Archive for September 2010
Orthorexia Nervosa: A Primer
The term orthorexia nervosa (ON), referring to an obsession with dietary virtue, has become increasingly common since it was coined just over 10 years ago. Steven Bratman, MD, initially introduced the term in an article in the October 1997 issue of Yoga Journal, as a somewhat “tongue in cheek” way of describing an unhealthy obsession with healthful eating (Bratman 1997; Mathieu 2005).
Read Moremake food fun for kids
Junk food marketers are successful with children because they make food fun and approachable. Why not use the same tactics to make healthy foods just as pleasing? A few years back, a study by Just Kid Inc. pinpointed a few common characteristics that kids identify as fun when it comes to food. Try these approaches with 6- to 12-year-olds and see if you get any added enthusiasm when serving up healthy fare that is not processed and packaged. Finger Foods. Children are tactile and like to be literally hands-on with their food. Dipping and Scooping.
Read Morepear-walnut sandwiches
These delicious, nutritional sandwiches have it all—a good, nutty crunch juxtaposed with the smooth-mouth feel of cream cheese and the sweet note of pears. Crisp, ripe Bartlett pears and toasted walnuts from autumn’s outdoor pantry blend beautifully in these quick and tasty sandwiches. Try them for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Pair them with a sweet…
Read Moreprotein needs of women athletes
In 2008, David Rowlands, PhD, senior lecturer with the Institute of Food, Nutrition, and Human Health at Massey University in New Zealand, published a study showing that male cyclists who ingested protein and carbohydrates between intense training bouts gained distinct performance and postexercise recovery advantages over men who fueled only with carbohydrates (Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 33 [1], 39–51).
Read Moreexcess calories may be main culprit for kids’ obesity
Tackling a chicken-and-egg-type question that researchers are divided on, a study that first appeared June 23 in the online version of Archives of Disease in Childhood has concluded that fatness leads to inactivity, but inactivity does not lead to fatness in children.
Read Moresnack attack!
Do you ever feel like you’re full from snacking by the time dinner makes it to the table? Are you snacking throughout the day as well as eating full meals? According to recent research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, we are eating 276 more snack calories per day than we did in 1977. We are also eating and drinking about 123 more calories per day at meals. Such increases hardly make our world’s ongoing battle with overweight and obesity a mystery. Nor do they make it an easier fight to win.
Read Moreask the RD: Is it okay to exercise if I am experiencing gastrointestinal problems?
Answer: It can be difficult to muster up the energy and motivation to exercise if you’re nauseous, vomiting or suffering from diarrhea—and for good reason. It’s best to rest and recover if you’re experiencing an onset of gastrointestinal (GI) problems. If you decide to ignore the symptoms, the stress of exercise may actually prolong the illness or let it progress to something worse. Also keep in mind that GI problems often disrupt your usual eating routine and hydration status, making it more difficult for you to perform at your best.
Read Morepears
In one of the earliest written references to pears, Homer waxed poetic in The Odyssey, calling them “gifts from the gods.” If you’ve eaten any variety of this fruit at peak ripeness, you well understand his homage. Pears, Pyrus communis, are a relative of the apple and rank with their close cousins as one of the most popular fruits in the United Staes.
Read Moreall aboard the mealTrain
There’s nothing better than a home-cooked meal—especially when someone else makes it for you! Help a family member, friend or neighbor in need by stepping aboard www.mealTrain.com.
Read Morehedge against dementia with this research trifecta
Three studies presented in July at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Honolulu point toward exercise, tea consumption and vitamin D as promising measures to keep dementia at bay. Exercise. The first study, derived from data collected in the Framingham Heart Study, found that those who engaged in moderate to heavy levels of physical activity…
Read Moreoctober picks
Drat! The growing season is winding down in most parts of North America. By next month, many parts of the country will have experienced their first frosts and most garden beds will lie fallow until spring. But there’s still plenty of seasonal freshness out there if you seek it.
Read MoreExercising Into Thin Air
Altitude is mysterious. Part of the mystery comes from the fact that altitude escapes all of our senses—we can’t see it, taste it, smell it, hear it or touch it. But we can feel it. Most of the time, we don’t even think about altitude, except when we take a ski trip or hike up…
Read MoreIncorporating Wellness Into Your Business
My goal as a fitness professional has always been to educate. When I first started personal training I had bosses who told me, “Don’t teach your clients anything—keep them dependent on you for ideas and they will keep coming back!” I believed the opposite to be true, and it was not long before I started my own business.
Read MoreTraining a Teenage Girl
Client: Paulina Personal Trainer: Hayley Hollander, co-owner, Advanced Training Performance Location: Las Vegas
Read MoreLeading the Way, L.A. Style
At the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles August 5, the glitz, glamour and glee were ubiquitous as IDEA honored five outstanding contributors to the world of fitness and health during the 2010 IDEA World Fitness Convention™. Innovators in their communities, inspirational around the world and determined to make positive, lasting change, this year’s award recipients shone in the spotlight they so rightly deserved.
Read More2010 IDEA World Fitness Convention™
In true Los Angeles style, IDEA rolled out the red carpet for delegates, guests, educators, exhibitors and VIPs—including U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, entertainer Mario Lopez and tennis star Andre Agassi—at its 2010 IDEA World Fitness Convention August 4–8.
This fitness event set an incredibly high benchmark for all it stands for: excellent fitness education, innovation, product knowledge, networking and nonstop fun. If you weren’t learning, sweating or laughing, you weren’t trying hard enough.
Read MoreTop Trends: Small-Group, Boot Camp, Zumba
Work Less and Charge More by Becoming a Specialist
This column provides trainers with practical ways to approach common business obstacles using a coaching strategy called “gap analysis.” A gap analysis helps people identify where they currently are in a situation, where they ultimately would like to be and the steps they must take in order to bridge the gap. Here’s how a gap analysis can help you earn more money while working less by becoming a specialist in a specific area of health and fitness.
Read MoreAll the Power Points to Webinars
Fitness professionals often speak on topics related to exercise and wellness, whether at a seminar at the local health club or at an industry convention workshop. Sharing your expertise with others can both build your professional reputation and indirectly market your services to new audiences. But when the opportunities to present are limited in your community or when they conflict with your business schedule, it may be time to consider the digital alternative: webinars.
Read MoreCross Over Into Cross-Promotion
Welcome to part five of the “Crash Course in Excellence” with takeaway strategies for managers. This final article of the series explores ways to market and promote new and existing programming options by using the rather new technique of cross-promotion. An often-untapped method of bringing more exposure to programs, cross-promoting relies on current resources, requires virtually no capital investment and reaps instant rewards.
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