You may have heard that having a pet can improve your mood, decrease your risk for depression and lower your level of stress. Now there’s research that having a dog could help you get fit and improve your overall health.

A recent study presented at this year’s annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine suggested that people who walked a dog on a regular basis sat less during the day, had a lower body mass index (BMI), smoked less, had fewer chronic illnesses, and were less depressed. Like having a workout buddy who motivates you to get (and keep) moving, having a dog encourages you to take more frequent walks. And as we all know, walking is a great form of exercise, and walking for a total of just 30 each day (or three 10-minute walks with Fido) can have a positive effect on your health and well-being.

If you’ve considered getting a new pet, you might want to think about making it a dog. Turns out man’s best friend is also a great workout partner.

"Eat well. Live well. Be well."

According to a recent article at Medical News Today, a study published in the Journal of Obesity is causing concern in the medical and research arenas. The study “concluded that overweight and obese people experience no adverse health effects until they turn 40, and that between the ages of 25 and 70 there is little difference in the health of normal compared with overweight people.”

The findings of this study clearly contradict much of the evidence that has come before it, which generally links obesity with chronic illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and cancer. While there are certainly cases of overweight and obese people who do not develop chronic illnesses and live a relatively healthy life, past research strongly suggests that being obese or overweight is a serious risk factor for developing chronic health problems at some point in one’s life.

It might be nice to believe that we can eat as much as we like and exercise as little as we choose and still live a healthy, happy life. But the overwhelming evidence just doesn’t indicate that this is the case. And one study that suggests it might be won’t change what so many studies before it point to: being overweight is bad for your health.

"Eat well. Live well. Be well."

Yesterday was National Start! Walking Day, sponsored by the American Heart Association. The goal of the day was to get American’s moving toward an active and healthy lifestyle. With obesity rates rising fast, increasing physical activity is important for so many Americans, but especially for those who spend their workdays sitting behind a desk.

Just because National Start! Walking Day is over, doesn’t mean the American Heart Association’s Start! movement stops, though. They’re just getting started (no pun intended). Based on research that has shown physical activity can improve heart health and increase life expectancy, the mission of the movement is to get people to walk more and eat well so that they’ll live longer.

This may seem like a simple goal, but with more and more of us working long hours at desk jobs, making time for physical activity has become difficult. That’s where Start! comes in, encouraging Americans to wear or take walking shoes to work and take frequent breaks to get in at least 30 minutes of walking every day. All it takes is two or three 10-minute walking breaks to have a positive impact on your health.

If you’re interested in joining the Start! movement, you’ll find plenty of resources at their website, including tools to develop a personalized walking plan and track your activity and meals. Don’t want to walk alone? There are also resources for getting your company and co-workers involved in the movement. But if your HR department isn’t ready to Start!, don’t get discouraged. You can still enlist a work friend or two to Start! with you. Ask around and you might find others at your company who want to get active and Start! moving more, too!

"Eat well. Live well. Be well."

According to an article in The New York Times published last fall, a recent study indicates that brain power is improved by exercise. And the harder you work, the more your brain may benefit. The study, completed with mice, showed that those mice who were challenged with a more difficult “workout” (on a mini-treadmill) demonstrated significant cognitive improvements in comparison to the mice who were allowed to do their usual “workout” (on their running wheel).

What does this mean for you and I? Well first, it means that if you’re doing moderate exercise on a regular basis, you’re probably improving your smarts. It also looks like if we challenge ourselves, the improvements may increase. If you’re always doing the same exercise or stick to a typical exercise routine, you might want to consider mixing things up. Push yourself a little harder on the treadmill or elliptical. Try a circuit workout. Take a spinning class.

While the study was on mice, and the results may not translate perfectly to humans, shaking up your workouts and increasing the intensity certainly can’t hurt. Even if it doesn’t boost your IQ to genius level, just think about all those extra calories you’ll be burning!

"Eat well. Live well. Be well."

According to a recent study published in the European Heart Journal, happier people may have healthier hearts. The study indicated that people who reported being generally happy and content were less likely to develop heart disease. In fact, it seemed that as a person’s level of happiness increased, their risk to develop heart disease decreased.

It isn’t clear exactly the reason why happier people may have healthier hearts, but adding a little happiness to your life certainly couldn’t hurt. To improve your overall happiness and help your heart, try some of these strategies:

• Spend some time every day doing something you enjoy. Don’t stress yourself out trying to squeeze something else in, but make your favorite activities a priority–even if it’s only 10 or 15 minutes a day. If you like to read, set aside some time for that book you’ve been wanting to read. Miss knitting? Pull out the yarn and needles and finish a few rows.
• Get physical. You’ve heard it before, but exercise improves mood. Get those endorphins pumping with a brisk walk, some power yoga or your favorite workout DVD. It doesn’t take much time–just 10 minutes or so, to reap the mood-boosting benefits.
• Just relax. Don’t wait for your yearly vacation or the infamous “someday” to take a break. Make regular time to relax, whether it’s by soaking in a bath, getting a massage, meditating, or watching your favorite television show. Whatever it is you choose to do, be present and savor the time.
• Have a good laugh. Put in a funny movie, have lunch with a friend who always makes you laugh, or read the Sunday comics. It’s hard to NOT be happy when you’re laughing so hard your belly hurts.
• Spin it. When something has you down, try seeing the experience from a positive angle. There’s always a silver lining, you just need to locate it and put your focus on it. It may not eliminate the negative, but it might make it a little more bearable.

Don’t worry, be happy. Have some fun. Try new things. Accentuate the positive whenever you can. Happiness just might be medicine for your heart.

"Eat well. Live well. Be well."

It’s February and there are hearts all over the place. Which is probably why the American Heart Association chose February as American Heart Month. What better reminder to check in with your heart than a holiday celebrating love?

Women are especially at risk for heart disease, with more women dying from heart disease and related conditions than all forms of cancer combined. The good news is, February is just as good for making changes as it is for giving chocolates. To improve your heart health and reduce your chances of developing heart disease, follow some of these recommendations.

Eat right. A diet with plenty of vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein (especially fish high in omega-3 fatty acids) can be good for your heart. And being within an appropriate weight range can reduce your risk of heart disease, as well.

Quit. Smoking, that is. Especially if you’re using birth control pills. You’ll reduce your risk of heart disease significantly if you do.

Know your numbers. The next time you visit your doctor, take note of your blood pressure, lipid levels, and HDL and LDL cholesterol numbers. If they’re outside the healthy range, ask your doctor for suggestions on how to improve your numbers, and if necessary, get them under control with medication.

Get moving. Regular, moderate aerobic exercise will help keep your heart strong. It will also help you lose weight if you need to, and can improve your cholesterol levels as well as your blood pressure. Exercise is as close to a cure-all as you can get when it comes to your heart. (Remember, for your safety, consult with your doctor before you start an exercise routine.)

Take care of your heart and you’ll be celebrating Valentine’s Day for years to come!

"Eat well. Live well. Be well."

If you generally exercise outdoors–taking walks, running or hiking–the cold winter weather may have you searching for indoor alternatives. In fact, most of us tend toward hibernation as soon as the temperature starts to drop.

You don’t have to turn to the treadmill or, worse yet, forgo your exercise routine altogether when the snow starts to fall, though. Find a winter activity that you enjoy and dress right, and you can exercise outside all winter long.

Winter Activities to Try*

• Snowshoeing - Find an open field and strap on the snowshoes for an excellent workout that will burn more than 550 calories in an hour.
• Skiing - Cross-country or downhill, skiing is the perfect winter activity to get you outside and active. Even at a light effort level, skiing can burn between 350 and 500 calories per hour.
• Sledding - Bundle up the kids and head to the hills! Sledding burns about 500 calories per hour, and it’s fun for the whole family.
• Ice skating – We wait all year for the opportunity to lace up those skates and hit the ice. Make a trip to the rink and burn about 400 calories per hour floating across the ice. And don’t forget to take the kids along for some family fun.
• Shoveling - It may not be your favorite winter activity, but clearing that driveway can burn about 200 calories in a half hour. Bring on the snow!

Bundle Up and Get Out There

If the thought of the cold air keeps you indoors, try some of these tips for making it easier to get outside and get active during the winter months.

• Warm up indoors. It takes longer for your muscles to warm up when you start exercising outside. Instead of warming up outdoors, try jogging in place, walking up and down the stairs or doing some jumping jacks for 5 minutes or so before you head outside.
• Layer it up. Wearing layers allows you to stay warm when you need to but also gives you the option of removing layers as your body warms up. The bottom layer should be a thin, wicking material like silk, Thinsulate or wool, but NOT cotton. You want a material that doesn’t stay wet. The middle layer should be an insulating material like fleece, wool or down. The outer layer should be a wind and water resistant material that holds in the heat but allows moisture to escape. As you get warm, you can remove layers and keep moving.
• Don’t forget your hat and gloves. A hat keeps heat from escaping through your head and protects your ears, while gloves keep your hands and fingers protected.
• Protect your toes. Wear appropriate shoes and socks for your exercise as well as the weather. Water-resistant boots, wool socks, or multiple pairs of socks may be necessary depending on the activity, the weather and the temperature.

Enjoying the outdoors even after the temperature drops can keep your exercise routine fresh and fun all winter long. Don’t let the cold keep you from being active. Find an activity that you enjoy and dress right and you’ll burn plenty of calories during the winter months.

*Calories burned are based on a 155-pound person. Source: NutriStrategy

"Eat well. Live well. Be well."

If you resolved to get fit in 2010, you’re certainly not alone. “I want to lose weight” or “I’m going to exercise more” are common mantras after January 1st. But rarely do these resolutions result in any lasting change. It isn’t easy to start something new. In fact, it can be downright difficult to create a new routine or change an old one. Yet we keep trying. If only we knew the magic solution to sticking with a fitness routine…

There may not be a magic spell for staying on target, but we’ve got several tips for getting your new fitness routine off to a good start and then sticking with it throughout the year.

1. Be realistic. Even if you were on the track team in high school or were a marathoner a year ago, you will not step onto the treadmill and immediately feel comfortable running a 7 minute mile if you weren’t yesterday. You will not sit down at a weight machine and suddenly be able to lift 100 lbs., so don’t even try it. Being realistic about your current state of fitness will allow you to see success early on, will help you avoid injuries and will keep you going back for more.
2. Be patient. After one successful, moderate intensity, 20 minute workout, don’t immediately increase both the intensity and time of your workouts. Give your body time to adjust to the new routine. Try sticking to your initial program for at least two weeks before you make any changes. And when you do decide to make changes, go slow.
3. Be strategic. Plan your workouts. Schedule them in your calendar. Join a gym you naturally drive near every day. Sign up for a class and pay up front. Pack your gym bag and carry it in your car. Do whatever you need to do to get your butt to the gym (or in front of that boot camp video).
4. Be flexible. If you have a busy week that doesn’t allow for hours on the elliptical, allow yourself the flexibility of 10 minute workouts or lunch time walks instead. If you know you have meetings in the evening one week, plan for an earlier wake up and squeeze your gym time in then. Don’t allow a new schedule or a few unexpected events to throw you off balance. Just get back into your routine or, if necessary, develop a new one as soon as possible.
5. Be curious. Once you’ve gotten into a routine, try something new. Experiment with intervals. Learn how to use that new machine. Ask a trainer to show you some basic strength exercises. See what different programs the cardio machines offer and give one a try. Check out the class listings and do something you’ve never done before. The more options you have and the better you know your gym, the more likely you will be to keep going.
6. Be playful. Don’t just trudge to the gym day after day, hating every moment of it. Work some fun into your exercise routine. Jump rope or play hopscotch. Chase a feather on the wind. Join a softball team. Create a contest with a partner at the gym. If you enjoy exercise, you will stick with it.
7. Be your own cheerleader. Reward yourself for consistency (or flexibility, if necessary). Give yourself a gold star or an iTunes download for every time you take that walk, every time you increase your workout intensity or every time you have to add another pound to your biceps curls. Motivate yourself with whatever positive reinforcement works for you.

It isn’t magic or special skills that get and keep us healthy. It is dedication and commitment to doing what is best for our own health and wellbeing. With some planning, purpose and positivity, you can see a fitter, healthier you emerge in 2010. Go out there and make those resolutions a reality. You can do it!

"Eat well. Live well. Be well."

Thanksgiving can be a challenging day in itself for those of us trying to make healthy food choices. For strategies to help you tackle temptation and make Thanksgiving a little bit healthier, you can read Thin Out Thanksgiving. But there’s another day that could derail your healthy eating plans this week–Black Friday.

If you are planning for a long day of shopping on Friday, you aren’t alone. People all over the country are getting ready for pre-dawn lines, mobs of shoppers and a marathon of deal grabbing. Here are a few ways to keep yourself from falling prey to temptation while you are out and about.

1. Get a good night’s sleep. If you’re planning to hit the lines at your favorite store before dawn, make sure you get to bed early. You will want to get at least six hours of sleep, but as always, seven to eight hours is best. A good night’s rest will ensure you have the energy and stamina you need to get through the long day ahead of you.
2. Eat breakfast (or carry something with you). Depending on what time you plan to start shopping, you will want to make sure you either eat something before you leave the house or pack something to eat while you are in line waiting for the stores to open. Don’t depend solely on coffee and fast food to get and keep you going first thing in the morning.
3. Dress in layers and be aware of the weather forecast. This is especially important if you plan on getting in line early and live in an area where mornings can be cold this time of year. Remember that stores will be warm, and you might get even warmer running up and down aisles, but you may need a coat, scarf, hat and gloves before you get into the stores.
4. Pack snacks. Since your day may be longer and will likely start much earlier than usual, you will want to make sure that you have some healthy snacks on hand in case you are not able or willing to eat meals when your body starts sending you hunger signals. Apples, bananas, cheese sticks and other portable snacks are perfect for tossing in your purse and grabbing when you need extra energy.
5. Take time out for meals. You will probably want to push through the hunger and shop until you drop, afraid you will miss out on early bird specials and the best sales. But the money you save won’t be worth much if you start snapping at your shopping buddy or pass out in JCPenney due to low blood sugar.
6. Have fun. Yes, there’s pressure to grab deals and hurry to other stores. Yes, the checkout lines will be long and unbearable. Yes, the crowds will be pushy and impatient. Don’t let stress take the fun out of the day. Enjoy the company of your shopping companions, treat others kindly (even if they’re not so kind in return) and remember to savor the experience. It is the holiday season, after all.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving and safe travels this weekend!

"Eat well. Live well. Be well."

Each year, the American Cancer Society marks the third Thursday of November as the Great American Smokeout®. On November 19th, the American Cancer Society

[encourages] smokers to use the date to make a plan to quit, or to plan in advance and quit smoking that day. By doing so, smokers will be taking an important step towards a healthier life – one that can lead to reducing cancer risk and creating more birthdays. Researchers say that quitting smoking can increase life expectancy – smokers who quit at age 35 gain an average of eight years of life expectancy; those who quit at age 55 gain about five years; and even long term smokers who quit at 65 gain three years.

If the promise of more birthdays doesn’t convince you to quit, you can find plenty of other reasons why you should at the American Cancer Society’s website, including a guide to quit and access to a Quit Line for additional support.

What do you say? Join the 34th Great American Smokeout on Thursday, November 19th and send those cigarettes packing. You’re worth it!

"Eat well. Live well. Be well."