Exercise And Cold Weather:

Stay motivated, Fit And Safe

 

Winter can frustrate the most motivated exercisers. And if you're not so motivated, it's all too easy to pack your workout gear away with your summer clothes. But keeping up your exercise routine in cold weather can be rewarding.

For one thing, outdoor exercise is a sure cure for cabin fever and the winter blues. And it increases energy, which can be sapped by gloomy weather. Exercise also bolsters your immune system — studies show that moderate exercisers get 20 to 30 percent fewer colds than nonexercisers do. And, you won't have to scramble to get in shape for swimsuit season. With the right clothing and a little planning, cold-weather exercise can be safe, effective and, yes, fun.

Taking It Outside

Here's how to get the most out of your cold-weather workout:

· Check with your doctor. Experts say that almost everyone can exercise safely in the cold, including people with asthma and heart problems. If you have health con- cerns, get your doctor's OK.

· Layer it on. One of the biggest mistakes cold-weather exercisers make is dressing too warmly. Exercise generates a considerable amount of heat — enough to make you feel like it's 30 degrees warmer than it really is. At the same time, once you start to tire and the sweat dries, you can get chilled. The solution? Dress in layers that you can remove as soon as you start to sweat and then put back on as needed. Start with a thin layer of synthetic material such as polypropylene, which draws sweat away from your body. Avoid cotton, which stays wet next to your skin. Next, try fleece for insulation. Top this with a waterproof, breathable outer layer. A heavy down jacket or vest will cause most people to overheat. If you're naturally lean, though, you'll need more insulation than someone who is heavier.

· Choose appropriate gear. If it's dark, wear reflective clothing. To stay steady on your feet, choose footwear with enough traction to prevent falls.

· Remember sunscreen. It's as easy to get sunburned in winter as in summer — even more so if you're exercising in the snow or at high altitudes. Wear a sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB rays and has an SPF of at least 15 or higher. Use a lip balm that contains sunscreen, and protect your eyes from snow and ice glare with dark glasses or goggles.

· Head into the wind. You'll be less likely to get chilled on the way back if you end your workout — when you may be sweaty — with the wind at your back.

· Drink plenty of fluids. Drink water or sports drinks before, during and after your workout — even if you're not thirsty. You can become just as dehydrated in the cold as in the heat from sweating, breathing and increased urine production.

· Pay attention to wind chill. The wind can penetrate your clothes and remove the insulating layer of warm air that surrounds your body.

Stay motivated. When it's cold outdoors, there's no need to hit the couch. With a little knowledge and fortitude, you can meet the challenges — and reap the rewards — of winter exercise. For many people, the solitude and quiet alone are reason enough to brave the elements.

www.mayoclinic.com

Involve Your Children in Family Mealtime

A good way to get young children excited about new foods and healthy eating is to get them involved in the kitchen. Young children like to imitate their parents, and this is especially true during meal planning and food preparation.

Young children can:

·         wipe and help set the table,

·         select fruits or vegetables for the meal,

·         rinse vegetables and fruits,

·         snap green beans,

·         stir pancake batter, and

·         help assemble a pizza and make sandwiches.

Parents need to remember some safety tips when children are in kitchen:

·         Cook with pots and pans on the back burners.

·         Keep hot dishes where children cannot touch or pull them down on top of themselves.

·         Children should not remove cooked food from the microwave.

·         Keep knives and other sharp objects out of children’s reach.

Benefits of Family Mealtime

Families can experience the positive benefits of family meals by eating together at least four to five times per week:

• If possible, start eating meals together as a family when your kids are young. This way, it becomes a habit.
• Plan when you will eat together as a family. Write it on your calendar!
• During the meal focus on each other. Turn off the television. Take phone calls later.
• Talk about fun and happy things and make meal time stress-free.
• Encourage your child to try foods, but do not lecture or force your child to eat.

Family Mealtime

    In addition to improved communication with family, studies show that children who sit in on family meals eat healthier diets and perform better in school, according to Amanda Scott, an AgriLife Extension program specialist in the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education program.

    “Research shows that compared to children who seldom participate in family meals, children who sit down to regular family meals consume more fruits, vegetables and fiber, consume less soda and fried foods, and eat less heart-damaging saturated and trans fats,” she said. “Families who eat together also have more time and opportunities to communicate and build relationships, and these children tend to perform better academically.”

    Scott said families can experience the positive benefits of family meals by eating together at least four to five times per week.

    “If possible, start eating meals together as a family when your kids are young. This way, it becomes a habit,” she said. “Plan when you will eat together as a family by writing it down on a calendar. Turn off the television and cell phones, and focus on each other. Talk about fun and happy things, and make mealtime stress-free.”

    Children should be encouraged to try new foods, but not be lectured or forced to eat them, she said.

    Sharon Robinson, an AgriLife Extension nutrition specialist, said that because they like to imitate their parents, a good way to get young children excited about healthy foods is to eat healthy food themselves. Make sure healthy foods are available for snacking.

“Get your kids to help set the table and clean up after the meal to help make it a family event,” she said. “Involve them in selecting fruits and vegetables for the meal. Then get them to help rinse the produce, snap the green beans, stir the pancake batter or help assemble a pizza or sandwiches.”

Parents, though, should remember safety tips when children are in the kitchen, Robinson said.

“Cook with pots and pans on the back burners. Keep hot dishes where children cannot touch or pull them down on themselves. Don’t have them remove food from the microwave, and keep knives and other sharp objects out of their reach.”

                -30-

posted by Dianne Gertson

Fitness Fundamentals

DEFINING FITNESS

Physical fitness is to the human body what fine tuning is to an engine. It enables us to perform up to our potential. Fitness can be described as a condition that helps us look, feel and do our best. More specifically, it is: “The ability to perform daily tasks vigorously and alertly, with energy left over for enjoying leisure- time activities and meeting emergency demands. It is the ability to endure, to bear up, to withstand stress, to carry on in circumstances where an unfit person could not continue, and is a major basis for good health and well-being.” Physical fitness involves the performance of the heart and lungs, and the muscles of the body. And, since what we do with our bodies also affects what we can do with our minds, fitness influences to some degree qualities such as mental alertness and emotional stability.  As you undertake your fitness program, it’s important to remember that fitness is an individual quality that varies from person to person. It is influenced by age, sex, heredity, personal habits, exercise and eating practices. You can’t do anything about the first three factors. However, it is within your power to change and improve the others where needed.

WHEN TO EXERCISE

The hour just before the evening meal is a popular time for exercise. The late afternoon workout provides a welcome change of pace at the end of the work day and helps dissolve the day’s worries and tensions.  Another popular time to work out is early morning, before the work day begins. Advocates of the early start say it makes them more alert and energetic on the job.  Among the factors you should consider in developing your workout schedule are personal preference, job and family responsibilities, availability of exercise facilities and weather. It’s important to schedule your workouts for a time when there is little chance that you will have to cancel or interrupt them because of other demands on your time.

You should not exercise strenuously during extremely hot, humid weather or within two hours after eating. Heat and/or digestion both make heavy demands on the circulatory system, and in combination with exercise can be an overtaxing double load.

www.fitness.gov