Wellness News

News Archives

Our wellness news headlines are updated daily.

US Obesity Epidemic Shows No Hint of Shrinking
Deseret News, Lindsey Tanner, Associated Press (January 18, 2012)
America's obesity epidemic is proving to be as stubborn as those maddening love handles, and shows no sign of reversing course. More than one-third of adults and almost 17 percent of children were obese in 2009-2010, echoing results since 2003, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported this week.

Gyms Often Alienate the Obese
Los Angels Times, Julie Deardorff (Chicago Tribune) (January 16, 2012)
Overweight clients often feel they don't fit in at health clubs. Some new gyms are trying to address that. One gym user says she quit going to her health club in part because she sensed she didn't fit in. People always seemed to be staring at — and silently judging — her 280-pound body.

First Steps to a 'New You'
Orange County Register, David Whiting (January 10, 2012)
It's less than two weeks into the New Year, and chances are that you've promised yourself better fitness in 2012 or at least you're thinking about such a promise. Perhaps you've decided to put things off until after the Valentine's Day chocolate. Then again, maybe you'll start on the new you after the Easter candy. Of course, there's also the awesome Memorial Day barbecue – start after that, right? Here are tips to help you get or stay fit. First, set a goal......

Making Good on Fitness Resolutions
San Diego Union-Tribune, R.J. Ignelzi (January 4, 2012)
Getting in shape is probably near the top of many people’s New Year’s resolutions lists. However, for lots of folks, that’s as far as it goes – a well-intentioned aspiration that never makes it past the middle of February.
This article offers some tips to help make your fitness resolutions a reality.

One Path to a New Year of Health
Orange County Register, Suki Reed (January 2, 2012)
Getting in shape is one of the 10 most popular resolutions. Our digital conveniences have led to a more sedentary lifestyle for both young and old, resulting in health conditions that range from obesity to heart disease. Develop a routine that includes spending time outdoors, healthy exercise and good eating habits. Consistency is key to weight loss and long-term success; if life's little emergencies get in the way, don't panic. Simply get back on the path to health as soon as possible. The article highlights eight easy steps to a healthier lifestyle and new body.

Men Who Walk Faster May Be Able to Outpace the Grim Reaper
Chicago Tribune, Jeannine Stein (Los Angeles Times) (December 19, 2011)
Australian researchers used the mythical character as a device to determine what walking speeds allow older men to outpace death. The results were published recently in the British Medical Journal's Christmas issue.

Maintain Muscle Tissue with Regular Exercise
San Diego Union-Tribune (December 6, 2011)
It’s important to note that the news is not all bad when it comes to muscle deterioration with age. Certainly maintaining an active lifestyle and a “multimodal” approach, including both endurance- and strength-based exercise, can thwart the loss of muscle with age or increase it in the already aged.

Real-World Holiday Weight-Control Advice
Washington Post, Jennifer LaRue Huget (December 6, 2011)
One of the article's subjects attributes much of her weight loss to having started walking, just 30 minutes a day at first. “Walk for 15 minutes away from your house and then 15 minutes back,” she says. “It’s one thing that anybody can do, pretty much,” even during this busy month. In fact, they all intend to at least maintain their regular exercise routines during the holidays.

How Exercise Benefits the Brain
New York Times, Gretchen Reynolds (November 30, 2011)
To learn more about how exercise affects the brain, scientists in Ireland recently asked a group of sedentary male college students to take part in a memory test followed by strenuous exercise.

A Hard Turn: Steering Away From Bad Diets
New York Times, Abby Ellin (November 21, 2011)
After driving hundreds of miles, the last thing a truck driver from Denton, Tex. wanted to do was exercise. After a day trapped in the cab, stopping only to gorge on greasy fare at truck stops, who could think of working out? But once he ballooned to 405 pounds, he knew he had to make a change.

Cut Your Risk of Type II Diabetes
Everyday Health, Madeline Vann, MPH (November 14, 2011)
These simple strategies can help keep diabetes at bay.

The Pull to Exercise Outdoors
Los Angeles Times, James S. Fell (October 31, 2011)
Much has been written about the biomechanical and metabolic differences between running on treadmills and running outdoors, and the general consensus is that both types of workouts are essentially the same. However, the people outside like it more and work harder without realizing it

Do We Have a Set Point for Exercise?
New York Times, Gretchen Reynolds (October 19, 2011)
Does exercising at one point during the day make you less active the rest of the time? The question of whether humans have an innate set point for movement, a so-called activitystat, is of increasing interest and controversy among scientists.

A Little Exercise is Good Medicine
San Diego Union-Tribune, Dr. James McCallum (October 18, 2011)
Physical exercise plays a key role in managing a person’s blood glucose (sugar) and is a highly effective way to treat diabetes. In fact, it can be as good or better than prescribed medications when it comes to helping keep blood glucose levels in check.

Unhealthy U.S. Workers' Absenteeism Costs $153 Billion
Gallup, Dan Witters and Sangeeta Agrawal (October 17, 2011)
Full-time workers in the U.S. who are overweight or obese and have other chronic health conditions miss an estimated 450 million additional days of work each year compared with healthy workers -- resulting in an estimated cost of more than $153 billion in lost productivity annually.

Jing Debunked; Sexual Activity Shown to Aid Life Expectancy
San Diego Union-Tribune, Mario Garrett (October 11, 2011)
In 2011 Howard Friedman using data gathered from a group of 1,500 California students in the 1920s and following them throughout their lives, Friedman was able to correlate their sexual activity to longevity.

Study: Alpine Skiing Will Keep You Young
San Diego Union-Tribune, Gunnar Mossberg (October 11, 2011)
The main findings of the study showed that alpine skiing two to three times per week for 12 weeks leads to a significant increase in aerobic capacity, leg muscle power and strength in older, average-trained men and women.

Hula Hoop a Great Workout, Trainers Say
Chicago Tribune, Joan Cary (October 5, 2011)
An average hoop aerobics participant burns 210 calories in a half-hour class, according to an American Council on Exercise study at the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse. Researchers studied 16 women, ages 16 to 59, and found that an aerobic routine using a weighted hula hoop burns as many calories as step aerobics or very brisk walking.

Study Links Pre-hypertension to Serious Risk
San Diego Union-Tribune (October 4, 2011)
Young and middle-aged persons should check their blood pressure regularly through scheduled visits to their physician, as well as on their own if possible. If they do fall into the higher range of pre-hypertension, they should take specific steps to modify their lifestyle. Reduce salt intake. Exercise. Maintain normal weight.

Excercise Counteracts Aging Effects
Los Angels Times, Amanda Mascarelli (September 21, 2011)
As we age, our bodies change in ways that challenge athletic ability. But exercise also can slow down — and in some cases even prevent — some of the physiological ravages of time

How to Get More Out of Your Walks
Daily Press, Alison Johnson (September 19, 2011)
Walking is great exercise, but falling into a rut - same route, speed and form - can stall your progress. Kick into higher gear with these tips.

Why Even the Most Resolute Dieters Fail
New York Times, Jane E. Brody (September 19, 2011)
It is often said that increasing one’s physical activity does not have much, if any, effect on weight loss. But evidence cited in this article suggests otherwise.

Healthier Living Could Cut 2.8 Million Cancer Cases
Reuters, Kate Kelland (September 7, 2011)
Global health experts say many deaths from NCDs, including around a third of all common cancers, could be prevented by curbing excessive alcohol intake, improving diets, discouraging smoking and promoting more physical activity.

Prescribing Exercise to Treat Depression
New York Times, Gretchen Reynolds (August 31, 2011)
Can a stroll help ease depression? That question preoccupied Dr. Madhukar H. Trivedi, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, after several of his patients, all suffering from serious depression, mentioned that they felt happier if they went for a walk.

For Beating Belly Fat, Aerobics Tops Resistance Training
The Washington Post, Jennifer LaRue Huget (August 29, 2011)
It seems like common sense that combining aerobic exercise with resistance training would be the best program to help whittle your belly and improve your health. But new research comes to the surprising conclusion that, at least for one subset of people, aerobics alone is best not only at promoting overall weight loss but also whittling away the visceral belly fat that’s linked to so many negative health conditions.

Half of Adults in the U.S. Could be Obese by 2030
Los Angeles Times, Jeannine Stein (August 26, 2011)
If obesity rates continue to climb in the U.S. as they've done in the past, about half of all men and women could be obese in 20 years, adding an extra 65 million obese adults to the country's population.

In-Your-Face Fitness: Vanity Can Be a Healthy Asset
Los Angeles Times, James S. Fell (August 22, 2011)
Vanity can be great for physical well-being because of the myriad health benefits that come with regular exercise. It's a common reason why people hit the gym or running trails.

Good Health May be Just 15 Minutes Away, Study Says
The Christian Post, R. Leigh Coleman (August 16, 2011)
It’s still no excuse to slack off, but after all of the hubbub about how much daily exercise we need there is growing evidence that just 15 minutes a day can reap amazing health benefits. Current health recommendations call for adults and children to do at least 150 minutes, or a total of 1.5 hours, of physical activity weekly.

In-Your-Face Fitness: Use Exercise to Squash Killer Stress
Los Angeles Times, James S. Fell (August 8, 2011)
Casually flipping through a 2006 copy of the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, I learned that exercise is the key to combating the stress of modern life.

Skip the Gym Membership, Get the Pedometer
Chicago Tribune, Ellen Warren (August 3, 2011)
I traded in the costly exercise equipment and instead bought a piece of plastic half the size of a deck of cards. It's a pedometer, a little low-tech gizmo you wear on your hip to count your steps. And it might be the only piece of exercise gear you really need.

Lack of Sleep Could Lead to Weight Gain
Washington Post, Jennifer LaRue Huget (August 2, 2011)
Getting too little sleep can have all kinds of negative consequences, including making you cranky and impairing your driving. A growing body of evidence suggests an addition to that list might be in order: Lack of sleep might also make you fat.

Grasping for Any Way to Prevent Alzheimer’s
New York Times, Pam Belluck (July 25, 2011)
The new study, by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, estimated how many Alzheimer’s cases might be attributable to certain behaviors or conditions: physical inactivity, smoking, depression, low education, hypertension, obesity and diabetes.

Study: Healthy Living Can Help Prevent Alzheimer's
Boston Globe, Marilynn Marchione, AP Medical Writer (July 19, 2011)
Taking care of your body just might save your mind. Millions of cases of Alzheimer's disease worldwide could be prevented by curbing risk factors such as high blood pressure, smoking, obesity and lack of exercise, new research suggests.

Makers of Food, Drinks Marketed to Children Propose Their Own Rules
Los Angeles Times, Andrew Seidman (July 15, 2011)
In an effort to forestall proposed government regulation of food and beverage products that can be advertised to children, some of the biggest companies in the industry have put forth their own, self-imposed measures.

Even With Exercise, Long Periods Spent Sedentary are Deemed a Health Risk
Washington Post, Lenny Bernstein (July 12, 2011)
Generally speaking, guidelines call for 30 minutes of moderate intensity cardio (a brisk walk will do) five days a week, two or three weekly sessions of resistance training (usually weightlifting), plus stretching and balance exercises. But now comes sobering news from the American College of Sports Medicine that it might not be enough. For the first time, the world’s largest exercise and sports science organization is singling out our sedentary lifestyle as a health risk factor, regardless of whether we’re getting the proper amount of exercise.

Even Infants Can Exercise, Say New Guidelines in U.K.
Los Angeles Times, Marissa Cevallos, HealthKey / For the Booster Shots blog (July 11, 2011)
Young children have no excuse not to exercise—even if they can’t walk yet. That’s the gist of the new exercise guidelines released Monday by the U.K. health department, which urge parents to make sure their 1- to 5-year-olds get at least three hours of physical activity per day.

Weekly Challenge: Get Moving on Those Low-Energy Days
Boston Globe, Deborah Kotz (July 11, 2011)
When you’re feeling low-energy, tired, or stressed out, exercise is often the last thing you want to do, but guess what? It’s probably one of the healthiest ways of boosting your energy and lifting you out of the doldrums. Research suggests sweating for 30 minutes of more induces a rise in “soothing” brain chemicals such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine that helps reduce stress and increase your energy.

When Fatty Feasts Are Driven by Automatic Pilot
New York Times, Tara Parker-Pope (July 11, 2011)
“Bet you can’t eat just one” (as the old potato-chip commercials had it) is, of course, a bet most of us end up losing. But why? Is it simple lack of willpower that makes fatty snacks irresistible, or are deeper biological forces at work?

Obesity Report: We Keep Getting Fatter
Orange County Register, Landon Hall (July 7, 2011)
The new report, which examines data from 2008 to 2010, is rosy by comparison: Only 16 states had an increase since the 2010 report. And although 38 states reported that 1 in 4 adults was obese, the number of states saying that was unchanged from 2010. Dr. Anthony Iton says “We’re as fat as we can get, so there’s nowhere to go but down,” he added. “You could argue that we’re plateau-ing, but we’re so far from where we need to be, it’s not an argument for slowing down our efforts. If anything, it’s an argument for doubling down.”

Exercise Builds Brain Health
University of California - Irvine; Mind Matters, Carl W. Cotman, Ph.D. (July 1, 2011)
Increasingly, it seems, we are besieged in the print media, television and the Internet by advertisements for products to enhance mental and physical health in a relatively fast and painless fashion though miracle elixirs, computer based training, game programs or brief exercise programs. While there is little convincing evidence for the efficacy of such claims, one that is well-documented in the scientific literature is the benefit of physical activity and exercise on cognitive and physical health.

Heart Health: How To Save Your Life
Chicago Tribune (June 30, 2011)
A heart attack or cardiac arrest can seem to come with no apparent warning, but cardiovascular disease is often silently worsening as time goes on. Diet, exercise, weight and other lifestyle factors all play a role, as do disease and genetics.

Exercise While the Kids Play
Seattle Times (June 27, 2011)
When my kids are at the playground, I'm usually the only parent making a spectacle of herself. I do push-ups and lunges. I hang from the monkey bars and try to pull myself up. Or I repeatedly squat down, lower my butt until it hits the bench and then stand up.

Potato Chips Are Piling On the Pounds, Study Finds
Associated Press; Alicia Chang, Science Writer (June 22, 2011)
Blame the potato chip. It's the biggest demon behind that pound-a-year weight creep that plagues many of us, a major diet study found. Bigger than soda, candy and ice cream. And the reason is partly that old advertising cliche: You can't eat just one.

Alzheimer's and Dementia: Keeping Your Brain Healthy
Chicago Tribune (June 22, 2011)
Can you stave off Alzhiemer's disease with exercise and good nutrition?

Weighing Cancer Risks, From Phones to Coffee
Orange County Register, Marilynn Marchione (June 16, 2011)
Despite all the news about possible cancer risks from cellphones, coffee, styrene, and formaldehyde in building materials, most of us probably face little if any danger from these things with ordinary use, health experts say. Inactivity and obesity may pose a greater cancer risk than chemicals for some people.

TV Boosts Risk for Diabetes, Heart Disease and Premature Death, Study Finds
Washington Post, Rob Stein (June 14, 2011)
There’s new evidence indicating that watching too much television can be hazardous to your health.
A new analysis concludes that heavy TV watching is associated with an increased risk for diabetes, heart disease and even premature death.

Family Steps It Up With Pedometers
USA Today, Nanci Hellmich (June 13, 2011)
As part of USA TODAY's Family Fitness Challenge, Laura and Geoff Wolf and their five children, of Vero Beach, Fla., volunteered to create their own family pedometer game.

Five Ways to Cut 500 Calories From Your Diet
Boston Globe (June 13, 2011)
Empty calories, bigger portions, and fats and sugars can also creep into your diet when you're not paying attention. Even if you're eating healthy foods, there are some bad habits which may lead to ingesting more calories than you should.

Exercise May Protect Against 'Silent Stroke'
Chicago Tribune, Marissa Cevallos, HealthKey (June 9, 2011)
Exercise is the activity that just keeps on giving. A new study suggests that older adults who regularly break a sweat might be less likely to have a “silent stroke” than non-exercisers.

Fitness Enthusiasts Get on the Ball
Orange County Register, Landon Hall (June 8, 2011)
There are now DVDs devoted strictly to the various exercises you can perform with a "balance ball" (also known as a stability ball). Pilates classes, grueling boot camps and personal trainers are using them not only because of their versatility, but because nothing is as fundamentally fun as goofing around with a ball.

Study Suggests DASH Diet May Prevent Teen Obesity
Boston Globe, Deborah Kotz (June 6, 2011)
A new research finding could help parents and public health specialists deal with one of the more troubling conundrums of the new millennium: how to keep teens from getting fat. The study, published today in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, found that girls who followed basic principles of the Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet through their teens had a smaller tendency to gain an excess amount of weight by the time they reached early adulthood than teens who didn't stick to this diet.

USDA Replaces Food Pyramid with ‘MyPlate’ in Hopes to Promote Healthier Eating
Washington Post, Brian Vastag (June 3, 2011)
After devoting decades to designing a pyramid, then honing and refining that design, the nation’s nutrition experts have settled on what they believe is the perfect geometry to represent what we should eat — a plate. Arriving in the midst of an obesity epidemic, this new at-a-glance guide to healthful eating is meant to remind consumers to limit heavy foods and beef up on the greens.

8 Ways to Burn More Calories at the Office
Orange County Register, Landon Hall (June 1, 2011)
Thanks to our cubicle culture and constantly evolving technology, we don’t get nearly the level of physical activity workers did 50 years ago. A recent study found that only 1 in 5 jobs today requires moderate physical activity, compared with 1 in 2 back in 1960.

Under an Arizona Plan, Smokers and Obese Would Pay Fee for Medicaid
NY Times, Timothy Williams (May 27, 2011)
As part of a plan to cut costs, the state has proposed imposing a $50 fee on childless adults on Medicaid who are either obese or who smoke. In Arizona, almost half of all Medicaid recipients smoke; while the number of obese people is unclear, about one-in-four Arizonans is overweight, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Heart Attacks are the No. 1 Killer of Women
Orange County Register, Jane Glenn Haas (May 24, 2011)
Women fret about the possibility of breast cancer. They worry about the potential of dementia.
They should be concerned about their hearts, because more women die of heart attacks than any other cause and exercise is an important deterrant.

Best Exercises for Healthy Longevity
B4tea, John Clain (May 24, 2011)
Exercise is among the most significant things for being healthy. The risk of chronic diseases increases without exercise. Regular exercise helps to control weight, manage tiredness, and discourage disease. As per research, people who exercise regularly can live 6 to 8 years more compared to other people. Read the article to review the best exercises for healthy longevity.

Quotations About Exercise
The Quote Garden (May 20, 2011)
This site has a wealth of quotes about exercise. As an example...Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness. ~Edward Stanley

May 22nd is World Nordic Walking Day
INWA-NordicWalking.com (May 18, 2011)
Nordic Walking Day is a day of unified commemoration of Nordic Walking Family around the world; it is for everyone, all ages and abilities. Thousands of participants around the world take to the streets to share in INWA Nordic Walking Day, promoting health and physical active. Learn how you can particpate.

Taking Charge of One's Health is Goal of Walk and Roll week
Evansville Courier & Press, Dani Palmer (May 15, 2011)
"We have to get serious about making ourselves healthier," Roberta Heiman, president of the Evansville Area Trails Coalition, said. "We're talking real health care reform when we take responsibility for our own health. No pill can do that for us."

Walking the dog: Your job at home?
USATODAY.com (May 11, 2011)
Having a dog does seem to promote leisure-time physical activity, but not among as many dog owners as you'd think. Do you walk the dog or just open the door and let him out?

Few People Know How Many Calories They Burn Per Day
About.com, Wendy Bumgardner (May 9, 2011)
Fewer than one in 10 Americans know how many calories they should be eating per day, according to the 2011 Food & Health Survey by the International Food Information Council Foundation. This yearly survey had several findings that show that most Americans are clueless about how they should eat to maintain or lose weight.

Top 10 Worst Eating Habits
FoodNetwork.com, Dana Angelo White (May 6, 2011)
No one eats perfectly all the time – even dietitians! But when bad habits become common practice, you can end up with weight gain, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and a host of other potential health problems. So which lousy habits are getting folks into trouble? Here are the top 10 faux pas on the hit list, and how to avoid them.

Diet and Exercise May Help Prevent Alzheimer's Disease
KSDK.com, Kristen Goslin (May 5, 2011)
Some doctors are taking a different approach to the treatment of the Alzheimer's disease.
They're hoping to prevent it in ways similar to the prevention of heart disease. Daily exercise is one of the lifestyle changes recommended for prevention or delay of Alzheimer's.

Ellie's Top Ten Tips for Healthy Living
Food Network.com, Ellie Krieger (May 5, 2011)
Learn how to become a better eater.....

After Liposuction, the Fat Returns - Just In a Different Place
TIME Healthland, Amie Ninh (May 4, 2011)
Who needs diet and exercise, when you've got liposuction? The flab-busting procedure is now the most popular plastic surgery in the U.S., with surgeons siphoning fat from the love handles and saddlebags of nearly half a million patients each year. But a new study finds a downside: fat, easily sucked away, tends to resurface elsewhere on the body.

Walking Halves Heart Disease
Daily Mail Online (April 27, 2011)
Half-an-hour of moderate activity five times a week can halve the risk of heart disease, health experts claim.

The 20 Worst Foods in America
Men's Health, Matt Goulding (April 27, 2011)
The U.S. food industry has declared war on your waistline.
Here's how to disarm its weapons of mass inflation. The "worst" 20 List!

New Walking Study Helps Stamp out Obesity
American Podiatric Medical Association (April 26, 2011)
What if someone told you, you could walk your way to better health? With 65 percent of American adults considered to be overweight or obese, walking may be one way to battle the bulge. However, if you lack motivation, a prescription to walk may be just what the doctor ordered.

To Get Americans Healthier, U.S. Targets the Heart
U.S. News Health; Dennis Thompson, HealthDay Reporter (April 22, 2011)
People urged to eat better, exercise more before risk factors develop.

Lose Weight by Walking!
Good Housekeeping, Julia A. Savacool (April 20, 2011)
Three simple workouts that will take off major pounds. Pick the one that's perfect for you.

10 Diet and Exercise Myths that Make It Harder to Lose Weight
About.com, Senior Living; Sharon O'Brien, About.com Guide (April 18, 2011)
Experts weigh in on common diet and exercise myths that may slow weight loss.

New Research: Walking 5 Miles a Week Slows Progression of Alzheimer’s
Nutrition, Health & Fitness Resource Center (April 13, 2011)
According to the results of a new study, walking five miles a week may help slow the cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer’s disease in adults. The study also suggests that walking could help those suffering from Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), a condition that is similar to Alzheimer’s, yet not as severe.

Study: Young Children May Make Parents Less Fit
Miami Herald; Lindsey Tanner, AP Medical Writer (April 11, 2011)
The study found that new moms consumed an average of 2,360 calories daily, 368 calories more than women without children. With that many calories, women would need to be more active to avoid gaining weight, walking more than three miles daily at a moderate rate as an example.

April 6, 2011: National Start Walking Day
Access RX.com (April 6, 2011)
The American Heart Association urges everyone to get a fresh start today by launching the National Start! Walking Day in an effort to fight heart disease. To kick off the program, the American Heart Association urges everyone to get up, leave his or her desk and walk for 30 minutes.

Diet-Exercise Combo Seems to Work Best for Obese Seniors
Randy Dotinga, HealthDay Reporter (March 30, 2011)
A combination of diet and exercise can help obese seniors lose weight and stay fit much better than either diet or exercise alone, researchers reported Wednesday. The finding may sound obvious, but the lead author of the new study said it had not been proven previously in people over 65.

Many Obese Moms and Kids Underestimate Their Weight
Ellin Holohan, HealthDay Reporter (March 23, 2011)
Overweight and obese people often think they weigh less than they do, and many mothers of chubby kids view their children's bulk as normal, new research finds.

Sex Can Be Heart Atack Trigger for Couch Potatoes
Carla K. Johnson, AP Medical Writer (March 23, 2011)
Sex and exercise can trigger heart attacks in older people who don't get much of either, a new analysis finds. The risk is low, but it's a good reminder that slackers should change their exercise habits gradually, especially in middle age.

Mediterranean Diet Improves Heart Risk Factors
Reuters Health, Karla Gale (March 7, 2011)
Eating a Mediterranean diet may prevent or even reverse metabolic syndrome, a cluster of risk factors for heart disease and diabetes, according to a new study.

Study Shows Your Walking Pace Could Measure Life Expectancy
EmpowHER, Joanne Sgro (March 1, 2011)
Do you walk with a spring in your step or do you just trudge along? According to a new study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), how fast you walk could measure your life expectancy. The findings showed that those who walk approximately 2.25 miles per hour faster lived longer than those in their same sex and age category who walked slower.

One in Four U.S. Adults Reported Having High Blood Pressure in 2008
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, William Carroll (March 1, 2011)
Adults who exercised vigorously for 30 minutes or more at least three times a week were one-third less likely to report high blood pressure than those who didn't.

Physical Activity and Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (March 1, 2011)
If you're not sure about becoming active or boosting your level of physical activity because you're afraid of getting hurt, the good news is that moderate-intensity aerobic activity, like brisk walking, is generally safe for most people.

Waist Management
Alta Bates Medical Group; Theresa A. Tsingis, D.C., M.S (March 1, 2011)
There are hundreds of diets to go on, but only 2 ways to truly lose weight – a healthy way or the unhealthy way. How can one get beyond dieting to the resolution of a weight issue?

Benfits of Walking
Discovery Health; Tommy Boone, PhD. (February 19, 2011)
Walking is widely recommended for its health benefits. According to a recent U.S. Surgeon General report on physical activity and health in America, more than half of the U.S. population does not participate regularly in any type of exercise. That physical inactivity can lead to poor health.

Taking Your Brain for a Walk
Tara Parker-Pope, New York Times (February 7, 2011)
Regular walking isn’t just good for the dog. It’s also good for your brain.

Study: Global obesity nearly doubled since 1980
CNN Health: The Chart (February 3, 2011)
Global body mass index rates have almost doubled since 1980, when 4.8% of men and 7.9% of women were obese. In 2008, 9.8% of men and 13.8% of women in the world were obese, according to the study. The United States tops the dubious list of hefty high-income countries for largest increase in body mass index and highest rate of BMI.

Pedometers a First Step Toward Fitness
Courtney Perkes, Orange County Register (January 26, 2011)
Devices that count strides can motivate wearers to incorporate exercise into their daily routine. Research has found that pedometer wearers tend to increase activity.

Screen-Based Entertainment Time, All-Cause Mortality, and Cardiovascular Events
Journal of the American College of Cardiology (January 18, 2011)
The aim of this study was to examine the independent relationships of television viewing or other screen-based entertainment ("screen time") with all-cause mortality and clinically confirmed cardiovascular disease (CVD) events.

Walking Is Man's Best Medicine!
Richard Weil, MEd, CDE (January 11, 2011)
There's a wealth of research to prove that walking is good for you and the results are impressive: major reductions in both diabetes and heart disease, decreases in high blood pressure, increases in bone density, and more all follow regular walking exercise.

What Age is Old Enough to Start Lifting Weights?
Daily Herald (August 2, 2010)
Research reveals that, when combined with participation in a sports program or comprehensive fitness program, strength training can have a positive effect on a young person's bone density, cardiovascular health and overall sense of well-being. The AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) notes that strength training should not begin before a child is 7 or 8 years old, the age when balance and postural control are considered to reach the adult level of development.

Physical Fitness for Toddlers and Preschoolers
Kivi-TV /ABC (August 1, 2010)
The American Heart Association recommends that toddlers get at least 30 minutes of structured physical activity each day and that preschoolers get at least 60. If your young child is spending too much time watching TV and not enough time running, jumping and climbing, this article outlines how to set him/her on a healthier path.

Beach Towel Makes Snappy Workout Aid
Seattle Times (August 1, 2010)
Unusual as it sounds, a beach towel comes in handy for the exercises outlined in this article. A personal trainer devised this beach towel workout for her clients who travel, where gym equipment is often nonexistent. Doing these exercises on sand will increase the challenge.

Kids Count: Promoting 60 Minutes of Regular Exercise Starts at Home
Green Bay Press-Gazette (August 1, 2010)
There’s no question that getting kids moving is an integral part of fighting the ongoing national battle against childhood obesity. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines call for an hour of daily activity for children and adolescents, but experts say many kids are falling short of that goal.

Heat Wave: Working Out Smart in the Swelter
Canada.com (July 30, 2010)
The intensity of the exercise is the biggest factor that drives your body temperature up, so do what you can to decrease it in the hottest parts of the day. Hydrate yourself properly (eight ounces every 15 minutes in the heat) wear less clothing, and exercise in the shade.

Including Time for Rest In a Workout Routine Can Help Fitness Goals
Washington Post (July 29, 2010)
Rest is critical to your fitness program. Skip your days off to cram in extra exercise and you risk injury, burnout or setbacks in reaching your goals, experts say.

5 Ways to Get Off a Weight Loss Plateau
That’s Fit (July 27, 2010)
Experts theorize that as your body adjusts to eating and burning habits, it reaches a new set point weight and decides to settle there. However several methods of getting past the plateau are detailed, and include keeping a food diary to account for every bite you take.

Fitness: Beat Back Drain of Desk Job
News-Press.com (July 27, 2010)
Banish the workday "blahs" with these tips from the editors at Fitness. One tip is: every hour, stand up, put your hands on the small of your back and gently arch as far as you can for one second, leading with your head.

Heat Wave: Working Out Smart in the Swelter
Reuters/Yahoo (July 26, 2010)
In the heat of the summer, remember that intensity of the exercise is the biggest factor that drives your body temperature up, so do whatever you can do to decrease it. Hydrate aggressively before during and after your exercise.

Italians Have a Healthier Attitude About Food Than Americans Do
Washington Post (July 22, 2010)
According to the World Health Organization, Italians have a lower rate of obesity than Americans. It could be their life style, which includes a slower pace, savoring small portions of excellent food, and taking afternoon strolls.

Exercise Tips for Busy People
Helium (July 21, 2010)
It’s easy to incorporate walking into your everyday life. Join mall walkers or a stroller walking group. If you like museums, take the opportunity to get in a healthy walk through every room.

Avoid Weekend Wipeout to Sabotage Fitness
Herald-Mail (July 19, 2010)
To avoid the weekends interfering with your fitness, avoid binge drinking, binge eating and use the weekend to get some extra physical activity.

How to Exercise While Watching TV
Seattle Times (July 19, 2010)
You can avoid being a couch potato while watching your favorite programs. Try wearing a pedometer and walking or jogging in place throughout a show — or just during commercials — and track how many steps you can take.

Shoes to Rock Your Walk
Los Angeles Times (July 17, 2010)
The LA Times weighs in on the latest varieties of fitness shoes, and whether they can really tone leg muscles.

Motivating the Overweight Child to Exercise
News Channel 5.com (July 17, 2010)
Suggestions to motivate an overweight child to exercise include: challenging the child; charting their progress; assigning chores that are physical in nature; and getting outside with your child.

Omega Imbalance Can Make Obesity “Inheritable”: Study
Agence France Press (July 16, 2010)
Overeating combined with the wrong mix of fats can cause obesity to be carried over from one generation to the next, researchers in France reported. “This is the first time that we have shown a trans-generational increase in obesity" linked to omega intake, they said.

Getting Slim Just By Riding the Subway
New York Times (July 16, 2010)
New Yorkers fare better in staving off obesity than those who are more “car-centric”. They’re great walkers and that’s one reason they live a year and four months longer than average Americans.

Fitness: Exercise is a Good Way to Improve Mood
Poughkeepsie Journal (July 15, 2010)
Those who were depressed packed on belly fat pounds more quickly, according to a new longitudinal study. Conversely, if you use fitness to cope with depression, you can achieve two excellent outcomes — you can both feel and look better.

Which Should You Bet On for Great all-round Health - a Good Diet or Moderate Levels of Exercise?
newkerala.com (July 14, 2010)
If overall feeling good and wellness is important, what option should you bet on, exercise or diet control? According to this article it’s an easy answer, it's the workout all the way.

Obesity in the News
Washington Post (July 13, 2010)
The International Congress on Obesity takes place in Stockholm this week. One of the biggest issues is whether we’re doing right by focusing on obesity in young people, at the expense of anti-smoking campaigns.

Family Fitness Challenge: Getting fit, Making Memories
USA Today (July 12, 2010)
A pediatrics expert stresses the importance of family fitness. Even something as basic as a nightly walk for 30 minutes can make a difference in a child's life, he says.

McGinn Wants You to Bike, Walk and Ride
Seattlepi.com (July 12, 2010)
Seattle’s mayor Mike McGinn is another public official who’s focused on fitness. $0$0He’s challenged prominent locals and others to "bike," "walk" or "ride" for five days this month when they'd usually take a car.

Large-Scale, Long-Term Studies Support Roles of Physical Activity and Diet in Dementia and Cognitive Decline
Medical News Today (July 12, 2010)
Evidence from three long-term, large-scale studies supports the association of physical activity and certain dietary elements with the potential to maintain cognitive ability and reduce dementia risk in older adults, according to new research presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference.

Exercise Bulimia Difficult To Detect
San Jose Mercury News (July 12, 2010)
Exercise bulimia, also known as exercise addiction, involves burning off calories through excessive exercise. Someone who is healthy may have an intense workout they do regularly but wouldn't mind skipping a day if necessary. Someone with exercise bulimia would suffer from guilt and anxiety if they were forced to miss a workout.

Simple Things You Can Do To Beat Desk-Job Drain
Starpress.com (July 8, 2010)
The pros at Canyon Ranch Spa in Arizona recommend little daily habits to banish the workday “blahs”. For example, a remedy for hunching in your chair for hours is to stand up, put your hands on the small of your back and gently arch as far as you can for one second.

Add Exercise and Healthy Eating to Your Vacation
Courier-Journal.com (July 8, 2010)
Add exercise to your summer vacation by doing any of the following: take a brisk walk around the terminal while waiting for a flight; walk to tourist attractions; or get up early to go for a brisk walk.

How Runners Can Avoid, Or If Necessary, Treat Blisters
Washington Post (July 8, 2010)
Because heat and humidity make you sweat so much, your feet are likely to get wet when you're walking, jogging or hiking. That moisture is the source of friction, which can result in blisters. A podiatrist outlines how to avoid and treat blisters.

Healthy Summer Strategies: Hit the Road with Tips for Exercise and Good Snacking
Dallasnews. com (July 8, 2010)
While traveling by car or plane this summer, get up to walk around whenever possible and do chair exercises. Take off your shoes and rotate your ankles and flex your feet. It’s also good to keep up the exercise on arrival by packing comfortable walking shoes.

Study: Living Near Restaurants Makes You Fat
The Wall Street Journal (July 8, 2010)
A recent study found that the more restaurants there are within a five-minute walk of your home, the more likely you are to have a higher body mass index. The findings are a paradox, since a high number of restaurants within a short distance from home is also a hallmark of walkable city centers.

Council Says Calories Going Up, But No One is Counting
NPR (July 7, 2010)
New findings show that only 12 percent of Americans can accurately estimate daily calories. That's a problem, since 70 percent of survey respondents say they're concerned about their weight. And 77 percent do not meet the guidelines for physical activity.

Phys Ed: Your Brain on Exercise
New York Times (July 7, 2010)
As we age, the stem cells which pack the brain can slump into a kind of cellular sleep. It’s BMP (bone-morphogenetic protein) that acts as the soporific. The more active BMP in your brain, the more inactive your stem cells become and your brain grows slower, less nimble, and older. However, exercise countermands some of the numbing effects of BMP.

Recalibrated Formula Eases Women’s Workouts
New York Times (July 5, 2010)
Scientists have discovered that the old formula for calculating heart rate is largely inaccurate for women. The findings are significant because many exercisers obsessively monitor their heart rates to gauge the intensity of the workout. Women who are not able to maintain their heart rate may just have been using too high a goal.

How Walking Can Help You Avoid the Freshman Fifteen
Helium (July 5, 2010)
Walking across campus is a great idea for college freshmen looking to avoid weight gain. It’s as great way to stay fit and healthy and help you counter the worst of the college excesses.

Is that Right? Toning Flip-Flops Really Shape Your Legs?
Washington Post (July 5, 2010)
The bottom line on the new fit flop type shoes? There is not a lot of data in, other than the manufacturers claims. Be clear, however, they are certainly not a substitute for full body workouts.

People with Depression Eat More Chocolate, A Mood Food
Science Daily (July 3, 2010)
A new study found that women and men eat more chocolate as depressive symptoms increase, suggesting an association between mood and chocolate.

Health and Wellness: Find the Fitness Trail Outside
Wenatchee World (July 1, 2010)
This time of year, take your exercise outdoors. According to Prevention.com, fresh air does the body good, reducing stress, improving mood, sparking creativity, promoting healing and increasing life expectancy.

5 Ways to End Emotional Overeating
U.S. News & World Report (July 1, 2010)
The author of the new book, Women, Food and God offers tips on avoiding emotional overeating. For instance, on occasions when you eat but aren't really hungry; examine whether you are really stressed, bored, or sad.

How Nutritious is Vitamin Water?
washington Post (July 1, 2010)
Vitamin Water, according to experts, is a marketing ploy. Only people "dedicated" to exercising need to replenish electrolytes, and then it's necessary only if they work out vigorously for more than an hour.

5 Mind- Blowing Benefits of Exercise
U.S. News & World Report (June 30, 2010)
“Exercise is the single best thing you can do for your brain in terms of mood, memory, and learning,” according to a Harvard psychiatrist. Exercise can reverse the detrimental effects of stress, lift depression, and improve self-esteem among other benefits.

New Formula Gives First Accurate Peak Heart Rate for Women
Science Daily (June 29, 2010)
A new formula based on a large study provides a more accurate estimate of the peak heart rate a healthy woman should attain during exercise. The old formula -- 220 minus age -- used for almost four decades, is based on studies of men. The new formula for women, based on the new research, is 206 minus 88 percent of age.

Brisk Walking and Bicycling Help Stave off Weight Gain
EMax Health (June 29, 2010)
Harvard researchers have found that brisk walking and bicycling help stave off weight gain over time. However, according to them, the pace counts. Walking slowly did not help weight loss.

In Summer’s Heat, Watch What You Drink
New York Times (June 28, 2010)
The summer heat may tempt you to grab whatever cold liquid might be handy, but beware. Many of today’s most popular choices are loaded with sweet calories that actually increase the body’s need for water and add pounds.   However, you must still drink enough, as dehydration can be dangerous to your health.

Family Fitness Challenge: How to Have a Fun, Active Summer
USA Today (June 28, 2010)
Why don't more families do physical activities together? The biggest challenge is a lack of motivation. To combat this, families might take an active “staycation” day, stage a sports competition, set the stage for fun and games, or go on an active scavenger hunt.

Exercise for the Desk-Bound
The Seattle Times (June 27, 2010)
There is still a way to exercise during your work day, even if you’re cubicle-bound. They include: doing tricep dips while the coffee reheats, keeping weights at your desk, and taking the stairs.

50 Cent Urges Youths to Exercise
Contact Music.com (June 26, 2010)
Rapper 50 Cent urges his young fans to avoid staying indoors and to exercise more. He endured a troubled childhood, but says good health and fitness helped him turn his life around.

Some Foods Can Give Your Metabolism a Natural Boost
WALB 10- News (June 25, 2010)
Some experts say there are foods that can help you crank up your metabolism naturally. One trainer recommends low-fat chocolate milk, kiwi, blueberries, salmon and almonds.

The President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition
The White House Blog (June 24, 2010)
Yesterday, First Lady Michelle Obama joined kids from the Washington, DC to launch the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition and introduce the 2010 Council. Their new charge focuses on getting Americans active, and also promotes “the collective responsibility, accountability and health benefits of good nutrition”.

Teenage Stars of 'Huge' Television Series Aren't Just Acting Overweight
The Washington Post (June 24, 2010)
This new prime time TV series follows a group of overweight teens at a summer weight-loss camp. It sheds new light on the issues surrounding adolescent obesity, as the character’s struggles mirror the actors’.

Create A Challenging, Effective Walking Program
Austin Daily Herald (June 22, 2010)
It is a good idea to monitor your walking program to see if it is working well for you. The easiest way to evaluate exercise intensity is to pay attention to how hard the exercise feels, including how hard your muscles are working and how hard you are breathing. Walking at a pace that feels somewhat hard, but not so tiring that you cannot continue, is optimal. It also a good idea to monitor your breathing.

Why Are So Many Teens So Overweight?
Washington Post (June 22, 2010)
There are lots of efforts these days to help curb child and adolescent obesity. One of the most prominent is the Let's Move! campaign. There are a variety of potential causes. Teenagers' psychological, self-esteem and social issues often add up to a "much more complicated mental-health situation" than is generally seen in overweight adults, says the co-director of the Obesity Institute at Children's National Medical Center.

Want to Get Fit? Walk Fido For Exercise
Danbury News Times (June 21, 2010)
Researchers found that dog owners who take their pets for daily strolls enjoy an array of health perks, from better physical fitness to less stress. Compared to dog-walkers, people who don't own dogs were twice as likely to be under- or overweight, the study showed.

Walking a Great Way to Get Fit
Star Press.com (June 19, 2010)
Often seen as the ugly stepsister to running and other high impact aerobic exercises, walking has become the favored exercise for those who felt left behind in the "power activity" era. A short-term goal, such as walking in a 5k race, can provide the incentive you need to turn a "sometime" walk into a regular exercise routine.

Bicycling, Walking Up by 25 Percent
ConsumerAffairs.com (June 18, 2010)
Americans may be walking more. The number of reported walking trips has more than doubled -from 18 billion in 1990 to 42.5 billion in 2009. U.S. Transportations Secretary Ray LaHood recently announced a policy change to promote bicycle and pedestrian transportation.

People May Skip Soft Drinks Rather Than Pay More
Yahoo.com (June 18, 2010)
Boosting the price of regular soft drinks may reduce their consumption and help lower levels of obesity and diabetes, according to a study from the American Journal of Public Health. This supports the notion that instituting junk food/drink taxes will improve the health of the American public.

Physical Fitness May Help Reduce Chronic Disease Risk in College Students
Science Daily.com (June 17, 2010)
Staying in shape may bolster the metabolic profiles of college students, even those with higher body fat. Although cardiovascular disease and diabetes often surface much later in life, a recent study shows that young adults are already showing chronic disease risk. Keeping fit, however, may help reduce this risk.

Most Walkable Cities in the World
Travelgrove.com (June 17, 2010)
Fortunately for walkers, the world still has enough places that are almost entirely hiker-friendly. Spanning the globe, they include Venice, San Francisco, Weimar, Dubrovnik and Wellington, New Zealand.

Exploring the Links between Depression and Weight Gain
New York Times (June 16, 2010)
A new study found those who reported symptoms of depression gained weight more rapidly over a 15-year period than those who appeared to be happier. This may indicate depression as the cause of negative health outcomes.

You Docs: No Time for Exercise? Let Us Help
OregonLive.com (June 16, 2010)
This article offers insights on how to free hidden pockets of time and get fitter in fewer minutes, by recognizing common “time traps” and “fixes”. One time trap is TV show addiction, and the fix is moving couches and chairs out of the TV room so you exercise while watching.

Fitness Matters: Every Day for Ten Years
Post-Bulletin.com (June 16, 2010)
A Mayo Clinic doctor finds value in practicing what he preaches when it comes to exercise. Ten years ago he began a walking regimen, and hasn't taken a day off yet.

Safe Routes’ Lure Kids to Walk, Bike to School
In Denver Times (June 14, 2010)
Walk to School days can only do so much. What some in Colorado say is more crucial is sustained advocacy at the local policy-making level. To that end, officials should take pedestrian and bicyclist concerns into account during their planning.

Walk, Don’t Run
Boston.com (June 14, 2010)
Michael Dukakis was ridiculed during the 1988 presidential campaign for power walking with weights. But there’s a lot to be said for slowing the pace, as he still has his original hips. And now walking is more hip.

As She Turns 100, Eunice LeBarron Reminisces of Her Love of Walking
Great Falls Tribune.com (June 13, 2010)
Centenarian Eunice LeBarron credits her longevity to walking five days a week. "I walked to and from work every day," LeBarron said. "After I retired, I still walked a lot."

Urban Pole Walking is a Whole Body Workout
ChicoER.com (June 12, 2010)
The original Nordic Pole Walking is a technique used in Europe and is similar to cross-country skiing. Those who take part in urban pole walking find benefits, including those who don’t feel steady on their feet and those who’ve been injured.

Walkable San Francisco
San Diego Reader (June 9, 2010)
San Francisco is a great town for walking, and the city offers free walking tours through sfcityguides.org. Three interesting tours are: Chinatown; the 1906 Earthquake and Fire Tour; and the Japanese Tea Gardens.

Walkable Schools Fight Fat
Orlando Sentinel (June 9, 2010)
Childhood obesity, rare in the late 1960s, has reached epidemic proportions, and not walking to school has something to do with it. Orange County's planning and zoning commissioner said, “Given that pediatricians recommend kids get an hour of exercise daily, we should plan schools for walking and biking. It's the smart thing to do.”

Another Exercise Benefit: You Won’t Fall As Much
Medical News Today (June 9, 2010)
Sticking to a regular exercise routine could lower your risk of falling, according to a new study. It said physical activities designed to improve aerobic endurance should be included in any activity program aimed at reducing fall risk.

Walk your Dog to Unleash Better Health
WebMD (June 8, 2010)
A study presented at the Annual Meeting of the College of Sports Medicine, $0$0says dog walking can be a stimulus for physical conditioning. It showed that people reaped health benefits from regular walks with the dog.

Exercise Is Good Medicine for Preventing and Reducing an Angry Mood
Medical News Today (June 6, 2010)
A recent study presented at the American College of Sports Medicine's annual meeting reported that exercise might have a beneficial affect on anger in men. The study found that exercise protected against angry mood induction, almost like taking aspirin to prevent a heart attack. In other words, exercise really is like medicine.

How Trekking-Poles Help Hikers Maintain Muscle Function While Reducing Soreness
Science Daily (June 4, 2010)
A new study has shown for the first time that trekking-poles help hikers maintain muscle function while significantly reducing soreness following a hike. Preventing muscle damage and soreness is likely to improve motivation and so keep people exercising longer.

U.S. Surgeon General Promotes Exercise as Medicine
WJZ-TV (June 4, 2010)
United States Surgeon General, Dr. Regina Benjamin, is promoting what she calls a new medicine--exercise. "You can do much more with a 30-minute walk than you can with five different pills, so that's really the message," Benjamin said.

Encourage Walking with Urban Planning
Scientific American (June 3, 2010)
Andrew Furman of Ryerson University in Toronto [http://bit.ly/dr76ot], says people drive many places because it’s not that nice to walk. But if cities and suburbs built better pedestrian routes, more people might leave their cars at home.

Low Fitness in Youth Linked to Hypertension
WebMD (June 3, 2010)
Those who don't get enough physical and aerobic exercise in their youth increase their risk of having high blood pressure later in life, according to a new study. Researchers concluded that a "substantial" proportion of high blood pressure cases in later life are associated with a lack of physical activity earlier in life.

Clean House Linked to Better Fitness
Bloomberg BusinessWeek (June 2, 2010)
A new study linking cleaner homes with more fit inhabitants may point to ways to promote physical activity among city dwellers. The findings suggest that something about the condition of a person's home affects their level of physical activity. Some people may not take 30 minutes to go for a walk, but they'll take 30 minutes to clean.

Can we Beat Childhood Obesity?
Washington Post (June 1, 2010)
Perhaps the hottest topic in the worlds of health and nutrition is childhood obesity. Everyone from Michelle Obama to Celebrity Chef Jamie Oliver to the District of Columbia has a plan. But can any of them really make a difference?

The Benefits of 10 Minutes of Fitness
RedOrbit.com (June 1, 2010)
A new study says that ten minutes of brisk exercise triggers metabolic changes that last for at least one hour, and the more fit you are, the more benefits you just might be getting.

Learning How To Walk Again-for Fitness
Newsday.com (May 28, 2010)
One way to get started walking more again, is to put back the steps we used to take – by using cars and elevators. Make a point of taking the stairs, walk during lunch or take walking breaks at work or around the house.

Milk: Two Glasses a Day Tones Muscles, Keeps the Fat Away in Women, Study Shows
Science Daily (May 26, 2010)
A new study shows women who drink two large glasses of milk a day after their resistance –training routine, gained more muscle and lost more fat compared to women who drank sugar-based energy drinks.

Washington, D.C., Tops List of Healthiest U.S. Cities
Business Week (May 25, 2010)
Washington, D. C. tops the American Fitness Index of healthiest U.S. cities. Their residents smoke less, eat more fruits and vegetables, have a lower incidence of obesity, heart disease and diabetes, use public transportation more often, walk more and have access to more park space for exercise, relative to the city's size .

Another Reason to Keep Moving
The New York Times (May 25, 2010)
For older adults, a low-cost, moderate approach to exercise, such as walking with a friend, yields cognitive dividends. “Some level of physical activity, even started later in life, can really impact the brain,” said an epidemiologist who ran a study that lasted several years.

Instant Recess Promotes Health for Adults by Making Exercise a Group Activity
Washington Post (May 25, 2010)
Instant Recess is a nationwide push to establish a daily 10-minute exercise break. Think coffee break but good for you. Instant Recess is part of the new U.S. National Physical Activity Plan. Its strategies include exercise programs at workplaces and schools, and integrating exercise goals into transportation planning.

Parting Ways with Fake Food
Washington Post (May 25, 2010)
The authors of a new book “Real Food ….” walk us through a seven-step process of weaning ourselves from packaged and processed foods. Eating in this fashion will probably help you lose weight, they say, and will also make your diet more healthful and satisfying.

America’s Fittest Cities
Forbes (May 24, 2010)
This year's American Fitness Index report, from the American College of Sports Medicine takes the biggest 50 metropolitan areas and ranks them by fitness levels, using 30 factors such as disease rates, physical attributes and lifestyle including diet. Washington, D.C. tops the list for the third year in a row, Oklahoma City, Okla. is last on the list.

Ways to Sneak in More Exercise
Richmond Register (May 23, 2010)
There are numerous ways to “sneak” more exercise into our lives. Some require a change in attitude while others involve tweaking your daily schedule. They include changing your exercise mentality and planting exercise cues.

Active Commuting – The Walking School Bus
News 4 Jacksonville (May 21, 2010)
Many communities are experimenting with the walking school bus, WalkingSchoolBus.org   where a group of children walk to school, with a parent(s). Starting one yourself is as simple as inviting families who live nearby to walk with you.

While Traveling, Let Web Help you Stay Fit
MSNBC (May 20, 2010)
There are several web sites that encourage you to find the best options for a fit lifestyle, while on the road. They include http://www.hotelgymreview.com/ and AthleticMindedTraveler.com .

Olympian Willie Banks Takes Walk for Student Fitness
Sign on San Diego (May 20, 2010)
World Fit, an initiative of the U.S. Olympians Association, seeks to create a culture of fitness among middle school students. As part of the fitness program, students are encouraged to walk a minimum of 60 miles over six weeks.

More Steps A Day Lead to Better Health
U.S. News & World Report (May 20, 2010)
A study links taking more steps in a day to a lower risk of a condition known as metabolic syndrome, which can lead to heart disease and diabetes. And you don't have to be out there doing marathons; you just have to incorporate physical activity such as walking into your lifestyle.

Park the Cart and Walk
Washington Post (May 20, 2010)
The Marriott Corp. announced that it will try to encourage people to park their carts at its golf resorts and walk the courses instead, in the name of better health and fitness. The hotel chain plans to accomplish this by making available a fleet of modern pushcarts for anyone to wheel a golf bag around its courses.

The Right Way to Warm Up Is (Your Answer Here)
New York Times (May 18, 2010)
Exercise researchers say there is a theory of why warming up should improve performance, but there is a lack of research on whether it actually does. While serious athletes place so much emphasis on warming up, what they do is based more on trial and error than on science.

Walk To School: The Easy Exercise
Web MD (May 17, 2010)
It’s Walk to School week in the U. K. and more than two million children are expected to take part. It’s organized by the national charity Living Streets, which campaigns for more walking and encourages parents, and children to think about the benefits of walking to school.

Working It Out Through Walking
New York Times (May 14, 2010)
Dedicated walker finds she can solve difficult, important problems while walking. She finds that walking meetings work well with people with whom she is in adversarial relationships--- if the meeting doesn’t go well the walk will!

Cholesterol Levels are a Telling Indicator of Diet and Exercise
Medical News Today (May 14, 2010)
Lifestyle choices can affect "good" and "bad" cholesterol levels, and two factors affecting total cholesterol, age and heredity, can't be controlled. But many can, such as a sedentary lifestyle and lack of exercise, which are major causes of low HDL (good cholesterol) levels. The leading contributor to elevated LDL (“bad”) cholesterol is a diet high in saturated and trans fats.

Walk the Path to Good Health
Standard Speaker (May 13, 2010)
A physician with Blue Cross emphasizes that regular exercise such as walking can strengthen your immune system, lower blood pressure, reduce bad cholesterol and cut the incidence of diabetes. It can lower the risks of developing cardiovascular disease and breast cancer. What’s more, it can help with weight loss, stamina and muscle tone.

Link between Traffic Density and Increased BMI
Medical News Today (May 12, 2010)
According to a new study, people who lived in neighborhoods where traffic made it unpleasant to walk were more likely to have a higher BMI (body mass index) than other people. However, their perception of their area’s walkability was key.

Can Exercise Help Your Cells Live Longer?
TIME (May 11, 2010)
According to fascinating research, strenuous exercise might slow down the process of programmed cell death, (which happens in everyone’s bodies routinely) effectively making your cells live longer. Researchers suggest that this temporary slow-down of cell death may be part of the way in which strenuous exercise helps maintain heart health and bone strength.

Walkers Should Aim for 100 Steps per Minute
Star Phoenix.com (May 10, 2010)
A new study shows that the average walker should aim for 100 steps per minute at a minimum in order to get a moderate-intensity workout. A useful starting point is to try and accumulate 1,000 steps in 10 minutes, before building up to 3,000 steps in 30 minutes," said the lead researcher. A simple pedometer and a wristwatch are all you need.

WestJet's up! Magazine Announces the Most Walkable Cities in Canada for 2010
Digital Journal (May 10, 2010)
Canada’s 10 Best Walking Cities   www.upmagazine.com has been complied by up! Magazine. The 10 three are Vancouver, Victoria and Montreal and the ratings are based on the experience they provide for the pedestrian, ranging from climate to parkland.

Terms, Mind-sets Must be Changed to Encourage and Enable More Walking in Cities
Washington Post (May 8, 2010)
An architect asks how can we encourage and enable more walking.   He says, “We must plan and develop -- or redevelop -- metropolitan environments so walking becomes safe, comfortable, enjoyable and stimulating. If walking is pleasurable, Americans will gladly walk more than a quarter-mile and longer than five or six minutes.”

Fit Buzz: How Do You Sneak in Exercise?
That’s Fit (May 7, 2010)
Simple solutions to incorporate exercise include: if you skip a workout and are on the couch watching TV, do some form of exercise during the commercial breaks or walk each small piece of laundry to the drawers and back as you fold clothes.

Stepping Stones to Fitness
Chicago Tribune (May 5, 2010)
If you are losing your fitness motivation, one small change can work wonders: setting incremental goals. The key is to choose targets that will showcase small improvements in fitness you may not otherwise notice.

Statement of Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on National Physical Fitness and Sports Month
Medical News Today (May 5, 2010)
During National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, http://www.presidentschallenge.org, the President is challenging Americans to make physical activity, fitness, and sports something they try to do every day. It can be playing on a softball team, training for a race, walking the dog, or working in the garden.

National Physical Activity Plan Aims to Get Americans Moving
USA TODAY (May 4, 2010)
The new U.S. National Physical Activity Plan http://www.physicalactivityplan.org, was just released by an expert panel representing influential health organizations. The purpose is to create an environment in which Americans can be physically active where they live, work and play. The plan recommends street modifications for pedestrians, and tax breaks for employers who support active commuting.

Fitness Shoes: They May Look Funny But Do They Work?
Tricities.com (May 3, 2010)
The new “toning “walking shoes (such as MBTs) are analyzed. One podiatrist says, “I wore them to take a brisk walk, and the next day I was sore … I knew I had gotten a workout…” However, the shoes aren’t a magic bullet. He adds that while the shoes may give you a little toning, they will not replace a general fitness program.

5 Minutes Daily “Green” Exercise Boosts Mental Health
Medical News Today (May 3, 2010)
New research from the U.K. suggests that just five minutes of "green" exercise a day benefits people's mood, self-esteem and mental health. In fact, they found this small dose produced the largest positive effect.

Reasons Walking Meetings Are Way Better Than Sitting in the Boardroom
Planet Green Discovery.com (April 29, 2010)
This article offers nine reasons to take a walking meeting. One reason is that physical activity energizes people and makes them more alert. It also outlines how to run a working walking meeting, such as making sure everyone gets a memo about wearing comfortable shoes!

How to Start a Walking Program You’ll Stick With
Gate House News Service (April 29, 2010)
For those starting a walking program, a hospital rehabilitation manager makes recommendations which include the following: record your mileage; keep a journal and constantly reassess your goals. Also, change your routine--frequently change when you walk, where you walk and with whom you walk.

Regular Aerobic Exercise is Good for the Brain, Scientist Say
Pysorg.com (April 29, 2010)
Regular exercise speeds learning and improves blood flow to the brain, according to a new study from the University Of Pittsburgh School Of Medicine. This study is the first to study this effect in primates.

Fitness Matters: Heart Rate Monitor Could Contribute To Your Workout
Post – Bulletin (April 28, 2010)
Knowing what your heart rate is while performing a specific exercise is the first step to training smarter. Two people walking the same speed may be in different zones, with one barely working at all while the other is feeling very challenged. As your fitness level improves, you can walk faster, but at the same heart rate. A heart rate monitor will help in tracking.

Why Run When You Can Walk?
Globe and Mail (Canada) (April 26, 2010)
Power-walking can be just as effective a workout as jogging, and some of its proponents even walk marathons. For many people looking to stay healthy, walking is the new running. To power-walk correctly and avoid injury, there are four progressions outlined in the article.

Dr. Oz Eases Ageing Down Road to Fitness
Reuters (April 26, 2010)
Television’s Dr. Oz has teamed up with the AARP to create a six-month plan for increasing longevity among the 50-plus population. The plan’s lynchpin is a daily 30 minute walk.

Take Stroll- It’s Walk to Work Week
Bogner Regis Observer (U.K.) (April 26, 2010)
The U.K. charity “Living Streets” is sponsoring a Walk to Work Week to help people fit walking into their day. They recommend options which include parking the car a few streets away and walking, getting off the bus a stop or two early, or taking a walk at lunchtime.

Steps to a Summer and Lifetime of Fitness Success- Faster, Better, Stronger
Seattle Times (April 26, 2010)
With an exercise program, remember the power of minuscule goals. These serve as stepping stones to your overall progress.   As an example, if you’re an exercise beginner, pace yourself and just focus on finishing. If you're of midrange fitness, you might want to choose a workout that is now difficult for you and work toward the goal of being able to do it with ease.

A Sizzling Summer Workout to Get You in Shape
Rediff.com (April 23, 2010)
The head of group exercise for Gold’s gym offers some easy exercises which you can do without a gym membership. Rev up the fat-burn with these exercises and watch your body get into sizzling shape for summer.

Make Memphis a City for Walking, Biking
The Commercial Appeal (April 22, 2010)
More than 30% of Tennessee adults are obese. An investment in infrastructure to encourage walking and biking would go a long way to curb city's epidemic obesity. A Memphis conference on May 14 will focus on making Memphis a more livable community and include active transport.

Should the Food Industry Ban Added Sugar and Salt?
U.S. News & World Report (April 21, 2010)
The FDA said that it will work with "the food industry to support the reduction of sodium levels in the food supply." A new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that all the added sugars in processed foods spell trouble for our cholesterol levels and our hearts. But before public health officials demand changes, they may want to first find out with what the "twin evils" of sugar and salt will be replaced.

Environment Can Override Children’s Natural Urge to Exercise
Medical News Today (April 21, 2010)
Children may inherit the urge to exercise, but their environment often stops them from doing so, according to a U.K. researcher. "Some children may inherit versions of different genes that make them naturally more likely to enjoy sports and exercise,” she said adding, “but their environment is the most powerful factor in determining how active they actually are." This research supports the need to encourage physical activity in schools and in the community.

FRESH IDEAS: Walk to school days — Inspiration for kids to exercise
Nevada Appeal (April 21, 2010)
Although recommendations say kids should get at least an hour of exercise a day, schools cutting back on physical education, so most kids get far less than that. American children are at an all-time-high risk of obesity; those minutes a day walking to school can have lifelong health benefits.

Walk This Way: Getting Kids To Exercise
Daily News Transcript.com (April 20, 2010)
If you want your teens to get away from screens to get out and exercise, it’s more powerful if you get out there with them.   Besides being active, parents may need to get creative. Experts offer a variety of strategies for getting teenagers out for some fresh air, such as buying an inexpensive pedometer for each member of the family.

Walk to Work Week April 26-April 30, 2010
Flyde Borough Council (April 20, 2010)
Britain’s Walk to Work week is next week and commuters are being urged to walk their way to a healthy lifestyle. The Chief Executive of Living Streets said: “Being active doesn’t have to mean costly gym sessions, or marathon running attempts - there is a free and easy way to work more exercise into your daily routine, and it is often overlooked - give yourself a daily dose of walking.”

Is It Right? Nutrition Facts Are Enough?
Washington Post (April 16, 2010)
For packaged foods should you look at the nutrition facts or the ingredients list? The nutrition facts panel is a quantitative look at a small number of important nutritional parameters. The ingredient list is a more qualitative overview of what we're putting into our body. Using one without the other makes it difficult to come to optimal decisions.

Diet Alone Unlikely to Lead To Significant Weight Loss
Medical News Today (April 15, 2010)
Physicians frequently advise their patients who need to lose weight, to reduce the number of calories they are consuming on a daily basis. However, new research shows that simply dieting will not likely cause substantial weight loss. Instead, diet and exercise must be combined to achieve this goal.

Setting a Walking Pace For Stayin’ Alive
The Baltimore Sun (April 15, 2010)
The latest U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommendation says that adults should get a minimum of 150 minutes of exercise per week of “moderate “intensity. To take the guesswork out of what “moderate intensity” means, one scientist offers a prompt. Keep time to the song "Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees.

Walking May Ease Some Burdens of Menopause
REUTERS (April 15, 2010)
Walking for 45 minutes a few times a week may help women with the weight gain that often accompanies menopause, and at the same time improve overall well being, according to new research.   Dr. Pascale Mauriège, of Quebec's Laval University said this is the first study to test the impact of a walking program on the various mental functioning scores in pre- and postmenopausal women.

Green Fitness More Fun Says Health Expert
Herald Sun.com (Australia) (April 15, 2010)
Australians should ditch the treadmill for the "green gym" of nature if they're serious about getting fit, according to a British expert. He said people who exercised outside enjoyed greater health benefits.   “Their perception of exercise was that it was much harder in the gym than it was outdoors, even though they were doing the same rate of exertion," he said.

The Children's Hospital Offers Tips on Keeping Your Family Healthy And Fit
Medical News Today (April 13, 2010)
The Children’s Hospital in Denver offers 8 lifestyle tips to help parents prevent obesity in children. They include: lose the soda, play outside, and eat at home to insure portion size. In addition, set regular schedules for healthy eating and physical activity.

Conquering Food Cravings: A Tips List
The Washington Post (April 12, 2010)
Resisting food cravings takes a set of skills and lots of practice but there are techniques to help you. One of the suggestions in this article is to make a "distraction box." When cravings hit, you put lists of activities that are highly distracting to you.

Walk this Way
Toronto Sun (April 12, 2010)
Canadians need to put one foot in front of the other and walk for a change, says John Stanton, the founder of Canada's largest chain of fitness stores. "The No. 1 thing that keeps people from a fitness program is fear of embarrassment. Running can be intimidating, but everybody can walk," says Stanton. He is the author of a new book, Walking: A Complete Guide to Walking For Fitness, Health and Weight Loss.

Help Your Kids Stay Active
U.S. News & World Report (April 11, 2010)
The Alliance for a Healthier Generation suggests that the best way to persuade kids to be active is to join them. Another way is to teach children to walk as often as possible, such as to a friend's house, to the store, around the mall, or take the dog for a walk.

Walk This Way in Vancouver
Calgary Herald (April 10, 2010)
Vancouver is one of the most walkable cities on Earth according to John Lee. He recently published Walking Vancouver: 36 Strolls to Dynamic Neighborhoods, Hip Hangouts and Spectacular Waterfronts. It's a fun, informative and comprehensive guide for anyone who loves to explore on foot or who’s looking for a walkable vacation spot.

Shocking: Sugar Content in Common Food Products
The Huffington Post (April 8, 2010)
Refined sugars and high-fructose corn syrup are considered by many experts to be the biggest contributors to obesity. A professor of nutrition at NYU suggests that any food that contains more than 15 grams of sugar per serving is close to dessert. A brief analysis of the sugar content in popular foods shows that some energy bars have as much sugar as candy and that the worst sugar offenders may be drinks.

Sleep’s Role in Weight Loss Remains a Mystery
Washington Post (April 8, 2010)
Scientists have an idea for how lack of sleep might contribute to obesity. In two studies, lack of sleep was found to influence two hormones that help control hunger. Michael Aziz, author of The Perfect 10 Diet takes this one step further and says, “Getting enough sleep is the cheapest and simplest advice I can give for losing weight."

Exercise May Help Prevent the Baby Blues
UPI.com (April 7, 2010)
Australian researchers suggest an exercise program may help new moms avoid postnatal depression. Their study found that   the number of women identified as "at risk" for postnatal depression was reduced by 50 percent in the group of new mothers involved in the exercise program.

Walking Appears to Lower a Woman’s Stroke Risk
CTV News (April 7, 2010)
New research is released by the American Heart Association, as they launch National Start Walking Day to encourage people to get moving. This research shows that women who regularly take a brisk walk or who walk at a more moderate pace for more than two hours a week can help cut their risk of stroke by more than a third.

National Walking Day
Quad City Times (April 6, 2010)
Today is National Start Walking Day; an event designed to encourage Americans to get outside and start to live a healthy lifestyle. The American Heart Association notes that walking an extra 20 minutes a day will burn off 7 pounds of body fat each year. Also important to note is that you gain two hours of life expectancy for every hour of regular, vigorous exercise, like walking, even if you don’t start until middle age.

Active Mums Produce Lighter Babies
Sify News (April 6, 2010)
Women who exercise during pregnancy can reduce the chances of giving birth to an oversized obesity-prone baby. The pregnant women who trained on exercise cycles had lighter babies than women who did no exercise, scientists found. Since large birth size is associated with an increased risk of obesity, a modest reduction in birth weight may have long-term health benefits for babies by lowering this risk.

Understanding the Importance of Attitude toward Everyday Activity May Lead To a Healthier Lifestyle
Medical News Today (April 6, 2010)
A new study shows a positive correlation between having a positive attitude about physical activity, and doing more unintentional physical activity. This includes climbing stairs instead of waiting for the elevator, and walking further to the store rather than searching for a closer parking space. The researchers are now exploring whether there are ways to promote or encourage physical activity without a person knowing it.

When it comes to Women and Fitness, Don’t Worry, Just Exercise
San Antonio Express-News (April 5, 2010)
exercise an hour a day. “(That’s) a reasonable goal, but that doesn't mean you have to be sweating on the treadmill the whole time”, says a physician with Texas Center for Medical and Surgical Weight Loss.” Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk the dog. Play ball with your kids,” she says. “Walk 15 minutes after lunch, 15 minutes after breakfast,” she adds.

Ask Travel: Paris Walking Tours
Seattle Times (April 2, 2010)
Walkers traveling to France should explore Paris Walks (www.paris-walks.com) or Classic Walks (http://classicwalksparis.com), both of which offer daily, guided strolls through interesting historic and contemporary parts of the city.

Richmond’s New Priority: Taking Health Seriously
New York Times (April 2, 2010)
Richmond, CA has widespread poverty, a high crime rate and a reputation as a tough, gritty city. However the city is   adopting a new vision for itself that makes the health of its residents a top priority. The broad hope is to create a walkable city where residents of all income levels have access to fresh fruits and vegetables, parks and open space.

First Walk to Work Day Enjoys Good Weather
Fox News Chicago (April 2, 2010)
The Active Transportation Alliance sponsored Chicago’s Walk to Work Day on April 2.
The organizers encouraged people to meet up and walk to work together to promote health and exercise.

Exercising and Eating Right are Key Factors for Healthy Aging
St. Louis American (April 1, 2010)
It’s important to identify your “exercise personality” by assessing:   • your schedule   • preventive factors   • flashback to fitness (what worked in the past)  • where you workout   • your relationship with food

Turning Your Workday into Weight Loss
U.S. News & World Report (April 1, 2010)
A 'healthy office' can help employees shed pounds and boost productivity. This approach is rooted in what experts call "non-exercise activity thermogenesis" (NEAT), meaning a non-sedentary approach to office life. "By harnessing a little creativity, one can infuse the workday with movement” said Dr. James Levine of the Mayo clinic.

Three Generations of Women Find Fellowship on the Daily Walk
Washington Post (April 1, 2010)
Articles on the many benefits of walking include this story of a group of walking women spanning three generations.   Two miles a day, five days a week, in all but the worst weather, they make their loop around the neighborhood. It started as a fitness regimen but has become so much more.

Resources for Walking in and Around Washington
The Washington Post (April 1, 2010)
Walkers around D.C. have several great new resources including WalkingTown DC        http://www.walkingtowndc.org which features over 100 free walking tours. City Walks: Washington, D.C. is a guide comes in the form of a deck of 50 cards, each containing a map and detailed directions for a one- to two-hour neighborhood walk.

Southwest Florida Embraces the Start! Movement by 'Taking a Walk in the Park'
Naples News.com (March 31, 2010)
The American Heart Association calls on all Southwest Florida residents to “Start! Walking” on Wednesday, April 7, 2010, by coming to the Boston Red Sox’s spring training stadium and walking for 30 minutes around the track. The “Start!” www.startwalkingnow.org. movement is committed to engaging people in regular physical activity so they can live longer, healthier lives.

Drugs Developed to Treat Addiction May Also Benefit People Who Are Habitual Overeaters
Medical News Today (March 30, 2010)
Some of the same brain mechanisms that fuel drug addiction in humans are similar to compulsive eating behaviors and obesity in animals, according to new research. Hopefully, this study will change the way people think about eating," said a co-author of the study.   "It demonstrates how just the availability of food can trigger over consumption and obesity, " he said.

How Much Should You Exercise?
CNN (March 30, 2010)
Recent exercise findings differ on whether people need to work out harder for a shorter amount of time or moderately for a longer period of time. Public health guidelines say that adults should get a weekly minimum of two hours and 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity Some exercise experts say the important message is to be active, regardless of the latest studies.

Latest High-fructose Corn Syrup Study Generates Buzz, Debate
CNN (March 25, 2010)
A new study suggests that high-fructose corn syrup causes more significant weight gain than table sugar. But a food author and expert said, “by having cane sugar, you're not doing yourself a great big favor…not so much sugar is what we should be striving for."

Kelly Osbourne: I Caught More Flack for Being Fat
iVillage Entertainment (March 25, 2010)
Tabloid star Kelly Osbourne says after years of yo-yo dieting, she lost 42 pounds the healthy way -- with exercise and portion-control -- and she's finally feeling good about herself.

How Can I Reach My Fitness Goals?
KMIR TV Palm Springs (March 24, 2010)
Two psychological “tricks” can help you reach your fitness goals. They are: contrasting fantasy with reality by envisioning your goals, and implementing your intentions.

Being Active an Hour a day Puts Brakes on Weight Gain
U.S. News & World Report (March 23, 2010)
An hour a day of moderate-intensity exercise will prevent weight gain in normal-weight women, middle age and older, according to a new study. 'Moderate intensity' means brisk walking, casual bicycling, ballroom dancing, playing with the grandchildren," said the lead author of the study.

Calorie Data to Be Posted At Most Chains
New York Times (March 23, 2010)
Part of the new federal health care legislation concerns calorie counts. Every big restaurant chain in the nation will now be required to put calorie information on their menus and drive-through signs. The broader issue is that this firmly establishes the government’s role in improving the nation’s nutrition.

Walk and Roll gives Pupils a Ride on Their Feet
The Seattle Times (March 22, 2010)
Programs in Seattle neighborhoods support students in walking.
The program is one part of the school's participation in a regional effort called "Walk and Roll” and helps get pupils on their feet.

Getting Fit Inspires Friends to Do the Same
Vancouver Sun (March 22, 2010)
Someone who exercises regularly causes a “social chain reaction,” say researchers. The exerciser influences those around him to do the same, who in turn influence their friends to exercise, and so on. Health officials have jumped on this idea in the hopes that they can influence positive behavior changes within an increasingly inactive and obese society.

How to Stay Motivated on Diet, Exercise
York News-Times (March 22, 2010)
How to keep pumped up and motivated about exercise? Several suggestions include putting your goal in print and showing it to a friend. If you’ve started to walk more regularly, write down the benefits you notice. Do you have more energy? Are you sleeping better at night? Reading what you’ve written can motivate you to continue.

Vanessa Hudgens's 'Intense' New Exercise Partners: Navy Seals
People Magazine (March 21, 2010)
‘Tween star Vanessa Hudgens finds intense workouts with Navy Seals prepare her well for acting challenges. She said, “When you go so far you find a certain Zen within that and you know you can do anything. It’s very empowering."

Stop Working on Excuses, Start on Exercises
Pocono Record (March 21, 2010)
Don't find excuses for why you can't exercise, find reasons why you can and should.
Those who are office- bound , should consider these suggestions: when doing errands, try walking instead of driving; after lunch, walk around your work building for 20 minutes before returning inside; while at work, think about moving around at every opportunity.

S.A. Receives $15.6 Million to Fight Childhood Obesity
San Antonio Express (March 20, 2010)
In a city where 30 percent of children ages 8 to 10 are obese, a $15.6 million federal grant to San Antonio will spur the city’s effort to fight childhood obesity. The city will establish the “Active Living Council of San Antonio,” which will target physical activity.

Wearing a Pedometer, Meditation Can Improve Adolescents' Health
Sify news (March 16, 2010)
Simple, steps like wearing a pedometer to encourage walking or meditating can enhance adolescents' health, say researchers. Another study showed that the blood pressure of students in a school-based walking program decreased in 16 weeks compared with non-participating students.

Family Fitness: You Are in Shape But What about the Family?
Helium.com (March 15, 2010)
It’s great if you focus on staying in shape, but what about your family? Leading by your example is only part of what you need to do. Go for a walk after dinner with the family or take nature walks together on weekends.

Try This Quiz on Fitness
Albany Times-Union (March 13, 2010)
Test yourself on 9 fitness lies that may be preventing you from reaching your fitness goal.
They include: Does cardio burn more calories than strength training? Is morning the best time to exercise? Can you reduce cellulite through exercise?

Light to Moderate Drinking Linked To Less Weight Gain in Middle Aged Women
Medical News Today (March 11, 2010)
A new study found that normal weight women in their 40s and older who drank a light to moderate amount of alcohol gained less weight and had a lower risk of becoming obese and overweight compared to their non-drinking counterparts.

Weight Loss Strategies You Can Bank On
Daytona Beach News-Journal (March 9, 2010)
If we view our bodies as a bank account, the more we exercise, the more our "body bank account" will shrink or lose weight. But if we make more deposits than withdrawals -- eat more calories than we burn -- our "account" gains weight. However, there are many small changes we can make to balance our "body bank account."

A Matter of Size
Boston Globe (March 7, 2010)
In the battle against adult obesity, some communities are promoting healthy lifestyle choices aimed at helping residents shape up. In some Boston suburbs, these include community walks, public yoga, and tai chi workshops.

Is Healthy Living The Privilege of a Few?
Huffington Post (March 5, 2010)
Healthy living does not need to be expensive. A natural foods authority says, “Taking a walk is cheap, easy and might even allow you to de-stress and take a different view of your life's circumstances. It's the rare individual who can't find time for a 20-minute walk each day."

Keep On Exercising: Senior Sees Benefit of Daily Walks
The Jackson Citizen Patriot (March 3, 2010)
One-hundred-and-one year-old Alice Watkins walks in the corridors of her assisted living center nearly a mile each day.   "I feel better after I walk than I did before," she said. Watkins is an example that exercise is valuable at any age. "There is a tremendous benefit for older adults who exercise," said a County Health Department educator.

The Business Traveller- Keeping Fit
Financial Times.com (March 3, 2010)
Suggestions to keep fit while you travel include: plan ahead, think beyond the gym, don’t lay around during layovers and be creative. www.athleticmindedtraveler.com also offers detailed information for US and abroad.

Kids Walk Building Block to Becoming a Healthy Adult
UticaOD.com (February 28, 2010)
An upstate New York community has a “kids walk” and health expo to help educate children and their parents about adapting to a healthy lifestyle from a young age. The event’s chairwoman said, “if we can actually get the parents and kids in one place and try and show them the whole picture, they'll walk out of here with healthy habits.”

Top 5 Excuses for Not Exercising and How to Beat Them
Ctvnews (Canada) (February 27, 2010)
Canadian fitness author and expert says she knows why people often drag their feet when they start a new fitness program. But she has the answers for pushing past these excuses and talking yourself into building a more fit and active life. This includes how to get past the lack of time and tiredness issues.

City Walk: Hong Kong
Wall Street Journal.com (February 26, 2010)
Visitors to Hong Kong will find a city well-suited to walking. Extensive walks through four neighborhoods are outlined.

Stand up While You Read This
New York Times (February 23, 2010)
A study of people who sit for many hours, found that those who took frequent small breaks to walk, had smaller waists and better profiles for sugar and fat metabolism.

Why We Gain As We Age
NPR (February 22, 2010)
As we age, our muscles deteriorate, and they don't repair as quickly as they do in our younger years. Aging muscles contribute to the increase in the amount of fat we store in our bodies, says Cheryl Phillips, president of the American Geriatrics Society. However, proper exercise and weightlifting can still make muscles stronger.

The Claim: To Cut Calories, Eat Slowly
New York Times (February 22, 2010)
Researchers have found evidence that when people eat their food very quickly, they end up consuming more calories than they would if they ate at a slower pace. One reason is the effect of quicker ingestion on hormones.

Walk Your Way to Good Health
Hearaldsun.com.au (Australia) (February 21, 2010)
The Global Corporate Challenge (GCC) looked at 60,000 workers in 55 countries who aimed to walk 10,000 steps every day for eight months. Most participants had increased fitness and energy levels and lost weight – just from walking.

Host of Factors at Play in Saratoga County's High Health Rank
The Saratogian (February 21, 2010)
Saratoga Springs and the county is a walkable, livable community with access to services such as walking to grocery stores. A new study ranked Saratoga the second healthiest county in New York state.

When it comes to Exercise, Go Native, Not Neurotic
Huffington Post (February 20, 2010)
Nutritionist finds that a brisk walk in Central Park (NYC) is better for her than the gym.
Walking against the wind to the exercise studio, turned out to be the most effective part of the excursion, she said.

Poor Health Ratings Lead To Fitness Promotion
The Joplin Globe (February 17, 2010)
Poor health ratings in Missouri counties led to the “LiveSmart” campaign, a push for area residents to “Eat Right — Move More”. LiveSmart will try to change those rankings by encouraging people to get in more walking and other exercise, and to eat healthier.

How to Prepare for a Winter Walk
St. Louis Post Dispatch (February 17, 2010)
This article offers tips to walkers who spend 30 minutes or more in outside in the cold. Two of the essentials when enjoying a winter hike, include wearing sunscreen and avoiding caffeine.

10 Cheap (or Free) Ways to Lose Weight
Christian Science Monitor (February 16, 2010)
When you start an economical fitness plan it will probably start with some casual walking. Do you really need a $50 shirt to walk around the block? Think about all the ways you can exercise for free.

Most Americans think it’s others who are Unhealthy
U.S. News & World Report (February 16, 2010)
A new study shows a big disconnect between how Americans rate their own personal health and how they rate the health of their fellow Americans. With rising rates of diabetes and obesity, they seem to think they are in much better shape than their doctors say they are.

‘Biggest Loser’ Contestants Relate Their Journey to Healthy Living
Newminer.com (February 13, 2010)
The oldest couple ever to achieve success on TV’s The Biggest Loser, has kept the weight off with diet and exercise. The health results of their famed weight loss? He no longer takes six medications to control high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, glaucoma and gout, and she is off cholesterol medication.

Expert: Just Get Up and Do Something
Muskogee Phoenix (February 12, 2010)
A Fitness guru says evidence is emerging that the health care crisis is a result of our sedentary lifestyle "Start every school day with a 10-minute walk," he said. "It will reduce behavioral problems and improve grades."

How to Live to 100
TIME (February 11, 2010)
The New England Centenarian Study of people entering their 100s has identified several traits that seem to be critical to longevity, including not smoking, being extroverted and easygoing and staying lean.   The majority of those studied were mentally alert, relatively free of disability and active members of their communities.

Women’s Health: Walking It Off
Heath News.com (February 10, 2010)
Adding stairs to your walking plan can significantly increase your total steps. Walking at a moderate pace for 30-60 minutes at a time burns fat and builds muscle, increasing metabolism and weight loss.

Childhood Obesity: It's Not the Amount of TV, It's the Number of Junk Food Commercials
Science Daily (February 10, 2010)
The association between television viewing and childhood obesity is directly related to children's exposure to commercials that advertise unhealthy foods, according to a new UCLA School of Public Health study.

Women Can Improve Heart Health While They “Walk and Talk”
WCVBTV Boston (February 10, 2010)
A top cardiovascular expert believes that walking is the simplest change individuals can make to effectively improve their heart health. She points out that your 30 minutes of activity can be broken up into smaller sessions and be equally effective.

Honeymoon with Fitness: How to Fall in Love with a Workout
Huffington Post (February 10, 2010)
If you’re fitness-averse, try falling in love with exercise by creating the right environment. Get in the mood, remember timing is key, set the atmosphere, and you will start to love it.

First Lady Launches Childhood Obesity Push with nod to Biking and Walking
DC Streetsblog.org (February 9, 2010)
First Lady Michelle Obama kicked off a national campaign to combat childhood obesity, emphasizing new initiatives to promote biking and walking alongside a strong focus on healthier food options in schools.

Walking’s New Stride
The Columbian (February 8, 2010)
Nordic walking poles can take your walking workout to another level. “The poles give you resistance and help tone the arms while also exercising all major muscle groups in your upper body.” Interest in Nordic walking may grow as baby boomers, accustomed to high-impact exercise, look for alternatives if they develop joint problems.

An End to Dieting- Almost
Washington Post (February 4, 2010)
Instead of prescribing eating regimens, many weight-loss experts are suggesting that we reevaluate our relationship with food, focus on eating healthful whole foods and use psychology to aid our weight loss efforts.

Try Walking to Jumpstart Your Fitness
Suncoast News (February 3, 2010)
Walking is a great way to recharge your system. A four week program is outlined. Use a simple and effective technique called the "talk test" to measure exercise intensity

Rules Worth Following, for Everyone’s Sake
New York Times (February 1, 2010)
According to some experts, cooking for yourself is the only sure way to take back control of your diet from the food scientists and food processors. People who consume traditional diets, free of the manufactured foods prevalent in our country, contract diseases at much lower rates.

Staying Fit…
Press Enterprise.com (January 30, 2010)
The recreation Department of one California community encourages residents to walk vigorously as part of an organized program that allows participants to track their progress and get information on fitness.

"Eat This" Authors Offer Advice for Healthy Home Cooking
Washington Post (January 28, 2010)
The premise of a new eating plan is that by mastering a few basic recipes and substituting them for takeout or other meals, we can seize control of what we eat and how many calories we consume. The authors make an excellent case for eating in and lowering the butter, salt and sugar you eat in takeout and restaurant foods.

Being a Good Fitness Role Model for Kids Might not Have to Involve Sweat
Los Angeles Times (January 27, 2010)
In a recent study, researchers found no link between parents level of activity and how much physical activity their children got. The link was found instead in how the parents perceived and supported their children's athletics.

Forget Jenny Craig. Hit the Drive Through
New York Times (January 27, 2010)
Is fast food a health minefield? Some experts say their new healthier choices are fine, except for an excess of salt. Others worry that companies may not accurately report nutritional information.

Health Care Bills do Promote Healthy Living
San Francisco Chronicle (January 26, 2010)
There is a wellness innovation in bills currently in the House and Senate that includes support for "community-based" prevention and health promotion. New prevention strategies under this reform include: a yearly "personalized prevention plan" for Medicare patients; national assistance to wellness programs at the worksite; and a vast "public-private partnership" to teach everybody about prevention and health promotion.

Women and Walking the Benefits of Picking up the Pace
NPR (January 25, 2010)
New research shows that women who get moderate amounts of exercise in middle-age tend to be much healthier at 70 and beyond. Active women cross-over into the senior decades with far fewer chronic diseases and greater mental acuity. They say brisk regular walks will accomplish this.

Exercise: In Women, Training for a Sharper Mind
New York Times (January 25, 2010)
Research shows that older women who did an hour or two of strength training exercises each week had improved cognitive function a year later. The improvements in the strength training group included an enhanced ability to make decisions, resolve conflicts and focus on subjects without being distracted by competing stimuli.

Fighting Childhood Obesity at Home
Medical News Today (January 23, 2010)
A nutritionist shares tips on raising healthy eaters. She recommends learning to recognize baby’s hunger signs and not feeding a child who isn’t hungry. She also recommends encouraging children to get exercise.

On TV's 'One Big Happy Family,' Cole family is losing Weight Together
Washington Post (January 21, 2010)
The TV Cole family may have some of the criteria for successful weight loss but are lacking in one area.   While they have the motivation and social support that are crucial, they need essentially new neural (brain) circuits. Losing weight and keeping it off requires rewiring your brain to make better food choices.

Denise Austin is still Going Strong
The Washington Post (January 21, 2010)
Fitness guru Austin, at age 52 still looks like a model for fitness.
"Strength training is the key to fighting the aging process. Nothing can droop or sag if you're firm," she said. Her new book touts de-stressing, rewarding hard work in a healthy way, boosting your energy and more.

America Wasn’t Born Fat, we just eat More Than we Burn
Huffington Post (January 19, 2010)
A nutritionist and trainer to celebrity clients says that the alarming obesity rate in the U.S. can be distilled to one basic truth: Americans consume more calories than they burn. Conversely, those in countries with the leanest, healthiest populations, consume, prepare and burn their food in a manner that enables them to stay healthy and lean.

Walk It Off
Delaware Online (January 19, 2010)
Be Healthy Delaware: Walk it off!” is a 10-week campaign to encourage residents to walk at least 10 miles a week – with the collective goal of walking around the globe 10 times.

Eight Foods to Make You Beautiful on the Outside
Tampa Bay Online (January 19, 2010)
A celebrity nutritionist reviews eight foods that can make your skin radiant, your hair shine and your nails, healthy. Among them: Wild salmon; blueberries, tomatoes; and oranges.

Apart From Lack of Exercise, Prolonged Periods of Sitting Are Harmful
Medical News Today (January 19, 2010)
Recent research indicates that prolonged periods of sitting and lack of whole body muscular movement are strongly linked to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Researchers said “Climbing the stairs, rather than using elevators and escalators… or walking to the store rather than taking the car (is) as important as exercise."

Walk While You Work
Standard Examiner.com (January 18, 2010)
Doctor studies the effectiveness of walking while working herself…with a treadmill desk in her office. It's just so fabulous to not be sitting all day," she says. "I feel so much better. I have more energy; I have less muscle pain and joint stiffness."

This February, Make Creativity the Heart of Your Fitness Routine
Medical News Today (January 15, 2010)
A dietician/trainer and her cardiologist husband encourage friends to join them for a brisk, heart-healthy walk. Turning social occasions into fitness time is one of the creative strategies for maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system.

Full Plate Diet Says Secret to Weight Loss is Fiber
U.S. News & World Report (January 15, 2010)
High- fiber diets have health benefits and add bulk to your meals. This permits you to eat the same volume of food but take in fewer calories. "We hit on fiber because it helps people feel full and start to lose weight" experts say.

Poll: Shoppers Burn Mega-calories Simply by Walking Through the Stores  
Daily News (January 14, 2010)
Shopping may burn more than just money. According to recent research, it also burns off 48,000 calories a year. That number is based on the 132 shopping trips a year (159 hours and 56 minutes at a brisk pace) that a typical woman takes.

Healthful-living Experts Share Their Advice for the New Year
Washington Post (January 14, 2010)
Another set of health and nutrition experts weigh in on their plans for a healthier year. One plans to spend more time cultivating her "secret gardens": hiking, skating, painting, gardening and meditating.

Healthful-living Experts Share Their Advice for the New Year
Washington Post (January 14, 2010)
Another set of health and nutrition experts weigh in on their plans for a healthier year. One plans to spend more time cultivating her "secret gardens": hiking, skating, painting, gardening and meditating.

Is The Military Getting Soft?
New York Times (January 13, 2010)
Despite the military’s stress on physical fitness, many officers insist that today’s soldiers are physically softer than soldiers were in the past. A Pentagon estimate stated that close to one-third of youths in America would be physically unfit to serve.

With Obesity Rates Leveling Off, Banish the Belly Fat for Good
U.S. News & World Report (January 13, 2010)
A new scientific study shows that little extra fat on the butt, hips, and thighs might actually protect against heart disease and diabetes.   However, having too much fat on the belly is bad because it increases inflammation, which is thought to be involved in heart disease, cancer, and other life-shortening diseases.

Ditched Your Gym Resolution Already?
NBC (January 12, 2010)
Celebrity trainer Mark Jenkins maintains Beyonce’s curves, Mary J. Blige’s sculpted biceps, and prepares P. Diddy for marathons. He advises taking your workouts outside as much as possible -- that's what he does!

King County Pushes for Healthy Corner Stores
KUOW News (January 11, 2010)
For those West Seattle residents without a car or adequate bus service, the convenience store is where they shop. So, as part of a pilot program, a neighborhood group is working with the Public Health Department to help convenience store operators stock up on healthy choices of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Global Poll: A Look at Weight Around the World
Readers Digest (January 11, 2010)
Although world hunger remains a significant problem, obesity is more dangerous in many countries around the world. The U.S. is the country where wives most want their husbands to lose weight.

Winter Walking Adventures
Guardian.co.uk (January 10, 2010)
International walking trips to Mallorca, Turkey, Jordan, Sicily, and Morocco are outlined.

Megan Fox’s Vinegar Detox Diet
That’s Fit (January 7, 2010) (January 7, 2010)
Transformers star Megan Fox is the latest to join the celebrity diet bandwagon. with a diet of vinegar shots. Stars Denise Richards, Jennifer Hudson and Kelly Clarkson reportedly used The Cookie Diet. However, a dietician warns, “these types of cleansing diets are all silliness and potentially dangerous. I'm happy to know that eating sensibly is being espoused and that people realize that a fad diet is not the way to go."

Dieters Beware, Calorie Counts are Frequently Off
Time Magazine (January 6, 2010)
Prepared foods may contain an average of 8% more calories than their package labels indicate and restaurant meals may contain 18% more, according to a new study. But as far as Food and Drug Administration regulations are concerned, that's perfectly O.K.

Researchers Find Obesity Key
Medical News Today (January 6, 2010)
Researchers have discovered a molecular mechanism that controls energy expenditure in muscles and helps determine body weight. They say this could lead to a new medical approach in treating obesity.

Phys Ed: Can you be Overweight and Still Be Healthy?
New York Times (January 6, 2010)
Even if you have great blood-cholesterol levels or a firm commitment to exercise, being overweight increases your risk of heart disease, according to the latest research. As a result, you should probably try to lose the extra pounds. “Some researchers have suggested that a heavy person without other risk factors didn’t need to lose weight… our data does not support this notion”, said the lead researcher.

The A to Z of Celebrity Diets
Themirror.com (U.K.) (January 5, 2010)
Even slim Hollywood celebs will have over-indulged over Christmas and will now be looking to shed a few pounds. Here are some of their diet tips, from A to Z.

Experts Weigh in on Five Popular Fitness Products
Mercury News.com (January 4, 2010)
Experts evaluate five easy-to-find exercise devices, and rate their efficiency at helping people tone up and lose weight.

The Best Way to Lose 20 Pounds
ABC News (January 4, 2010)
ABC’s MoneyWatch analyzed eight of the biggest diet plans. Three are support-only plans that don’t sell food, and five are food-delivery plans. Which of these diets are worth the money?

Hungry after That Workout?
Los Angeles Times (January 4, 2010)
Hungry after your workout? The post-workout binge is so common that scientists have come up with a term for it: compensation. An individual's tendency to compensate has direct bearing on how easy -- or difficult -- it will be for that person to lose weight by exercising.

White House Cuisine put to Reality Test with Iron Chef Appearance
Times Online (January 4, 2010)
Michelle Obama appeared in a special episode of Iron Chef America as part of her campaign to promote healthy eating for children. Mrs. Obama loses no opportunity to talk about the garden and her desire to reduce childhood obesity through healthier meals, better school lunches, the use of farmers’ markets and exercise.

Morris County's DOT offers Walkable Communities program to help towns become more pedestrian friendly.
North Jersey News (January 3, 2010)
Through its Walkable Communities program, Morris County, New Jersey’s Division of Transportation is offering assistance to towns that would like to become more pedestrian-friendly. Upon request from a governing body, school or community group, they will come into a town and introduce its Walkable Communities program.

MANAGED-SSRSO43