Abdominal Gadgets

Abs are always a thing both men and women want to improve all the time. There are many opinions out there on what works best and also many opinions on how many times per week you should work them & with how much resistance. Me, I try to constantly change my exercises and/or the order, resistance, timing (slow vs. a bit faster) etc. I also have found that working my abs/core at least 5 times per week does not hurt me but I know others that like the 3-4 times per week. I don't use heavy resistance & my abs like a little higher rep range so I say try some different things & see what works for you.

Diet Blog had an interesting article on ab gadgets. I found it informative & agree with many of the points. And yes, the ab wheel shown in the picture above does work! You can also use a stability ball to do this exercise by resting your forearms on it & rolling out in the same manner. Planks are always a great exercise in any form. Many experts also agree that the bicycle ab move & hanging leg raises (done with good form & no swinging) are good as well.

Check out the article but do try different things to see what works best for you. And as always, variety & change are key and abs do like change!!!

http://www.diet-blog.com/archives/2008/11/26/ab_gadgets_are_there_any_good_ones.php

Self-Esteem & Exercise

I am sure many of you can relate to this. Self-esteem & how it directly correlates to your exercise & food program. Many who have low self-esteem often don't feel good enough to deserve anything. They may resort to eating for comfort & escape. Also, low self-esteem stops you from trying new things or exercising for fear of others seeing you and/or making fun of you. It is the catch 22 of helping ourselves!

Diet Blog had a great article on how to help improve your self-esteem. The article outlines several points to help you thru this like:

• Stop comparing yourself to others
• Make positive contributions
• Lay off the negative self talk

Please read the article here & even if your self-esteem is fine, it is always good to read again & put them to use not only in your fitness program but other areas of your life.

http://www.diet-blog.com/archives/2008/11/28/the_single_most_important_factor_in_sticking_with_exercise.php

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all! I hope that all my recent posts help/helped you with your holiday cooking as well as surviving the day without over doing it. Remember, enjoy your day but try not to eat everything in site. Pick a couple dishes that you really want & enjoy those & try to eat healthier the rest of the meal.... or just take one bite of all the different foods & stop there. One bite is not a dish full!

Me, I like the pick a couple things I really want & enjoy those & just stay healthy for the rest. I also keep those portion sizes down!

Other survival tips. Take a walk before or after the meal ... or both!!! If you are watching a movie or sports, you can still do some of those home exercises right there while watching & maybe your healthy habits will rub off on others! Set a good example. You can also do chair squats.. meaning if you are sitting on the couch or a chair, do a squat to just before the seat & up again as many times as your legs & butt can handle it.. or do those for a whole commercial break.

Have a great day!

More Holiday Help

OK. I know the holiday is tomorrow but many of you are cooks & may have lots of ingredients in the house already. My Shape newsletter had all these great recipes along with some swap out ideas to make certain items healthier. I have put all the links below & maybe you can use some OR use them at Christmas or any ole time!!!!!

Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!

Options when cooking the holiday dinner.. swap outs!

http://www.shape.com/healthy_eating/articles/holiday__slim__lose_weight__weight_loss__fat.html

Multigrain Stuffing

http://www.shape.com/healthy_eating/recipes/Multigrain_stuffing_with_Apples_and_currants.html

Sweet Potato Marshmallow Gratin

http://www.shape.com/healthy_eating/recipes/27884574.html

Pear and Cranberry Crisp

http://www.shape.com/healthy_eating/recipes/27884599.html

Curried Pumpkin Soup

http://www.shape.com/healthy_eating/recipes/27885409.html

Holiday Help!

Here is another great article on holiday survival from Diet Detective. They call it Holiday Cheat Sheet with lots of information on how to survive not only Thanksgiving but Christmas & any other holiday or gathering that comes your way. The article discusses things like exercise no matter what even if it is 10 minute increments (see past post), buddy up with a friend for support, stay away from food courts, don't starve yourself for a party or you will end up overindulging, write down or take cell phone pics of everything you eat so you know "the truth" and much more. Read the survival article here & DO PUT THESE GREAT POINTS TO USE AT ALL TIMES!

http://www.dietdetective.com/content/view/3544/3/

Amazing Weight Loss

If any of you out there are saying to yourself that I just can't lose weight, it is just not possible, I have tried everything & all the other negative things we say to ourselves.. just read this inspirational story! This lady lost 175 pounds WITHOUT surgery!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you put your mind to it, if you want to be healthy, if you want to live to see weddings and birthdays & all the rest, just do it & stop saying you can't do it. It requires hard work and dedication but the payoff is beyond fantastic!!!! Read this story & also read her fact box of weight loss tips. I have done them all & her first one says everything: Put yourself first. You are worth it! And you are worth it!

Read the story here: http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/diet.fitness/11/21/weightloss.karen.daniel/index.html

Thx to my friend Margaret for sending this story to me!!!

Recipes & My Update

Well, here we go into Thanksgiving week. I want to get all the recipes I see to you early enough so I am linking you to more off the Hungry Girl site today. She also gives Weight Watcher points for those that follow that program. It is one of the highest rated programs out there. As always, you can change seasonings or use lower sodium items if you are watching that carefully. This link has mashed potatoes, stuffing, green bean casserole, stuffing & a couple recipes I have already posted here.... enjoy! http://www.hungry-girl.com/girls/biteoutdetails.php?isid=1603

As for me, I went to the doctor Friday & they said I am healing well. I got to do my outside jog this morn BUT I WAS WATCHING FOR DOGS!!!! My right hand is still recovering & I hope to get the stitches out Wednesday. No weights on that right hand although they said isometric exercises were OK. I have been doing light weights on the left hand and core/ab exercises all week. I was given the OK to try leg weights this week too. YAHOO!

More Holiday Survival

I saw another good article on holiday survival that I wanted to share with you. I want to get them out in plenty of time for those of you that may be traveling & would like the information now or at least in plenty of time to adjust yourself to the "food plan". Diet Detective's article has tons of good information to apply to not only Thanksgiving but all holidays. Check it out at:

http://www.dietdetective.com/content/view/1116/158/

I love this part of the article & I have said it often in my blog: "I don't know how many times I've heard someone say, "I've already ruined my diet, so it doesn't matter what I eat now." I'm not sure how that myth got started, but it can be hazardous to your waistline. The bottom line is, an extra calorie is an extra calorie -- so eating a slice of pie shouldn't give you an excuse to eat two more. And after a bowl of ice cream, you don't have to eat whatever is left in the container. Have you ever heard of cutting your losses? Well, the same rule applies to cutting your gains. It's never too late to stop."

It also talks about strategizing, food pushers, trade-offs and much more. I also say add in a walk before or after meals or both!!!!

Enjoy this article & use it for more than the holidays. Lots of good advice in there!

Circuit Workout

Here are a few good exercises you can do at home or the gym. Be sure your form is correct & on those step-ups, be sure & use a stable, solid piece of furniture or a step. They show a chair but if it is not planted to not move, it is going to tip. Same with any of the other exercises. Be sure the furniture you use is solid & will not move. If you need more resistance, use home weights or anything else like canned veggies or water bottles (full).It is always good to have things you can do at home or in the gym just in case!

Click here & start the slide show: http://www.fitsugar.com:80/slideshow/2440899?utm_source=shape&utm_medium=email&utm_term=fit_shape_newsletter&utm_content=email_link&utm_campaign=shape_email_fit_shape_newsletter_20081111

Holiday Recipe Makeover

Here is a great recipe from Hungry Girl to add to your holiday parties, bring to another party or to a family gathering. You can even make mini loafs or muffins to give out to friends and coworkers. It sounds pretty darn yummy to me!! You can always play around with seasonings or add-ins to make it your won. ENJOY! Click on the link for the recipe:

http://www.hungry-girl.com/chew/chewdetails.php?isid=1599

Holiday Survival

You will see this title post a lot as we move thru the holidays. I want to pass on any great tips I have or find to get you through this stressful time when we tend to eat more & exercise less.

First: PLAN AHEAD!!!! I already know my gym's schedule thru New Year's Day. This way, I can plan my workouts so that the days the gym closes early or closes completely, I already have a plan around that.

Second: Fill in workouts on your daily/monthly calender NOW! You are less likely to skip them if you already have them written down through year end. And while you are at it, make this a resolution to keep so that you keep your workouts a priority. You are IMPORTANT!

Third: Keep a few healthy recipes handy to take to parties and family get togethers so that you always have something healthy to eat. Better something good than nothing. You can enjoy but no need to get sick to your stomach stuffing yourself with everything in sight!

I will keep posting as I find good things to tell you. I have a couple already to post in the next few days.

PS: Once I get past my injury, I will post a new pic of me at 51. Will be a few weeks since I need to recover & get back in the gym.

Fat Loss & Milk

I have seen quite a few articles on how milk can help with fat loss. This link is from Oxygen Women's Fitness. Some of it states: "A recent study reveals that drinking cow’s milk after weight lifting helps burn fat. The university study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, identifies milk as an ideal post-workout muscle juice."

Many can't digest milk so this article also gives you alternatives so you can get the calcium, protein and vitamins. Read that here: http://oxygenmag.com/milk

PS: Thx to anonymous for your good thoughts!

Blog Update

Well, yesterday I turned 51 so I am now fit at 51! Saying that, even with all my due diligence, a dog got away from it's owner this morn & got me good in the upper thigh and right hand. Doc said I am off weights for at least a week plus. He said I could do cardio but the thigh is in pretty bad shape still so I will rest it a couple days and then re-evaluate. Since my right hand has stitches, I have to be VERY careful. So, bare with me for the next few days as I just post links to articles and exercises without much follow up or pre "talk". It will be good stuff you can put to use so stick with me.

THX!!!!!!!!!!!! Fit at 51!

Turkey Day Recipes!!!

With Thanksgiving coming up, we all know what that means... eating and eating and overeating! Many tend to eat too much at the holiday & continue on through year's end along with New Year's day. Let's get a head start on this with some great recipe makeovers from Hungry Girl. Check out the link at the end of my post for lots of them. Scroll down & click on every link in the Hungry Girl post for lots of recipe makeovers.

Plan ahead so that you don't get caught short. Hey, if you are going to another person's house, offer to bring a couple dishes so you have something you can eat & balance out the other dishes that may be higher in fat & calories. Nothing says we can't enjoy, but why not pick a couple things you really want to eat & then eat healthier for the rest of the meal. You and your body will feel better while not completely denying yourself! This is how I survive the holidays... I don't overdue but always plan ahead & pick the 1 or 2 things I want to eat that matter the most to me.

Here is the link: http://www.hungry-girl.com/week/weeklydetails.php?isid=1597

Trim the Waist

We all want to reduce that middle & waist area. Now saying that, you can do all the twists & oblique exercises in the world but if you don't eat right & do your workouts too, you are not going to see the progress!

I have made a couple posts recently on planks & I wanted to show you a couple oblique planks too. The picture above shows an easier version than I do. Also I am not thrilled with the picture but it was all I could find today. When you do oblique plank exercises, make sure you are in a very strict plank form. From there, follow the directions in the attached link. I do this same exercise but I use the plank position on my elbows which seems harder to me. Yo can also elevate your feet on a step or exercise ball. Check out the link here:

http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/abs/exercises/toning-obliques/

Another oblique plank exercise is to get yourself in the standard plank position with arms fully extended as in the picture above. Now from there, try to cross your right knee under & across the body to the left elbow. Check the attached link & scroll to the first exercise picture in that link for a better view on how to do this. It is harder than you think!

http://www.truthaboutabs.com/ab-workouts-oblique-exercises.html

Fish Facts for Health

We have all heard about the pros and cons of fish as part of our food program. Fish is a good source of protein & omega 3 fatty acids (in some BUT NOT ALL) but there is also the big problem with mercury levels in fish. It is interesting that I have seen 2 articles now on fish in the past few days and both talk about concerns with tilapia which many people eat due to it being less expensive than other fish.

Both articles discuss the omega 3 vs. the omega 6 fatty acids. In fact, the article from Dr. Weil says this about tilapia: "Farm-raised tilapia is one of the most highly consumed fish in America, yet it has very low levels of beneficial omega-3s and very high levels of potentially detrimental omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-6 fatty acids are pro-inflammatory, and inflammation is known to cause damage to blood vessels, the heart, lung and joint tissues, skin, and the digestive tract."

Dr Weil also discusses other good & bad sources of fish for you in his article at:

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/TIP03092/Best-and-Worst-Fish-Choices.html

Diet Blog had a whole article just about tilapia and came up with similar concerns but also links for more information. Part of this article mimics Dr Weil's article and says: "So when the researchers looked at farm-raised tilapia, what did they find? Only modest levels of omega-3 fatty acids (less than half a gram per 100 grams of fish) and very high levels of omega-6 fatty acids, such as arachidonic acid." Read that article here:

http://www.diet-blog.com/archives/2008/11/11/something_fishy_about_tilapia.php

I feel it is important to bring this to your attention as I see many recipes & suggestions to eat tilapia in my Fitness mags. Do your homework & eat for health!

Firm Legs!

We all want firm, tight legs that look good not only in shorts but also in pants & dresses. Holidays are coming & we want to look good no matter what we wear to our gatherings/parties.

My Shape "e" newsletter had a couple links to some great leg workouts. Some are oldie but goodies with a slight new twist for those that only know the basics. The picture above is a new take on the lunge that should challenge some & you can do them at home too!

Check out the two articles at the links below:

http://www.shape.com/workouts/routines/29898679.html : anti-rotation lunge

http://www.shape.com/workouts/routines/34030549.html : Split lunge, step-up, single leg press

Save $$ On Food

With these tough times we are going through right now & most likely more tough financial times ahead as well, tips for saving money on food is an important thing! Diet Blog had a decent article on this like the following:

• Make a list and stick to it


• Cut up your own veggies vs. buying pre-cut which are more expensive


• Buy the bargains & larger package sizes & freeze

There are more points in this article to read but I have a couple myself.

• Shop the outer edges of the super market where the the whole foods are vs. all those packaged goods which can cost more & are less healthy for you.


• Don't shop hungry! You are likely to buy more, buy things you really should not & possibly eat while you are shopping.. YIKES!


• Shop at Costco, Sam's or super stores where you can get better prices. Just be aware that things come in HUGE packages so freezing may be a must if you are a small family. DON'T get carried away & buy things you don't need as I see people do there often. Make that list & stick to it there too.

Here is the Diet Blog article & if my readers have suggestions, send them in!
http://www.diet-blog.com/archives/2008/11/07/8_tips_for_spending_less_on_food.php

Recipe Makeover

I have to say that this is the weirdest recipe makeover I have ever read about.. Diet Soda Cake! This comes from the Hungry Girl site & I guess it is something she had written about before & a reader question prompted another post on it. Scroll down to the second question when you click on the attached link. This is part of what she has to say:

"Just take a box of cake mix, and INSTEAD of adding the eggs, oil, water, etc., that the box tells you to add, just mix with 1 can of diet soda, and then bake according to box directions (or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean)."

She discussed this a bit more in depth at the link along with variations & also check out the link in her answer for Canned Pumpkin. There are a few treat recipe makeovers there!

ENJOY!!!! http://www.hungry-girl.com/askhg/askhgdetails.php?isid=1589

Why "Diets" Fail

OK, how often have I posted about this... too many times to count! Don't go on a diet. Go on a program of changing your food & fitness habits for life!!!! I have said this over & over. The word diet tends to mean to people that you are going on some sort of program to lose weight & then they will go back to life as before. This just can't happen.

I know this first hand. Once you lose the weight, you really have to work at it for life. Get over it & accept this. It is a fact of life. If your health is that important to you then this should be too! I lost weight years ago but I have had to work at it since then & I have had to change many things along the way as my body & hormones changed with age. Hey, this does not mean that you never get to enjoy "fun foods" as you may call them. There are many ways to work that in!

Diet blog had a great article on why diets fail like depriving yourself of fun foods, emotional factors (WHICH IS HUGE) and more. In fact my favorite comment: "When people diet, they often eat in a way which is not sustainable long-term - so as soon as the diet ends, they go straight back to their old ways." As I have said many times, you have to have a program that you can live with for life!!!!

Read the article about why diets fail & tips for avoiding that:

http://www.diet-blog.com/archives/2008/11/06/do_diets_work.php

Inner Thigh Tightener

Here is a great exercise that you can do at home or at the gym to work the inner thigh. You don't need the Bosu Trainer to do it either although that will give you more range of movement. You can just lie on your side to do the movement. If you don't have a body bar, use weights or resistance tubing to make it harder. Some of you may be fine without any resistance at first.

To work the outer thigh (not shown), put the body bar on the top leg & lift that one (like the "olden days" ; it all comes back again!). As above, you can use ankle weights or tubing to increase the difficulty.

For both of these, really use that mind to muscle link.. FEEL IT. Per my plank posts, do these while watching the news or your fav TV show.. just make sure you are feeling it & using proper form!

Here is the link to how to do the move in the picture above:

http://www.shape.com/workouts/articles/leg_and_thigh_exercises.html

More on Planks

I got a couple reader questions on planks from my Sunday post. By the way, thx to all my readers & your comments!

Anyway, the reader questions were about how often to do planks and how many should be done when you do them. Well, once again, abs/core is always a source of varying opinions in the expert world. Some experts say you can do abs/core every day or let's say 5 days per week. Other experts say that every other day or 3 days per week is best.

I think planks can be pretty tough if you do them right so see what you can handle. When you first start, you may only be able to hold the position 15 -30 seconds and maybe only 3-5 reps. I have worked up to 2 minutes or more when I hold the position & then as I do more reps, this may decrease to 1 minute holds. I also do this while watching the news or TV so I do rest a bit more in between reps so I may do 10 reps of 1-2 minute holds of varying types of planks over 30 minutes or so. If your rest in between is less, you may have shorter hold times and your reps may then decrease.

See what your body can handle. If you do an intense plank workout, rest a day or 2 before doing them again.. especially if you are a beginner. If you are just throwing in a plank or 2 with your other core workout, rest as normal between your ab workouts.

For me, I can do abs 5- 6 days a week with a mixture all types of ab exercises & do fine but I also have been working out for years.

Newbies may want to rest a day between workouts & if very intense and still sore, add another day of rest, but do them at least 3 days per week. You are going to have to see how your body responds. I still believe it is NOT a one size fit all.

Check out this link to a side plank from The Biggest Loser site. You can just hold it here if the other versions are too hard: http://www.nbc.com/The_Biggest_Loser/dietcenter/fitness/side_plank.shtml

Also, on regular planks, try lifting one leg at a time to make it harder and/or pulse that one straight leg that is off the floor to work the glutes!

VOTE & Exercise!

First Things First: VOTE TODAY! This our chance to make a difference so just do it!!!

OK, now that I have said that, let's talk about what you can do while watching the returns. No need to just sit there. You can do crunches, reverse crunches, planks per Sunday's post, high leg lifts or marching or step-ups up and down the stairs during commercials, oblique crunches and so much more.

Hey, want to work your butt, do squats, lunges, butt bridge lifts, side lying leg lifts for inner & outer thighs, donkey kick leg lifts, standing butt leg lifts & more. Have a resistance band at home or dumbbells, use that for added resistance.

I have shown you a picture of the donkey kick leg lift above & below have added a link to butt/leg exercises you can do at home. Make the most of election night by getting some exercise at the same time. Hey, carry this on into other TV watching nights. Make the most use of your time!!! AND VOTE!

Link to exercise post: http://exercise.about.com/cs/exerciseworkouts/l/blsupersetlower.htm

Portion Control-Important!!!!

I have said it before & I will say it again, a key to weight loss is PORTION CONTROL!!!! You really must pay attention to what you are putting in your mouth. A food diary or logging your food or using an online tool to log your food has been proven by experts & studies to lead to weight loss & those that keep to it lose more weight & keep more weight off!

I saw this great article on Diet Blog about portion control & how it has changed over the past 20 years. Unless you have been living under a rock or are a young person, you know this .. portions at restaurants are HUGE & we can even super size .. like we need too!!!!!!! Above, the picture shows coffee over the past 20 years. Read this snippet from the article & pay attention to the increase in calories!! And we all know that some of these Starbucks type drinks have even more calories than the one outlined below.

"Over 20 years ago before the concept of the coffee house, a takeaway coffee would generally come in a 7oz/200ml Styrofoam cup, so with some sugar and cream it averaged around 85 Calories. Now a consumer can be enticed with a 16oz/470ml version made mostly with milk which can top 480 Calories depending on the drink ordered."

Read the rest of the article to see other comparisons & then start looking closer at what you eat & pay attention to portions. You will see the difference!!!!

http://www.diet-blog.com/archives/2008/11/01/portion_size_then_and_now.php

PS: DON'T FORGET TO VOTE!!!!!

Abs-Work the Core

People always ask me about working the abs. They want to know if they do consistent ab exercises, will they get a flat stomach. Let's get the facts straight again.. I have said this in many posts: You have to burn off the fat over the abs to see them!!!! You can do all the crunches, leg raises, reverse crunches you want but if you don't eat right, build more muscle to burn off the fat & also do some cardio, you are just not ever going to see them. You can't spot reduce. You have to work the whole package to get the full results!!!!

Saying that, a great core/ab exercise is the plank shown above.... that is the basic plank. If this is hard, try it with hands in a push up position at the full extension point. Keep trying to increase how long you can hold it.. time yourself!

Here is a great slide show to show you some other plank variations:

http://www.fitsugar.com/slideshow/2404539?page=0%2C0