Entry bubble Exercise Regularly, Join the President’s Fitness Challenge

By: Joanne | March 11, 2008 | Category: Health

President's Fitness Challenge: Join HereToday I’m going to sign up for the President’s Fitness Challenge, a six week fitness program encouraging Americans to be active 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. The Challenge starts March 20 and is designed to help you live healthier and get fit by adding physical activity to your day.

Physical activity helps maintain a healthy weight, build strong bones and reduces the risk of many serious diseases, like heart disease, type 2 diabetes and depression. It is particularly important as two thirds of Americans are obese or overweight, and half of us aren’t as physically active as we should be.

I have never been a regular exerciser, and let’s say that I’ve celebrated the anniversary of my 29th birthday a few times, but just last year I began exercising regularly. A medical provider recommended it to help alleviate symptoms of anxiety that were giving me problems. I’m not eager to begin the phase of life where my day begins with a series of prescription medicine bottles, so I gave it a shot. It took a little time to really feel the benefits, but it totally worked! Now I ride my bike 5-7 miles a day and I stick with it because I feel noticeably better on days when I exercise.

Everyone can participate - kids, adults, seniors, and people with disabilities. Regular activity is good for you, no matter what your current size. Join the program on your own or with a friend to track your activities, see your progress and challenge yourself to become healthier.

| Comments [6] | envelope Email This Entry | Tags: active   challenge   exercise   fitness   health   joanne   physical   president's  

 

Entry bubble Food, Family, & Football

By: Sam | November 21, 2007 | Category: Home and Family

Colleen likes to say that Thanksgiving is for food, family, friends, and football.  I couldn’t agree more.  Except, I hail from the South where game day is on Saturday.  And this Saturday my GA Bulldawgs play the Ramblin’ Wreck from GA Tech.  With only 70 miles separating the schools, this annual slugfest gives the winner bragging rights at family dinners and neighborhood BBQs for the coming year.

Saturday also marks the last regular season game in college football.  With a season full of surprises (An undefeated Kansas? A 2-9 Notre Dame? ), one common thread is the amount of injuries the players sustain.  From concussions to torn ACLs, there’s not a week that goes by where one of your favorite players or Heisman candidates isn’t sitting on the sidelines injured.

Even though I don’t sweat it out on the gridiron every Saturday, I do try to workout  several times a week, particularly right before Thanksgiving.  And over time, I have succumbed to plenty of my own injuries.  So much so that I no longer associate the word rice with food but instead with rest, ice, compression, and elevation.

Some of my most common injuries are those pesky sprains and strains.  And for as long as I’ve been running, I can never remember the difference between the two.  Thankfully, this great sprains and strains Q & A publication helps me sort it all out and gives me great tips on how I can prevent them.     

Lately, sprains and strains haven’t been the only problems that keep me sidelined from my workouts.  Unfortunately, years of pounding the pavement haven’t been too kind on my knees.  I now try to switch up my workouts with more gentle aerobic exercises like walking or swimming (watch out Michael Phelps).

Feel free to share how you like to say fit, whether it’s by gardening or jogging, and what you do to prevent injuries.  Meanwhile, I’ll be gearing up for Saturday’s showdown in the ATL.  Go Dawgs!!!

| envelope Email This Entry | Tags: exercise   fitness   football   injuries   sports   thanksgiving   workout