Associates in Nutrition & Sports Specialty

If you are like many Americans, you pledged to improve your physical activity in 2010. One of the best ways to stay on track is to recruit a support system to get family and friends involved and to cheer you on. Here are some ways to involve family, friends, neighbors or co-workers:

-Find a training partner at the gym and spot each other during weight lifting or attend exercise classes together to stay motivated.

-Walk with a neighbor, friend or family member. Set a schedule to stay on a routine. Start off by walking and gradually increase your distance and endurance. Set goals including charity walks such as a local 5k to benefit cancer research.

-Keep it up! It can take up to 12 weeks of routine exercise to notice results. Exercising as little as 20 to 30 minutes a day is enough to begin improving mood, health and level of fitness. By developing a routine, you can build on the next exercise session and begin to notice improved strength, stamina, endurance and sense of well-being.

Don’t put off physical activity until after the holidays, use this time to bond with family while staying active and keeping fit. Here are a few seasonal fitness tips:

-Instead of driving to look at holiday light displays, park your vehicle and enjoy a walk through a well-lit community. Be sure to bring a flashlight or wear reflective clothing for safety!

-While holiday shopping, park your car further away so you have more opportunity to walk and burn calories! Be sure to park in a safe, lighted area.

-In preparation for guests or parties, clean the house! Get the entire family involved in sweeping, vacuuming, dusting and mopping. You’ll be surprised at how much faster the job gets done and how many calories you will burn!

Enjoy the season and stay fit!

Looking for the perfect holiday present for the family?  Give the gift of fitness!  Local gyms are offering membership specials for the holidays. Another idea is to buy sports equipment to encourage your family to be active. So while you are walking the malls this weekend in search of the perfect gift, consider your family’s fitness goals.

Here are just a few suggestions:

-A pedometer to track your steps
-Tennis racket and balls
-Footballs, baseballs, soccer equipment
-Yoga mat
-A bicycle and helmet
-A treadmill or home equipment
-Weights
-Exercise videos
-Headset/music for the gym, jogging or walking
-Workout clothes
-Gym bags
-Water bottles

As much as we look forward to the feast, family and friends, we could all do without the pounds that sometimes come along.

Here are some ideas to help you and your family burn some holiday calories:

• House cleaning for guests
• Food preparation
• Flag football
• Clearing dishes from the table
• A hike after dinner
• Loading and unloading suitcases, groceries and kids
• Mowing lawn
• Playing a game of catch
• Wrapping gifts
• Making holiday crafts

If you are finding it hard this time of year to fit in the gym, these simple holiday chores or family activities will help you avoid holiday weight gain while enjoying time with family and friends.

With the holidays upon us, indulging in festive foods including turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie often motivate people to rev up their fitness goals. As you make your holiday plans, schedule time for exercise. Community “turkey trots” offer families a great way to exercise over the Thanksgiving weekend. The traditional “turkey trots” usually include a one or three mile family fun walk, as well as several options to participate in more competitive jogging events. Check your local newspaper listings or online for more information on events in your community.

Take time this weekend to evaluate your family’s fitness goals. Creating a routine that works for the entire family is the best way to stick to your exercise goals and improve your health.

Here are a few suggestions to make exercise a part of your family’s routine:

• Plan to exercise at a certain time every day, so it becomes part of your schedule.
• Write up and sign a contract, where you agree to exercise.
• Mark your family calendar with a daily appointment for exercise.
• Keep a diary of all of your exercises. Log everything you do, and your progress.
• If you need support, have your doctor write out an exercise prescription, including how much exercise you should do and how often.
• Try joining a health club or gym. Paying a membership fee may prompt you to get your money’s worth and go more frequently. Many gyms offer family memberships. If you have children, find a gym that provides daycare for young ones or offers fitness programs for older children.

By getting the entire family involved, you can support one another and make fitness more fun!

While it may be a challenge to get kids away from the television and computer,

studies suggest that short bursts of exercise – as little as 15 minutes – can dramatically reduce your child’s risk of Type 2 diabetes. For adults, 30 minutes a day or more of exercise is recommended to reduce yours.

Need ideas for fitting in fitness? Here are some suggestions:

1. Enjoy a canoe trip
2. Plant a garden
3. Explore a local park
4. Roller skate
5. Shoot baskets
6. Play catch
7. Take walks after dinner
8. Clean the house in time to music
9. Walk on the beach
10. Visit a museum 

It’s Halloween weekend, so while you are enjoying treats, make sure you fit in fitness to offset any extra calories you may enjoy this holiday!

Halloween is the perfect time to enjoy dancing as a way to burn calories and have fun. Try “the monster mash” or other Halloween tunes and dance while you party! If you plan to trick or treat, enjoy a few extra laps around the neighborhood without stopping at every house for a treat! Instead, take the opportunity to enjoy the fall weather and take in the eerie sights and sounds of Halloween as you walk through a park, neighborhood or local trail.

Happy Friday!  It’s time to plan your family fitness activity for the weekend. Here are a few tips that are perfect for this time of year:

• Visit a nature center and enjoy a hike.
• Enjoy a canoe or kayak trip.
• Go camping where you can pitch a tent, gather firewood, fish, bike, and walk.
• Visit a local farm where you can pick your own strawberries, peaches and apples.

Remember to keep your family active to enjoy a healthy lifestyle!

Take the family to a yoga class. Many local gyms and community centers offer weekend yoga classes designed to help increase muscular strength and reduce tension and stress. Yoga has a low potential for injury, is non-competitive, has spiritual and psychological benefits and a 5,000 year track record. The 84 basic yoga positions, or asanas, range from simple bending and twisting to pretzel-like contortions reserved for the most advanced practitioners.

Yoga instructors suggest that yoga be studied with an experienced teacher rather than learned from a manual. Also note that yoga teachers in general are unlicensed and unregulated. Find an experienced teacher affiliated with a reputable yoga organization.

If you can’t get to a class, there are plenty of good yoga videos at your local library. Use books to supplement your training.