Julie M.'s Posts - Wellsphere

Curbing Cravings? What Really Works by Julie M. Posted in: General Discussion in Healthy Eating Every afternoon right around 4:30 or 5:00, I get the munchies. Well, not really the munchies, but unless I've had a really big or late lunch, I start anticipating dinner which is usually at least a couple of hours away. I used to ignore my cravings, but I found that then at dinnertime, I piled on the food, often having seconds and eating way... Read on »

Keep Your Cool During Summertime Workouts by Julie M. Posted in: General Discussion in Exercise Although it sometimes feels as though summer never comes to San Francisco what with all the wind and the fog, there are those blessed days when the sun shines and the temperatures rise just like in the rest of the country. What can you do to make your workouts work in the summer heat? Exercise itself raises your body temperature, and working... Read on »

Wanna Give Zumba a Try? by Julie M. Posted in: Questions & Answers in Dance Those of us who cut out fitness teeth on aerobics and Jazzercise classes are always looking for the next big thing in group fitness. Turns out for many it is Zumba, a high-energy workout that combines Latin and other music including Afircan, Arabic and Hindu, with interval training and resistance using a combination of slow and fast rhythms to ... Read on »

Snack Hearty! by Julie M. Posted in: General Discussion in Healthy Eating A couple of months ago I share on Wellsphere that I enjoyed Trader Joe’s peanut butter-filled pretzels. I eat them almost every day around 5:00, about an hour or so before dinner. I just have a small handful, and they really cut my hunger, and I’ve thought for a while that I eat less dinner when I’ve indulged in this particular snack. Turns o... Read on »

More on H2O by Julie M.

1 Comments Posted in: General Discussion in Healthy Eating I just reported that water is the best sports drink around, and drinking more of it can even help you lose weight. But what if you crave a little flavor with your H2O? Well, as I’m sure you know there are a host of flavored, water-based beverages out there, and some are better than others. Last year I was convinced that Vitamin Water was for ... Read on »

The Perfect Diet Drink by Julie M.

1 Comments Posted in: General Discussion in Exercise It should come as no surprise. If you’re trying to lose or maintain a healthy weight, water is the best beverage around. Research from a study of the water-drinking habits of women who were following different diets from Ornish to Atkins found that the more water the women drank, the less weight they lost. Women who either increased their wate... Read on »

Walk This Way by Julie M.

2 Comments Posted in: General Discussion in Strength Training Did you know that walking on sand burns almost twice as many calories as walking on a trail or road? If you have access to a beach, take your walks there as plodding across an uneven surface such as sand will make your muscles work harder, boosting your calorie burn. You can also try walking backward (look out for trees and people!), walking f... Read on »

More On Healthy Breakfasts by Julie M. Posted in: General Discussion in Healthy Eating Don’t like eggs and spinach? I have another combo for you: oatmeal and strawberries. There’s something in oatmeal, especially the steel-cut kind, or coarse oats, called oat phenols that include fiber and nutrients that are incredibly good for you. Remember the oat bran craze? Well, if you combine the vitamin C in strawberries, or a glass of... Read on »

Interval Training Beats Boredom, Builds Stamina by Julie M. Posted in: General Discussion in Exercise I don’t know about you, but the thought of spending 30-plus minutes running, using the StairMaster, elliptical trainer, or exercise bike straight bores me silly. The only thing that keeps me going for longer than 20 minutes doing any aerobic workout is to either take a class or to switch it up. For example, I do 20 minutes on one machine, then... Read on »

Two Percent Milk is NOT Low Fat by Julie M.

1 Comments Posted in: General Discussion in Healthy Eating Recently the fact that Starbucks switched from whole milk to 2 percent milk in its espresso drinks made news. And many of us reach for the 2 percent when we’re trying to lower the fat content in our diet yet can’t stand the taste of nonfat or “skim” milk. But 2 percent milk has only one-third less fat than whole milk! If you’re truly interest... Read on »

Skip the Sunscreen for Five? by Julie M.

3 Comments Posted in: Questions & Answers in Recreation We’re all so conditioned to slather on the SPF 15 or higher that we may be shortchanging ourselves on vitamin D! Although we do get vitamin D from foodâ€”fortified cereals and milk, tuna, salmon, and eggsâ€”the sun is the very best source of this important vitamin that helps protect against breast, colon, and prostate cancers. So, before you c... Read on »

To Stretch or Not to Stretch? by Julie M.

1 Comments Posted in: Questions & Answers in Exercise For a long time, stretching has been considered a mandatory part of any warm up. Many runners, bikers, and aerobics junkies stretch before they start out, and stretching is built into most exercise classes. But recent studies indicate that there is no solid scientific evidence that stretching just before exercise has any benefits. But expert... Read on »

Getting Kids to Get Fit by Julie M.

1 Comments Posted in: General Discussion in Exercise My son, like his dad, is a serial team sports player. Since he started tee-ball in preschool and moved on to basketball, baseball, soccer, and golf, and lacrosse, it's never been hard to get him to exercise since he's always been on one team or another, and he's now 14. My daughter, on the other hand, tried team sports, and after two years o... Read on »

Exercise for Your Health (Physical and Mental) by Julie M. Posted in: General Discussion in Stress Relief Runners know the feeling: you've made it halfway through, and those endorphins kick in, and you feel like you could go forever. What began as something you had to push yourself to start becomes a true pleasure. Well, it turns out that exercise, like running, can actually help relieve anxiety and depression. Scientific studies have found that... Read on »

Some like it Hot! And That's Good for Your Diet by Julie M. Posted in: General Discussion in Healthy Eating Of all the spices nesting in my spice drawer, my favorite has to be the red pepper flakes. I sprinkle them in everything from scrambled eggs to pasta. And it turns out I might be helping curb my appetite by doing just that. The capsaicin, which gives red peppers (and cayenne and jalapeno peppers, more favorites) their fire, seems to stop cer... Read on »

Spray Away Germs While You're on the Run by Julie M. Posted in: General Discussion in Exercise Most gyms now provide anti-bacterial gel dispensers in the weight and aerobics rooms so members can avoid sharing and passing along germs via equipment and free weights. And some of us, especially those with kids, have taken to carrying anti-bacterial gel or wipes in the car. But the gel is goopy, and where to dispose of those used wipes? No... Read on »

If You're New to Yoga, Take it Easy at the Start by Julie M. Posted in: General Discussion in Yoga In San Francisco, it's literally hard to drive down a city block and not see a sign for a yoga studio. Bikram, Ashtanga, power yoga - they're all available and not just in yoga studios. Yoga has infiltrated the gym as well; at the YMCA where I work out, at least one if not three yoga classes are offered daily. If you're thinking about taking... Read on »

Lay It On Thick! (The Sunscreen That Is) by Julie M. Posted in: General Discussion in Recreation We all know that we're supposed to wear sunscreen, not just at the beach or when we're outdoors for long periods but every day. While it's okay to just rub on a light layer of SPF 15 if you're spending most of the day indoors or during the winter, in the warmer months you'll need to really lather on the sunscreen or it won't do you any good.... Read on »

Heard of ChiRunning? Now You Have by Julie M.

1 Comments Posted in: General Discussion in General Medicine Most of us just head out the door in our running shoes, racking up the miles until it's time to stop, giving little thought to form. And, many of us get injured; knees, hips, and ankles are especially vulnerable. It is estimated that more than 50 percent of runners in the U.S. stop running at least once each year due to injury. But a Mountai... Read on »

Back On Your Bike? Make Sure You Warm Up to Avoid Injury by Julie M.

1 Comments Posted in: General Discussion in Biking Maybe you took the winter off from cycling, or maybe you were focusing on another activity such as running or gym workouts. But if you're just getting back into cycling, be it road or mountain biking, it pays to warm up before you ride. A decent warm-up lets your metabolism and muscle core temperature rise and helps prevent the build up of l... Read on »

Julie M.

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