FFF Diva Article Research: 25 Best Nutrition Secrets

25 Best Nutrition Secrets
By David Zinczenko
Men's Health
Sep 02, 2010

Sarah Palin is on a diet. So is Barack Obama, Glenn Beck, Oprah Winfrey, Lady Gaga, Peyton Manning, the pitching staff of the Texas Rangers, all the judges on America’s Got Talent, and the entire cast of Glee. In fact, from Chris Rock to Kid Rock to The Rock, everyone you can name is on a diet.

And so are you.

How can I be so sure? Because a “diet” isn’t something you go on and go off of, like a prescription. A diet is what you eat, day in and day out, whether you planned to eat that way or not. So when people ask me what kind of “diet” they should follow, I always tell them to follow the one they’re already on—the way you like to eat is the way you should eat. In researching the Eat This, Not That! book series and seeing people lose 10, 20, 30 pounds or more effortlessly, I've learned that if you want to make big changes to your health, forget about following somebody else’s diet. Just make a bunch of little changes to the diet you’re already following. Believe me, it’s the best way to get results. Below, I’ve listed the 25 best new nutritional tweaks you can make that will improve the way you look and feel—fast and forever!

1. Drink a second cup of coffee. It might lower your risk of adult-onset diabetes, according to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

2. Keep serving dishes off the table. Researchers have found that when people are served individual plates, as opposed to empty plates with a platter of food in the middle of the table, they eat up to 35 percent less!

3. Think before you drink. The average person drinks more than 400 calories a day--double what he or she used to--and alone gets around 10 teaspoons of added sugar every single day from soft drinks. Swap out sweetened teas and sodas for no-cal drinks and you could lose up to 40 pounds in a single year! (To see more proof of how wayward beverages can utterly destroy your diet, check out the 20 Worst Drinks in America. Many of these drinks contain more than a day's worth of calories, sugar and fat!)

4. Practice total recall. British scientists found that people who thought about their last meal before snacking ate 30 percent fewer calories that those who didn't stop to think. The theory: Remembering what you had for lunch might remind you of how satiating the food was, which then makes you less likely to binge on your afternoon snack.

5. Eat protein at every meal. Dieters who eat the most protein tend to lose more weight while feeling less deprived than those who eat the least protein. It appears that protein is the best nutrient for jumpstarting your metabolism, squashing your appetite, and helping you eat less at subsequent meals.


6. Choose whole-grain bread. Eating whole grains (versus refined-grain or white bread) has been linked to lower risks of cancer and heart disease.

7. Think fish. Consuming two 4- to 6-ounce servings of oily fish a week will sharpen your mind. Among the best: salmon, tuna, herring, mackerel, and trout. They're high in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which may reduce your risk of Alzheimer's. Study participants who had high blood levels of DHA also performed better on noverbal reasoning tests and showed better mental flexibility, working memory, and vocabulary than those with lower levels.

8. Sign up for weight-loss e-mails. Daily e-mails (or tweets) that contain weight-loss advice remind you of your goals and help you drop pounds, researchers from Canada found. We're partial to our own Eat This, Not That! newsletter, and to the instant weight-loss secrets you'll get when you follow me on Twitter here.

9. Cut portions by a quarter. Pennsylvania State University researchers discovered that by simply reducing meal portions 25 percent, people ate 10 percent fewer calories—without feeling any hungrier. Serving yourself? Think about what looks like a reasonable portion, then take at least one-quarter less than that. (By the way, studies show today's restaurant servings are 2 to 5 times bigger than what the government recommends!)

10. Turn off the TV. Scientists at the University of Massachusetts found that people who watch TV during a meal consume, on average, 288 more calories than those who don't eat with the tube on.

11. Put your fork down when you chew. Or take a sip of water between each bite—eating slowly can boost levels of two hormones that make you feel fuller, Greek researchers found.

12. Choose rye (not wheat) bread for breakfast toast. Swedish researchers found that rye eaters were more full 8 hours after breakfast than wheat-bread eaters, thanks to rye's high fiber content and minimal effect on blood sugar. As a result you'll want to snack less and eat less for lunch.
13. Eat a handful of fruit and vegetables a day. In one study, people who ate four or five servings scored higher on cognitive tests than those who consumed less than one serving. (Remember: Salad isn't always the healthy choice. Check out 20 Salads Worse Than a Whopper to see what I mean. You'll be shocked.)

14. Sip green tea. It might help you build a strong skeleton, say researchers in China, and help protect you from broken bones when you're older. And one study found that it helps fight bad breath, too.

15. Work out before lunch or dinner. Doing so will make the meals you eat right afterward more filling, according to British researchers—meaning you'll eat fewer calories throughout the day.

16. Hung over? Choose asparagus. When South Korean researchers exposed a group of human liver cells to asparagus extract, it suppressed free radicals and more than doubled the activity of two enzymes that metabolize alcohol. That means you'll feel like yourself again twice as quickly.

17. Sleep 8 hours a night. Too much or too little shut-eye can add extra pounds, say Wake Forest University researchers. Not there yet? Try these 7 simple strategies for longer, deeper sleep.

18 Discover miso soup. Brown wakame seaweed (used in miso soup) can help lower your blood pressure, especially if your levels are already high, say researchers at the University of North Carolina.

19. Drink two glasses of milk daily. People who drink the most milk have about a 16 percent lower risk of heart disease than people who drink the least. (I recommend nonfat or 1 percent milk.)

20. Take a zinc supplement. Just 15 milligrams of zinc a day (the amount found in a Centrum Ultra multivitamin, for example) will motivate your immune cells to produce more of a protein that fights off bacterial infections.

21. Go ahead, eat your favorite foods. Good eating doesn't need to be about deprivation—it's about making smart choices. Why eat a 1,000-calorie cheeseburger if a 500-calorie burger will satisfy you just the same? The bottom line: Eat foods that you enjoy, just not too much of them.

22. Choose foods with the fewest ingredients. There are now more than 3,000 ingredients on the FDA's list of safe food additives—and any of these preservatives, artificial sweeteners and colorings and flavor enhancers could end up on your plate. Do you really know what these chemicals will do to your waistline or health? Of course not. Here's a rule of thumb: If a 7-year-old can't pronounce it, you don't want to eat it.

23. Snack on popcorn. In a 2009 study, people who ate 1 cup of microwave popcorn 30 minutes before lunch consumed 105 fewer calories at the meal. Just choose the kind without butter.

24. Or snack on walnuts. Eating a handful of walnuts each day may boost your HDL (good) cholesterol fastest, while lowering your LDL (bad) cholesterol.

25. Scramble your breakfast. People who ate eggs in the morning instead of a bagel consumed 264 fewer calories the rest of the day, according to a Saint Louis University study. That’s because protein is more filling than carbs.

Bonus Tip: Don't let all of your hard work go down the drain: Avoid this shocking list of the 20 Scariest Food Creations of 2010!

Baring It All: The Barefoot Running Trend

Baring It All: The Barefoot Running Trend.
by Susan Rinkunas, RUNNER'S WORLD

Have you seen the alien shoes spotted on celebrities recently? Matthew McConaughey and girlfriend Camila Alves wear them to work out, actor Channing Tatum runs in them, and Heisman Trophy winner Eddie George sports them for beach football.

Just what are these funky, rubber glove toe socks? They’re Vibram FiveFingers—shoes that are meant to mimic the experience of running without shoes, yet protect your feet from dirt and debris. Why would people want to run without their cushy trainers? Running without shoes can strengthen your feet, ankles, and lower legs and improve balance. Some say modern running shoes are to blame for injuries. And one man wrote an immensely popular book that concluded as much.

Vibram started making the five-toed shoes in 2006, but the trend really picked up steam last year, following the publication of Christopher McDougall's book “Born to Run.” The book describes how Mexico’s Tarahumara Indians have become some of the greatest long-distance runners in the world despite running barefoot or in sandals fashioned from tire rubber. McDougall chronicles an ultramarathon race in Mexico’s Copper Canyons attended by a group of Americans including “Barefoot Ted” McDonald, who either ran sans shoes or in FiveFingers, in case of sharp rocks. The author argues that we’d be better off without the souped-up shoes marketed to us by giants like Nike and Adidas, which he says have done nothing to prevent injuries. The book made “The New York Times” bestseller list, and now TMZ is photographing celebrities in their very own lizard shoes.

According to CNN, the FiveFingers have become so popular that the company is having a hard time keeping them in stock—and stopping counterfeiters from selling knock-offs online.

Some barefoot devotees simply like the sensation of feeling the surface they’re running on while others swear up and down that ditching traditional running shoes has helped them prevent injuries. While there’s no scientific evidence to support the latter claim, we do know that running barefoot or in barefoot-style shoes like the FiveFingers or Nike Free changes one’s running mechanics. When runners aren’t wearing shoes with built-up soles, they tend to land in the middle or toward the front of their feet rather than on their heel and researchers believe that such midfoot or forefoot striking results in less impact on the body. But as Susan Paul, M.S., exercise physiologist and program director for the Orlando Track Shack Foundation says, “To date, there are no studies indicating that running shoes contribute to injury or, conversely, that barefoot running reduces injury or makes you run faster.”

If you’re thinking about shedding your shoes, consider these guidelines:

1.Barefoot training is not for people who are just starting to run or returning from a long layoff—it’s something to slowly incorporate into an existing running regimen.
2.If you have persistent or serious foot problems, consult your podiatrist first.
3.Ease in slowly. Paul advises starting with a few minutes on a flat, relatively forgiving surface once a week. Grassy fields, smooth roads, and soft trails qualify. Running on sand might be tempting, but barefooting newbies should stick to wet sand at first as the unstable soft stuff puts a lot of torque on your joints and is much harder to run on.
4.Listen to your body. “Barefoot Ken Bob” Saxton, founder of runningbarefoot.org and finisher of more than 70 barefoot marathons, says, “Luckily, your feet are sensitive, which is a good thing. Listen to them and they'll keep you from doing something stupid.”
Has anyone run barefoot or in minimalist shoes like Vibrams? What did you think? If not, would you ever try it? Why or why not?

Susan Rinkunas is an associate editor at Runner’s World, a magazine (and website) that informs, advises, and motivates runners of all ages and abilities—and we mean it. Her blog on Yahoo! Shine offers tips on running technique, nutrition and weight loss, shoes and apparel, and balancing fitness and life.

FFF Diva Article Research: A 6-Step Plan to Speedy Marathon Recovery

A 6-Step Plan to Speedy Marathon Recovery

By Coach Jenny Hadfield
For Active.com

Congratulations, you’ve finished the marathon! Now what? Complete marathon recovery can take anywhere from several weeks to several months, depending on the intensity of your race performance and your race-day recovery strategy. Truth is, post-marathon recovery is inevitable, but the speed at which you recover can be drastically improved by following a few simple post-race tricks.

Six Steps to Speedy Marathon Recovery
Marathon recovery begins the minute you cross the finish line. Keep walking at least 10 minutes after you cross the finish line to allow your body to return to its resting state gradually. Get your medal, take your photos, pick up your gear and keep walking. It will allow your heart rate and blood flow to return to its normal state as well as reduce the risk of blood pooling in your legs which can cause fainting. Get up and walk around 10 to 15 minutes every few hours for the rest of the day.

Refuel depleted muscles as soon as possible with a meal that includes carbohydrates, protein and sodium. Fuel is most efficiently absorbed in the first 30 to 60 minutes post-race. A peanut butter and jelly sandwich, banana and sports drink is one example. If you struggle with eating post-race, try a liquid recovery drink. Recovery drinks are formulated with everything you need to refuel your body--carbohydrates, protein, electrolytes and fluid. A good ole can of V-8 or chocolate milk works well too.

Within a few hours of finishing, soak your body in a cold bath, lake or ocean. Fill the tub with lukewarm water, add ice and soak for five minutes. Just like a baseball pitcher’s arm post-game, a cold water bath will aid in decreasing inflammation, thereby speeding the recovery process. Avoid hot tubs post-race. Although they sound like a lot more fun, the heat can impede recovery.

Sip fluids throughout the day to replenish fluid losses. Monitor your urine for adequate hydration levels. If your urine is pale yellow like lemonade you are adequately hydrated. If it runs dark, continue to hydrate. If it is clear, hold off on fluids as you may be over hydrating. Continue to replenish fuel and electrolytes (sodium, potassium) by eating small, frequent meals throughout the day.

Schedule a massage two or more hours post-race. Massages too soon to finishing the race can create more soreness. Massage can have a dramatic effect on post-marathon recovery times, and they are a wonderful reward for finishing a long season of training and all 26.2 miles. You can also perform your own massage with some of the products on the market like "the Stick" and foam rollers. They are great for deep tissue massage for hamstrings, calves, thighs and hips.

Actively rest with lower impact activities like swimming, cycling and yoga for seven to ten days post-marathon. Give your body and mind a full week off the demands of running, and it will reward you with an efficient recovery. Running too much, too soon post-marathon is the quickest way to an injury.
Follow a reverse taper when returning to your running regimen. That is, start with a few 30- to 40-minute easy paced runs and test the waters. If things feel good, gradually increase the duration and frequency of the runs. Keep the running intensity easy for at least three weeks post-marathon. And most importantly--listen to your body. If there are lingering aches and pains, consider taking a few more active rest days and let things heal completely.

Coach Jenny Hadfield is the co-author of the best-selling Marathoning for Mortals, and the new Running for Mortals and Training for Mortals series. Coach Jenny has trained thousands of runners and walkers with her training plans.

FFF Diva Article Research: "Phys Ed: Your Brain on Exercise"

July 7, 2010, 12:01 am

Phys Ed: Your Brain on Exercise
By GRETCHEN REYNOLDS
NEW YORK TIMES

Jim Wehtje/Getty ImagesWhat goes on inside your brain when you exercise? That question has preoccupied a growing number of scientists in recent years, as well as many of us who exercise. In the late 1990s, Dr. Fred Gage and his colleagues at the Laboratory of Genetics at the Salk Institute in San Diego elegantly proved that human and animal brains produce new brain cells (a process called neurogenesis) and that exercise increases neurogenesis. The brains of mice and rats that were allowed to run on wheels pulsed with vigorous, newly born neurons, and those animals then breezed through mazes and other tests of rodent I.Q., showing that neurogenesis improves thinking.

But how, exactly, exercise affects the staggeringly intricate workings of the brain at a cellular level has remained largely mysterious. A number of new studies, though, including work published this month by Mr. Gage and his colleagues, have begun to tease out the specific mechanisms and, in the process, raised new questions about just how exercise remolds the brain.

Some of the most reverberant recent studies were performed at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. There, scientists have been manipulating the levels of bone-morphogenetic protein or BMP in the brains of laboratory mice. BMP, which is found in tissues throughout the body, affects cellular development in various ways, some of them deleterious. In the brain, BMP has been found to contribute to the control of stem cell divisions. Your brain, you will be pleased to learn, is packed with adult stem cells, which, given the right impetus, divide and differentiate into either additional stem cells or baby neurons. As we age, these stem cells tend to become less responsive. They don’t divide as readily and can slump into a kind of cellular sleep. It’s BMP that acts as the soporific, says Dr. Jack Kessler, the chairman of neurology at Northwestern and senior author of many of the recent studies. The more active BMP and its various signals are in your brain, the more inactive your stem cells become and the less neurogenesis you undergo. Your brain grows slower, less nimble, older.

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But exercise countermands some of the numbing effects of BMP, Dr. Kessler says. In work at his lab, mice given access to running wheels had about 50 percent less BMP-related brain activity within a week. They also showed a notable increase in Noggin, a beautifully named brain protein that acts as a BMP antagonist. The more Noggin in your brain, the less BMP activity exists and the more stem cell divisions and neurogenesis you experience. Mice at Northwestern whose brains were infused directly with large doses of Noggin became, Dr. Kessler says, “little mouse geniuses, if there is such a thing.” They aced the mazes and other tests.

Whether exercise directly reduces BMP activity or increases production of Noggin isn’t yet known and may not matter. The results speak for themselves. “If ever exercise enthusiasts wanted a rationale for what they’re doing, this should be it,” Dr. Kessler says. Exercise, he says, through a complex interplay with Noggin and BMP, helps to ensure that neuronal stem cells stay lively and new brain cells are born.

But there are caveats and questions remaining, as the newest experiment from Dr. Gage’s lab makes clear. In that study, published in the most recent issue of Cell Stem Cell, BMP signaling was found to be playing a surprising, protective role for the brain’s stem cells. For the experiment, stem cells from mouse brains were transferred to petri dishes and infused with large doses of Noggin, hindering BMP activity. Without BMP signals to inhibit them, the stem cells began dividing rapidly, producing hordes of new neurons. But over time, they seemed unable to stop, dividing and dividing again until they effectively wore themselves out. The same reaction occurred within the brains of living (unexercised) mice given large doses of Noggin. Neurogenesis ramped way up, then, after several weeks, sputtered and slowed. The “pool of active stem cells was depleted,” a news release accompanying the study reported. An overabundance of Noggin seemed to cause stem cells to wear themselves out, threatening their ability to make additional neurons in the future.

This finding raises the obvious and disturbing question: can you overdose on Noggin by, for instance, running for hours, amping up your production of the protein throughout? The answer, Dr. Gage says, is, almost certainly, no. “Many people have been looking into” that issue, he says. But so far, “there has not been any instance of a negative effect from voluntary running” on the brain health of mice. Instead, he says, it seems that the effects of exercise are constrained and soon plateau, causing enough change in the activity of Noggin and BMP to shake slumbering adult stem cells awake, but not enough to goose them into exhausting themselves.

Still, if there’s not yet any discernible ceiling on brain-healthy exercise, there is a floor. You have to do something. Walk, jog, swim, pedal — the exact amount or intensity of the exercise required has not been determined, although it appears that the minimum is blessedly low. In mice, Mr. Gage says, “even a fairly short period” of exercise “and a short distance seems to produce results.”

FFF Diva Article Research: "How to Avoid Common Diet Traps"

"How to Avoid Common Diet Traps"

By David Zinczenko with Matt Goulding
Women's Health

Walk into any big grocery store and you're in for a sensory onslaught: a blinding array of packaged edibles, each one designed to send you into a food coma before you ingest a single calorie. Emblazoned on nearly every box, bag, and bottle is a multitude of nutritional claims, essentially screaming, "Buy me! Buy me!"

Thing is, those claims? They're not exactly what they seem. They're a marketing ploy, pure and simple. For instance, you might notice a label on a package of cookies that proclaims "fat-free!" But what you don't see (at least not until you examine the tiny print on the Nutrition Facts panel) is that those cookies are loaded with sugar and additives.

In Eat This, Not That! Supermarket Survival Guide, we reveal the packaging tricks and messaging gimmicks that make you think you're buying the best foods for your health but instead lure you into spending your hard-earned cash on junk. Learn how to decode the labels, and the next time you head to the supermarket you'll be able to sort out the bad from the good — and save yourself a bundle in the process.

Numbers Can Be Deceiving


On the front of a box of reduced-fat Keebler Club Crackers — in big yellow letters, no less — you'll find the following claim: "33 percent Less Fat Than Original Club Crackers." The math is accurate: The original product does contain three grams of fat per serving, while the reduced-fat version has two grams. It is a 33 percent difference — but we're only talking about one gram of fat here! And what you won't see advertised on the box is that this version has 33 percent more carbs. To add flavor, they replace that one gram of fat with three grams of refined flour and sugar — hardly a healthy trade-off.

Eat this Buy whole-wheat crackers that pack at least three grams of filling fiber per serving. They'll leave you less likely to start noshing later.

"Healthy" Logos Are Bought, Not Just Earned


Many instant oatmeals wear the American Heart Association seal like a badge of honor, yet they have more sugar than a serving of Froot Loops. If you read the fine print below the logo, you'll see that it simply meets the AHA's "food criteria for saturated fat and cholesterol." In other words, it could contain a pound of sugar and still qualify. How is this? Companies pay for a product to bear the AHA sign. Which explains why the AHA check mark might appear on one product but not on another, even when both meet the guidelines.

Click here for Women's Health top 125 best foods in your supermarket.Eat this Choose unsweetened oatmeal and other cereals to prevent a sugar high (and a calorie binge), and then sweeten them yourself with just a touch of honey, almond milk, or cinnamon.

"Good Source" Claims Are Questionable


Don't be fooled by labels touting foods as "good" sources of vitamins and minerals: A serving needs just 10 percent of the recommended daily value of a specific nutrient to be considered a "good source." Take Nabisco Honey Teddy Grahams, a "Good Source of Calcium." You'd have to eat 10 servings — that's the entire box and then some — to get the amount you need for the day. If you're plowing through boxes of cookies to get your daily requirement, a lack of calcium is going to be the least of your health problems.

Eat this To get any of your nutrients, stick with nature's multivitamins: fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy, and lean meats. Whereas with fortified cookies your calcium comes with only sugar, when you eat the bone-builder in low-fat milk and cheese you also get a healthy dose of fat-burning, muscle-making protein.

Health Benefits May Be Exaggerated


If you drink bottled green tea, you probably think it's teeming with antioxidants. But some brands may not be as packed with free-radical killers as manufacturers would like you to believe. An independent food laboratory analyzed 14 different bottled green teas for their levels of catechins, the antioxidants in tea that are thought to fight disease. The finding: Catechin content varied widely among brands. Honest Tea Organic Honey Green Tea topped the charts with an impressive 215 milligrams, but some products barely registered on the antioxidant scale. Ito En Tea's Tea Lemongrass Green had just 28 milligrams, and Republic of Tea Pomegranate Green Tea had a meager nine.

Eat this You know you're safe with Honest Tea, but you can also boost your catechin levels by brewing your own and letting it steep for at least five minutes.
"Lean" Meats Are Usually Full of Sodium


When you remove fat, you lose juiciness. To prevent virtuous cuts of meat from tasting like shoe leather, some manufacturers enhance their poultry, pork, and beef products with a solution of water, salt, and nutrients that impart flavor. This practice can dramatically boost the meat's sodium level. For example, a four-ounce serving of regular turkey tenderloin contains a mere 55 milligrams of sodium, while the same amount of a low-fat enhanced version packs 840 milligrams. You're swapping one evil (fat) for another — belly-bloating and blood pressure-hiking sodium.

Eat this Stick with regular turkey and other naturally lean meats; just watch portion size. All you need is one or two paper-thin slices to satisfy your taste buds. And if it says "enhanced," walk on by.

Adapted from Eat This, Not That! Supermarket Survival Guide by David Zinczenko with Matt Goulding (Rodale, 2009)

For more tips on choosing the best foods in your grocery store, pick up a copy anywhere books are sold or at eatthis.com.

FFF Diva Article Research: 27 Ways to Run Better Every Day Run Consistently

27 Ways to Run Better Every Day Run Consistently

By Runner's World editors

Runner's World

Mark Covert doesn't have to think about his run today. It's a given; he's going to do it. After running for 12,480 days in a row (through September 30, 2002), Covert isn't about to miss today. Or tomorrow. Or the day after.

You, however, probably need a plan for today's workout. Without a plan, it's just too easy to skip a run. You've got pressures in the office, errands to do, classes to take, things to deal with at home.

And more. Always more. Which makes it tough to put together a consistent training program.

Yet consistency is the most essential piece of every training program. It's the one thing—perhaps the only one—that every coach, physiologist, and medical expert agrees on.

Without consistency, you aren't going anywhere. You're not going to get faster. You're not going to run farther. You're not going to lose weight, lower your blood pressure, finish that marathon, or achieve your other running goals.

With a consistent training program, on the other hand, the sky's the limit. You'll feel better and run better every day. So let's get with it. Here are 27 ways to add more consistency to your running.

1. Run with others. To make sure you do a workout, there's nothing like the social pressure of knowing someone else (or a group) is waiting for you. Bonus: It's often more fun than running alone, especially if you're doing a long run, or a speed workout on the track.

2. Try something new. The fitness world is full of new and fun-filled events, and they don't all require a 3-week trip to Borneo and a survivor diet of grubs and lizards. Don't let yourself get bored with an endless string of 5-K and 10-K races. Cary Stephens, an attorney in Corvallis, Oreg., found himself drawn to "scrambles," an off-road running adventure. (To learn more, visit www.bigredlizard.com.)

3. Run like a tortoise. We can't lie to you. This isn't a sport of instant success and miracle shortcuts. Patience pays off, often in a very big way. At the beginning of a marathon training program, many participants can't imagine themselves running more than 5 miles. Twelve to 16 weeks later, voilà: the cheering crowd and unbelievable exhilaration of reaching a marathon finish line. Stick with the program. Repeat: Stick with the program. Prepare to be amazed.

4. Take a break. To every thing, there is a season. You don't have to run every day, every week, or even every month. Many top runners visualize their training year as a mountain range. It has peaks and valleys—recovery periods when they let their running taper off, so that they can build all the higher in their next training period. For healthy, consistent training, your body needs regular—that is, weekly, seasonal, and annual—recovery periods.

5. Eat a healthy breakfast. We can't emphasize this one enough. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, because it fuels you for the entire day. To skip breakfast or eat a skimpy one is like failing to rehydrate and refuel after a marathon. You wouldn't do that, would you? Well, your night's sleep is like a marathon to your body, because you don't get any fuel while you're sleeping. So carbo-load at breakfast. And add a little protein.

6. Get cozy with frozen vegetables. This isn't a nutrition tip. It's an injury-prevention tip. If London Marathon winner Paula Radcliffe can take ice baths after a hard race, you can stand a bag of frozen peas against your sore knees for 15 minutes. Nothing reduces inflammation and holds injuries at bay like ice. Result: You stick to your training program. Don't like veggies? Fruit works, too. Try a small bag of frozen blueberries or strawberries. Or one of the many commercial ice wraps, often with handy Velcro straps. (You can find a good one at www.contourpak.com.)

7. Find a coach. Maybe the kind who yells at you every once in a while. (But probably not.) Point being, a coach's first job is to motivate you in a way no one else can. Second job: To lay out your training program. Third job: To prevent you from straying from the program, probably by running too much or too fast. You can find a coach by asking around, calling running stores, and checking the Internet.

8. Join the "X" revolution. Despite the many proven benefits of cross-training, we still know too many runners who only run. C'mon, folks. We love running, too. We know all about the "specificity-of-training" rule, but we still skip the occasional running workout to get in some cross-training. Mainly strength training, bicycling, elliptical training, yoga, stairclimbing, pool running, rowing, and walking. Why? Not because we think these routines will make us faster in our next half-marathon, but because they make us fitter and less prone to injury.


9. Keep a log. Your training log is a great source of the kind of motivation that builds consistency. It beckons to be filled in, reveals the secrets of your training and racing successes, and provides lots of inspirational quotes and useful tips. At least it does if you're using the new Runner's World Training Journal, available at www.rodalestore.com. Check it out.

10. Enter races. You don't have to race to be a serious runner, but, geez, there are so many good reasons to enter races. Jeff Galloway, RW columnist, says that entering races, especially marathons, "scares" people into training the way they should. That's a good one. But we also like the sense of community you get from races. They help you realize that you belong to something big, and that there are more people than you imagined who share your running and fitness goals. Besides, it's good to go for the burn every now and again.

11. Pay attention to your shoes. Some things should be obvious, and this is one of them. But it's worth repeating, if it keeps even one of you from getting injured. Most shoes wear out after 300 to 500 miles. You often can't see the wear, but, your knees, hips, back, and Achilles tendons know it. Give your old, worn shoes to a local Salvation Army or similar group, and get yourself to a running-specialty store for a new pair. (While you're there, buy some reflective gear. The days are getting shorter. Make sure you're visible on the road this winter.)

12. Run early. You want to get something done? Do it early in the day. Everything gets tougher later in the day when various tasks and responsibilities start ganging up on you. In a recent Runner's World Online survey, the two most popular workout times were 5 a.m. and 6 a.m.

13. Practice good posture. Not just when you're running, but all the time. This is especially important if you've got an office job, and are sitting at a computer all day (like us). Make sure your keyboard and monitor are properly positioned, and sit straight but comfortably in your chair. Some of us have recently started sitting on those large Swedish exercise balls, which encourages good posture because you have to use your legs and stomach muscles to keep from falling off. Good posture can improve your running efficiency and decrease injury risk. Ergo, better consistency.

14. Use the fridge. In two ways. First, be sure it's always stocked with those key foods you rely on for healthy nutrition and snacking: sports drinks, low-fat yogurt, fruit, nuts, carrots, etc. Take your pick. Second, put something inspirational on the outside of the fridge: a picture of you and friends at a race, a training plan, a great quote.

15. Schedule it. You've got your Microsoft Office calendar, your PDA, your Day Planner, your napkin with the scrawled list of stuff you absolutely, positively have to get done today. Be sure to write in your workout. Carve out an hour in your day. The experts all agree: Your exercise is one of your most important daily activities. Make it happen. The President of the United States exercises almost every day. You should, too.

16. Subscribe to our free e-mails. We send out several free e-mail newsletters each week, and they're guaranteed to inform and inspire you. Go to www.runnersworld.com/newsletters, where you can pick the one or the several newsletters that most appeals to you.

17. Get your clothes ready. And your shoes. Root through your closets and drawers the night before a morning run to select and organize the running gear you need. Another good trick: Have a complete bag of running gear (and a dry shirt and towel) always at the ready in the trunk of your car. You never know when you'll be able to use them.
18. Run on different surfaces. See how many different surfaces you can run on in a week: Asphalt, gravel, trail, grass, track, treadmill, beach. Each stresses your leg muscles in a slightly different way, helping to prevent overuse injuries. (If possible, avoid concrete, the hardest and least accommodating surface for runners.)

19. Take a trip. Reward your training and racing successes with a special running vacation. Take in an exotic international marathon; many runners have had good luck with a trusted provider, Marathon Tours (www.marathontour.com), which can offer guaranteed entry into those difficult-to-enter events. Or, organize your running partners into a relay team, and enter an exciting and fun-filled road relay like Hood to Coast (Oregon), the Hana Relay (Maui), the Lake Tahoe Relay (California), the Cabot Trail Relay (Nova Scotia), or the Lake Winnipesaukee Relay (New Hampshire).

20. Stay flexible. We like that word—it has so many important meanings. Here, we're talking about a regular stretching program to keep your legs limber and injury-free. Or yoga and Pilates routines, both of which are enjoying a huge surge in popularity. Pick the approach that works best for you. You need to prevent injuries if you want to improve your training consistency.

21. Run before you get home. If you can't run in the morning or at lunch, at least try to run before you get home from work. Stop at a favorite park or trail on your way home from the office, and do a workout there. Or arrange to meet some friends for a run at 5:30 p.m. Once you're at home, it's hard to get out the door again for a workout.

22. Stay hydrated. Eat your fruits and vegetables. Get plenty of sleep. We know: You've heard all this stuff before. Okay, we'll stop. But just remember that the simplest, most basic advice often makes the biggest contribution to improved consistency.

23. Adopt a runner. Sometimes, the most motivating and rewarding thing you can do is to reach out to someone else. It could be someone close: at work or even in your family. Or your club might receive occasional calls from new runners, or those who want to begin. Offer to help. Beginners don't need a mentor with a Ph.D. They need encouragement, a personal connection, and the kind of basic training, nutrition, and injury-prevention experience you already possess.

24. Start a running streak. We don't mean that you should run every day like. In fact, we don't advise that for most runners. But we like the idea of running the same road race every year, like Jack Kirk, who has completed the Dipsea Race in Mill Valley, Calif., for 67 years in a row. Or you could run one marathon a year, every year. Or you could "collect" states by racing in a different state every year.

25. Join an online community. Many running Web sites, including ours, have forums or message boards where runners exchange information, opinions, and greetings that develop into digital friendships. Often, these blossom into "encounters," where the online friends agree to meet at a particular race. Along the way, they encourage each other's training, and lend a sympathetic ear when that's what you need most.

26. Establish a prerun routine. You warm up at the start of a race, and at the beginning of a workout, but it's also helpful to warm up for your warmup, so to speak. Follow a routine. Sixty minutes before your run, reach for a bottle of sports drink. At run-minus-30, get up and take a 3-minute stroll to loosen the legs. At run-minus-10, listen to a favorite psych-up song. Include any other short activities that work for you. Psychologists say these routines help us develop the healthy patterns we want.

27. Don't obsess about it. Hey, we wish every day went as planned, and every run fit perfectly into the scheme of things. But stuff happens. Life has a way of playing tricks on all of us, both the unexpectedly happy variety and that other kind. Don't worry about the runs you miss. Sometimes the best advice is simply to run with a smile on your face, and to enjoy and appreciate every workout. Come to think of it, that's always the best advice.

FFF Diva Article Research: "3 Reasons It's Better to Work Out in Groups"

3 Reasons It's Better to Work Out With a Group
By Joe Decker
For Active.com

It seems like almost everyone is getting involved in group exercise today. On any given day in a warehouse, in a park or at the gym you can find people exercising together. There's everything from Running Clubs, Active X, and Roller Striders to Boot Camp classes. So why exactly are so many people jumping the 'lone wolf' ship to work out with others in a group setting? What is the big attraction?

I've been involved in fitness for 25 years now and have belonged to power lifting and running clubs, but I've also been that solitary figure in the gym and on the road. I do feel this has given me a pretty good understanding of the appeal and the dynamics of both. Years ago I started my own outdoor fitness company, Gut Check Fitness, which recently got voted "A-List Best Boot Camp" San Diego and Competitor Magazine, "Hardest Workout." This is where my passion lies.

Whether you join a workout group or get your own group of friends together for a workout, here are three reasons more is merrier for earning your fitness gains.
Motivation

Unless you're that rare person that can jump out of bed at 5 a.m. and hit the ground running, odds are that getting and staying motivated are difficult for you. You are not alone. The majority of the people I've worked with over the years have had the same problem. That's one of the great things about the group setting. Many people who attend a class will show up exhausted from the ups and downs of everyday life. But once they join the group, they become re-energized. With a friendly fitness instructor there to light a fire under you rear, it can't get any better.

Not only are you more motivated to get out of bed and exercise, but there's the motivation to improve your current fitness level. If you work out with people who are faster, stronger or fitter than you, you are probably going to get in better shape. There's an old saying that goes, "The lead dog sets the pace for the rest of the pack." Think about it.
Accountability

Remember when you were a high schooler and your mom would wake you up in the morning to go to school? She was holding you accountable. If you were anything like me, you probably wouldn't have graduated without her wake-up calls. Thanks Mom! A workout group can do the same thing for your exercise routine. I've had countless clients over the years at Gut Check Fitness say, "I wouldn't be there in the morning if I didn't know that Kim, Ron, Nancy, etc. were going to give me a hard time for not showing up."

The fear of group teasing gets them out of bed. Hey, it works!

Plus, there's the friendly instructor again that keeps track of your tardiness. I take a daily roll at my classes then each week I look to see who's been playing Harry Houdini. If I haven't seen someone for a week or two, I'll generally send them a friendly reminder with the threat of numerous burpees. This usually does the trick.
Group Camaraderie

Human beings are social creatures. Yes, a few are hermits and recluses, but the majority of us love to be around other people. We love to laugh, joke and have fun. I feel this is one of the greatest products of a group workout setting. Nothing brings people closer quite like misery and physical suffering. If you've ever done a boot camp or similar class, you'll understand what I'm talking about.

Many people sign up to get more fit and along the way become friends through this mutual ritual. Many become lifelong best friends. My classes not only work hard together, but they play hard together. We regularly have happy hours, wine tastings, and sports days where we do races and events together. We sincerely enjoy one another's company. It's truly one of the best ways to meet people like you and develop a common bond while getting into the best shape possible.

Joining a workout group can keep you motivated, hold you accountable and help you develop a sense of group camaraderie.

Finally, in a world where we've become so dependent on email and texting, working out with a group offers that human interaction that is slowly disappearing. We can do just about everything today virtually without ever talking to a person. That is outside of a group fitness setting. With group fitness, you have to get involved. You can try to escape to the back of the pack, but a good instructor will integrate you into the group whether you like or not. That's why it's called group dynamics, and that's why technology will never replace the good 'ol fashioned group workout. Get out of your cubicle, your car or your house and go meet other people that have a common interest just like you. You never know, you might just meet some real friends instead of the ones you find online.

Active Expert, Joe Decker isan ultra-endurance power athlete and renowned fitness trainer who hashelped thousands of people get into shape. He has completed many of theworld's toughest endurance events, including the Badwater 135, and theGrand Slam of UltraRunning. In 2000, Joe broke the Guinness WorldRecords® Twenty-four-hour Physical Fitness Challenge to help inspireand motivate people to get fit. He is recognized as "The World'sFittest Man." Visit his website at www.joe-decker.com .

FFF Diva Article Research: "Evidence That Little Touches Do Mean So Much"

February 23, 2010

Mind: New York Times

Evidence That Little Touches Do Mean So Much
By BENEDICT CAREY

Psychologists have long studied the grunts and winks of nonverbal communication, the vocal tones and facial expressions that carry emotion. A warm tone of voice, a hostile stare — both have the same meaning in Terre Haute or Timbuktu, and are among dozens of signals that form a universal human vocabulary.

But in recent years some researchers have begun to focus on a different, often more subtle kind of wordless communication: physical contact. Momentary touches, they say — whether an exuberant high five, a warm hand on the shoulder, or a creepy touch to the arm — can communicate an even wider range of emotion than gestures or expressions, and sometimes do so more quickly and accurately than words.

“It is the first language we learn,” said Dacher Keltner, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, and the author of “Born to Be Good: The Science of a Meaningful Life” (Norton, 2009), and remains, he said, “our richest means of emotional expression” throughout life.

The evidence that such messages can lead to clear, almost immediate changes in how people think and behave is accumulating fast. Students who received a supportive touch on the back or arm from a teacher were nearly twice as likely to volunteer in class as those who did not, studies have found. A sympathetic touch from a doctor leaves people with the impression that the visit lasted twice as long, compared with estimates from people who were untouched. Research by Tiffany Field of the Touch Research Institute in Miami has found that a massage from a loved one can not only ease pain but also soothe depression and strengthen a relationship.

In a series of experiments led by Matthew Hertenstein, a psychologist at DePauw University in Indiana, volunteers tried to communicate a list of emotions by touching a blindfolded stranger. The participants were able to communicate eight distinct emotions, from gratitude to disgust to love, some with about 70 percent accuracy.

“We used to think that touch only served to intensify communicated emotions,” Dr. Hertenstein said. Now it turns out to be “a much more differentiated signaling system than we had imagined.”

To see whether a rich vocabulary of supportive touch is in fact related to performance, scientists at Berkeley recently analyzed interactions in one of the most physically expressive arenas on earth: professional basketball. Michael W. Kraus led a research team that coded every bump, hug and high five in a single game played by each team in the National Basketball Association early last season.

In a paper due out this year in the journal Emotion, Mr. Kraus and his co-authors, Cassy Huang and Dr. Keltner, report that with a few exceptions, good teams tended to be touchier than bad ones. The most touch-bonded teams were the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers, currently two of the league’s top teams; at the bottom were the mediocre Sacramento Kings and Charlotte Bobcats.

The same was true, more or less, for players. The touchiest player was Kevin Garnett, the Celtics’ star big man, followed by star forwards Chris Bosh of the Toronto Raptors and Carlos Boozer of the Utah Jazz. “Within 600 milliseconds of shooting a free throw, Garnett has reached out and touched four guys,” Dr. Keltner said.

To correct for the possibility that the better teams touch more often simply because they are winning, the researchers rated performance based not on points or victories but on a sophisticated measure of how efficiently players and teams managed the ball — their ratio of assists to giveaways, for example. And even after the high expectations surrounding the more talented teams were taken into account, the correlation persisted. Players who made contact with teammates most consistently and longest tended to rate highest on measures of performance, and the teams with those players seemed to get the most out of their talent.

The study fell short of showing that touch caused the better performance, Dr. Kraus acknowledged. “We still have to test this in a controlled lab environment,” he said.

If a high five or an equivalent can in fact enhance performance, on the field or in the office, that may be because it reduces stress. A warm touch seems to set off the release of oxytocin, a hormone that helps create a sensation of trust, and to reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

In the brain, prefrontal areas, which help regulate emotion, can relax, freeing them for another of their primary purposes: problem solving. In effect, the body interprets a supportive touch as “I’ll share the load.”

“We think that humans build relationships precisely for this reason, to distribute problem solving across brains,” said James A. Coan, a a psychologist at the University of Virginia. “We are wired to literally share the processing load, and this is the signal we’re getting when we receive support through touch.”

The same is certainly true of partnerships, and especially the romantic kind, psychologists say. In a recent experiment, researchers led by Christopher Oveis of Harvard conducted five-minute interviews with 69 couples, prompting each pair to discuss difficult periods in their relationship.

The investigators scored the frequency and length of touching that each couple, seated side by side, engaged in. In an interview, Dr. Oveis said that the results were preliminary.

“But it looks so far like the couples who touch more are reporting more satisfaction in the relationship,” he said.

Again, it’s not clear which came first, the touching or the satisfaction. But in romantic relationships, one has been known to lead to the other. Or at least, so the anecdotal evidence suggests.

FFF Diva Article Research: "Should Sick People Stay Active?"

Should Sick People Stay Active?
Active While Sick

David Crary
Associated Press

Maybe Andrew Speaker, flying abroad despite a dangerous strain of tuberculosis, took things too far. But many people push the limits by staying active when they're sick. Depending on circumstances, the choice can be seen as laudable, inconsiderate--or downright criminal.

At the office, coughing and sneezing workaholics might earn a thank you from a boss for their dedication, but dirty looks from co-workers worried about catching the bug. Athletes who compete while sick are sometimes praised for grit, but may risk infecting teammates.

And then there are people who know they are HIV-positive, yet press ahead with unprotected sexual encounters with partners who've been kept in the dark.

Speaker, now quarantined at a Denver hospital, knew he had a drug-resistant strain of TB before he flew to Europe for his wedding and honeymoon last month, but says he was advised before departure that he wasn't contagious.

Dr. John Chan, an infectious disease expert at Montefiore Medical Center in New York, says that in more routine TB cases it is often very difficult for doctors to determine how contagious a patient might be and when he or she could safely return to work.

"That's a very tough question to address, even when you treat the patient effectively," he said. "There's no one clear-cut answer."

Employers--whether an investment firm or a military base--try to walk a fine line when it comes to ailing workers. They don't want staff staying home for trivial reasons--a mild headache, say--nor do they want to create pressures that would prompt contagiously ill employees to bring germs into the office.

The investment firm Merrill Lynch confronted this issue last month when it announced new "attendance guidelines" reducing to three the number of sick days that employees can take without documented excuses. Company spokeswoman Selena Morris stressed that the move was aimed at abuses, adding, "I don't think in any way we were saying, 'Come to work sick.'"

In past decades, many employers oversaw some sort of "perfect attendance" policy rewarding workers who never missed a day over an extended period of time. Kim Stattner, an absence management expert with the consulting firm Hewitt Associates, said those policies are fading from the scene.

"They don't want to promote the kind of thinking that could encourage sick people to come to work," Stattner said. "If you're sick, that's why they give you the sick time. But it's not there to be abused."

In big-time sports, of course, the pressures are different. There is a time-honored tradition of athletes playing with the flu--or worse--especially in important games.

Now-retired quarterback Cade McNown, for example, lists as one of his career highlights a game he refers to as "The Breakfast." It involved "playing while sick, vomiting on the field, and coming back to throw for 202 more yards" while leading UCLA against Oregon in 1998.

When New York Ranger center Michael Nylander was playing with the flu early in this year's Stanley Cup playoffs, hockey fans praised his determination. "This is the time of year that only a severed limb would keep players out of the lineup," said a commentary about him on one fan website.

But even coaches need to be wary. Experts in sports medicine say the initial praise that a sick athlete may hear for coming to practice could switch to criticism if other team members soon show similar symptoms.

The ethics of being ill are of particular importance in regard to HIV-positive people. Though medical advances now enable many to lead long, productive lives--and to pose no public health threat--there is nonetheless a persistent problem created by a subgroup that engages in unprotected sex while keeping their status secret from their partners.

One study by Brown University researchers of 203 HIV-infected individuals--a mix of gays and heterosexuals--found that 40 percent did not disclose their status to sexual partners. The study also found that the non-disclosers were just as likely as the disclosers to engage in unprotected sex.

Many states have passed laws making it a crime to knowingly infect someone with HIV. One of the most infamous cases involved Nushawn Williams, an HIV-positive man who admitted trading drugs for sex with girls in upstate New York during the 1990s.

He knowingly infected at least 13 women with HIV and was sentenced to serve four to 12 years in state prison.

The bottom line, for health authorities and employers, is to persuade sick people to think of others as well as themselves.

"You want to be encouraging the right behavior, not the wrong behavior," Stattner said.

FFF Diva Article Research: 10 Ways to Slow Down and Still Get Things Done

10 Ways to Slow Down and Still Get Things Done

Rush Hourby Lori Deschene

“In a gentle way, you can shake the world.” ~Gandhi

Both the industrial and digital revolutions promised increased productivity, meaning people could work less and live a more balanced life. We all know that’s not how history has played out.

Even as technology advances, we work longer hours than ever—and ironically, struggle financially and accrue more debt with each passing year.

If you haven’t noticed adverse effects on your personal relationships or the other areas of your life, you’ll likely keep plowing full-steam ahead—and only stop when you have a compelling reason.

So here’s my proposition: work as often as you damn well please! It’s your life; these are your moments to fill and hopefully enjoy. But if you find yourself feeling stressed or detached from the present moment—if you sense life is passing you by as you complete spreadsheets and eat at your desk—you may benefit from one of these ideas to slow down throughout the day:

10. Eat slowly.

This is a tough one for me. I devour food—always have. But I’ve found that eating more mindfully can be a meditative practice. Chew every bite more, analyze tastes like you’re a foodie, and generally savor the experience. It likely won’t add more than 10 minutes to your meal time, yet it will give you the chance to seep into the moment.

9. Do nothing for 15 minutes after waking up.

Have you ever opened your eyes and immediately pulled out your iPhone or laptop? Or how about this: do you roll out of bed two seconds after waking, having already created a 10-item to-do list in your head? Taking 15 minutes to just lay with your thoughts allows you to ease into your day without such a sense of urgency.

8. Stare at a photo online instead of reading an article.

We’re knowledge seekers, which is a great thing. The more we learn, the more we understand and grow. However, the digital era presents a unique challenge: with so much information available it’s tempting to seek knowledge far more often than you apply it. Instead of learning something new on your lunch break, kick back and appreciate a beautiful image. Stillness is the answer to many of the questions you’ve been asking.

7. Choose an activity you usually multi-task and do only that.

(Previously mentioned in 8 Ways to Stay Present & Focused in a Tech-Driven World). Choose one task to complete mindfully today, and maybe add to that tomorrow. My favorite is folding laundry. It’s warm, clean, and most importantly done. Since I have an overactive mind, I need to tell myself certain things to stay in the moment: Enjoying this moment is my only task; there is nowhere to get to—only right now to be; nothing exists but this laundry in front of me (obviously not true, but it keeps me grounded.)

6. Stare at your turned-off-TV for 10 minutes before turning it on.

A lot of us fill our downtime catching up on TiVoed favorites. Absorbed by external stimulation, you miss out on the opportunity to connect with yourself—and before you know it, an hour’s gone by, and you have to get back to work. Or your kids. Or dinner. Before you get to your show, take a few minutes to just sit there and breathe. Use the screen as a canvas for visualization. Project your daydreams onto the tube, and sit with that for a few.

Slow Down

5. Block a half-hour of unplanned time in your planner.

Don’t plan to take a walk or meditate (although those aren’t bad ideas). Instead, plan to do whatever you end up doing. Get up, walk around, and see where that takes you. Maybe you’ll end up helping your neighbor wash his car, or playing jump rope with your niece. Nothing makes you feel present like spontaneity.

4. Write Parkinson’s Law somewhere you can see it often: “Work expands to fill the time available for its completion.”

Maybe you really need 10+ hours a day to get everything on your to-do list done. Or maybe you’re stretching your work to fill longer hours because society associates so many positive things with busyness. This saying reminds me to limit my work and still get it done so I can then focus on other things.

3. Notice the sights when you drive.

Have you ever watched a frantic driver bob in and out of traffic, passing and merging, only to find him right beside you at the red light? If road rage saves time, it’s generally not much—and it usually isn’t worth the stress it creates. Play some soothing music, notice license plates, bumper stickers, and the scenery, and allow yourself to enjoy this time.

2. Metaphorically toss your phone in the ocean for a half-hour every day.

I love the classic movie scene where the overworked protagonist tosses her phone into the ocean, or a fountain, or out the window and reclaims her sense of freedom. It’s not easy to disconnect from our always-on world, but the benefits of being unreachable make it worth the initial discomfort.

1. Say no.

Saying yes can open you up to new possibilities, but saying no can gives you a chance for me-time: an hour when you don’t have to keep any commitments or please anyone else; or a half-hour when you can just kick back and do absolutely nothing.

—

Small changes throughout your day can slow down your pace without killing your productivity. Go ahead and keep getting things done–just remember you don’t need to do it all in a panicked state of stress. If you find a more peaceful process you’ll likely be both happier and more effective.

FFF Diva Article Research: "Your Guide to Tune Up in Front of the TV"

Your Guide to Tune Up in Front of the TV

By Karen Asp
Prevention
Channel surfing burns few--if any--calories, yet the average American woman watches nearly 5 hours of TV daily, reports Nielsen Media Research. And the risk of packing on pounds rises by 23 percent with every 2-hour increase in daily viewing, according to a Harvard study of more than 50,000 women.

But you can stay slim while you watch your favorite shows with this TV-friendly circuit designed by Cindy Whitmarsh, star of the exercise video 10 Minute Solution: Target Toning for Beginners. The half-hour workout alternates between moderate cardio moves during the show and high-intensity cardio bursts and multimuscle strength exercises during commercials. To get started, you'll need 3- to 5-pound dumbbells, a sturdy chair, and a mat. Breaks can vary, so you may need to adjust the times slightly. Repeat the circuit if you're watching an hour-long show.


Set 1

Showtime Cardio
March (not shown): Lift knees to a comfortable height and march in place. Continue until commercial break.

Commercial Break #1
1. Quick feet (not shown): Spread feet wider than hip-width and take quick running steps for 30 seconds, barely lifting feet off floor and keeping hands in front.



2. Lunges with curls: Stand with feet together, holding a dumbbell in each hand, palms forward. Step right foot forward about 2 feet. Bend right knee and lower left one straight down toward floor. (Keep right knee over ankle; if it's not, take a bigger step.) As you lower, bend elbows and raise weights toward chest, keeping elbows next to body. Press into right foot and stand back up, bringing feet together and lowering weights. Alternate legs for 2 minutes, taking breaks as needed.


Set 2

Showtime Cardio
March with a kick (not shown): March in place, right, left, right. Next, kick to the front with left leg. March another three beats (left, right, left) and then kick with right leg. Kick at a comfortable height so you don't hunch over. Continue, alternating left and right kicks between marches.


Commercial Break #2



1. High knees:Jog in place, lifting knees as high as you can for 30 seconds.





2. Push-ups with a row: Holding a dumbbell in each hand, kneel with weights on floor and body extended to form a straight line from head to knees. (a) Bend elbows to sides and slowly lower body as close to floor as possible. Keep abs tight. (b) Hold for a second, push back up to starting position, and do a row with right arm, squeezing shoulder blades, bending elbow, and lifting dumbbell toward chest. Hold for a second, then slowly lower weight. Do another push-up followed by a row with left arm. Alternate arm rows for 90 seconds, taking breaks as needed.


Set 3

Showtime Cardio
Step touch (not shown): Step right foot to side about 2 feet and tap left foot next to right. Then step left foot out about 2 feet and tap right foot next to left. Continue stepping side to side.


Commercial Break #3



1. Jumping jacks: Stand with feet together, arms at sides. Hop feet apart, raising arms overhead. Then hop feet together, returning arms to sides. Continue for 30 seconds.



2. Wall squats with side raises: Hold a dumbbell in each hand, press back against wall, point toes forward, and slide down wall until legs form 90-degree angles, with knees directly over ankles. (Scoot feet farther away from wall, if needed.) Bend arms at 90-degree angles so dumbbells are about waist height in front. Slowly lift arms out to sides until dumbbells are at shoulder height. Hold for a second, then slowly lower. Repeat for 45 seconds.



3. Wall squats with shoulder presses: Maintaining the wall squat (you can stand if this is too hard), position dumbbells slightly above shoulder height with palms facing forward and elbows out to sides. Slowly press dumbbells overhead until arms are almost straight. Hold for a second, then slowly lower. Repeat for 45 seconds.


Set 4

Showtime Cardio
Kickbacks (not shown):Step right foot to side about 2 feet and kick left foot up behind you toward butt. Then lower left foot out to side and kick right foot up behind you. Let arms swing forward and back as you alternate sides.


Commercial Break #4



1. Ski jumps: Jump from side to side, as if you were hopping over a line. Keep feet together, and bend knees when you land. Jump for 30 seconds.



2. Triceps dips:Place hands on sides of a sturdy chair, feet flat on floor, and bend knees 90 degrees. Bending elbows behind you, slowly lower body until arms form 90-degree angles. Hold for a second, then press back up. Repeat for 45 seconds.



3. Dumbbell twists:Sit with legs bent and feet off floor. Hold a dumbbell in front of chest. Rotate torso (and dumbbell) slowly from side to side for 45 seconds. (If this is too challenging, keep feet flat on floor with knees bent.)

FFF Diva Article Research: "Fitting Healthy Into Your Hectic Life"

Hello FFF Diva fans and followers!

I know it's been awhile since I have posted a blog about my progress in my 90 day challenge competition with my cardio boot camp. I promise...later this week I will update! Sooooo many great realizations and milestones this last month!

Anyways this article below really represents who I am: a "healthy" busy person. If this is your first time to my blog or even if you have been a long time reader you know that I AM A COMMUTER (apologies for those who aren't familiar with the Bay Area, California in advance).

What do I mean?

I am 24 years old and live in South San Jose. I wake up M-F at 5:30am to attend a 6am cardio boot camp (OPERATION BOOT CAMP) at an outdoor park RAIN OR SHINE. Then I either run 1-2 miles after camp or do 30 min of cardio on the elliptical. Next, I am on the road for my 45 minute commute north to San Mateo for my full-time job. Even though my office is in San Mateo, the school site I work at are 20-25 min further north in Pacifica and Daly City. Did I also mention that I am a graduate student in an MBA program? 1-2 days a week I drive 45 min from San Mateo to Marin County (right across the Golden Gate Bridge) to my college in San Rafael for class from 6-9pm. Then I drive all the way back home to South San Jose which is 1 hour and 15 min away south. Usually I get back around 10:30-11:00pm depending on traffic, which I still go straight to the gym for 30 min to an 1 hour of cardio. I have a goal of running 1,010 miles in 2010 and (even though I am NOT a fast runner) I have managed to run at least 20 miles a week since January 1st.


P.S. I didn't even add Filipino family obligations, church, choir, friends, clubs, organizations, my alumni work for my college, volunteering, traveling, and more.

What's my point?

I am a busy person but I still make time for exercise and good eating (through proper planning ahead of time) AND SO CAN YOU!

Everyone has different lives and things going on. I get it. However, this past spring I lost motivation and gained HALF of the WEIGHT I ORIGINALLY LOST in 6 months! This is why I started running and why I started writing this blog to hold me accountable. I used to weigh 320lbs in May 2007, then dropped about 96 lbs a year and a half later, then gained 45lbs of it back in Spring '09. Since August '09 I dropped 50 lbs and am in my 230s. It's about finding what inspires and motivates you and getting out of a slump.

Anyways I will get off my soap box now. Thanks for reading my rambles folks!

Committed to health & change,
FFF Diva Mo


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"Fitting Healthy Habits Into Your Hectic Life"

13 Tips to Get More Nutrition and Fitness into Your Day
-- By Life Coach Mary Guarino, Ph.D.

There just doesn’t seem to be enough hours in the day to accomplish everything you need to do. And it can feel like an added stressor when you are trying to integrate healthy habits into your already hectic schedule. But if you make time for healthy habits, you’ll find yourself with extra reserves of energy that will lower your stress and help you get through life’s challenges.

Here are a few things you can start doing right now to make healthy habits a relatively painless part of your routine:

1. Drink water throughout the day. You don’t hear this nearly enough: water is an all-purpose wonder-substance. It’s great for your skin, your digestive system, and circulatory system, and aids in weight loss and cellulite reduction. If you feel fatigued during the day, it’s often because you aren’t hydrated properly. Drink water throughout the day, sipping from a large bottle or glass. If you have it nearby, it’s easy to remember. If you don’t like the “taste” of water, keep a supply of lemon so that you can add a slice to your water – it cuts any bitterness, adds a bit of vitamin C and makes it taste more festive!
2. Cut back on the amount of soda and coffee you drink. Sugar and caffeine dehydrate you and create energy rushes followed by crashes, which are ultimately energy-depleting. Substitute with drinks like green tea or 100% fruit juice.
3. Replace high-sugar foods with low-sugar versions. Cutting back on the amount of refined sugar you consume helps reduce calories and weight gain and also helps you avoid the energy slumps that come from sugar withdrawal. Items high in refined sugar include most soft drinks, cereals, baked goods, and of course, candy and ice cream. Look for low-sugar or no-sugar versions of these, or simply opt for healthy snacks instead.
4. Stock up on healthy, portable snacks. When you are grocery shopping, pick up bags of baby carrots, string cheese, nuts, fresh and dried fruit, single serving packs of applesauce, yogurt, wholegrain crackers, peanut butter, turkey jerky, etc. Having healthy portable snacks around will help you avoid bad vending-machine, convenience store and fast-food options. Read some more portable snack ideas.
5. Take the time to plan healthy meals for the week. Spend 15 minutes or so to map out your meals. Keep it simple. Then, when you shop for groceries, make your purchases based on the meals you will make during the week. This will help you avoid relying on less healthy take-out or fast food choices. Learn even more grocery store tips.
6. Purchase frozen, ready-to-cook ingredients. Frozen fruits and vegetables have high vitamin and mineral content because they don’t sit around losing these nutrients for long before they are preserved. Although you’ll want to keep plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables around, it’s great to have frozen produce available for quick meal additions and smaller servings. Also, some grocery stores offer frozen boneless chicken breasts and a wide variety of seafood items in re-sealable packages. These are great for quick, healthy meals.
7. Pack your lunch the night before. You'll have given yourself the gift of extra time in the morning and you will assure that you have a healthy meal during the day. Don’t forget to pack snack items so you can avoid the vending machine.
8. Cook double batches of whatever you’re cooking. When you prepare dinner, especially on weekends, cook extra and freeze to use for another dinner or lunch. Then, you'll have a healthy meal ready to go when you are.
9. Give yourself some slack. If you are stressed out about preparing healthy meals every day, use what some experts call the "80/20" rule in your eating. If 80 percent of what you eat is healthy, then allow yourself to take it a little easier for the remaining 20 percent. You and your diet will survive.
10. Fit in exercise whenever you can. Experts recommend that adults exercise a minimum of 30 minutes three times per week. Aim for this amount, but don’t kick yourself if you can’t meet this goal. Any amount of exercise is better than none. No time to go to a gym? Build a stock of exercise tapes – many have routines that you can complete in 20-40 minutes. Use hand weights or do crunches, leg-lifts and lunges while watching television. Or invest in an exercise bike – you can pedal while catching up on your reading. Think of what would be most interesting to you and what best fits your schedule and budget.
11. Take a walk break during the day. Even 20 minutes can make a difference in your energy level, plus it gives you time to clear your head. If you walk with a friend or colleague, it also gives you time to socialize.
12. Whenever possible, walk. Increase the amount of time you can walk, versus sit or drive. It doesn’t take that much extra time to park a bit farther from the store entrance, or to make a personal visit to a colleague rather than phoning, instant messaging or e-mailing.
13. Get enough sleep. Even if you gain more time in your day by cutting back on sleep, you will be less effective throughout the day, as your energy level and cognitive functioning will be reduced. Insufficient sleep also makes you more susceptible to illness. By getting enough sleep, you become more efficient during the time you are awake.

Begin integrating some or all of these habits today. Make them part of your normal routine. You’ll be surprised at how little time is involved and how much better you’ll feel!

FFF Diva Article Research: 11 Ways to Enjoy the Holidays Without Ruining Your Fitness

11 Ways to Enjoy the Holidays Without Ruining Your Fitness

By Rod Dixon and Matt Mahowald

LA Marathon Director of Training and LA Marathon Nutrition and Supplement Consultant

Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or an everyday Joe, the season from Thanksgiving through the New Year can wreak havoc on the waistline—and more. Rod Dixon, the LA Marathon Director of Training, and Matt Mahowald, the LA Marathon’s Nutrition and Supplement Consultant, offer their tips for enjoying the holidays—and holiday menus—without sabotaging your diet, exercise or training routine.

1. Never show up hungry to a holiday party or meal. Make sure you have a big breakfast and enjoy at least two good meals or snacks before the feast. This will minimize the amount of overeating. For instance, 12 almonds and an apple will help to decrease your appetite so that when you get to that meal you don’t overeat.

2. The most important drink during the holiday season is water. Water helps your body synthesize carbs. It helps with the highs and lows of blood sugar that come with desserts and sweets that aren’t normally in our diet.

3. If you are going to attend a holiday party and plan on drinking alcohol, consume a full eight to 10 oz. of water in addition to a beverage of your choice. This will minimize the amount of alcohol you drink.

4. When eating appetizers or enjoying a potluck-style meal, the best choices are vegetables, lean proteins and fruits. If you’re designated to bring a dish to a gathering, bring something healthy. You never know what’s going to be there for you, and it’s important to have good options.

5. Fill your plate modestly, and wait 30 minutes after you finish before going back for seconds. This allows your blood sugar and insulin levels to adjust. You may find that you aren’t really hungry for that second plate.

6. Look at dessert as a treat. Serve yourself a small portion, and stop there.

7. A good cardiovascular workout for two to three days after your holiday will help deplete the excess storage of carbs and fat that you picked up during the holiday.

8. If it’s possible, throw in an extra two days of 30 minute cardiovascular activity. Remember that walking is just as good as a slow jog and easier on your body.

9. Consistency is key to your exercise program. Don’t let the holidays derail you by missing too many days of your routine. Don’t try to make up what you’ve missed by overtraining—just get back on your plan.

10. Remember that it is a holiday, so let yourself enjoy it. The following day wake up and get right back on your food plan and exercise.

11. And of course, if you need a way to help keep yourself on track during the holidays, now is the time to register for the LA Marathon! Visit www.lamarathon.com for more information.

About the Los Angeles Marathon

We inspire athletes and connect communities. With thousands of volunteers, tens of thousands of participants and hundreds of thousands of spectators along the route, the Los Angeles Marathon is one of the largest organized road races in the country. For more information, visit www.lamarathon.com.

FFF Diva Article Research: 4 Ways to Build a Weight Loss Network

4 Ways to Build a Weight Loss Network

By Cristina Goyanes
Women's Health

Your BFF

A study in The New England Journal of Medicine found that your friends may increase your odds of gaining weight by 57 percent. "Women tend to match each other's behavior at the table," says Atlanta nutritionist Marisa Moore, R.D. Let your pal order first—she'll feel pressure to set a good example, and you'll likely follow her lead. And don't invite your whole clique—a recent study in the journal Appetite found that ladies who lunched with four friends averaged 150 calories more per meal than those who dined with three.

Tip: Enlist your best girlfriends for support and if they don't, here are more tips on how to cope.

Your Dog

Walking your pooch will shrink your paunch. In a study at the University of Missouri-Columbia, volunteers who got 30 minutes of leash time five times a week dropped an average of 14 pounds in a year. On bad-weather days, play indoor games, like chasing your dog up and down the stairs, to help burn up his energy and your lunchtime burrito, suggests Robert Kushner, M.D., coauthor of Fitness Unleashed! A Dog and Owner's Guide to Losing Weight and Gaining Health Together.

Tip: Pet owners have lower cholesterol and blood pressure, less stress and anxiety, according to studies.

Your Guy

Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found that women who live with a romantic partner increase their risk of becoming obese by 63 percent, and those who marry more than double it. But couples also have an easier time taking weight off: Duke University researchers discovered that people were 50 percent more likely to start exercising if their partner joined them. Get your guy to work up a sweat with you by bike riding, running, or ice skating. And have him help out on the food front by cooking together at home. An FDA report found that eating out more than five times a week (which couples have been known to do) adds about 290 calories on average to your daily diet—that's the equivalent of 30 pounds a year!

Tip: Try the Better Sex Diet together—you'll slim down and have a new use for those slimmer, sexier bodies.

Your Coworkers

A study in Eating Behaviors found that when female coworkers teamed up to lose weight, they were more likely to exercise and dropped more pounds early on. Ask your workplace to start an official fitness-incentive program. Studies have shown that they encourage employees to set and meet weekly fitness goals while also increasing productivity. Or kick off your own Biggest Loser-style competition complete with weigh-ins and lunch-hour challenges like power walks, spin classes, or yoga sessions.

Tip: Feeling bullied and not supported at work? Here's how to deal with those mean girls.

FFF Diva Article Research: Hefty and Healthy

Hefty and Healthy

Consumer Reports

Americans are heavier than they used to be and worried sick about it. In fact, people's negative perceptions about their bodies may affect their health more than their actual weight, according to an analysis in the March 2008 issue of the American Journal of Public Health. Columbia University researchers who surveyed more than 170,000 people found that regardless of their size, those who were happy with their weight reported better mental and physical health.

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More from Consumer Reports:
How to Make Smarter Food Choices
What’s Wrong with Plain Water?
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At the core of the dissatisfaction is the assumption that svelte is not only more attractive but also healthier. But whether supermodels are destined to outlive the Average Joe is a matter of debate among experts, who sometimes interpret public-health data in strikingly different ways.

Unfortunately, sensationalized coverage of those discrepancies has overshadowed many of the most relevant details-that extra pounds may be less of an issue for older people, for example, or that fitness is more important than fatness. In fact, the most common measure of excess weight—the body mass index, or BMI—is probably an inaccurate measure of overall health precisely because it doesn't reflect fitness very well.

We talked with several experts and found that while they see some different patterns in the numbers they largely agree on the core advice. And despite the hullabaloo over weight, the real emphasis should rest on healthy habits, not the bathroom scale.

Where BMI falls short Researchers have long relied on the body mass index (available to ConsumerReports.org subscribers), since it factors in not just weight but also height. But as obesity science evolves, it's becoming increasingly clear that there is simply no one-size-fits-all definition of a healthy BMI.

To begin with, age, ethnicity, and gender affect how the numbers add up. For example, a moderately high BMI appears to increase mortality risk more strongly in Asian men and women—as seen in the large Korean study—than it does in African-American women. And "BMI is not a precise health measure in older people," says Michael Leitzmann, M.D., an investigator with the National Cancer Institute. Being underweight is more likely to be a concern in that group because aging affects both appetite and the ability to absorb nutrients from food.

BMI also doesn't tell you much about fitness. Some couch potatoes have a fine BMI, while many moderately overweight people are very active.

In fact, the inadequacy of our language about weight became clear recently when researchers coined the term "normal-weight obesity" to describe supposedly healthy-weight people with a high percentage of body fat. That group is much more likely than muscular people of any weight to be at high risk for type 2 diabetes and heart disease, according to a recent Mayo Clinic study.

Other measures, such as waist circumference or the ratio of waist to hip size (available to ConsumerReportsHealth.org subscribers), may more accurately reflect body fat and health risk than weight or BMI. But none of those tools predicts longevity or quality of life as effectively as does a careful assessment of lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise habits.

Where BMI falls short Researchers have long relied on the body mass index (available to ConsumerReports.org subscribers), since it factors in not just weight but also height. But as obesity science evolves, it's becoming increasingly clear that there is simply no one-size-fits-all definition of a healthy BMI.

To begin with, age, ethnicity, and gender affect how the numbers add up. For example, a moderately high BMI appears to increase mortality risk more strongly in Asian men and women—as seen in the large Korean study—than it does in African-American women. And "BMI is not a precise health measure in older people," says Michael Leitzmann, M.D., an investigator with the National Cancer Institute. Being underweight is more likely to be a concern in that group because aging affects both appetite and the ability to absorb nutrients from food.

BMI also doesn't tell you much about fitness. Some couch potatoes have a fine BMI, while many moderately overweight people are very active.

In fact, the inadequacy of our language about weight became clear recently when researchers coined the term "normal-weight obesity" to describe supposedly healthy-weight people with a high percentage of body fat. That group is much more likely than muscular people of any weight to be at high risk for type 2 diabetes and heart disease, according to a recent Mayo Clinic study.

Other measures, such as waist circumference or the ratio of waist to hip size (available to ConsumerReportsHealth.org subscribers), may more accurately reflect body fat and health risk than weight or BMI. But none of those tools predicts longevity or quality of life as effectively as does a careful assessment of lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise habits.

Physically fit at any weight People with strong cardiovascular function, regardless of their size, are healthier and live longer than their sedentary counterparts. For example, in a study of 2,603 people age 60 and older published last year in the Journal of the American Medical Association, physically fit individuals had roughly the same mortality rate whether they were underweight, normal weight, or overweight. Being fit can even trump being thin: People who were fat but fit had a survival edge over those who were skinny but inactive.

Exercise can improve health even if the scale doesn't budge. Researchers from Harvard University and Brigham and Women's Hospital tracked physical activity and cardiovascular health in more than 27,000 women ages 45 and older. After a decade, the physically active people slashed their risk of heart attack and stroke by as much as 40 percent. The researchers determined that only about 10 percent of that decline could be attributed to a reduced BMI.

The rest stemmed from improvements in markers for inflammation, blood pressure, and LDL (bad) cholesterol. "The message to people who exercise but don't lose weight is that they are still getting most of the benefit," says Samia Mora, M.D., lead author of the Harvard study.

Diet still matters The relative importance of exercise and weight, however, doesn't give you license to specialize in junk food. Study after study has found lower disease rates in people who eat healthfully, with an emphasis on a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and small amounts of unsaturated fat. That diet can lead to improved health even when it doesn't lead to substantial weight loss.

British researchers, for example, recently told a group of overweight women not to diet. Instead, they emphasized good eating habits, enrolled them in exercise classes, and provided social support. Though the women lost only a small amount of weight, they were significantly fitter and reported feeling less stress and better about their bodies.

"We've been shouting from the rooftops about how bad it is to be even a little overweight, but that hasn't solved the problem," says Steven N. Blair, P.E.D., professor of exercise science at the University of South Carolina. "We've become obsessed with BMI when we should be focusing on healthful behaviors."

This article first appeared in the July 2008 issue of Consumer Reports on Health.