FitBit: Get Fit in 5 Minutes a Day

Get Fit in 5 Minutes a Day. (Yes, 5 Minutes.) by HARLEY PASTERNAK

Now that we’ve gone over healthy eating habits, it’s time to move onto something weightier—strength training.

Strength training, or resistance exercise as I prefer to call it, is when a muscle or muscle group works against a certain resistance (dumbbells, body weight, water etc…) for a short period of time. Think: push-ups, squats, bench press.

When done consistently, resistance exercise has the power to transform your body from the inside out. Besides developing stronger, more defined muscles, research shows that strength training can also help raise your metabolism—meaning your body burns more calories at rest—increase bone density (fewer fractures!), improve balance and coordination, and increase insulin sensitivity. But many people still don’t do it. Why? I uncovered five common reasons:

1. They don’t have time.
2. They don’t have or can’t afford a gym membership.
3. They don’t have the know-how to do a complex program.
4. They’re intimidated by the images they see in infomercials for workouts such as Insanity or P90X.
5. They have been injured or are afraid of getting injured.

To combat these concerns, I kept two questions in mind as I did fitness research for my book 5 Pounds: What are the most effective exercises necessary to achieve the greatest results and what is the least amount of exercise you need to do to maximize results?

After months of study, two surprising truths emerged:

1. Short, intensive workouts are more effective than longer, endurance-focused workouts.
2. Variety is as essential as intensity to getting results.

Take this study published BioMed Research International as an example. Researchers divided a group of young men into two groups: One performed one six-rep set of nine upper body exercises three times a week; the other group did three six-rep sets of the same exercises. At the end of eight weeks, all participants experienced similar increases in strength but the one-set group—who spent nearly 70 percent less time exercising—lost significantly more body fat than the three-set group.

Seventy percent less time exercising! Imagine what you could do with that time. Actually don’t. Start experiencing it. The fitness portion of My 5 plan was created with this “less is more” philosophy in mind.

Here’s how it works: Do one resistance exercise for about five minutes, seven days a week.

That’s it.

Focusing on just one exercise a day works because you’re still able to generate enough intensity to break down muscle fibers and have enough time afterward to let them recover, which is when the fibers rebuild stronger and denser than they were before.

Get started with this 5-minute workout. Over time, as you get stronger, you’ll want to increase the weight you use and the time you spend exercising—but don’t worry, it will always be manageable.

Get Fit in 5 Minutes a Day













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FitBit: Lose Weight in 5 Steps

sole comparison

Fitbit has been  the biggest influence on my weight lost. I began with keeping tabs on doing 10,000 steps daily via my Fitbit watch. That part was easy as I enjoy walking the dogs around the my neighborhood first thing in the morning on an almost daily basis.  My worn-out boots are proof.  

Counting the calories and watching what I eat -- not so fun. I've gotten careless and the pounds have slowly been creeping-up. I need to review thru this article and feel revitalized.  

Per the FITBIT blog
 My 5 Plan:  The most effective and efficient behaviors we need to incorporate into our lives to lose the most amount of weight in the least amount of time. 

Summarized below. 
 Read the full blog H E R E

Step One: The No-Calorie-Counting Way to Eat Healthier 

Step Two: Get Fit in 5 Minutes a day. (Yes, 5 Minutes.) 

Step Three: The Power of 10,000 Steps 

Step Four: Three Ways Sleep Deprivation Makes You Fat—Plus 5 Ways to Get More Shuteye 

Step Five: Disconnect From These Devices to Drop Pounds 

 Complete post H E R E

For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is 

to come. 1 Timothy 4:8-10

Small Changes that Get Results

10,000 Steps

F I T B I T

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Your Healthy Weight: No-Calorie-Counting Way to Eat Healthier

The No-Calorie-Counting Way to Eat Healthier --  HARLEY PASTERNAK

Say goodbye to fiber-starved juice cleanses, copious amounts of cabbage soup, and lemon-cayenne-pepper concoctions: This is the year you adopt a simple—and sustainable—weight loss eating plan.

As I mentioned in  Lose Weight Without Losing Your Mind, the My 5 plan is based on efficiency—finding out which health practices pack the biggest punch—and the food component of it is no different. What’s that mean? It means you don’t have to count calories (though you can if you have time!), weigh food, splurge on exotic ingredients, or avoid restaurants. No, all you have to do is follow three, easy guidelines:

1. Eat 5 times a day—three meals and two snacks. This equates to eating approximately every three hours. Eating before you’re ravenous will help you stay in control of what and how much you eat. Studies also show that eating more frequently, compared with the conventional three-meals-a-day approach, can help keep your blood sugar and metabolism steady—both of which are good for weight loss.

2. Make sure every meal contains the “big three of satiety”: protein (seafood, eggs, chicken), fiber (veggies, fruit, seeds) and healthy fats (olive oil, avocado). Snacks, too, must contain protein and fibrous carbs. Aside from their individual benefits—protein boosts metabolism, fiber aids digestion, and fats support heart health—these three nutrients also help you feel fuller faster and for longer.

3. Ensure each meal is made up of the following: one portion of protein (fish, eggs, etc…) equal to the mass of one hand; a palmful of either a high-fiber fruit (blackberries, apples), a whole grain (quinoa, oats), or a legume (chickpeas, lentils); at least one thumb-size portion of a healthy fat (avocado, olives, nuts, seeds); and unlimited veggies (broccoli, zucchini, spinach).

Read full  FITBIT article H E R E

What feeds your soul?

No-Calorie-Counting


Lose Weight Without Losing Your Mind





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Healthy Monday: Counting Macros for Health Goals

How Counting Macros Can Help You Reach Your Health Goals

BY TRACY MORRIS

Macronutrients, or “macros,” are the building blocks of nutrition. You probably know them better as carbohydrate, protein, and fat. Macros are the nutrients you need in large amounts, as they provide your body with the calories it needs to function. (Micronutrients include vitamins and minerals, and although they’re essential for good health, they don’t provide any calories and only trace amounts are needed.)

It can get a little confusing, because people often refer to foods as macros: saying bread and pasta are “carbs,” and talking about meat as “protein.” Those foods contain more of that specific macronutrient than the others. But macros are just the individual elements, and most foods are made up of a blend of all three—pasta actually contains a little protein, and meat definitely has fat!  Understanding macros can help you lay a solid foundation for a balanced diet.

Carbohydrate + Protein + Fat = Total Calories

Carbohydrates: Provides fuel, the energy for your body and brain. It’s found in all plant foods, like grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes, and also milk and yogurt.

PROTEIN: Helps to build and repair your muscles, organs, skin, blood, and different chemicals, like hormones, in your body. It’s found in large amounts in meat, poultry, fish, legumes, dairy, tofu, and eggs, and in smaller amounts in nuts, seeds, and whole grains.

FAT:  Insulates and protects your bones and organs, acts as backup fuel for energy, and helps in brain development. Healthy, unsaturated fats are found in olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish, like salmon, sardines, and mackerel. Unhealthy saturated fats are found in high-fat beef, pork, butter, full-fat dairy, and processed foods, like cookies and donuts.

How Much of Each Macro Do You Need?

The numbers aren’t set in stone, but you do need to consume a certain amount of each macro within a range. The flexibility allows you to pick a style of eating that suits your needs, food preferences, and health goals. The USDA recommends the following healthy ranges.

Carbohydrate:          45 to 65 percent

Protein:                     10 to 35 percent

Fat:                           20 to 35 percent

Not sure where your eating habits put you? The food logging feature in the Fitbit app can estimate your macronutrients when you log items from the food database! At the end of each day, you can view an estimate of daily totals as percentages, as well as in grams. Which makes aiming for a particular ratio of carbs to protein to fat to build a balanced diet a lot easier.

Balance Your Macros to Reach Your Health Goals

If you’ve ever cut back on carbs to try to lose weight, carbo loaded before a marathon, or upped your protein intake to put on muscle, you’ve been playing with your macros. Working within the recommended ranges above, there’s room to maneuver your macros for different outcomes. For example, if you’re trying to lose weight, eating fewer carbs and more protein may help—you could try aiming for the lower end of the range for carbohydrate, with 45 percent carbs, 25 percent protein, and 30 percent healthy fats, for example. Or, if you’re an athlete and need to fuel up for an intense training schedule, you can shoot for a higher percentage of carbs, making the ratio look more like 55 percent carbs, 20 percent protein, and 25 percent healthy fats. Just remember, these numbers don’t reflect the space each food takes up on your plate, but rather the numbers you’ll see when you log your meals.

Again, because most foods contain a mix of carbs, protein, and fat, you can’t completely cut one macro from your diet. That would impossible, not to mention unhealthy—sorry, zero-carb followers!

Quality Trumps Quantity When It Comes to Macros

Bodybuilders in particular are known for counting their macros, relying on eating trends, like If It Fits Your Macros (IIFYM) or Flexible Dieting, which focus on manipulating macronutrients to achieve weight loss or gain muscle. But people following those diets often lose sight of what’s healthy and what’s not. Your macronutrient distribution could look the same, whether you’re eating pizza, burgers, and donuts, or minimally processed veggies stir-fries and grain bowls. Quality wins over quantity when it comes to your health, so don’t get so caught up when measuring your macros that you miss out on the foods your body really needs.

Even if you’re not signing up for a powerlifting competition or an endurance race, and you don’t want to micro-manage your macros, it’s still smart to see where your numbers fall. Getting colorful fruits, veggies, whole grains, healthy fats, and lean protein on your plate is the most important thing, and balancing macronutrients is just one more way to think about sticking to a healthy eating plan. So try food logging for a few days to see how your macros measure up.  

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This article is not intended to substitute for informed medical advice. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or condition. Always check with your doctor before changing your diet, altering your sleep habits, taking supplements, or starting a new fitness routine.

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Tracy Morris is Fitbit’s Nutritionist. With a master’s degree in nutrition and dietetics from South Africa, she’s also an Australian Accredited Practising Dietitian, and an international member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in the US. Over the past 15 years, Tracy's lived in five different countries, inspiring people around the globe to be healthy. Currently, she happily lives in Northern California where she writes, practices Pilates, runs after her three kids, and sips pinot noir with her husband.

Link -- >> Counting Macros to Reach Your Health Goals

Womens' Health: Your Healthiest YOU

  Celebrate Women’s Health!

It’s never too early or too late to work toward being your healthiest you! This National Women’s Health Week, May 14–20, is a great time to empower all women to make their health a top priority.

pc: Shakell

Women often serve as primary caregivers for their families, putting the needs of their spouses, partners, children, and parents before their own. As a result, women’s health and well-being can become secondary. National Women’s Health Week brings together communities, businesses, government, health organizations, and other groups in an effort to promote women’s health. So remind all the women in your life to be sure they are taking care of their own health along with all the other people they care for.

Build health by building healthy habits

National Women’s Checkup Day is May 8. Follow these tips to help stay your healthiest.

GET PREVENTIVE SCREENINGS. Visit a health care professional to receive regular checkups and preventive screenings. Important screenings for women include an annual physical, blood pressure test, and screenings for cervical cancer (pap test), cholesterol, and thyroid function. Starting at age 50, women should get screened for breast cancer every one to two years. And after menopause, women should get a bone density test to be screened for osteoporosis. Don’t forget to ask about nutrition screenings. You don’t have to guess if you are deficient in vitamin D or B12.

GET ACTIVE. Regular activity is one of the most effective strategies for maintaining a healthy weight. Regular physical activity helps to improve your cardiorespiratory (heart, lungs, and blood vessels) and muscular fitness, helps with mood, and can help reduce your risk of cognitive decline. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity daily. An example would be brisk walking—activity that raises your heart rate and during which you could talk but not sing. Also aim for strength-building (resistance) exercise 2-3 days per week.

EAT HEALTHY. Eating healthy isn’t really that difficult—and the health payoff is incredible. To reduce your risk of chronic diet-related health issues:

• Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables—at least seven servings per day. Smoothies can be a delicious way to increase your fruit & vegetable intake.
• Eat whole grains, such as whole wheat, oatmeal, and brown rice—and avoid white grains
• Eat lean proteins, including fish, skinless poultry, lean red meats, dry beans, and eggs
• Cook primarily with monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil, and limit fried food
• Limit saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, sodium, and excess sugars
• Drink alcohol in moderation—for women, that means no more than one drink per day
• Take dietary supplements to close remaining nutritional gaps

GET ENOUGH SLEEP AND MANAGE STRESS. Try to get a good night’s rest every night. Adequate sleep makes you more productive and energetic—this means 7–8 hours per night. Develop a sleep routine that includes limiting computer screen time at night. Recognize the signs of stress and take action to address it. Focus on controlling what you can, and let the rest go.

AVOID UNHEALTHY BEHAVIORS. Smoking, texting while driving, not wearing a seatbelt or bicycle helmet, and other unhealthy or unsafe habits can severely damage your overall health.

Most of us go many days between trips to the doctor, a fact that makes it clear that we must take day-to-day responsibility for our health. Whether it’s pushing ourselves a little harder at the gym or calling our doctors to make sure we’re up to date on our screenings, we can all truly make a difference—not just for ourselves, but for all the people we love.

Fitbit HR, and more exercise for me

my fitbit HR

Every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things.

Five "invisible exercises" that can lengthen your life

One change that will pay off seven-fold. That will make the biggest difference in your health—and in your life. Exercise.
Exercise remains the most important thing you can do for yourself. It beats regular trips to the doctor. It beats medicines and supplements. It even edges out diet—which is amazing, considering everything starts with our fuel.
Exercise is the one true wonder drug that exists. No matter what ails you, exercise will almost certainly help.
Have a cold? Regular exercise boosts your immune system.
Carrying more weight than you’d like? Nothing burns calories like exercise.
Want to live longer? One recent study found that every minute you spend exercising adds seven minutes to your life.
Exercise might be the most important thing you can do for your health. But, I know, it’s also the most difficult habit to sustain.
Sure—every January, gym memberships surge, and new promises to lose this winter’s weight are uttered.
But very few people adhere to these promises. At least not long enough to make a difference.
That’s why I feel like I need to harp on exercise every few months or so. We all need the reminder—myself included.
But beyond that—it’s unfair to expect you to do what few other people find possible.
Even if we want to, sometimes our schedule simply doesn’t allow it.
So today, I want to provide you an easy compromise. What I sometimes call invisible exercise.
It will take almost no time out of your day. It can be integrated right into your daily routine with little more than the occasional nudge.
It won’t require you to alter your lifestyle at all. But, if you practice the following five “invisible exercises” regularly, I guarantee, your life will improve.

1. Stand Whenever Possible.

West Point is one of the strictest places on earth. It requires enormous attention, rigid adherence to rules, and unending discipline.

But there’s one exception. If you feel antsy in a lecture, you don’t have to ask permission—you can simply stand behind your desk.

That’s how important it is to stand now and again. Our army knows it, and behaves accordingly. So should you.

2. Hold Walking Meetings.

Did you know most of history’s greatest thinkers did most of their greatest thinking while walking? That includes Isaac Newton, who wasn’t bonked by an apple, but was walking in his garden when one fell nearby.

Walking helps get the creative juices flowing. Indeed, a recent Stanford study found we are 60% more creative when we walk.

Walking is so good for the mind, that we can afford to view the invisible exercise that comes with it as a happy side benefit.

3. Park In The Shade.

Forget the closest parking spot. That doesn’t help you move much.

But sometimes the farthest can feel a bit lonely.

Try aiming for the shade. During the hot months, this will help keep your car cool and comfortable.

But since spots shaded by trees won’t often be next to the front doors of shops or restaurants, you can get a little extra invisible exercise in at the same time.

4. Skip The Car.

I know—this is America, home of the highway and the open road.

But most of us have at least a shop or two that are walking distance from home or work. Or if not walking distance, then biking distance.

Whenever you use that shop—or, hopefully, shops—walk there instead of driving.

You’ll get a better feel for your own neighborhoods. You’ll end up more connected to your community. And you’ll get plenty of invisible exercise—especially if your shopping includes a heavy item or two.

5. Stairs Every Time.

Most of us live, or work, in buildings with stairs. Use them.

Unless you’re in a skyscraper, pretend the elevator doesn’t exist. And if you are in a skyscraper, take a break during the day to enjoy a little time on the stairs.

Remember—this sort of invisible exercise will actually increase your creativity. It’s a great way to work on a thorny problem, or keep your creative juices flowing while on a conference call.

It’s also a wonderful way to introduce some low-impact, low-stress movement into your day.

At first, finding places to insert invisible exercise into your day may feel strange. But after a short time, it will become habit.

And this is one habit that can add years to your life. A little unfamiliarity in the beginning will be well worth it in the end.

by Leigh Erin Connealy, M.D.

REFERENCES

NPR, “Every Minute Of Exercise Could Lengthen Your Life Seven Minutes”, Carey Goldberg, March 15 2013 http://commonhealth.wbur.org/2013/03/minutes-exercise-longer-life

Greatist, “13 Unexpected Ways to Fit Cardio Into Your Routine”, Emily Shoemaker, November 8 2013 http://greatist.com/fitness/unexpected-ways-cardio-exercise

Stanford, “Stanford study finds walking improves creativity”, May Wong, April 24 2014 http://news.stanford.edu/news/2014/april/walking-vs-sitting-042414.html