weeks you will see some rapid weight gain.
• Keep it up and continue exercising and you will soon look just like Jacob Black.

If you’re looking for a few good recipes to try while gaining weight, then try some of the recipes below from FaveDiets:

Best MATCH Asian Burger – A good burger is a great source of protein and it tastes great too!

Almond Crusted Chicken Breast – Almonds are excellent sources of proteins and good fats.  Chicken is the most lean and inexpensive meat available and it’s very high in protein.

Chicken and Corn Soup – This soup has egg noodles and chicken, both of which are high in protein.  It’s also nice and hearty so it will give you plenty of calories to digest.

This guest post is contributed by Anna Miller, who writes on the topic of degrees online. She welcomes your comments at her email id: miller.an10@googlemail.com

There are times in life when good intentions are not enough for you to stick to your exercise routine and stay fit and healthy; you’re hampered by your physical inability, either illness or injury, and so unable to go out for your daily jog, play the sport you love, or even just horse around with your kids. I was cooped up at home for three months after my orthopedic diagnosed me with a torn meniscus (a ligament in the knee) and made me take a sabbatical from the tennis court and the jogging track in the park. At first, I went stir crazy; but then I figured that it was better to make do with what I had rather than crib about what I didn’t. So if you’re looking for ways to look after your health when illness or injury hampers you, here’s what you can do:

• Talk to your doctor about safe ways to exercise: There are ways to exercise safely when you’re injured if your doctor will allow it. The safest form of exercise is a walk, but if your knees or legs are the problem, then focus on your upper body and work out a few routines with your therapist or doctor. If you’re not allowed to bear weight on your knee, try cycling on a stationary bike – it provides a great cardio workout and keeps your spirits high. And some yoga stretches are safe for any kind of injury or chronic illness. It’s up to you to find a way to exercise safely.

 

• Adjust your diet accordingly: When you’re forced to move from leading an active life into a sedentary existence, you tend to put on weight because you don’t adjust your diet accordingly. Your body needs fewer calories than before because your activity level is low, so make the switch accordingly. Eat more of food that’s healthy like fruits, vegetables and wholegrain items. Reduce fatty and junk food, and avoid eating close to your bed time. Drink lots of water and avoid sugar and caffeine as much as you can.

 

• Get some fresh air: If you’re mobile, this is not a problem – you could always go out for a stroll or a short walk. But if you cannot walk, get someone to push your wheelchair out in the fresh air for an hour or so every day or alternate day. Keep the windows open in your bedroom for some part of the day instead of running the air conditioner all day and living in and breathing stale air. Fresh air is very important to good health, and when you’re an invalid or injured, it’s important that you get enough of it.

After my post last week which discussed the infamous Time exercise article, I feel I need to say something positive about exercise. We all know that exercise is vitally important for health, from helping to prevent heart disease to extending lifespan. Exercise is also very important for mental health, helping to relieve stress and also improve overall concentration. Personally, I find that I sleep better and am overall happier when I get more exercise. Now, we all know that serious stuff about exercise. My view on exercise is that it should be an enjoyable part of life, rather than a chore. Exercise should be harmonious with our lives, not an interruption. Perhaps that’s a bit idealistic but don’t you agree? Here are my ideas for making exercise fun.

Set up your home for exercise, no matter how unconventional. A friend of mine lives in a long, thin railroad style apartment. She has furniture situated at the sides with a long space in the middle. Hooks are ready to hang a net for badminton. Guest love it, her boyfriend love its and it’s a great break during her work-day. Alternatively, you could set aside a space for ping-pong or even horseshoes. If your home encourages physical activity, you are more likely to engage. Personally, I’m tempted to install pedals under my desk. I love to bounce my feet while I type and this would probably help me concentrate.

Be a kid again. When I was at home in Indiana and entertaining my 6-year-old niece, she was determined to teach me how to hula-hoop and I was determined to learn. Isn’t it funny how much harder these things are when we are adults? My niece can practically walk around hula-hopping. I got a pretty good ab and hip work-out swinging that thing around. Draw a hop-scotch pattern on the floor of your unfinished basement with chalk or use tape to mark one down in the hallway (under the rug).

Dance. Dance around when you are cooking, cleaning the house or even working at your desk. (Have you mastered the fine art of dancing in a chair?) Be silly. Do the sprinkler.

Set a friendly competition. Race your friend down the block or across the field and winner buys lunch. Get some friends or family members together on the weekend, pick teams and play capture the flag or basketball. My family sets some pretty mean blocks when we play basketball. With three women in my family nearly six feet, gender divisions are not so serious. Get your competitive spirit going and have fun.

Explore. This is my favorite way to exercise. Pick a new portion of the city and walk around briskly. Go for a hike. Snorkel.

The English translations of many yoga poses can end up pretty amusing. These funny names are also a good way to remember them and pull them together into a yoga sequence. Knowing a few yoga poses is a great way to practice on your own. Take a 15-minute yoga break in the morning and afternoon at work. I practice yoga at least three times/week and I love it. There’s no need to spend the money on expensive classes once get a yoga mat  and learn a few poses. Here are a few funny yoga poses to make you smile:

Cow Face Pose- Sit on the floor with your knees bent. Cross your legs over one another with your knees on the floor and your each foot back towards the opposite hip. Your right knee should be stacked on top of your left. Try to bring the heels an equal distance from your hips. Take your left arm and reach behind you and down, with the palm facing your back and your elbow pointing straight up to the ceiling. Take your right arm and bring it behind you and up towards your other hand with the palm facing away from your back. See if you can hook your fingers together. If not, you can use a towel or hold on to your shirt. Actively lift up through your left shoulder and bring both hands closer together. Hold this pose for 1 minute.  Reverse legs and arms and repeat.

Happy Baby Pose- Lay on your back and bend your knees toward your chest. Bring your feet up to the ceiling and grab the big toe or outside of each foot with each hand.  (Understand the name now? hehe) Spread your knees wider than your torso and bring your knees down towards your armpits. Keep your ankles right over your knees. Release your tailbone towards the floor and hold the pose for up to 1 minute.

You can also do a Half Happy Baby Pose by bringing one leg up at a time and keeping the other leg straight on the floor.

Big Toe Pose- This pose is basically a forward bend. Stand upright with your feet hip distance apart. Keep your knees straight and bend forward from the hip. Curl your middle and index finger under each big toe. If you can’t reach your toes, you can use a towel or strap under the arch of each foot. On an inhalation, lift your chest, still holding your toes and look forward. Do not lift your head so much that you put discomfort on the back of your neck. Hold for several exhalations and release back down into a forward bend. Hold for 1 minute.

Half Lord of the Fishes- This is a sitting twist position. Sit on the floor and bring your left leg under your right with your left foot touching your right hip. Your whole left leg should be touching the ground. Bend your right left with the knee facing the ceiling and cross it over your left leg, bringing your right foot flat on the floor next to your left hip. Twist towards your right hip and bring your right hand over to the floor behind your right hip and use to assist in the twist. Bring your left elbow over your right knee to help assist in the twist. The fingers of your left hand should point straight up to the ceiling. Look back over your right shoulder. Concentrate on lengthening your spine, pushing your tailbone towards the floor and your head towards the ceiling. Hold for 1 minute, switch sides and repeat.

Downward Facing Dog- This is probably one of the most popular poses in yoga. Most yoga poses will have you return to this pose again and again, and it’s part of the popular Sun Salutations Sequence. Get down on floor on your hands and knees. Your knees should be directly under your hips and your hands directly under your shoulders. Lift your hips and straighten your legs, bringing your heels toward the floor. Distribute your weight evenly between your hands and feet. Widen your shoulder blades and bring them towards your tailbone. Keep your head between your arms instead of letting it hang down. Stay in this pose for up to 3 minutes.

I’m definitely a fidgeter, the one always bouncing my foot under the table and the one constantly getting up when guests are over. I tend to use my hands when I talk and I’ve taken up crochet as something to keep my hands busy when watching movies. While I may annoy my friends and family occasionally, fidgeting might be good for my waistline. According to research from the Mayo Clinic, fidgeting can burn up to an extra 350 calories/day. In a cute use of acronym, the researchers called fidgeting movements NEAT or non-exercise activity thermogenesis.

Basically, every little bit helps. Whether you get up to change the channel, take a scroll to the bus or get up often at work, you are having an effect on how many calories you burn each day. Do you fidget?

I just returned from a wedding in a beautiful area of Connecticut. I was there for three days, and during the day my boyfriend and I resolved to be active and (try to) counteract the effects of rich meals, champagne and similar celebratory indulgences. On the first day, we went for a hike up to a scenic tower overlooking the surrounding valleys. On the second, we went kayaking on a lovely, calm river. In typical klutz fashion, I ended up at the wedding with a large cut on my shin from a stick on the hiking trail and a gnarly blister on my palm from kayaking (we were racing our friends and I didn’t even notice!). Oh well, it was worth it! We also danced our butts off at the wedding. Here are some more ideas to keep you active and enjoy the weather this summer:

1. Hiking- Look for a steeper incline for a more challenging hike. I worked up quite a sweat.
2. Kayaking/Canoeing/Rowing- These activities really work your core muscles, in addition to your arms. Go against the current to start off and you can relax a bit more on the way back.
3. Beach Walk/Jog- Walking or jogging on the beach ups the calorie-burn. Be careful that your ankles are well supported.
4. Tennis- Look for free tennis courts at your local parks or at your vacation hotel. Running around a court definitely burns calories and the competition will distract you.
5. Rock Climbing- Try something brand new with rock climbing and tone every muscle in your upper body. If you don’t live near climbable rocks, look for adventure centers with outdoor rock walls.
6. Volleyball- If you can find a volleyball court on the beach, all the better. Get all hot and sweaty with a game and then go jump in the ocean.