Yes! You Can Burn More Calories In Less Time!

In this seemingly time-starved era, people are searching for short cuts to get things done in less time. The drive-thru, remote control, microwave, internet… all save us time. The interesting thing is that each of these always keeps us sedentary and while we save time, we are still busy. Where did all of the time go that these inventions have saved?  Well, I can’t answer that, but I can help you save time with your exercise program.

Burning more calories in less time may seem like a wild infomercial claim or too much work, but I have good news. It does work and with less effort than you might think. I asked my friend Lynn to perform an informal study to prove the point.

One of Lynn’s favorite forms of exercise is walking around a lake near her home. The lake is about one mile around with beautiful scenery. I asked her to wear a Caltrac (a small pager-like device worn on the waistband to track calories burned) and to do two different types of workouts at the lake in the same week.

The first workout consisted of walking with her friend. The friend brought her baby in a stroller and the ladies walked briskly, twice around the lake. While it was not quite a power walk, they passed a few slower people on the path and felt they had a good workout. The walk took them 46 minutes and Lynn burned 269 calories.

A few days later, Lynn went back to take the same path twice around the lake. This time though, she was to add one to two minute intervals of jogging sandwiched between three to four minutes of quick-paced power walking. The results?  Lynn went the distance, jogging for several short intervals that totaled nine minutes. The workout took her only 30 minutes (a time decrease of 16 minutes) and she burned 330 calories (an increase of 61 calories)!

The best part was that she didn’t mind the jogging. Many people have an old-school view of jogging and don’t realize that a minute here and there is not only doable but makes a huge difference in their results. Lynn will continue to enjoy walking with friends, but the majority of her workouts have taken on a more productive nature.

Message from the President:

I think most mothers are great at giving: to their kids, spouses, colleagues, friends… nearly everyone they come in contact with. This month on Mother’s Day everyone gets to give back to her, but is one day enough?  How could that one day extend over a whole year?

That day gets extended when mom gives to herself on a daily basis, something actually we can all do. The tendency to sacrifice ourselves for those we care about is often overriding, almost automatic, especially for mothers, so that years go by and we realize the lack of self care has taken a toll on us and those we care about!

The family notices if mom is yo-yo dieting, if she’s always stressed or if she’s not exercising. When mom gives to herself, it shows that she values herself and everyone around her benefits – because she gives right back!                              

To your health,

            Amy Lundberg
            Aim For It, President

Getting Children Active For A Lifetime

You know childhood obesity is reaching epidemic proportions. Society blames the TV, the computer and the lack of PE and overabundance of soda pop in schools. The problem with all this blame is that the focus remains on what isn’t working rather than bringing a positive focus to the situation. This blame also keeps the focus on something that parents cannot necessarily control.

Encouraging children to be active is easy because children are naturally inclined to movement. And, studies show that if children become active early on, they are more likely to be active adults and suffer from fewer adult problems, such as chronic fatigue syndrome.

The first thing parents can do is take part in a fitness program of their own. It’s not the parents’ fitness level that makes a difference, but their participation. A study quoted by the American College of Sports Medicine shows that in families where both parents were active, 95 percent of the children were active. Sounds like great motivation for parents!

Second, encourage your child to participate in activities they enjoy and to experiment with new sports. Pass on to your children the skills you have developed and learn new skills with your child to further support them.

Third, focus on the fun of the activity rather than performance or weight loss. Children respond to fun and encouragement, but may quickly shut down if they receive negative feedback about their performance or feel pressure to lose weight. Many adults relay stories to me about weighing-in at weight loss meetings at the age of 11, feeling shamed and less than encouraged, still harboring those feelings years later.

Just like those commercials that tell parents “kids listen” when it comes to smoking, drugs, etc., they also listen and learn when it comes to fitness. Starting your children on an adventure of being active will benefit them for a lifetime. What a great gift!

Diabetes – Yet Another Reason To Exercise

Need another good reason to exercise? You got it – prevention and/or control of diabetes is a great one. 

Simply put, diabetes makes it difficult to control blood sugar.  There are two forms of this disease: Type I (also insulin-dependent or juvenile-onset diabetes) and Type II (also non-insulin-dependent or adult-onset diabetes). We will focus here on adult-onset as it is the most common form, affecting 90-95% of all diabetics, and is preventable and/or reversible in most cases, unlike juvenile-onset.

The consequences of adult-onset diabetes are serious. It can lead to blindness, reduced circulation, cardiovascular disease, nerve damage and, in severe cases, limb amputation and death. Here are several risk factors for developing Type II diabetes:

• Body mass exceeding 20% of ideal
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Family history of Type II diabetes
• Blood pressure at or above 140/90
• HDL cholesterol lower than 35 or triglyceride level > 250
• Impaired fasting glucose levels
• Member of high-risk ethnic groups including African-American, Hispanic, American Indian, Pacific Islander and Asian

The good news is Type II diabetes can be controlled with proper nutrition, exercise and, if necessary, medication. Many of the risk factors including high blood pressure, activity level, cholesterol and triglycerides can be improved to reverse diabetes. And, if you are at risk but are not diagnosed, you can use nutrition and exercise to prevent or at least reduce your risk of developing this disease.

If you have diabetes, a registered dietician can help you with an eating plan to control your blood sugar and reduce many of your risk factors. To locate a professional near you, go to www.eatright.org.

A change in diet alone will not control diabetes. Consistent exercise is a crucial component and the proper amount and type of exercise will help control weight, blood pressure, blood lipids, blood sugar levels, increase circulation and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. Below are general exercise guidelines for Type II diabetics:

• Participate in endurance (cardiovascular) exercise, such as walking, swimming and biking, four to seven days a week, for 40 to 60 minutes per session. If you are not exercising currently, please progress slowly to this level, any exercise you can do now is better than not exercising.
• Exercise predominately at a low to moderate intensity.
• Carry a fast-acting carbohydrate snack with you in case you experience sudden low blood sugar.
• If advised by your physician, check your blood sugar levels before and after exercise. Do not exercise if your level is outside of your doctor’s recommendations.
• Always wear shoes that are in good condition. Check your shoes regularly for wear and replace if necessary.
• Check your feet on a regular basis for cuts, blisters or infections, including after exercise.

The best news is that this disease is controllable and often preventable, especially when quick and proper action is taken.

Is that good reason enough to exercise?