Exercise | Health & Wellness | fitGLOSS

Post-Exercise Meals: What Should You Eat?

After a workout, it’s important to re-fuel your body to help muscles recover and replenish energy. What you choose to eat is as important as the workout itself — it’s vital to combine protein and carbohydrates for optimal recovery.

So what are the best choices? See our cheat sheet below!

	Super Smoothie: Mix a banana, 1 cup of milk, 1/2 cup of low-fat vanilla yogurt for a quick smoothie. Add strawberries or other fruit for more punch, and to kick it up even more, throw in some ground flaxseeds.
	Waffle Sandwich: A personal trainer I used to work with gave me this tip — and it’s been my go-to post-workout pick me up for years. Take a flax waffle (I like Eden Foods’ brand), spread on some peanut or almond butter and make a sandwich! Easy, tasty and packed with nutrition. Sometimes I even add sliced bananas for extra goodness.
	Salmon Bowl: Steam or grill a salmon fillet and throw it over a bowl of brown rice. Add some veggies (spinach or broccoli are my favorites), low-sodium soy or teriyaki sauce for a great post-workout lunch.
	Edamame Salad: Supplement a green salad with steamed edamame and quinoa for a healthy combo of carbs and protein.
	And, if you’re in a rush and on the go, a high-protein sandwich — lean meat and tomato on whole grain bread — is a great grab-n-go option.

Proof is in Pilates

Pilates Mat Class JoyG AY57 300x225 Proof is in Pilates Have you ever taken pilates? Besides strengthening your core and arms it also helps to increase your overall flexibility. When I was younger I used to take the classes regularly and let me tell you, they are vigorous! However, proof is in the pudding and they are well worth it.

In a recent study of 50 physically active people, half took pilates twice a week for an hour each time and the other half maintained their regular gym routine for a total of 12 weeks.

After the three month period, researchers found that the participants who took the pilates classes had a much greater increase in overall strength and flexibility than those who maintained their normal physical activity. The pilates group was able to do 39 percent more sit ups and 47 percent more sit ups in a minute than the other group. Other physical activities were tested as well. The pilates group even grew a centimeter in height!

There’s no reason to give up your regular workout for pilates, but a class or two a week would be a great add on. You can even do them in your own living room and follow instructors on demand or youtube.

Tech-Savvy Fitness

fitbit Tech Savvy Fitness I’ll readily admit that I don’t track my exercise and eating habits day in and day out. I find it tedious to keep up with that for the long term. But when I want to lose a few pounds or want to meet a particular fitness goal, there’s no better way for me to get myself on track. I’ve used paper and pen journals and online tracking systems and both have their pros and cons. But technology is really stepping up to the fitness plate with lots of ways to track your progress. Just a few:

- Fitbit Tracker. Basically, this is like a pedometer on speed. Unlike most pedometers, the Fitbit isn’t so sensitive to where it’s placed (my pedometer has to be perfectly placed on my waistband or it totally miscounts). Plus, the Fitbit does much more than count steps — it syncs with your PC and produces reports on calories burned, distance traveled, sleep quality and more.

- iPhone apps. From counting calories to tracking exercise minutes to monitoring weight loss, there are iPhone apps for all aspects of a healthy lifestyle. (And quite a few are free, too!) That’s Fit shares some of their favorite iPhone fitness apps.

- Nike Plus. The Nike Plus connects with your iPod or iPhone to track progress while working out to your favorite tunes and sync with your computer to see your progress.

How about you? Does technology enhance your workout?

Fitness for a Younger Body

spinning 300x202 Fitness for a Younger Body I just had my 20th class reunion. The thought of going to the reunion made me notice every wrinkle, every gray hair and every extra pound on my body. But what’s that saying? We’re only as old as we feel. An active, healthy lifestyle can help you feel young and energized … even if the birth date on your driver’s license begs to differ.

- Aerobic exercise can do wonders for your energy. (I think it’s safe to say we all wish we had the perk we had when we were younger!) Cardio workouts help ward off weight gain, improve heart health, boost your immunity and even help prevent certain types of cancer. What’s more, a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that regular aerobic exercise can delay biological aging by up to 12 years.

- Core exercises focus on your abs, back and pelvis. Incorporating core training into your workout two or three times a week can help you keep as sprite and strong as when you were younger. Strong core muscles will also help you ward off those annoying aches and pains that sometimes come with getting older. (Such as cutting the grass and then having your lower back ache for hours. Not that I know anyone that happened to. Ahem.)

- Flexibility exercises keep you limber and gives you a fuller range of motion with your joints. Incorporate flexibility exercises after each aerobic workout when your muscles are warmed up.

- Strength exercises help maintain muscle that our bodies naturally start to lose with age. Plus, toned muscles lead to a faster metabolism (which means you hopefully won’t have to worry about extra pounds when your class reunion comes along). Strength training exercises (as well as weight-bearing aerobic exercises) also help stimulate bone growth, battling the loss of bone density which occurs with age.

Jane Fonda to Release New Fitness DVD

jane fonda 300x300 Jane Fonda to Release New Fitness DVD I hate to show my age here, but I remember working out to Jane Fonda with my mom and my sisters when I was young. But — get this — we didn’t have a video (or a VCR for that matter) … we worked out to a record. We just had to be sure not to be too vigorous with our jumping jacks or the vinyl would skip.

At age 72, Fonda still looks amazing. I love her candor about her good looks. She has said “I owe 30 percent to genes, 30 percent to good sex, 30 percent because of sports and healthy lifestyle and for the remaining 10 percent, I have to thank my plastic surgeon.” We may not have genes like Fonda’s and few of us can probably afford the plastic surgeon, but we can all follow an active and healthy lifestyle.

Fonda has previously released 22 workout videos. Her first, Jane Fonda’s Workout, sold over 17 million copies. Fonda is trying to duplicate that success for a new audience. She’s trying to reignite the exercise fire for people in her age group and boomers. She’s aiming to release her new fitness DVD in 2011.

I may be younger than her target demographic (after all, I was quite young when I donned leg warmers and worked out with Jane in the early 80s). But I would totally give Jane Fonda’s upcoming workout a try. How about you?

Gloss Find: The Everything Flat Belly Cookbook

FlatBelly Gloss Find: The Everything Flat Belly Cookbook Cheesy Fries and flat abs are not two things you normally think of together. But The Everything Flat Belly Cookbook shows you how to enjoy tasty foods and live an active, healthy lifestyle that will give you those sexy abs you love.

Author Fitz Koehler says “I wrote The Everything Flat Belly Cookbook because I wanted to give people the tools to enjoy all the flavors and foods they love … without all of the fat and calories.” The cookbook holds 300+ recipes. “The book is loaded with traditionally healthy dishes like salads,” explains Fitz. “But also with sinless versions of the most indulgent foods like cheesy fries, nacho supreme and cheesecake.”

But we all know food is only one part of the fitness equation. You don’t get abs like Fitz has without some serious effort and exercise. (Just check out the Fitzness.com header — any woman that will have a close up photo of her midsection taken is a hero is my book.) “I put many of my favorite ab exercises in the first chapter along with photos and instructions,” says Fitz. “While readers are losing fat through wiser eating habits they’re also developing incredible ab muscles eager to shine!”

The Everything Flat Belly Cookbook — $11.48 on BarnesandNoble.com.

Gloss How-To: Exercise for Better Sleep

sleep Gloss How To: Exercise for Better Sleep A good night’s sleep is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. But for many people (including me) sleep can be an elusive thing. As energizing as exercise is, you wouldn’t think it would help you catch your zzz’s, but exercise can really contribute to a sound night’s sleep.

An overall active lifestyle will contribute to healthy sleep patterns. Exercise helps reduce your stress hormone levels (a major cause of insomnia). But when it comes to exercising for better sleep, it’s all about timing.

Morning exercise and daytime activity are great, but the National Sleep Foundation states that late afternoon exercise is the most beneficial for sleep. If you prefer to exercise in the evening, try not to exercise within three hours of going to bed. Your body temperature rises when you exercise and an elevated body temperature can prevent you from falling asleep. The three hours between physical activity and bedtime should give your body time to return to a cooler temperature.

If you are going to exercise closer to bedtime try a relaxing, moderate activity like walking. Then, after returning home, prepare yourself for a good night’s sleep by calming your body and mind. Avoid overly stimulating activities such as playing on the computer or watching TV. Try organizing things for the next morning (packing lunches, etc.), then take a bath or read or listen to calm music.

Fit Tip of the Day: Get Goal Oriented

running Fit Tip of the Day: Get Goal Oriented What’s your motivation for exercise? Whether it’s weight loss, overall health or you’re training for a 10K, setting goals will help you reach success.

The experts at Life Fitness have some tips for getting goal oriented:

- Prioritize. Wouldn’t it be great if we were all superhero-like and accomplish absolutely everything we wanted to do? Unfortunately, many of us are over-scheduled and have a hard time cramming everything in. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, you may have to let some things go. But don’t let fitness slide. Instead, put fitness at the top of your list — you’ll feel more energized and better able to keep up with the pace of your life.

- Mark your calendar. Write down your fitness plans just like you would write down doctor’s appointments or business meetings. Then, stick to it just like you would any other appointment.

- Track your results. Success breeds success, so make sure to track your progress so you can see how far you’ve come. The Life Fitness Virtual Trainer Website is a free resource you can use to track your progress.

- Set realistic goals. You don’t need to work out for hours on end every day. Going from nothing to an extreme fitness plan isn’t sustainable (not to mention it’s unhealthy!). Instead, choose realistic goals that you can maintain or build upon.