February 19
Health and Diet
Even if you eat a well-balanced diet, taking a multivitamin is good health insurance. The American Medical Association recommends you take a multivitamin every day. Choose a vitamin that contains 100% of the Daily Value of ten vitamins, plus some vitamin K. You need 100% of vitamin A, B-1(thiamin), B-2 (riboflavin), B-3 (niacin), B-6, B-12, C, D, E, folic acid.
Fitness
Take YOU out to the baaaall game. Here are a few good reasons to pick up the ol’ ball and bat. Softball burns about 400 calories an hour. It sharpens hand to eye coordination, speeds reaction time, relieves stress and instills team spirit. Plus it’s ok to spit and scratch your crotch.
February 18
Health and Diet
You can go too low. Diets with too few calories set you up for failure in two ways. First, your metabolism will respond to too few calories by sending your body into starvation mode. Second, you cannot maintain starvation for very long. You may lose weight, but you’ll feel weak, suffer from headaches and have difficulty concentrating. The pain is not worth the gain.
Fitness
If you get shin splints, you can usually take care of them yourself. Apply ice for 20 minutes twice a day. Reduce your walking, jogging or any impact activities then gradually increase your time each week. Cross train with non- and low- impact exercises like swimming, rowing and cycling. Healing time can take 3 to 6 weeks. If your symptoms don’t go away, consult your doctor as it could be something more serious.
February 17
Health and Diet
Drink your milk.
If you prefer nonfat milk, but find it somewhat watery, make it creamier by adding one cup of nonfat dried milk to one quart of nonfat liquid milk. This will improve the texture and increase the protein, calcium, riboflavin and vitamins A and D. If you’re lactose-intolerant, try lactase-fortified milk or soy milk. Yogurt and soy yogurt are also good sources of bone-healthy minerals.
Fitness
It’s not a good idea to save all your exercise and activity for the weekend. Being a slug during the weekdays and then playing a vigorous game like basketball or doing a strenuous day of yard work on the weekend can increase your risk of heart attack. This is especially true if you have other risk factors for heart disease. It’s a much better strategy to exercise moderately throughout the week. And more fun too.
February 16
Health and Diet
Set realistic goals.
Successful weight loss achievers don’t fit society's definition of thin. When you make goals that are impossible, you set yourself up for failure and disappointment. That’s because even if you do reach that goal, it won’t be permanent. Successful losers set a goal for a weight that's both realistic and maintainable.
Fitness
It’s like a drug, man. And you need it. Studies show there is a significant DECREASE in self-esteem when people stop exercising. Doing cardiovascular activities or strengthening combined with stretching produce equal INCREASES in self-esteem. And best of all, it’s legal.
February 15
Health and Diet
February is National Cherry Month. Cherries are a great source of vitamin A, potassium and fiber. They also contain relatively few calories when they are unsweetened. One ½-cup serving contains about 30 calories, 1 gram of fiber, 85 milligrams of potassium and 6 grams of carbohydrate. A serving also counts toward your “5-a-day” servings of fruits and veggies.
Fitness
Were you born a travelin’ man? If you’re spending the night on the road and want to get the blood pumping, try the following moves in your room: one leg lunges, wall sits, chair dips, crunches, push-ups and back extensions. They’ll stimulate the major muscle groups and give you a quick burst. And it’s cheaper than turning on the vibrating bed.
February 14
Health and Diet
Make this year’s Valentine’s Day gift heart-healthy. If you give chocolate, make it dark chocolate, not milk chocolate. Dutch researchers indicate that dark chocolate contains four times the amount of catechin antioxidants as black tea (which is thought to be protective against heart disease and possibly cancer due to its antioxidant properties). So, indulge occasionally, but make it dark chocolate.
Fitness
A little sweat is a good thing, but you don’t want to keel over from heat exhaustion when you’re exercising outdoors in warm weather. Keep the heavy sweats in the drawer. Wear light colored, loose fitting clothing made of absorbent fabrics that wick away sweat. Wear UVA and UVB protection sunscreen with a factor of 15 or higher. Wear a breathable hat. Freeze a plastic bottle half full with water and top it up with water for the workout. And stop if you feel dizzy.
February 13
Health and Diet
When dining out, make sure you’re not eating two servings. It's easy to consume a meal’s worth of calories before your entrée ever arrives. Eat a small healthy snack before you get to the restaurant to keep you from getting hungry. Ask the waiter to serve the salad before you even order. If no one at the table objects, ask the server not to bring bread to the table until he serves the food.
Fitness
What’s happening between your legs? You may think that inner thigh work is for girls, but surprisingly the inner thighs are one of the largest and longest muscle groups. Having strong inner thighs will give you more balance in your legs and make them appear larger. Sometimes, size matters.
Whistler Wellness is working to find ways to deliver you wellness packages, wellness retreats, wellness resources, wellness information, and wellness products faster, better and more efficiently. Whistler Wellness… creative, connected and concerned about your health