Make time for play, the old-fashioned way

We’ve seen our world change dramatically in the past 30 years. But, with all these technological advances, we are falling farther and farther behind in taking care of ourselves and our children.
 
Today’s youth have been marked as the first generation not to outlive their parents. Simply put, my children could die before me. That’s not the future I want for any child.
 
The percentage of today’s youth considered to be obese has tripled in the past 30 years. In 1982, the obesity rate was only 5.7% for kids age 6 to 17. Now, the rate is over 18%. Obese is a severe term. For children, it refers to any child who falls in to the 95th percentile or higher on their age and sex specific growth chart. Nationally, this equates to 12.5 million children. 
 
Until recently, health concerns related to being overweight have been an “adult” issue. Sadly, this is changing. Kids are now being treated for diseases previously unseen in childhood, like high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and gall stones.
 
Our children need us. They need a parent, friend, relative or role model to teach them how to live well and how to take care of themselves. It’s time to remember the activities of our childhood and share them with our kids. How about tag, hide and seek, climbing trees, riding bikes and building forts? We played, ran, skipped, jumped and swam. Our bodies moved from the moment we woke up until bedtime. It was fun and not a requirement. Food rarely came in a box and many of us ate at home with our families. Show your children how much fun spending time being active and sharing time together can be!
 
Resources are all around, arm yourself with information and put it into action: get outside and play! 
•    www.cdc.gov – Center for Disease Control and Prevention offers informational resources on many health related topics
•    www.letsmove.gov– First lady Michelle Obama’s initiative; America’s Move to Raise a Healthier Generation of Kids
•    www.choosemyplate.gov – US Department of Agriculture’s dietary guidelines for all Americans
•    www.casafamilyday.org – Family Day: A national initiative to remind parents that what your kids really want at the dinner table is YOU!
•    www.chesco.org/ccparks - Chester County Parks and Recreation directory of parks, trails and seasonal events
•    www.activatechestercounty.org – Activate Chester County lists local events, resources and ways to get “Move More, Eat Smart, Create a Supportive Environment”
•    www.ymcabwv.org – YMCA of the Brandywine Valley offers programs and resources to get the whole family active and moving, Girls on the Run, STRIDE, Activate Kids and more.


Rachael Martin is Director of Healthy Living and an AFAA Certified Personal Trainer at the Jennersville YMCA, West Grove.

It's Time to Get in Shape for Summer

With these warm, sunny days, it’s time to put away those big sweaters and baggy pants and start getting in shape for summer. Here are some easy tips to help you set realistic goals for yourself - goals that are attainable and maintainable year round.

1. Slow and steady wins the race when it comes it weight loss. Studies have shown that “crash dieting” not only harms a person’s body, but also does not produce a maintainable weight loss. Individuals who want to shed pounds need to do so healthfully and gradually. One pound is equal to 3,500 calories and it is safe to lose 1-2 pounds per week. Therefore, if you can cut-out or burn just 3,500 calories per week through diet and exercise, you can achieve your weight loss goals in a safe and effective manner.
2. To lose weight, eat…and eat often! Typically, we eat three meals a day: breakfast, lunch and dinner. However, to achieve your weight-loss goals, try incorporating small snacks into your daily routine. Eating 5-6 small meals a day (or 3 larger meals with snacks in between) will help your body maintain its blood glucose level.  Skipping meals or waiting too long to eat in between meals causes your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels to drop sometimes leaving your ravenous. That feeling can cause you to over eat and set you back in your weight loss goals. Instead, keep easy, go-to snacks on hand such as a handful of almonds or an apple with natural peanut butter. The USDA website http://www.choosemyplate.gov/ is a great resource to help plan healthy meals for you and your whole family.
3. Drink…plenty of water that is! Keep yourself hydrated all day, every day; not just the days you’re working out. Not only will you feel better and be more alert throughout the day, but you’ll also be less likely to become dehydrated. Dehydration can lead to fatigue and tiredness. Sometimes, we eat when we are “bored” when really all our body needs is water. Try adding sugar-free flavorings, such as Crystal Light to your water. It adds flavor without adding calories.
4. Go digital! Many of us have smartphones that store everything from our music to our social calendar. Now, weight loss and fitness websites have mobile apps that are free to download. Websites like MyFitnessPal.com (http://www.myfitnesspal.com/) and FitDay.com (http://www.fitday.com/) offer free online food and fitness tracking journals. By having these apps on your phone, you can easily track your calories and fitness while on the go. MyFitnessPal.com also has a list of the most popular restaurants, making it easier for you to make better food choices when out to eat with friends.
5. Exercise daily! The American College of Sports Medicine, along with the American Heart Association, recommends a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical exercise five days a week. This includes, walking at a brisk pace, jogging, attending a group exercise class, time spent on an elliptical, or lap swimming. Along with cardio exercise, you should also complete strength and/or resistance training. While cardio exercise can be done every day of the week, its best to complete 2 to 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions of strength/resistance training every-other-day. Remember, 30 minutes is the minimum amount of cardio exercise. To achieve more goals increase your time and intensity.
6. Get your family involved! A healthy and active family equals a happy family! Take a walk in the park together, play a game of soccer or football together, swim at your local indoor pool, or put on your family’s favorite music and have a dance party! These are all fun and free ways to get your family active. Also, get you family cooking in the kitchen together by trying new, healthy recipes.

The hot summer months will be here before you know it! So don’t wait, start getting into shape for summer now. It’s never too late to establish a healthy lifestyle and meet your fitness goals.

Remember the Four "Fs" to Keep your Heart Strong

February has always been associated with hearts - chocolate, candy, paper. We all know how important it is to take care of our hearts, but do we actually know what we need to do?  Armed with some basic information, like the four “Fs,” we can all make sure we keep our tickers ticking.

Fats:  We've all heard that fat is bad for your heart.  Well, not all fats are created equal, and knowing which ones help and which ones might not can make choosing a little simpler. 

Saturated fats contribute to elevating bad cholesterol levels which can put us at risk for heart disease.  Saturated fats  may increase the chance that our arteries become blocked and prevent healthy blood flow to and from our hearts.  Sources of saturated fats are mainly animal products, such as whole milk and whole milk dairy items, sausage, bacon, lard, items such as baked goods made with palm or coconut oils. Synthetic, trans fats have been shown to also increase the bad cholesterol levels, decrease good cholesterol levels, and increase your chance of developing heart disease.  Unsaturated fats are those that provide benefit to our heart by improving the good cholesterol levels.  Sources of unsaturated fats are nuts and nut butters (peanut, soy nut, almond nut), avocado, olives and olive oil, fish, vegetable oils, soft tub margarine.  The fats in fish called omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to lower blood pressure and help prevent heart disease.  What we as consumers need to know is that by focusing our consumption of fats from the unsaturated category, we are taking good care of our hearts.       

           

Fiber:  Fiber is nature's scrub brush, it helps to clean out our digestive tract, right, so how does it help our heart?  Fiber actually attaches itself to cholesterol to bring it out of the body.  So in a way, increasing your fiber through whole grains, fresh fruits and fresh vegetables will increase the likelihood that your arteries are nice and clean, too.

Flavoring:  Do we have a salt shaker on the table?  Do we add salt to our food before we taste it? Are there a lot of packages in the cabinets, but not a lot of color in the refrigerator? Salt and products that contain salt, can negatively impact our blood pressure and therefore impact how hard our heart has to work.  By eating food that is closer to its natural state, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, and whole grains reduces the chances that items (salt or preservatives containing salt) have been added to our food.

Fitness: Your heart is a muscle and like any muscle it needs to be challenged.  If we don't work this muscle, it, like any other muscle in our body, becomes weak.  Considering this is one of the most important muscles that keeps you alive, don't you want it to be pretty strong?  So how do we strengthen our hearts and keep them healthy?  Move, move, move.   Moving means living an active lifestyle.  Find ways to incorporate activity in your life besides just going to the gym.  Keep that heart pumping by taking the stairs instead of the escalator, parking your car a little further from store entrances, getting up and taking breaks if you sit at a desk all day, going out to play.

Having a healthy heart means not only choosing foods that help keep your heart working well, but staying active to make your heart stronger.

Recipe
Pork tenderloin with apples and balsamic vinegar
Serves 4

Ingredients: 

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed of all visible fat

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped apple

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 F. Lightly coat a baking pan with cooking spray.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. Add the pork and sprinkle with black pepper. Cook until the tenderloin is browned on all sides, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and place in the prepared baking pan. Roast the pork for about 15 minutes, or until a food thermometer indicates 160 F (medium).

Meanwhile, add the onion, apple and rosemary to the skillet. Saute over medium heat until the onions and apples are soft, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the broth and vinegar. Increase the heat and boil until the sauce has reduced, about 5 minutes.

To serve, place the pork on a large platter. Pour the onion-apple mixture over the top and serve immediately.

 

Winning the Fight Against Heart Disease

The beating of our heart is so automatic that it’s easy to take it for granted. Our hearts work powerfully from the time we’re in the womb until the day we die and we never even have to think about it. That is, until something happens.

Genetics play a very large role in our heart health. While we can’t control our genetic makeup, DNA is not destiny. DNA may predispose us to heart disease, but many factors can be controlled to reduce our risk of heart disease dramatically. We do have choices.

What we eat every day significantly affects our heart health. Vegetables, fruit, grain and fiber are all foods that contribute to a healthy heart. Fish should be eaten twice a week, especially cold-water fish. Fat, especially saturated and trans fats, should be limited in our diet, along with sodium and cholesterol. The choices we make every day impact how we feel, how much we weigh and the health of our hearts.

Lifestyle choices also affect our heart. To deal with stress, some people overeat, drink or smoke, all of which can damage our heart. Not getting enough sleep can have a serious effect on the heart. The heart relaxes and recuperates considerably during sleep. Meeting with friends on a regular basis for social interaction is good for our heart. Sharing, loving, and caring for one another is emotionally and physically positive.

Like any muscle, the heart can be strengthened through exercise. Ideally, we should devote at least 30 minutes to exercise every day. Brisk walking may be the ideal exercise and everyone already knows exactly how to do it! Avoid escalators and elevators; take the steps. Don’t cruise the parking lot to find the closest space, go to a far corner and walk briskly to your destination. Exercise is cumulative: every two or three minute block of exercise is good for your heart. Make choices to build up your exercise program and follow through with it, whether you’re walking, swimming or working out at a fitness center.

It’s time to start thinking about your heart. It’s not too late to make some simple lifestyle changes that can reduce your cardiovascular risk and keep your heart healthy. 

By Joel Samick. Joel Samick is a group exercise instructor at the Kennett Area YMCA, Kennett Square.

Take Small Steps to Better Health

Here we are at the beginning of a brand new year. It’s a time to start anew and make some improvements in our lives. Some of us have made resolutions to quit smoking, find a new job, take a class, volunteer in the community, or for a great many people, to lose some weight and get in shape.

Resolutions can be a great personal incentive, but all too often we start off strong only to lose momentum and give up on our resolutions after a month or two. Why can’t we make our resolutions stick?  Perhaps we are too vague or we bite off more than we can chew?

“This year I resolve to lose weight,” is how most weight loss resolutions are stated, but that is a very vague idea, and losing weight is a process. How are you going to lose weight? In order to lose weight you need to exercise, eat healthy, eat correctly, and eat within your body’s calorie demands. What that really means is that many old habits must be traded for many new habits: trading the sofa for exercise, cookies for fruit, water for soda, to name a few. 

Old habits can be hard to break and attempting to break too many at one time only sets us up for failure. A better way is to work on one habit at a time. “This year I resolve to exercise for at least thirty minutes three days a week,” is a much more clearly stated resolution and you are only changing one part of your life at a time.  By changing only one thing at a time, you’ll have a much better chance at turning the change into a habit and have a greater likelihood of success.  Once a change becomes part of your lifestyle, then you can look at other habits to change, one by one. Sometimes small changes can make a big difference.

Resolutions need to be specific, “As part of my resolution to lose weight and be healthier, I resolve to give up soda and drink water.” “This year I will begin a structured exercise program at the gym.” When you have clear and specific goals, you’ll have a much better chance of seeing them through.

Resolutions need to be realistic. “This year I will lose two hundred pounds and go from a size 52 waist to a 32,” is not a realistic goal. Healthy weight loss is between four to eight pounds a month.  A small and gradual weight loss stands a much better chance of staying off than a fast drastic loss. “This year I will lose eight pounds a month,” is a much better resolution.

Resolutions are not written in stone. There is nothing wrong with finding that changing a goal of exercising three days a week to two days until you’re in better shape. Beginning an exercise program does not need to be like Army Basic Training. For someone who is unaccustomed to exercise, walking is a great way to get started. 

Successful resolutions come down to having a plan. Make your goals for shorter terms to see results more quickly. “From January to March I will exercise three days a week, from April to June I will exercise and give up soda, from July to September I will exercise, drink water, milk and juice, and make healthier food choices, and in the last quarter I will exercise, eat healthy, drink water, juice and milk, and eat five to six small healthy meals a day.”

The bottom line is that healthy resolutions need to be specific, measurable, and realistic, and target one change at a time.  As always, seek the advice of a certified personal trainer, certified dietician, or other health care professional when starting an exercise program for the first time.

By making a few healthy lifestyle changes at a time you can make 2012 your year to get healthy!

So, what are your resolutions? Have you been having trouble carrying them out? Let us know, maybe we can give you some more ideas!