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jmlane1981

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52885-2004May24.html



Feel the Summer Burn

Tuesday, May 25, 2004; Page HE03


With summer just around the corner, there are plenty of opportunities for enjoyable activities that also give your body a good workout. But before you reach for a double-dip ice cream cone in anticipation of all the extra calories you'll burn, here's a guide to some popular activities, what they'll do for your body in about 30 minutes -- and roughly how many calories they'll eat up. As you'll see, the real payoff comes from longer periods of activity: a few hours of hiking, walking 18 holes on the golf course, playing volleyball all morning, for example.



Basketball. Whether you shoot hoops on a steamy asphalt court or play in an air-conditioned gym, basketball offers an aerobic, weight-bearing workout that is good for the heart, bones, upper arms and legs. Calories burned per half-hour: about 200 -- roughly equal to a snack-size bag of pretzels.

Biking. Even leisurely cycling helps condition the lower body. Fast-paced biking is aerobic, giving the heart a workout, too. Calories burned: about 225 -- about what you find in a small order of McDonald's fries.

Body surfing. Swimming to catch the waves can be aerobic -- good for heart, lungs and blood vessels -- as well as arms and legs. Calories burned: about 100 -- roughly three-fourths of that found in a 12-ounce can of regular soda pop.

Calisthenics. Push-ups, ab crunches, leg lifts and lunges help tone and strengthen various muscles. Calories burned: 125 -- roughly one honey-barbecued KFC chicken wing.

Canoeing. Paddling is great for the upper arms and chest. Whitewater workouts can also be aerobic, but just moseying down the creek will burn about 120 calories -- about a small soft ice cream cone.

Gardening. Work the yard to work the upper body. Raking and sweeping helps strengthen core muscles (from upper thighs to abs). Calories burned per half-hour: about 150 -- or about the amount in a three-ounce crab cake.

Golf. Walk the links -- if the course allows -- to strengthen the lower body from legs to abs. Driving and chipping is good for the upper body. Even putting and miniature golf are load-bearing activities that help preserve bone. Calories burned: 120 for miniature golf; 180 for golf, or about what you'll get in two bottles of ultra-light beer.

Hiking. Not only can you enjoy nature, but this load-bearing activity is also a bone-preserver. Light hiking burns about 225 calories. Add a 10-pound backpack and you'll burn about 275 -- about equal to a slice of pepperoni pizza.

In-line skating. Gliding along the pavement at about 8 mph gives a great workout to the lower body and burns about 190 calories -- roughly a margarita.

Sailing. Staying upright in a moving sailboat helps balance and gives your muscles an isometric workout, but unless you're doing competitive racing, it burns only about 115 calories--or about an ear of corn on the cob with a little butter.

Softball/baseball. Playing catch is great for the arms; hitting and fielding can work the legs, arms and cardiovascular system, although baseball isn't a true aerobic sport. Baseball/softball burns about 200 calories -- about four medium chocolate chip cookies.

Tennis. Good for overall conditioning and burning calories (especially singles), tennis also helps preserve bone. Figure 210 calories -- about the amount found in four cups of popcorn (popped with oil) or about two-thirds of a kid-size movie theater serving of popcorn.

Walking. It strengthens abs, builds bone, conditions the lower body and can provide an aerobic workout, depending on pace. Strolling (2.5 mph) burns about 100 calories; brisk walking (4.5 mph) burns double that, or about the amount found in a small milkshake.

Volleyball. Play it on the beach, in the back yard or the Mall for a fun activity that works the upper arms and legs, and counts as a load-bearing exercise that's good for bones. Burns about 100 calories -- roughly that found in a junior Frosty at Wendy's.

-- Sally Squires

Share Your Tips or ask questions about healthy nutrition and activity when Sally Squires hosts the Lean Plate Club online chat, from 1 to 2 p.m. today, on www.washingtonpost.com. New To The Club? The Lean Plate Club is devoted to healthy eating and boosting activity. To learn more, and subscribe to our free e-newsletter, visit www.washingtonpost.com/leanplateclub.


© 2004 The Washington Post Company

jmlane1981

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52885-2004May24.html



Feel the Summer Burn

Tuesday, May 25, 2004; Page HE03


With summer just around the corner, there are plenty of opportunities for enjoyable activities that also give your body a good workout. But before you reach for a double-dip ice cream cone in anticipation of all the extra calories you'll burn, here's a guide to some popular activities, what they'll do for your body in about 30 minutes -- and roughly how many calories they'll eat up. As you'll see, the real payoff comes from longer periods of activity: a few hours of hiking, walking 18 holes on the golf course, playing volleyball all morning, for example.



Basketball. Whether you shoot hoops on a steamy asphalt court or play in an air-conditioned gym, basketball offers an aerobic, weight-bearing workout that is good for the heart, bones, upper arms and legs. Calories burned per half-hour: about 200 -- roughly equal to a snack-size bag of pretzels.

Biking. Even leisurely cycling helps condition the lower body. Fast-paced biking is aerobic, giving the heart a workout, too. Calories burned: about 225 -- about what you find in a small order of McDonald's fries.

Body surfing. Swimming to catch the waves can be aerobic -- good for heart, lungs and blood vessels -- as well as arms and legs. Calories burned: about 100 -- roughly three-fourths of that found in a 12-ounce can of regular soda pop.

Calisthenics. Push-ups, ab crunches, leg lifts and lunges help tone and strengthen various muscles. Calories burned: 125 -- roughly one honey-barbecued KFC chicken wing.

Canoeing. Paddling is great for the upper arms and chest. Whitewater workouts can also be aerobic, but just moseying down the creek will burn about 120 calories -- about a small soft ice cream cone.

Gardening. Work the yard to work the upper body. Raking and sweeping helps strengthen core muscles (from upper thighs to abs). Calories burned per half-hour: about 150 -- or about the amount in a three-ounce crab cake.

Golf. Walk the links -- if the course allows -- to strengthen the lower body from legs to abs. Driving and chipping is good for the upper body. Even putting and miniature golf are load-bearing activities that help preserve bone. Calories burned: 120 for miniature golf; 180 for golf, or about what you'll get in two bottles of ultra-light beer.

Hiking. Not only can you enjoy nature, but this load-bearing activity is also a bone-preserver. Light hiking burns about 225 calories. Add a 10-pound backpack and you'll burn about 275 -- about equal to a slice of pepperoni pizza.

In-line skating. Gliding along the pavement at about 8 mph gives a great workout to the lower body and burns about 190 calories -- roughly a margarita.

Sailing. Staying upright in a moving sailboat helps balance and gives your muscles an isometric workout, but unless you're doing competitive racing, it burns only about 115 calories--or about an ear of corn on the cob with a little butter.

Softball/baseball. Playing catch is great for the arms; hitting and fielding can work the legs, arms and cardiovascular system, although baseball isn't a true aerobic sport. Baseball/softball burns about 200 calories -- about four medium chocolate chip cookies.

Tennis. Good for overall conditioning and burning calories (especially singles), tennis also helps preserve bone. Figure 210 calories -- about the amount found in four cups of popcorn (popped with oil) or about two-thirds of a kid-size movie theater serving of popcorn.

Walking. It strengthens abs, builds bone, conditions the lower body and can provide an aerobic workout, depending on pace. Strolling (2.5 mph) burns about 100 calories; brisk walking (4.5 mph) burns double that, or about the amount found in a small milkshake.

Volleyball. Play it on the beach, in the back yard or the Mall for a fun activity that works the upper arms and legs, and counts as a load-bearing exercise that's good for bones. Burns about 100 calories -- roughly that found in a junior Frosty at Wendy's.

-- Sally Squires

Share Your Tips or ask questions about healthy nutrition and activity when Sally Squires hosts the Lean Plate Club online chat, from 1 to 2 p.m. today, on www.washingtonpost.com. New To The Club? The Lean Plate Club is devoted to healthy eating and boosting activity. To learn more, and subscribe to our free e-newsletter, visit www.washingtonpost.com/leanplateclub.


© 2004 The Washington Post Company

jmlane1981

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Training :Workouts

The Abs Plan

A washboard stomach isn't only about vanity, it's about being a stronger, faster runner. Here's a simple diet and exercise program for shedding fat and revealing your inner six-pack.
By Matt Fitzgerald

Yes, Baywatch-worthy abs look great. But they do more than give you the courage to run without a singlet. By increasing the stability of your hips, pelvis, and knees, they relieve strain on your muscles and reduce the chances of injury. And by minimizing wasteful movement at the joints, they enable you to run faster, stronger, longer.

As a runner, you probably think you're well on your way to owning these kinds of abs, and you may be right. Running is the best fat-burning activity around, and lowering your body fat makes muscles appear more defined. But poorly conditioned abs won't pop from even the leanest physiques, which is why core-strength exercises that build your midsection are key. That's part one of our plan.

Part two is paying closer attention to what you eat. Even if you run 50 miles a week and do 500 crunches a day, your belly won't budge if you reward yourself with heaping bowls of pasta and cream-cheese-laden bagels. Trimming calories is the only other way to shed the fat covering your six-pack. Adopt the following abs workout and diet, and come spring you'll be ready to run or race better than ever, singlet optional.
Part 1: Your Abs Workout

There are dozens of ab exercises you can use to strengthen your midsection; the most effective ones are those that have the most functional carryover to running. These five exercises are the best of the best. Each will benefit your running in a different way. Do one set of each move two or three times a week, and build up to two or three sets, three times a week. Oblique Bridge







Benefit: Strengthens the muscles involved in maintaining lateral stability at the hips, pelvis, and spine.
Technique: Lie on your side with your ankles together and your torso propped up by your elbow. Lift your hips up until your body forms a diagonal plank from ankles to neck. Hold this position for 20 seconds, concentrating on not allowing your hips to sag toward the floor. Reverse sides. Progress by extending how long you hold the position. To increase the challenge, do lateral leg lifts from the bridge position. Stick Crunch







Benefit: Strengthens the abdominal wall and improves the stability of the pelvis and lower spine during running.
Technique: Lie on your back, bend your knees, and draw them as close to your chest as possible. Grasp any type of stick (such as a broom handle) with both hands, positioned shoulder-width apart. Begin with your arms extended straight toward your toes. Now squeeze your abdominal muscles and reach forward with the stick until it passes beyond your toes. (This is a very small movement--just a few inches.) Pause for one second and relax. Do 15 to 30 repetitions. Lying Draw-In with Hip Flexion


Benefit: Ab muscles stabilize the pelvis during alternating leg movements.
Technique: Lie face up with your head supported by a pillow or foam roller. Begin with your legs bent 90 degrees and your thighs perpendicular to the floor.

Engage your deep abs by drawing your navel toward your spine. While holding this contraction, slowly lower your right foot to the floor, return slowly to the starting position, and then lower the left foot. If you find this easy, you are failing to hold the contraction. Lower each foot eight to 10 times. Progress by adding repetitions.
Supine Running


Benefit: Strengthens the lower abs and hip flexors with a running-specific leg action.

Technique: Lie face up with your arms at your sides. Begin with your legs extended and your feet raised two inches above the floor, heels together. Press the small of your back into the floor. Draw your left knee toward your chest while keeping your right leg extended and off the ground and your lower spine in contact with the floor. Return to the starting position and then draw your left knee in. Repeat eight to 12 times with each leg. Hip Twist


Benefit: Strengthens the muscles that prevent excessive trunk rotation during running.

Technique: Lie face up with your palms flat on the floor. Extend your legs toward the ceiling, with your feet together, toes pointed. Tip your legs 12 to 18 inches to the right by twisting at the hip, so that your left buttock comes off the floor. Fight the pull of gravity by maintaining stability with your abs and obliques. Pause for a moment, then return slowly to the starting position, again using your core muscles to control the movement.?Repeat on the left side. Do eight to 10 repetitions on each side.

Measure of Success

There's an expression that many coaches and dietitians use: "What gets measured gets managed." In other words, if you're trying to control a factor in your life, you'll get better results if you measure it frequently. This principle certainly applies to your midsection. Measuring your body fat allows you to pursue the goal of getting leaner objectively. The easiest way to measure your body fat is to use a body-fat scale. These devices, such as those made by Tanita and Taylor, use bioelectrical impedance (an electrical impulse sent through your body) to estimate body fat with excellent accuracy. They cost roughly $40.

The American Council on Exercise offers the body-fat percentage guidelines at left. Once you determine your current percentage, set incremental goals to improve it, checking your progress every two weeks. If you are currently above the acceptable range, set a modest initial goal of moving into this range. If you're in the middle of the acceptable range, work to move into the fitness range. Don't automatically aim straight for the bottom of the athletic range. Not everyone can safely get there, and no one gets there overnight. And don't go below essential fat levels (the amount of fat that's necessary for optimal health).

There is no specific body-fat percentage associated with six-pack abs, but by actively reducing your body-fat percentage through good nutrition and core conditioning you will develop a set of abs you can be proud of. ?M.F. Men Women
Essential Fat 2-4% 10-12%
Athletic Range 6-13% 14-20%
Fitness Range 14-17% 21-24%
Acceptable Range 18-25% 25-31%

Part 2: Your Abs Diet

To get great abs you need to lose body fat while maintaining your lean muscle mass. That means consuming just enough calories to nourish your muscles without expanding your waistline. To do that, imagine you've already achieved a lean body, and your goal now is to keep it. If you currently weigh 160 pounds, but you'd like to drop 10 pounds, you should eat enough calories each day (about 2,400 for an active person) to sustain 150 pounds of body weight. Because it takes just two calories to sustain a pound of body fat for one day, you just need to trim two calories a day for every pound of excess body fat you're now carrying (or 20 calories daily to go from 160 to 150).

Easy, yes. Fast, no. By following this formula you'll eventually lose 10 pounds of body fat, but it could take more than two years. To speed up the rate of return, you'll need to cut more calories. Not too many, or you'll begin to deplete your muscle carbohydrate stores and compromise your postworkout recovery. But with the strategies on the following page, you can trim anywhere from 100 to 700 calories per day without hurting your running or constantly listening to your stomach growl?and see results in three months. And yes, chocolate is involved.
Smart Swaps

By merely replacing some of the foods you currently eat with lower-calorie alternatives, or even by simply adjusting the proportions of foods you're already eating, you can trim several hundred calories from your daily intake and start getting leaner. Here are some examples of how to eat for a trimmer waistline. Even if you don't eat the exact foods listed here, you can still apply these calorie-cutting principles to your own diet. Instead of Eat This Calories Saved
Breakfast 1 cup Wheaties cereal with 2% milk; Grande Starbucks Caffe Latte with nonfat milk 1/2 cup Wheaties with fresh strawberries and 2% milk; Tall Starbucks coffee with half-and-half and sugar 186
Rationale: Due to their high fiber and water content, fresh fruits fill more space in your stomach with fewer calories. By adding fruit and reducing the portions of other foods, you can trim calories and still feel satisfied. (Cut 20 more calories by replacing 2% milk with skim.) Coffee drinks made with syrup and milk are calorie bombs, especially in larger sizes. For a lean caffeine fix, drop to a medium coffee sweetened with half-and-half and sugar.
Snack High-calorie energy bar Kettle Valley Real Fruit Bar 90
Rationale: Energy bars are convenient and tasty snacks, but they can pack a lot of calories and are dismissed by some nutritionists as as "candy bars in disguise." Choose a bar with 150 calories or fewer, eat half a bar and save the rest for tomorrow, or look for a leaner choice. Kettle Valley Real Fruit Bars contain 1/2 cup of fruit and no added sugar or preservatives.
Lunch Turkey sub; 1 serving of baked potato chips Turkey wrap; baby carrots dipped in light ranch dressing 134
Rationale: One of the few positive legacies of the low-carb craze is the popularization of wraps as an alternative to sandwiches. Tortillas have fewer calories, and it’s easier to stuff them with veggies. Most "light" alternatives to snack chips are still relatively high in calories and low in overall nutrition. Instead, try baby carrots dipped in light ranch dressing. Carrots contain fiber, which will keep you feeling full longer.
Snack Trail mix (2 parts nuts to 1 part dried fruit) Trail mix (1 part nuts to 2 parts dried fruit) 116
Rationale: While trail mixes that contain nuts and dried fruit are quite nutritious, those with more nuts than fruit are heavy on calories. A one-ounce serving of mixed nuts contains 175 calories and 1/4 cup of dried fruit contains 100 calories, so to make this snack significantly lighter, choose a mix with more fruit than nuts.
Dinner Chicken (4 ounces) and vegetable (3/4 cup) stir-fry with white rice (1 cup) Chicken (3 ounces) and vegetable (1 cup) stir-fry with brown rice (3/4 cup) 87
Rationale: You can lower the number of calories in almost any meal by increasing its vegetable content and shrinking its meat and starch content. You can lighten up further by swapping a refined grain for a whole grain. You can make this substitution to other meals by adding more veggies and subtracting cheese from pasta dishes, burritos, and pizza. Also, choose whole-wheat pastas and breads.
Dessert Fruit sorbet Dove dark chocolate (one piece, .28 ounces) 100
Rationale: Some desserts have fewer calories than others, and sorbet is lighter than most. But dark chocolate is the world’s best dessert by far. Dark chocolate releases mood-boosting serotonin in the brain, so just a single 50-calorie piece can satisfy you better than a whole bowl of sorbet. And the antioxidants in dark chocolate are good for the heart.




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Copyright © 2006 Rodale Inc. All rights reserved.

oldandbroke

Thanks for posting this. I will give the ab workout a try. I am always looking for new ways to work abs. I get bored with crunches.

banks1850

Ironically, I do 3 of these exercises already. They give a great burn.

What you have to remember, is that the core is a complex muscle group and
if your going to work on your core (stomach, lower back, hips, and butt),
you need to work many different muscles. If you just target 1 specific area (I.E. your
abs or your butt) you end up with an uneven core group which can be very dangerous
(especially to your lower back and joints). Your core helps you balance, apply
the right pressure when walking, jumping, and running, and regulates your other
muscles when lifting!
Luckilly it's easy to do most of these exercises as they are mostly just resistance, I.E. easy to do atleast 1 rep, and you just increase reps as you get stronger. If you find a good ab workout that
targets all your groups and do 15 minutes a day, it will hugely help your whole body, and make
running and other impact exercises hurt less and be more effective! Any trainer worth
their salt can give you a great, 5 day a week, 15 minute, ab workout that will target all of these groups.

jmlane1981

Hate Exercise? Try These Every Day Calorie Burners
By B Mathison
Published May 21, 2007
Does the thought of going to the gym to work out make you break into a cold sweat? The idea of lacing up running shoes to go out jogging make you cringe? Try these every day calorie burners that will help you burn off calories while you do chores around the house. Keep up your intensity level to burn the amount of calories listed. (Numbers are based on a 150 pound person. To calculate numbers specific to your weight, try this handy calculator.)

Housework. It never ends, and is a daily opportunity to squeeze some exercise into your day. Both vacuuming and mopping the kitchen floor for 30 minutes will burn 180 calories each. Cleaning up after a party (or after your family) for an hour will burn about 300 calories. (That's equivalent to an Egg McMuffin!) Just washing dishes for 15 minutes a day will shed almost 40 calories.

Outdoor Work. You'll burn 188 calories mowing the grass for half an hour. (That's a push-mower, not sitting on top of you John Deere sipping a cola.) That's 188 calories is roughly equivalent to one glazed donut, a 3 ounce filet mignon or a slice of pepperoni pizza. Pulling those weeds out of the garden for 30 minutes adds up to 153 calories, equivalent to 2 slices of bread. The car lover in your home might be happy to know that he'll expend almost 300 calories washing the car for an hour.

Shopping. Who says shopping isn't exercise? Spending 30 minutes power shopping will burn about 130 calories. Putting those groceries away will melt 43 calories. Park away far away from the entrance to the store, and shave 22 calories off your day walking for 5 minutes. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator can burn up to 35 calories.

Child Care. You thought running after your toddler takes a lot of energy, and you're right! Child care for 90 minutes will burn about 258 calories, equivalent to a BLT or a cup of potato salad.

Of course, as your doctor will surely inform you, household chores are no substitute for a good cardio workout and strength training. (And check with your physician before starting any kind of exercise.) These every day calorie burners, however, will help get you off of the couch and into a more active lifestyle. You might just feel better knowing that all those mundane chores are actually good for your health.

playinwfire

Thanks :flowerforyou:

violetvy

great post, thanks for sharing!!

ali106

lol well w/ the housework alone I should be burning the big guns! lol and then tack on child care shoot I should be a rail in no time! lol

great article, I'm saving it!
hugs!
Ali