GREAT RESOURCE: Inner IDEA

I recently discovered this online resource. Their mission is to "inspire the world to wellness through body, mind and spirit." Here are just a few of the articles that peaked my interest:

• Food and Mood
  
• People Underestimate Daily Food Choices
• Positive Attitudes Breed Success
• Eating Slowly Inhibits Appetite

A Lifetime of Health: Tips to Raise Healthy Kids

#1 Cook with them. Read the entire article.

Shameless Promotion: 10 Reasons to Hire a Trainer

Many automatically equate personal training with gyms full of hard-core strength trainers and bodybuilders. This is only part of the picture. More and more people, novice and veteran exercisers alike, are working with personal trainers because they offer a practical and affordable means of getting and staying healthy. The American Council on Exercise shares the following top 10 reasons why you should hire a personal trainer.

7 Deadly Sins

OK, so the title is a bit provocative. However, if you think about honestly...overweight=unhealthy=health risks. Does this describe you?

Healthy Investment: Employers save $1.65 for every $1 spent on wellness

Employers can save $1.65 in healthcare expenses for every dollar spent on comprehensive employee wellness programs, according to a new study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

Watch Football, Text in and Donate to Fight Childhood Obesity

In the quintessential American past-time of football, Super Bowl Sunday, the finale of the season, takes on a special meaning. In the middle of the usual high-profile commercials that can cost $3 million for 30-seconds of air time, viewers will see a 10-second United Way television ad asking users to donate via SMS to a campaign fighting childhood obesity. The ad will premier during the Super Bowl game this Sunday, and will continue to run until the summer. Read More >>

Commitment (and its other benefits)

Allow me to be crass for a moment. Lent starts today. Growing up, it was about "giving up". Now as an adult, I view it as a sign or symbol of my commitment. As a fitness professional, I also view it as an opportunity. This year I'll show my commitment by forgoing my daily Starbucks green tea latte (grande, soy, no water and extra hot, in a personal cup to be exact). Let's look at Lent through the eyes of a certified personal trainer for a moment. That's -260 calories per day for 40 days. That equals 10,400 calories or 2.97 pounds that I could also forgoe.
Thank God for that!

Sex and Exercise

Given that about two-thirds of American adults are overweight or obese (68.3 million men and 65 million women according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) and only 26 percent of adults being physically active, for many couples a healthier lifestyle may be the ticket to a happier love life.
Read the article from the America Council on Exercise.

NBC Report: A Nation of "Indoorsmen"

In this story based on a study published by the Nature Conservancy, NBC missed a huge opportunity. It neglects to mention the health considerations - mental and physical - represented by our diminishing relationship with the great outdoors. So, allow me to add a little something...

This study and report support an obvious fact - times have changed. The majority of Americans chose a virtual or electronic reality, and we've become less active and, consequently, less healthy. I'll never knock technology, but I will say that we need to adjust for our sakes and for our future!

Here's the clip:

Meow!

OK, I know that a Lion is different than a cat, but I felt so welcome that perhaps I got confused. Thanks to the Burlingame Lions Club for hosting me as their weekly luncheon speaker yesterday. I'd especially like to thank Lion Gary Vielbaum, owner of Burlingame Auto Repair,and Lion Dan Anderson, the current Lions Club President, for their kindness in arranging the event. During the conversation, I invited the club members to "be visibly active". In my view, sometimes the simplest ideas are the most profound. By being visibly active in our communities and families, we can set the example and therefore determine the course for a more healthy future for all of America. With that said, I'm off to take the dog for walk.