MyBodySite Blog

Happy Holidays with Safflower Oil

Posted on December 24, 2009, 10:49 am, by admin and received Comments Off.

Happy Holidays!

You’re probably wrapping presents and potentially wrapping some extra fat around your waistline this month. Don’t fret. The New Year is coming and with it, a fresh start. But here’s an idea that you don’t have to wait on. Safflower oil.

Safflower Oil Benefits

You already know the benefits of using certain vegetable oils in cooking and salad dressings. Safflower oil is not just a healthier choice than other oils you might choose but also offers a way to help your body get rid of fat.

As safflower oil contains high amounts of polyunsaturated fats, it helps in creation of prostaglandins in the body. These hormone like compounds aid in strengthening the cell membranes and also in the proper functioning of the body.

One of the best benefits of safflower oil is that it can help to eliminate excess fat accumulated in the body. Brown fat is present in several areas of the body and is a major factor that aids in burning calories. The cis-linoleic acid present in safflower oil gets converted into gamma linolenic acid (GLA) that triggers the brown fat to burn calories. Therefore, people who are looking for ways to lose as well as maintain their weight should include safflower oil in their regular diet.

Safflower oil also helps in the reduction of cholesterol levels in the blood which can reduce the risk of heart diseases. Apart from this, safflower oil is also said to strengthen the immune system which increases your ability to resist certain infections and diseases.

Many doctors and dietitians recommend safflower oil to obese people suffering from diabetes. Research has been conducted to find the benefits of safflower oil in older diabetic women who are overweight. Women were asked to take safflower oil supplements for a period of sixteen weeks, and they not only lost excess fat, but had a significant decline in blood sugar levels.

Get Your Oil On

So how do you get it? Well, you can take tablets but you would need to take up to 8 tablets a day. Yuck. The best way to take safflower oil is to simply eat it. Buy a bottle of safflower oil and get two tablespoons a day. You can include it in soups, over salads, and cook with it. Start incorporating it every day and start burning the fat.

Simple Biking Cycling Safety

Posted on November 17, 2009, 11:04 am, by admin and received Comments Off.

This article won’t strike anyone as rocket science and it’s not about wearing your helmet (you should) or sticking to bike lanes (you better). I learned a simple lesson last week about almost getting crushed like a grape on the side of the road. It’s called the “right cross” on a very helpful site (http://bicyclesafe.com) that I found after I started to write this blog entry.

John’s Lesson 247 about bike safety. People can’t see you crossing their path as they enter the road you’re on. Or if they can see you, they don’t think that you’ll actually ride in front of their car while they are at that stop (or yield) sign.

I had great success today as I encountered nearly a dozen instances of this. Luckily for me, I can whistle really loud without any hands or even louder if I want to use my fingers. But what I found most effective was a wave of the hand as I was approaching the car sitting to my right. In all but one case, the driver understood what I was doing and gave me a nod, which I took to mean he would let me pass without killing me. I guess I could be wrong but it worked really well. On the other occasion, I simply braked quickly, slowed down, and went behind the car, shaking my head in frustration. How dare they! :)

Here is the article posted at bicyclesafe.com. A really good treatment of all of the other hazards that get us killed on the road.

This is the most common ways to get hit (or almost get hit).(source) A car is pulling out of a side street, parking lot, or driveway on the right. Notice that there are actually two possible kinds of collisions here: Either you’re in front of the car and the car hits you, or the car pulls out in front of you and you slam into it.

How to avoid this collision:

1. Get a headlight. If you’re riding at night, you should absolutely use a front headlight. It’s required by law, anyway. Even for daytime riding, a bright white light that has a flashing mode can make you more visible to motorists who might otherwise Right Cross you. Look for the new LED headlights which last ten times as long on a set of batteries as old-style lights. And helmet- or head-mounted lights are the best, because then you can look directly at the driver to make surethey see your light.

2. Honk. Get a loud horn and use it whenever you see a car approaching (or waiting) ahead of you and to the right. If you don’t have a horn, then yell “Hey!” You may feel awkward honking or yelling, but it’s better to be embarrassed than to get hit. Incidentally, many countries require bells on bicycles, but the U.S. doesn’t.

3. Slow down. If you can’t make eye contact with the driver (especially at night), slow down so much that you’re able to completely stop if you have to. Sure, it’s inconvenient, but it beats getting hit. Doing this has saved my life on too many occasions to count.

4. Ride further left. You’re probably used to riding in the “A” line in the picture, very close to the curb, because you’re worried about being hit from behind. But take a look at the car. When that driver is looking down the road for traffic, he’s not looking in the bike lane or the area closest to the curb; he’s looking in the middle of the lane, for other cars. The farther left you are (such as in “B”), the more likely the driver will see you. There’s an added bonus here: if the motorist doesn’t see you and starts pulling out, you may be able to go evenfarther left, or may be able to speed up and get out of the way before impact, or easily roll onto their hood as they slam on their brakes. In short, it gives you some options. Because if you stay all the way to the right and they pull out, your only “option” may be to run right into the driver’s side door. Using this method has saved me on three occasions in which a motorist ran into me slowly as they hit their brakes and I wasn’t hurt, and in which I definitely would have slammed into the driver’s side door had I not moved left.

Of course, there’s a tradeoff. Riding to the far right makes you invisible to the motorists ahead of you at intersections, but riding to the left makes you more vulnerable to the cars behind you. Your actual lane position may vary depending on how wide the street is, how many cars there are, how fast and how close they pass you, and how far you are from the next intersection. On fast roadways with few cross streets, you’ll ride farther to the right, and on slow roads with many cross streets, you’ll ride farther left.

As posted at http://bicyclesafe.com

MyBodySite Announces Free Premium Membership

Posted on November 12, 2009, 5:00 pm, by admin and received Comments Off.

Starting today, everyone has access to all of our premium features at no charge. If you were paying to be premium, your billing will stop immediately. If you were a basic user, welcome to PREMIUM membership, for FREE!
(If you’re not a member, join now)
Or, log in . . .

Premium Features:

MyBodySite has dozens of amazing features to help you figure out your fitness. But there are a whole set of features that “premium” membership unlocks for you:

Plan your meals . . .

Our database of 30,000 foods lets you keep track of every bite you eat so that you can stay on track with your diet. The Premium feature of the food diary lets you create and save meals so that you don’t have to keep searching for the same foods and keep building the same meals. Just save them and use them next time!

Access and steal everyone else’s workouts . . .

You can build a workout from scratch on MyBodySite but maybe you don’t want to. No problem. With Premium workouts, you can view everyone else’s workouts and claim them as your own. Looking for a leg workout? Search for one, “steal” it and then it’s yours to print, modify and use over and over. You can even search by user, so that you can find workouts from people who are already in shape.

See Videos in our Exercise Video Library . . .

View hundreds of video examples showing proper form on hundreds of exercises in the Premium exercise video library.

Get Custom Alerts and Reminders on our Phone . . .

Want to be reminded about your afternoon snack or be told on your cell that someone replied to your message. You can, with cell phone alerts and custom reminders. Never miss that glass of water or workout reminder again. Get it on your phone.

Enhanced Access & Privacy Features . . .

Set your food page, workout page or progress page to private at your option. And, view the food, workout and progress pages of every other member for any date in the past. This is great for following that personal trainer or really fit person you’ve had your eye on. Talk about motivation!

Coming in 2010 - Customized, guided workouts and meal plans from hundreds of personal trainers. Are you a personal trainer? Would you like to be a coach on our site? Click here to be notified when we launch our test version of MyBodySite.com 3.0.

(If you’re not a member, join now) | LOG IN

Calling All Trainers, Nutritionists, Coaches

Posted on November 1, 2009, 9:46 pm, by admin and received Comments Off.

MyBodySite.com is looking for a few good men and women to participate as coaches when we roll out MyBodySite.com 3.0. We’re working like crazy right now to rebuild the platform so that you, the coach, will have all of the tools you need to easily train dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of people, effortlessly. And for a profit too.

Using the knowledge you already have, you’ll be able to help countless people reach their fitness goals. Don’t take our word for it. Be part of it. Help us shape it. To get advance notice of the release of our test version, please be sure to join our Version 2.1 release mailing list. Don’t tell ANYONE! This is totally top secret.

Tags: coaches, nutritionists, personal trainers

Food Labels: Straight From the FDA

Posted on September 30, 2009, 9:06 am, by Jen Rendfrey and received No Comments ».

(Also available in pdf, 455 kb,)

Have you ever read the Nutrition Facts label on food packages and wondered: serving sizes, percentages, daily values – what do they all mean? Well, you’re not alone. Many consumers would like to know how to use the Nutrition Facts label more easily and effectively — and help is finally here. Use this information to make quick, informed food choices that contribute to healthy lifelong eating habits for you and your family.

Product Info and “Daily Values”

The Nutrition Facts label is divided into Two Main Areas:

Sections 1-5 provide product-specific information (serving size, calories, and nutrient information). These vary with each food product.
Section 6 is a Footnote with Daily Values (DVs). The footnote provides information about the DVs for important nutrients, including fats, sodium and fiber. The DVs are listed for people who eat 2,000 or 2,500 calories each day.
- The amounts for total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium are maximum amounts. That means you should try to stay below the amounts listed.
- The DVs for total carbohydrate and dietary fiber daily represent the minimum amounts recommended for a 2,000-calorie diet. This means you should consume at least this amount per day for each of these nutrients.
- The footnote is only found on larger labels, and does not change from product to product.

Details on the Daily Value

3 Easy Ways to Use the % Daily Value

Look at highs and lows.
The %DV gives you a framework for deciding if a food is high or low in a nutrient. Use the Quick Guide to %DV: 5% or less is low and 20% or more is high.

Compare products – Use the %DV to compare one food product or brand to a similar product. Make sure the servings sizes are similar, especially the weight (e.g., gram, milligram, ounces) of each product so you can see which foods are higher or lower in nutrients.

Evaluate claims.
So you don’t have to memorize definitions, use the %DV to help you quickly distinguish one claim from another, such as “reduced fat” vs. “light” or “nonfat.” Just compare the %DVs for Total Fat in each food product to see which one is higher or lower in that nutrient. There is no need to memorize definitions. This works when comparing all nutrient content claims, e.g., less, light, low, free, more, high, etc.
Make dietary trade-offs.
Make dietary trade offs using the %DV. For example, when a food you like is high in saturated fat, select foods that are low in saturated fat at other times of the day.

What’s On the Label?

Nutrition Label divided into 6 sections: 1. Serving Size, 2. Amount of Calories, 3. Limit these Nutrients, 4. Get enough of these Nutrients, 5. Percent (%) Daily Value

Serving SizeThis section is the basis for determining number of calories, amount of each nutrient, and %DVs of a food. Use it to compare a serving size to how much you actually eat. Serving sizes are given in familiar units, such as cups or pieces, followed by the metric amount, e.g., number of grams.
Amount of CaloriesIf you want to manage your weight (lose, gain, or maintain), this section is especially helpful. The amount of calories is listed on the left side. The right side shows how many calories in one serving come from fat. In this example, there are 250 calories, 110 of which come from fat. The key is to balance how many calories you eat with how many calories your body uses. Tip: Remember that a product that’s fat-free isn’t necessarily calorie-free.
Limit these NutrientsEating too much total fat (including saturated fat and trans fat), cholesterol, or sodium may increase your risk of certain chronic diseases, such as heart disease, some cancers, or high blood pressure. The goal is to stay below 100%DV for each of these nutrients per day.
Get Enough of these NutrientsAmericans often don’t get enough dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and iron in their diets. Eating enough of these nutrients may improve your health and help reduce the risk of some diseases and conditions.
Percent (%) Daily ValueThis section tells you whether the nutrients (total fat, sodium, dietary fiber, etc.) in one serving of food contribute a little or a lot to your total daily diet.The %DVs are based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Each listed nutrient is based on 100% of the recommended amounts for that nutrient. For example, 18% for total fat means that one serving furnishes 18% of the total amount of fat that you could eat in a day and stay within public health recommendations. Use the Quick Guide to Percent DV (%DV): 5%DV or less is low and 20%DV or more is high.
Footnote with Daily Values (%DVs)The footnote provides information about the DVs for important nutrients, including fats, sodium and fiber. The DVs are listed for people who eat 2,000 or 2,500 calories each day.
- —The amounts for total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium are maximum amounts. That means you should try to stay below the amounts listed.

A Basic Understanding of the FDA’s Nutrition Labels

Posted on September 30, 2009, 8:59 am, by Jen Rendfrey and received No Comments ».

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), along with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is responsible for setting the guidelines for healthy eating in America. This includes the regulation of the FDA’s Nutrition Facts panel and of any nutrition claims that manufacturers display on the packaging of food and beverages sold in the US.

The Nutrition Facts panel was initially developed by the FDA to make consumers aware of the nutrients and calories in the foods and beverages they buy and, ultimately, to help shoppers make more-healthful choices for themselves and their families. The panel is required to list the amount of calories, fats, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates, fiber, sugars, protein, vitamins, and minerals per serving, as well as the serving size and number of servings per container. Still, food labeling at the FDA and USDA remains a work in progress, with revisions being made as scientists uncover important nutritional revelations.

Getting the Most Out of the Nutrition Facts Panel

Despite any perceived failings in the FDA’s nutrition-labeling system, it remains the primary system in the US. The FDA and USDA, along with the HHS and other governmental regulatory agencies, will continue to update the Nutrition Facts panel and other dietary guidelines for Americans and to regulate health claims based on scientific research and consensus panels.

The following are a few tips for getting the most out of the FDA’s Nutrition Facts panel:

* Pay attention to portions, and make sure you’re eating the right amount based on the actual serving size.
* Count calories to help manage your weight; make sure not to take in more calories than your body burns or you will gain weight. (You can track your calories with an online tool such as MyBodySite’s Food Journal.)
* Limit saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, and sodium to reduce your risk of chronic diseases.
* Be sure you’re getting enough dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and iron in your diet — daily.
* Use the Percent Daily Value (%DV) to determine how much the nutrients per serving are contributing to your total daily diet. You can also compare %DVs of similar products to see which is higher or lower in nutrients and, therefore, which one is better for you (for instance, if one cereal has 40%DV of iron while another has 100%DV).
* Read the ingredients list to learn more about what the package contains. For instance, you may want to choose foods that contain fewer preservatives or you may be seeking more whole grains. The ingredient listing is also important if you or someone in your family has food allergies.

For more information on the Nutrition Facts panel, you can visit the FDA’s Labeling and Nutrition section (use link below) or you can sign up for updates on FDA-regulated products on the FDA’s Consumer Updates page.

http://www.fda.gov/Food/default.htm

Tags: Diet, Food Labels, Nutrition, Shopping Tips

Depression and Weight Gain: Break the Cycle!

Posted on September 17, 2009, 1:27 pm, by Jen Rendfrey and received No Comments ».

Depression and weight gain often go hand in hand. It’s a vicious cycle…you eat because you’re depressed and you’re depressed because you eat and you’ve gained weight…but there’s a way out.

When I’m feeling my depression, I want to eat and I don’t want to eat anything healthy, either. I don’t want broccoli, I don’t want a salad. I don’t want grilled chicken. I want macaroni and cheese. I want chocolate chip cookies. I want pizza.

When I’m feeling my depression, I want to feel better and at that moment, that very moment when the food hits my lips, when I have my first taste of it, I DO feel better.

But depression makes you forget. You forget:
1) how crummy you felt last time you tried on your favorite pair of jeans and had to take them off and throw them in the back of the closet.
2) how you wanted to melt into the floor of the grocery store when you saw someone who hadn’t seen you in a while, mortified that there was a pie in the cart rather than a bag of spinach.
3) that you passed up the class reunion or a birthday party…or whatever event you avoided…because you didn’t want anyone to see you and you didn’t have anything to wear anyway.

When you’re going for the comfort food, you forget how lousy you’re going to feel later, that you’re going to go into a food coma afterward and that you’re going to realize it wasn’t worth it.

I’ve learned that telling myself NOT to have those foods doesn’t work. I AM going to have them. But I’ve learned a couple tricks that help to minimize the damage.

Eating sugar and starches on their own sends your blood sugar plummeting, extending and renewing the ugly cycle of your depression. Allow yourself to have the thing you want but eat it with some protein. I keep hard boiled eggs on hand and when I’m feeling really out of control, I eat one. If I still want the sugar and starch, I’ll have it but I usually don’t want as much of it and the protein has stabilized my blood sugar so I don’t feel lethargic and let down afterward.

Also, try eating something with high fiber beforehand, an apple or a couple carrots, along with a big glass of water. Do you take a fiber supplement, the kind you mix in water and have to drink fast before it gets thick? Having it right before the comfort food is a perfect time for your daily dose!

Neither of these require much effort on your part. In both cases, you’re putting something INTO your mouth rather than trying to make yourself keep something OUT of your mouth.

This one habit can make the difference between a day that’s not bad and a day that spirals into Dante’s Inferno.

Tags: Depression, Fiber, Protein, Say No To Junk Food, Weight Gain

The Not so Dirty Dozen - 12 Clean Foods for Power

Posted on September 14, 2009, 3:02 pm, by John Cummings and received No Comments ».

1. Grab Your Nuts!

Nuts

The Journal of the American Medical Association reports that those who consumed the most vitamin E — (from FOOD, not supplements) — enjoy a 67 percent lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease than those who ate the least vitamin E. Protein is essential to all workout programs and nuts have a bunch.

Nuts tip: • Add almond bits to your creamy peanut butter, toss some on your cereal or salad, pasta, pancakes or stir fry.

2. Berries

Got antioxidants? Berries do. This powerful fruit (blackberries, blueberries, raspberries) help your body fight heart disease and cancer. What’s more, flavonoids in berries may also help your balance, coordination, and short-term memory. And, just a cup of raspberries has 6 grams of fiber, not to mention half the vitamin C you need today.

Berry good: Blueberries top the charts in anti-oxidants. They make a great addition to cereal or salad and if you’re making a healthy pancake, be sure to add berries (and nuts).

3. Bean, Beans the wonderful fruit . . .

Many people don’t realize that beans pack protein, fiber and iron but are low in fat. Take your pick from black, lima, pinto, navy and you’ll be eating a food that is essential for building new muscle and losing old fat.

The more you toot . . . Yes. you’ll get gas from time to time but swapping meat for beans once or twice in the week can really reduce your fat intake and get more fiber. Plus you’ll reduce your wrinkles! (according to a study in Australia, Indonesia and Sweden).

4. Veggies (grean and leafy)

Take your vitamins! Spinach and many green leafy vegetables have your A, C, and K; folate; beta-carotene; minerals including calcium and magnesium; fiber; and antioxidants. These micronutrients can neutralize free radicals that cause you to age.

Go Green: Get nearly a full day’s vitamin A and half of your vitamin C from just one serving of spinach supplies nearly a full day’s vitamin A and half of your vitamin C.

5. No Whey!? Yes, Whey!

When you’re building muscle, protein is a key ingredient. But sometimes your “meal” is a smoothie, right? (nod your head, yes). Whey protein is a high-quality protein that contains essential amino acids to build muscle and burn fat. The great thing about whey is that it has the most protein per calorie, flat out.

No whey? (Yes whey!)

If you get tired of whey smoothies, eat some ricotta cheese which is whey instead of milk curd.

6. Whole Grains

Don’t skip your carbs! How many times do we have to say it? You want them because your body needs them. Just be sure to eat carbs that are as processed as little as possible to make sure you get whole grains and fiber that help you to lose weight and build muscle.

Don’t be fooled! Not all “wheat breads” are alike. Make sure you’re eating breads (and cereals and pastas, yes, pastas) that are WHOLE GRAIN or WHOLE WHEAT.

7. Get Oiled Up with Olive Oil

Yeah, no. You don’t rub this on. You eat it. Olive oil can be anti-catabolic, preventing muscle breakdown. All olive oil can be high in monounsaturated fats (good!) but virgin oil varieties have a higher level of vitamin E.

8. I love Peanut Butter!

A lot of calories. Check. Sugar in many varieties. Check. But peanut butter is packed with monounsaturated fats which are heart healthy and that can increase your body’s production of testosterone, which can help your muscles grow and your fat melt. (Don’t worry girls. It won’t hurt.) Be sure to hold the jelly and to pick natural peanut butters with no sugar. Tip: Sugar turns to fat.

9. Where’s the Beef?

Hey, you know you want meat. And it’s because your body needs lean meats. Protein is essential to your diet success. Get as lean as possible by sticking to turkey breast which also has a lot of niacin and vitamin B6. Do you prefer the dark meat? Good for you: lots of zinc and iron. Fish, chicken and lean cuts of beef are good too!

Out of Africa: A Mayo Clinic study found by observing two African tribes that the tribe that ate fish frequently higher metabolisms and better fat-burning.

10. Incredible, Edible Eggs

Egg protein has the highest “biological value” (it supports your body’s protein need better than any food). B12 in eggs also helps fat breakdown. Recent research shows that eating an egg or two a day will not raise your cholesterol levels. And don’t toss all the yolks. A lot of the protein and some fat are in there. You can use both.

Take your vitamins. Over easy, over light or scrambled, eggs have riboflavin; folate; vitamins B6, B12, D, and E; iron; phosphorus; and zinc.

11. Got Milk?

I know. Some of you are lactose intolerant. But if you’re not, get your dairy and strengthen bones, lose weight and more. Stick to low-fat yogurts, cheeses, and other dairy products and get a major source of calcium too.

What about my heart? 3 or more servings of dairy per day can slash your risk of heart disease by 31 percent.

12. Sow Your Oats

Oatmeal has soluble fiber which is great for many reasons: it attracts fluid and stays in your stomach longer than insoluble fiber (like vegetables). Soluble fiber may also reduce blood cholesterol (you’ve seen the Cheerios commercials). For breakfast, you won’t find longer lasting energy and as a bedtime snack it will prevent binging and provide calories that won’t go straight to fat. Avoid the sweet stuff and go for whole oats. For a compromise, Quaker Oats One-Minute Oats can’t be beat. (I eat them every day, sometimes 3 times).

Easy on the insulin. In a Penn State study, blood sugar levels stayed stable with oatmeal much longer than many other foods.

For healthy recipes, check out Arlene’s Healthy Cooking Blog.

My Feet Are Killing Me! Injuries from Footwear

Posted on September 2, 2009, 10:13 am, by Jen Rendfrey and received No Comments ».

Foot Pain?

Your shoes stink! They may not smell but they may be hurting your feet. Overuse injuries are a common deterrent for continuing an exercise program and cause some people never to return again. What’s the problem?

The wrong footwear is one of the most common causes of overuse injuries, particularly for beginners. But with so many choices in running shoes today, you’re no longer limited by what is available at our local athletic store. Between specialty running stores, “big box” athletic stores and the internet, there is just no excuse for anyone to wear the wrong shoe.

So, how do you choose the right shoe?

The perfect shoe must not only fit you, but it should also help you compensate for your shortcomings. Whether you are large, have an uneven stride, or run on slick trails, there is a shoe for you. The easiest way to choose the perfect shoe is to know what is most important to you, and in what areas you can compromise. Your last concern should be appearances. Let me say that again…..Your last concern should be APPEARANCE!

Foot shape:

Let’s start by learning the shape of your foot. It is important to determine your foot type so you can find a shoe with fit characteristics that meet your feet and biomechanical needs.

A simple way of finding out your foot type is to take the Wet Foot Test to determine what shoe shape you should look for in the stores.

The Wet Foot Test

This is quite a simple test that can be done at home. All you have to do is wet your feet and stand on a surface (paper towel or brown paper bag) that will leave a visible footprint. Your footprint should fall into one of three categories.

Flat Feet

Normal Feet

High Arched Feet
Arched Foot


Flat Feet This type of print looks like the whole sole of the foot is in contact with the ground. The low arch in this foot type is usually associated with overpronation and this is when the foot strikes on the outside of the heel and rolls inwards too far, and too fast. If this is allowed to continue it can cause many different types of injury. Best Last Straight or semicurved Best Shoes Motion-control shoes with firm midsoles and control features that reduce the degree of pronation. Stay away from highly cushioned, curved-lasted shoes that lack stability and control.

Normal Feet This footprint is the most common and suggests that you do not have any special requirements. Your feet will have an average sized arch and show the forefoot and heel connected by an even broad band. The motion of a normal foot lands on the outside of the heel and rolls inwards a small amount to absorb the shock. This would suggest that you are biomechanically efficient so a middle of the road shoe in cushion and support will suffice. As motion control shoes tend to be more expensive and heavier you might want to discount these shoes from your list altogether. Best Last Semicurved Best Shoes Shoes with moderate control features such as a two-density midsole.

High Arched Feet This is the least common of the three types of feet. The print shows that the band connecting the forefoot and the heel to be very thin or even non-existent. If you have feet like this then it tends to indicate that you underpronate (A.K.A supinate) and are not very effective as a shock absorber. It is recommended that you only go for cushioned, neutral shoes without any motion or stability properties. Best Last Curved Best Shoes Cushioned shoes with plenty of flexibility to encourage foot motion. Stay away from motion-control or stability shoes that reduce foot mobility

Now that you know your foot type you can then determine your shoe size and width:

One of the most common misnomers, making sure there is a full thumbs width in the front of the toe box, comes from years of miscommunication between the shoe manufacturers and retailers. I could sit here and give you a long explanation as to why this is true….Instead we are going to take a different approach and simply not start with the length of the toe box.

Start by trying on your regular shoe size and pay attention to the heel counter. The heel counter should fit snugly and not allow sliding or rubbing. Next, run your fingers on the inside of the shoe and note if there is any excess material in the upper. Excess material basically means the shoe is not the right type for you. Accordingly, move onto the next style. Once you find a shoe with a properly fitting heel and no extra material you can move onto the width. The shoe should have adequate width at the widest part of the foot - it should not be too tight, but the foot should not slide around either.

Now we can finally determine the length of the shoe. Your longest toe should not be touching the front of the shoe. If this is the case you must bump up half-a-size. Once you are not touching the front of the shoe with your normal running sock, switch to a thicker sock and re-evaluate if your toes are touching the front of the shoe. If you feel really crammed with the heavier sock you should bump up one more half size. I suggest switching back and forth from your regular running socks to the heavy pair of socks. The idea is to really dial in on the size. It would be imprudent for me to not point out that feet do swell when running and this is why we are using different thicknesses of socks. However, everyone’s feet swell in different places and to different sizes. It is a must to pay attention to your own individual needs. There is a fine line between a shoe that fits and a shoe that is too big or small. Do your due diligence and test your shoe out on a treadmill a few times. Return them (given you follow the stores policy) and start the process over until you find the perfect shoe. Typically, once you find the right shoe you can continue to buy that shoe year in and year out!

Happy Trails!

How Much Sugar is in That Food or Drink?

Posted on August 21, 2009, 3:53 pm, by admin and received No Comments ».

Do you know how much sugar you’re eating every day? Most of us don’t but statistics estimate that the average American consumes between 90 and 180 POUNDS of sugar each year. POUNDS!

Let’s look at a visual of that. Here are some 5 pound bags of sugar. In an average year, you’ll enjoy 20 to 36 of them. Remember, these are the 5 pound bags that you pull out of the pantry to bake with. Try eating 20 of them.

But that’s not helpful, is it? You want to know how in the world that can happen. Where is all of this sugar coming from? Well here are some visuals. Please share this with everyone you know. It’s the best visual I’ve ever seen to show the amount of sugar in what we eat. Choose wisely!