Train Your Body

Whether it's losing weight before a big event (class reunion), or just trying to get back in the swing of working out, you may have hired a personal trainer to help you with your specific goals.You may be dying to ask your personal trainer certain questions, like how quickly will you be seeing results?Listen in as fitness experts Grace Desimone and Neal Pire answer the most common questions that you may want to ask your personal trainer.

You might have heard how bad sitting can be for your health. Unfortunately, you might be spending most of your time sitting at work, and you might find it difficult to stay active throughout the workday. What if there was a way to get some exercise in while you were at the office?By providing workers with a portable pedaling device, researchers have discovered that inspiring office employees to be active at work could be as easy as pedaling a bike... and they don't even have to leave their desks.Listen in as John Higgins, MD, discusses what a portable pedaling device is and how it can help you stay active throughout the work week.

If you're trying to lose weight or keep better track of your calorie intake and how many calories you're burning, fitness trackers can be great.Activity trackers can provide a good overall estimate of calories burned, but a new study finds they're less accurate when measuring certain activities, such as strength training.Listen in as John Higgins, MD, shares why your activity tracker could be great for monitoring certain activities, but not strength training. He also discusses if there is a way to accurately measure your activity level during strength training.

Meat can be a great source of protein, B vitamins and minerals like iron and zinc. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) is suggesting that eating red meat and processed meat can increase your risk for cancer.The WHO indicated in their report that 50 grams of processed meat a day can increase your chance of developing colorectal cancer by 18 percent.Processed meat is labeled as such when something has been added to the meat product in order to extend shelf life or change the taste (for example, when a meat is smoked, cured, or has added preservatives).What else did the WHO find in their research?Listen in as Felicia Stoler, PhD, shares the latest findings from the WHO on meat and your cancer risk.

Halloween isn't just for kids; adults also can participate in the fun festivities that take place every October.Whether dressing up in costumes, watching scary movies with festive foods, or having parties with their friends, most people enjoy Halloween.However, Halloween can also be the beginning of a failing dieting plan.In fact, Americans eat approximately 24 pounds of candy every year. How can you enjoy Halloween without the dent in your diet?Felicia Stoler, PhD, shares the non-candy treats that are surprisingly healthy and won't cause your diet to go haywire.

What you eat is an essential part of achieving and maintaining good health. What you may not know is that when and how you eat can be just as important. This is especially true if your goal is to lose weight.Here are two ways that changing the way you eat can help you lose weight and keep it off:First, eating more slowly can help you limit the amount of food you eat. In addition to controlling how much food you consume, eating slower is a good way to enjoy meals -- both the food and the company -- more fully.There is a physiological reason to slow down, too. Your appetite is regulated by a host of factors, including the act of eating and the presence of food in your stomach. As you eat, your stomach fills. This triggers the release of hormones that signal your brain to reduce your appetite. The result is that as your stomach fills, you feel less hungry.The combination of what, when, and how you eat can make an important difference in how much you eat, the key to losing weight and keeping it off. As you try to

Making changes to diet and exercise habits for weight loss or to improve health and fitness can be one of the most difficult behavior modifications to undertake.Making lasting changes (think years, not weeks or months), means that these behaviors must be maintained, and success depends on much more than simply following a diet or exercise program.Perhaps the most important tool for promoting long-term behavior changes is preventing a slip-up from happening. For example, a bad day or bad week of sticking to your diet is considered a slip-up, or even a relapse.No one is perfect, so lapses will naturally occur. It's important not to beat yourself up about it but rather move forward and make a note of what could have caused that lapse to happen.What are the ways you can prevent a lapse from happening?Listen in as Brian Parr, PhD, shares how you can break the diet chain and finally reach your weight loss goals.

Even though you may not like how obsessed our society has become with social media, a new study shows that it might actually be beneficial when it comes to your health.A study conducted by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and published in the journal Prevention Medicine Reports found that social networks can actually help you stay motivated to work out, especially during cold months.In a randomized controlled trial, researchers created a website where 217 graduate students enrolled in free exercise classes. Some of the participants received promotional messages (including motivational videos and infographics on fitness tips), while the other participants did not receive anything.What did the researchers find after the 13-week study?Walking coach, Michele Stanton, shares how social media networks can help you stay motivated to work out.

When the weather gets a little colder, it's easy to find any excuse to stay curled up on the couch and skip your workout.The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, five days per week, and 8-10 strength training exercises (with 8-12 repetitions of each) twice per week to maintain good health.During the winter, you can either opt for walking at an indoor track, using a gym for stationary bikes or treadmills, or work out inside your home.Michele Stanton, Walking Coach, joins Melanie Cole, MS, to discuss how you can stay motivated to work out throughout the colder months.

High intensity interval training (HIIT) is often recommended as a way to improve cardiovascular fitness in men and women.However, studies on these exercise regimens have focused on younger subjects. Researchers looked at whether HIIT effects were the same for older males and females as those noted in younger adults and found significant differences in the results in men and women.What are some exercises that women can do to achieve results?John Higgins, MD, discusses why HIIT might work better for men than for women, as well as other exercises women can do to achieve results.

Even if you save going out with your partner or friends for the weekend, sipping on too many cocktails just one or two nights a week can have drastic consequences on your diet.You may not realize it, but alcoholic beverages can be packed with calories. In fact, a five-ounce glass of red or white wine contains about 120 calories, a 12-ounce beer has about 150 calories, and a 1.5-ounce shot of 80-proof liquor has about 100 calories.Alcohol also lowers your blood sugar, which can cause you to rummage around your kitchen looking for something to eat.John Higgins, MD, joins Melanie Cole, MS, to discuss how alcohol can blow your diet.

Even though pulling a muscle isn't considered life threatening, it still can be a huge pain.Muscle cramping can keep you from exercising, or from reaching any goals that you've previously set for yourself.But, why do muscle cramps happen? Is it from overuse (fatigue) or do you have something a little more serious like an electrolyte deficiency?Listen in as Michael F. Bergeron, PhD, FACSM, shares whether or not your muscle cramping is derived from fatigue or electrolyte deficiencies.

If you or someone you love is involved in athletics, you know how important it is to keep your health safe and your body injury-free.You may also know the importance of getting your child involved in athletics at a younger age in order to help them seek the benefits of both physical activity and social interaction. However, trying to keep athletics fun in order for your child to stay interested over the years can be a challenge.Michael F. Bergeron, PhD, FACSM, shares how you can find ways to make athletics balanced and fun.

Recently, the U.S. Surgeon General launched a campaign to help address major health epidemics like diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.With only 22 minutes a day of walking, you can drastically decrease your risk of serious health issues later in life. However, a 2013 study by the U.S. Department of Transportation found that three out of 10 Americans reported there were no sidewalks along any streets in their neighborhood. Another barrier that doesn't allow many people in communities to walk is violence or the perception of violence.The U.S. Surgeon General is urging community planners and local leaders to create areas for walking that everyone can access. If you're interested in learning more, please visit www.surgeongeneral.gov. How can you promote walking and walking communities?Bob Sallis, MD, joins Melanie Cole, MS, to discuss the U.S. Surgeon General's campaign for walking and how you can participate.

If you have a specific goal weight in mind, or if you're counting down the days until a huge life event, it might be time to increase your fitness routine.Oftentimes, people think they need to increase their fitness routines by simultaneously working out several times a day and decreasing the amount of calories they consume. However, focusing your attention on doing more may actually backfire and end up causing an injury or burnout.How do you know when enough is enough?Fitness experts Neal Pire and Grace Desimone share why less is more when it comes to working out to see results, as well as explain what the KISS method entails.

There are many reasons you may hire a personal trainer. For example, you may need someone to help motivate you through your workouts. When you're out of breath and dripping with sweat, do you ever wonder what your trainer is thinking?Even if you think your lifestyle habits aren't so bad, your trainer might think otherwise.But, will your trainer ever tell you what he or she is really thinking?Listen in as fitness experts Neal Pire and Grace Desimone share the top three fitness instructor thoughts.

Research suggests that by eight months after New Year's Day, over half of you who made New Year's resolutions have either lost momentum, or have completely given up. In fact, research says that only eight percent of you will reach your goal.Why is that?Usually the most common resolutions are to quit smoking, lose weight, and get into a fitness routine. But, these are some of the most difficult resolutions to follow. The reason is because you have to make significant lifestyle modifications that you may not be ready for. Some also set unrealistic goals or take on too much at once.If you've lost sight of your resolution, you don't need to wait until January 1 to start all over again.Why not give yourself a second chance on your New Year's Resolution?Brian Parr, PhD, shares why you don't need to wait until January for a second chance at your New Year's resolution.

It all seems so simple; steer clear of processed foods, exercise, drink lots of water, and you'll be on the right path for a healthy life.However, it's not that simple. Nutrition and exercises are constantly changing, and it seems like there are always new diets to try and new workouts that promise to help shed troubled areas.This can make you feel confused, overwhelmed, and quick to throw in the towel. It's not your fault if you struggle with understanding health information and the recommendations that surround you. But, it IS your responsibility to learn as much as you can to make the best choices for you and your family.How can you learn basic health information?Brian Parr, PhD, shares why it's your responsibility to learn how to eat healthy for you and your family.

Fads come and go; this is especially true for foods. Every year there seems to be several food trends that flow into your grocery stores and restaurants.What are the top 10 healthy food trends of 2015?According to an article posted on Everyday Health, here are the top 10 foods of 2015: Teff Beet greens Heirloom Beans Grass-fed dairy and meats Nut-based vegan cheese Gluten free flours Bone broth Rutabagas Hyperlocal and non-GMO foods Braising your food, not roasting Listen in as Felicia Stoler, PhD, shares the top 10 health food trends of 2015.

Food labels are important to fully know what's in the food that you're buying and eating. However, the difference between "organic" and "natural" and what those terms mean, food labels might be a little confusing.What are the most common misleading labels on food?Felicia Stoler, PhD, shares the common misleading food labels and how you can choose your food without being fooled.