The old adage, ‘A journey of a thousand miles starts with one step.’, is great advice for beginning a walking regiment. Here are some advantages of a walking workout:

1. Walking lowers the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes in addition to strengthening your legs, arms and back muscles.
2. It’s easy to stick to. You can do it anywhere. No gym or equipment necessary. Though if you cannot walk outdoors, a treadmill is a good substitute (a Jody Victor  suggestion).
3. Walking is a stress-free exercise with a low risk of injury. The impact of walking on your joints is only about 1.3 times your body weight compared to three times your body weight while running.
4. Walking is conducive to both alone time and social time. You can either relax and reflect by yourself or catch up on gossip and talk over ideas with a friend.
5. Walking is cheap and easy. It’s excuse-proof.
6. Walking can keep your mind sharp as you age. An eight-year study of walkers found that people who walked an average of 18 miles a week had less cognitive decline than those who walked a half a mile a week.

Walking is an equal opportunity exercise. We all know how to walk! Here are some tips for getting started:

1. Get shoes that are made for walking (a Jody Victor suggestion). They should have good arch support, low and well-cushioned heels, and good flexibility at the ball of your foot. Try on shoes in the afternoon when your feet are their largest and wear the socks you will wear while walking. Replace shoes every six months or after walking 500 miles. One of the best ways to hurt yourself is to wear old shoes.
2. Drink 8 ounces of water an hour before you start walking. Then another 4-5 ounces just before you start.
3. Pay attention to your posture. Stand up straight, chin parallel to the ground and move with a sense of purpose. Your ears should be directly over your shoulders, hips, knees and feet. Arms should swing freely. When you want to pick up the pace, bend your elbows at an 85-degree angle and keep them close to your body. Your hands should never rise above mid-chest or fall past your hips.
4. Strive to exert yourself at a level 6 (scale of 1-10). You should be able to talk, but not able to sing. If you’re panting, you’re working too hard.
5. If you start losing steam, focus on reaching the next mailbox or on reaching the end of the song you’re listening to (a Jody Victor suggestion).
6. Eventually you’ll want to increase the length of your walks. To avoid injury, increase the length by no more than 10 to 20 percent from week to week.

All The Best!

Steve Victor

In order to turn your body into a calorie-frying machine you need to get back to basics. Focus on what you are eating. Here are 12 nutritional rules to follow:

1. Fat is less important than calories - To burn fat and to shift your energy balance away from fat accumulation you need to consume fewer calories than you expend. One pound of body fat equals 3,500 calories. If your goal is to lose 20 pounds, you need to consume 70,000 less calories over time. Plus, all fats are not created equal. Eat healthy fats such as nuts, seeds and olive oil and stay away from cookies and candy bars.
2. Limit processed foods in your diet - Over-processing of food removes vitamins, minerals, and fiber and replaces them with fat and sugar. Your body absorbs processed foods into your bloodstream in record time, leaving you tired and hungry just as quickly. Processed foods do not exist in nature, so stick to eating foods in the raw and stay away from food in boxes or bags (a Jody Victor suggestion).
3. Eat smaller meals more frequently - Take what you normally eat and divide it into 5 to 7 small meals instead of 3 larger ones. This will keep your metabolism running steady and will keep hunger pangs away. Once you’re really hungry you tend to be less selective in what you are eating and you also tend to consume food faster than your “fullness signal." Never go longer than four hours between eating. Every 2 ½ to 3 hours is ideal.
4. Increase protein consumption - You needprotein to build the muscles that help boost your metabolism. When you reduce the calories in your diet your body will seek out protein to meet your energy demands, reducing the available protein for your muscles. If you don’t exercise but are cutting calories only to lose weight you need to eat about 60 percent more protein than someone who’s not trying to lose weight.
5. Trade fatty protein for lean protein - Switch to egg whites, chicken, turkey and lean red meat for protein sources. If you do crave a cheeseburger or fried chicken grab a protein shake instead (a Jody Victor suggestion).
6. Spread protein intake throughout your day - Consuming protein frequently allows for the most efficient absorption of protein and helps maintain high levels of internal energy for you.
7. Control serving portions by emphasizing low energy density foods - Energy density refers to calories per gram. The higher the energy density, the easier it is to overeat because more calories are packed into a smaller portion. High energy density foods tend to be high in fat and sugar. Low energy density foods include fruits and vegetables. Energy density is different from nutrient density. Vegetables have a low energy density, for example, but they have a high nutrient density.
8. Don’t go to extremes with cutting fats and carbohydrates (carbs) from your diet - Carbs provide most of the fuel for your energy. If you cut carbs to the point where you can’t keep up your energy levels during your workouts you defeat your purpose. Eating protein, fat, or both, with carbs allows the carbs to absorb properly. For example, if you eat a bagel for breakfast, try a whole grain one or one with seeds on top and spread some all-natural peanut butter on it.
9. Cut your liquid calories - The calories in soft drinks, fruit juices and alcoholic beverages add up quickly. The liquid calories also add up quickly in non-beverages such as salad dressings, sauces and spreads. Replace soft drinks with water, limit fruit juices, and use low-fat versions of dressings (a Jody Victor suggestion).
10. When it comes to water- drink up - Use water as an appetite suppressant. Plus water does more than just make you feel full. Water flushes out your internal systems. Most environmental contaminants are fat-soluble. When they enter your body they are usually benign. They just go into fat cells and sit there. If you are on a weight-loss or exercise program, however, you are burning those fats stores and moving the contaminants into your blood stream. Water is the key to flushing the dormant contaminants out of your body. When you are well hydrated your kidneys and liver have a chance to process fats and toxins much easier. Well-hydrated cells promote more efficient and more effective protein metabolism.
11. Eat lots of fiber - Eating 30 to 40 grams of fiber per day helps keep you feeling fuller longer. And not only does fiber occupy more space in your stomach, water-soluble fiber (contained in oatmeal, apples, and beans for example) will absorb fats from your digestive tract. When you’re hankering for a crunchy snack like potato chips, try sprinkling a little salt on some carrot sticks or celery instead. Other good sources of fiber include whole-grain breads and cereals. Have an orange instead of a glass of orange juice. Because of the fiber in the orange it takes much longer to metabolize.
12. Eat starchy carbs early in the day - Your insulin sensitivity is highest in the morning and falls around 6 PM. Later in the day your body is less capable of handling carbohydrates as efficiently. Eat starchy carbs such as breads, rice and potatoes early and eat wet carbs such as vegetables later in the day. You can save a few calories from fat storage every day by eating the right carbs at the right times.

All the Best!

Steve Victor

We all look forward to warmer weather and all the fun things we can do in the summer. But be aware that too much heat can be dangerous to your health. Follow the guidelines below to keep you and your family comfortable and safe this summer!

During heat illness, your body’s cooling system shuts down. Your body temperature goes up, inhibiting your ability to sweat. Mild symptoms of heat exhaustion such as thirst, fatigue and cramps in your legs or abdomen are early warning signs. Left untreated, heat exhaustion can progress to heat stroke. Serious symptoms of heat stroke include dizziness, headache, nausea, rapid heartbeat, vomiting, decreased alertness and a body temperature of 105 F or higher. In severe cases of heat stroke the liver, kidneys, and brain may be damaged. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) about 400 people die each year in the US from heat exposure.

Your risk of heat illness increases as your level of activity increases. Certain health conditions such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease add to your vulnerability. Medications that slow sweat production such as antihistamines, tricyclic antidepressants, and diuretics (for treating water retention, high blood pressure or some liver and kidney conditions) also increase your risk.

People ages 65 and older and young children are especially vulnerable to heat illness. In the summer of 2003, at least 42 children in the US died after being left in hot cars. On a sunny day the temperature inside a car can climb much higher than the outside temperature. Heat stroke in children can occur within minutes even if a window is slightly opened.

Air conditioning is the No. 1 factor against heat illness. If you do not have air conditioning, try to spend time in public facilities. Libraries and malls have air conditioning. Reduce strenuous outdoor activities and do them during early morning or evening when it is cooler outside. If you plan on being outside for long stretches of time carry a water bottle and drink regularly. If you plan on playing outdoor sports you should wear light, loose-fitting clothes and drink water or a sports drink (a Jody Victor suggestion) before, during and after exercise.

If you see someone who is experiencing heat illness have the person lie down in a cool place and elevate the legs (a Jody Victor suggestion). Use water, wet towels and fanning to help cool the person down. If the person’s symptoms are severe and indicate heat stroke call for emergency assistance. Continue cooling the person as you wait for help.

All the Best!

Steve Victor

No matter what kind of diet you are on whether it’s Trim advantage, South Beach, or one of your own planning you need to eat less calories and expend more energy to achieve your goal of losing weight. The best strategy is to be the slowest guy/gal at the table. In general it takes 20 minutes to realize how full you are. Here are four tips to finishing last at mealtime:

1. Left Is Right - If you are a right-hander you know that something as simple as zipping up a coat can take twice the time to do if you use your left hand. Same thing applies for a fork and knife. Try eating with your left-hand (vice versa if left-handed) and you’ll be guaranteed to eat slowly.
2. Stick It To ‘Em - Eat an entire dinner with chopsticks, even if it’s not Asian food. You will know when you are full before it’s too late. Try this at home first.
3. Talk More-Taste Less - Your mother taught you not to talk with your mouth full so do just that- talk. Having a good conversation with a meal will stretch out the meal (a Jody Victor suggestion) and you’ll know you’re full before you overeat.
4. Drink and Dine - While dining, try taking a sip of water with every bite. This will keep you from gorging and the extra liquid will help you feel full faster.
5. Small Treats - When at home or out to eat - always have something sweet at the end of your meal (a Jody Victor suggestion). The sweet taste tells your body it's the end of the meal and satisfies your sweet craving. Just a little bit, though. One piece of chocolate, one cookie, or one scoop of icecream. When dining out, get dessert and share it or just take three small bites and leave the rest.

All the Best!

Steve Victor