Weight Training Do's and Don'ts

You don't have to be a bodybuilder or professional athlete to reap the benefits of weight training. When done correctly, weight training can help you lose fat, increase your strength and muscle tone, and improve your bone density. If done incorrectly, however, weight training won't give you these benefits and may even lead to injury.

If you are just getting started, work with a knowledgeable weight training specialist - a physical therapist, athletic trainer or other fitness specialist who's familiar with proper weight training techniques. If you've been using weights for a while, consider scheduling time with a trainer to demonstrate your technique and identify any changes you might benefit from.

Weight Training Do's:

Lift an appropriate amount of weight. Start with a weight you can lift comfortably 12 to 15 times. For most people, a single set of 12 repetitions with the proper weight can build strength just as efficiently as can three sets of the same exercise. As you get stronger, gradually increase the amount of weight.

Use proper form. Learn to do each exercise correctly. The better your form, the better your results and the less likely you are to hurt yourself. If you're unable to maintain good form, decrease the weight or the number of repetitions.

Breathe. You might be tempted to hold your breath while you are lifting weights. Don't. Holding your breath can lead to dangerous increases in blood pressure. Instead, breathe out as you  lift the weight and breathe in as you lower the weight.

Seek balance. Work all of your major muscles - abdominals, legs, chest, back, shoulders and arms. Strengthen the opposing muscles in a balanced way, such as the front of the shoulder and the back of the shoulder.

Rest. Avoid exercising the same muscles two days in a row. You might work all of your major muscle groups at a single session two or three times a week, or plan daily sessions for specific muscle groups. For example, on Monday work your arms and shoulders, on Tuesday work your legs, and so on.

Weight training don'ts:

Don't skip the warm-up. Cold muscles are more prone to injury than are warm muscles. Before you lift weights, warm up with 5 to 10 minutes of brisk walking or other aerobic activity.

Don't rush. Move the weight in an unhurried, controlled fashion. Taking it slow helps you isolate the muscles you want to work and keeps you from relying on momentum to lift the weight.

Don't overdo. For most people, completing one set of exercises to the point of fatigue is typically enough. Additional sets may only eat up your time and contribute to overload injury.

Don't ignore pain. If an exercise causes pain, stop. Try it again in a few days or try it with less weight.

Don't forget your shoes. Shoes with good traction can keep you from slipping while you are lifting weights.


Remember, the more you concentrate on proper weight training technique, the more you will get from your weight training program.

I'm here to help if you need me.
barbarajlaird.zumba.com
gettingfitwithbj@gmail.com

Healthy Holiday Eating - Easy Remakes of Favorite Recipes

Are dreams of sugarplums dancing in your head? What about other decadent holiday favorites? You know the ones that are loaded with sugar, salt and fat - cheese platters, bacon-wrapped appetizers, creamy eggnog, cookies and rich desserts.

It can be a challenging time of year to make healthy choices. But healthy holiday eating is possible.

Here are some tips for making favorite recipes a bit healthier:

More than just sweet. When making desserts or eggnog, reduce the amount of sugar by half and enhance "sweetness" by adding a bit of citrus, more vanilla, nutmeg or cinnamon. Try turbinado sugar, honey or molasses - their flavor means you can use less. If recipes call for sugary toppings like frosting, jams and syrup, use fresh or unsweetened frozen fruit instead.

Shake the salt out. You can reduce salt by half in most recipes. Also go easy on salty condiments, like pickles, catsup, mustard and soy sauce. Or try lower-sodium versions of packaged foods when available. Include crunchy, raw veggies on the relish tray such as cucumber slices and jicama sticks among the carrots and celery. Try a new homemade dip, like hummus or salsa. In soup and entree recipes, substitute fresh herbs and flavored vinegars for salt.

Trim the fat. In baked goods you can cut the fat by about half and replace it with unsweetened applesauce, prune puree or mashed banana. Instead of full-fat condensed mild, use condensed skim in drinks, desserts and, yes, even in fudge. For gravy, heat fat-free, low-sodium broth (or drippings with the fat removed); mix flour into cold skim milk and pour slowly into broth, stir until thickened and season to your liking.

Simple changes can help you stay on track and still enjoy the festivities.

barbarajlaird.zumba.com
gettingfitwithbj@gmail.com

Fitness: Tips For Staying Motivated

Many of us will soon start gearing up for our post-holiday, new year fitness plan. Have you ever started a fitness program and then quit? If you answered yes, you are not alone. Many people start fitness programs but stop when they get bored or results come too slowly. Here are some tips to help you stay on track.

Set goals:  Start with simple goals and then progress to longer range goals. Remember to make your goals realistic and achievable. It's easy to get frustrated and give up if your goals are too ambitious. For example, if you haven't exercised in a while, a short-term goal might be to walk 10 minutes a day, three days a week. An intermediate goal might be to walk 30 minutes five days a week. A long-term goal might be to complete a 5K walk.

Make it fun:  Find activities or sports that you enjoy, then vary the routine to keep you on your toes. If you're not enjoying your workouts, try something different. Join a volleyball or softball league. Take a dance class. Check out a health club or martial arts center. Discover your hidden athletic talent. Remember, exercise doesn't have to be drudgery and you're more likely to stick with a fitness program if you are having fun.

Make physical activity part of your daily routine:  If it's hard to find time for exercise, don't fall back on excuses. Schedule workouts as you would any other important appointment. You can also slip in physical activity throughout the day. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk up and down sidelines while watching the kids play sports. Pedal a stationary bike or do strength training exercises while you watch TV.

Put it on paper:  Are you hoping to lose wight? Boost your energy? Sleep better? Manage a chronic condition? Write it down. Seeing the benefits of regular exercise on paper may help keep you focused and motivated.  You may also find it helps to keep an exercise diary. Record what you did during each exercise session, how long you exercised and how you felt afterward. Recording your efforts  can help you work toward your goals and remind you that you are making progress.

Join forces with friends, neighbors or others:  You're not in this alone. Invite friends or co-workers to join you when you exercise. Work out with your partner or other loved ones. Play soccer with your kids. Organize a group of neighbors to take fitness classes together.

Reward yourself:  After each exercise session, take a few minutes to savor the good feelings that exercise gives you. This type of internal reward can help you make a long-term commitment to regular exercise. External rewards can help, too. When you reach a longer-range goal, treat yourself to a new pair of sneakers or download some new tunes to enjoy while you exercise.

Be flexible:  If you are too busy to work out or simply don't feel up to it, take a day or two off. Be gentle with yourself if you need a break. The important thing is to get back on track as soon as you can. A short break is not failure as long as you define the break and return to the activity. Be flexible about where and when you find opportunities to be active. Some days may permit an early morning activity or class and others may need to use some after work or evening time.  Look for the opportunities to have some fitness fun on different days and at different times.

Get moving! Set your goals, make it fun and pat yourself on the back from time to time. Remember, physical activity is for life. Keep and review these tips whenever you feel your motivation slipping. If you need help, I'm here.

barbarajlaird.zumba.com
gettingfitwithbj@gmail.com

Elements of a Well-rounded Fitness Routine

Effective fitness training balances five elements of good health. Make sure your routine includes aerobic fitness, muscular fitness, stretching, core exercise and balance training.

Aerobic fitness: aerobic exercise, also known as cardio or endurance activity, is the cornerstone of most fitness training programs. Aerobic exercise causes you to breathe faster and more deeply, which maximizes the amount of oxygen in your blood. The better your aerobic fitness, the more efficiently your heart, lungs and blood vessels transport oxygen throughout your body - and the easier it is to complete routine physical tasks and rise to unexpected challenges, such as running to your car in the pouring rain. Aerobic exercise includes any physical activity that uses large muscle groups and increases you heart rate. Try walking, jogging, biking, swimming, dancing, water aerobics - even leaf raking, snow shoveling and vacuuming. Aim for at least two hours and 30 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or one hour and 15 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity - preferably spread throughout the week.

Strength training:  Muscular fitness is another key component of your program. Strength training at least twice a week can help you increase bone strength and muscular fitness. It can also help you maintain muscle mass during a weight-loss program.  Most fitness centers offer various resistance machines, free weights and other tools for strength training. But you don't need to invest in a gym membership or expensive equipment to reap the benefits of strength training. Hand-held weights and resistance bands are inexpensive options. Your own body weight counts, too.

Core exercises:  The muscles in your abdomen, lower back and pelvis - known as your core muscles - help protect your back and connect upper and lower body movements. Core strength is a key element of a well-rounded fitness training program. Core exercises help train your muscles to brace the spine and enable you to use your upper and lower body muscles more effectively. So what counts as a core exercise? Any exercise that uses the trunk of your body without support. As an aside, remember my personal mission in fitness is to demonstrate that core strength can happen without getting on the floor.

Balance training:  Older adults in particular should include exercises to maintain or improve balance. This is important because balance tends to deteriorate with age, which can lead to falls and fractures. Try standing on one leg for increasing periods of time to improve your overall stability. Activities such as t'ai chi can promote balance, too.

Flexibility and stretching: Flexibility is an important part of physical fitness. Some types of physical activity, such as dancing, require more flexibility than others. Stretching exercises are effective in increasing flexibility, and thereby can allow people to more easily do activities that require greater flexibility. Stretching also improves the range of motion of your joints and promotes better posture. Regular stretching can even help relieve stress. Before you stretch, warm up by walking or doing a favorite exercise at low intensity for five to 10 minutes. Better yet, stretch immediately after you exercise when your muscles are warm. Ideally, you will stretch whenever you exercise.

Cover all the bases:  Whether you create your own fitness training program or enlist the help of a personal trainer, aerobic fitness, strength training and core exercises, balance training and stretching and flexibility should be part of your overall plan. It isn't necessary to fit each of these elements into every fitness session, but factoring them into your regular weekly routine can help promote fitness for life.

Find activities that are fun for you so that you are more likely to incorporate them into a sustainable routine. Think about group classes and activities to add both companionship and socialization to the mix.

In my own structure of classes, here are the types of fitness activity you can experience during each.

Zumba Fitness:  cardio (moderate to high impact and intensity) and flexibility
Zumba Toning:  strength, cardio, core, balance and flexibility
Zumba Sentao:  strength,  cardio, core and flexibility
Zumba Gold:     cardio (low impact and moderate intensity), balance and flexibility

barbarajlaird.zumba.com
gettingfitwithbj@gmail.com

Holiday Survival Tips

Tis' the season for increased demands and stress. You thought I was going to say "joy." Well, hopefully we all find time for the joy, but the added demands on our already full and sometimes difficult lives, can really ratchet up the stress factor and cause us to miss some of the more important elements of our holiday seasons.

Here are a few survival tactics that may help you reduce your stress levels:

Watch the numbers. This means striving to get 30 minutes of walking or your fitness activities a day, and eight hours of solid sleep a night. It also means being mindful of calories and high-fat foods. Enjoy the treats of the season, just don't gorge.Set a goal to maintain your current status while enjoying the seasonal breaks from routine.

Put first things first. Whatever is important for you to do today, write it down. Repeat after me: "Write it down." it's easy to become overwhelmed with demands and expectations. You will get swept away in a mountain of demands if you don't take care of your own needs. Do the have to's and trim the list so that you have room for the meaningful extras you want to enjoy.

Sharpen the saw. This is an expression taken from the author Steven Covey. He tells the story of two lumberjacks working in the forest. The lumberjack who was most successful was the one who would periodically stop to sharpen and oil his saw. Follow this great example. Make time to preserve your greatest asset - YOU.

Let go of unrealistic expectations. Don't get hung up on the mythology of the holiday season. Few American families fit the traditional mold of a mom, a dad and 1.7 above-average children. We live in a time of the blended family and step-relatives. Some of us are alone. Some of us work multiple jobs or have been out of work for extended periods. Be gentle with yourself and be realistic with your expectations.

As demands for your time increase during this season, you need to do more for yourself - not less. After all, what are the holidays all about? It's not the stuff. It's about finding peace and serenity for ourselves and sharing it with our fellow travelers.

Need more help? If the stress in your life is more than you can cope with, get help right away. Here are some sources:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
Go to the nearest hospital or emergency room.
Call your physician, health provider or clergy.
National Alliance on Mental Illness www.nami.org

barbarajlaird.zumba.com
gettingfitwithbj@gmail.com

Let's Give Soy Another Chance

There are so many ways to get this good-for-you protein into your daily diet. If you bypass Tofu at salad bars, skip the meatless dishes at Chinese restaurants, and avoid edamame like the plague, it's time to give soy-based foods a second look. "Whole soy foods are a great substitute for meat," says Christine Gerbstadt, MD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Their healthy protein content makes them a good option even if you are not looking to become a vegetarian or opting to eat less meat. This legume should be a regular and great-tasting part of your diet.

All soy products are made from soybeans, mostly grown here in the United States. You can buy whole soybeans dried or canned, or in the produce section.  Beyond the whole bean, soy takes on a number of different faces. Roasted soy beans are sold as soy nuts or ground into soy nut butter. Soy beans can be soaked in water, cooked, and filtered to make soy milk and soy yogurt. Adding a coagulant to soy milk produces tofu, which ranges in texture from very soft to extra firm depending upon how much liquid is removed. Soy beans can also be fermented into a paste called miso or a cake or patty called tempeh, which is often used in place of meat in sandwiches or grilled and eaten on its own. Soy can also be found in packaged foods- such as frozen meatless burgers, cereals, and energy bars - often in the form of "soy protein isolate," meaning it's mostly the protein from soybeans you are getting.

Soy's biggest nutritional claim to fame is its complete protein, one of the only plant proteins that contains all nine essential amino acids our bodies need from our diets. This makes it an ideal substitute for meat, poultry, and eggs. In fact, a half cup of cooked soybeans supplies about one-third of your necessary daily protein. That protein and the fiber it contains make it very filling.

Soy also packs a number of phytochemicals, including isoflavones, which may work together to help fight conditions like cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and breast cancer. (Though you might have heard that women with a history of breast cancer should avoid soy, recent research suggest that's probably not necessary, says Karen Collins, R.D. nutrition adviser to the American Institute for Cancer Research.) Like most foods, you get more of their good-for-you attributes when eaten closest to their original state. You may get slightly more nutrients from fermented soy foods like miso and tempeh, since the fermentation process can make those nutrients more absorbable by the body, but most forms of this legume deserve a place on your plate.

There are two exceptions: First, avoid soy isoflavone supplement pills and powders. Research has not yet determined how much of it is safe to take. Plus, unlike whole soy foods, they don't give you the full range of phytochemicals and other nutrients. Secondly, though foods made with soy protein isolate (like soy burgers and soy dogs) do usually contain less saturated fat than their meat counterparts, they also tend to be loaded with sodium and additives, so use them as a treat, but don't make them a staple.

Soy can be used many, many ways in cooking and it tends to absorb the other flavors in your recipe, so it's great to use with your favorite seasonings. Because it is so soft, silken tofu works well as a thickener for sauces, dips and smoothies. My favorite pasta sauce is made blending tofu and roasted red peppers, along with some seasoning and vegetable broth.  Have some fun exploring for recipes and remember that when you add soy, you are adding protein and fiber so you are likely to find it very filling.

barbarajlaird.zumba.com
gettingfitwithbj@gmail.com

Not Losing Weight?

I hear people report that they diet and work out and track their calories and do all the right things but still are not losing weight. Sometimes the answer isn't easy to come by and a full health assessment by your physician is appropriate. Most often when someone isn't making progress the answer may be found in these common and all-too human mistakes.

You are eating back all the calories you burn. When you work out you are burning extra calories. That's why exercise is so important in the weight-loss process. But many people overestimate how much they burn and even use the exercise excuse to overindulge. Have you ever told yourself, "Well I worked out today so this treat is OK."? Or, "I'll have this now but work out extra hard tomorrow to burn it off."? If this sounds all too familiar it may be one reason you are not losing weight. In order for exercise to help you lose, you can't re-eat all those extra calories you burned.

You're relying on exercise alone to do the trick. Exercise alone will not help you lose wight. Let me repeat that, exercise alone will not help you lose weight. Exercise does burn calories, but usually not as much as people think. A full hour of intense exercise may only burn 400 - 500 calories for a lot of people. On the other hand, it's easy to eat hundreds, even thousands, of calories in a few minutes. If you are not changing what you eat and reducing your calorie intake, exercise alone probably won't provide the help you need.

You are not eating as healthfully as you think. We all think we eat pretty well. Especially when we frame it in the context of how others around us eat. The truth is that the majority of people could and should improve their diets immensely. If you are not meeting basic guidelines for a healthy diet (which involve far more than just counting calories alone) and you don't track your nutrition intake to see how it all adds up, you shouldn't make assumptions about how well you actually eat. For those of you choosing those weight-loss in a shake and bar solutions, it really does matter what other real foods are in your daily intake.  A generally accepted guideline to sustaining a healthy diet and weight is that no more than 50% of the nutrients your body needs and gets should come from supplements (regardless of the form of the supplement). Ideally, the highest percentage of nutrients we consume should come from whole (not processed) foods. Research confirms that people underestimate the quantity of food they eat, so read labels and measure.

You're doing the wrong kind of exercise.  If you are exercising regularly, you are already doing a very important thing to improve your health. But when it comes to exercising for weight loss, there's a lot of confusion out there. All types of exercise will burn calories, which can help with weight loss. Weight loss is all about burning calories and cardio is still the calorie-burning king. But, strength training is important too, so that you can manage your energy and the amount of muscle versus fat that contributes to your weight loss. The best exercise plan emphasizes cardio for calorie burning and includes strength training to preserve lean muscle. Both are important. Neither approach can do everything by itself.

You are not being consistent enough. When you are struggling to lose those last 5 or 10 pounds or to overcome a plateau, consistency in your efforts (both healthy eating and exercise) is even more important. It is common to choose and stick to a strict diet and fitness program for days or weeks at a time. But, those rigorous programs don't always help you build the healthy habits that you will be able to sustain as a new lifestyle. Short bursts of eating perfectly and exercising religiously may not show results on the scale. Assess the reasonableness and regularity of what you are choosing and doing.

Successful, permanent weight loss is not a onetime event. It is an integration of healthy diet choices and regular physical activity that becomes a sustainable new lifestyle for you and your family. That means taking the time to learn about options, find tasty, healthy food choices and explore exercise and fitness options to find ones that are fun for you.

Good luck and please feel free to contact me if I may provide additional information and support.

barbarajlaird.zumba.com
gettingfitwithbj@gmail.com

Making Time for Fitness

The most common excuse for not exercising is "no time." But examine that excuse at close range and it's usually about something deeper, says Lavinia Rodriguez, PhD, clinical psychologist. "Typically, it's lack of motivation, lack of enjoyment, negative associations, fear or maybe low self-esteem."

Busy as we are, we have less trouble finding time for television, social networking or even boring household tasks because there simply aren't the same steep psychological barriers to those activities. If you want to exercise, you will make the time. Here are some simple strategies to get a handle on finding time. Can you find one or two to implement into your lifestyle?

Find five minutes. Even if your day is packed with meetings and other commitments, you absolutely can scrape together five minutes for yourself. That simple act of self-care has the potential to change your life. It is OK to start small. A five-minute walk now can easily turn into daily thirty-minute walks a few weeks from now.  

Log off Facebook. We spend, on average, a whopping seven hours a month on Facebook.  We all know what average means...that for some it is less and some it is more.   Seven hours a month works out to 105 minutes each week or exactly 15 minutes every day. Don't banish Facebook. Just limit it to two short sessions a day. Then log off and stay off.  And that doesn't include any of those games you might be playing. How much time do you spend playing with an app?

Limit screen time.  Don't aimlessly surf cable channels of the Internet. That's a surefire way to wast time you could be spending in more active ways. Most of us occasionally watch shows we don't love because we're bored. Consider trading just 30 minutes of that low-value television time for exercise. And when you do watch TV, be an active watcher and make the most of it. Keep fitness equipment, like a kettlebell, resistance bands, a jump rope, near the TV. Use the commercial breaks to mix in brief cardio intervals by running in place or up and down the stairs.

Be a hot date.  Dinner and a movie is so cliche. What if, instead, you took your partner to a cycling class or a dance lesson, went on a hike or a picnic, or kicked a soccer ball around the park? You get a bonus on this one:  research shows that shared activity builds attraction.

Socialize on the move.  Next time a friend suggests meeting for lunch, dinner or drinks, counter with an active invitation. How about joining you for a Zumba Fitness or yoga class or a quick walk around the lake? Instead of spending time on the phone or emailing back and forth, suggest that you catch up on the latest news over a leisurely bike ride, or bond by trying an athletic pursuit that neither of you has ever tried.

Be yourself. Part of the reason you can't make time for exercise may be because you are not focusing on the right workout for your personality. For example, don't assume you are a runner just because your best friend loves to run. Instead, analyze your lifestyle and personality and find something that suits you. Once you understand your fitness personality, you will be able to identify activities you enjoy and squeezing them into your schedule won't be as hard.

Work while you wait.  Do you find yourself waiting by the practice field or cramming in one more errand while your kids are at their activities?  Why not take a bike with you and ride around near the fields while the kids practice? Or just put on your sneakers and take a walk for the hour.

We all have reasons for not exercising, but it comes down to time management and fear. Fear you will get injured, fear of embarrassment, fear of failure. Instead we should be afraid of what will happen if we don't exercise.  Find something fun, something that you can enjoy, because you want to make it part of your lifestyle, not some grueling punishment for eating that extra treat.

Explore. Have fun. I'm here if you need help.

gettingfitwithbj@gmail.com
barbarajlaird.zumba.com

Simple Nutrition

A group of my colleagues are currently engaged in a weight-loss challenge. Although I do not subscribe to "Biggest Loser" type approaches nor a focus solely on weight loss, I admire them for their commitment and wish all great success.  Early in their program they are inundated with recommendations on quick fix diets and supplements and all kinds of well intended morsels of advice and factoids.  I share today's blog post with all in the hopes that it can simplify your journey and the choices that confront you.

As more and more information abounds on healthy eating, even basic nutrition facts can become confusing. While most of us understand that a healthy lifestyle is based on a healthy diet and exercise, it can be difficult to navigate how food facts are applied to daily living. One thing is certain, you can't just pluck out one little morsel of factoid (like citrus can help muscle result during training or calcium is a productive supplement during weight loss).   Although both tidbits of information have some literature and application to support them, neither can stand on their own in the midst of other non-productive behaviors.

Although weight-loss may come from reducing the number of calories we take in, it is not all just about calories in and calories out - content matters.  We can all accept that 1800 calories of just one thing, whether sugar or protein or fat or whatever wouldn't produce a long-term healthy, sustainable result. Evidence also demonstrates that we can restrict our caloric intake too low for too long (much literature suggests that extremely reduced calorie diets - say less than 1000 - 1200 calories per day) cannot be sustained for more than one week without slowing down metabolism. And when metabolism slows down, the body starts to hold onto all of its calories and weight loss stalls or stops entirely. Calories equal energy to our bodies and we need a certain amount of productive calories for the body to function well.

I subscribe to eating whole food, in correct portions. Smaller, more frequent meals and snacks that include something from each nutrition group (protein, healthy carbohydrate, healthy fat, fruits & vegetables) in each meal or snack. Buy more of your food from the produce and fresh portions of the market and less processed or prepared foods. Take the time to explore tastes, recipes, and unbiased sources for things you like. Have fun with the exploration because you are looking for things that you will enjoy as a permanent part of your new lifestyle - not just as a short-term "suffering" for weight loss. Read the darn labels (both the "Nutrition Facts" and ingredients) to understand portion and content in your choices.

Find some qualified, objective sources that are not selling products to help you navigate the constant stream of information and design a comprehensive plan that fits you. Good luck to all. I know you can succeed and enjoy the journey along the way.

barbarajlaird.zumba.com
gettingfitwithbj@gmail.com

Fitness Truths and Myths

Half-truths and myths abound in the fitness community (dieting as well, but that's another post). It often starts with good intentions when someone shares a tip and you pass it along and others have heard the same or similarly. So, you figure it must be true.  One over-riding truth about fitness is that we all react differently to exercise. What is true for one person may not be true for another.  To some extent, we all have to find our own truths as we explore our healthy lifestyle.

Some myths are harmless half-truths, but others may be harmful and can lead to frustration or injury. However, experts say there are also some fitness myths that just need busting!  Here are a few with thoughts from experts.

Fitness Myth:  Yoga can help with all sorts of back pain.  The truth is that yoga can help with some back pain, but it's not equally good for all types. "If your back pain is muscle-related, then yes, the yoga stretches and some of the positions can help. It can also help build a stronger core, which for many people is the answer to lower back pain," says Todd Schlifstein, DO, a clinical instructor at New York University Medical Center's Rusk Institute. But if your back problems are related to other problems (such as a ruptured disc) yoga is not likely to help. What's more, it could irritate the injury.

Fitness Myth:  Running on a treadmill puts less stress on your knees than running on asphalt or pavement. "Running is a great workout, but it can impact the knees - and since it's the force of your body weight on your joints that causes the stress, it's the same whether you're on a treadmill or on asphalt," says Dr. Schlifstein. The best way to reduce knee impact is to vary your workout. If you are confining yourself to cardio machines, you want to mix it up by adding an elliptical machine or riding a stationary bike, both of which will reduce impact on your knees.

Fitness Myth:  Doing crunches or working on an "ab machine" will get rid of belly fat. Don't believe everything you hear on those infomercials. While ab crunching may help strengthen the muscles around your midsection and improve your posture, being able to see your abdominal muscles has to do with your overall percentage of body fat. "You can't pick and choose areas where you'd like to burn fat," says Phil Tyne, director of the fitness center at the Baylor Tom Landry Health & Wellness Center in Dallas. So crunches aren't going to target weight loss in that area. In order to burn fat, you should create a workout that includes both cardiovascular and strength-training elements. This will decrease your overall body fat content, including the area around your midsection. And don't forget to add some balance and stretches in there, as well.

Fitness Myth:  When it comes to working out, you've got to feel some pain if you're going to gain any benefits. Of all the fitness myths ever to have surfaced, experts agree that the "no pain-no gain" method holds the greatest potential for harm.  While you should expect to have some degree of soreness a day or two after working out that's very different from feeling pain while you are working out. "A fitness activity should not hurt while you are doing it, and if it does, then either you are doing it wrong, or you already have an injury," Schlifstein says. Experts do not advise "working through the pain." They say that if it hurts, stop, rest, and see if the pain goes away. If it does not go away, or it begins again or increases after you start to work out, see a doctor.

This is by no means an inclusive list of facts and fiction, but it is a good starting point to use in assessing your fitness choices and decisions. For me, rule number one is finding things that are fun, effective, and safe so that they may become a sustainable part of your ongoing healthy lifestyle.

Please let me know if I can be of any help.
barbarajlaird.zumba.com
gettingfitwithbj@gmail.com

Making Lifestyle Changes That Last

In lieu of my blog today, I am sharing a link to an article from the American Psychological Association Help Center. This is a succinct and qualified affirmation of the theme of methods to successfully implement a healthy lifestyle. It supports the foundation of my blog which is to make a plan, start small, change one behavior at a time.

www.apa.org/helpcenter/lifestyle-changes.aspx

Enjoy this article and don't hesitate to reach out if I can help you in any way.

gettingfitwithbj@gmail.com
barbarajlaird.zumba.com

Simple Little Taste Treats Keep it Fun

Are you tired of carrots and celery sticks as your snack? Are you looking for different and fun treats to support your healthy eating?  Here are a random mix of some of my favorite treats. Some can stand on their own as a light meal or snack - or be a side dish. Some make a great hostess dish.

Apple and Greek yogurt salad.  Cut up one small apple. Mix one tablespoon of Greek yogurt with one teaspoon of cinnamon and stir in the apple.  You can stop here or get creative by adding copped walnuts or pecans; raisins or dried cranberries; or grapes. Serve on top of your favorite greens (I like this on Boston Bib lettuce).

Tomato-Basil Skewers
Ingredients:  16 small fresh mozzarella balls; 16 fresh basil leaves; 16 cherry tomatoes; Extra-virgin olive oil to drizzle; Coarse salt, to taste; freshly ground pepper, to taste.

Directions. Thread mozzarella, basil and tomatoes on small skewers. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

In addition to being fresh and tasty, each skewer brings a nutritional bonus by offering 3g or protein. A great way to party without guilt. Make a couple batches and take as a hostess gift to a party.

Here's a quick snack I've shared before:  Toast a 100% whole wheat English muffin. Drizzle with honey and top with cinnamon.   Tasty, sweet, and a great way to add some filling fiber.

Apple slices with Brie Cheese Spread. Oh la la! This duo will crush your craving for something sweet and also deliver fiber and antioxidants.






 Cherries and Chocolate Pudding.  The next time your sweet tooth tugs you toward something rich, dunk some cherries in chocolate pudding. It doesn't offer the nutritional benefits of some of our other healthy snacks, but at about 100 calories per cup, it's a waistline-friendly alternative to other sugary treats. Not to mention the cherries add fiber and vitamin C to the mix.




If you are entertaining, try to make a small spread of the Apple slices with Brie Cheese and the Cherries and Chocolate Pudding. Together they make an elegant and indulgent dessert choice.

Lastly, here's one of my favorite sandwiches:  Lightly toast 2 slices of 100% whole wheat bread. Get 2 triangles of Laughing Cow Swiss Light cheese and spread one on each slice of toast.  Add a couple slices of fresh tomato.  This makes a sandwich with a yummy combination of taste and texture.  

I hope these random ideas add some fun to your mix and also prompt some creative ideas of your own.

I'm here to help.

barbarajlaird.zumba.com
gettingfitwithbj@gmail.com

Fitness: How do I make time? How do I keep interested?

According to the Mayo Clinic, starting a fitness program may be one of the best things you can do for your health. After all, physical activity can reduce your risk of chronic disease, help you lose and manage weight, even boost your self-esteem. And the benefits are available for you regardless of age, sex, or physical ability.

The Department of Health and Human Services recommends that healthy adults include aerobic exercise and strength training in their fitness plans.   How much?   At least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week and strength training exercises at least twice a week. At this point, many say they just don't have time. I would suggest that you just haven't had a good, objective assessment of your work/home life and that there are plenty of opportunities to find time and activities that suit your tastes and lifestyle.   Although gym memberships are certainly a dependable way to find access to year-round fitness activities, there are lots of other things that can promote fitness within your healthy lifestyle.

When you are designing your personal fitness program, consider your fitness goals. Think about your likes and dislikes and write down your personal barriers to fitness. That provides a framework to develop practical strategies for a program that you can keep on track.

Be realistic:  When it comes to making healthy changes in your life, the road to success is paved with small changes made one step at a time. But the payoffs are huge. Forming healthy habits now will help you look and feel better and keep you running strong for years to come. Remember, small steps add up to long-lasting results.

Day in and Day out:  When it comes to a smooth-running body, it's what you do over time that counts. Every healthy body gets overfed or becomes idle now and then. Don't worry. Just balance out these times by eating less of being more physically active for a while. No need to view just one meal or one day as a failure.

Get moving:

Work off a big lunch by taking a bike ride or walk with your family or friends after work. Yes, you might need to give up one television show for this, but the time is there.

Instead of socializing with friends by watching videos or dining, plan to go walking, biking, or dancing.

Walk around the sidelines or stroll around the field instead of lounging in the stands while the kids play soccer or softball. Are you in a facility with bleachers? Walk up and down the bleachers.

I've said it before, I'll say it again - host a meeting without food. Brainstorm in small walking groups. Add a fitness activity to your seminar or training event.

Run up and down the stairs with each load of laundry. Lose the remote and get up and change the channel. Get up and walk to your coworker's office instead of calling.

Join a class at a local fitness facility or park. Find something fun for you. If it's not fun, it's not sustainable. Add some variety to keep things interesting and challenging.

There's no time like the present. If you would like assistance with your assessment, plan, or implementation, don't hesitate to contact me.

barbarajlaird.zumba.com
gettingfitwithbj@gmail.com

Simple Changes

Did you start the year full of resolutions and making bunches of changes vowing this would be the year you ate better, lost weight, and exercised regularly? Do you find yourself half-way through the year and back to your usual habits of skipping breakfast, grabbing chocolate or high-powered drinks to get you through the afternoon slump, and neglecting your fruit and vegetable intake?  Don't feel guilty about it. It isn't that you lack willpower - it may be that you tried to change too much at once.

Through my blog, I attempt to share easy ways to take small steps and make simple, sustainable changes to your eating, drinking and exercising habits. Once you've turned one or two into a habit you can add one or two more and make huge strides towards your health goals with little conscious effort.

Easy Changes to Your Eating Habits

Eat a small apple or pear BEFORE your lunch every day. It will take the edge off your appetite and get your digestion process kicked off with some fluid and fiber while it contributes to hitting your five-a-day goal.

Go vegetarian one night a week. Most nutritionists agree that we eat more meat than we need to. Have an animal-free dinner once a week - it's a great opportunity to try out some new recipes that are packed with vegetables and flavors. You'll also save yourself a little money. I started my own journey by aiming to not eat animal 3 days per week.  For me that means no meat, no fowl, and no fish. That started me on a search for recipes that has become so much fun that I am now mostly a vegetarian. I do consume some dairy (primarily cheese and  yogurt), eggs, and I have occasional seafood.  

Switch to whole grains. There are a number of opportunities to switch to whole wheat or whole grains. Switch the bread on your sandwich, check the content on your cereal, change out your pasta and rice. Look for 100% whole wheat or whole grain. You have to read the ingredients carefully on this one. Try to find as many of those products that are 100% - not just a blend.  You can't go by the name or labeling of the product, they can be deceiving. 

Switch to skim milk (1% or less). Do you drink whole milk or put it on cereal? It might seem odd for the first few days, but stick with it for a week; your taste buds will quickly adjust. You will be getting just as much calcium and protein as before.

Keep a bottle of water on your desk.  It is easy to mistake slight thirst for hunger, leading to unnecessary snacking. 

Avoid milky drinks from coffee outlets. Do you have a giant latte every morning? You could be clocking up over 300 calories and chances are, it doesn't fill you up at all. And think of all the money you can save - for many regular drinkers it could pay for the gym membership and fund a cool pair of sneakers.

Easy changes to Your Exercise Habits

Go for a twenty minute walk every lunchtime. If you are struggling to fit exercise into your day, get away from your desk for a twenty-minute walk each lunch time. It's a good way to force yourself to take a break from work, and refreshes your mind and your body,. 

Take a fitness class once a week. Wherever you live or work, chances are that you can find a convenient exercise class somewhere nearby. Find one class you can do, once a week - and stick with it.

Make Sunday afternoons active. As Monday looms ever closer, you may find that your mood and energy levels plummet. A great way to counter this is to do something active on Sunday afternoons. Mix this up from week to week. Have some family play time in the park. Go skating with a friend or partner. Take a long walk.

Exercise during commercial breaks. Whenever you are watching television, get up off the sofa during commercials and do some exercise. Fit in a few stretches; some jogging in place; or lift some dumbbells (you can keep some dumbbells under the sofa so they are conveniently ready to grab). You might only fit in a few minutes at a time, but over the course of an evening's TV viewing that could easily add up to half an hour and it stops you from grabbing yet another snack.  

You don't have to do all of these at one time. Pick one that seems easy for you and turn it into a habit. Then pick another, and so on, and so on.    Two months down the road you will have a lot of good, productive, sustainable habits without dramatic sacrifice.

barbarajlaird.zumba.com

gettingfitwithbj@gmail.com

Top 10 Herbs and Spices You Need More Of

From black pepper to cinnamon and other common seasonings, here's how spicing up your food can give your health new zest, too. These top seasonings not only make your meal taste amazing, they can also fight cancer and heart disease, and keep other troubles at bay.

Black Pepper - The pepper mill may not just be a weapon against bland food. It could stop cancer cells from growing and dividing.

Chives - Not just a delicious garnish, these pungent green shoots may help neutralize the effect of carcinogens and help muzzle tumor growth in a host of different cancers.

Cinnamon - One of the most easy to use spices, may help you fend off the diabetes epidemic by keeping your blood sugar under control. Cinnamon may help cells take in sugar and use insulin better. Sorry, it doesn't work if it is on top of a gooey cinnamon bun.

Ginger - Known for quelling motion sickness, ginger can also soothe a sour stomach, calm achy knees, reduce cholesterol, nix artery clogging blood clots, reduce post-workout soreness, inhibit cancer cells, and quash damaging inflammation. Just keep it fresh.

Oregano - When GIs brought oregano home from Italy after World War II, they probably didn't know they were carrying an herb that contains 42 times more antioxidants than apples - or that would later be found in studies to beat inflammation.

Parsley - Promote parsley from a garnish to a starring role and you'll not only get fresher breath; guys may also get prostate protection.

Rosemary - Love the taste of grilled burgers? Add rosemary extract to your burgers before grilling for extra flavor and to prevent the production of cancer-causing substances called heterocyclicamines (HCAs) by up to 90%. Need more reasons to stick a sprig of this herb in lemonade or a cup of  hot tea? Lab studies suggest it may prevent breast cancer and leukemia cells from multiplying.

Saffron - This beautiful reddish-yellow herb may be a potent mind medicine that can help transform you from grumpy or down-in-the-dumps to happy and even svelte. Certain compounds in this herb may help decrease anxiety and even depression. In one study, reducing emotional eating and snacking in overweight women.

Thyme - That minty, lemony flavor in your mouthwash? It could be thyme, which has long been used as an antiseptic. Now this herb has been found to have potent anti-inflammatory properties, too. That makes you heart happy, since high levels of inflammation in your body can open the door to heart disease.

Tumeric - Contains the compound curcumin, which studies suggest has nearly total-body benefits. This inflammation fighter may curb damage to your arteries, keep your memory sharp, and even squelch next-day soreness after a workout. It may also help turn off pancreatic and colon cancer cells. An easy way to get this potent compound: yellow mustard. A teaspoon contains the perfect daily dose. 

Remember that these herbs and spices have typically demonstrated their value in studies in their whole, natural form - not in some pill or capsule form. They are readily available and generally affordable to add to your pantry and incorporate into your meal planning.

barbarajlaird.zumba.com

gettingfitwithbj@gmail.com

It's Often in the Little Things We Do

Are you in a stalemate with the scale? You've been walking the straight and narrow -counting calories - working out - and yet you are not dropping pounds. What's up with that? The answer may be hiding in the random things you do over the course of an average day - those little habits that seemingly have no connection to weight loss, but may be sabotaging your best get-fit efforts. Ask yourself these questions and if you answer yes to any or all of them, you may have found an opportunity for a small modification that can help to get you back on track.

Do you always eat "healthy"?  According to a report from Yale University, a funny thing happens when you focus on making careful diet decisions. If you just "think" of your meal as a light choice, it can cause your brain to make more of the hormone ghrelin and more ghrelin makes you feel less full and signals your metabolism to slow down. To keep your ghrelin balanced, focus on the more indulgent parts of your meal - like the nuts and cheese on your salad, rather than the lettuce. It also helps to pick foods that are both healthy and seem like a treat, like a warm bowl of soup with crusty whole-grain bread. Here's a good spot to share one of my favorite snacks when you want something sweet.   Lightly toast a 100% whole grain english muffin; drizzle with honey; sprinkle cinnamon on top.  This treat gives you the taste sensations of some of those decadent cinnamon bun treats, but without all the fats, sugars, and dense calories.

Do you pay with plastic?  Carrying cash may feel a little last century, but people who use a credit card when grocery shopping buy significantly more unhealthy, calorie dense food than people who pay cash according to a study in the Journal of Consumer Research. 

Do you think about exercise a lot?  There's a downside to that says a new French study. Simply thinking about exercise can cause you to eat 50 percent more. Why? People assume that the upcoming workout gives them license to snack. Avoid excessive munching with a pre-gym snack of no more than 150 calories. Try two slices of turkey with whole grain crackers.

Are you laser-focused at work?  Researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia found that if you sit for just a few hours your body stops making a fat-inhibiting enzyme called lipase. Stand and stretch every hour and you'll boost your metabolism by about 13 percent. Or, fidget all day (tap your feet or bounce in your chair) and increase your calorie burn by 54 percent.

Do you sleep too little?  "Not enough shut-eye puts your body into a carb and fat-craving survival mode," says Micael Breus, PhD, author of The Sleep Doctor's Diet Plan. A study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that women who slept fewer than four hours ate 300 more calories and 21 more grams of fat the next day. Try this to gauge your sleep needs:  For a week, go to bed seven and a half hours before you need to get up. If you awaken before the alarm, you can get by with less sleep. But if you hit snooze, you may need eight, even nine, hours a night to wake up refreshed, recharged, and ready to burn some fat.

For me, one of the consistent messages we can learn from this is that we need to make simple, sustainable changes to eating healthfully and staying active as a habitual way of life.  Too much thinking about it can sabotage our efforts.

Email me or visit my website:
gettingfitwithbj@gmail.com
barbarajlaird.zumba.com

Start Now Stay Young: Some Simple Anti Aging Fitness Tips

Helping your body stay young or feel younger should be a proactive process instead of being reactive as we age. It is important to keep a healthy body as we age and we all know that staying active and eating right play the biggest roles. Here are some commonsense health tips that I hope will remind you to keep investing in your long term healthy future. This is stuff we all know but tend to put in the file cabinet called, "I'm Too Busy But I'll Get to It."   Let's all work together to get to it now so that we can keep enjoying all the things we want to do for a long, long time.

1.  The body was designed to be in motion. So get out of the house or office and get your body moving.  Park the car. Do you have friends or a place of interest within one mile of your home?   Walk there.  How about a three mile range?  Ride a bike.

2.  Host a meeting in a park rather than at a restaurant. Be a trendsetter on this one.  Contrary to popular habit, it is not necessary to have food to get productively through an agenda.

3. Breakfast is the most vital meal. It is what refuels your body after metabolic changes during sleep. It is best to include carbohydrates, fats, and proteins for an ideal nutritional mix. Remember we talked about productive carbs and healthy fats in earlier posts.

4. Limit intake of processed foods like canned goods, refrigerated, packaged, and dried foods. Consider eating whole foods. Start by adding slices of fresh fruits and vegetables to each and every meal.

5.  Be conscious of what you are drinking. Sodas, coffee, energy drinks, and alcohol drinks contain a lot of calories and/or chemicals. When you feel thirsty, the cheapest and most helpful for your body is to grab a glass of water or diluted freshly squeezed juice instead.

6.  Reduce your sugar gradually in your beverages, cereals, dressings - wherever you add it.

7.  Monitor your food and beverage intake by keeping a diary for a few weeks. This will allow you to know what and how you eat and can help you think about your goals and triggers that sabotage your plan.

See, you already knew all this stuff.  Just start implementing some of these simple changes into your existing routine. Think about adding one good habit a week.

barbarajlaird.zumba.com

Dancing Your Way to Mental and Physical Fitness

For centuries, dance manuals and other writings have lauded the health benefits of dancing, usually as physical exercise. More recently we've seen research on further health benefits of dancing, such as stress reduction and increased serotonin level, with its sense of well-being.

Most recently we've heard of another benefit: Frequent dancing apparently makes us smarter. A major study added to the growing evidence that stimulating one's mind can ward off Alzheimer's disease and other dementia, much as physical exercise can keep the body fit. Dancing also increases cognitive acuity at all ages. Here's a summary of a report published in the New England Journal of Medicine on a 21-year study of senior citizens, 75 and older, led by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, funded by the National Institute on Aging.

The study wanted to see if any physical of cognitive recreational activities influenced mental acuity. They discovered that some activities had a significant beneficial effect while other activities had none.

One of the surprises of the study was that almost none of the physical activities appeared to offer any protection against dementia. Of course, there can be cardiovascular benefits, but this study was focused on the brain. There was one important exception: the only physical activity to offer protection against dementia was frequent dancing.

Reading - 35% reduced risk of dementia: Bicycling and swimming - 0%; Doing crossword puzzles at least four days a week - 47%; Playing gold - 0%; Dancing frequently - 76%. Dancing frequently was the greatest risk reduction of any activity studied, cognitive or physical. Dancing. The greatest benefit appears to come from freestyle, social dancing over memorized sequence dancing. 

Dancing integrates several brain functions at once, involving kinesthetic, rational, musical and emotional processes. The study also suggested to do it often. More is better. And do it now, the sooner the better.

Think about adding some dance fitness to your healthy lifestyle.  Try classes that integrate dance, look for social situations where you can dance. Get the family rocking freestyle at home for some fun.  There are many ways to incorporate healthy activity into your lifestyle.  Think and dance outside the box.

barbarajlaird.zumba.com

Let's Give Some Love Back to Those Carbohydrates

Contrary to the thinking of popular diets on the market over the past couple decades, carbohydrates are not all bad and are an essential part of a healthy diet. Carbs are the body's primary source of energy; help the body's muscles work better; are necessary for brain function; supply the body with essential vitamins and minerals; supply the body with fiber.  Unfortunately, not all carbohydrates are good and the negative ones have given the whole family a bad name.  The right type of carbohydrate can boost your health.

Fortunately, it's fairly easy to identify the good from the bad. The simplest rule of thumb is that carbohydrates found in whole foods are productive.  Those good carbs are plant foods that deliver fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals along with grams of carbohydrate such as whole grains, beans, vegetables and fruits. You can't judge a carb as "good" without considering its fiber content (unless it's a naturally low-fiber food like skim or low-fat milk). We can enjoy the benefits of good carbs by choosing carbohydrates full of fiber. 

What are the "bad" carbs?  Sugars; "added" sugars; refined "white" grains. We can minimize the health risk of bad carbs by eating fewer refined and processed carbohydrates that strip away beneficial fiber (Examples:  white bread and white rice; packaged/processed snacks).

Some simple changes I've made and sustained over the past six years include choosing only whole wheat and grains in every possible way (which includes bread, rolls, pasta, crackers, cereal). You have to read the ingredients.  Just because a product is labeled whole grain or wheat doesn't mean that it doesn't also contain white and enriched flour.  I choose not to use blends, but to really maximize the value of whole grains.  Another simple approach is to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables every day.  Set a goal to eat at least five servings a day of fruits and vegetables to get 10 or more grams of fiber in your meal plan. Include some beans and bean products in your recipes. Just a half-cup of cooked beans will add from 4 to 8 grams of fiber and other great nutrients to your day. 

There are lots of great sources for more information on understanding carbohydrates. Studies have demonstrated that carbohydrates are essential for proper body functioning. Eliminating carbs can promote malnutrition. The story on carbohydrates is similar to that of fats. According to Dr. Robert Eckel, a chairman of the American Heart Association's nutrition committee, "people gain weight because they eat too many calories, not carbohydrates."  And Sara A. Boldec, a nutritionist and lecturer states that, "any diet that eliminates entire food groups or has a time limit is bad for you, and any diet that promises quick results will almost always lead you right back where you started."

So, let's continue our shared journey of enjoying our simple, healthy eating and fitness habits.  For me, choosing the right carbohydrates along with lean sources of protein is what provides the fuel to sustain me in my full-time fitness career.

barbarajlaird.zumba.com
gettingfitwithbj@gmail.com

Is Your Workout Working For You?

One of the biggest mistakes people make with their exercise program is not including enough variety. Unlike fashion faux pas or getting something stuck in your teeth, when it comes to working out, no one is going to step in and tell you when it's time to step up. That means it's up to you to know when it's time for a change. The signs may not always be obvious. Miss them and you risk giving up on your fitness plan out of frustration or boredom.

Think about your fitness portfolio like you would investments. One of the best ways to strengthen a long-term financial portfolio is to diversify investments. It's easy to think about fitness the same way.  Exercise variety will help decrease your risk of heart disease, arthritis, disability, and even some kinds of cancer. In fact, recent data suggest that regularly engaging in a range of physical activities decreases all-cause mortality rates. Research shows that diversifying your workout routine offers greater payoffs than sticking to the same moves for years on end. That's because exercise variety maximizes benefits and minimizes obstacles to working out, such as injuries, plateaus, and boredom.

According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) more than half of new exercisers quit within three to six months after starting a workout program. Causes are often attributed to burnout or doing the same thing over and over so it's no longer challenging.  You're simply bored. For those that stick with it, hitting a wall may happen because you've maxed out your potential in a repetitive activity.

Maybe you are just too comfortable. Working out on autopilot makes exercise a no-brainer, but you're only cheating yourself if you no longer break a sweat. You are wasting your time if you want results and you are not going outside of your comfort zone. This can be difficult to correct because you have to want to change. One way to get out of your comfort zone is by joining a group that's doing new things or trying different training classes such as Pilates or Zumba Fitness. 

Make sure your workout is working for you by getting the right mix of flexibility exercise, strength training, and aerobic exercise.  Although your optimal balance of aerobic and strength training may vary slightly, depending on your age, a good rule of thumb is to strive for equal amounts of the the two each week, integrating flexibility exercises into every workout. This means that yes, walking is great, but in and of itself is not enough for overall fitness which results in good energy, balance, strength, injury and disease risk reduction.

Talk to your doctor about exercise if you've been diagnosed with a health issue that affects your workouts. Schedule an assessment with a personal trainer.  Try different group fitness classes. Make small changes throughout the month and think about a big change every six months or so.

Eating Good Fats

Last week we identified that eating fat isn't always the bad guy in the waistline wars. Bad fats, such as saturated fats and trans fats, are guilty of the unhealthy things all fats have been blamed for - weight gain, clogged arteries, and the like. But good fats such as the monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, and omega-3s have the opposite effect. In fact, healthy fats play a huge role in helping you manage your moods, stay on top of your mental game, fight fatigue, and even control your weight.

The answer isn't cutting out the fat - it's learning to make healthy choices and to replace bad fats with good ones that promote health and well-being. Read the nutrition labels. Become a trans fat detective and take a first step to eliminate trans fats and saturated fats from your diet.

Here are some examples:

Good Fats: Monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats are known as the "good fats" because they are good for your heart, your cholesterol, and your overall health.

     Monounsaturated fats:  olive, canola, sunflower, peanut, and sesame oils; avocados; olives; almonds; nuts like peanuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, pecans, cashews; peanut butter.
     Polyunsaturated fat:  soybean,corn and safflower oils; sunflower, sesame and pumpkins seeds;  flaxseed; fatty fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, trout, and sardines; soymilk; tofu.

Bad Fats:  Saturated facts and trans fats are known as the "bad fats" because they increase your risk of disease and elevate cholesterol.

     Saturated fat: high-fat cuts of meat, chicken with the skin; whole-fat dairy products; butter; cheese; ice cream; palm and coconut oil; lard.
     Trans fat:  Commercially-baked pastries, cookies, doughnuts, muffins, cakes, pizza dough; packaged snack foods; stick margarine; vegetable shortening; fried foods; candy bars.

Sounds complicated.  Let's start with a couple easy practices.  Read labels and avoid anything that has "partially hydrogenated oil" in the ingredients. Keep in mind that in the United States, the primary source of trans fats comes from commercially-prepared baked goods and snack foods. Avoid fast food. Do not be deceived by "low-fat" or "fat-free" claims. Replace these with more healthy fat choices.  Cook with olive oil. For baking, try canola or vegetable oil. Eat more avocados. In a sandwich, try using a quarter of an avocado instead of a slice of cheese.  It's yummy and really boosts the nutrients.  Reach for the nuts. Snack on olives.

Remember our theme of small changes that can add up to big improvements.

Habits that Make You Fat

Let's unlearn some ideas about how we get fat and resolve to change a couple simple routines.

Eating fat makes you fat. WRONG. Eating fat won't make you fat, any more than eating money will make you rich. Calories make you fat, and most "low-fat" or "fat-free" foods actually have just as many calories as their full-fat versions, because of added sugar and chemicals. And there's no debate on this one:  Since we made "cut down on fat" our favorite food craze roughly 30 years ago, the U.S. obesity rate has doubled. Among children, it has tripled. That's a failed food policy of ever there was one.   But, its just one of many "get fat" habits that can be turned into a "slim-down" habit, starting today. Here are a few other habits that you can replace right now.

It sounds crazy, but I want you to consider not buying foods marketed as low-fat or fat-free. Typically, they save you only a few calories and, in doing so, they replace harmless fats with low-performing carbohydrates that digest quickly - causing a sugar rush and, immediately afterward, rebound hunger. Researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham found that meals that limited carbohydrates to 43 percent were more filling and had a milder effect on blood sugar than meals with 55 percent carbohydrates. That means you'll store less body fat and be less likely to eat more later.

Fat Habit:  Eating free restaurant foods.  Bread sticks, biscuits, and chips and salsa may be complimentary at some restaurants, but that doesn't mean you won't pay for them. Every time you eat one of Olive Garden's free bread sticks or Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits, you're adding an additional 150 calories to your meal. Eat three over the course of dinner and that's 450 calories. That's also roughly the number of calories you can expect for every basket of tortilla chips you get at your local Mexican restaurant. What's worse, none of these calories comes paired with any redeeming nutritional value. Consider them junk food on steroids.

Fat Habit:  Skipping meals.  In a 2011 national survey from the Calorie Control Council, 17 percent of Americans admitted to skipping meals to lose weight. The problem is, skipping meals actually increases your odds of obesity, especially when it comes to breakfast. A study from the American Journal of Epidemiology found that people who cut out the morning meal were 4.5 times more likely to be obese. Why? Skipping meals slows your metabolism and boosts your hunger. That puts your body in prime fat-storage mode and increases your odds of overeating at the next meal. 

Fat Habit:  Drinking soda - even diet. The average American guzzles nearly a full gallon of soda every week. Why is that so bad? Because a study found that drinking one to two sodas per day increases your chances of being overweight or obese by nearly 33 percent. And diet soda is no better. When researchers in San Antonio tracked a group of elderly subjects for nearly a decade, they found that compared to nondrinkers, those who drank two or more diet sodas a day watched their waistlines increase five times faster. The researchers theorize that the artificial sweeteners trigger appetite cues, causing you to unconsciously eat more at subsequent meals.

Fat Habit:  Putting serving dishes on the table.  Resist setting out foods buffet or family style, and opt instead to serve them from the kitchen. A study in the journal Obesity found that when food is served from the dinner table, people consume 35 percent more over the course of the meal. When an additional helping requires leaving the table, people hesitate to go back for more.

Fat Habit:  Choosing white bread. A study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that wen obese subject incorporated whole grains into their diets, they lost more abdominal fat over the course of 12 weeks. There are likely multiple factors at play, but the most notable is this: Whole grain foods pack in more fiber and an overall stronger nutritional package than their refined-grain counterparts. Trading white for wheat is an easy fix.

Fat Habit:  Drinking fruity beverages.  Most restaurants and bars have ditched their fresh-fruit recipes in favor of viscous syrups made mostly from high fructose corn syrup and thickening agents. As a general rule, the more garnishes a drink has hanging from its rim, the worse it is for your waistline.   This rule holds true for non-alcoholic beverages, as well.

You don't need to make big changes to your diet to lose 10, 20 or even 30 pounds. You just need to make the right small tweaks. barbarajlaird.zumba.com