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Tag Archives: exercise
A Stormy Relationship With the Scale: An Interview With Al Roker
“Dense morning fog, followed by gusty winds with temperatures soaring to a potentially record-breaking 60 degrees by this January afternoon, followed by drenching rain and a flash flood watch by this evening with temps dropping to the 30s.”That’s what the morning news reported, and wow—what a perfect day to meet with a weatherman!
For 27 years, viewers have been relying on Al Roker, Today show co-host and weather reporter, to tell them whether to carry an umbrella or leave their jackets at home. What Roker’s audiences may not have realized, though, was that his eating habits were as turbulent as his forecasts—laden with erratic weight patterns and unpredictable clothing sizes.
Roker’s newest book, Never Goin’ Back, uncovers the weight battle he has fought since childhood up until now, when he stopped fighting and learned to compromise through the use of a balanced diet and lifestyle. Here’s a slice of the conversation I had with Roker, and a taste of what it’s like to get off the roller-coaster approach to dieting: Continue reading
Wrestling With Their Weight
“My friend just told me that he has to lose 10 pounds by next week … isn’t that unhealthy?” asked my 17-year-old son. Perplexed and troubled, he went on to say that unless his friend“starved” himself, he wouldn’t “make his weight” for his wrestling team.
Unfortunately, this is not atypical. Anywhere from one-quarter to two-thirds of high school wrestlers use fasting, excessive exercise, unbalanced diets, and voluntary dehydration as techniques to help them achieve a fighting weight, according to some estimates. Ironically, these behaviors only sap athletes of the strength and energy needed to compete in this sport—and they’re particularly dangerous for still-growing teens, who demand calories to fuel both mind and body. Furthermore, an improper diet can have a profoundly negative impact on learning and focusing at a time when students can barely afford to divert their attention from college applications and SAT’s to rigorous after-school workouts and weekend tournaments.
In his 2001 report published in Contemporary Pediatrics, “Aiming for Healthy Weight for Wrestlers and Other Athletes,” the late Vito Perriello, Jr., a pediatrician and pioneer in the field of sports medicine, wrote that participants of “weight-sensitive sports” are likelier to engage in unhealthy eating practices than are other athletes. Wrestlers in particular “feel that to succeed they must punish themselves in order to make themselves tougher,” wrote Perriello, adding that they think they’ll also “gain an advantage by competing at a lower weight.” However, studies have determined that wrestling performance is optimal at one’s ideal weight versus a lower weight, since the latter could cause weakness and reduced endurance. Continue reading
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Tagged calories, dehydration, diet, dietitian, exercise, weight, wrestling
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Counting Canine Calories
While playing with our dog, Webster, the other day, my husband noticed that he had two lumps above his hips. It just so happened that my four-legged friend had an appointment with the vet, so during that visit, I expressed our concern about his health. The vet immediately knew the diagnosis: “love handles,” she said. Love handles? Was she telling me that my 28 pound, little stuffed-animal-looking companion was chubby? She suggested that I cut back on his food a bit (since exercise would probably stay stable) and to create a safer weight.
After 30 plus years of counseling humans about how to slim down, I was ready to face the puppy pound challenge. Instead of feeding him ¾ of a cup of dry food twice a day, his portion was cut to about 2/3 cup twice a day. The results: he didn’t complain about the subtle change, he lost two pounds, he became more lively, and we had to shop for a new collar! (Just kidding about the last part.).
Why am I sharing this story with you? It’s because my philosophy has always been that the best way to lose weight is to cut back on what you’re already eating. Fad diets that encourage you to eliminate whole food groups like carbs or fat generally end in failure. Studies have shown that those who try to follow a diet that’s closely related to the foods they are accustomed to eating are more likely to succeed at trimming down. Just cut back…you don’t have to cut out: that way you can still enjoy your favorite foods without deprivation. Although there’s nothing magical about trying to lose weight, here are some simple strategies to get you moving in the right direction today: Continue reading
A Smooth Way to Help your Heart
February 14th is Valentine’s Day and this month is also American Heart Month. It’s the perfect time to think about how you can protect your heart and those that are close to your heart. Heart disease strikes more women than all cancers combined…but the good news is that this is a disease that you might be able to prevent with your plate.
Your diet and exercise routine may predict how healthy your heart is and the best way to insure good health is by including lots of colorful fruits and veggies, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
Here’s a great smoothie recipe to help start your day the right way or have it as an afternoon snack or after workout pick-me-up. Continue reading
Are you Ready for the Super Bowel?
No, the title of this story dies not contain a typo.
Let’s face it — estimates show that a basic Super Bowl extravaganza could contribute a whopping 3,000 calories, the majority of which is derived from fatty, fried foods. But before you scroll to another article, let me say that this is not one of those “don’t eat this” and “eat lots of that” pieces. I’m thinking way beyond that point — I’m here to tell you what you need to do to help those wings and things get out of your body once you’ve swallowed them.
To prevent that potentially uncomfortable, bloated feeling, here are a few tips that are sure to move you … even if your team doesn’t score any goals. Continue reading
Posted in General
Tagged alcohol, bloat, calories, constipation, diet, exercise, fiber, gas, health, snacks, Super Bowl, supermarket, water
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Resolutions or Real Solutions?
Let me start by being totally honest with you — I have only made one New Years resolutions that I kept. Last year when I turned the page from December 31st to January 1st, I vowed to begin keeping an electronic calendar and put down the pen and paper journals that I clung to for decades. Those of you that are less technologically challenged than I am might look upon this as a small feat, but for me, this was a big step, and I have not looked back.
Most resolutions, however, come from the heart, but end up in the trash. Over 100 million Americans make New Year resolutions but about four out of five people don’t stick with them. Popular declarations like, “This year I’ll lose weight, exercise, spend more time with my family, and be more organized,” are statements that are sincerely spoken around the time the ball drops and are quickly forgotten by the time Valentine’s chocolates appear in stores.
Whether it’s New Years day, a wedding, or a vacation, a special date that prompts a positive change could create a spark of motivation that you otherwise would have continued to postpone. Most commonly, we seem to dwell on to reflect on
Over the decades I have counseled clients I’ve heard many excuses for not making healthy resolutions and here are my top five faves: Continue reading
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Tagged diet, excuses, exercise, goals, healthy, healthy diet, holidays, New Years, resolutions, weight gain, weight loss
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Counting Canine Calories
This may seem like a round-about way to get my point across, but you’ll understand where I’m going with this soon enough.
While playing with our dog, Webster, the other day, my husband noticed that he had two lumps above his hips. It just so happened that my four-legged friend had an appointment with the vet, so during that visit, I expressed our concern about his health. The vet immediately knew the diagnosis: “love handles,” she said. Love handles? Was she telling me that my 28 pound, little stuffed-animal-looking companion was chubby? She suggested that I cut back on his food a bit (since exercise would probably stay stable) and to create a safer weight.
After 30 plus years of counseling humans about how to slim down, I Continue reading