Cloud may have created a more convincing and less dangerous argument had he recommended the function and usefulness of maintaining a regular, moderate-intensity workout routine rather than suggesting that exercise and reduced caloric intake are perhaps not required to lose weight.

The overall take-home message spiraling from this divisive argument is that as a culture we need to quite simply eat less and move more. And this movement does not nor should it not come exclusively from being a gym rat, but rather a rat who walks, runs, skips, bikes, gardens, errands, climbs and treads more than his or her bum sits at a desk, idles in a car or lounges on the couch.

I’m a health advocate, but I’m also a writer. And what do writers do? They sit and write. But I know that in order for my body to not put on extra weight, I must move. Every day. And a lot. As I write this blog post, I can see my bike on which I rode to the cafe to get some work down and will ride back home when I’m finished. I whisk my daughter off to the park at least once a day, take our dog out for walks, and when I do drive, I forgo the proximal parking spots for the ones way back in the lot.

I’m saying this not to pat myself on the back, but to make a case that as a society, in order to move more, it doesn’t take much. For those who hate the gym, don’t go! Take up a fun dancing class. Join a walking club. Plant and maintain a garden. Move the laundry area downstairs so it forces you to climb up and down whenever a load needs to be changed. Have a phone conversation standing up as you water the plants rather than lying down on your bed. Just keep your body moving.

And when it comes to calories, eat more plant-based foods and cut down on your portion size.

Trust me: All of these actions will add up. But your weight won’t.

Also read Experts Debunk Recent Weight Loss Exercise Myth

Post from: Diets in Review Blog

Calories Versus Exercise: Can’t They Both be Friends?

I am constantly trying to find ways to integrate more activity into my busy schedule. Today, I decided to take my own advice and popped my iPod into the dock while I set out to clean house. Normally cleaning takes me a lot of time because I get bored and distract myself. Dancing let me have fun and also showed me where I still need some work. Ideally, as a dancer, I should be able to keep my feet moving despite what my arms are doing, but I caught myself standing more than once while scrubbing my cast iron skillet. Of course the best part of it was how much I accomplished. It is June and in the 90s in Indiana, but there were still sweaters on my bedroom floor – not any more!

Turning on the Timba for a few minutes every day can bring me more joy, more cleanliness, more activity, and increase my dance skills. Even if salsa isn’t your dance of choice, find the music that moves you, combine tasks, and maybe even practice your moonwalk.

Post from: Diets in Review Blog

Dancing Through Your Chores is a Great Workout

These guidelines and recommendations are tough to achieve and will definitely take a lifestyle change if you have not already done so. The daily rating scale is as follows:

Each day is worth 20 points:

• If you exercise for an hour you get 20 points

• If you exercise for forty-five minutes you get 15 points

• If you exercise for thirty minutes you get 10 points

• Anything less than thirty minutes you get 5 points and 0 points for not exercising.

There is a total of 120 points:

115 to 120 points: You have Superior work ethic and will lower your risk of heart disease and obesity tremendously

90 to 110 points: You have Great work ethic and will lower your risk of heart disease and obesity

60 to 85 points: You have Good work ethic, but need to increase either the length of your work-outs or frequency of them to achieve a higher level of fitness. You are definitely still lowering your risk of heart disease and obesity though.

55 points or lower: You have an average work ethic and need to bump it up a little bit if you want to increase your level of fitness as well. Do it gradual though, add a few more minutes to your daily work-outs or add a few more days of exercise into the mix.

Keep up the good work and I hope you all are at the SUPERIOR work ethic level!! If you have any questions please feel free to ask!! Good Luck

Post from: Diets in Review Blog

Rate Your Physical Activity