It just keeps getting worse
obesity, diet, exercise, hiking, bicycling
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Obesity rates just keep rising in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control have announced.
According to the Centers' weekly morbidity and mortality report, more than a quarter of Americans admitted to being obese in a 2007 survey. That represented an increase of 1.6 percentage points since the last survey in 2005.
Even worse, in some southern states, the obesity rate was as high as 30 percent. It seems that southern cooking with its emphasis on fried foods is really taking its toll.
At the other end of the spectrum, Coloradans can pat themselves on the back for perennially having the lowest obesity rate, 19 percent. Evidently with all that gorgeous Rocky Mountain scenery to hike through and lots of bike trails, people in Colorado are motivated to get off their butts and exercise.
Let's hope that the rising cost of gas will have a bright side: Maybe people will have an incentive to leave the car home and walk or ride their bicycles more. Dare we hope?
Here's a link to the CDC report:
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5728a1.htm
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on 7/18/2008
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2.9
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And the winner is....
weight loss, biggest loser, exercise, diet
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The results are in! The winner of The Star-Ledger's Biggest Loser Challenge is Tom Feeney, who lost an astounding 49 pounds in three months. That was about 20 percent of his starting weight!
As his prize, Tom won an extra week of paid vacation, a six-month gym membership, and $10 for each pound lost, for a total of $490! Tom lost the weight on a combination of healthy eating, exercise and lifestyle changes.
Second prize winner Pat Turner lost 8.4 percent of her body weight. Five other participants, Peter Barash, Jack DaSilva, Vinessa Erminio, Brian Levy and Beverly Reid exceeded their weight loss goals. These seven people together lost 176 pounds.
Of the 59 people who initially signed up for the challenge, 27 attended enough weigh-ins to qualify for recognition. Altogether they lost 407 pounds!
Thanks to Mona Rowe and Monique Alston of The Star-Ledger's Human Resources Department for organizing this challenge. They hope to start another one in the fall. I'm looking forward to coaching again!
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on 7/10/2008
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7.6
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Let's get Britney, Tatum and Amy into the gym!
exercise, drugs, alcohol, tobacco, runners high
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As if we need another reason to work out, researchers have now discovered that exercise can prevent substance abuse.
Those of us who have experienced that runner's high after an intense workout know that it beats any kick from drugs or alcohol.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse has discovered that teenagers who exercise regularly are far less likely to smoke or use drugs than those who don't exercise. But then, anyone who smokes isn't going to last long in the gym or on the athletic field.
Here's a link to the MSNBC story:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25063203/
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on 6/10/2008
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17.6
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Healthy munching
munchmobile, diet, exercise
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It's ironic that my latest update of The Star-Ledger's Biggest Loser Challenge coincides with the launch of the Munchmobile, the paper's annual celebration of overeating.
The Munchmobile, a k a the Big Dog, is a customized van topped with a huge hot dog. Each week during the summer months, reporter Pete Genovese takes a crew of half a dozen selected readers on a tour of casual dining establishments around New Jersey. On each tour, they visit half a dozen restaurants that share some common theme: It might be Italian one week, seafood another, breakfast another. At the end of the trip, each of the "Guest Munchers" is ready for gastric bypass surgery.
Last Thursday, this year's version of the Munchmobile was unveiled with great hoopla. The giant hot dog was paraded through the newsroom to the accompaniment of a local high school band, then marched up to the roof of the parking garage where it was mounted on top of the Big Dog. And all the employees were treated to a free lunch of ... you guessed it ... hot dogs!
Summer is a time when we all have healthy appetites. After all, we're spending more time outdoors, doing yard work, and, lets hope, playing harder. Jumping into the waves Down the Shore, or enjoying a good softball game or a hike in the mountains, works off calories and entitles you to a little self-indulgence, maybe a cold beer or an ice cream cone once in a while. But it's not an excuse to completely pig out.
With warm weather at hand, take advantage of the fresh fruits and vegetables that are coming into season. Visit your local farm market and enjoy the fresh locally grown produce. Get as much of the healthy stuff into your diet before you allow yourself some guilty pleasures. And take advantage of the longer days and warm weather to get outside for a walk, a run or a bike ride.
Ironically the Big Dog launch took place on the very spot where I have been conducting n... read entire entry
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on 5/21/2008
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11.9
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Star-Ledger Biggest Loser Challenge Week 4
weight loss, squats, deadlifts, exercise ball, shoulder presses
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Nice going, Biggest Loser Challengers! After four weeks, our total weight loss is now 255 pounds! Collectively you lost 50 pounds last week, 2 1/2 times what you lost the week before!
Congratulations to Keisha Wade, biggest loser of the week at 6.2 pounds! Way to go, Keisha!
After a month, it's time to change your workout. Here’s a fat-loss workout program, adapted from "The New Rules of Lifting" by Lou Schuler and Alwyn Cosgrove. ¶
Superset 1)
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Squats: 3 sets, 15 reps, 75 sec. rest
Deadlifts: 3 sets, 15 reps, 75 sec. rest
Superset 2)
Supine hip extension on Swiss ball: 3 sets, 15 reps, 75 sec rest.
Dumbbell shoulder press (can pimp it up as push press): 3 sets, 15 reps, 75 sec rest
Superset 3)
Lunges: 3 sets, 15 reps, 75 sec rest
Swiss ball crunch: 3 sets, 15 reps, 75 sec rest)
Do this workout twice, resting at least a full day between workouts.
For the next two workouts, do only 12 reps per set, but lift slightly heavier weights and rest only 60 seconds between sets.
Then for the fifth and sixth workouts, go a little heavier still, doing 10 reps per set and resting 45 seconds between sets.
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on 5/9/2008
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4.4
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Grow up and get out of shape!
swimming, exercise, weight loss
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Some 20 years ago I happened to run into the captain of my high school swimming team. We were both in our 30s at the time. I was still in fairly good shape at the time ... I was active in Masters' swimming and was doing a lot of bicycling. I had yet to fall into the sedentary rut that would lead to my weight problem. In high school, I had never been able to hold a candle to my teammate, but it was evident that this once slim and toned athlete had already become noticeably paunchy.
Although I already knew the answer just from looking at him, I asked him if he had kept up with swimming. He snickered and shook his head as if that were the most ridiculous question he had ever heard. I went on to tell him that I was involved in Masters' swimming. "Oh yeah?" he responded, clearly unimpressed. Implicit in his response was an unspoken "Grow up!" Clearly, to him, swimming didn't count for anything anymore. Now that his glory days of being a high school sports star were behind him, it was time to move on and devote all his time to his career, and keeping himself in shape was no longer a priority.
Despite the record number of people joining gyms and exercising, that's still the attitude that we fitness advocates face. Somehow most Americans have the perception that exercise is childish and frivolous, while being sedentary is viewed the sign of a mature and responsible adult. In some quarters, being overweight is seen as a sign of prosperity.
I'm reminded of an Off-Broadway show I saw a while back, Stewart Parker's "Spokesong." The central character is a bike shop owner and an advocate of bicycle transportation. He approaches his city fathers with a plan to make bicycles a major part of the community's transportation plan. Following the meeting, he reports that the officials agreed that bicycling is an efficient, economical, clean, environmentally friendly form of transportation ... ... read entire entry
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on 4/28/2008
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18.4
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Star-Ledger's Biggest Loser Challenge begins
biggest loser, weight loss, exercise, star-ledger, bob harper
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I'm psyched! Tomorrow afternoon we have the kickoff meeting for The Star-Ledger's "Biggest Loser Challenge," which I'm going to coach.
Our Human Resources Department has been sending out e-mails and putting up flyers for the past week. Tomorrow we'll be taking signups for the contest and organizing teams. The company is providing workout space and some equipment, and will be providing prizes for the individual participants and teams who lose the most weight and the greatest percentage of weight. I will be giving a pep talk, telling how I lost 60 pounds myself and sharing my tips on how others can lose weight. I will be demonstrating some exercises that contestants can do on their own.
I'll be donating a prize of my own: Tonight I had the opportunity to meet "Biggest Loser" trainer Bob Harper at a signing for his new book, "Are You Ready?" at Barnes & Noble in Paramus. One of the winners will receive my signed copy of his book.
Looking forward to telling you all about the success stories in our contest.
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on 4/2/2008
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11.3
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