Center-related stories
Preschool Parents Don't Always Pack Nutritious Lunches
Due to rising food costs, regulations for Texas day-care centers recently changed and now allow the centers to require parents to send meals and snacks for the children. A subsequent (albeit small) study found that 71 percent of the home-packed meals didn't have enough fruits or vegetables and the number of milk servings was also low.
When you're busy getting the kids ready for school and trying to get ready for work, sometimes convenience takes priority when packing your kids lunches. But nutrition can be convenient, too. You can't get much easier than a ready-to-eat piece of fruit. And you can pre-cut carrots, celery, cucumbers and other veggies at the beginning or the week so they're ready and waiting. Check out the gallery for other quick, easy and healthful foods for your child's lunch bag.
Have an ailment? Find a fitness class just for you
It used to be that group classes at gyms were broken into a few small categories -- men/women, high intensity/low impact and so forth. But gyms have started to offer special classes that are designed to benefit much smaller groups. Most recently, gyms are offering classes designed for people with certain conditions or illnesses. Osteoporosis, cancer, and cardiovascular conditions are just a few of the health problems gyms are starting to target. Depending on the condition, the classes may aim to improve the symptoms and/or reduce risk factors for recurrence.
If you have a specific condition, talk to one of the trainers at your gym. (Or call a local gym if you don't have a membership.) Even if they don't have condition-specific classes scheduled yet, they may have other gym-goers who are interested. In the meantime, a trainer can design a program that works specifically for your health needs.
Monkeys from Heaven
Healthy Relationships, Stress Reduction, Womens Health, Celebrities and Entertainment, Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Celebs & Entertainment, Reviews & Products, Motivation, Alternative & Green Health, Nutrition & Supplements, Men's Health
This morning was a special day for the mommies in my playgroup and I. Today we donated over 150 stuffed monkeys to the children being cared for at North Florida Regional Medical Center (NFRMC) in honor of our Angel Odessa. Odessa Virginia Webster was born at NFRMC on February 24, 2003, and landed back at the same hospital on March 25, 2004 for care after a fatal head injury. At thirteen months old, Odessa was stolen from her parents Matt and Anita, her loving family, and our already tight playgroup family. It was devastating for all of us, and out of our grief came an intense drive to honor our "Angel O".
To back up a bit, our playgroup began when our infants met at a "new mommy" luncheon hosted at NFRMC when they were two weeks old. Well, the infants didn't exactly meet each other, but us moms did ... and we decided then and there that we wanted to stick together. That made ten families dealing with the insanity of newborns and leaning on each other for friendship, advice, stress relief, and fun. We literally have been getting together for "playgroup" every Tuesday since, and our children are all addicted to each other; the best of friends. At the start, we would have never imagined what would come for us, for her, the following year. I just remember checking my email one day and opening one from Anita with "Odessa Virginia Webster" as the title. I expected to see a new photo from a portrait studio. A portrait was included, but it went along with a letter written by Anita informing us that her daughter was gone. "Please don't call now. I'm not ready to talk" she wrote. I simply can't describe the agony that followed for all of us.
Elliptical machines help keep the lights on
Credit for this energetic feat goes to Hudson Harr, the 22-year-old who came up with the ReCardio system -- a patent-pending technology currently wired to 15 elliptical machines and working to convert the kinetic energy from pushing pedals into electricity. The power produced by the machines is plugged straight into the utility grid, which helps produce power for the gym and offsets utility costs. Each elliptical machine can produce one kilowatt of electricity every 10 hours -- enough to charge the battery for a 2004 Toyota Prius once or a cell phone up to 397 times. So far, 150 kilowatts of electricity has been produced.
Harr, the founder and CEO of ReRev LLC, a renewable energy company, is working with several large institutions and franchises to put this technology to work in other settings.
Fitzness Food: Roasted Vegetable Cuban Sandwich
Healthy Habits, Healthy Home, Healthy Places, Vegetarian, Womens Health, Healthy Recipes, Celebrities and Entertainment, Healthy Kids, Healthy Products and Reviews, Recipe Rehab with Tanya Zuckerbrot, Cellulite, Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Celebs & Entertainment, Reviews & Products, Alternative & Green Health, Nutrition & Supplements, Men's Health
I actually screamed out loud when I found this recipe in the Delicious Disney, The Disney Chefs with Pam Brandon book. My husband and I shared SEVERAL of these last time we were at EPCOT Center in the Walt Disney World Resort, and have lusted for it since. It was served at the Sunshine Seasons in The Land. This Roasted Vegetable Cuban Sandwich is perfect for both carnivores and vegetarians alike. It's fairly simple to make and will leave you with a little streak of drool on the side of your face until you have one again! I've posted the recipe in my online Recipe Book at Fitness.com, page 41, for permanent access. Enjoy!
Happy Active Birthday To You
Fitness, Nutrition & Supplements
Eleven kids will join Danny for his birthday celebration, which will go something like this: They will run and jump and climb on a big play structure for about 30 minutes. Then they'll line up and follow a birthday coordinator who will guide them through a warm-up, all sorts of race events, and an obstacle course. Another 30 minutes here. Then they'll head into a party room for some cake before getting a few more minutes on the the play structure. Danny will open his gifts at home, because no one really wants to watch him tear them all open. It's so much more fun to get back to running, jumping, and climbing.
Ninety minutes of high-level activity awaits my birthday boy and his pals. I predict an easy bedtime tonight -- and I'm already beaming about the exercise my guy is about to get.
Gym offers free memberships for teens
Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Nutrition & Supplements
In honor of my city's fifth year as one of the healthiest communities in America, my local gym -- Gainesville Health and Fitness Center -- is offering free memberships to teens ages 13 to 17 for the months of June, July, and August. An $800,000 investment in the lives of young people, this offer provides an opportunity for all teens -- there are 8,000 of them in Gainesville -- to improve their lifestyle, health, and fitness. For a few months, anyway.This mission of this free program is to take a stab at fighting the obesity epidemic in this country and to ensure that all teens have access to summer recreational activities in spite of current economic turmoil.
Pretty cool, I think. Too bad I miss the age cut-off by about, oh, 21 years.
Pilate's doesn't suck
Healthy Aging, Healthy Habits, Stress Reduction, Womens Health, Cellulite, Obesity, Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Celebs & Entertainment, Reviews & Products, Motivation, Nutrition & Supplements, Men's Health
A while back, the physician that has been caring for my lower back injury suggested I go do Pilate's to help strengthen and stretch the muscles that are stuck in a chronic spasm. Now, I've been teaching fitness for 18 years and have been exposed to almost every type of training and equipment under the sun. I'm embedded in it. Strangely though, Pilate's and Yoga are things that have never interested me. I understand the benefit to doing those things, and have recommended them to others. I've just never wanted to pursue them myself. I'm a fighter; literally. If you don't believe me click here. I like to move fast, go hard, sweat, grunt, and pant like a lunatic. I like to GO, GO, GO! The one time I took yoga, I wanted to slit my wrists. The few times I used the Pilate's Reformer, I thought it was interesting....but not anything I'd want to pursue.
So last week I show up at the Gainesville Health and Fitness Center, and the advanced Pilate's mat class was just about to start. Feeling guilty for not following up on my doctor's advice from months ago, I half-heartedly asked the perky front desk chic if there was any room in the class. Yep. There was. And she handed me a little butterfly thing with a number on it to hold my place.
The nuclear fight against cancer now emerging
Celebs & Entertainment, Reviews & Products
When you think of nuclear particle accelerators, you probably think of massive pieces of equipment like Tevatron. But now these beasts of physics will be making headway into the field of medicine for cancer treatment.Just like its name suggests, these machines accelerate protons to the speed of light (or nearly that fast, anyway). Doctors are then able to direct the particles into tumors. By doing this, they are trying to treat cancer more efficiently so that stray radiation is minimized. That means fewer side effects!
The catch is that this equipment is extremely large, and very expensive. Therefore the cost of treating cancer this way goes up considerably. Opponents of nuclear medicine say this limits the less-expensive alternatives, because doctors will feel obligated to prescribe this type of treatment if it's available. With only 5 proton therapy centers in the US, taking up over 200 tons and costing more than $100 million, it's easy to see why doctors would want to take advantage of them. Who knows -- maybe one day we'll see a particle accelerator in every hospital as the cost of technology declines. That's probably a long way off, but the more prevalent this equipment becomes the cheaper it will be to use.
The effects of momentary muscle failure
I told you the other day that I'm new to the gym scene. Yep, my dad bought me a two-year gym membership for Christmas, and already I've tackled the treadmill and the weight training circuit at Gainesville Health and Fitness Center (GHFC). The treadmill was nothing new -- my usual at-home fitness routine is all about the treadmill -- but the weight training bit, well, this is entirely new. And at this very moment, my muscles are entirely sore.
The fitness experts at GHFC believe in this philosophy called momentary muscle failure (MMF). Translation: Work your major muscles to failure through eight to 12 repetitions in about 60 seconds and you'll reach optimum strength in a shorter period of time. Being a by-the-book kind of girl, I complied with this philosophy. I pushed myself on nine different machines and in the end felt, yes, failure. A good failure, though. A failure that tells me I exerted myself in a way that in time, will make me stronger and healthier.
While my screaming muscles recover for a day or so, I'm contemplating my next gym assignment. I think I'll make it a BOSU class -- and then another tour of those nine machines. I'll let you know how it goes the second time around.
A gym-dandy new routine
I'm a gym girl now. Never was before -- too much money, too much commitment, too much guilt when I didn't work out regularly. It was just easier for me to do my own thing, on my own terms, for free. My own thing has been getting a bit stale, though, so when my dad offered me a gym membership for a Christmas gift, I accepted. Now, I'm about to embark on a new two-year adventure.
It was my dad's idea that I join a gym. He told me I was doing great with my cardio strides but recommended I step up my weight and resistance training. I just don't discipline myself in this area at home so going to a gym, where I can get one-on-one assistance and a good dose of motivation, seems a logical move. The gym I will frequent -- Gainesville Health & Fitness Center -- has three locations in my city, loads of fitness classes, trainers at my disposal, and childcare too. I can't wait to get started -- and to let you know how it goes.
Stay tuned, my friends, for future briefings on my life as a gym girl.
Save yourself -- put your purse on a diet
Healthy Habits, Diet & Weight Loss
A heavy bag can cause pain in your neck, tingling in your fingers, even headaches, says family practitioner Jane Sadler of the Baylor Medical Center in Garland, Texas. Sadler recommends carrying bags no heavier than three pounds and definitely no more than 10 percent of your body weight. For those wishing to lighten up a bit, Sadler offers these tips:
- Clean out your wallet. Only carry credit cards, papers, and store cards you'll need that day.
- Stash a duplicate make-up bag at the office and in your gym locker and remove the one you've got stashed in your purse.
- Keep your cell phone or PDA in a pocket.
- Wear bags with the strap-messenger style (across the body).
- Alternate shoulders.
- Watch your posture. Slumping adds to the strain.
Eating healthy at the mall: It is possible
At the office the other day I was talking with a co-worker about the kind of crap I used to eat at the mall when I was a teenager. Cinnabuns with extra icing (the entire bun) and poutine (a French-Canadian specialty that consists of fries covered in cheese and gravy -- trust me, don't knock it until you tried it because it's indescribably delicious) were always the order of the day. I finished my end of the chat with the statement "no wonder I was so chubby in Jr. High".
I tend to avoid mall food altogether now but when I do need to grab a bite from the food court, I skip the fries and sugary stuff and stick to the healthy options that are available. These days there's way more variety with wraps, soups, sandwiches, salads and more on offer at most shopping centers.
As this article points out, lots different cultures are represented these days including Mexican, Greek, Italian, Chinese and Japanese. If you're willing to skip the fried stuff, ask for dressing on the side, opt for whole-wheat rather than white bread and avoid extra sauces like mayo and ketchup, you can cut calories while still consuming healthy veggies and protein. For ideas on the best items to order at the food fair, take a look here.
Complimentary hair bands
Healthy Places, Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness
I was just met with the nicest treat today. I arrived at the gym and at the front desk was a basket of complimentary hair bands. Brand new, of course. This isn't the most expensive or extravagant thing a business could do, but it is truly thoughtful and really appreciated.
I frequent the gym about five days a week. I'm normally prepared with all of my clothing, shoes, hair stuff, magazines, mp3 player, etc. Unfortunately, on occasion I forget something. The headphones I can do without. It sucks, but I can survive without them. Forgetting my socks leaves me uncomfortable, but I can go barefoot in my sneakers. My hair though, is another thing all together. I have long straight hair. Not fun to have whipping in my face while running, jumping rope, strength training or anything!
Of course I try to be organized, but nobody's perfect. On occasion, I've had to ask the front desk for office rubber bands to use. They've been generous to provide the few I've needed. Once I even used a deflated balloon I found in my purse (I have two little ones) to tie around my hair. But now I won't have to. Of course I'll continue to make an effort to bring my own hair bands, but if I forget....I'll be grateful to know they'll be at the front desk waiting to make my life easier. The gym I attend, Gainesville Health and Fitness Center is already considered one of the nicest in the world, now they can list themselves as one of the most thoughtful too.
Finding a way
Healthy Habits, Stress Reduction, Womens Health, Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Reviews & Products, Motivation, Men's Health
November 26th I broke my left foot. I broke it bad. In fact, I broke two bones in the foot, and tore both a muscle and ligament. When I do it, I do it right I guess. Sentenced to crutches for 10 weeks, I was given a grand opportunity to practice what I preach. Being Miss. Fitzness Trainer, I'm constantly telling others to 'find a way' to make it happen. Stop making excuses I say. Now it was my turn to find a way.
Going 10 weeks without working out was not an option. Sure I could lift weights, but cardiovascular workouts are a definite must for me. Now what? I absolutely could not partake in my favorite workouts; kickboxing, running, jumping rope. I couldn't even swim! So I had to search around the local gym. Fortunately I am a member of the Gainesville Health and Fitness Center which is probably one of the most beautiful and complete gyms in the country. If it weren't.....I would have been screwed. GH&FC has two kayak machines. Whoopee! I mean that both seriously and sarcastically. Grateful to have something to do to make me huff & puff without putting pressure on my boo boo, and annoyed because it's one of the most boring and tedious things I've done in my life.
First day I lasted 10 minutes and cursed like a sailor. Second day I begrudgingly conquered 20 minutes. Argh! Of course it was also the ONLY machine in this monstrous gym with no television attached. It was awful! Nonetheless. Because I felt obligated to all those nice folks I told to find a way, I stuck it out....and cursed a lot. I'm glad I did.
