Lose Weight In 700-Calorie Steps – Health News Story – WMUR New Hampshire.

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Studies have shown that men and women in their 60′s, 70′s and 80′s have reversed their immobility and increased their quality of life through exercising with light weights.

Increase Bone Density
Using resistance increases bone density, decreasing your risk for osteoporosis and even reversing the effects of osteoporosis. Women tend to lose upper body strength after the children have gotten too big to be picked up and carried around, so it’s important to maintain that strength through resistance exercise. It’ll help maintain bone density in the upper spine too.

Equipment Types
You could use a home gym type of fitness equipment, or a bowflex type or even a crosstrainer type of equipment, but free weights are really the best. This means using dumb bells or plates on bars to ‘resist’ against your muscles, making them work and grow strong. Also, using your body weight as resistance works well, this is part of the theory behind Pilates type of mat exercise.

Reduce Body Fat
Even if your goal is to lose weight – just working out with 5 pound dumbells burns calories, but also the muscle they create burns calories even when you’re not working out. Plus, you’ll want to be sure to have those muscles toned up for after you lose the weight, so you will look firm and tight, not flabby and loose.

Tone Your Muscles
If you’re relatively thin, but just want to fill out your clothes better, resistance training is the only way to go. Light dumb bells firm up the muscle tissue just enough to make you look fit.

Achieve Your Goal
Whether your goal is to lose weight, tone muscles or grow big bulky muscles, you will need to do some type of resistance training.

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The studies identified specific amounts too.  For women it’s one 4 ounce glass per day, and for men it’s one or two 4 ounce glasses per day.  The studies also point out that this applies to ‘otherwise healthy individuals’.  Which means that if you already have cardiovascular disease, or any other disease including alcoholism, you should not assume that you will reap the same benefits and should speak with your treating physician about it.

Researchers have also found that the antioxidant in red wine inhibits tumor development in some cancers and aided in nerve cell formation, which can be helpful in treating diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.  Most recent studies, identified one more area: liver disease.

Researchers determined that one glass of red wine a day may reduce the the odds of a liver disease known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) by 50%.  This is a relatively new development, so we may be hearing much more about it in the future.

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When you really think about it, getting ready to start an exercise program should be like starting up any serious change in your life.  If you were starting a new business, you would set goals and if you were starting a project around the house, you would set goals.  Sometimes they would be formal and written down, other times they would just be a thought process you went through in your mind.  Either way, it should be done when beginning an exercise regimen. 

Goal setting 101 teaches us to think in terms of short term goals and long term goals, and they are both important to keeping an exercise regimen going. 

First, in the short term, you could say in 30 days, I’m going to be down five pounds or my waistband will be much loser than it is today.   You need to set either a date or state the number of days, weeks or months specifically.  This way you have your ‘check in’ points along the way.  Also, you want to be more specific than saying ‘lose weight’.  You want to state the number of pounds, or a marker such as your waistband tightness.  You don’t need to think in terms of weight loss only.  You could say, since I can use the five pound dumb bells today, in 30 days I want to be strong enough to use eight pound dumb bells.

Now, once your time frame and specific goal is set, it’s time to put a plan in place on achieving that goal.  So if your plan is to lose five pounds, it’s time to set parameters on your eating habits, as well institute an aerobic routine with some resistance training for toning too.  If your goal is to increase to eight pounds dumb bells, it’s time to institute a plan for getting stronger through resistance training.

Now, at the first check point, whether it  be 30 days, or some other time frame, you take a look to see if you’ve achieved your short term goal.  If yes, it’s time to set the next goal, if no, then go back to your plan and find out why it failed.  Was it the plan or was it you not following the plan?

Second, you need to add in a long term goal.  Now thinking in terms of months and years – what do you want to be doing, or what do you want to be wearing?   This could be a wedding date, a vacation date or just that you want to be in shape to keep up with your grandchildren. 

With having that long term goal in mind, you are able to continue to set short term goals to reach it. 

Can you do this on your own?  Do you need help?  Remember I’m here to help you.

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I get this question quite often, the simple answer is:  ‘step it up a notch’.   Your body becomes accustomed to exercise in anywhere from 1 to three months of doing it.  Once that occurs, your body sees no need to make anymore changes as it’s meeting your regular needs. 

So nows the time to step it up a notch.  If you’re using 5 pound dumb bells, increase them to 7.  If you’re running on the treadmill or the elliptical for 30 minutes, increase it to 40 or raise the level of the program.  

Once you do this, you should begin to see changes once again, as your body will adapt to the increased stresses you’re putting on it.

Just a word of caution, not too much too quickly.  That’s how we get hurt and lose our interest in exercise, and that’s the last thing you want to see occur.

So have at it and have fun doing it!

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To make the best of your aerobic workout you need a heart rate monitor.  To calculate your aerobic range, which is 60%  to 85% of your maximum heart rate, you deduct your age from 220, then take that number which is your maximum heart rate and multiply it by .60 and .85 arriving at your aerobic range.  Using the heart rate monitor, exercise with your heart rate between those two numbers for a minimum of 30 minutes three times per week.  As your heart becomes stronger, you should work up to four times per week, or go to 45 minutes three times per week to get the best results. 

You can use a road bike or a stationary bike, the streets or the treadmill or any of those machines lining the walls of the gym, just choose your favorites and get going!  Just for fun try every one of the machines for 10 minutes each the next time you’re at the gym.

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Using a pedometer can really be a benefit to getting exercise through walking. Studies have shown that we walk an average of 5000 to 5500 steps per day, and that 10,000 steps per day is where you see the most benefit. 10,000 steps is equal to about 5 miles for the average stride. Just having the pedometer hooked to your belt loop will be the reminder to keep moving, or to take the stairs, or to go out and walk during your lunch break at work.

I advise my clients to keep a log of the information their pedometer gives them at the end of each day. It includes the date, number of steps, miles, calories burned and a space for any notes for that day. The notes area can be helpful to track why there was a significant difference, either fewer or more steps on a given day.

Here are some ways to add steps to your day – remember your goal is 10,000:

• Park in the far back of the parking lot at work, or at store lots
• If you take a bus, get off the bus a few stops before your usual stop and walk the rest of the way
• Take the stairs
• Pace while waiting for meetings to start or while making phone calls
• Get up and walk around during commercial breaks
• Do not use drive throughs, park and walk in – better yet stay away from places that have drive throughs the food is no good for you
• Dedicate a few minutes to walking each hour
• Walk during your lunch break
• Form a workplace, neighborhood or friends walking group
• Make a family habit of walking in the morning or after dinner (or both)
• Take advantage of 5k charity walks so you have company while walking
• Take an extra trip up and down your stairs, just for fun
• Bring your groceries into the house one bag at a time
• Take the dog for a walk, they’ll love you for it. Take your neighbors dog for a walk if you don’t have one!
• Pace while waiting for a meal to heat in the microwave
• Use the lavatory at work that is furthest from your desk

Go ahead, add more bullet points, there are plenty of ways to add walking to your daily life!

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GROCERY LIST

APPLES
ORANGES
PEACHES
CHERRIES
CRANBERRIES
PLUMS/NECTARINES
MANGOS
PINEAPPLE
BANANAS
FIGS
LEMONS/LIMES
BLUEBERRIES, BLACKBERRIES (FROZEN OKAY TOO)
FRUIT SORBET (NO SUGAR ADDED)
NON FAT/LOW FAT FROZEN YOGURT

PLAIN COLE SLAW (PRE-MADE IN BAG)
ROMAINE LETTUCE
CELERY
CARROTS
SWEET POTATOES
SQUASH
MUSHROOMS
GREEN PEPPERS/RED PEPPERS/YELLOW PEPPERS
EGGPLANT
TOMATOES
FRESH OR FROZEN GREEN VEGETABLES: BROCCOLI, BRUSSEL SPROUTS, GREEN BEANS, SPINACH, ETC
GARLIC
ONIONS

OLIVES
ARTICHOKE HEARTS
BLACK BEANS
SUN DRIED TOMATOES (NO OIL)
TOMATO SAUCE (NO SUGAR IN INGREDIENTS)
LENTILS
WHITE BEANS

GREEN TEA BAGS
BOTTLED WATER

TUNA FISH PACKED IN SPRING WATER

EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
NEWMAN’S OWN OIL & VINEGAR DRESSING
BALSAMIC VINEGAR
HONEY
MUSTARD
COCKTAIL SAUCE
PICKLES

NEWMAN’S OWN LOW FAT FIG NEWMANS
RAW ALMONDS
WALNUTS
HAZELNUTS
RAISINS

EGGS OR JUST EGG WHITES IF YOU’RE WORRIED ABOUT CHOLESTEROL
LOWFAT COTTAGE CHEESE
LOWFAT/NON FAT YOGURT
PART SKIM RICOTTA CHEESE
FETA CHEESE (LOW FAT)
HARD WHITE CHEESE
SKIM MILK
ORANGE OR GRAPEFRUIT JUICE (100% JUICE MUST BE ON THE LABEL)
LOW FAT SOUR CREAM

TOMATO & VEGGIE ONLY SALSA (CHECK LABEL FOR SUGAR AND OTHER JUNK)
TORTILLA CHIPS (PLAIN FROM THE HEALTH FOOD ISLE)
RELISH OF ANY SORT IF NO SUGAR LISTED ON LABEL

WHOLE GRAIN PITA BREAD
WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

CHICKEN BREASTS
BUFFALO FOR RED MEAT
SHRIMP (FRESH OR FROZEN)
SCALLOPS
ANY FISH FRESH OR FROZEN

BROWN RICE
STEEL CUT OATMEAL
WHOLE GRAIN CEREALS (KASHI IS A GOOD BRAND)

ANY SEASONING/CONDIMENT/SPICE THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE SUGAR OR PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED OIL ON THE LABEL

OTHER NOTES:
• CHECK LABELS CAREFULLY FOR HIDDEN SATURATED FAT, ESPECIALLY PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED OIL OR ANY KIND AND SUGAR. 
• THE FEWER THE INGREDIENTS LISTED ON THE LABEL, THE BETTER
• SHOP AT THE HEALTH FOOD STORES WHEN YOU CAN
• SHOP IN THE HEALTH FOOD ISLES OF YOUR GROCER FOR AS MANY ITEMS AS AVAILABLE
• STAY AWAY FROM THE JUNK FOOD, SODA AND COOKIE ISLES COMPLETELY
• SHOP THE PERIMETER OF THE STORE EXCEPT FOR THE NATURAL FOOD ISLES AND CANNED AND BOTTLED ITEMS

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Resistance (strength) training 20 minutes of resistance training with dumbells, barbells, body weight, resistance bands or using weight machines twice a week. All the major muscle groups of the legs, abdomen, arms, chest, back and shoulders should be worked.
Aerobic (cardio) training 30 minutes of exercise at about 60% to 85% of your maximum heart should be done at least 3 times per week, more often is best. The 60% to 85% is known as your the aerobic range, which is calculated by subtracting your age from 220, then multiplying that number by .60 and .85 to obtain your heart rate range. 
Stretching (flexibility) training 15 minutes of stretching, after you’re fully warmed up, to include all the major muscle groups at least 3 times per week.
 

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Reduced risk of early death
reduced risk of heart disease
Reduced risk of high blood pressure
Easier to keep weight under control
Elevated energy level
Reduced risk of depression and anxiety
Heightened sense of well being
Increased bone density/strength
Reduced risk of colon cancer
Reduced risk of diabetes
Improved balance
Reduction in cholesterol
Some examples of informal exercise:  taking the stairs instead of the elevator, walk the dog more than once a day, walk to your co-workers desk instead of calling them, walk during your lunch break, walk around the office every chance you get, take the long way to the restroom, park the car as far away from the front door as possible (home, office & store), pace while you’re on the phone at work and at home, do squats and lunges while you’re standing at the stove or the microwave, do calf raises while you’re standing in line.  You can think of more I’m sure. Formal exercise, or exercise for a specific purpose is what I’m here for.  Learn how to burn 300 calories in a workout session or learn how to work all the major muscle groups in your body for toning and strengthening.
 

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So that’s the good news, you burn calories when you’re not exercising and you burn calories after your exercise session is over, but, you burn the most calories while you are actually exercising. 

Researchers found that the two most important contributors to burning calories during exercise are the contracting muscles and the increased work of the heart and lungs. The frequency and power of muscle contractions are by far the major factors in determining the number of calories burned during exercise.  Faster heart rate and breathing also burn calories, but not nearly as much as movement of legs, arms, abdominal and back muscles.  In fact, moving the biggest muscles in your body – your back, legs and abs – burn the most calories.

Over time, your metabolism changes as you convert your flabby muscles into firmer and leaner muscle mass.   The more lean muscle mass you have, the higher your basal metabolic rate, the higher your BMR the more calories you burn even when you’re NOT working out.

It takes resistance or strength training to get this calorie burning benefit from exercise.  However, cardio exercise will not only burn calories it will strengthen your heart muscle, the best way to avoid a heart attack.  A good exercise regimen includes both resistance training and cardio training.
You can determine how many calories you should take in on a daily basis with the following formula:

 Activity Level                           Calories per Pound 
Very light (sedentary)                14

Light (if you walk)                     15 – 17

Moderate (if you jog)                17 – 19

Heavy (if you’re a gym rat)       20 – 23
Use your “ideal” body weight, the weight you want to be, not the weight you are.

 Example:
120lb X 18 (Moderate) = 2160 calories per day are needed to maintain 120 pounds of body weight daily
But choose those 2000+ calories wisely – keep this in mind:

Carbohydrates = 4 calories per gram

Protein = 4 calories per gram

Fat = 9 calories per gram
 

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The process of stretching brings blood flow to the muscles, tendons and ligaments, so they will heal faster if you do injure them.  This is also why you are less likely to feel severe muscle soreness after exercising, plus that soreness will cease much sooner in elongated, supple muscles.  Stretching will also reduce tension you feel, especially in your neck, shoulders and back.  

As we age, we naturally become less flexible.  Muscles, tendons and ligaments shrink and become dry and brittle and injure easily.  While stretching on a regular basis will not completely prevent this from occurring in our later years, it will delay it into much later years than if you’ve never stretched at all.

Stretching correctly is extremely important.  If you’re especially inflexible, you’re likely to injure a muscle by trying to stretch it beyond its limits.  You may even feel like you’ve done an aggressive workout by overstretching the first time you try.  But over time, with continuous flexibility training, your muscles will remain in their elongated state.   This does take time, and that amount of time differs for everyone.   

It is important to note that you should only stretch when your muscles are fully warmed up.  The best way to do this is on one of the cardio machines, such as an elliptical trainer.  You can also warm up in a hot bath, whirlpool tub or shower.  Once you’re warm, you can stretch all the muscles in your body.  Drinking plenty of water helps the muscles stay hydrated, also important to get a good stretch and to maintain that elongated muscle.  

I have my clients stretch fully both before and after the workout.  If a particular muscle feels tight or burns during the workout, I have them stop and stretch it.  This will almost always immediately stop the burn, giving them the ability to go on with a good workout.  

There are many different types of stretches, but the one I use most often is called an Active Static Stretch, where my client will provide their own force to stretch the various muscles.  This is safe because they can feel if the stretch is too far beyond their particular range of motion.  I sometimes need to coach them to push their limits far enough, though, in order to make a difference.  Static means that they hold the muscles in the elongated position for 10 to 30 seconds, depending on individual needs.  There are times to utilize the other stretching techniques such as Passive, Ballistic, Dynamic and PNF stretching, but these should only be needed in extenuating circumstances where a particular muscle is having trouble releasing.

Stretching is relaxing and does not take up a lot of time.  It can be done just about anywhere, with modifications of course.   It can be used as a stress reducer, and to enhance a feeling of well being. 
 
 

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