Ready, Set, GO!

Today is May 31st.

So...

Is it too late?

Did you miss the bus?

Has it started without you?

At this point you might be scratching your head wondering what all of this is about.

Well, let me first start out by answering the questions:

• No! it's not too late to start exercising.
• Yes, you've missed the last bus, but there's another one coming.
• Maybe, I'm sure the summer has begun for some, but, "officially" it hasn't started.

Which means, that if you haven't implemented your fitness plan - you know, the one you used to think about endlessly but for some reason stored it away in the back of your brain just waiting for the day (you know, that day!) when you'll have the time, the energy and the motivation to start; or you haven't been consistent with the plan that you started last summer, NOW IS THE TIME!

Even if you aren't anywhere close to being in the shape you thought you were going to be, or wanted to be, it's still possible to be in much better shape at the end of this summer than you are now.

Wouldn't it be nice to be a couple of pounds lighter and a little bit stronger, have a little more self-confidence, fell better and look better than you do right now?

So what are you waiting for?








It's Not Too Late! Don't Miss The Next Bus! Start Your Summer Fitness Plan - NOW!

Being Well

The New York Times recently published a special section, titled “A Guided Tour of Your Body.” It is full of very good and practical information on how to keep your body healthy, and well, for many years to come. I am recommending it to all of my subscribers and anyone else interested in taking care of their bodies, and minds as they age.

Go to: www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/05/13/health/20080513_WELLGUIDE.html

The President's Challenge

WASHINGTON (AP) -- If you didn't get a Presidential Physical Fitness Award in school, the government is giving you another chance to prove you're in shape.

An adult fitness test is being introduced Wednesday by the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. It will incorporate several of the exercises that millions of students undertake each year as they aim for a certificate signed by the president.

"What were trying to do is inspire and motivate Americans to move their bodies more," said Melissa Johnson, executive director of the council.

The test involves three basic components: aerobic fitness, muscular strength and flexibility. The test is for people 18 and older who are in good health. It was inspired by scores of baby boomers who kept asking council members whether there was a fitness test available today that was similar to the ones they took as students, Johnson said.

The aerobic component of the tests consists of a one-mile walk or 1.5-mile run. The run is not recommended for those who don't run for at least 20 minutes, three times a week.

Push-ups and half sit-ups make up the strength test. The push-ups are done until failure. The sit-ups are done for one minute.

A stretching exercise called the "sit-and-reach" is used to measure flexibility.

The scores from all four of the fitness tests can be entered online. Other information, such as age, gender, height and weight are also part of the equation.

You won't get a presidential certificate, but the results will then show where you rank among people of the same age. For example, if someone scores in the 75th percentile for push-ups, that means 75 percent of the scores fall below your score.

The fitness test incorporates height and weight to give participants their body mass index. Generally, a BMI score above 25 equates to being overweight. However, for people who do exercise a lot, the BMI score can be high because of their extra muscle mass, not because they have too much fat.

The test will allow people to easily record a baseline that they can work from through their exercise routine.

"The point is to do consistent, regular physical activity and these are good check-in points to see how fit people are," Johnson said.

To take the test go to: www.adultfitnesstest.org

Keepin it off...

Researchers from Duke University, Johns Hopkins University, and the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research have conducted a study that shows that regular and long-term contact with a weight-loss counselor is the most effective way for overweight and obese individuals to lose weight, and to maintain that weight loss over a long period of time.

The individuals who participated in the Weight Loss Maintenance (WLM) trial were successful at losing an average of 18 pounds after six months.

The most successful of the participants-those who lost 9 pounds or more-were then split-up into three groups. The first group had monthly personal contact with a weight-loss counselor. The second group used a Web-based weight maintenance program. And the third group was responsible for maintaining their weight loss on their own.

After 30 months, almost all of the participants had gained back some of their weight. But, the most successful of the three groups were those that had regular contact with a weight-loss counselor. On average, that group gained back about 8 pounds as compared with the other two groups, who gained back on average about 12 pounds. Which means that the first group was able to lose 10 pounds and keep it off for over two years.

While 10 pounds may not seem like a lot, even moderate weight loss for an overweight or an obese individual can have major health benefits, including: a reduced risk of diabetes, a decrease in blood pressure, and may improve an individuals risk factors for cardiovascular disease.