Simple workouts to stay fit, so get up and exercise!

How much time do you spend exercising? When you don't have much time, you want to be efficient. Here are some ideas for you to consider:

Via: Spectrum Clubs

Back on the Fitbit

I've pulled my old Fitbit Classic out and I've decided to start using it again. I did some running and walking today and I logged over 18,000 steps today! I also ate a lot of ice cream.

This summer, I'm going to use my Fitbit regularly. I'll also test other devices alongside it to see how they compare. I'm excited to see what Apple, Samsung, and others may have coming. An Apple watch that also tracks my physical activity would be a fun gadget to wear. A watch that also measures my heart rate when I go running?

Fitbit has come out with so many different activity trackers over the years. Believe it or not, I'm still on the Fitbit Classic. Join me on the Fitbit revolution and let's stay healthy together!

I am joining the QS (Quantified Self) movement!

After attending the Medicine 2.0 conference at Stanford over the weekend, I decided that I needed to join the Quantified Self (QS) movement. First of all, I love gadgets, so I'm excited about the idea that I'll be wearing a gadget(s) on me all the time so that I can track my biometrics over time.

Are you familiar with the Quantified Self movement? If you've ever worn a heart rate monitor at the gym, then you've had a taste. If you're a patient with diabetes using a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), then you probably have a good idea of what QS is all about. Here's a brief description of QS:

Quantified Self is a collaboration of users and tool makers who share an interest in self knowledge through self-tracking.

Simple, right? QS devices can be useful tools that can motivate you to change your behavior. Join a QS community and gather, inspire, and learn from each other as we share and collaborate on self-tracking projects. Over the next several weeks, I'll be getting my hands on several QS devices and I'll be testing some for short-term and potential long-term application. Stay tuned to hear more and to see how I do as I track my own personal activity over the course of time. I'm doing some traveling this fall, so it'll definitely be interesting to see how much activity I get when I travel for business.

Have you been exercising?

Many people make New Years resolutions around the theme of diet/exercise/fitness/nutrition. Did you? Have you been exercising to stay fit? On average, I probably go to the gym 3 times each week.

My wife and kids are at the gym this morning and I'm at home typing away. What's wrong with that picture? I'll be going to the gym later (by myself) since I need to lose a little bit of that holiday weight. When I'm at the gym, I'm using all sorts of gadgets ranging from electronic heart rate monitors to "virtual trainers" that push me to exercise harder. Plus, I'm wired with an iPod and I'm catching up on podcasts.

What's a healthy weight?

Here in the United States, we seem to struggle with two extremes of weight: those who are too light for their size, and those who are too heavy for their size. We used to rely on Body Mass Index or BMI, but then we recognized that BMI has some significant limitations. So we added waist circumference as an additional measure.

There's a strong movement to get people to accept any type of weight. Some feel that people can be very healthy at any weight. Is this true?

I don't think you'll find a physician who agrees that a patient can be healthy at any weight. Instead, there is a healthy weight range that is optimal for each individual. If you're grossly outside of this range (either too low or too high), then you will be at increased risk for some serious health problems. This isn't to say that you'll definitely encounter such health problems, but epidemiological evidence reveals that people who are either too underweight or overweight will have health problems.

As we start this New Year, do you plan to change your weight? Weight loss is one of the most common New Year's Resolutions that people make. The problem in our society is that we have many people trying to lose weight when they're already at a healthy weight. We also have many people who are not at a healthy weight and they're not trying to lose weight. When will our culture accept the concept of a healthy weight?

Are you gaining weight this holiday season?

I ate so much yesterday. On average, an adult living in the United States gains approximately one pound each year. Have you been gaining weight over the past 5 or 10 years? It's so difficult to maintain a negative calorie balance over the holidays, but you can control your portions, select healthy food selections, eat desserts in moderation, and make time to exercise.

Did you get (or give) a gym membership this holiday season?
Did you get (or give) any fitness equipment this holiday season?

It's the day after Christmas and I'm in the mood to go to the gym today. Who's going to join me? The other great way to exercise is to go walking. I'll be doing some of that by heading out to the malls to do some shopping!

Swim for fitness

Our new home has a pool in the backyard. Since we just moved in, we didn't get a chance to use it. However, I'm excited to use the pool next summer and I can't open to get in there and get back into swimming shape. Right now, I still get to exercise at the gym several times each week. The gym has a nice pool, but it gets crowded so it's hard to swim laps without bumping into people. There are times when I wished that we had a Swim Spa in our home. We're already spoiled by an outdoor pool, but we can't use that pool in the winter (I'm not a polar bear!). I actually jumped into a New England ocean in January with several other people, but that was a long time ago.

Indoor Swim Spas are great to have because you can use them throughout the year and still get your swimming exercise. There's nothing like using a water treadmill for some great indoor exercise. One of the main reasons why I enjoy swimming is because it's a great way to exercise multiple muscles in a short amount of time. My wife has been talking about expanding her medical practice and she may eventually add some physical and occupational therapists. I'm hoping that she will also invest in some aquatic therapy equipment.

So how do you stay in shape during the winter? It's often too cold to go running or biking outside. Unless you belong to a gym, it can be difficult to exercise effectively in the cold weather. I'm glad that I can do some exercises at home and I'm looking forward to the warm weather so that I can use my outdoor pool.

Heart transplant cancer patient running the Ironman World Championship

Wow! This story just makes you want to go to the gym and jump on a treadmill. Heart transplant recipient and cancer survivor Kyle Garlett will compete in October's Ironman World Championship! What an amazing success story of someone who defeated a serious illness.

• Kyle was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma as a high school senior in 1989.
• He developed leukemia as a result of his earlier chemotherapy.
• He received a heart transplant in 2006.
• Now he's running marathons and competing in triathlon.
  

Isn't it amazing what some people accomplish in their lives? I also really admire Lance Armstrong who battled testicular cancer and won multiple consecutive victories in the Tour de France. Time for me to go to the gym!

Read the amazing CNN story here.

China: exercise in a gym or outside?

It looks like indoor gym memberships are really becoming popular in China. These gym memberships aren't free, but it's free to exercise outside. Watch this CNN video that talks about current exercise trends in China. How often do you see people practicing Tai Chi in the parks?

Concept of "overweight" may be relative

Although we have tools like body mass index (BMI) calculators, most consumers probably don't rely on those to assess their body. According to a story on CNN titled, "As nation gains, 'overweight' is relative":

Research shows that, when it comes to self-perception, the concept of "overweight" may be relative... people's perceptions of overweight have shifted, and "normal" is now heavier than it used to be.

If you look at the NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys) data from 1988-1994 and compare that data with 1999-2004, you'll see that weight misperception based on BMI is decreasing among women but staying roughly the same for men. This means that women with normal BMIs from 1999-2004 were less likely to say they're overweight compared to women from 1988-1994. If you have a normal BMI, you're probably not overweight. There may be some exceptions to that rule, but I'm not going to get into that right now.

So, we know that the BMI of the U.S. population has been increasing over time. Based on the NHANES data comparison, it appears that people are getting used to being overweight and many people with high BMIs may not consider themselves to be overweight. So, are attitudes about weight shifting? Or, are people with normal BMIs feeling more "normal" as they see more people with elevated BMIs? To read the CNN story, click here.

Run a half-marathon and help a child through the Fresh Air Fund

When I was a student at MIT, I ran the Boston marathon as a bandit (unofficial, non-qualified runner). I wasn't a runner. I just wanted to give it a try and I finished it in 4 hours. "Heartbreak Hill" was brutal. If you enjoy running, perhaps you'd consider running the NYC half-marathon next month. It's a relatively flat run (so you won't have to worry about a heartbreak hill experience). You can help children while you're at it. The Fresh Air Fund is looking for runners and sponsors to join the Fresh Air Fund-Racers team for the NYC Half-Marathon on August 16th. http://freshair.org/racers

Last summer's NYC Half-Marathon was a huge success and the Fresh Air Fund-Racers raised more than $125,000.

Since 1877, The Fresh Air Fund, a not-for-profit agency, has provided free summer experiences in the country to more than 1.7 million New York City children from disadvantaged communities. Each year, thousands of children visit volunteer host families in 13 states and Canada through the Friendly Town Program or attend Fresh Air Fund camps.

The Fresh Air Fund is also still in need of Friendly Town hosts for next month. Host families open their hearts and home to a NYC child who would not otherwise have the opportunity to escape the hot, crowded city streets.

To learn more about the Fresh Air Fund, visit: http://www.freshair.org
You can also follow the Fresh Air Fund on Twitter @FreshAirFund

Contest eaters face serious health issues

In a former life, I was almost a contest eater. Not for speed, but for quantity. That was a very long time ago. Do you ever watch those food eating contests? They are crazy! CNN has a story titled, "Speed eaters gain weight, clog arteries but have few regrets." Maybe they don't have many regrets while they're still young and relatively healthy, but this type of behavior can catch up to you, especially if you're Don Lerman who set a record by eating seven sticks of salted butter in five minutes. During six years of competitive eating, he gained 100 pounds! The average adult in the U.S. gains 1 pound per year. If you gain 100 pounds in 6 years, how many pounds are you gaining each year? (certainly you're above the mean)

In 2007, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine doctors who specialize in gastroenterology and radiology conducted an experiment on the stomach activities of a competitive eater and an average eater. Do you know what they found? Competitive eaters lacked muscle contractions called peristalsis, which move the food down the digestive tract. The researchers published a paper where they warned about: possible "morbid obesity, profound gastroparesis, intractable nausea and vomiting, and even the need for a gastrectomy." Yikes!

I wonder what we're going to learn about competitive eaters over the next decade. If you exercise, can you eat anything you want to eat? Does exercise give you freedom to eat? (It does for me - that's why I can enjoy ice cream and be guilt-free). Read the CNN story here.

Is it better to eat ice cream after lunch or dinner?

In the U.S., people have a tendency to eat a lighter lunch and then a heavier dinner. This is one of the main reasons why salads are so popular during lunch. Well, I love ice cream and I tend to eat ice cream after dinner. Fortunately, I have a healthy BMI (body mass index) and I exercise regularly, so my ice cream eating habit hasn't made a big impact on my weight yet. However, I think about my health whenever I eat ice cream. For the last few days, I've been thinking about switching my routine ice cream eating routine. Instead of eating ice cream after dinner, I think I'm going to eat it after lunch. After all, I tend to eat less for lunch (I've succumbed to the American way of things) and this way, I get to burn those ice cream calories during the day.

So is it better to eat ice cream after lunch or dinner? I don't think you'll find many clinical studies answering that question. Allow me to conduct this little study on myself and I'll report my findings. Consider this a case report: ice cream after lunch vs. after dinner.

Golf, Exercise, and Health

I love to golf. If you walk while you golf, it's great exercise. Even if you're only playing nine holes, you can still get some great exercise if you walk instead of ride. If you're not a great golfer, then you may get extra exercise as you chase your ball through the woods. If you drive around in a golf cart, then you're really missing out on achieving your 10,000 steps a day. I try to walk whenever I can to achieve as many steps each day. Now that the weather is warming up, it's time to get my golf clubs out so that I can enjoy a break. I think it's time to look into some Golf Vacations!

I love to golf along the beach. Nothing beats the cool breeze, the ocean, and a great game of golf. One of my favorite spots is Myrtle Beach. It's been a while since I've been there, but I love the fact that it isn't too crowded. Arnold Palmer created some incredible courses out there. The scenery is so pleasant that you actually enjoy walking through the golf courses. Why ride if you can walk? A few years ago, I had a bad case of golfer's elbow (medial epicondylitis). Then, I developed tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis)! I think it's time for a relaxing vacation. Sometimes you may find some great deals on some Golf Packages. Make sure to send me a tweet on Twitter if you find one!

Exercise Pool in Your Home

What type of pool would I want in my home? A swim spa! Swimming is one of the best forms of exercise. However, unless you have a gym membership, you may have a hard time finding a pool where you can swim some laps and get some cardio exercise. Have you seen those indoor exercise pools where you can swim against resistance as jets of water flow against you? They don't require a tremendous amount of space in your home and you can exercise all-year. Advances in technology now allow manufacturers to use innovative resistance jets that are also therapeutic. Imagine walking against a stream of water that's flowing against you. As you feel the resistance, you'll be building your muscles and getting a therapeutic massage at the same time. You won't get that in a standard swimming pool!

Aquatic therapy has been shown to help people who have specific medical conditions. If you have arthritis, you may have difficulty exercising. Have you ever walked on a treadmill that's underwater? If you need to find something more strenuous, then fire up the resistance jets so that you have to walk against streams of water. Now that's a workout! Hydrotherapy pools have gotten quite sophisticated over the years. Perhaps you have a joint problem. Maybe you're recovering from an injury and you need to start with some gentle exercise. By walking on an underwater treadmill, your weight is reduced because you're surrounded by water. Plus, you don't have to worry about falling suddenly because the buoyancy of the water will slow you down. At the end of your workout, you can enjoy a relaxing and therapeutic massage that's delivered by the high-powered jets that are built into the pool.

Fitness Watches

So how often do you go to the gym? There are so many ways to improve your health and fitness. Buzzwords in the health industry include: wellness, health, fitness, and prevention. This way, you avoid the need for things like disease management since you're preventing disease.

I spend a fair amount at the gym and I've seen some significant changes in consumer health technology that have made it both fun and easier for people to exercise. For instance, I use a Polar heart rate monitor strap so that I can easily monitor my HR during exercise. I also wear a Timex sports watch. I'm also a fan of other brands, but Timex has always been reliable and cost-friendly. If you can afford to spend a fair amount of money for a nice sports watch, then you may want to also look at Suunto and Polar. I've had watches made by both companies and still wear my Suunto at times.

If you like to run, then you may want a watch that also includes a sensor that measures your running speed. You don't necessarily need a GPS to do that. I also love the fact that some of these watches now incorporate solar technology and rechargeable batteries. I've had a Timex Ironman for several years and I haven't even had to replace the battery yet. So improvements in battery technology and recharging capabilities have really improved the capability of sports watches.

Running on a Treadmill

I enjoy running. My freshman year at MIT, I ran the Boston Marathon as an unqualified bandit runner (the term "bandit" is used for those non-registered runners who don't qualify or who want to run the marathon at the last-minute). Of course, it takes a lot of training to properly prepare for a marathon. As for me, I was a freshman and I wanted to do something fun since it was my first time living in Boston. I did all my running outside along the Boston Esplanade and I certainly didn't need a treadmill.

Now, I run at the gym and sometimes I'll go for a run outside. At my local health club, they have many different types of treadmills. I'm constantly amazed at these workout machines that get introduced. Technology has come a long way in the area of health and fitness machines. At Smooth Fitness, you'll find an assortment of treadmills, ellipticals, bikes, and other workout machines. Equipment technology has advanced and I like how newer equipment can now be linked to a heart rate monitor so that you can evaluate your intensity. It's also a safety issue for older people who exercise on routinely.

When I'm at the gym, I tend to use the ellipticals because they are easier on the joints. I'm spoiled because I get to choose from many different machines what all have different features that you can change like elevation, resistance, angle, etc.