Couch Jockey to Fitness Fiend

If you’ve been a couch jockey, you will probably be fairly happy using the simple Wii Fit system and the Wii Fit games. They present a fun way to get active and begin a fitness regimen that is more game than workout.

If you’re the type that is motivated by cool stamps that you can put on your Wii calendar each time that you do your weigh in and/or balance tests this system will be sure to satisfy and help you get off the couch and doing something for a change.

However, doing only the Wii Fit board will not generate a lot of weight loss, unless you are doing a lot more, such as changing your eating habits and doing other regular fitness.

Fitness Buddy

If you’ve already been a bit active, or perhaps you have stopped going to the gym for some reason or another, consider the EA Sports Active Personal Trainer program and equipment. The package includes a thigh harness for the nunchuk, a resistance band and webbing straps in addition to the program disc.

This package is an excellent one for going from couch jockey to a fitness friend. The workouts are simple and easy to do at all levels, and offer different ways to work out during sports such as tennis and volleyball or a bit of cardio boxing or even dancing.

You can follow along with the pre-designed workouts, or you can design your own depending on the focus you want for the day.

The reason we purchased the EA Sports More Workouts was twofold. 1) the Personal Trainer program did not offer a warm-up/cool down component to the training, and 2) Personal Trainer did not offer any abdominal/core muscle exercises which we consider crucial to our training.

But I want MORE!

The EA Sports More Workouts program offers both warm up and cool down components as well as intensive abdominal and core muscle exercises at three levels, and includes low-impact options for those who cannot jump or hop.

We liked the book by Bob Greene, which teaches the principles of healthy eating and healthy living. We were also pleased that the More Workouts program offered more opportunities to do different sports in a “new environment” – an island resort where we can water ski, paddle boat, do step aerobics or just outrun the trainer.

Both EA Sports programs offer an opportunity to track other activities that you may have done, whether it’s housework, gardening, hiking, golf or just going for a walk. They also both offer you a way to track your eating and living habits to encourage healthy eating and living.

What it’ll cost you:

The EA Sports Personal Trainer program costs about $65 CDN and comes with the thigh strap and resistance band, whereas the More Workouts program costs about $45 CDN and includes the program and a book by Bob Greene which teaches the principles of healthy eating.

The dirt:

I would like to see more training gear offered for the programs, such as heavier-duty resistance bands and a way to indicate which ones you’re using for the program to accurately track calorie count. The workouts themselves tend to be approximately a half hour in length; they begin at about 20 minutes and go up to 30 minutes each. These do not seem to be long enough to do a true cardio workout which both programs tout to provide in the short programs.

I would love to see more long workouts, some for a cardio blast (40 – 60 mins) and some for a more intense focus on interval training, and more ways for those who have physical conditions that prevent them from certain movements that can replace rather than remove an action/activity. (ie instead of jump lunges, something low impact that has a similar benefit).

It all adds up

It all comes down to personal integrity and the ability to keep your commitment to yourself. These programs give you the tools to help you, but you still have to do the work. Personally, I’m pretty pleased with my results in the mirror and on the scale.

Fresh Food Versus Supplements: Which Are Better for You?

To maintain good health we need certain nutrients that we get from the food we eat – or do we? Research has shown that fruit and vegetables contain a fraction of the vitamins, minerals and trace elements that they did one hundred years ago.

Our food is now produced using chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides, genetically modified crops are being produced and used for food and even our air and water contains levels of toxins unheard of at the beginning of the 20th century.

Organically grown food has significantly higher levels of nutrients than commercially grown food but organic is usually more expensive and harder to access in regular supplies. People have gradually become accustomed to being able to buy all types of fruit and vegetables all year round, whether they are in season or not, and now expect this as normal.

Antioxidants are an important ingredient of food in this current situation. Antioxidants help to remove toxins or free radicals from our bodies and this is more important to our good health now than ever before. Plant foods contain more antioxidants than any other food group and of these, green leafy vegetables contain more than any other along with some berries, such as blueberries.

The darker and brighter the color of fruit and vegetables indicates the highest concentration of antioxidants. This is because of Phytonutrients which are mainly found in the skin of fruit and vegetables and are responsible for their color and fragrance. This is where the highest concentration of antioxidants is found.

Lifestyles in the 21st century are very busy with unprecedented levels of stress and worry. Carefully prepared home cooked meals are almost a thing of the past in these hectic times as more families rely on pre-prepared meals and take-out food.

It is not easy to find organic produce to buy and even harder to know if it is genuine. Under these circumstances, it is unlikely that we get high enough levels of antioxidants from our food. Justifiably, many people are looking for supplements to ensure the correct amounts of vitamins, minerals and nutrients are included in their diet.

Supplements that contain Phytonutrients do have some advantages over fresh fruit and vegetables. They are usually processed from the part of the plants where the nutrients are most concentrated and so have the best antioxidants available. Supplements do not contain the sugars that are in many fruits and only have the nutrients we may be lacking. They are simple and convenient to consume and don’t need any preparation.

Nothing beats fresh, organically grown produce for supplying us with everything we need to maintain good health, but in the absence of such, supplements are a very useful substitute to give us the antioxidants we need.

Trouble sleeping through the night or is memory on decline? Chances are,

you are experiencing the downward slope of aging. Aging is the big umbrella of many conditions, one being frailty. Frailty stems from a decline of hormones as we age. Signs of aging can be reversed with exercise, supplements using bio-identical hormones plus a nutrition plan to reach optimal health levels, regaining vitality.
Hormones rule, let’s face it. They are the dictators in our body, manufactured in the endocrine glands, released into the bloodstream and stay busy, working bio-chemical effects on receptor sites regulating everything from growth, temperature and aging. Hormones regulate every organ in the body, motivating cells to do their thing. So when hormone levels drop, aging occurs. In any given population, a large portion of those 65 and older, suffer from frailty syndrome, according to the website, Pub Med.

Exercise

One powerful tool to reverse the aging process and inhibit frailty is to improve muscle- to-fat ratio. Sarcopenia, an element of frailty, is muscle loss caused by lack of exercise. The average person loses approximately 7 pounds of muscle every decade, so by the time the body reaches age 70, the body has lost half its muscle mass which leads to frailness.

Grip strength is one determination of frailty. Strength exercises, using free weights or taking Pilates classes, prevent decline in muscle mass. Stretching is also a very important component to an exercise regime. It improves circulation and helps relax, balance and energize the body. Always check with a health care practitioner before starting an exercise regime.

Diet

Poor appetite is a symptom of frailty syndrome. Unintentional weight loss, losing 10 pounds during a year, shows frailty in progression. As we age, taste buds decrease and salty and sugary foods seem appealing, which add fire to the problem. Also, established life long diet patterns are challenging to alter. Working with a nutritionist can benefit any diet to guide one to proper nutrition.

Increasing fiber and water intake are crucial for promoting healthy insulin and blood sugar response. Protein is a crucial part of of muscle and its needed for hormones involved with tissue growth and repair. Vegetable protein should always be included in a diet, such as nuts, beans and certain grains. Watch portion sizes and eat frequently.

Supplements

Supplements are necessary in today’s lifestyle of “empty calories”. Many aspects of “life” deplete nutrients, causing hormonal imbalance. Stress, caffeine and prescribed and over-the-counter medications are just a few factors that rob the body of nutrients.

A full spectrum vitamin, using all natural ingredients that quickly absorb, is helpful for muscle and nerve function and hormone regulation. Essential fatty acids fight inflammation, a huge player in frailty and also helps with cognition and depression, another element of the condition. Bio-identical hormones are one way for women to retrieve vitality and reduce frailness.

They are not hormone replacement drugs and have been proved safe in multiple studies. Used in Europe for many years, they have approval of the FDA. It is best to discuss matters with a health care practitioner to decide the approach best for one’s body.

There are several good food sources of calcium other than dairy products. Whether you are lactose-intolerant, dislike dairy or would like to add more calcium to your diet without the use of supplements, here are some non-dairy sources of calcium.

Non-dairy sources of calcium: vegetables

Vegetables have many nutritional benefits as are generally low in calories. Some vegetables are also rich in calcium.

 

Non-dairy sources of calcium: seafood

Certain fish and other seafood are good sources of calcium. They are also high in protein.

Sardines are usually the first mentioned in this category as being high in calcium with 569 mg of calcium for a one-cup serving of sardines canned in oil. Although other fish and seafood are not nearly as high, one cup of canned jack mackerel has 458 mg of calcium, 100 g of canned pink salmon has 277 mg of calcium.

Non-dairy sources of calcium: beans, nuts and seeds

Beans, nuts and seeds can not only be good sources of protein, but can also be good sources of calcium. Many nuts are also good sources of healthy fat.

Non-dairy sources of calcium: other items

Many foods are now fortified with calcium, such as breakfast cereals and even juices. Also, soy products, such as tofu and soy milk are good sources of calcium. Many grains and herbs contain calcium as well.

To see how much calcium your favorite foods have, check out Nutritiondata.com for more information. You don’t have to resort to solely dairy or supplements to get enough calcium in your diet. By adding a variety of different foods, you may find you get enough of this mineral with many non-dairy sources of calcium.