Happy Holidays!

All of us here at FT would like you wish you a happy and healthy holiday season! Remeber to eat well, eat smart and eat often. Don't forget to come in and visit us to relieve some of that built up holiday stress! We look forward to seeing you into the new year and celebrating the season with all of you!

Sincerely,
Amy

Yoga Ed helps kids focus at school

Yoga, as seen by both its Hindi and secular adherents, is a path to spiritual and psychological mastery. To skeptics, it is seen as multi-billion dollar industry. Either way, yoga is rapidly taking root as an alternative form of physical education and stress relief throughout U.S. schools.

The movement of yoga from the studio to the classroom began in 2002 when Tara Gruber, an elementary school teacher in Aspen, Colo., introduced a stripped-down version of the exercise to her students.

In an effort to allay the fears that parents and area Christian groups had that her “Yoga Ed” program was blending state-sponsored education with Hindu teachings, Gruber converted the Sanskrit yogic panting to English, and called it “bunny breathing.” Meditation became “time in.”

“I stripped every piece of anything that anyone could vaguely construe as spiritual or religious out of the program,” said Grueber.

In a 2003 study conducted by California State University at Los Angeles showed that students who participated in Gruber’s yoga program exhibited better grades, behavior and physical fitness than their counterparts who attended schools that did not carry yoga as part of their curriculum.

Today, “Yoga Ed,” or one of many permutations thereof, is practiced in more than 100 schools in 26 states nationwide.

"I see a lot fewer discipline problems," said Ruth Reynolds, principal of Coleman Elementary School in San Rafael. She says the program helps kids learn to focus and not give in to a wandering mind.

"If you have children with ADD and focusing issues, often it's easy to go from that into a behavior problem," Reynolds said. "Anything you can do to help children focus will improve their behavior."

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/021520_yoga_childrens_health.html#ixzz1h5sxslPG

This is a pretty Cool Article. I like the idea of yoga in the class room, and I think it could help a lot in terms child’s weight management. What do you think?

Brian Knowles  

5 Tips To Avoid Overeating & “Binge Eating” At Holiday Parties

by Andrea Albright

The only way to avoid overeating and “binge eating” at holiday parties is to be prepared ahead of time.
If you go simply hoping that your “willpower” will carry you through it, then you are setting yourself up for disappointment, cravings, and fat storage.
This year, you can show up with confidence knowing that you are going to be in control, even if everyone else around you is not.

Here Are The 5 Things You Can Do To Avoid Overeating And “Binge Eating” At Holiday Parties:

1. Call ahead and ask about the menu

And don’t just stop with the menu. Feel free to also ask about ingredients. Many people are always “sneaking in” butter and fat into dishes that you would think are healthy.

2. Eat a small “mini-Meal” prior to the event
If you arrive on an empty stomach, then your blood sugar levels will be dangerously low and your body will be desperate for energy.
This is what’s going to lead you straight to the most fattening dishes because your body knows where to get the calories and the sugar rush that it’s craving.
Eat a small, healthy “mini-Meal” before you leave and you will arrive with a positive mood, lots of energy, and no cravings!

3. Go for the salad first
This should always be your first stop so that you guarantee your body is getting the nutrition it needs and you’re filling up on healthy options.

4. Choose lean sources of protein and vegetable-based dishes
Be open to vegetarian options. Plant sources of protein include lentils, soy, quinoa, and temperh (made of fermented soy beans).
The next leanest proteins are fish, seafood, turkey and chicken, in that order. Beef is one of the most fattening protein sources.

5. Eat fruit for dessert before you take a bite of sugar
Eat plain fruit first, before heading to that desert tray. This way, you can actually take a couple of bites of your favorite holiday deserts without eating the whole thing!
Getting a healthy sugar fix will prevent intense sugar crashes, withdrawal symptoms and added weight gain.

Remember, be prepared and know what you're putting in your mouth!

Happy and Healthy Holidays to all of you! :)
~AS

Fitness Tips For Avoiding the Holiday Weight Gain

by Heather Wojdyla

As we enter the holiday season, many of us stress out about gaining excess weight. With all of the delicious meals and family gatherings filled with baked goods, how could one not be tempted? There are many ways to beat the battle of the bulge and even improve your fitness level before the New Year rolls around. Below I will list my top 12 tips for staying in shape throughout the Holidays and avoiding the typical holiday weight gain.

1.               Set Some Fitness Goals and Have a Plan: First and foremost I would recommend that you set fitness goals and stick to a plan, such as the one offered in Hugo's Holiday Survival Guide. Without goals and a plan to go by it is just too easy to start missing workouts and blowing the diet.

2.               Use Moderation When Cheating On Your Diet: Allow yourself to indulge a little here and there, but limit your portions. Far too many of us think "Oh, it's a holiday so I should eat as many treats as I can because once the holiday season is over, I can't have treats anymore!" This is a huge misconception! Why not have a small taste of what you want, and enjoy the time with your family rather than a huge plate of food and a belly ache. Cookies and pies are around 365 days a year, and with planned cheat meals you can enjoy them every week. So don't make the holiday season a reason to ruin your hard earned results.

3.               Make Yourself A Goal To Do Something Active Each Day: It might not be your average workout, but try to get out and move for at least 30 minutes. The Holiday's Workout Routine offered in this site may be a good plan for you to try if you know in advance that you do not want to train more than 3 times a week through the Holiday Season.

4.               When Short On Time, Emphasize The Weights Training Portion Of Your Workouts: Muscle aids in burning fat, and will help to fight off the extras that you normally don't eat. If you are going to cut the workout short for the day, I would suggest hitting the weights first, even at the expense of cardio. If this is the case, you can use supersets and giant sets to make your weight training workouts more aerobic in nature.

5.               Eat A Balance Of Macronutrients: Do not cut out any food groups as you will most likely be hungry and eat foods that your body doesn't really need. If you are hungry, fill up on protein and veggies as protein increases your metabolism by up to 20% and veggies take more calories to digest than what they contain.

6.               Limit Your Alcohol Consumption: you are better off eating an extra cookie than consuming numerous cocktails. Excess alcohol just contributes too much to fat gain.

7.               Drink Plenty Of Water: Many times we will overeat because we are dehydrated and thirsty. Therefore, make sure that your water intake is adequate. Besides, water also gives you a sense of fullness so if properly hydrated you will be consuming less food.

8.               Eat Your Regularly Scheduled Meals: If you skip meals in preparation for a family gathering and the buffet of food set out at a holiday party, you are setting yourself up for disaster. Make sure that you eat all of your meals and that the carbohydrates in all of these meals have a low glycemic index; especially breakfast as research indicates that people who eat a breakfast with low glycemic carbs, will typically eat significantly less food and have more stable energy levels than those who do not.

9.               Don't Keep "Danger" Foods Around: We all have some food that will trigger a binge, so try to keep these food out of the house.

10.           Brush Your Teeth Following A Meal: Sounds silly but who wants to eat after they have that minty fresh breath?

11.           Limit Your Time In Front Of The Television Set: Rather than sitting in front of the television set when you have some free time, spend time with the ones you love by visiting them or giving them a call. In this manner, you will not be influenced by the numerous commercials that constantly market foods and you will get to spend time with your loved ones (which is what the Holidays should be all about) at the same time.

12.           Plan A Time Each Week To Wear One Of Your Favorite Tight Outfits: Whether it is a cute holiday dress for the girls, or a new muscle baring shirt for the guys, once you have in your mind that you want to wear your "hot" outfit for a particular reunion or party, you will be less likely to stuff your face. Since this is the Holidays, typically you will have at least one of these every ten days or so. You can, in this manner, save your cheat meals for the particular reunion, and then eat clean the remainder of the time.

Conclusion

Decide today that you want to make the best out of this holiday season. Don't wait until January 1st to set your New Year's Resolution; set it today. You will enter 2007 feeling great and will be able to focus on a different goal than 90 percent of the population. You only live once, so enjoy what you love in moderation. Make the holiday season about being with your loved ones rather than feeling guilty about eating too much. Stay active, even if it is not your normal routine, and you will maintain or progress even during this time of year.

Set your goals and enjoy the season!

About The Author

Heather Wojdyla is a NASM Certified Personal Trainer with a Bachelors of Science in Exercise Science/Adult Fitness from the University of Tampa. She has numerous years of training experience and has competed successfully as a natural competitor in various Figure competitions at the State and National level. Heather is currently working on her first women's fitness book.

http://bodybuilding.about.com/od/howtoachieveresults/a/holidayweight.htm

I Really Like this article because she is spot on with her tips. It's nice to see that we are not the olny ones giving this kind advice.

Brian Knowles

Become a Morning Runner!

Making the SwitchIf you don't consider yourself a morning person, the good news is that you can turn yourself into one, says James Mojica, M.D., a sleep physician at Massachusetts General Hospital and medical director of the Sleep Center at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Boston. "The body is malleable," says Dr. Mojica, who runs first thing four times a week. Address these points before you reset your alarm.
Weigh the Pros and Cons
If you're on the fence about converting to early workouts, John Raglin, Ph.D., a sports psychologist, suggests drafting a checklist of pluses and minuses. On the plus side, he says, jot down all the benefits of running first thing: getting the workout out of the way, great start to the morning, extra time during the day, and so on. The minus side might include have to go to bed earlier, unsure about running in the dark. "Hopefully the runner will see that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, and that some of the drawbacks, like going to bed earlier, may in fact be beneficial or at least good habits," he says.

Get Your Family On Board
As a teacher, Joanie Templeton is used to leaving her house by 7 a.m. But when she decided in 2005 it was time to slim her 220-pound frame, she knew the only time she'd ever be able to exercise was if she got out of bed at 4:30. "I couldn't do this without my husband," says the 36-year-old from Lincoln, Montana. "He gets our daughters (6 and 10) ready for school. He sees the difference in me when I don't get my workouts in. I am sluggish, and I get supercrabby." Let your family know your goals so your training becomes a project they can all get excited about.

Enlist Help
Meghan Ridgley, who moved up her morning runs by three hours--to 5 a.m.--when her daughter was born, says she initially relied on friends to help her adapt. "Having people to meet those first few weeks got me in the habit of getting up at 4:30," says the 32-year-old from Vienna, Virginia, who now typically runs alone.

Find the Right Route
Getting out of bed isn't the only obstacle early morning runners face. Sometimes, paths that are idyllic at noon or 6 p.m. are downright dangerous at dawn. Before your first early run, give your usual paths a second look, paying special attention to the lighting, shoulder width, road conditions, and traffic patterns. Be open to scouting around for some new scenery, and make sure family members or a friend have a list of your planned routes.

"I did have to eliminate one route when I started running first thing," says Nick Bigney, a 33-year-old attorney from Houston. "There's a park near my home that I love. However, there are no lights, and even with a headlamp it's dark. I almost stepped on a skunk twice and nearly tripped over an armadillo once. And I've scared a number of deer. For my own safety (and in the interest of not being sprayed by a skunk), I found new routes."

Wear the Right Gear
What you wear also becomes a safety issue. Dark-colored clothing is better left at home. Instead, "dress like a Christmas tree," says Felicia Hubber, race director of the Hood to Coast Relay. That means bright colors from head to toe with plenty of reflective accents. Clip-on lights that flash red and reflective vests will also make you more visible to motorists. To be supersmart, wear a headlamp or carry a flashlight if you're out before 7 a.m. In 2010, Runner's World conducted a field-test study that found drivers can spot headlamps half a mile away; reflective details on clothes and shoes can be seen at only 100 yards; and a plain white shirt is visible from just 50 feet away.

Create a Mantra
Having an early morning power phrase that will get your butt out of bed is crucial for those first few transition weeks, says Raglin. Try: If I run now, I can feel good about it all day. If I skip it now, I'll feel guilty all day; or A few moments of discomfort now, a day's worth of elation later.

Why Being Skinny Doesn't Mean You're Fit

Arthur Agatson, M.D., • Prevention

Remember when a total cholesterol reading of under 200 was the standard for judging cardiovascular health? Today, of course, we know that it's the components of cholesterol (LDL, HDL, the size of those cholesterol particles, and triglycerides) that are much more predictive of heart health. Well, our understanding of total weight and its effects upon your heart has evolved in similar fashion. It's not your total weight but the characteristics of that weight—how much is fat and where it's deposited—that matter most.

Surprised? Thank the scientists at the Mayo Clinic, who are behind this recent discovery. After comparing various health markers with the weights and body mass index numbers of thousands of adults, they found that more than half of those with normal weights and BMIs actually had "high body-fat percentages as well as heart and metabolic disturbances." In other words, they had the same risks of coronary disease, diabetes, and other chronic illness as people who weighed much more.

This research, and its sobering implications for millions of Americans, led to the establishment of a new condition called normal weight obesity (NWO). This is more than just the latest fat phobia. It's worth paying attention to because the accumulation of fat in the body, especially in the belly and around internal organs, causes low-level inflammation that gradually damages tissue and blood vessels. (Think of it as metabolic rust.) So even though your weight or BMI may be within acceptable limits for your height and age, don't be lulled into a false sense of security. Do your own analysis, starting with these steps:

1. Stop being preoccupied with pounds. As with total cholesterol, total weight is just one general assessment of your health. Yes, people who are trying to lose weight are more likely to succeed if they weigh themselves often. But seeing numbers that are within a healthy BMI range may actually disguise your heart disease risk. Keep them in perspective.

2. Measure your body fat. For a quick estimate of this key factor, wrap a cloth measuring tape around your naked waist just above your belly button. If your weight is fairly normal but the number you see above your navel is 35 inches or more (40+ inches for men), you may have NWO. For a more exact reading, ask your doctor (or health club) to measure your body fat. This can be done using a variety of noninvasive methods. If it's higher than 30 percent (20 percent for men), you likely have NWO.

3. Get a blood test. Ask your doctor to order a thorough blood analysis at your next physical. Warning signs of NWO include low HDL (total cholesterol and LDL may be normal), along with elevated triglycerides, blood sugar, and blood pressure.

4. Target belly fat. If you're diagnosed with NWO, take aim at visceral fat. Despite how entrenched it may seem, you can lose it. The keys are: Avoid the white stuff (white bread, rice, pasta, and other refined carbohydrates). Add monounsaturated fats, which target belly fat, to your diet. And do interval exercises to burn more fat and strength-training to build lean body mass.

5. Keep tracking fat. Just as you hop on the scale to keep tabs on your weight, do the same with your body fat. Have it measured periodically at your doctor's office or health club. Or just observe the notches where your belt buckles.

Conversely, if you're considered overweight by current standards, there may be some good news here. If your body-fat percentage is lower than 30 percent (20 percent for men) and your blood chemistry is normal, then you are among the "fat and fit." (Many athletes are in this category.) Continue to eat smart and exercise, but accept your body for what it is and know you're not unhealthy because of it. Feeling fat and feeling healthy are no longer mutually exclusive.


http://www.active.com/fitness/Articles/Why-Being-Skinny-Doesnt-Mean-Youre-Fit.htm

Client of the Month

I'd just like to take a moment to congratulate our client of the month, Melissa Mintz, who has been coming to FT consistently since the end of February and has made tremendous strides in her cardio and strength capabilities. Way to go Melissa!

~AS