How to Overcome Overeating

Remember last year when you woke up the morning after the annual family holiday party feeling bloated, stuffed and sluggish? Well, not this year! I’m telling you right now that you can splurge without gaining weight—you just need to follow this five-step detox plan to a T to flush out the sugary evidence in 24 hours flat. Read it, memorize it, and follow it anytime you’ve had one too many helpings.

STEP 1: Get in the right mindset

The last thing you probably feel like doing is exercising, but starting your day with a 45-minute brisk walk is key: You’ll sweat off uncomfortable bloat. And, thanks to those mood-boosting chemicals that your body makes when you exercise, you’ll be in the right frame of mind to make healthy food choices the rest of the day. Taking charge and exercising first thing will also help stop one day of overdoing it from turning into a week of overeating—which is one of the main ways a splurge leads to weight gain.

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Quick Tips: Can You Use Your Ob/Gyn as Your GP?

Having trouble finding a general practitioner you like? Consider asking your gynecologist to step in. Seeing one person you’re comfortable with (instead of two you’re so-so about) could lead to better care, as long as you don’t have any medical issues that might require a specialist. But you must ask her if she’s willing to accept the responsibility of monitoring your overall well-being, not just your reproductive health. If she agrees to be your main provider, she should be able to do everything from screening you for diabetes and heart disease to refilling your prescription for allergy meds, in addition to giving you a Pap smear and breast exam.

Some gynecologists only want to serve as specialists; others are happy to provide general care but they won’t necessarily think about monitoring, say, your cholesterol levels, unless you make it clear that you’re not also seeing another primary care doctor such as an internist.

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Kneehab: 5 Yoga-Inspired Moves to Tune Up Your Knees

Knee pain can come on suddenly: a sideways blow in athletics or a nasty fall while stepping off a curb. But many knee issues creep up after years of poor alignment, which results in wear and tear and arthritis. No matter the cause, knee issues do not often exist in isolation. In other words, a "cranky" knee will often have an un-neighborly relationship with the ankle below it, and/or the hip above it.  
 
Whatever detonated your knee pain, the tissues above and below the knee must be nurtured, strengthened and given some "KneeHab" in order for the knee to learn some new strategies for pain-free living. And don't forget the other knee, hip and ankle on the non-injured side, as it will also develop its own issues too from being "leaned on" so often. These compensation attempts inevitably lead to low back pain, neck and shoulder pain—and more yuck. 
 
My Yoga Tune Up® Quick Fix Rx: KneeHab DVD ($19.95) provides solutions whether your knee is wonky from sports, you're recovering from meniscus surgery or you are just looking to prevent knee injury. It will show you how to help manage just about every stage of knee dysfunction and maintenance. Here are five Yoga Tune Up® moves from my DVD to keep your knees happy, healthy and pain free!

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7 Surprising Health Facts About Coffee

Whether you like yours hot, iced, black or with sugar, one thing’s for sure: Coffee serves up plenty of health benefits. Not only can a cup of Joe help ward off depression, but it has even been linked with a decreased rate of skin cancer and increased fertility. Read on to learn about the unexpected heath benefits of coffee, plus other brew-related facts.

1. It may help ward off depression.
Anyone who perks up after the first sip of morning coffee will tell you that it has mood-boosting effects. Now there’s proof: A study from the Harvard School of Public Health, published last month in the Archives of Internal Medicine, found that women who regularly drink fully caffeinated coffee have a 20% lower risk of depression than non-coffee drinkers. The study, which followed a group of women for 10 years, found that as more coffee was consumed (up to six cups per day), the likelihood of depression decreased.

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Healthy Holiday Gift Guide: Ideas for Everyone!

The holiday gift buying season is in full swing. Make life easier, and loved ones' lives healthier, with our healthy gift picks.

Our friends at Remedy's HealthCommunities.com share their best healthy finds for everyone in your life.

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Motivation Secrets from Top Marathoners

For some, fall signifies cooler temperatures and pumpkin picking. For others, it means marathon season. The world’s largest marathon, the ING New York City Marathon (boasting a record-high number of runners this year with 47,000 participants) took place on Nov. 6. Wondering what kind of motivation and dedication it takes to train for and run 26.2 miles? We chatted with a variety of marathon runners—from one of the most well-known figures and an American record holder to a former competitive figure skater turned six-time marathoner—to get their expert advice. Surprisingly, all of their insider information can apply to just about anyone looking for extra workout inspiration. Whether you’re currently training for a big race or simply want to start running around your neighborhood, here are 10 tips for taking your fitness motivation to the next level.

Find a mantra.
A running or exercise mantra is a phrase that you repeat or remind yourself of when your motivation is waning. Not only will it keep you moving, but it's a positive way to fill your head with thoughts other than how tired, sore or bored you are. “Define Yourself” is the mantra of choice for Deena Kastor, American marathon record holder (2 hours and 19 minutes at the London Marathon), Olympic bronze medalist and a brand spokesperson for MARATHON bar. “This phrase was given to me by my coach in 2005, when he told me to define myself before I started a big race,” says Kastor, who feels it can apply to other moments in daily life as well.

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Love Your Lower Body in 4 Moves

Get slim thighs, gorgeous glutes, and legs for days with these 4 simple lower-body exercises.

1. Ice Skater

Targets: Abs, lower back, hips, butt, and outer thighs

• Stand with feet a little less than shoulder-width apart, arms extended, holding the back of a chair for support.
• Keeping abs engaged, bend left knee slightly while extending right leg to right side, toes pointing toward floor and rotated outward.
• Bring right leg behind left leg as far as possible without touching floor, bending left leg; contract inner thigh.

 Do 12 to 15 reps; repeat on opposite side.

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7 Signs of Type 2 Diabetes

1. You’re overweight. Even being just 10 to 15 pounds overweight can increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. If your child is overweight, make sure his pediatrician tests him, because type 2 diabetes is on the rise in kids. The encouraging news is that losing just 5% to 7% of your body weight can reduce your risk of diabetes, according to research from the Diabetes Prevention Program. Testing usually involves screening your blood for high glucose (sugar) levels. If they’re too high, you could have either type 1 or type 2. Your doctor will most likely be able to sort it out based on your age and symptoms. In some cases, you may also need to see an endocrinologist (specialist).

2. You’re constantly running to the bathroom. “If your body doesn’t make enough insulin [a hormone that carries glucose into your cells to give them energy],” which can happen with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, “glucose builds up in your bloodstream and comes out in your urine,” explains Janet Silverstein, MD, chief of pediatric endocrinology at the University of Florida. Because you’re urinating a lot, you’ll probably also be very thirsty and drinking more than usual.

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7 Shocking Facts About Sleep

Yes, we at FITNESS love a great early-morning workout. But we also know about the importance of a good night's sleep, and not just because sleep deprivation is tied to weight gain. Here, the most interesting health facts that warn against burning the candle at both ends. Pace yourself, people.
 
1. Flu-Z's

If you're sleep-deprived before getting your flu shot, it can take three to four weeks for the vaccine to kick in. Those who don't get appropriate rest have a weaker immune system, which hinders the vaccination's effectiveness.

Posted 12/1/2011  6:00:00 AM By:   : 7 comments   12,981 views

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Don't Deny Your Trigger Foods--Manage Them

You’re at a party and you see a table filled with some of your favorite foods: potato chips with sour-cream dip; charcuterie heaped high next to pieces of crusty baguette; and a steaming tray of macaroni drunk with melted cheddar cheese. Nearby is the dessert table where you see dense chocolate cake topped with fresh whipped cream; peppermint bark and still warm ginger snaps; a ten-layer coconut cream layer cake. Do you:

a) walk on by clutching the celery sticks you brought from home for dear life
b) grab whatever you can as fast as you can and shove it down at warp speed
c) enjoy a reasonable portion of the food in front of you without a shred of guilt.
 
I vote for c: a choice informed by moderation and pleasure, not gluttony or denial. It’s totally do-able, but first you need to come to terms with what it means to eat treats.
 
For many of us, treats are triggers. In other words, if you eat one cookie, you’ll eat a dozen. When I first began my journey to lose weight a few years ago, there were some foods that held me in such thrall, I literally could not go near them. My list included triple cream cheeses, crusty bread of any kind, charcuterie (especially salami), cookies (any kind), cakes (ditto), Doritos, and olives. If two bites were good, twenty were better. I couldn’t eat just a little of these foods so rather than go to town, stuff myself, then feel the inevitable guilt, misery and anger, I cut them out of my life -- for a while anyway. Until I could gain some distance, examine what my relationship was with these foods, and discover what lay underneath my insatiable desire.
 
I learned a lot.

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Easy Ways to Add 20 Years to Your Life

If you think that how long you’ll live is based on how long your grandparents and parents live, you’re only partly right. While genetics certainly have an impact, you have more control than you might assume. “By the time you turn 55, only about 30% of how quickly you age is based on your genes, as compared to 50% when you’re younger—the rest is due to your lifestyle choices,” says Michael Roizen, MD, chief wellness officer at the Cleveland Clinic. To figure out about how many years certain habits can add to your life, Dr. Roizen created the RealAge test, which uses data from hundreds of studies by groups including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Center for Health Statistics. With his help, we’ve gathered the most important habits and estimated how much longer each one may extend your life.

Add 2.2 years: Walk 30 minutes a day

This is crucial to keeping your weight steady and lowering your risk of heart disease and diabetes, but fitting in a solid half-hour can be tricky. Just as good (and easier) is weaving in that 30 minutes throughout your day; wearing a pedometer can help you stay on track. Research from the Stanford University School of Medicine shows that people who wear one take an extra 2,000 steps (about 1 mile) a day. “Having that pedometer makes you honest with yourself, so you really know how much you’re moving,” adds Dr. Roizen.

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Winter-Proof Your Skin: Our Winter Skincare Guide

Winter can do damage to even those with usually great skin. Get soft, smooth skin all winter with this personalized winter skincare plan.
 
Stay Soft All Over
Try these smooth moves to have soft skin all over.
 

• Buff before bathing. To soothe roughness in winter, apply a creamy scrub to dry, not wet, skin before showering, King says. (A good one: Vickery & Clarke Ginger & Clementine Body Scrub, $8.95, cvs.com.) Or use the pros' secret weapon, a body brush. "The -bristles loosen and remove dead skin cells without any mess," King says. (The Body Shop Cactus Body Brush, $15, thebodyshop-usa.com, is gentle.)
• Conserve water. Hot H2O ranks high on the moisture-stripping scale, but a long shower is worse. "Pruny skin signals that your natural levels of oil have been washed away," says David Bank, M.D., a dermatologist in Mount Kisco, New York. His suggested time: ten minutes, tops. (It's a greener choice too.)
• Slather up. Apply body lotion or cream immediately after a shower. "Like a wet sponge, damp skin absorbs moisture more readily than dry," King says. Intensify your lotion by mixing it with a teaspoon of body oil (try Palmer's Skin Therapy Oil, $10.99, drugstores).   

  Posted 11/24/2011  6:00:00 AM By:   : 6 comments   10,055 views

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10 Fitness Tips from Olympians

Having a tough time motivating yourself to go for a jog? Just imagine if exercise was your job. Welcome to the life of a professional athlete, or in the most elite cases, an Olympian. Even though they might seem superhuman, they too have to employ tricks and strategies to stay motivated and on-track. And guess what? You can use the same tricks to achieve your own fitness goals. Here, past and present Olympians share personal health and fitness advice that applies to everyone.

1. Workout buddies are key.
“After spending so much time by myself on the ice in the past, I love working out with friends now,” says Nancy Kerrigan, a former professional figure skater and two-time Olympic medalist who was recently honored at the 26th Annual Great Sports Legends Dinner (hosted by the Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis). “I take group classes at the gym—usually kick boxing, weight training or yoga—and then, after it's done, a group of us grab coffee and chat.” Working out with a friend can also motivate you to work harder, like it does for Lauren Wenger, a current member of the USA Water Polo Women’s National Team and Olympic silver medalist. “When I see a teammate working hard, it pushes me that much more,” says Wenger.

2. Put it on paper.
Do you ever find yourself in the gym, unable to remember how many reps you did last week? “If I don’t bring a sheet with my workouts on it, I end up wasting time and not being as efficient,” says Heather O’Reilly, a member of the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team, two-time Olympic gold medalist and adidas athlete. Jot down what you plan to accomplish at the gym before you go, bring a pen or pencil and keep track as you go. “For me, the sense of accomplishment when I see that I’ve completed a workout is great,” says O’Reilly.

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Get Rid of Job-Related Jiggle

Firm your arms, abs, and butt at the office! This sneaky workout is so quick (just 10 minutes!) your boss will never know you're exercising at your desk.
 
Blade Kiss and Circles
What you'll need: A desk, a chair, and a pen
Targets: Shoulders, upper back

1. Sit straight on chair with feet and legs together, abs engaged, arms extended at shoulder level in front of you, palms down.
2. Draw shoulder blades together to make them "kiss"; relax shoulders. Do 5 reps.
3. Keeping arms extended, make 10 apple-size circles with hands. Do combo 8 times.

 

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The Highs and Lows of Losing 100 Pounds

Editor's Note (Nicole Nichols): I had the pleasure of meeting Kenlie at the IDEA fitness convention in L.A. this past August. As I learned more about her, I was so inspired by her accomplishments and how she turned what was a very difficult and embarrassing situation into something positive. I wanted to share her story with all of you, so I asked Kenlie to write a guest blog. I hope you find it as real and motivational as I did.
 
By Kenlie Tiggeman
 
I used to dread simple tasks like going to the grocery store and walking to the mailbox.   I was constantly overwhelmed with anxiety when I knew I'd have to ride in someone else's car, so I avoided it as much as possible.  I bought two plane tickets for every flight I had to take because I knew that one seat wouldn't be enough for me, and I felt shame every time I had to walk back into a rental car company to upgrade because I couldn't fit into a mid-size car.  But that shame was mild in comparison to shame I felt when the weight of my body broke the driver's seat of my own car.  
 
I know it's my own fault that my small frame grew to almost 400 pounds. I was disgusted with myself—disgusted with the fact that I couldn't go to dinner without asking for a table instead of a booth because it was obvious that I wouldn't fit into the latter.  My life, which was so good in some ways, was completely overshadowed by my body.  And while people looked at me in disgust, no one was more repulsed by me than I was.  
 
So I changed my ways and lost 100 pounds. Losing it made everything in my life easier and more fun.  I was happier than I had ever been! But in reality, 100 pounds down is just the tip of the iceberg for me—I'm still obese.
 
If you saw me walking down the street (or in an airport terminal), you wouldn't know all that I've accomplished in my journey so far. You wouldn't know that I work out five days a week (sometimes more) and eat mostly healthy, unprocessed foods. You wouldn't know that I'm down 10 clothing sizes or that I can jog up several flights of stairs before I break a sweat. That I can swim over a mile and a half without thinking about taking a break, or that I have killer good balance. You wouldn't know any of these things by looking at me now.
 
Instead, if you saw me, you’d probably assume that I watch TV every day for hours on end. You certainly wouldn’t guess that I’m training for a triathlon or that I love climbing stairs and sweating it out on the elliptical.  Maybe you’d judge me or pity me or ignore me, or maybe you’d single me out in a crowd and tell me that I’m too fat.
 
Okay, so SparkPeople members are clearly too awesome to think things like that, but it happens.  In fact, all of these things have happened to me even after experiencing weight loss in the triple digits.

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