Wells Weighs In

Eat watermelon year-round

2012-02-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

From YOU Docs Daily

Unless you live in San Diego or Key Largo, scribbling watermelon on your grocery list in November is about as likely as the Cardinals winning the World Series. Be like the Cards: Do it anyway! Watermelon's racking up health points. The latest:

Watermelon degunks arteries. Swapping water for watermelon juice reduces body fat, lowers LDL cholesterol, and -- the biggest effect -- cleans heart-threatening plaque from arteries. Early days on this research, but it fits.
It drops your blood pressure and boosts circulation. Watermelon is one of the few food sources of citrulline, a protein that's a real powerhouse. Got borderline hypertension? Other studies have found that citrulline lowers systolic blood pressure by as much as 9 points, enough to prevent full-blown hypertension. That's because it helps produce nitric oxide, powerful stuff that opens and relaxes your arteries. Citrulline also helps with wound healing and cell division, and turbocharges blood flow, enhancing circulation to all your vital parts much the way Viagra does.
It's loaded with lycopene. This potent plant polyphenol is thought to fend off heart disease and some cancers (though prostate cancer looks like a bust). Tomatoes are considered lycopene all-stars, but cup for cup, watermelon has 40% more. Watermelon may help you think faster, too.
It's naturally low-cal. There are only 96 calories in 2 fill-you-full cups of sweet watermelon.
Whether you slice it, dice it, or juice it, eat watermelon year-round, not just on the 4th of July. It's increasingly a salad-bar staple, and yes, you can buy 100% watermelon juice. If your local health-food store doesn't have it, Amazon does.

2012-02-13T08:30:00.000-08:00

Second Weigh-In Coming Soon!

2012-02-12T11:51:00.000-08:00

Thursday, February 16th is our second weigh-in for our community Wells Weighs In challenge! You can choose the location and time of day that works best for your schedule. We offer early mornings here at your Wells County YMCA from 6:00-8:30, afternoon time slots at the Bluffton Regional Medical Center (4th floor) from noon-1:30 and evening times from 4:00-7:00 back at your Wells County YMCA.

We are excited to see the progress made in the first month of competition...keep it up!!

Don't just sit there working or watching TV. Get up and move it

2012-02-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

From YOU Docs Daily:

The instant you finish reading our blog, do this: Get up and get a move on.

Sitting around -- driving, eating, working, knitting, emailing, watching TV -- is lethal. (Move it!) This isn't news. Everyone's known for a while that Coach Potato-Itis is a serious heart threat. And recent studies have shown that lots of sitting, even if you get serious amounts of exercise, messes up your blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol.

But here's the new shocker: Sitting causes cancer. Scientists have just tied 49,000 US cases of breast and 43,000 of colon cancer each year to prolonged sitting. (Move it!) That puts tush time right up there with smoking, obesity and a passion for pork rinds.

This is tough, since lots of what you have to do or want to do involves sitting, right? (Move it!) But wait. Breaking up endless time on your bum, even for a few minutes, breaks up the bad body effects. Key enzymes move, blood flows, mind and muscles flex. All it takes:

Get up and move at least every 30 minutes. Get more water or coffee or a banana or the mail. Cruise the hallways. Pace when you're on the phone. Stand and stretch. Yep, even just standing helps. (Fidgeting does, too.)

Go ahead, watch your favorite shows. Just don't sit there. Cook, fold laundry, empty the dishwasher, get up and dance to the theme music, ride a stationary bike (replace the couch with one; both of us YOU Docs have).

Is the TV thing that important? You bet. This research also just came in: Staring at the tube for an average of 6 hours a day (versus none) shortens your life by 5 to 10 years. (Move it!)

2012-02-09T09:00:00.000-08:00

2012-02-09T08:00:00.000-08:00

2012-02-09T07:58:00.000-08:00

OVEN ROASTED CHICKEN – ONLY 320 CALORIES AND 4.5 GRAMS OF FAT!
Click here to learn more

Need extra willpower to lose weight or get fit? And which is more important for you to do?

2012-02-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

From YOU Docs Daily:

Did you ring in 2012 with new resolutions to get healthy? Bravo! Writing down new resolutions has the same effect on your willpower as dropping a NASCAR engine into the family sedan: You'll whiz over the finish line. An impressive 60% of resolution makers hit their goals within months. (Folks who claim New Year's resolutions don't work are all wet.) Making more than one resolution helps.

Of course, what's on your get-healthy list counts, too. We YOU Docs want to change what we bet is in the number one spot. Instead of the almost inevitable "Lose weight," make it, "Move." Not to a new town. Move your butt!

That's right. If you need to lose just 10 or 20 pounds, bump "Lose weight" and everything else down a notch, including "Eat spinach" and "Learn to IM the kids." Kick "Get fit" to the top of the list. Getting your body in gear got even more important in 2011. Here's why.

Fitness edged out the scale. The fit/thin debate raged for years, until new research on 14,000 guys hit the news late in 2011. Compared to men who slack off, guys who stay active and get fitter are almost 40% less likely to die over 11 years -- even if they gain weight. Every increase in fitness lowers your risk for fatal heart attacks and strokes by 19%. Cutting back on exercise boosts your risk four times more than gaining a few pounds does. The take-home lesson? Unless you're obese (that's a whole other issue), worry less about your weight and more about getting and staying active.  It's not that we YOU Docs don't think excess weight — especially belly fat — isn't important, but doing something active every day discourages a build-up of that health-threatening belly fat. Plus, it reduces stress, improves sleep, sharpens your memory, makes you happier, keeps your body's systems humming, AND makes you more likely to do other healthy things -- such as losing weight.

Sitting around proved lethal. Strong evidence in 2011 showed that sitting around messes up your blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol, and -- yes -- causes cancer. Scientists tied more than 90,000 cases of breast and colon cancer a year to prolonged sitting. But breaking up endless time on your tush, even for a few minutes, breaks up the bad body effects. Find out more.

Here's how to make resolution number one stick like glue for a healthier YOU:

Do mini-workouts. Often, the toughest thing about exercise isn't doing it. It's fitting it in. If you can't swing a 30-minute walk every day, plus about 30 minutes a week of strength training (our easy Rx for fitness), don't worry about it! Slicing and dicing your activity into 10-minute chunks spread throughout the day works just as well for your weight, waist-management, and health. Just be sure to do 30 minutes total. Here's a simple way to get started if you've spent the last few months (or years) on the couch.
Use the buddy system. Why go it alone when being in cahoots with a healthy-change partner doubles your odds for success? You keep each other honest and cheer each other on. Plus, walking and talking with a pal naturally blows off stress -- another big health booster. Check this slideshow for more ways to keep stress from aging your body.)
Find an enforcer. Don't trust yourself? Add another layer of support: your doc . . . or soon, one of us, Dr. Mike. "Reporting in" regularly is a proven way to get to your goals. Dr. Mike (aka, "The Enforcer" to YOU Doc patients) has done this behind the scenes for years. We're taking it public soon. Keep checking this column.
Give it 2 weeks. That's how long it takes your brain to start cementing a new habit, such as walking every day. Here's a way to do the minimum and still lose 4 pounds of pure fat.
Just move it. Pace, don't sit, when you're talking on the phone. Do an extra lap around the office when you go to get coffee. Put your new exercise bike smack in front of the TV (that's where ours are). Clean the kitchen like you're doing an aerobics class. Take a 10-minute break every chance you get and walk -- or just do two flights of stairs. Your break now counts toward your daily exercise goal! Sweet.

Will healthful snacks help you lose weight?

2012-02-03T06:00:00.000-08:00

From YOU Docs Daily:

We YOU Docs are all for snacks, especially healthful snacks that keep you from sitting down to a meal hungry enough to gnaw the napkins. Munching a handful of walnuts half an hour before eating is one of the best ways we know to tame a Rottweiler appetite, especially when you're trying to lose weight. Find out why.

But wait. If you want to lose more weight in less time, intriguing new research says to skip mid-morning snacks. Dieters who do lose more than 11 percent of their weight in the same time that morning noshers lose only 7 percent. Why? The gap between breakfast and lunch often isn't that long, you're probably not really hungry but someone brought in doughnuts, and . . . well, you know how this story ends.

In the afternoon, the reverse is true. If there's more than a 5-hour gap between lunch and dinner (routine in our lives), a snack may be essential to dropping a belt size. You're for-real hungry, not just eating because someone had a Krispy Kreme craving. Bonus: Afternoon snackers eat more fruits and veggies!

So be as smart about snacking as you are about talking your boss into an afternoon off. The same study that found mid-morning snacks backfire also found that snacking when you're legitimately hungry helps weight loss IF you eat healthful foods that fill you up with nutrients, not calories. On our top afternoon snacks list: a handful of nuts, no/low-fat yogurt, whole-grain crackers, fresh veggies, fruits, and berries. In fact, a 20-year diet study proved them perfect pounds-fighting snacks.

Chicken and Summer Vegetable Tostadas

2012-02-02T12:35:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons canola oil
- 12 ounces chicken breast tenders
- 1 cup chopped red onion (about 1)
- 1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears)
- 1 cup chopped zucchini (about 4 ounces)
- 1/2 cup green salsa
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided
- 4 (8-inch) fat-free flour tortillas
- Cooking spray
- 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Preparation
Preheat broiler.
Combine first 3 ingredients, stirring well. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the spice mixture evenly over chicken. Add chicken to pan; sauté for 3 minutes. Add onion, corn, and zucchini to pan; sauté for 2 minutes or until chicken is done. Stir in salsa and 2 tablespoons cilantro. Cook 2 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates, stirring frequently.
Working with 2 tortillas at a time, arrange tortillas in a single layer on a baking sheet; lightly coat tortillas with cooking spray. Broil 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Spoon about 3/4 cup chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla; sprinkle each serving with 1/4 cup cheese. Broil an additional 2 minutes or until cheese melts. Repeat procedure with remaining tortillas, chicken mixture, and cheese. Sprinkle each serving with about 3/4 teaspoon of remaining cilantro. Serve immediately.

Recipe found here

Wells Weighs In Update #1

2012-01-31T12:18:00.000-08:00

Soda: Are a couple of cans a day okay?

2012-01-31T06:00:00.000-08:00

From YOU Docs Daily:

As readers of our blog likely know, one of us YOU Docs recently had a mega Diet Coke habit. Let's put it this way: Two six-packs a day was nothing. The other one (with his wife, Lisa) finally braved an intervention and got, yep, Dr. Mike down to one can a day. Last September he went to zilch. And lived! Now all he misses is the extra strength-training from shifting 20-pound cases of cola.

We mention this because chugging soda already looked bad when Dr. Mike laid off the stuff. Both regular and diet drinks had been tied to obesity and high blood pressure; colas to bone loss; and full-sugar sodas to type 2 diabetes, lousy teeth (especially citrus sodas), and more. Find out why zero-calorie sodas don't always have zero impact.

Now it turns out there's something in regular soda that's particularly bad for women. If you're female, listen up. New research shows that just two cans a day make you more likely to add inches to your waist, get into blood sugar trouble, have soaring triglycerides, and develop heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes — even if you don't gain a pound. Throw in kidney damage, too. It's also been tied to a soda habit.

This isn't the first evidence of these links, but it's the first to spot how vulnerable women are. Why? That's as clear as muddy waters. Maybe because women burn fewer calories than guys. Or replace more healthy foods with useless fizzy stuff. Or always eat sweets with soda. Or something no one's figured out yet.

Our New Year's wish? Pull a Dr. Mike: Switch to water (or caffeinated water), seltzer with fruit, hot/iced tea, or coffee (his fave), which is giving tea real competition as the world's number one health drink.

2012-01-30T06:00:00.000-08:00

BLAKE GRIFFIN – 2009 L.A. CLIPPERS #1 NBA DRAFT PICK
Click here to learn more

Walk during the day to sleep much better at night

2012-01-27T06:00:00.000-08:00

From YOU Docs Daily:

We know we talk a lot about how important it is to get enough sleep and how vital it is to stay active. Here's a reason why: You can't have one without the other.

This news didn't rock our world. We've long known that exercise helps you sleep better. But that fact just got highlighted in neon pink, thanks to very specific data from a new study.

If you get more than 20 minutes (go for 30 minutes) of exercise a day, you won't just sleep better. You'll sleep much better, getting 65 percent more restorative REM sleep. You'll also have energy to burn and you’ll be more alert, which means you’ll be less likely to zone out during meetings and more likely to know what your spouse said to you 2 minutes ago. Bonus: If you're prone to leg cramps at night, you can likely kiss those goodbye. Pretty slick for just 20 minutes of walking! Go for 30 minutes. (Did we say that already?)

Other big benefits of getting 8 hours of sleep every night:

You can stop fantasizing about naps. (You won’t need them.)

You'll look better. "Beauty sleep" is for real. When you're sleep deprived, not only do you ooze fatigue, you also look measurably less attractive.

You'll be younger and healthier. Averaging less than 6 hours of ZZZs makes you prone to high C-reactive protein, a warning of aging and inflammation that threaten your heart, brain, and arteries in ways that invite cancer, arthritis, and diabetes.

You'll be slimmer. Sleep shortages stimulate your appetite, so you risk becoming tired and flabby.

Nighty-night.

2012-01-26T06:00:00.000-08:00

Click here to learn more.

Oatmeal, Cheerios, Cap'n Crunch . . . Which Cereals Are Healthful Breakfast Choices?

2012-01-25T06:36:00.000-08:00

When was the last time that instead of, say, whole grain oatmeal or Cheerios, you gave your kids (or yourself) a bowl of sugar for breakfast? If this morning you poured Honey Smacks, Golden Crisps, Cap'n Crunch, or even seemingly healthful Quaker Oats Oh!s cereal, the answer is: today. All have 3 to 5 teaspoons of sugar per cup.

Find out why sugar's so hard on your body.

Okay, we know it's hardly news that kids' cereals are loaded with sugar, but that much? Yes, says a new analysis by the Environmental Working Group, which — insert round of applause – painstakingly sugar-rated 84 cereals. (See and download the full report.) If you weighed out 8 ounces of many kids' cereals on a kitchen scale, a third to half the weight would be sugar.

Happily, there's an upside to this story: There were some winners on the list -- healthy, tasty, 100% whole-grain cereals that kids will happily eat and you can buy at any grocery. Oatmeal, of course. We both eat heaps of steel-cut oatmeal. Just skip flavored instant types. They're sugar fiestas, too.

There are other good-morning choices that meet both federal guidelines and ours, which are tougher: Cheerios (another of our personal faves), Mini-Wheats, Shredded Wheat, Grape-Nuts Flakes and, somewhat surprisingly, Kix. Add bananas, blueberries, raisins, walnuts, diced apples, almonds . . . they're all good, though blueberries are rock stars.

Bonus: Eating fiber in the morning (fruit and 100% whole-grain cereals are full of it) curbs hunger later. That helps keep kids — and you — slim.

2012-01-23T07:14:00.000-08:00

2011-05-26T05:00:00.000-07:00

2011-05-19T05:00:00.000-07:00

2011-05-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

MICHAEL PHELPS

2011-05-09T05:00:00.000-07:00

2011-05-05T05:00:00.000-07:00

2011-05-02T05:00:00.000-07:00

April Weigh-In results

2011-04-28T06:49:00.000-07:00

Latest standings on 2011 Wells Weighs In competition (corrected):

Gordon (individual) 13.83

Second Time Around 13.49

Xtreme II 12.32

Waistaways 11.33

ourwivesmadeusdothis 10.96

Kristie's Krew 10.39

Thick and Tired 9.99

Phabulous Phattys 9.25

Uganda Bound 9.00

Phat Pak II 8.51

Eye on Weight Loss 8.46

Team Fabri-Form 8.29

Pounders 8.09

Pharm Girls Gone Wild 7.99

Lose United 7.92

Ton of Fun 7.69

Fat Fightin Four 7.43

Not in it to Win it! 7.34

Funky Chunkies 6.96

Spartans 6.96

Downsizing Divas 6.89

Yo Yo's 6.82

Swimsuit Bound 6.33

Beauty and the Beasts 5.98

Fat Fighting Four 5.92

Ultra Rad Cats 5.91

Wolfe Pack 5.81

Postpartum Pounds 5.78

Team Caylor 5.74

CNC Faithful Four 5.68

Wilson Losers 5.40

Four Pumped Mommas 5.40

Fittastic Four 5.18

Flamin Turtles 5.15

Charming Chubbies 5.14

Waisted Away 5.13

Meatloaf 5.10

Victorious Secrets 4.99

Belly Bulge Busters 4.82

Mams and Grams 4.81

Mission Slimpossible #1 4.79

We Can Do It 4.77

Time to Downsize 4.74

A Family Affair 4.42

Less is More 4.38

Hipsters 4.35

Sisters +2 4.33

Aluminators 2 4.27

R Team 4.20

Weighing Our Options 4.12

Inxs 3.99

Gerber (Individual) 3.98

Fit Managers 3.91

Four Fat Fighters 3.86

Health Seekers 3.81

Spaulding (Individual) 3.81

Calorie Cutters 3.80

Underdogs 3.78

McLovin Vamps 3.78

Miller (Individual) 3.77

Weeble Family 3.72

Anything Is Possible! 3.67

All 4 Losing It 3.64

Bugs 3.57

Weight Winners 3.46

S. J. Orca's 3.34

Sugar Babies 3.32

Corn Fed Chunkers 3.25

SLAM 3.17

Salad SHooters (#2) 3.10

Fab 4 3.05

Salad Shooters #1 3.04

Badonkadonk Busters 2.94

4-given 2.92

Three girls and a boy 2.75

Weight To Go Gals 2.67

Cowskins 2.64

Biggest Losers 2.55

OOPS! We Did It Again 2.48

Ruble Cube +1 2.47

OES 2.39

2 Young 2 B Fat 2.38

Elgorda No More-Da 2.34

"That's What He Said" 2.29

It's A Family Thing 2.25

Aluminators 1 2.15

Prom Bound 2.11

WOW! 2.03

Leg Warmers 2.00

Doodle Bugs 2.00

3 Ladies and a Blimp 1.98

Slimming C's 1.97

Second Time Around Girls 1.97

Hungry Hotties 1.97

T.O.T.'s Tighting our Tushes 1.96

No I'm Not Pregnant . . . thanks for asking 1.95

Phat Family 1.92

Chunky Dunkers 1.92

Future Fit 1.92

Fire & Ice 1.89

Rock Solid 1.84

Chub Monsters 1.80

Three Ladies and a Dude 1.78

Belly Dumpers 1.71

Hidden Beauties 1.68

Parlor City Pals 1.58

Berne's Fab Four 1.57

Mission Slimpossible #2 1.52

Potato Heads 1.49

Cut the Caboose 1.47

BZZZ 1.42

02B Thin Again 1.40

Whatevers 1.38

Wii Not Fit 1.28

No Limit 1.28

Too Unfit to Quit 1.26

Miles to go Before We Sleep 1.18

Lighter By July 1.05

Fattastic 4 0.96

Mounds of Pounds 0.95

Beyond Therapy 0.93

Kountry Kids 0.85

3 Hippie Chicks and 1 Dude 0.82

Determined Divas 0.80

Drop It Like Its Hot 0.79

Beach Body 0.77

Ingalls (Individual) 0.65

Subway - Fresh, Fit and Fine 0.64

Inner Beauty 0.62

In It to Win It 0.60

Schumm (individual) 0.49

Loveable Loosers 0.47

Team Tandem 0.45

Deb and the Shady Ladies 0.38

Excuse No More 0.36

Y Not 0.36

Booty Busters 0.29

Tone-ups 0.29

Chubby Chasers 0.27

Tons "ER" Fun 0.20

Muffin Top Madness 0.17

Sassy Stylists 0.15

Red Hot Tarts 0.05

Embler (Individual) 0.00

Heavyweight Rednecks 0.00

Quando Quando 0.00

Spaulding (Individual) 0.00

Guys & Dolls -0.08

Great Expectations -0.24

BFF'S -0.26

Flabulous Four -0.31

Capables -0.38

All 41 -0.49

Confer (Individual) -0.55

3 Taco Bells and A Burrito -0.55

Cookiemeister -0.68

Confer (Individual) -0.75

4 Low Fat Milk Shakes -1.23

Holt (Individual) (Flaming Turtles) -1.37

Sparkling Bud -1.88

2011-04-28T05:00:00.000-07:00

2011-04-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

VEGGIE DELITE – ONLY 230 CALORIES AND 2.5 GRAMS FAT!

2011-04-21T05:00:00.000-07:00

2011-04-18T05:00:00.000-07:00

SWEET ONION CHICKEN TERIYAKI – ONLY 380 CALORIES AND 4.5 GRAMS FAT!

2011-04-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

2011-04-11T05:00:00.000-07:00

TURKEY BREAST – ONLY 280 CALORIES AND 3.5 GRAMS FAT!

2011-04-07T05:00:00.000-07:00

2011-04-04T05:00:00.000-07:00

BLACK FOREST HAM – ONLY 290 CALORIES AND 4.5 GRAMS FAT!

2011-03-31T05:00:00.000-07:00

2011-03-28T05:00:00.000-07:00

TURKEY BREAST & HAM – ONLY 300 CALORIES AND 4 GRAMS OF FAT!

Easy ways to cut breakfast calories

2011-03-24T12:28:00.000-07:00

The following suggestions are courtesy of America on the Move:

Select nonfat or 1% milk instead of whole milk.
Use a small glass for your juice and a small bowl for your cereal
Savor a bowl of bananas, berries, low-fat milk, and sugar substitute instead of a sweet roll.
Choose light yogurt made with no-calorie sweetener.
Split a bagel with someone, or wrap up the other half for tomorrow's breakfast.
Substitute a no-calorie sweetener for sugar in your coffee, tea and cereal.
Use a nonstick skillet and cooking spray in place of butter or margarine to prepare your eggs.
Spread your muffin, bagel, or toast with 2 tablespoons of fat-free cream cheese in place of regular cream cheese.
Substitute no-sugar-added jelly or jam for the sugar-rich varieties.
Select lean ham or Canadian bacon in place of regular sausage or bacon.
Fill your omelet with onions, peppers, spinach and mushrooms instead of cheese and meat.
Lighten up your omelet, frittata, or scrambled eggs by using 4 egg whites or 1/2 cup egg substitute.

2011-03-24T05:00:00.000-07:00

New dietary guidelines

2011-03-22T05:00:00.000-07:00

Every five years, the USDA and HHS update the dietary guidelines that form the basis of U.S. nutritional policy. The new 2010 guidelines, more than ever before, focus on scientific evidence as distilled from last summer's advice from an expert advisory panel.

The new dietary guidelines focus on two major themes:

• watching calories to achieve and maintain a healthy weight
• tipping the balance of calorie intake: More calories from nutrition-rich foods, fewer calories from solid fats, sugars, and refined grains

March Weigh-Ins

2011-03-21T10:30:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to all of the Wells Weighs In participants for your weight loss efforts to date. We are now at the halfway point. With two months left, there is still time to push through any setbacks you may have had and reach your weight loss goals. You can do it!

Eat (a good) Breakfast

2011-03-21T05:00:00.001-07:00

Every. Single. Day. If you don't, your body goes into starvation mode (it's paranoid like that), so your metabolism slows to a crawl to conserve energy, Berardi says. And the heartier your first meal is, the better. In one study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, volunteers who got 22 to 55 percent of their total calories at breakfast gained only 1.7 pounds on average over four years. Those who ate zero to 11 percent of their calories in the morning gained nearly three pounds. In another study published in the same journal, volunteers who reported regularly skipping breakfast had 4.5 times the risk of obesity as those who took the time to eat.

What should you be having? Morning munchies that are slow to digest and leave you feeling fuller longer. Try a mix of lean protein with complex carbohydrates and healthy fats, like this power breakfast, recommended by Berardi: an omelet made from one egg and two egg whites and a half cup of mixed peppers and onions, plus a half cup of cooked steel-cut oats mixed with a quarter cup of frozen berries and a teaspoon of omega-3-loaded fish oil.

2011-03-21T05:00:00.000-07:00

Remember those resolutions in the beginning of the year -- you were going to get in shape, exercise regularly and take fitness classes?

Why you're not seeing fitness results this year

2011-03-18T05:00:00.000-07:00

CNN.com:

It's now the end of January. Are you still doing it?

It's cold -- there's snow outside. Work and family demands are too much. There's no time to squeeze in a workout.

January is the busiest month of the year for Mike Littrel, president and CEO of X3 Sports gyms in Atlanta.

"January is the natural reset point for people -- it's the beginning of the year. The holidays are over. It's a natural time for people to make a change and a shift in their life," he said....

Study: Kids' weight increases when mom works more

2011-03-17T05:00:00.001-07:00

CNN.com:

The length of a mother's employment is associated with an increase in her child's body mass index, according to a study in the journal Child Development.

It's not the first study to suggest that moms' working hours and kids' weight might be related, but it's likely to peeve some mothers.

"It's not causal, it's an association," said lead author Taryn Morrissey about the trends.

"Nobody found a single smoking gun as a cause of childhood obesity. We found quite a small, but (statistically) significant increase in the body mass index of children. This increase is associated with maternal employment."

Morrissey and her co-authors observed the increase in children's BMI -- which, at third grade, was approximately a 1-pound gain for every six months the child's mother worked. The weight gain was cumulative and the link became stronger as the children matured into fifth- and sixth-grade in the analysis of 900 children....

2011-03-17T05:00:00.000-07:00

(CNN) -- Mississippi, the most obese state in the United States, needs to shed pounds. A former pro football player turned fitness coach wants to make it happen.

Former football pro helping fattest state get fit

2011-03-16T09:01:00.001-07:00

CNN.com:

The Magnolia State has an adult obesity rate of 33% and has the highest rate of overweight and obese children in the country, but Paul Lacoste said he's inspired to help his home state get fit.

"It's time for Mississippi to get in shape and show the world we can beat obesity," said the 36-year-old coach from Madison.

Lacoste attended high school in Jackson, played football at Mississippi State University where he was an All-SEC and All-America selection in 1996, and then had a brief career in the NFL, CFL and XFL . He said his football career provided him with the tools he needed to be in top physical shape and he now wants to share these lessons with his home state.....

Holy mole and nopales: A taste of Austin

2011-03-15T12:56:00.000-07:00

CNN.com

Eatocracy’s got boots on the ground at the annual South by Southwest conference in Austin, Texas, and we’re prepping for the third edition of our Secret Supper . While we're down here, we're immersing ourselves in the local tastes that not only “keep Austin weird” but also make it uniquely delicious.

Here’s what’s on the menu.

Blue Bell – Although technically based out of Brenham, Texas, a little ways south of Austin, the Blue Bell brand of ice cream has a cult following in the capital city and is sold in many places around town.

Despite only being available in about a quarter of the nation’s supermarkets, Blue Bell ice cream is consistently found in the top three best-selling ice creams in the United States. It offers year-round flavors like Cookies n' Cream and Homemade Vanilla, and seasonal.....

WOW!

2011-03-14T08:56:00.003-07:00

We are proud to present all the teams participating in the 2011 Wells Weighs In Challenge! Good luck to everyone!

Wilson Losers

2011-03-14T08:56:00.001-07:00

We are proud to present all the teams participating in the 2011 Wells Weighs In Challenge! Good luck to everyone!

Wii Not Fit

2011-03-14T08:52:00.000-07:00

We are proud to present all the teams participating in the 2011 Wells Weighs In Challenge! Good luck to everyone!

Weight Winners

2011-03-14T08:49:00.001-07:00

We are proud to present all the teams participating in the 2011 Wells Weighs In Challenge! Good luck to everyone!

Weight To Go Gals

2011-03-14T08:47:00.000-07:00

We are proud to present all the teams participating in the 2011 Wells Weighs In Challenge! Good luck to everyone!

2011-03-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

Lean more, click here.

Weebles Family

2011-03-11T11:11:00.003-08:00

We are proud to present all the teams participating in the 2011 Wells Weighs In Challenge! Good luck to everyone!

Waisted Away

2011-03-11T11:11:00.001-08:00

We are proud to present all the teams participating in the 2011 Wells Weighs In Challenge! Good luck to everyone!

Waist-A-Ways

2011-03-11T11:10:00.000-08:00

We are proud to present all the teams participating in the 2011 Wells Weighs In Challenge! Good luck to everyone!

Victorious Secret

2011-03-11T11:09:00.003-08:00

We are proud to present all the teams participating in the 2011 Wells Weighs In Challenge! Good luck to everyone!

Underdogs

2011-03-11T11:09:00.001-08:00

We are proud to present all the teams participating in the 2011 Wells Weighs In Challenge! Good luck to everyone!

Ultra Rad Cats

2011-03-10T06:58:00.003-08:00

We are proud to present all the teams participating in the 2011 Wells Weighs In Challenge! Good luck to everyone!

Uganda Bound

2011-03-10T06:58:00.001-08:00

We are proud to present all the teams participating in the 2011 Wells Weighs In Challenge! Good luck to everyone!

Tons ER Fun

2011-03-10T06:57:00.001-08:00

We are proud to present all the teams participating in the 2011 Wells Weighs In Challenge! Good luck to everyone!

Tone Ups

2011-03-10T06:56:00.001-08:00

We are proud to present all the teams participating in the 2011 Wells Weighs In Challenge! Good luck to everyone!

Ton-Of-Fun

2011-03-10T06:55:00.001-08:00

We are proud to present all the teams participating in the 2011 Wells Weighs In Challenge! Good luck to everyone!

Time to Downsize

2011-03-10T06:54:00.001-08:00

We are proud to present all the teams participating in the 2011 Wells Weighs In Challenge! Good luck to everyone!

2011-03-10T05:00:00.000-08:00

Three Taco Belles and One Burrito

2011-03-09T09:44:00.001-08:00

We are proud to present all the teams participating in the 2011 Wells Weighs In Challenge! Good luck to everyone!

Three Hippie Chicks and a Dude

2011-03-09T09:43:00.001-08:00

We are proud to present all the teams participating in the 2011 Wells Weighs In Challenge! Good luck to everyone!

Three Girls and a Boy

2011-03-09T09:42:00.001-08:00

We are proud to present all the teams participating in the 2011 Wells Weighs In Challenge! Good luck to everyone!

Thick and Tired

2011-03-09T09:41:00.001-08:00

We are proud to present all the teams participating in the 2011 Wells Weighs In Challenge! Good luck to everyone!

The Whatevers

2011-03-09T09:40:00.003-08:00

We are proud to present all the teams participating in the 2011 Wells Weighs In Challenge! Good luck to everyone!

That's What He Said

2011-03-09T09:40:00.001-08:00

We are proud to present all the teams participating in the 2011 Wells Weighs In Challenge! Good luck to everyone!

Team Tandem

2011-03-09T09:38:00.000-08:00

We are proud to present all the teams participating in the 2011 Wells Weighs In Challenge! Good luck to everyone!

Team Fabri-Form

2011-03-08T07:08:00.001-08:00

We are proud to present all the teams participating in the 2011 Wells Weighs In Challenge! Good luck to everyone!

Team Caylor

2011-03-08T07:07:00.003-08:00

We are proud to present all the teams participating in the 2011 Wells Weighs In Challenge! Good luck to everyone!

T.O.T.'s

2011-03-08T07:07:00.001-08:00

We are proud to present all the teams participating in the 2011 Wells Weighs In Challenge! Good luck to everyone!

Subway Fresh, Fit and Fine

2011-03-08T07:06:00.001-08:00

We are proud to present all the teams participating in the 2011 Wells Weighs In Challenge! Good luck to everyone!

Spartans

2011-03-08T07:01:00.001-08:00

We are proud to present all the teams participating in the 2011 Wells Weighs In Challenge! Good luck to everyone!

Sparkling Buds

2011-03-08T06:45:00.000-08:00

We are proud to present all the teams participating in the 2011 Wells Weighs In Challenge! Good luck to everyone!

Facts on Blood Pressure

2011-03-07T13:54:00.000-08:00

What is blood pressure?
Blood pressure is the force of blood against the artery walls. It is recorded as two numbers. The systolic pressure (as the heart beats) is recorded over the diastolic pressure (as the heart rests between beats). The measurement is written one above or before the other , with the systolic number on top and the diastolic number on the bottom. For example, a blood pressure of 120/80 mmHg (millimeters of mercury) is expressed as "120 over 80".

What is normal Blood Pressure?
According to The World Health Organization and The International Society of Hypertension, blood pressure is classified as follows:
Normal: Systolic below 120 & Diastolic below 80
Prehypertension: Systolic 120-139 & Diastolic 80-90
Stage 1 Hypertension: Systolic 140-159 & Diastolic 90-99
Stage 2 Hypertension: Systolic 160 or more & Diastolic 100 or more

What is Hypertension?
Blood pressure will typically rise and fall throughout the course of a day. It is when blood pressure remains elevated over an extended period of time that a person can be diagnosed with high blood pressure which is medically termed "hypertension".

Hypertension is dangerous and should be treated by a doctor. It causes the heart to work harder when pumping blood throughout the body's arteries. This can cause an increased risk of stroke and heart disease, congestive heart failure, kidney disease, and blindness.

Next time you are in the Y, you can have your blood pressure checked. This can be a great tool to measure your wellness.

Slimming C's

2011-03-07T09:30:00.003-08:00

We are proud to present all the teams participating in the 2011 Wells Weighs In Challenge! Good luck to everyone!

SLAM

2011-03-07T09:30:00.001-08:00

We are proud to present all the teams participating in the 2011 Wells Weighs In Challenge! Good luck to everyone!

SJOrcas

2011-03-07T09:29:00.002-08:00

We are proud to present all the teams participating in the 2011 Wells Weighs In Challenge! Good luck to everyone!

Sisters +2

2011-03-07T09:29:00.001-08:00

We are proud to present all the teams participating in the 2011 Wells Weighs In Challenge! Good luck to everyone!

Sassy Stylists

2011-03-07T09:28:00.001-08:00

We are proud to present all the teams participating in the 2011 Wells Weighs In Challenge! Good luck to everyone!

Salad Shooters

2011-03-07T09:25:00.000-08:00

We are proud to present all the teams participating in the 2011 Wells Weighs In Challenge! Good luck to everyone!

2011-03-07T05:00:00.000-08:00