Bocce: Not just for aging Italian men anymore. Photo: Eric Perrone, Flickr

Even those of us with the healthiest habits can get thrown off course on a holiday weekend. Too much eating and drinking paired with a lot of sitting and chatting can totally derail your diet. However, with the slightest amount of planning, you can mitigate the damage (at least a little bit).

Take bocce, for example. The D.C. Bocce League (whose motto is "Our balls are harder") allows people of all ages (yes, young folks play bocce, too) to get together and be, well, somewhat active. Definitely more active than, say sitting in a lawn chair. Or a bar stool. Or the couch.

The game, for those of you who are unfortunate enough to be unfamiliar, is an ancestor of bowling that initially became popular when soldiers in ancient Rome tossed stones to stave off boredom between battles. It now consists of tossing a two-pound ball toward a small white ball across a lawn. No, you're not going to work up a sweat, but it'll burn more calories than the 12-ounce curls you'd planned on.

Do you have a few minutes to waste? I know, I know ... you're busy. But everyone deserves a few minutes just to relax, right?

Check out this new game on Shockwave.com. The Wonder-Juice Machine is a fun way to give your brain a little challenge. A minor mental workout like this is a great way to take your mind off of your troubles for a few minutes and relieve a little stress.

As as added perk, the game includes actual recipes for nutritious smoothies that you can try at home. And keep your eye out for the health tips about different fruits and vegetables. Who knew a game could include such handy health advice?

We all know the stereotype of a typical video game geek: pasty-skinned and overweight, never seeing the light of day, except for a brief glimpse when opening the door for the pizza delivery guy.

But according to recent research, the average 'gamer' isn't unhealthy -- in fact, gamers have lower BMIs than the average adult in the U.S.. The average BMI among gamers was 25 -- just on the border of normal and overweight. What's more, the average gamer engaged in physical activity once or twice a week. Gamers did, however, show larger instances mental health issues, including depression and substance abuse.

Are you more or less physically healthy than a gamer?

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Most people play to win. Otherwise, what's the point of the game? And whether we admit it or not, there's always a part of us that wants to be number one. But each of us has also had to contend with not winning, too. And that's OK.

In fact, it's more than OK -- in a moving article in The New York Times, losing is praised as a necessary and important life lesson. Losing not only teaches us humility but earning our victories the hard way teaches us how valuable it is to dedicate ourselves to something. As columnist John Scwartz points out: "Americans tend to frame things in terms of contests and wars that must be won or lost. Many challenges, however, are about hanging in there and managing a bad situation. Losing prepares you for the slog that is life. The world doesn't give us many finish lines, but it does give us the long run." To read more, click here.

I couldn't agree more. Your thoughts?

(via Well Blog)

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Remember when you were a kid? You likely spent your afternoons and weekends riding bikes with friends, building forts out in the backyard, and scurrying around the neighborhood on your skateboard. All you knew is you were having a great time.

When, exactly, did those activities that used to be fun become a workout? When we cast our adult perspective on physical, outdoor activities we somehow turn them into aerobic activity, cardio, exercise, or other similarly boring words. Let's get back to our childhood roots and call it what it really is... fun!

Shape Magazine has a great article on many different ways you can have some fun, just like you did when you were a kid. Try biking, inline skating, jumping rope, shooting hoops, or going dancing. Soon enough, you'll figure out that the first syllable in workout is really inappropriate.

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Martha recently posted about how exercise can help stroke patients recover. A new virtual reality program that is undergoing clinical trials in the UK and in Canada helps the recovery process a little more.

A researcher at Portsmouth University in the UK created a treadmill that's linked to a virtual reality system. The system helps people recovering from strokes, traumatic falls, and those living with osteoarthritis to build up their endurance, increase their range of motion, and improve their gate.

The system displays scenes -- cityscapes, forest trails, mountains, etc. As the patient is walking on the treadmill, the scenery changes. The system gives them the motivation to walk -- and it also encourages them to virtually pick up objects which aids in balance. In addition, the motion of the scenery is adjusted so the patients walk faster and more smoothly, almost without realizing it.

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So what are your plans for Labor Day? Frankly, the holiday sneaked up on me this year. What with back-to-school and work deadlines and other things I have on my mind, I completely forgot about it. My son and I will find something fun to do, though. We'll probably visit with family and maybe go to the BMX track (my son's favorite activity).

When making your Labor Day plans, keep health in mind. Some ideas:

• When grilling for your Labor Day BBQ, choose leaner cuts of meat and grill plenty of vegetables. You can also grill some fruits (peaches, plums, pineapple) for dessert. Remember to keep grilling safety in mind, too.
  
• Skip the chips and mayo-laden salads. Instead offer more healthful choices like veggie trays, yummy mixed green salads, and fruit salad.
• Plan some active time with family and friends. You can set up a volleyball net in the backyard, hold a basketball competition, or swim. Kids would also enjoy relay races and active games like red light, green light.
  
• Go on a Labor Day outing. Hike along a nature trail, bike on a rail trail, or visit a nearby beach (and don't just lay around -- swim and be active).

Are you superstitious about your sport? Do you wear a favorite pair of running shorts in road races because you think they give you an edge? Do you practice a ritual warm-up routine that if altered might mess with your whole workout? Is there something you don't do to keep your game strong -- like ban a certain fan from your cheering section? That's what Dallas Cowboys football fans want to do with a certain someone who keeps showing up: Jessica Simpson.

Simpson was called a bad luck charm for QB boyfriend Tony Romo's team last season, spurring on opposing-team fans like the ones pictured above to mock her game appearances. Now, Cowboys fans are starting to think she may be a distraction for the team this year. Could it be the long, flowing orange summer dress she wore at training camp in late July, the dress that had the whole team peeking and peering? Could it be that Romo can't focus when his girl is in the stands? Is this celebrity just too much to handle? Whatever the case, Simpson is stirring up superstition. Will it affect game play this year?

Tell us: What affects your game?

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Before basketball there was James Naismith and a peach basket. Before volleyball, there was YMCA director William Morgan who had the idea of combining elements of some other sports. Every sport has its history and its inventor... you could be next!

The folks at Horny Toad Activewear and Instructables have paired up to create the Invent a Sport contest. You can put a new twist on an existing sport or start from scratch, but your ideas must be original. After all, Horny Toad has introduced such sports as trampoline dodgeball; they're obviously not thrilled by run-of-the-mill creations.

To enter you just need a description of how the game is played as well as a description of any necessary equipment. A video of people playing the game is helpful, but not required. Give it a shot. You'll have a great time and you may just win a $350 gift card.

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Men are morons when it comes to matters of health. I didn't say it. I heard it from a radio show host this morning while trekking on my treadmill.

Seems men ignore serious medical symptoms and postpone trips to the ER when they're watching sports, according to an ER doctor who reviewed case numbers over three years at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore. It all came down to this decision in the heads of men who were wrapped up in a game at the time something medical occurred: Do I need to go to the hospital now or can I finish the game first?

The lesson for all your partners of sports fans out there: When you see you man fall, faint, grab his chest, or otherwise indicate something is seriously wrong, do call 911 -- before the game nears its end.

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Hungry at the ball game? Wave down that snack vendor and order peanuts in the shell. It's your healthiest option. The worst? Nachos with cheese. Tummy grumbling while you're stuck in the airport? Pizza, no pepperoni, is your best bet. There's protein in the cheese, and the tomato in the sauce counts as a veggie serving.

According to the Today Show and Real Simple magazine, a small bag of plain pretzels or whole wheat crackers with peanut butter from a vending machine are tops compared to any variety of chips or candy bars. Headed to the movies? Pick a child's size popcorn -- no butter -- and if you must have a sweet something, Junior Mints have less fat than most other sugary options. Two more tips: Avoid all "Jumbo" choices, and definitely don't opt for Milk Duds. A whole box will fill you with more than 500 calories.

Is a stop at a mall food court in your future? How about the mini-mart? Before you head to these locations, be sure to check out this article.

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Our pals over at DS Fanboy have taken an in-depth look at the pros and cons of practicing yoga guided by a DVD (Yoga for Beginners) versus using the Nintendo DS game, Let's Yoga. First, there was an awesome review of Let's Yoga, and overall, they were fans.

However, as with any at-home automated guide (including a DVD), it's easy to cheat or do poses incorrectly. The game itself sounds like it's easy to navigate and follow, and it has lots and lots of short lessons, so you can tailor your yoga workout to fit into your schedule.

After reading the review, I checked out the comparison, and, long story short, the game totally won. To demonstrate the differences, DS Fanboy provided a chart highlighting similarities and differences, so if you have a particular concern (like you don't want an annoying instructor), you can easily see which option would work best for you. I'm not normally a huge fan of video games, but this sounds like a cool way to get involved in yoga without dragging your karma-challenged butt to a class.

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Danny had a soccer game on Saturday. It was game one. And his team won. Well, there was no official score keeping but those of us with our eyes on Danny and his purple-shirted four-year-old friends happened to notice that his team scored three times while the other team didn't seem to score at all. It doesn't matter all that much who won -- although we did let Danny know his team was victorious: We needed something to get him back on the field next week -- he's not sure he loves soccer all that much -- and this seemed to motivate him a bit.

I'm no athlete myself. I gave sports a try a few times in junior high school -- basketball and softball were my two attempts -- but really, organized sports just didn't do a thing for me. They might not do anything for Danny either. But I must say it was quite exhilarating watching my little tike run around that soccer field this past weekend. Seeing him race around with his teammates, not even sure which goal belonged to him, admiring him in his knee-length team shirt with a gigantic number 10 on the back, and spotting him kick that size three ball in his size 11 cleats just warmed my heart.

Maybe I'm living vicariously through my mini soccer guy, feeling the thrill of what I never felt firsthand all those years ago when I threw my hat in the sports ring and promptly pulled it back out. I'm just not your average female athlete. I'm simply a happy bystander. A spirited cheerleader. A proud mom.

Go Danny!

If you must allow your kids to watch TV, better to tune them into sports events than questionable programming. Even better? Turn off the boob tube and get them in the game.

Eighty percent of kids ages six to 18 surveyed by Weekly Reader said they'd rather play sports than watch them on television. This means you simply must offer your children the chance to join a team or league.

Here's what else these sports fans had to say:

• 50 percent said their parents urge them to play a team sport.

• 43 percent of six to nine-year-olds said they play their sport because they love it. Just 32 percent of 13 to 18-year olds said the same.

• 10 percent of 13 to 18-year old girls quit playing sports because a coach told them they weren't good enough.

• Girls attend practice in greater numbers than boys.

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My husband and I spend a lot of time at meals coaching our kids out of playing with their food. So I don't actually recommend you allow your children to play with theirs. But if you want to make meals fun for your littlest tikes, you might check out this Play With Your Food dinner activity.

Here's how it works: You flick a spinner and land on a task such as "choose one bite." Each task is matched with a picture – there's a bus, a train, a car, and a plane – and your child gets a tray with four food compartments, each displaying one of these same pictures. Say you land on the airplane and the task reads, "take a bite." Your child then takes one bite of food from the airplane compartment. Well, you hope so anyway. If you get lucky and land on "one bite each," your little beauty must take one bite from each compartment. Fill these compartments with healthy, nutritious morsels and cross your fingers. This might be just what you need to get your kids eating well.

Wanna see how it works? Click here to play.

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