Thoughts from a Fitness Trainer

Get fit feeling comfortable in an all-ladies gym

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Sneaky Chemicals in Meats

This is some startling information about what is being put in the meats we eat. 
 
" Consumers won't be aware that meat and poultry products have been treated with the spray, Zajac added. The Department of Agriculture will regulate the actual use of the product. The viruses are grown in a preparation of the very bacteria they kill, and then purified. The FDA had concerns that the virus preparation potentially could contain toxic residues associated with the bacteria. However, testing did not reveal the presence of such residues, which in small quantities likely wouldn't cause health problems anyway, the FDA said." - Associated Press, Aug. 18, 2006
 
"Barbara Loe Fisher Comments:
In yet another stunning demonstration of callous disregard for the health of American citizens, a pathetically weak and useless Food and Drug Administration has given the green light to industry microbe hunters to spray cold cuts, poultry and other meats with a mix of viruses that are supposed to eat bacteria contaminating the meat without hurting anyone in the process. Right.

And the best part? Meat producers won't have to tell consumers which meats have been bathed in the viruses so everyone gets a dose eating a hot dog at a baseball game or frying up some ham and eggs for breakfast - whether they want it or not. And when Uncle Leo in the Bronx drops dead from a mysterious infection after eating an italian sub at a neighborhood picnic, the story will be: it wasn't the virus infected sausage that did it, it was - A COINCIDENCE. (But if enough people drop dead after eating virus infected meat, an enterprising drug company will probably develop a food vaccine and convince the CDC to mandate it).

In America, apparently the only way consumers will be able to protect themselves from FDA-sponsored contaminated meat is to become a vegan or go organic. It's an expensive alternative but a small price to pay to keep viruses, chemicals and hormones that don't belong in the food we eat out of our bodies."

Thursday, August 17, 2006

Kids Need Vigorous Exercise

I found this article to be very interesting on the effects of exercise on
children and their ability to perform in school.

"Middle school students who perform more vigorous physical activity than
their more sedentary piers tend to do better in school, according to a new
study done by researchers from Michigan State University and Grand Valley
State University. The research is published in the August issue of Medicine
& Science in Sports & Exercise, the official journal of the American College
of Sports Medicine.

For one academic year, the study tracked more than 200 sixth graders. For
one semester half of the students took the general physical education class
offered by the school, while the other half took part in a non-physical
education course. Halfway through the school year they switched. The
researchers found that students taking the physical education course did no
better or worse in their academic classes.

�Physical education and activity during the school day reduce boredom and
help keep kids� attention in the classroom,� said Dawn Podulka Coe, the
study�s lead author who is now an assistant professor in the Department of
Movement Science at Grand Valley State University. �We were expecting to
find that students enrolled in PE would have better grades because of the
opportunity to be active during the school day. But enrollment in PE alone
did not influence grades.�

However, the researchers also found that students who took part in more
vigorous physical activities � such as organized sports like soccer or
football, or non-organized after-school activities such as skateboarding �
did approximately 10 percent better in core classes such as math, science,
English and social studies.

�The students who performed better academically in this study were the most
active, meaning those who participated in a sport or other vigorous activity
at least three times a week� added Coe.
The difference between vigorous activity and moderate activity is heart
rate. Moderate activities, such as walking or raking leaves, don�t get the
heart rate up or make the person breathe harder. Vigorous activities, such
as running or swimming for exercise, increase heart rate, causing the
exerciser to breathe harder and increasing oxygen to the brain."

With school just beginning, have your children really run, even if it is
just around the yard. Bring your girls to Fitness Spa for a great cardio
workout, or have personal training with me. It is so easy to spend the
effort on being fit for school and life! Give your children a great chance
to do well and feel confident.

770-632-3595
www.ptcfitnessspa.com

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No Excuses!

Take Time for Yourself!

It is time to accept the fact that you will never have optimum health
without regular exercise. Why not lower your blood pressure and
cholesterol? By exercising every day you will increase your blood
circulation, improve the quality of sleep, and increase your energy.
Exercising slows down the aging process while supporting calcium storage and
bone density. Set your priorities to breathe deep and exercise. Concieve
new thoughts of succeeding in your new lifestyle of health and fitness!
Don't wait until the time is right, just begin today to save your health.
You deserve to enjoy your life now!

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Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Simple Steps to Follow

 

10 Ways To Reduce Cravings

 

10. Store tempting foods on the top shelves of cabinets or bottom shelves of the refrigerator so they will be less noticeable.

9. Remove foods from every room in the house except the kitchen (no candy dishes in the living room, no chocolates in the top dresser drawer, and no snacks in the car's glove compartment or on the desk at work).

8. At parties and social events, after you have eaten, stay away from the room with the food.

7. Don't make phone calls, read, or watch television in the kitchen (or any other place with food cues).

6. When shopping, avoid the aisles with candies and desserts stay with the healthy fruits and vegetables..

5. Whenever possible, get up from the dinner table as soon as you have finished eating.

4. At home, serve reasonable portions of food in the kitchen and bring the plates to the dining table. Don't put serving bowls or platters on the table. If you really want seconds, go back into the kitchen to get them.

3. If you must have treats in the house, don't buy them in bulk packages. Instead of buying a half-gallon of ice cream (or low-fat yogurt), buy single servings such as pops, cones or cups. It is more likely that you'll have a large serving of ice cream without thinking about it than it is that you'll go back to the freezer and get a second treat without thinking about it.

2. When eating out, ask the waitperson to take the bread away as soon as possible.

1. Resign from the Clean Plate Club. Even if it feels a little uncomfortable, leave a small amount of food on your plate to help unlearn the association between the sight of food and eating.

Great Water Facts

WATER is LIFE

1. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.

2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.

3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3%.

4. One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.

5. Lack of water, the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.

7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.

8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.