Have you heard what they are saying?

“I saw an article in the Boulder Daily Camera when MBF first started.  My doctor agreed it could help with my asthma, high blood pressure and obesity.  It has!  I appreciate the expert help in the gym and the social aspect of exercising with friends.   Keep up the good work.” –Susan R. (exercise participant)

“After developing scar tissue, post fibro derma removal breast surgery, Brianna (MBF physical therapist) was able to relieve the discomfort with ultrasound and massage – The desired outcome!” – anonymous

Exercise At Any Age

Every time I walk into the fitness center at Golden West Manor (in Boulder), I am greeted with a smiling face known as Don Shields.   Don is 86 years old and has a complex medical history.  In spite of this, he is quick to greet you with a positive attitude and a story about the water jug in the corner.  The jug weighs 40 lbs, the equivalent to how much Don has lost since he joined the Supervised Exercise Program, in the Golden West fitness center, a year ago.

“John Barclay (MBF exercise physiologist) turned my life around. He taught me how to go from being obese to becoming fit.”  Don, or Dr. Don as some call him, is proud of his success, as he should be.  “John also taught me to shove half the food to the other side of my plate.”

Don maintains the motto: make the best of what you have and deal with the setbacks with a positive attitude.  Don’s physiologist considers, and monitors, his health obstacles when designing a workout program.  Most physiologists believe that exercise can help many medically-complex issues, even those like Don’s.    

You can find success too! 

Regular exercise yields many benefits, regardless of age. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the American Heart Association (AHA) have jointly published exercise recommendations for older adults. These recommendations are specific in four areas: aerobic (cardiovascular) conditioning, muscle strengthening, flexibility and balance.

ACSM/AHA recommends older adults engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week, or at least 75 minutes of vigorous intensity exercise per week, or some combination of moderate and vigorous intensity exercise.

Sound impossible?  It’s not!

The most important message is to keep active. Reducing sedentary behavior at any age will help prevent/treat chronic disease and help maintain your functional capacity to keep you living independently longer.  The best exercises are those that are low impact. Walking is a good choice, as well as aquatic exercises and stationary bicycle exercise.

Changing your behavior can take effort to begin with, but it does become increasingly automatic and therefore easier over time. Here are some guidelines for developing healthy exercise habits (Be sure to obtain clearance from you primary care physician before you begin a workout program):

·         Don’t try to change too much at once. Set your focus on one or two small new habits at a time.

·         Develop goals: Be specific; make sure you measure progress and success; choose goals that are achievable and realistic.

·         Focus daily on why you are trying to change.

·         Schedule time for your new habits.

·         Create an accountability system. Keep a diary, use a smart phone app, get a training buddy, or be accountable to an exercise physiologist, trainer, dietitian, doctor or friend.

·         Build in positive reinforcement through reminder tools: such as visual cues like photographs or talking to others about your goals.

·         Monitor your progress.

Finally, take it easy on yourself. If at first you are unsuccessful start again. Remember that starting a new habit can be a lot of effort yet once you begin to form a habit, even if you lapse, it will be easier to restart because healthy patterns will begin to remerge and be established.

Article submitted by MBF Marketing Director Adrienne Rosel, with contributions from Exercise Physiologist Greg Cooper and other MBF staff. (MBF) Medically-Based Fitness is located in both Boulder and Longmont.  For further questions/comments/inquiries please call 303-447-2873 or email arosel@medfit.net

Feb. Newsletter

Feb. 2012 newsletter is posted to our web site
http://www.medfit.net/Community.html

Be Inspired!

Check out this inspirational video I pulled from Yahoo!  It is about Preventative Medicine.  Definitely worth watching.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/this-could-be-big-abc-news/ultimate-example-preventive-medicine-232140727.html

Keep Your New Year Diet On Track

10 Worst Restaurant Chain Meals

Are your favorite restaurants making you fat? It depends on what you’re ordering. We investigated some of the country’s most popular restaurants to pinpoint the most fattening menu options. Diner, beware.

Applebee’s

Provolone-Stuffed Meatballs With Fettuccine -- oh, you saucy minx. These cheese-filled meatballs on top of heaps of fettuccine pasta equal 1,510 calories and a whopping 43 grams of saturated fat. The Food and Drug Administration recommends that most adults consume 2,000 calories and 65 grams of fat, with 20 grams of that being saturated fat, daily. Translation? One serving of this meal provides about a day’s worth of calories and over two days’ worth of saturated fat.

Instead, go for something off the Under 550 Calories menu, which boasts tasty dishes like Roasted Garlic Sirloin and Sizzling Asian Shrimp and Broccoli.

Chili’s

One of the worst options on the Chili’s menu? The Southern Smokehouse Burger With Ancho Chile BBQ. It has 2,290 calories and 139 grams of fat. In fact, all of the burgers on the Chili’s menu are well over 1,000 calories. And if you’re going for a lighter option, watch out: The Quesadilla Explosion Salad has 1,300 calories and 87 grams of fat. So much for “a fresh take on salads.”

Your best bet is the Margarita Grilled Chicken (550 calories). Order it with a side of steamed broccoli (80 calories) or sweet corn on the cob with butter (200 calories) to keep yourself from completely ruining your diet.

T.G.I. Friday’s

In short, stay away from anything labeled Jack Daniel’s Grill -- it may taste good, but it’s not so good for your waistline. The Jack Daniel’s Salmon has the lowest calorie count (890) -- but add sides and you’re back to a colossal calorie bomb. The Kansas City BBQ Burger is also a bad bet: It comes in at 1,510 calories and 29 grams of saturated fat. (And that’s before fries.)

Try going for the Balsamic Glazed Chicken Caesar Salad or the Dragonfire Chicken entree (chicken with a Chinese kung pao sauce served over jasmine rice with broccoli).

California Pizza Kitchen

Thinking of a deli sandwich? Be sure to skip CPK’s Italian Deli Sandwich With Herb Cheese; it has 1,260 calories and 23 grams of saturated fat. Even worse? The Pesto Cream Penne With Chicken and Shrimp, which rounds out at 1,631 calories and 58 grams of saturated fat.

Your best bet is sticking with the item the restaurant is named for: Pizza. Plain cheese or chicken is the smartest option. Split one with a friend and add a salad, and you’re looking at about 800 calories.

Olive Garden

One of the worst contenders on the menu is the Tour of Italy, which comes in at 1,450 calories and 74 grams of fat, 33 grams of which are saturated fat (plus 3,830 milligrams of sodium). The worst part about dining at Olive Garden is that you’re left with not so many options in the healthy eating department: Half a dozen of the choices on the Classic Pastas menu exceed 1,000 calories (plus, let’s not forget the breadsticks!).

Instead, go for protein-based meals with not-so-heavy sauces, like the Venetian Apricot Chicken (400 calories). If you’re hunkering for pasta, stick to the Linguine alla Marinara, which contains a respectable 430 calories.

Outback Steakhouse

We get it: If you’re going to a steak house, you’re probably jonesing for red meat. But if you choose Baby Back Ribs (with Aussie Fries), you’ll be consuming 1,539 calories and 38 grams of saturated fat.

Instead, choose something from the Under 500 Calories menu -- which includes a 6-ounce sirloin. See? You can have your meat and eat it too (without the guilt).

The Cheesecake Factory

If you think you only have to worry about the cheesecake, you’re wrong. Not one of this chain’s Factory Combinations -- which offer two-meat dishes -- has less than 1,000 calories and 40 grams of saturated fat. Other huge diet killers? The Factory Burrito Grande (1,840 calories) and the surprising Grilled Chicken and Avocado Club (1,400 calories).

You’re better off sticking to -- interestingly enough -- The Factory Burger. It has 740 calories (be sure to skip the fries and add some fresh veggies if you want a side). Or order from the SkinnyLicious menu, which offers almost 50 dishes under 590 calories.

Chipotle

These big burritos are delicious -- but also packed with calories! One Burrito, with your choice of meat, plus beans, rice, sour cream, cheese and salsa, comes in at about 1,000 calories (or more).

Get the same great taste -- and save yourself some calories -- by ordering a Burrito Bowl (sans the rice). Or, take the less is more approach and share the Burrito with a friend.

Cosi

Don’t be fooled by Cosi’s flatbread pizzas. The Smokey BBQ Chicken Flatbread Pizza comes in at 913 calories -- and 11 grams of saturated fat. Another one to watch out for: the Steak T.B.M. Sandwich (tomato, basil, mozzarella), which packs 821 calories and 19 grams of saturated fat.

To cut down on the calories and fat, choose something from the “lighter side” menu, which takes items from the original menu and lightens them up a bit. You can choose anything from a Cosi Cobb Salad Light to the Tandoori Chicken Sandwich Light.

Red Lobster

Red Lobster is one of the best restaurants out there in terms of good-for-you options. But be forewarned: The seafood spot boasts some very bad-for-you meals too, like the Admiral’s Feast, coming in at 1,280 calories and 73 grams of fat (not to mention the Cheddar Biscuits, at 150 calories and 8 grams of fat each).

Instead, go for the Garlic-Grilled Jumbo Shrimp, which equals 370 calories and 9 grams of fat. Order a side of steamed veggies and you’ll be doing your body good.

Article from www.thenest.com

Stay On Track With Nutrition

 Be aware of the hidden pitfalls when it comes to your nutrition and diet.  Check out some of the nutrition guidelines we found on http://www.thenest.com/

6 Foods That Will Sabotage Your Diet

You can run on the treadmill until the soles of your sneakers are flat, but that's not going to help much if you're still snacking on drinks and fast-food (yes, even the salads). Get smart about your diet by eliminating these foods from your regular rotation and saving them only for special occassions. You might be surprised: After a while, you won't even miss 'em!

Juices and Fruit Punches
You probably drink several servings at a time without realizing it (25 calories here and there add up). Buy 100 percent fruit juice and drink a serving of only three-quarters to one cup. Or mix even less juice with seltzer for a fun fizz. Better yet, go for the whole fruit: An eight-ounce glass of OJ has 120 calories, while one whole orange has only 60 to 70 calories, plus fiber.

Energy Drinks
They're packed with more sugar and calories than juice, and there are usually at least three servings in a bottle (we bet you treat one bottle as one serving -- wrong!). If you need a pick-me-up, have a glass of plain cold water. Sometimes you feel slow because you're dehydrated.

Fancy Flavored Coffees
Whole milk and added flavorings turn a benign coffee into a decadent indulgence. Cut the fat from your coffees by ordering the smallest serving with skim milk; skip the flavored sugary syrups. Instead, sprinkle some cocoa, vanilla, or cinnamon powder on the frothy milk. It's cute and much better for you.

Soda -- Even Diet Drinks
The jury is still out on whether or not diet soda may actually cause you to eat more calories or if people simply use it as an excuse to indulge in other foods. Either way, there's no nutritional value to any soda, and regular soft drinks are how many people get their extra calories. Instead, go with unsweetened iced tea with a squeeze of lemon, 100 percent fruit juice or vegetable juice (just 1 cup = 2 fruit servings for the day), or plain water.

Fast-food Sandwiches
That made-to-order sub you get each Saturday is probably prepared on a six-inch hero -- all that bread is about four servings (you only need about 7 to 10 servings of bread each day; having four at lunch will likely cause you to go over 10 by the end of the day). Skip the chips and cookie or get a smaller sandwich on whole-wheat bread. Leave off the cheese and choose leaner deli meats like roast turkey and roast beef instead of tuna or chicken salad. Load on the veggies and avoid mayo and honey mustard (which is often made with mayo).

Fast-food Salads
They're healthy in theory, right? But when your greens are topped with crispy chicken, cheese, bacon bits, croutons, and dressing, you're looking at 30 grams of fat and 500 calories. That's more than a regular-size hamburger, a garden salad with vinaigrette, and low-fat milk! Stick with the grilled chicken but leave off the bacon, use half the cheese, and pour on only half of the dressing packet.
Check out our Activity Calculator and see how many calories you're burning.
Get more diet and fitness tips from the experts at The Nest.

[Nestpert] Lona Sandon, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association and assistant professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center