ARE YOU WEARING THE RIGHT SNEAKERS?

5 Signs you Need New Sneakers

It is time to change your sneakers if:
1) The bottom of the heel (right or left side) is worn down. CONSEQUENCES: Over pronation or supination can lead to ankle or arch pain, easier to sprain your ankle.

2) The tread on the ball of the foot is worn down. CONSEQUENCES: Leads to midfoot or digit pain, less stable when in the “push off“ phase of walk/running.

3) The upright sides of the heel is weak or sinking down to the left or right. A strong support of the calcaneus (heal bone) is necessary for proper function of the rest of the foot. CONSEQUENCES: More susceptible to sprain the ankle, mid foot pain.

4) Any part of the sole of the sneaker is loose or has created a flap. CONSEQUENCES: The rest of the sneaker will break down faster, easier to trip or sprain your ankle.

5) After putting your hand on the inside lining you can feel (or see) the impression of your toes or heal. CONSEQUENCES: The sneaker is no longer giving back the support it was designed to give.

A great tip is that your sneakers should be changed LONG BEFORE the serious signs of wear are apparent. You will most likely need to buy new sneakers before the outside has begun to look grungy. No mater what type of activity you are doing in the gym you should have THE PROPER pair of sneakers for your feet. As an orthopedic physical therapist I am constantly suggesting the correct foot wear for my patients. In fact, many of the foot, knee and low back injuries that I treat are preventable with a good pair of sneakers.

Super Runners Shop and Jack Rabbit in the city are two stores that I recommend buying your next pair of sneakers. The staff is certified to watch you walk and even run on a treadmill to find the right pair of sneakers for your specific type of foot.

All sneakers are not created equal. Nike and Adidas make really hot looking sneakers with all of the bells, whistles, air bubbles and shox. However, these brands for the most part do not make a great performance sneaker.

FAST SUGGESTIONS:
Flat Feet: Over pronators (feet turn in when walk or run) Should buy--->> “motion control” sneakers. Common foot problem – midfoot pain.
High Arch: Increased supination (feet usually turn outward when walk or run
---> sneakers with “arch support.” Common foot problems - plantar fasciitis.
Tight Calves: Entire foot and heal whips to the side when walk or run --->> Should buy sneakers with built up heals. Common problems- shin splints, achilles tendonitis, leads to high arches, midfoot pain, and plantar fasciitis.

LIGHTEN UP

Want to quickly eliminate fattening calories from your diet? It's easy: simply don't add fat while cooking. Instead of oils, butter, or lard, try cooking with a light cooking spray. Instead of frying, try broiling. Also drain or blot excess oil from food before eating it.

5 DAYS TO A FLATTER STOMACH

If you are an avid reader of this blog you know that I would never say something like this. But when it comes down to it there are actually some tricks of the trade in order to reduce the size of your stomach in a short period of time.

Just remember, you cannot significantly reduce fat storage within 5 days but you can actually decrease the “bloatiness”
factor. If you have a date coming up or a event where you must fit into a certain item of clothing then I suggest that you apply some of these quick and safe tips.

1) CUT DOWN ON THE SALT. Seems obvious I know. But I am talking about the sodium content in pre-packaged food, not the stuff that you shake on top of it. Drastically decreasing salt intake over 5 days will make you look like you lost 5 lbs in the midsection.

2) DRINK 3 LITERS OF WATER A DAY. When your body senses that it does not have enough hydration it holds onto any water that it has……hence bloating. By drinking enough water you will excrete any excess and it will keep you full longer (so you wont be looking to feast on garbage.)

3) CUT DOWN ON SUGAR INTAKE. Look, if you are eating a pre packaged food item you bet your bottom dollar that it has sugar in it. HFCS (high fructose corn syrup), fructose, sucrose, maltodextrin, dextrose, saccharose, etc. They have come up with plenty of different names for sugar and unfortunately they are all bad news. Foods with high amounts of sugar usually mean they also have a high glycemic index. In addition, sugar makes you retain water too!

4) ENGAGE IN 3-5 DAYS WORTH OF RIGOROUS EXERCISE. Please feel free to do more but numbers 1, 2, and 3 in combination with a well rounded exercise program with get you results fast. I am talking about a combination of cardiovascular exercise and strength training…till it hurts. You must leave your workout having worked up a serious sweat and elated that it is over. Much less then this usually does not equate to enough calories being burned.

5) EAT ONLY WHOLE FOODS. Whole foods contain the right amount of vitamins, fiber, carbs, and nutrients that processed foods do not possess. Basically if it has a label, you probably shouldn’t be eating it. Suck it up and make all of your meals without eating out for 5 days and I guarantee that you will see even greater results then a flat stomach.

Good luck on your 5 day journey. It takes work, planning, and determination. I can tell you that you WILL see such great results from this that you may even continue it past the 5 days, god willing.

By the way, if you are looking for 3 weeks worth of ab exercises to get started on right now then CLICK HERE.

CARDIO, Before or After Weights?

Keeping your heart rate up is the key component to ensure that you are working hard enough while performing any type of cardio exercise. In addition, resistance training is an essential component to the getting and staying in shape package. So...if both cardio and weights are important, which do you do first?

Most commonly I see women in the gym doing about 20 minutes on the treadmill then hopping off and heading in the back of the gym for a few weight training exercises. Although this is a is a commonly used method of training, I would like you to try something a bit different. The next time you are at the gym try COMBINING the two together for a fat blasting killer workout. Your heart rate will stay elevated and your muscles will “feel the burn” much earlier in your workout. I.E: Less overall time in the gym! (Sounds great doesn't it.)

SO, after you are warmed up through whichever cardio method you choose (approx 10 minutes) jump off the machine and grab your weights. Do 3 different exercises per 1 body part (about 15 reps each) then quickly move into 2 minutes of jumping rope. Without rest then do 3 different exercises per another body part, then jog for 2 minutes. Then 3 different exercises per another body part and then 2 minutes of jumping jacks?

Summary:
3 different exercises (x 15 reps) for 1 body part ------>>> 2 minutes of hard cario. Repeat cycle by changing the body part each time.

The cardio exercises are a short burst and can be anything like jump rope, jumping jacks, sprint, bike, jogging in place, running up and down the stairs.... use your imagination. This is the method we use in boot camp and it has proven to show some amazing results. Your heart will be pounding and you will be sweating up a storm. BUT most importantly you wont be bored!

To find out how women are loosing weight by implementing the weights and cardio combo visit my site at www.NYCAdventureBootCamp.com .

Got Excuses??

Watch this 1 minute video if you think you are having trouble starting up your exercise routine.

Walking for Fitness: FACT or FICTION?

You know that exercise promotes better health. Your doctor tells you to get more exercise. The government puts out official exercise recommendations for you to follow. And I'm always ranting about the importance of regular exercise. So you go on a walk and then pat yourself on the back. Exercise accomplished-right?

This begs the question: Can you get fit by walking?A research team at the University of Alberta took this question on in a detailed study. They compared a group that took part in a walking program with a group that did a traditional fitness routine at moderate intensity. The results? The fitness level of the walkers was significantly lower than those who did traditional exercise at moderate intensity.

Here is what the lead researcher, Dr. Vicki Harber, had to say:"Generally, low-intensity activity such as walking alone is not likely to give anybody marked health benefits compared to programs that occasionally elevate the intensity."Harber went on to say that, "You've go to do MORE than light exercise and move towards the inclusion of regular moderate activity, and don't be shy to interject an occasional period of time at the vigorous level."

Hmmm, so walking for exercise WON'T give you the health benefits that more challenging exercise delivers. What does this mean for your walking routine? Is there any place in fitness for walking?

What walking can do for you...Don't get me wrong-there is a place for walking in fitness. If you are brand new to exercise then walking is the first activity that you'll need to master. Walking is a wonderful activity for you if your body is overweight, under conditioned and simply unaccustomed to moving much. Look at walking as a stepping stone to fitness. It transitions you from the couch to the gym. Walking is just a notch above not moving-you'll burn a few calories and warm up unused muscles.

The problem comes when your exercise routine begins and ends with walking. You see, like the study above pointed out, walking just won't deliver results. Your body is so efficient in its ability to adapt that you have to increase your exercise intensity in order to see results. Beyond walking...Once you have mastered brisk walking, you are ready for a new challenge, namely, resistance training. If you haven't tried resistance training then it may sound a little scary. Isn't resistance training just a fancy word for 'lifting weights'? And don't you have to be an athlete to lift weights?

I understand your reservations about beginning a resistance training program, however the facts are undeniable-in order to achieve substantial health and fitness results you must use resistance training. Besides, you will soon find resistance training to be quite enjoyable and not something exclusive to athletes.

What are the benefits of Resistance Training? Just to name a few...
· Increase in muscle strength and tone
· Increase in metabolism (this means extra fat burning)
· Increase in bone density
· Injury prevention
· Improved posture
· Improved health (lowered blood pressure and cholesterol; lowers your risk for adult-onset diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers)
· Improved mood and self esteem

Wow-that's an impressive list of benefits. Resistance training is simply the way to go when you want to get fit. Couple a resistance training program with a challenging cardiovascular routine and you will be well on your way to achieving all of your fitness goals. If you aren't seeing results with your current exercise program then it is time to give me a call.

THE REAL HOUSWIVES OF ORANGE COUNTY are doing it too!

It seems like everywhere you go these days you are hearing about the hottest new trend in women's weight loss - BOOT CAMP. Currently 3 of the women on the reality show "The Real Housewives of Orange County" are enrolled in Adventure Boot Camp in California. WATCH A CLIP HERE>>>> And yes, this is the SAME Adventure Boot Camp program that is available to the women of NYC.

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Check out the show on Bravo to see these women workout and loose the lbs. OR you can come and experience it for yourself starting January 7th! (The only difference between their program and ours... we are indoors b/c unfortunately this isn't sunny California:)

USE YOUR IPOD TO GET IN SHAPE

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NUTRITION LABELS REVEALED

Eat smart with these 7 pointers

If you are like most people then you probably glance at the Nutrition Facts label on foods once in a while. Maybe you check for the number of calories or fat grams that an item contains, or maybe you are watching something specific - like your sodium intake.

Whatever the case, it has been proven that those who pay attention to the Nutrition Facts label end up eating healthier.The more familiar you are with the Nutritional Facts label, the more likely you will be fit and healthy.Each Nutritional Facts label has been designed to quickly and efficiently give you all of the important facts about a food item. You just need to know what you are looking for. Read on as we break down the Nutritional Facts label into 7 important facts.


Fact #1: Serving Size This small detail skews the entire label if you don't read it closely. An item may seem like it is only one serving, but the Nutritional Facts label will consider it to be 2 or 3 servings. If the label says 100 calories, but there are actually 3 servings, then you are getting a total of 300 calories. Pay close attention to what makes a serving.

Fact #2: Calories Most people don't have the time to count every calorie that they put in their mouth - this is understandable. However, you probably have a pretty good idea about the amount of food that you eat each day. When you approach a new item, read the calorie totals on the Nutritional Facts label, and factor the new calories into your daily intake. Steer clear of high calorie items - especially in the form of snack foods.

Fact #3: Fat By now you have undoubtedly heard that all fats were not created equal. Here is a quick 1-2-3 breakdown.
Limit your intake of Saturated Fats - this deadly fat contributes to heart disease.
Avoid Trans Fats at all costs - not only does it contribute to heart disease, it also raises LDL cholesterol (the bad one).
Focus on eating monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats - these don't raise LDL cholesterol and can even help lower blood cholesterol.
As you decide what food to include in your diet, keep your eye on the type and amount of fat included in each item. Remember, all fats were not created equal.

Fact #4: Carbohydrate Though zero carb diets are losing their momentum, you may have been influenced by the idea that all carbohydrates will make you fat. That is simply not true. It is true, however that some carbohydrates are healthier than others. In fact, medical experts think that excess consumption of refined carbohydrates (such as soda pop, white rice, and white flour) are one of the reasons behind the rise of obesity we see today.Choose fibrous, complex carbohydrates over sugary, simple carbohydrates.

Fact #5: Protein The fact stands that most of us are getting plenty of protein in our diet. The problem arises when we examine the source of this protein. Meats and dairy products that are high full of fat may be filled with protein, but they aren't the healthiest form of protein. Choose protein from lean meats, dry beans, poultry, and low fat/fat free dairy products.

Fact #6: The Good Stuff Directly beneath the protein count on the Nutritional Facts label you will see the percent daily value of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Calcium and Iron that the food item contains. These numbers are easily overlooked, but hold great importance to your overall health. The more nutrient-rich food items provide you with the greatest benefit per calorie. Compare food brands and choose the most nutrient-rich option.

Fact #7: Evaluate Your Lifestyle Now that you understand the Nutritional Facts label on your food, you may still have questions about how to change your fitness level. Eating right is just one part of the equation in your quest for a healthy, fit body. Exercise is vastly important as well, and happens to be my specialty. If you have questions about how you can get into the best shape of your life, please contact me today.


Call or email me today to get started on an exercise program that will greatly improve the way you look and feel.

Fast Food Tip

Thanksgiving is a time when we gather to give thanks and to pass the gravy. Here's a fun way to make that gravy a little less fattening: Place an ice cube in the gravy and watch as excess fat sticks to it. Now throw out the fat laden ice and enjoy your lightened gravy!