To prevent or reduce these symptoms, gradually increase exercise intensity over the course of several days. If you are preparing for a hike, race, or other exercise related event at a higher than normal altitude, I recommend allowing your body several days to adapt to the new altitude before the event.

Start preparing with a low intensity workout and then gradually progress to more intense workouts. Remember to listen to your body, intake plenty of carbohydrates, and stay hydrated. Your body will tell you when to keep going or enough is enough.

Carbohydrates will help fuel the body and will get burned at faster than normal rates due to the increase of altitude and heart rate. Plenty of fluids are needed due to the loss of sodium and water by body’s attempt to acclimatize to the new altitude as well.

Good luck and train safely!

Elevation of Major U.S. Cities (The below elevations are from each city’s lowest point)

1. New Orleans, Louisiana:  -8 ft
2. Los Angeles, California:  Sea Level
3. Miami, Florida:  Sea Level
4. New York, New York:  Sea Level
5. Washington, D.C.:  1 ft
6. Dallas, Texas:  390 ft
7. Chicago, Illinois:  579 ft
8. Kansas City, Missouri:  720 ft
9. Phoenix, Arizona:  1,058 ft
10. El Paso, Texas:  3,695 ft
11. Albuquerque, New Mexico:  4,946 ft
12. Denver, Colorado:  5,130 ft

Post from: Diets in Review Blog

How Altitude Can Affect Training

Water equipment has also become more popular. Water weights, floating belts, and other useful equipment are used to increase water resistance as well as help with flotation and balance. Water aerobics can be performed just about anywhere; from health and fitness clubs to public or private swimming pools to even shallow lakes. All you really need is the motivation and dedication to splash around a little bit (warm weather wouldn’t hurt either).

Benefits of Water Aerobics:

1. Non-weight bearing exercise
2. Improves muscular endurance
3. Improves core strength and endurance
4. Great exercise for pregnant women
5. Improves flexibility
6. Improves cardiovascular conditioning
7. Burns enormous amount of calories
8. Keeps the body cool during exercise
9. Fun and enjoyable exercise
10. Great way to modify or spice up normal routine

Safety can be a huge issue when it comes to combining water with exercise, so be sure to take note of these safety tips!

Water Aerobics Safety Tips:

1. Contact physician before starting program
2. Make sure lifeguard is on duty
3. Know your limits (listen to your body)
4. Give yourself space for movement
5. Stay hydrated
6. Be aware of wet surfaces while WALKING around pool area
7. Properly stretch before and after exercise
8. Make sure instructor knows your health background if you are at risk
9. Get CPR certified
10. Use sunblock if you are outdoors

Also Read:

Swim for an Effective Total Body Workout

A Beginner’s Guide to Swimming Workouts

Post from: Diets in Review Blog

Top 10 Benefits of Water Aerobics

Desperate Housewives

Founded in 1995, the organization works with communities to create safe playgrounds, skate parks, ice rinks and even to renovate aging athletic fields. Community members create videos explaining the need for a playground and can be awarded up to $5,000 in funding. In addition, the Kaboom! website offers knowledge and experience to anyone interested through online toolkits, training and technical assistance.

Cross feels that this partnership is necessary for kids, and she’s urging moms everywhere to get their kids to a playground for a fun time. She feels lucky that her girls don’t need any encouragement, adding, “I just open up the gates and let (Eden and Savannah) go.”

Why not take a few minutes yourself and join your kids on the playground – weather permitting, of course! Monkey bars, swinging, sliding – all have benefits to kids of every age! Use Kaboom! to find a playspace near you!

Also Read:

Desperate Housewife has Healthy Body Image

NFL Fights Childhood Obesity with Fuel Up to Play 60

Burning Calories is Child’s Play

Post from: Diets in Review Blog

Marcia Cross Partners with Kaboom! to Promote Playgrounds

Listen as she gives us her best tips for those just starting off – those of us who might be overwhelmed at the idea of running 13.1 miles – never mind 26.2.

Also Read:

Fitness Tips for Busy Moms by MizFit Online

Fitness for Moms Inspiration by Bookie Boo

How to Become a Runner

Post from: Diets in Review Blog

Long Distance Running Tips from Her Bad Mother

One common refrain from moms is, “I’m so busy! I can’t possibly fit in any exercise!” Renee Ross of Cutie Booty Cakes has taken that refrain and blown it out of the water. Listen as she shares her tips on using technology such as Wii Fit to get it done, no matter what.

Also Read:

Fitness Tips for Busy Moms by MizFit Online

Fitness for Moms Inspiration by Bookie Boo

Healthy Fast-Food Eating for Moms on the Go

Post from: Diets in Review Blog

Diet Tips for a Busy Mom from Renee Ross

If you’re one of the many people considering plastic surgery, then you need to know exercise is imperative before doing so. By implementing cardiovascular and weight training along with proper stretching into your daily routine, your body will be well prepared for the surgery. This type of conditioning will strengthen your heart, firm your body, and will help quicken the post-surgery recovery. I recommend performing 30 to 60 minutes of cardiovascular training four to five days a week, at least 30 minutes of weight training three days a week, and stretching five to six days a week. Rest is also an important pre-surgery recommendation. Proper rest will ensure safety and success!

The typical full post-surgery recovery time is around four to six months, although you can begin a 30-minute walking program just a few weeks after the surgery (recovery time may vary based on the type of surgery). Based on your progress, weights and more intense cardiovascular training can be gradually implemented as well. I recommend starting with lower body weight lifting exercises then progressing to upper body after full recovery. Again, around the four to six month time frame, most patients are able to resume their active exercise regimen. Start slow and work your way back up!

Please stay in contact with your physician about the type of exercise you should be undergoing.

Also Read:

5 Ways to Prevent Loose Skin after Weight Loss

Plastic Surgery after Gastric Bypass Surgery

Post from: Diets in Review Blog

Benefits of Exercise Before and After Plastic Surgery

Over the course of two pregnancies, she lost an incredible 170 pounds and now helps other women work towards weight loss and healthier living. Here she discusses weight loss tips and making small steps, such as dropping soda from your diet and starting over again and again.

Also Read:

Fitness Tips for Busy Moms by MizFit

Busy Mom Diet Tips from Cutie Booty Cakes

8 Tips for Post-Pregnancy Weight Loss from Moms

True Weight Loss Stories – Tell Us Yours!

Post from: Diets in Review Blog

Fitness for Moms Inspiration from Bookie Boo of Mamavation

Here she is discussing how, no matter how busy we might be, there are ways to get in the exercise. Listen as she discusses the rule of “10-10-10,” how to be creative while fitting in exercise, and the concept of NEAT – Non Exercise Activity Thermogenisis.

Also Read:

Preventing Freshamn 15 in a SNAP, by MizFit

Busy Mom Diet Tips with Cutie Bootie Cakes

Post from: Diets in Review Blog

Fitness Tips for Busy Moms by MizFit Online

Be honest. Do you know your numbers? Your cholesterol numbers. You should have your cholesterol measured once a year after age 30, especially if you have a family history of high cholesterol or heart problems. High cholesterol can double the risk for heart disease. It’s entirely possible that your body will produce too much cholesterol, even if you take steps to lower it. However, many people are successful at lowering their cholesterol with some simple changes.

There are three ways you can make your cholesterol levels better.

1. Diet: Eat more vegetables, fruits and whole grains. Use low- or non-fat dairy products. Substitute olive, grapeseed, canola or safflower oil for butter, lard or solid-stick margarine. Avoid foods that contain saturated, hydrogenated, partially hydrogenated fats or trans-fats. Read those labels and might as well get out your dictionary. Better yet, buy fewer packaged foods. These tips will help you keep saturated fat low and fiber high, a win-win for managing cholesterol.

2. Exercise: Get 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week. Exercise can result in weight loss, better cholesterol levels and a more normal blood sugar. There is no such thing as bad exercise (unless you are over exercising). Some typical cardiovascular exercises include brisk walking, bicycling, and hiking. Look for hills for an extra challenge. Swimming is a great choice if you want a non-impact workout.

3. Weight Control: Take care of #1 and #2 so #3 happens naturally. Maintain a healthy weight. Extra weight can increase your blood pressure, level of bad cholesterol and your chance of developing diabetes. Rather than obsess over the number on the scale, make sure that your nutrition changes are shrinking your waistline. You want to decrease abdominal fat because fat in this area increases heart disease risk.

Don’t forget to have those numbers checked. If anything is out of whack, don’t panic… think of what you are doing for your meals and snacks and which smart changes you could make. Start by preparing your own healthy foods and cut back on high salt, high fat, big portion foods.

This month is particularly personal for me, as my mom has heart disease. She had quadruple bypass surgery one year ago this month. If you know someone who would benefit from this information on preventing heart disease, please share it. I’m posting articles throughout American Heart Month on simple things everyone can do to keep their heart healthy and strong.

Also Read:

Top 5 Foods to Lower Cholesterol

Trans-Fats, Do you Know Which Foods Have Them?

Lose Weight, Gain a Healthy Heart

Post from: Diets in Review Blog

Three Steps to Lowering Your Cholesterol

Guest blogger, Cynthia Bailey M.D., is a practicing dermatologist and skin care expert in Northern California. Her skin care products and advice can be found at

Most of the time exercise is great for your skin giving your complexion a healthy vitality and usually improving acne. For some people, however, exercise causes breakouts.

This exercise acne is different from other forms of acne because it’s caused by the overgrowth of a yeast germ called pityrosporum that normally doesn’t cause pimples. This yeast germ lives in everyone’s skin, but for some people, sweating makes it grow in the pores causing pimples. The harder you workout, the more you sweat and the more you breakout. 

During prolonged workouts, your skin is hot, sweaty and oily and the yeast really grows. The end result is itchy and tender pimples on the back, chest, neck, forehead, and along the jaw line.

Not everyone is prone to exercise acne, also called pityrosporum folliculitis. If you are, there are simple steps you can take to prevent and treat breakouts and achieve healthy skin:

1. Wash your skin immediately after your workout with a medicated soap that kills the yeast. This is the most important way to prevent breakouts. I recommend using soaps that contain 2% pyrithione zinc soap. Other options include medicated shampoos with ketaconazole, like Nizoril Shampoo or selenium sulfide, like Selsun Blue. Apply the soaps or shampoos to your skin and leave them on for several minutes (five minutes is ideal) before rinsing. I like the products applied with an exfoliating cloth or sponge.

2. If your breakout includes clogged pores along with the pustules then I also recommend using an exfoliating cleanser on the affected skin at least three times a week. Options include benzoyl peroxide, glycolic acid,or salicylic acid.

3. If you aren’t able to wash your skin immediately after working out, at least wipe it clean with acne pads or rubbing alcohol. Shower and use your medicated yeast killing cleansers as soon as possible.

4. Change into clean, dry clothes after your workout so that your skin can dry out, too.

5. If you prefer to use products made from entirely natural ingredients you can try tea tree oil soaps or shampoos. This natural antimicrobial has the potential to decrease the growth of the pityrosporum yeast, but the oils may clog pores.

Post from: Diets in Review Blog

5 Tips to Control Exercise Acne