FITTING IN FITNESS

• Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator, for at least a few floors. If you have to take the escalator, make it a point to walk it.

• Walk or bike to nearby destinations instead of always driving.

• When at the mall doing your holiday shopping, park your car farthest from where you intend to shop.

• Get off the bus a few blocks early, or park a few blocks from work.

• Exercise while watching television, especially during commercials.

• Hide your remote control and get up to change TV channels or adjust the volume.

• Busy yourself with housework, such as vacuuming, washing the floors, polishing furniture, washing the windows or gift-wrapping.

• In the evenings, take your family for a walk around neighborhoods

• Take the dog for a walk.

• Work in the garden or yard–raking the leaves or sweeping the patio.

• Go for a short walk before breakfast and after dinner.

• Spend half your lunch hour eating and the other half walking around the building or parking lot.
Get your coworkers to join you.

• Walk up and down the stairs on your breaks at work.

• Several times a day, take a few moments to move around and stretch your legs, regardless of what you’re doing.

• When on your cell phone or cordless home phone, walk around while you talk.

• Clean up the garage or organize your closets or kitchen cupboards.

• Go shopping. You don’t have to buy anything, just walk the aisles and look at the items.

SHAPE UP YOUR LIFE

By Luigi Gratton, M.D., M.P.H.


Anytime is the right time to get outdoors, get in shape and renew our commitment to a healthy lifestyle. Here are some helpful hints to keep in mind as you shape up.

1. TAKE TIME TO WARM UP
Spending 5 to 10 minutes warming up prepares your body for exercise. Walk before jogging. Jog before running. Just warm up at a pace that gradually gets your heart beating at 50 to 60 percent of your maximum heart rate. And don’t forget to stretch. Moving from side to side warms your muscles and prepares them for exercise.Warmmuscles allow for a greater range ofmotion for your joints andmake injuries less likely as well.

2. THINK VARIETY
Have you ever started a fitness program and then let it fizzle out? The reason could have been boredom. A program that includes several fitness activities–for example, walking or biking on Mondays and Wednesdays and playing tennis or swimming on Fridays and Sundays–will help maintain your interest and keep you motivated. Need a change of scenery? Try varying the place you exercise with a new route for walking or biking. Having different options can allow you to pick the one that suits your mood and keeps your fitness program feeling fresh.

3. GET YOUR ANTIOXIDANTS
Don’t forget about the important role that proper nutrition plays in achieving an active lifestyle. Since exercise can increase the formation of free radicals, it’s always good to have some extra protection. Antioxidants, such as Vitamin C and beta-carotene, may play a role in preventing cellular injury and delaying muscle fatigue. Try to get at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, as they are packed with powerful antioxidants. Our targeted nutrition products also provide key antioxidants that protect muscles and joints against exercise-induced oxidative stress. So, remember to add antioxidants to your diet and get the most out of your fitness program.

REV UP YOUR METABOLISM

Put your metabolism to work for you. Now’s the perfect time to incorporate some metabolic-revving tips into your daily regimen.

REV UP YOUR BODY’S ENGINE
We eat food for fuel. When we burn it for energy to run our bodies, the process creates heat. Nutritional supplements can assist the body’s engine to burn fuel efficiently, helping our metabolism stay revved and functioning well.

DAILY REGIMEN TIPS
Keep your metabolism revved with these tips:

• Engage in 30 minutes of activity every day to help minimize weight gain and to raise metabolic rate.
• Tone your muscles by weight training three days a week.
• Start small–try walking with one- to two-pound weights.
• Do not eat fewer than 1,200 calories a day. Eating too little may slow your metabolism.
• Never skip breakfast. It may slow down your metabolism.
• Nutritional supplements, such as our Vi=Slim and, can help boost metabolism.*
• Have a supply of protein-powered healthy snacks on hand as an alternative to carb-loaded junk food.