Physical Education & Fit Living

One hundred and fifty years ago, daily living required us to perform tasks that worked our entire core equally. This resulted in equally toned front, back, and side torso muscles. Therefore, good posture occurred naturally. Now youth and adults are required to do repetitive movements such as small strokes on a keyboard. As we sit at computers all day, our shoulders hunch over causing the front of our shoulders and chest muscles to shorten while the back of our shoulders, neck, and back muscles all elongate. Having our legs bent under a desk then shortens our hip flexors and psoas muscles which pull our lower back out of alignment. All of these things affect our posture.

So how do we maintain good posture (or gain good posture)?

First, we need to exercise. All exercise is great, but weight-bearing physical activity not only helps build muscle, but also helps improve bone density which will help improve posture. Be sure to add in core exercises as well. For sample core exercises, visit ACE-fitness http://www.acefitness.org/workouts/5/

You can also begin making small changes such as adding short stretching breaks throughout your day. Or consider replacing your comfy chairs with stability balls!

With all the holiday parties and rich food available this time of year, holiday eating can easily turn to overeating. To avoid eating too much, keep in mind the Rule of Fives.

• Count to FIVE. Taking food that’s in front of you can be almost automatic. It’s easy to eat calories without even realizing. Next time you reach for something, press “pause” and ask yourself if you really want or need it.
• Stay FIVE Feet from the Food Table. When you are at a party or social gathering, if you stay close to the food table, you are more likely to keep snacking. Dish yourself a small plate and then try to stay at least five feet from the food.
• Wait FIVE minutes before going back for seconds. Oftentimes food tastes so good, we go back for more before we’ve even had time to let the first helping settle. Allow yourself five minutes after eating and then determine if you still really want that second helping.

What is on your wish list for this Christmas? This holiday season rather than just wishing for the latest and greatest electronic device, add a few fitness goals! Taking the time right now to create goals, or wishes, will help you stay on track during the holiday season.

A goal is a wish that you are dedicated to; therefore, you plan and work for it. Follow these goal setting tips to help make your wish come true:

1. Think of a fitness wish and write it down. Be specific. Rather than just saying “I wish that I won’t gain any weight this holiday season”, add details to your goal. A goal should be specific and well-written so that you know exactly what you are aiming for.

2. Be honest and realistic. Are you really willing to not eat anysweets this holiday season? If not, don’t make that your goal! Give yourself an exact number of sweets or a specific type of desserts you may eat.

3. Tell your friends and family your goals and ask them to help you. Achieving goals takes more than your will power! By telling your friends and family your goals, you now have a support system to help you when you feel like giving up.

4. It is very motivating to see what you have accomplished. Find a way to track your progress. This way not only will you see what you have left to do, but also what you have already done.

Fiber is the indigestible portion of plant food. Fiber is a nutrient that has a lot of health benefits, namely:

• Prevents health issues such as heart disease, some cancers, and digestive problems
• Increases feelings of fullness (which can help with weight loss)
• Can aid in lowering cholesterol

Snacks throughout the day are great for increasing your fiber. This week try a new, high fiber snack each day.

• Day 1: Eat a whole grain, unsweetened cereal with at least 4 grams of fiber a serving. Or mix it into your regular cereal.
• Day 2: Eat two apples today.
• Day 3: Take on container of yogurt and mix 1/3 cup All-bran cereal, 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds, and 5 large, diced strawberries. This yummy yogurt mix gives you a whopping 12.2 grams of fiber- nearly half your daily allowance!
• Day 4: Dip baby carrots and broccoli florets into low-fat ranch dressing.
• Day 5: Snack on whole grain crackers.
• Day 6: Snack on a side salad with kidney beans or chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) on top.
• Day 7: Mix together peanuts, raisins, a high-fiber cereal like All-Bran, and some chocolate covered soy nuts.

Every year millions of people indulge in the holiday spirit by also indulging in rich holiday foods. Most use the excuse that “it’s the holidays” and “I’ll start my diet with the New Year,” as they throw their self control out the window.

However, it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. One can enjoy the the savory and sweet foods that surround the holidays without over-indulging. It’s okay to allow yourself an occasional extra scoop or a dessert. Just don’t make it a daily December ritual. When you are enjoying festivities or neighborly treats, try to do so in moderation. And when you are away from the merry-making, make a conscious effort to eat right.

You may not lose weight or increase your fitness level over the holidays, but you can certainly set a goal to maintain it!

We all know from experience how important sleep is! Getting a good night’s rest can help improve your mood and your health. The Better Sleep Council has eight guidelines to help you get a better night’s sleep:

• Keep regular sleep hours
• Cut down on stimulants such as coffee, soft drinks, and medications that may contain caffeine
• Sleep on a good bed
• Don’t smoke
• Drink alcohol in moderation or not at all
• Set aside a planning or “worry” time earlier in the day
• Don’t go to bed stuffed or starved
• Exercise regularly

According to the Better Sleep Council, “Exercise enhances sleep by burning off the tensions that accumulate during the day, allowing the body and mind to unwind. While the fit seem to sleep better and deeper…you don’t have to push to utter exhaustion. A 20- to 30- minute walk, jog, swim or bicycle ride at least three days a week…should be your goal. But don’t wait too late in the day to exercise. In the evening, you should be concentrating on winding down rather than working up a sweat…The ideal exercise time is late afternoon or early evening, when your workout can help you shift gears from daytime pressures to evening pleasures.”

Many people still believe the “No Pain, No Gain” saying which implies that you can never work too hard. However, this myth disregards the importance of recovery. In order for our bodies to receive the benefits of exercise, we must allow our bodies time to recover. During exercise we break down our muscles and then during recovery our bodies rebuild stronger in order to meet the new demands.

Overtraining is the imbalance of training and recovery. Some of the signs and symptoms are as follows:

• Chronic fatigue
• Lowered self-esteem
• Feelings of depression
• Difficulty concentrating
• Decreased performance
• Increased heart rate at set workload
• Increased rates of infection
• Loss of appetite

To prevent overtraining, follow a well-balanced, progressive training schedule. Then be sure to listen to your body; if you feel like taking a day off or taking it easy, do it!

Kickboxing is a popular cardio class workout at gyms across the nation. Kickboxing combines boxing, martial arts, and aerobics into a high-intensity, total-body workout. A typical aerobic kickboxing workout includes a series of repetitive punches and kicks.

Initially the moves may seem awkward, but with practice it will quickly become natural and fun. Focus on using and maintaining proper technique. To avoid injury ask your instructor any questions you have about technique. Also, be sure to avoid these common mistakes for beginners:

• Wearing weights or holding dumbbells when throwing punches
• Locking your joints when throwing kicks or punches
• Overextending kicks (beginners should avoid high kicks until they get used to the routine and become more flexible)
• Giving in to group peer pressure and exercising beyond fatigue

Most kickboxing classes are about 50-60 minutes; therefore, when you start off be sure you ease into it. If you start feeling overly exhausted, it may be time to slow down or stop. As your fitness level improves, you will gradually be able to exercise at a higher intensity and for a longer period of time.

The USDA has created a new tool for MyPyramid.gov called MyFood-a-pedia.
MyFood-a-pedia has some great features, including:

• You can look-up the calories in a specific food
• You can see what MyPyramid food group a food is in and how much of the daily requirements it accounts for
• You can compare two foods

Take a few minutes to play around with this informative and simple tool. You can find it at http://www.myfoodapedia.gov/.

Some days, despite your best efforts, you can’t manage to get out the door to exercise. Whether it is poor weather, a sick child home from school, working late, or just a busy day, it’s always nice to have some options of exercises you can squeeze in at home.

The following at-home workout was designed by the American Council on Exercise. It delivers a total body workout and requires NO equipment. http://www.acefitness.org/workouts/13/#program

Begin and end the work-out with a 5-10 minute cardiovascular warm-up that can be done by walking up and down stairs, doing jumping jacks, or jogging in place. Then follow the prescribed warm-up, work-out, and cool-down.