Fun and Fitness for the 40-Something

Where do you eat most of your meals? I don’t even want to admit how many I eat in front of the computer or TV (although I did just finish a meal at my actual dining room table, of all places). According to a Newsweek article, “many of the ways we eat can often lead to weight gain and digestion difficulties.” Here are seven of the worst ways to dine:

1)   In the kitchen

It’s easy to add unintended calories when standing in front of a fridge or at a stove while preparing or selecting food. Grazing or nibbling can quickly add up. One dietitian warned against standing over a garbage can: “When the typical mom is cleaning off the table and starts thinking ‘it’s such a shame to throw out these chicken nuggets,’ they sometimes start snacking.” And, as George Costanza can attest, eclairs can tempt you even if they’re already in the garbage:

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I keep coming across that headline, so I figure it must be a good way to drive up my traffic numbers. Of course, there’s really only one way to get her arms—and are you really up for going all Venus de Milo on her? I thought not. But these “top 10 arm moves” from Fitness might help you get some arms that resemble Michelle’s.

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Research suggests that sports drinks with a mix of carbohydrate and protein are more effective than carbohydrate-only drinks in improving recovery from exercise. But some sports drinks offer caffeine, amino acids, and vitamins and minerals. Do we need all that stuff in our drinks?

Not according to Runner’s World’s sports dietitian. For instance, she says that caffeine “is most likely to be benefical before, not during, runs. And for those who are caffeine-sensitive, the stimulant effect may not enhance performance.”

What about the other ingredients? “Most drinks that contain micronutrients have only select vitamins or minerals … so these products are not a substitute for a daily supplement. And vitamins and minerals are not a source of energy; therefore you really won’t notice any difference in performance while running …” As for getting amino acids, she suggests simply eating a turkey or veggie burger (not, presumably, while working out).

All you need in your drink, she says, is a product with 14-15 grams of carbohydrate and about 110 milligrams of sodium per 8 ounces.

Fitness has the lowdown on smart snacks to help repair muscle tissues and replenish glycogen stores after your workout, including recommended servings:

1)   Protein shake with banana

2)   Peanut butter and banana on rice cakes

3)   Hummus and pita

4)   Yogurt and fresh berries

5)   Tuna on whole wheat

6)   Turkey and cheese with apple slices

The Shamrock Shuffle in Chicago is this Sunday, marking the kick-off to the race season for many runners. That makes this the perfect time to share Runner’s World’s list of pre-race nutrition mistakes to avoid.

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Weight loss is hard. Rationally, we know that. But how many of us, when it comes to our bodies, think rationally? That’s what makes us vulnerable to the diet myths that marketers constantly hurl at us. But there are forces of good among us, including the Weight-loss Information Network, a service of the NIH’s National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. It’s compiled a list of five diet myths to help clear up confusion about weight loss.

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Published under CC-BY-2.5.

A 34-year-old friend of mine participated in last month’s Hustle Up the Hancock, a race up 94 flights of stairs to raise funds for respiratory health research. She placed 10th out of 18 women in her designated age group. Unfortunately, she was subbing for her mother, so the age group was 60-69. But stair workouts are no joke—you can burn as many calories in 30 minutes as running at a 12-minute pace or cycling at 12-14 mph. The faster you go, the more you calories you’ll shed.

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It’s official—Spring is finally here. Even though it may still seem more like winter where you are, it won’t be long before you can begin running outside regularly again. But running on a treadmill differs biomechanically from running outside, so you need to make the transition carefully to avoid injury. Runner’s World’s “Running Doc” has some tips.

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Hoping to strengthen your core? Try these moves for the abs from Men’s Health.

1)   Long-lever stability ball crunch

Lie on a stability ball with your head, shoulders and back  in contact with the ball. Straighten your arms above your head until perpendicular to the floor (i.e., straight up in the air). Lift your shoulder blades off the ball and reach straight up toward the ceiling with your hands. Pause for a count of two, then slowly lower. Do three sets of 10-15 repetitions.

2)   Cable lift

Attach a rope or handle to a low-pulley cable machine, grasp with both hands and stand with your right side toward the weight stack in the machine. Bend your knees and push your hips back into a partial squat. Keeping your feet pointed forward and your arms straight, stand up as you rotate your shoulders to the left until your hands reach about nose level. Pause, then slowly return to the squat position. Do three sets of 10-15 repetitions on each side.

3)   Medicine-ball rotation pass

Stand with your right side toward a wall or a workout partner about 10 feet away from you. Hold a light medicine ball in front of your chest. Rotate your shoulders to the right as you toss the ball to your partner or against the wall. Pivot your left foot to the right but keep the right foot pointed forward. Do three sets of 10 in each direction.

Just in time for the new workweek, here are some quick and easy recipes for healthy sandwiches from Fitness.

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