Exercise for Menopause Symptom Relief

03/27/2012

Photo Credit: Tom Thai CC-BY-2.0

Menopause is a normal stage in a woman’s life. Hormonal changes in a woman’s body manifest as physical symptoms, including sweating at night and “hot flashes,” moodiness, sadness, irritability and sleeplessness. It is important to remain physically active and continue to eat a healthy diet throughout life. Menopause is no time to stop exercising. Your bones and muscles will benefit from strengthening and flexibility exercises. Your mood can be improved by the release of endorphins during physical exertion. Exercise and diet are important in the prevention and treatment of diseases, like arthritis and osteoporosis. See your doctor for a complete physical and talk to him or her about continuing or beginning an exercise program to help you deal with the symptoms of menopause. 
According to the Mayo Clinic, exercise may not help to lessen menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes and sleeplessness. The University of Maryland Medical Center states that physical exercise can help reduce menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes and improve mood. Whether exercise has a direct and measurable impact on the symptoms of menopause is less important than remaining physically active throughout your life. Walking, swimming, yoga and tai chi are low-impact exercises than can help keep your joints flexible, improve your balance and strengthen your muscles. Swimming is an excellent whole body aerobic exercise that helps to maintain cardiovascular health. Staying physically active or beginning a physical fitness program can also help you to avoid weight gain or promote weight loss. Because women tend to lose more muscle mass and add belly fat after menopause, it is important to remain physically active or begin an exercise program. You can feel better physically and emotionally by staying active and eating a healthy diet. If your symptoms are severe and interfere with your life, see your doctor for treatment options. 

Filed under arthritis, exercise, health, menopause, older women, osteoporosis, women's health

Eat Before Or After A Workout?

03/26/2012

Photo Credit: Fir0002/Flagstaffotos  GFDL-1.2

There can be some confusion about whether you should eat before, during or after a workout for maximum energy, but still burn excess calories to lose weight and burn fat. Your body needs energy to keep it functioning at peak efficiency. You need nutrients including vitamins, minerals and protein to help build and repair muscles and keep cells free of toxins. You should eat a healthy diet from all the major food groups and include enough complex carbohydrates to provide the energy you need. Drink plenty of water before, during and after a workout to replace lost water due to sweating. 
You should not start a workout when you are hungry. You will not have the energy or nutrients needed to maximize your workout. Low blood sugar resulting from fasting can cause you to feel weak, and in some cases, lightheaded. If your blood sugar is very low,  you could even lose consciousness for a brief time. This can be dangerous. Don’t fast before a workout. About one hour before a workout, eat foods that have a high  glycemic index, such as fruits, whole grain breads and pastas. Avoid eating too much fiber before a workout because it can make you feel sluggish. Select quick digesting foods that are rich in carbohydrates. 
Keep your body hydrated and fueled during high intensity workouts that last 45 minutes or longer. Keep a bottle of water handy and drink from it frequently during your workout. Sports drinks with electrolytes are also a good choice to replace salts and minerals lost through sweating and to maintain the electrolyte balance in your body. A granola bar is a good choice for a quick snack if you feel hungry during your workout. 
After an intense workout that lasts more than 45 minutes or longer, you will need to replenish your protein and sugar stores. A high protein peanut butter sandwich, 8 ounces of water and a banana can provide your body with the vitamins, minerals, protein and carbohydrates necessary to repair tissues and recover from a strenuous workout. Yogurt, natural fruit juice (no added sugar) and some nuts, such as walnuts or almonds, granola or sliced fruit can help replenish depleted nutrients.  

For information about what you should eat for energy, see:
WebMD, What to Eat Before, During and After Exercise, by  Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD

Filed under diet, energy, exercise, health, nutrition

Dumbbell Arm Exercises for Beginners

03/25/2012

Photo Credit: Mauritsvink PD

Dumbbell triceps exercises focus on the triceps muscles on the back of the arms. Hold the a light weight, 2 to 5 pound dumbbell in your left hand with your palm toward your body. Spread your legs slightly with your right leg forward. Brace your body by placing your right hand on the thigh of your right leg. Keep your weight displaced evenly over both legs. Pull your shoulders down and back to straighten  your spine. Look at the floor in front of your right foot. Bend your elbow and raise your upper arm until it is close to your body. Keep your forearm vertical to the floor. Straighten your elbow and push your arm toward the wall behind you. Hold the position for a few seconds and return to the start position. Always keep your arm close to your body and avoid the urge to press your arm outward from your torso. Do 5 repetitions on each side. Increase the number of repetitions as you gain strength. 

Biceps curls work not only your biceps but also strengthen your rotator cuff. Sit on a weight bench or stand with the back of your arm resting on the bench support pad. Hold a dumbbell in your hand, arm extended,  with your palm pointing upward. Slowly curl your arm to bend your elbow using your biceps only. Avoid the urge to swing the weight upward toward your shoulder. Keep your wrist and forearm in a straight line and don’t bend  your wrist forward or backward. Slowly lower the dumbbell and your arm back to the start position. The key to successful biceps curls is slow, deliberate and controlled motion. Try to do 5 to 7 biceps curls using a 2 to 5 pound weight with each arm in the beginning. Increase the number of repetitions and increase the weight as your arms grow stronger.

Filed under arms, dumbbells, muscles, strength training, weights

Stability Ball Exercises for a Strong, Toned Back

03/24/2012

The stability ball, also called an exercise ball, is a superb way to improve your strength, flexibility and muscle tone. You can focus on your whole body or work specific muscle groups. Warm spring days are just around the corner and so are backless, short-sleeve and sleeveless fashions. You will want your shoulders, upper back and arms to be toned and firm for spring and summer fashions and trips to the beach. Try these three upper body strengthening and toning stability ball exercises to get you in shape fast.
Performing push-ups using a stability ball adds an extra dimension of strengthening and toning to the regular push-up.  Begin with the stability ball underneath your body with your hands and feet on the floor. Keep your palms flat on the floor directly under your shoulders. Breathe in and squeeze your abdominal muscles. Walk your body backward until the stability ball is under your stomach and extend your legs out, but keep your toes on the floor. Place your palms on the stability ball underneath your shoulders. Squeeze the ball with your hands and press upward with your arms to lift your body off the ball. Hold the position for a few seconds and then lower your body back toward the ball. Exhale when pushing upward and inhale when lowering your body back down. Keep your spine in a straight line from the top of your head to your heels. 
Photo Credit:  LocalFitness.com.au
Leg extensions strengthen your chest, arms and upper back. Start by draping your body over a stability ball placed under your stomach. Place your hands palms down on the floor under your shoulders. Breathe out and tighten your abdominal muscles. Lift your feet off the floor and try to keep your legs together. Make a straight line with your body from your head to  your heels. Point your toes for maximum extension. Hold this position for a few seconds. The longer you can  hold the position, the better. Exhale, relax and then repeat the extension. 

Concentrate on your back and shoulders with a shoulder extension workout. Position yourself on the stability ball with it in the middle of your body and your hands and feet on the floor. Stretch out your legs, but keep your toes on the floor. Walk backward until the ball is directly underneath your stomach and both legs are stretched out straight with your toes on the floor. Stretch your arms straight out in front of your body. Try to keep your body straight and avoid arching your back. Slowly bring your arms back until you form a Y shape. Continue bringing  your arms back until they are straight out from the shoulder and form a T shape. Hold this position for a few seconds and then bring your arms back to the start position. Breathe out and repeat the exercise. 

Filed under aerobic exercise, arms, back, chest, exercise ball, shoulders, stability ball

Kickboxing Your Way to a Fitter You

03/23/2012

Photo Credit: ashs CC-BY-3.0



Kickboxing has become more popular in recent years with gyms offering classes and people lining up to kick their way to a leaner, stronger body. There are instructional videos on the Internet and available for purchase. Many late night infomercials offer variations of kickboxing workouts to sleepless viewers. Many of the most popular kickboxing-style exercise DVDs and gym programs combine a high-intensity aerobic workout with punching, kicking and blocking m moves. These exercises help to build strength, flexibility, endurance and confidence. Kickboxing style exercise is not for everyone, but it couldn’t hurt to give it a try. A kickboxing class at a gym is a fun way to get fit in a group with a competent fitness instructor to guide you all along the way. 

Most routines in kickboxing are designed to be against an imaginary opponent, but some classes are designed where the members spar with each other or kick a heavy bag. You can burn more than 400 calories per hour in a kickboxing class. Get a checkup at your doctor’s office and tell him or her that you want to take a kickboxing class. If your doctor gives you a green light, join a class for beginners. Introduce yourself to the instructor and get a list of equipment you may need for the class. Come prepared to get a serious workout that will leave you feeling exhausted but confident. 

Filed under endurance, exercise, fitness, flexibility, kick boxing, strength

How to Avoid Mindless Eating

03/22/2012

It’s easy to snack without thinking about it. Some of us do it in front of the television, while talking on the telephone or while sitting at our desk at work. That bowl of potato chips or popcorn is just too tasty to ignore. Once you start munching without thinking, it is easy to eat an entire bag of chips or a bowl full of popcorn before you realize what you have done. A few simple changes can help you avoid mindless munching, which can lead to excess calories and weight gain.
Photo Credit: Renee Comet PD
Remove all candy, chips and other fat-laden or sugary snacks from your television room. The best practice is to not eat while watching television. If you must snack while watching your favorite television programs, choose grapes, raisins, nuts, baked whole grain crackers and cheese, fresh vegetables or sliced fruit. Instead of sipping on a soda, have a glass of green tea on ice. Keep a bowl of mixed nuts or your favorite nuts on the table on the television room instead of chips or cookies. 
Clean out your desk at work and give away or toss out all the fattening, sugary and greasy snacks you have hidden in your special snack drawer. Try to avoid snacking while working on your computer. Set a specific time for your snacks and stick to the schedule.  A light, healthy snack in the early morning before lunch and again in the afternoon can help keep your metabolism stimulated and keep you from over-eating at lunch or dinner. Replace unhealthy snacks with small packages of nuts, granola bars, dried fruit or fresh fruit options. Stay away from the soda machine at work. Ask your employer to offer low-calorie, sugar-free alternatives to sweet soda or bring your own drinks. Keep some bottled water in your desk and drink that instead of hitting the soda machine. If your company serves donuts or other sweets at meetings, drink a glass of water and eat a piece of fruit before the meeting, so that you will not feel the urge to pick up a sugary treat to munch on while the manager drones on about sales figures. 

Pay attention to the foods you put in your mouth. Rather than mindlessly grabbing a handful of whatever is in the bowl in front of you, stop and look at the food. If it’s a handful of candy or chips, put it down. Move the bowl out of your reach or get a healthy snack instead. 

Filed under diet, eating, fast food, food, health, snacks

Are Toning Shoes For You?

03/21/2012

Toning shoes are popular among many walkers, joggers and runners. Some makers claim that toning shoes can firm and tone your legs while helping you to burn more calories to lose weight. Makers of toning shoes claim their shoes are designed to simulate walking barefoot or walking on uneven terrain to make your leg muscles work harder with ever step. Do toning shoes really firm, tone and strengthen your legs while helping you to burn more calories? 
According to the Mayo Clinic’s Edward R. Laskowski, M.D., there is no evidence to support the claim that toning shoes give you a better leg workout or help you to burn more calories. Dr. Laskowski stated that there is no harm in wearing the shoes and wearers may benefit from wearing the shoes if owning and wearing a pair causes them to increase their physical activity. 
Photo Credit: Steve Ling CC-BY-2.0
The American Council on Exercise (ACE) conducted a study to test the effectiveness of toning shoes. ACE tested the comparative effectiveness of toning shoes against regular walking shoes and found no evidence to support the claims that toning shoes burn more calories, tone or strengthen muscles. Researchers stated that if owning a pair of toning shoes provided the wearer with the motivation to get more exercise generally, then the shoes provided some benefit. The ACE study did not address the potential effects on the wearer’s balance due to the unstable design of the shoe sole.
The bottom line on toning shoes seems to be they provide no additional benefit to the wearer when it comes to burning extra calories or strengthening and toning leg muscles. If you like them and owning a pair motivates you to get more exercise, that is definitely a plus for these shoes. 

Filed under balance, exercise, shoes, walk, workouts

Fat-Fighting Foods

03/20/2012

Fruits and vegetables are not only an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, but also help fight body fat. According to the Centers for Disease Control, a diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables may also help to reduce your risk of some types of cancers. Substitute fruits and vegetables in place high calorie foods like macaroni and cheese or white flour pastas. Fruits are especially good at helping you to fight fat and lose weight. They are loaded with flavor, fiber and nutrients but low in calories. Fruits can help you feel full, but will not add significantly to your caloric intake. Fruits contain water and fiber that can help you feel more full so that  you eat less. 
Photo Credit: Forest & Kim Starr CC-BY-3.0
Grapefruit is rich in soluble fiber, which takes longer to digest. This helps you feel fuller for a longer period of time. Grapefruit is low in calories but high in nutrients. Try a glass of grapefruit juice with the pulp before dinner to help you feel fuller before you eat. Watermelon is another fruit that can help you feel fuller. Watermelon contains lots of fiber, plenty of water and is rich in lycopene, an important antioxidant. Pears and apples also contain plenty of natural fiber, nutrients and water. Eat pears and apples with the peels to get extra fiber and more flavor. Hot peppers contain capsaicin, which may help curb your appetite and boost your metabolism. People tend to eat less when their food is spicy. Try some hot peppers in your favorite dish for extra flavor and a dose of fat-fighting capsaicin. Several studies indicate that green tea may help stimulate the body to burn fat, especially belly fat. Several compounds in green tea, notably catechins, may stimulate the metabolism to help your body burn fat. Drink 2 to 3 cups of hot green tea every day, especially before a meal. 
There is no magic bullet when it comes to weight loss. A healthy diet combined with exercise is the best way to avoid weight gain and to lose weight. Reduce the amount of calories you eat and get at least 30 minutes of exercise every other day. Walk every day, if you can, and avoid sugary snacks and sodas between meals to help reduce the amount of calories you consume. 

Filed under diet, fat, fitness, food, health, weight loss

Have Trouble Sleeping? Try One Of These Foods

03/19/2012

Photo Credit: Pedro Simões  CC-BY-2.0

It is not uncommon to experience trouble falling asleep or staying asleep a few nights each week. Many people have problems with sleep. Stress, poor diet, lack of exercise and anxiety can contribute to difficulty sleeping. Diet is a major factor to help you achieve a restful sleep. Some foods should be avoided in the late afternoon and evening, such as sugary foods and caffeine. Other foods can help you fall asleep and stay asleep longer. Add some sleep-enhancing foods to your daily diet to improve your sleep and wake feeling rested and energized. 
The value of whole grains cannot be over-emphasized. Whole grain foods, such as brown rice, wheat, quinoa and oats, are loaded with fiber, vitamins and minerals your body needs to function properly. Whole grains also contain an amino acid called tryptophan. Tryptophan helps to increase the levels of seratonin in the brain, which produces a feeling of well-being and calm. Tryptophan also stimulates the brain to release melatonin, which is a sleep hormone. Including whole grains in your evening meal can help you fall asleep and stay asleep, because whole grains are digested slowly. Fruits also contain tryptophan. Bananas and mangoes are especial rich in tryptophan. Instead of cake or pie for dessert after dinner, have a delicious bowl of fruit salad or a banana. 
Caffeine-free herbal teas that contain mint, lavender and chamomile can help calm your mind and relax your body before bedtime. Herbal teas also calm your digestive system. Enjoy the flavor and calming effects of herbal tea in a relaxing, low-light environment, like your favorite chair. The smell and taste of the tea can have a calming effect on your mind and help you relax, so you can fall asleep faster.

Filed under foods, sleep

Energy Boosting Snacks

03/18/2012

Photo Credit: Sanjay Acharya CC-BY-SA-3.0-migrated
Do you feel drained of energy in the afternoon? Fatigue in the afternoon is not uncommon. Some people go for a quick sugar fix to boost their energy. Sugary snacks, like candy bars and soda, will boost your energy in the short term, but you will crash after a short time and may even feel more fatigued than before. Sugary snacks and sodas also add unwanted calories and caffeine. Natural sugars and carbohydrates can give you a boost of energy that lasts without the crash. You will also enjoy the added benefits of nutritional vitamins, minerals and trace elements that your body needs. 
Nuts and seeds are high in fiber and protein that will help you feel full and boost your energy level. Walnuts and almonds are delicious and an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids that help boost your brain. Almonds also contain manganese, vitamin E, magnesium, copper and vitamin B2. Manganese is an important trace element that improves sleep, helps your muscles to relax, boosts your immune system and helps improve your overall mood. The protein in nuts helps to stabilize your blood sugar and is slow to digest. A handful of nuts in the afternoon can boost your energy and help to curb your appetite.
Whole grain snacks such as granola bars or crackers contain many nutrients and complex carbohydrates that can help boost your energy and relieve afternoon fatigue. Whole wheat snacks contain iron, protein, manganese, magnesium, fiber, and vitamins B1, B2 and B3. B-vitamins help fight fatigue, stabilize blood sugar and maintain energy levels. Complex carbohydrates are digested and absorbed slowly, which means your energy boost can last for hours. 

A cup of yogurt can provide a boost of energy and calcium, protein, zinc and phosphorus. Most brands of yogurt also contain vitamins B2, B5 and B12. Yogurt is easy to digest and quickly absorbed by the body. You will get a quick boost of energy, which will last much longer than a sugar boost from a candy bar or soda. Yogurt also contains tyrosine, which is an  amino acid that stimulates the production of neurotransmitters in the brain for improved mood and brain function. Add some fresh fruit to a cup of yogurt for extra natural sugar energy and nutrients. 

Filed under diet, energy, food, health, snacks

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