Recently in Exercise and physical activity Category

What kind of motivation spurs someone to truly lose weight? It's a $147 billion question - and that's only taking into account the medical costs in the U.S. alone. Health authorities have long struggled to find effective ways to curb the obesity epidemic, and strategies run the gamut from regulating soda size to banning chocolate milk in elementary schools.

A new study from Yale University's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity sheds fascinating new light on why some of these campaigns work better than others. As it turns out, eliciting positive emotions is key. Harsh anti-obesity campaigns such as that in Georgia - whose ads, billboards, and commercials have featured the tagline "Stop sugarcoating it, Georgia" and blast messages such as "Warning: It's hard to be a little girl if you're not" - have taken a stern stance to underscore the severity of the issue.

Yet researchers have found that these messages only elicit shame, an unhelpful emotion that does little to motivate positive behavior change. In fact, stigmatization only reinforces the problem: emotions such as shame, humiliation, and stress often fuel overeating.

Public campaigns can only be successful if they "fit with our sense of ourselves," says UCLA psychologist Matthew D. Lieberman, who studies the neuroscience of persuasion. Negative thoughts won't recruit the neural systems that convert a message into action.

So what kinds of messages are the most effective? Those that emphasize personal empowerment and don't mention obesity at all. 85% of the participants in the study said they were motivated to make changes by the slogan, "Eat well. Move more. Live longer."  People also responded well to messages that suggested specific healthy living tips such as, "Eat a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables every day."

Perhaps this isn't surprising news. Researchers have found that people who commit to a regular exercise routine don't do it to lose weight, avoid heart disease, or prevent osteoporosis - they do it simply because they enjoy it.

In short: negativity is defeating, optimism is empowering ... and the latter is key to making healthy lifestyle changes in the long run.

Information courtesy of The Institute for Integrative Nutrition

Are you a fan of energy and sports drinks? You can bet most of our Olympic athletes are.  For them and other very physically active people, sports drinks can be a useful tool to re-hydrate the body and replace lost nutrients. For the rest of us mere mortals, they can be a refreshing way to counteract summer's heat. And while some of these drinks are relatively healthy and some of them aren't, there's one thing they all are: expensive.

Whether you're an athlete or a weekend warrior taking on all those home improvement projects this summer, working hard causes your body to sweat out nutrients called electrolytes along with water. Electrolytes are essential minerals that affect the amount of water in your body, the acidity (or pH level) of your blood, your muscle function, and other important bodily processes.

If you rehydrate your body without replacing these minerals, you risk getting hyponatremia, an electrolyte imbalance that causes vomiting, headaches, lethargy, muscle weakness, cramps, or, in more serious cases, seizures or coma. In the heat of summer, it is much easier to deplete your body's reserves more quickly, especially if you are trying to start an exercise program and not yet used to regular physical activity. It is also important for children, older adults, and anyone who is immuno-compromised to stay well-hydrated in the heat.

But you don't have to rely on bottled sports drinks full of artificial colors, flavors, and sweeteners. It's easy to make your own homemade sports drink to replenish sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and other nutrients. Here's a quick, easy, and inexpensive recipe:

Healthy Electrolyte Drink
(Recipe courtesy of The Institute for Integrative Nutrition)
Prep time: 2 minutes
Yields: 1 serving
Ingredients:
4 cups warm water
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp honey
1/4 tsp salt
Directions:
Mix well, chill and serve. You can double or triple the recipe to make larger quantities, and store in a glass or BPA-free plastic bottle. Enjoy!

Though it's early on the calendar, spring is clearly here in the Northeast (at least for this week). Even if this warm weather doesn't last, now is still the perfect time to start getting outside and being more active. We can all use the vitamin D, too!

I often hesitate to use the word 'exercise', because it can put limitations on what people consider in terms of activity. It gets them thinking in terms of 'shoulds' instead of 'coulds,' and those are much less successful and productive in terms of setting, achieving and maintaining health goals. Think in terms of what you can do, instead of what you should do, realistically, and you will make so much more progress and avoid becoming overwhelmed and frustrated.

Gyms and fitness classes can be great and work well for many people. But it's important to know that if your goals are healthy weight-loss and greater energy, you don't necessarily have to spend hours pumping weights in a gym or running on a treadmill. There are other options:

1. Move more in your daily life. Walk, bike, take the stairs, garden, take stretch breaks or do short bursts of activity. Household chores and playing with your kids and pets count, too.

2. Find something fun, and vary your activities. What did you enjoy as a kid? What do you find fun now? Even creative projects can get you moving. Some trial and error may be involved, but trying new activities or sports can be fun and keep you feeling young.

3. Get involved with a partner or a group. Even if you don't join a gym or play a sport, having a team to be active with and to support you can work miracles. Make sure you're with people who will stay positive and that you like being around!

4. Start, and progress, slowly, and expect ups and downs. When trying anything new,, time and other obligations will press in on you. But keep at it, and don't beat yourself up when other priorities take over. That's life, it happens! That's why embracing the mindset of simply being more active can help sustain you over the long-term, and make goals more achievable.

5. Measure, don't weigh. If you want to gauge your fitness progress, stay off the scale and go by how your clothes fit, or take regular measurements of your arms, legs, waist and hips. A person's weight can fluctuate 2-5 lbs. each day depending on gender and other physical characteristics, and muscle weighs more than fat. So go by how you physically feel: the energy you have, the flexibility, the stamina, etc.- those are more powerful indicators of progress than any number on the scale!

The key is to try to do some physical activity--however little--on most days. As it becomes more of a habit, you can slowly add extra minutes or try different types of activities. If you keep at it, the benefits will begin to pay off.

Being more active as other benefits, as well:

1. Easing stress and anxiety. A twenty-minute bike ride won't sweep away life's troubles, but physical activity helps you take charge of anxiety and reduce stress. Aerobic activities release hormones that relieve stress and promote a sense of well-being.
 
2. Lifting your mood. Exercise and activity can treat mild to moderate depression as effectively as antidepressant medication by releasing endorphins, the powerful chemicals in your brain that energize your spirits and make you feel good.
 
3. Sharpening brainpower. The same endorphins that make you feel better also help you concentrate and feel mentally sharp for tasks at hand. Exercise and activity also stimulate the growth of new brain cells and helps prevent age-related decline.
 
4. Improving self-esteem. Regular activity is an investment in your mind, body, and soul. When it becomes habit, it can foster your sense of self-worth and make you feel strong and powerful.
 
5. Boosting energy. Increasing your heart rate several times a week will give you more energy. Start off with just a few minutes a day, and increase your activity level as you feel more energized.

6. Promoting sleep. If you have trouble sleeping, exercise and activity help you fall asleep faster and sleep more deeply. The more often you do it, the better the pattern gets.

Remember:

• Set realistic, achievable goals for yourself.
• Start where you are. Try not to compare yourself to others. We are all unique.
• Find an activity you enjoy. If you don't enjoy it, you won't keep doing it! This is one of the main reasons people stop exercising. Self-discipline will only take you so far.
• Try keeping a fitness journal to track progress.
• Remember it takes time to form new habits. Don't get down on yourself if you don't progress as quickly as you'd like. Just get back on track when you're ready, and keep your goals in mind.
• Listen to your body, and be patient and kind to yourself.
  

The first step is always the hardest, but once you take it, it's so much easier to take another, and another, an so on. Just do one thing today to get yourself started!