2008 FitTips Archive

June 2008

Walk Through History

Maryland's cultural and natural resources offer retreats from the stresses and fast pace of urban life. Its peaceful seashores allow the visitor time to exercise and relax while watching for wild horses and crashing waves, or walking along historic canals. Learn about major events of the Civil War or visit the birth site of this nation's anthem. Below is a listing of some local National Parks to help you and your family begin your walk through history.

Antietam National Battlefield – Sharpsburg, Maryland
23,000 soldiers were killed, wounded or missing after twelve hours of savage combat on September 17, 1862. The Battle of Antietam ended the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia's first invasion into the North and led to Abraham Lincoln’s issuance of the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation.

Appalachian National Scenic Trail – Maine to Georgia
The Appalachian Trail (A.T.) is a more than 2,175-mile long footpath stretching through 14 eastern states from Maine to Georgia. Conceived in 1921 and first completed in 1937, it traverses the wild, scenic, wooded, pastoral, and culturally significant lands of the Appalachian Mountains.

Assateague Island National Seashore – Maryland & Virginia
Want to live on the edge? Visit a place recreated each day by ocean wind and waves. Life on Assateague Island has adapted to an existence on the move. Explore sandy beaches, salt marshes, maritime forests and coastal bays. Rest, relax, recreate and enjoy some time on the edge of the continent.

Catoctin Mountain Park – Thurmont, Maryland
Second growth forest and second chances provided a variety of recreational opportunities. President Franklin D. Roosevelt created programs to give people a chance to rebuild their lives from the Great Depression. The Works Progress Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps gave this land a second opportunity and through re-growth, a new role as a recreation area.

Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park
Preserving America's colorful Canal era and transportation history, the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park is 184.5 miles of adventure. Originally, the C&O Canal was a lifeline for communities and businesses along the Potomac River as coal, lumber, grain and other agricultural products floated down the canal to market. Today millions of visitors hike or bike the C&O Canal each year.

Fort McHenry National Monument & Historic Shrine – Baltimore, Maryland
"O say can you see, by the dawn's early light," a large red, white and blue banner? “Whose broad stripes and bright stars . . . were so gallantly streaming!” over the star-shaped Fort McHenry during the Battle of Baltimore, September 13-14, 1814. The valiant defense of the fort by 1,000 dedicated Americans inspired Francis Scott Key to write “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

George Washington Memorial Parkway – Maryland & Virginia
This is the "Road to Adventure" - originally designed as a grand gateway and greenway to the Nation's Capital. Here, you can learn about the First President and the development of America. As an oasis amid urban development, the Parkway has a variety of park sites that provide opportunities for everything from quiet contemplation to nature exploration to active recreation.

Glen Echo Park – Glen Echo, Maryland
Begun in 1891 as an idealistic attempt to create a National Chautauqua Assembly "to promote liberal and practical education", the park became instead the area's premier amusement park from 1898-1968. Today, the park has come full circle, offering year-round educational activities, while two amusement-era destinations (the Spanish Ballroom and Dentzel Carousel) remain major attractions.

Monocacy National Battlefield – Frederick, Maryland
In the summer of 1864, General Jubal Early led Confederate forces towards Washington, D.C. and threatened to capture the capital city. On July 9, Union troops under General Lew Wallace met Early's forces here at Monocacy. At the park visitors can experience stories of the past in a landscape that has changed little since the 19th century.

Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail – DC, MD, PA & VA
The Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail is a partnership to develop a network of locally-managed trails in a 425-mile corridor between the Chesapeake Bay and the Allegheny Highlands. As of mid-2007, 17 trails have been recognized as segments of the National Scenic Trail.

May 2008

Pick Your Poison

Even the most dedicated and health-conscious of us has trouble resisting temptation. Learning your own weaknesses, failings and food triggers can help fight the cravings; but, if you do give in, there are some better choices than others.

April 2008

Spring Cleaning Workout

As you might have guessed, you don't get exercise benefits by strolling around with a feather duster. For its part, the American Heart Association counts housework as moderate exercise. No one disputes that doing chores can burn calories. How many you burn will depend on your fitness level, your weight, the intensity level, and the time you spend cleaning or gardening. While even the most intensely calorie-burning chores can't replace structured exercise completely, every little bit of activity helps. And along with the fitness benefits come added dividends: A cleaner house, a beautiful yard, and a sense of satisfaction.

Here are some tips for making housework a workout:

• Put on some fast music -- rock and roll, salsa, whatever you like. This helps you pick up speed. So get moving!
• Whenever you're doing chores, tighten your abs. This prevents you from slouching.
• Stretch extra-high to knock down those cobwebs or prune that limb. You should feel it along your side.
• Strive for large up-and-down movements. When cleaning a shower door, for example, make big circles.
• Carry heavy baskets of laundry or supplies up from the basement, if your conditioning allows.
• Climb on a stepladder every chance you get.
• Scrub floors on your hands and knees. And get on your hands and knees to pull out all that dust and clutter hiding under the bed.
• Do lunges while vacuuming (keep toes pointed straight ahead, and don't bend your knees further than 90 degrees). You'll feel it in your thighs.
• When putting away dishes, face forward and twist to reach the cabinets.
• In the garden, lunge toward weeds.
• Pruning requires forearm strength (and helps develop it). It also requires reaching on your toes -- like a calf raise. So volunteer for this chore, and don't be afraid of thicker or higher branches.
• Pouring mulch or fertilizer from a heavy bag requires a squat. Remember to use your legs, not your back.
• Wielding a weed-eater is like fencing, almost. Pull in those abs and pay attention to your form.
• If you have area rugs, beat them using a clean broom rather than vacuuming. This means more steps to get outside and more exercise for your arm muscles.

March 2008

Oh Boy! .... Soy!

Although soy foods are new to many Americans, these foods have played important nutritional and cultural roles in Asia for centuries. The benefits of soy foods are often cited in the news, including reports that soy protein may help prevent certain cancers and heart disease, reduce hot flashes and lower cholesterol. Many health benefits of soy protein and isoflavones have been well-researched by rigorous clinical studies across several countries and many other proposed benefits are currently under study.

Soy beans were first cultivated in northeastern China more than 3,000 years ago. Their use spread to other parts of China and Korea and later to Japan and Southeast Asia. A stone mural dating to the year 3 BCE shows tofu and soy milk being made in northern China. The earliest written reference to soy milk didn’t occur for at least another 1,200 years when soy milk was mentioned in a Chinese poem titled “Ode to Tofu.”

The soy bean's historic staying power is the natural result of the high-quality protein and other important phytonutrients found in this plant. Soy protein is considered nutritionally equivalent to the protein found in animal foods due to its unique amino acid content.

In fact, U.S. manufacturers have developed literally thousands of new foods that use soy milk, soy protein, soy flour and tofu in response to recent science into soy’s health benefits and the resulting clamor from consumers for easy-to-prepare meals.

For additional information visit:
http://nccam.nih.gov/health/soy/
http://www.fda.gov/Fdac/features/2000/300_soy.html

February 2008

Strategies to Decrease Stress Eating

Welcome to stress! National tragedies...the war on terrorism...an economic downturn... the day-to-day stress of our jobs and families...most of us face considerable stress and learning to deal with it is a vital skill. Unfortunately, for many people, an automatic response to stress is food. Feeling tense? Reach for a cookie. Cookies, and most foods, actually can alter your mood. They set off emotional and chemical reactions in your body that can temporarily make you feel calm or powerful. When your stress meter goes up, food can have a calming affect, but only for a short time. It also brings many problems, starting with excessive weight gain. Stress eating is often followed by painful self-judgment that can actually drive you to reach for more food. However, there are ways to break that cycle and stop eating to feed emotional hunger.

• Challenge old beliefs, especially the idea that willpower alone can solve weight problems.
• Forget common diet advice of avoiding favorite foods. A little chocolate may help fight stress, since it helps release endorphin neurotransmitters, nature's morphine. Excessive stress depletes neurotransmitters that help regulate emotions. However, using food to alter your moods won't make the reason for your stress disappear.
• Anything from a walk around the block to a gym workout will help lessen the effects of stress, while helping your body be and feel healthier. Exercise is essential to any weight loss program. You don't need an expansive exercise program - just start moving.
• Don't deprive yourself of food, which often leads to binge eating. Instead, eat what you want and toss out guilt. Develop your own food strategy by making choices. You'll be more likely to reduce the quantity and not go overboard. Want a favorite dessert? Balance that choice with a healthier entree.
• Do a stress inventory when you find yourself eating more, or not eating at all. Symptoms of excessive stress include: aching back or shoulders, procrastination, clenched hands, impatience, rapid heart beat, shortness of breath, trouble sleeping or sleeping too much, depression and anxiety. By tuning in to your physical and behavioral reactions, it's easier to face stress-causing problems head-on.
• If you do much stress eating, ask your physician about stress reactive hypoglycemia. This condition can set off physical and emotional reactions, including tiredness, anxiousness and extreme hunger.
• Learn what purpose food is serving. Stress eating is usually a response to emotional hunger. Keep a chart for two weeks to monitor your food and feelings connection. Divide it into columns noting when, where and what you eat; what precipitates eating; and your feelings during and after eating. Understanding what prompts your eating can be a key to freedom from food and weight problems.
• Overcoming stress-related eating isn't always easy, but it is possible. Many professional counselors specialize in offering help in these areas. The bottom line is that the more you know and care for yourself, the less likely you'll be reaching for food.

January 2008

Starting an Exercise Program

The toughest and most important step in an exercise program is getting started. People often think they need to tackle a strenuous program right away to prove they are committed. In reality, slow and steady is the best way to begin. You need a workable plan to change your lifestyle from sedentary to physically active. If you have an existing health problem, contact your physician before beginning any vigorous physical activity. Restrictions may have to be placed on the level of your exercise program.

Prepare for Success: Choose a fun exercise activity that can be practiced comfortably year round. Many people choose walking, bicycling, jogging, swimming, rowing, or exercising with fitness videos.

Start Slowly: Your goal is to establish an exercise routine you enjoy. Make sure your first activity sessions are fun and not tiring. Give your body a chance to get used to it. Give yourself plenty of time to warm up and cool down with walking, bending, and gentle stretching exercises. Doing flexibility exercises helps you avoid injuries.

Establish a Reasonable Schedule: Set a weekly exercise schedule that includes days off. For example, you might exercise every other day, with 3 days off each week. Start with a program of moderate physical activity-30 minutes a day. Keep it interesting with a balanced program of different activities such as walking, bicycle riding, swimming, or working in the garden. If 30 minutes of activity is too difficult or you do not have enough time, break it up into shorter intervals. For instance, walk for 15 minutes in the morning and work in the garden for 15 minutes later. Do not stop exercising if you get muscle soreness in the beginning; it will disappear as you exercise regularly. Stop exercising if you experience severe pain and swelling. Choose a comfortable time of day to exercise-not too soon after eating or when the air temperature is too warm. Wear shoes that are comfortable, provide good support, and do not cause blisters or calluses.

Stick With It
Focus on working toward your goals gradually. Track your progress with our Fitness Tracker, logging the number of minutes or miles you exercise each day. Do not stop your fitness program; the benefits begin to diminish in 2 weeks and disappear in 2 to 8 months. Congratulate yourself for each accomplishment. Your progress will develop into a pattern through which you work up to higher levels of exertion over time.