Heart Healthy Eating

You only have one heart. It is important to take care of it!! Here are some tips on a heart healthy diet and ways to keep your heart strong!

Fruits and vegetables should be a huge part of your diet! Try to eat 5 servings of fruits and veggies every day! That can include fresh, canned, frozen and dried!

Eat more whole grains and try to make most of your carbohydrate choices (bread, pasta, rice, cereal) 100% whole wheat. Also include whole grains such as wheat, rye, and oats.

Choose lean cuts of meat and limit your meat intake to 6 oz/day. Fish is a great source of good fats, so try to consume fish at least 2 times/week. Try cold-water fish such as: salmon, mackerel, herring, trout and tuna. Also, include peas, legumes and dry beans in your diet as sources of protein.

If you like milk, choose 1% or fat-free milk. Also try soymilk! When eating dairy, choose the low-fat or nonfat options in yogurt and cheese. Dairy is a great source of protein, so eat 2-3 servings/day. One serving = 1 cup milk, 8 oz yogurt, and 1 oz or 1 slice of cheese.

When using fats & oils, choose unsaturated vegetable oils: olive, canola, safflower, sunflower, corn, peanut and soybean oil. Try using non-stick spray that is nonfat and use fat-free salad dressings, mayonnaise, sour cream and cream cheese. Limit your intake to 6-8 teaspoons/day.

For dessert, try fat-free frozen desserts: sherbet, sorbet and fat-free frozen yogurt. Try fat-free cakes, such as angel food cake. Good cookies to try are graham crackers, animal crackers, ginger snaps and vanilla wafers. Avoid store-bought baked goods!

To take care of your heart, limit your salt intake and when cooking, try baking, broiling, steaming and grilling. Avoid saturated and trans fats and maintain a normal blood pressure. If you smoke, STOP! And participate in regular exercise to keep yourself at a healthy weight. All of these things will help keep your heart healthy and happy for a long time to come!!!

Exercise and Hydration Status

Water is essential to every day life. It has many important functions in the body such as:

Eliminating waste
Transporting nutrients
Lubricating and cushioning joints
Moisturizing skin and tissues
Regulating body temperature through sweat
Aiding in digestion
Helping to strengthen muscles

Since water is so important to a healthy lifestyle, being properly hydrated is crucial, especially during times of physical activity. What many of us do not realize is that thirst is not the best indicator of how much fluid we actually need! Especially as we age, thirst becomes an even poorer indicator of the body’s fluid needs. Therefore, we need to be aware of our fluid consumption, whether exercising or not. Proper hydration status helps regulate body temperature and consuming fluids before, during, and after exercise help to replace body fluids lost through sweat. Dehydration can result when athletes do not properly replenish fluids during exercise. Signs of dehydration include:

Muscle cramps
Dizziness and lightheadedness
Headaches
Nausea
Fatigue
Heat illnesses such as heat exhaustion or heat stroke

It is important to recognize certain situations that can alter fluid losses during exercise. High altitudes increase your fluid losses and therefore increases your fluid needs. Exercising in hot temperatures increases your sweating rate and therefore increases your fluid needs. Cold temperatures can make your fluid requirements deceiving. Exercising in the cold often makes it hard to identify your fluid losses and needs, so make sure to drink plenty of water, even if you’re not sweating as much. Everyone has a different sweating rate and if you sweat a lot, you are at a greater risk for dehydration. But just because you don’t sweat a lot, doesn’t mean you’re in the clear. Make sure you weigh yourself before and after exercise to monitor your fluid needs. Lastly, exercise duration and intensity may increase your fluid needs. Endurance activities require you to drink more frequently to avoid dehydration.

Optimal performance cannot occur when an athlete is dehydrated. And since sweat rates and fluid losses vary among individuals, it is near impossible to create guidelines on how much fluid to consume during exercise. Therefore, each person needs to monitor their own hydration using the following two methods:

Monitor urine volume output and color. If your urine is a dark color, it probably means you are dehydrated. Light-colored urine, along with frequent urination, probably means you are adequately hydrated.
Weight yourself before and after exercise. Any weight that is lost during exercise is probably due to sweating. You want to replace fluids at a rate close to or equal to your sweating rate.

General guidelines have been created for fluid needs during exercise. Most people can use these guidelines as a starting point and then modify them according to their activity level and need. Two to three hours before exercise, consume 15-20 fl oz of water and 10-15 minutes before exercise, consume 8-10 fl oz of water. During exercise, it is important to drink 8-10 fl oz every 10-15 minutes of exercise. Those requirements will increase with exercise intensity and when exercising longer than 90 minutes. In that case, you may need to supplement your water consumption with a sports drink. After exercise, weigh yourself to determine your fluid losses (remember to weigh yourself before you start, as well). For every 1 lb lost, drink 20-24 fl oz of water. You may also want to consume a 4:1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein within the first 2 hours after exercise to replenish glycogen stores. Obviously not the topic of this article, but glycogen is the fuel your muscles use when exercising, so it’s important to replenish those stores, along with your fluid losses!

The next question that arises is whether sports drinks are necessary in replenishing fluid losses and can they be used instead of drinking plain water. Sports drinks are not necessary with normal training. During normal exercise, you do not need to replenish your electrolytes (sodium and potassium) because it is unlikely that you will deplete your body’s stores. However, high intensity exercise for more than 60 minutes or extreme exercise conditions such as a marathon may require supplemental calories and electrolytes from a sports drink for continual performance. Remember that some sports drinks are high in sugar and calories, which often defeats the purpose of every day exercise. Water is sufficient in replenishing fluid losses from exercise and will not provide any unneeded calories!

Remember, whether you are an avid exerciser or not, keep drinking water! Just because you are not thirsty, does not mean you are adequately hydrated. If you struggle getting in your 8-10 glasses of water a day, try keeping a water bottle on your desk. If it’s there, you’ll drink it!

References:

Quinn E. 2009. Proper Hydration for Exercise – Water or Sports Drinks. About.com. http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/hydrationandfluid/a/ProperHydration.htm

Quinn E. 2007. ACSM Clarifies Indicators for Fluid Replacement. About.com. http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/hydration/a/022504.htm

Exercise and Fluid Replacement. 2007. ACSM Position Stand, American College of Sports Medicine. Medicine and Science in Sports & Exercise.

Institute of Medicine. 2005. Dietary Reference Intakes for Water, Sodium, Chloride, Potassium and Sulfate. National Academy Press 73-185.

Johnson M. Fluids and Hydration. University of Minnesota Extension Service. http://www.extension.umn.edu/family/W00031.pdf

Hunter JG and Cason KL. 2009. Fluid Needs. Clemson Cooperative Extension. http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/food/nutrition/nutrition/special_needs/hgic4151.html

New Year, New You, AOMT Blog Year Two!

Hello to all our America on the Move in Tennessee members! We have a new America on the Move website that has been completely re-vamped. If you haven't checked it out yet, please do. It offers recipes, daily tips, articles on stress management, chronic disease management, life balance, etc. It has links to other blogs and a great "Manage Weight" section.

When we started our blog a year ago, I asked for comments and feedback on our blog and how we can better serve you. Please let us know how we can help your quest for a healthy life, diet and level of physical activity. Whether it's certain tips on exercise or healthy eating, information on events in your area, recipes, etc. We are here to help you!

Now that we are embarking on a new year and new decade, make 2010 your year to shine! Do the things you've always wanted to do. Try new things. Take that trip you always wanted to take. Don't let your jobs/responsibilities hold you back from getting active and getting healthy! You deserve it!

Thanksgiving Day Road Race

*Get in some exercise and burn some calories before the feasts begin!!! Enjoy the weather and company of your family! Guaranteed to be a great time of giving thanks!

BlueCross Autumnfest 8 K Road Race & 2 Mile Fun Walk
(walk is on Neyland Greenway)

Nov 26th 8:30 AM
Ruth's Chris Steakhouse Parking Lot
Ticket Info: Kristy Altman 865-805-2008

Mercy Hot-to-Trot 5K/10K/Fun Run

Nov 26th 7:30 AM

Turkey Creek Shopping Area on Parkside Dr. This years event focuses on an active lifestyle with proceeds benefiting the local community.
Contact Info: Melissa 865-675-3338; hottotrot09@fleetfeetknoxville.com

50 Great Reasons to Exercise

1. Exercise is energizing.
2. It leaves you with a natural high.
3. It's one of the best things you can do for your health.
4. Every little bit counts.
5. Regular exercise will dramatically lower your risk of heart disease, cancer, and other illnesses.
6. Regular exercise can lower your blood pressure.
7. Aerobic exercise (like brisk walking or biking) can lower "bad" cholesterol.
8. Exercise can raise your "good" cholesterol.
9. Exercise reduces the risk of diabetes.
10. With regular exercise, you may like longer.
11. You may live healthier.
12. You'll build stronger bones.
13. It helps prevent osteoporosis.
14. Your back will be happier.
15. Your joints will appreciate it.
16. You'll get stronger.
17. You'll build muscle.
18. You'll use more calories.
19. As your muscles grow bigger, you'll burn more calories sitting still.
20. Exercise burns fat.
21. It will help you maintain a healthy weight.
22. It can help you lose weight.
23. It's cheaper than buying a new wardrobe.
24. You'll be getting into shape.
25. Your self-esteem and confidence may improve.
26. You'll look your best.
27. You'll feel your best.
28. It'll lift your mood.
29. It's a natural "anti-depressant".
30. Doctors recommend it.
31. The Surgeon General recommends it.
32. It'll help you look and feel younger.
33. Walking, jogging, biking, and other aerobic exercises will strengthen your heart.
34. Stretching will keep you limber.
35. Stretching releases tension.
36. It can help you relax.
37. Exercise is a great stress buster.
38. People who exercise regularly tend to get sick less often.
39. You'll be fighting against colds and flu.
40. It may help you get to sleep faster--and sleep better!
41. It'll help you age gracefully.
42. You've got to use it or lose it.
43. It's a fun way to spend time with family and friends.
44. It's a nice way to spend time alone.
45. Exercise can be play.
46. You can do it at home, in a park, or in a gym.
47. You can play sports and watch them on TV.
48. Gardening, housework, and dancing all count.
49. Exercise can improve your quality of life.
50. It's never too late to get into shape.

*Journeyworks Publishing
www.journeyworks.com

Thanksgiving Fitness Tips

This year for Thanksgiving, try doing some fun, family activities that will burn calories and make you laugh! Get a two-hand touch football game going out in the yard! Throw the football with the kids. The family could go for a nice walk around the neighborhood after dinner to help digest all that Thanksgiving food and burn calories. Play some music and dance around the living room with the kids...or your spouse! Get a friendly game of basketball going, or play tag in the yard. Take the dogs for a walk or have a push-up competition across generations or genders! You don't have to do anything real strenuous, or even break a sweat! But it will make you feel better than sitting on the couch and feeling so full you're going to pop! Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Hope you all enjoy yourselves!

Strength Training

When you think of strength training, you may visualize a man with "Popeye" type strength and bulging muscles. However, strength training is beneficial for everyone as it strengthens and conditions the entire musculoskeletal system. And did you know that the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn? But remember that muscle also weighs more so when you strength train, you may notice that you gain some weight.

Strength training produces basically two results: muscle toning and bodybuilding. Activity, duration and intensity all affect which result is attained. For muscle toning: do more sets of higher repetitions at a lower weight. For muscle building: do fewer sets of lower repetitions at a higher weight.

For best results, strength training should be performed 2-3 days a week and involve all of the major muscle groups. If you do work out on consecutive days, DO NOT work the same muscle groups on those days. Also, always remember to warm up for about 5 minutes with an activity such as walking to warm up your muscles. As you work each muscle group, be very conscious of your form and your breathing. And after your workout, be sure to cool down with activities such as stretching.

What will strength training do for me?
- Increase muscle size and tone
- Increase strength
- Increase physical performance
- Increase metabolic efficiency
- Reduce risk of injury
- Increase mental well-being