Archive for July 2008
Thai-Style Chicken Roll-Ups
Kids will especially love these tasty and quick roll-ups, which are fun to eat and to prepare. Try using whole-wheat instead of white-flour tortillas to increase the fiber content.
2 tablespoons (tbs) creamy peanut butter
2 tbs hot water
1 tbs fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons (tsp) chili garlic sauce
1/16 tsp salt
/…
Ask These Questions Before Hiring an Accountant
Your business is growing slowly but steadily, and you’ve reached the point where you’d like to rely less on accounting software and more on an actual accountant. A good certified public accountant is worth his weight in medicine balls and can save you time and money. According to an article written in the February/March 2003 issue of MyBusiness magazine for the National Feder…
Read MoreIdentifying Barriers to Fitness in Young Black Girls
Findings from a recent study indicate that young black girls prefer sedentary behaviors over active ones. The study, published in the October issue of American Journal of Preventive Medicine (2004; 27 [3], 218–23), also found that caregivers considered television viewing a safe method of supervision. According to the study authors, there is little research on “household and p…
Read MoreBy the Numbers
The National Institutes of Health invested $378.6 million for obesity research in 2003 and $400.1 million in 2004. The plan is to spend $440.3 million in fiscal year 2005. …
Read MoreICAA & AARP Team Up
AARP and the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA) have joined forces to educate each other’s members. ICAA will help improve knowledge about active aging among the more than 35 million Americans who are AARP members. In return, AARP will enlighten ICAA members with the latest information and research about aging and aging issues.
“AARP offers a wide range of …
Read MoreWalking Reduces Risk of Dementia
Older men who walk more than 2 miles a day are less likely to experience dementia than those who are more sedentary, according to a study in the September 22/29 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (2004; 292 [12], 1447–53).
A group of 2,257 physically capable men ages 71–93 participated in the Honolulu–Asia Aging Study. Researchers logged the d…
The Lowdown on Artificial Sweeteners
With all the artificial sweeteners available, you may find it challenging to separate fact from fiction. In fact, so many new sweeteners have made their way to market that the American Dietetic Association (ADA) released a Position Paper in 2004 to help nutrition experts educate consumers on the health implications of these products!
With all this sweet talk, it’s no wonder that y…
Read MoreAge-Targeted Classes Projected to Grow
Custom programs for specific age groups are holding steady, according to data from the 2004 IDEA Fitness Programs & Equipment Survey. Respondents from facilities set up to offer these classes believe the trend will continue.
Please excuse our dust. This section of the article is still under construction. …
Activity Level Predicts Heart Disease in Women
New research suggests that a woman’s level of physical activity is a better sign than body weight of existing coronary artery disease and future heart problems. The study, which appeared in the September 8 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (2004; 292 [10], 1179–87), examined 906 women who had chest pain, suspected narrowing of the coronary arteries, o…
Read MoreLactic Acid May Enhance Performance
The next time your client complains that lactic-acid buildup is keeping her from doing her best, take it with a grain of salt. According to the August 20 issue of Science (2004; 305 [5687], 1112–13), lactic acid just may be “the latest performance-enhancing drug.”
This assessment was based on a study published in the same issue of Science (pp. 1144…
YMCA Recieves $2 Million in Grants
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded $2 million in grants to the national office of the YMCA. The grants are part of the Steps to a HealthierUS initiative, which aims to reduce the burden of diabetes, overweight, obesity and asthma.
The $2 million in grants, distributed over 4 years, will be awarded in two stages. The first stage will bring together Step…
Read MoreDoes Stretching Improve Performance?
There are numerous studies published on the effects of stretching on exercise performance. If you haven’t had time to read and cross-reference them all, you may be interested in a review of the research, published in the September/October issue of Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine (2004; 14 [5], 267–73).
According to this analysis, stretching immediately before exe…
Meal Frequency & Weight Loss
Eating well used to be as easy as counting from 1 to 3:
Until recently, most families followed the traditional pattern of eating three
square meals a day. But now, more and more harried adults and children are
opting for a much more irregular pattern of meal and snack con­sumption. Some
of that irregularity can certainly be attributed to our hectic lifestyles. …
2008 IDEA World Fitness Convention™ Recap
When 4,500 fitness and wellness professionals, product exhibitors and expert faculty from more than 60 countries converge in one place to learn, network and share, the result is nothing short of combustible. Another IDEA World Fitness Convention may be over, but the chain of energy unleashed by this year’s event (July 8-12) in Las Vegas will spark and inspire people of all ages and walks of l…
Read MoreSample Class: Abdominal/Core Circuit
This versatile circuit class can be applied to groups of almost any size and fitness level and is limited only by your ability to organize, instruct and train.
Abdominal/Core Circuit Details
Format: a circuit that focuses on the abdominals and core
Total Time: approximately 30–40 minutes/…
In Case of Emergency
Whether you call it a disaster plan, an emergency response plan, a crisis management plan or something entirely different, you must put in place a contingency plan for your business—with the hope that you’ll never have to use it.
Setting the Foundation
Start by taking care of some simple foundational elements….
Silver Age Yoga
Silver Age Yoga is a unique yoga discipline designed for seniors that combines hatha yoga and principles of gerontology. The program was developed by seasoned yoga instructors in cooperation with scientists—many of them yoga practitioners—from the University of California at San Diego (UCSD); the Stein Institute for Research on Aging, a department of UCSD; and physicians affiliated with Scripps…
Read MoreTricks of the Trade: Q&A “Do You Have a Particular Client Who Inspires You? Why?”
I have been fortunate enough to help a
diverse group of people achieve their potential. Each of them
has fueled the desire in me to continue doing my best. Reflecting on the
inspiring clients I work with at this time, I must confess that I have to
“cheat” and select not just one but four, as they all highlight a certain
something tha…
The Hunger Hormone and Stress
New research at UT Southwestern Medical Center may explain why some people who are stressed or depressed overeat.
While levels of the so-called “hunger hormone” ghrelin are known to increase when a person doesn’t eat, findings by UT Southwestern scientists suggest that the hormone might also help defend against symptoms of stress-induced depression and anxiety.
Read MoreDepression and Diabetes: Fellow Travelers
Researchers have long known that type 2 diabetes and depression often go hand in hand. However, it’s been unclear which condition develops first in patients who end up with both. Now, a new study led by Johns Hopkins doctors suggests that this chicken-and-egg problem has a dual answer
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