StrollerFit of Houston

Pilates a proven way to flatten your abs!

Hi Moms,

Thought I'd share this information about how effective Pilates exercises are in flattening and toning your abs.   You eat well, do cardio and crank out countless crunches but you still don't have a flat belly? Add some pilates moves to your routine. When researchers at Auburn University measured muscle activity in the abs during a hundred, double leg stretch, crunch and roll-up, they found that the first two were tops for targeting the transverse abdominis." Thats the deepest ab muscle, which pulls in the midsection and stabilizes the spine, giving you a flatter belly as well as more control during exercise and everyday movements," says lead author Michele Olson, Phd. professor of exercise physiology at Auburn University. " Plus, the more stable your spine, the better your posture". Keep up the healthy eating and cardio, but mix up your ab exercises too. By combining Pilates moves you can create a rut and gut busting workout that emphasizes all your middle muscles.              

Shape Oct. 2008     

There is no better way to help strengthen those deepest muscles of your core by participating in a pilates class such as RESTORE THE CORE. Register today and see what a difference it will make!

10 Power Foods: Don’t be fooled by their mild-mannered appearance. These 10 tasty choices are secret sources of health and energy.

*Peanut Butter

 Combats diabetes, heart disease In addition to sticking to the roof of your mouth, this school lunchbox staple may help stick it to two of the biggest health threats to aging Americans—diabetes and heart disease. Last November, Harvard researchers reported in The Journal of the American Medical Association that women who ate peanut butter or other forms of nuts at least five times a week lowered their risk of diabetes by 21 percent compared to those who didn't. This, thanks to the hefty amounts of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats in nut products. These good-for-you fats improve glucose and insulin stability, as well as protect against heart disease, says researcher Rui Jiang, M.D.

 Another good thing about peanuts (and all kinds of nuts, for that matter): They're good sources of fiber, says Christine Rosenbloom, Ph.D., a nutritionist at Georgia State University. The soluble fiber in peanuts helps control blood glucose and prevents dietary fat and cholesterol from entering the bloodstream, while insoluble fiber helps speed food through your digestive track, keeping you regular. Nuts are also loaded with the amino acid arginine, which may help relax blood vessels for better blood pressure control.

May we suggest "Aim for a daily tablespoon of peanut butter or one ounce of nuts—enough to fill a shot glass or a regular handful," advises Rosenbloom.

 *Avocado

Neutralizes heart risks Like peanut butter, avocado packs plenty of fat per serving, but also like peanut butter, most of the fat is the good unsaturated kind. At only 160 calories, a half avocado—the typical serving—also has the same amount of fiber as one slice of whole wheat toast. It also provides vitamin C and vitamin B6, and about one-third of your daily requirement of folate, a nutrient that helps neutralize excess levels of heart attack-causing homocysteine.

May we suggest Use it in place of spreads like butter or mayonnaise. Tip: The green, smooth-skinned Florida avocados have less fat and fewer calories than the smaller, rough-skinned California kind.

*Chili Peppers

Burn calories The "hot" in chili peppers—an ingredient called capsaicin—is an effective weight-loss tool. Not only does eating peppers suppress appetite so you eat less—studies show that people eat fewer calories in a meal that typically includes chili, cayenne, or other types of "hot" peppers—but peppers also rev up metabolism, so you burn more calories even when you're not exercising. Capsaicin can also relieve sinus congestion by stimulating mucous membrane secretions.

At only four calories per tablespoon, chili peppers also provide one-third of the daily recommendation for vitamin C, 10 percent of vitamin A, and several other antioxidants. (Think of antioxidants as the Delta Force of nutritional soldiers, flushing out destructive oxygen molecules responsible for some of the ravages of aging.)

May we suggest Keep some red pepper powder handy, and get in the habit of adding a pinch to soups, omelets, and sauces.

*Watermelon

Aids prostate health Tomatoes get the headlines for their protective effect against prostate cancer, but this picnic classic actually does the job better. Ounce for ounce, watermelon contains 40 percent more of the active cancer-fighting compound lycopene than tomatoes, says David Kiefer, M.D., a fellow at The University of Arizona's Program in Integrative Medicine, headed by alternative medicine guru Andrew Weil, M.D. Not only is lycopene crucial in overall prostate health, but other studies suggest it may block the plaque buildup in your arteries that can lead to heart attack. And it may help to offset some of the cellular damage caused by environmental pollutants, bad diet, and even aging—which may lead to cancer, as well as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and arthritis.

 May we suggest Serve it as a side dish with fish or chicken and rice, or try it for breakfast served with whole-grain muffins.

 *Whole-Grain

Cereal Protects the heart Breakfast each morning is a smart idea: Daily breakfast eaters are nearly half as likely to get heart disease or diabetes, or to become obese, as those who skip the morning meal, according to research presented at an American Heart Association meeting in March. This 10-year study examined only the importance of breakfast, but previous trials by the same Harvard researchers suggest that you'll fare best when that breakfast includes a bowl of whole-grain cereal. Why? It fills you up so you eat less throughout the day, stabilizes blood sugar, and has a higher concentration of fiber than most other foods, says study author and nutritionist Linda Van Horn, Ph.D., of Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine.

 The soluble fiber in whole-grain cereals forms a gel-like material in intestines that prevents cholesterol and saturated fats from entering the bloodstream and also plays a beneficial role in metabolizing blood sugars. Meanwhile, the insoluble fiber in whole grains keeps you regular, so excreted carcinogens pass more quickly through your intestines—which may prevent colorectal cancer. And because these cereals are typically fortified, they also contain hefty amounts of vitamins C and B6 and iron, as well as folic acid and various phytochemicals that protect against heart disease and possibly some other cancers.

 May we suggest Read labels to ensure that whole grains are listed as the first ingredients and that the cereal contains at least two grams of fiber per serving. And watch the sugar content. (Less than three grams is recommended.) Bran cereals can contain the most fiber of all whole-grain choices, up to eight grams per serving.

*Blueberries

Boost immunity The best topping for your cereal—or any other meal? Blueberries, according to researchers at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University. They tested almost 40 different fruits and vegetables—and found that this tiny fruit packs in the most antioxidant power. In fact, in only one-half cup, you can get twice as many antioxidant nutrients as most Americans consume in an entire day, says lead researcher Ronald Prior, Ph.D. That serving also delivers a mere 40 calories, virtually no fat, a hefty amount of vitamin C, and nearly two grams of fiber.

May we suggest Don't just think of blueberries for cereal or pie. Blueberries are a sweet surprise in salads, as a solo snack, or served as a side dish with poultry and meat.

*Apples

 Protect lungs No surprise that apples make this list. But chances are you never knew that eating an apple a day is particularly good for your lungs, all the more so if you smoke. In a study presented before the American Thoracic Society, British researchers said that apples were more effective than other fruits and vegetables in reducing the risk of developing serious disease, including lung cancer. In another study, Dutch scientists found that smokers who ate an apple a day were half as likely to develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), an umbrella term for emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

But apples aren't just for smokers. They're a genuine nutritional treasure: An apple contains only 81 calories, with almost no fat and three grams of fiber—including a type called pectin that helps lower cholesterol levels and moderate blood sugar—says Rosenbloom. It also contains hefty amounts of boron, a mineral believed to boost alertness and help curb calcium losses that lead to osteoporosis.

May we suggest An apple and cheese snack is smart as well as tasty. Cheeses, such as gouda, mozzarella, or cheddar in particular, may counteract the sugars in apples that could lead to tooth decay.

*Salmon

 Benefits the prostate and heart The overall health-boosting, heart-smart benefits of this cold-water fish—along with mackerel, sardines, and herring—are well established. But bet you didn't know that salmon may help fight prostate cancer. In a 12-year study published in January in Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, researchers from Harvard Medical School and the National Cancer Institute discovered that men who eat fish, including salmon, more than three times a week were less likely to develop prostate cancer.

Most of the health-boosting credit in salmon goes to its treasure chest of omega-3 fatty acids, which also regulate depression and other mood disorders and are believed to reduce arthritis pain. "The acids in salmon and other fish help fight inflammation, so they are good for aches and pains," says Kiefer. Other studies show frequent fish consumption may protect against Alzheimer's.

 May we suggest Canned pink salmon has the highest amounts of omega-3s—but also the most salt. Sockeye salmon has the most vitamin B12, important for nerves and blood cells.

 *Eggs

Fight eye disease, lower (!) cholesterol Eggs will surprise you. Did you know eating them can help prevent heart and eye disease? "Eggs have gotten a bad rap; they're actually one of the best overall food sources available," says Rosenbloom. "They're very low in saturated fats and provide a lot of important nutrients. And the yolk is among the very best sources of lutein, an antioxidant that may help prevent age-related macular degeneration."

But what about that cholesterol matter? Granted, a yolk has 213 milligrams of cholesterol—two-thirds of the recommended daily value—but newer research finds that it also contains phosphatidylcholine, which in lab animals decreased the absorption of dietary cholesterol contained in eggs into the bloodstream. In fact, a landmark study on 38,000 men in The Journal of the American Medical Association, part of the ongoing Health Professionals Follow-Up Study, concluded that eating one

*Turmeric

Fights cancer, eases pain and swelling Fabled as the spice that lends zing and yellow color to curries and mustard, turmeric also provides numerous health benefits. Besides helping to ease arthritis, and muscle and postoperative pain and swelling—without the side effects of pain medications—it may also act as a cancer-fighting agent.

The healing power of turmeric comes from its active ingredient—curcumin. In a study published last September in the medical journal Blood, researchers found that adding curcumin to cancer cells suppressed most of them and stopped others from spreading. More recent research on laboratory animals has shown that eating curcumin may protect skin during cancer radiation treatments.

Heart Healthy Benefits of Exercise...Your Body Benefits from Your Hard Work!

"Exercise improves your health." You hear it all the time, but what does that really mean?
How much of a difference can exercise make in your life, and how much do you really need to do? You’ll be happy to know that you don’t need to spend countless hours in the gym to achieve the heart-health benefits of getting active.

Lower Blood Pressure

A study by the National Institutes of Health showed that regular exercise (30+ minutes of
moderate activity, 5+ days a week) reduced blood pressure in 75% of subjects who had
high blood pressure. The reductions were approximately 10 mmHg for both systolic and
diastolic blood pressures.
According to the American College of Sports Medicine, the blood pressure lowering effects of exercise can be observed as soon as one to three hours after a single 30- 45 minute workout! This response can linger for up to nine hours post-exercise. Permanent blood pressure changes can be seen as early as three weeks to three months after beginning an exercise program.

Improve Cholesterol Levels

A 2001 review involving patients with high cholesterol demonstrated a change in HDL(good cholesterol) and LDL (bad cholesterol) levels after a 12-week exercise program. On average, subjects experienced a 4.6% increase in HDL, a 5.0% decrease in LDL, and a 3.7% decrease in triglycerides. Other studies show widespread improvements in cholesterol levels are related to the amount of activity and not the intensity of exercise. The more minutes you exercise per week, the more your cholesterol levels will improve, even if accompanied by a minimal weight change.

Prevent Type II Diabetes

The combination of physical activity and weight loss has a powerful effect on preventing the onset of Type II diabetes in high-risk individuals. In a recent study by the Diabetes Prevention Program, participants who exercised and lost excess weight had a 58% reduction in the onset of Type II diabetes over 2.8 years, compared to the control group.
Most of these health benefits can be achieved through moderate-intensity physical activity. Experts recommend at least 30 minutes, 5 days a week. Moderate-intensity activity causes a slightly increased rate of breathing and heart rate. It can be described as feeling "light" to "somewhat hard".

There are easy ways to add this type of activity to your daily routine:

Park the car farther away from your destination.
Get on or off the bus several blocks away.
Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator.
Take fitness breaks instead of cigarette or coffee breaks. Walk, stretch or do
some office exercises.
Perform gardening, yard work, heavy house cleaning, or home-repair activities.
Avoid labor-saving devices; turn off the self-propel option on your lawn mower
or vacuum cleaner, and hide all of your TV remotes.
Exercise while watching TV. For example, use hand weights, a stationary bike or treadmill, stretch, or perform body-weight exercises such as crunches, push ups
and squats.
Keep a pair of comfortable walking or running shoes in your car and office.
You'll be ready for activity wherever you go!
Walk while doing errands.
The good news is that it's never too late to start an active lifestyle. No matter how old you are, how unfit you feel, or how long you've been inactive, research shows that starting a more active lifestyle now—through consistent, moderate-intensity activity—can make you healthier and improve your quality of life.

Susanna Blanchard
Strollerfit League City/Clear Lake City

Bisphenol A (BPA) in your body: How it got there and how to minimize your exposure.

The common plastic additive bisphenol A has been getting a lot of press lately. It's a hormone disruptor that can be found in almost everybody, and animal studies have linked it to breast and prostate cancer, and infertility. Knowing all that won't help you avoid the chemical, but we've got some information here that might. Knowing how your exposed is among the best ways to minimize further exposure.

How did it get there?

Studies show canned foods are a common source of daily BPA exposure in our lives. Cans of soda generally contain less BPA than canned pasta or soup. The worst foods tested contain enough BPA to put pregnant women and formula-fed infants much closer to dangerous levels than the government typically allows. Even some liquid infant formula is packed in cans lined with BPA, which seems crazy given the how vulnerable children's developmental growth is.

In addition to canned food, certain plastics are often made with BPA. Called polycarbonate, these plastics are rigid and clear or translucent and usually marked with a recycling label #7. Not all #7 containers are made with BPA, but it makes for a reasonable and useful guideline for avoiding a category of plastics. Some reusable polycarbonate water bottles may leach trace amounts of BPA. But hold on before you run out and buy a metal water bottle -- make sure you know what you're getting. Many reusable metal water bottles are lined with the same BPA-leaching plastic found in cans of food.

How do you get rid of it?

Unfortunately, BPA is so widely used and manufactured that you're not likely to eliminate it from your system altogether. There are some steps you can take to minimize your exposure, though:

• When possible, and especially if you’re pregnant and when feeding a young child, limit the amount of canned food in your diet.
• Avoid using old or scratched polycarbonate bottles. If you're in the market for a new water bottle, look for stainless steel water bottles that do not have a plastic liner.
• Don't use plastic containers to heat food in the microwave. Opt for ceramic, glass, or other microwavable dishware.
• Soft or cloudy-colored plastic does not contain BPA.
• If you're formula feeding your infant, consider using powdered formulas packaged in non-steel cans. Also, choose baby bottles made from glass or plastics that don't leach BPA (like polypropylene or polyethylene).

  To search for bottles, sippy cups, food/milk storage  items that are BPA FREE click on this link for a quick reference. Safe Mama

Another site that provides a useful guide to items such as pacifiers, teethers, cups and bath toys  that are BPA FREE is   The Soft Landing Blog (safer baby gear news and reviews)

Healthy Eating

Just because you may exercise regularly doesn't mean you can eat whatever you want. By following these 6 basic guidelines, you'll not only get great muscle-building and fat-burning results from your training, but you'll enjoy a higher level of energy throughout the day. Also, it is okay to eat some of your favorite, non-healhty foods- just do it within reason. Treating yourself to one oreo a day is much better than depriving yourself and then eating the whole bag on Sunday.

*Tip 1: Eat six meals a day

If you've been following the typical nutritional advice of cutting back on calories and consuming no more than three square meals a day in the hope of shifting your fat-burning efforts into high gear, you may actually be throwing the whole process into reverse. Active folks who skimp on calories and eat infrequently (only three times a day) may be training their bodies to get by on less energy and therefore more readily storing unburned calories as bodyfat. I advise active people to eat frequently (about every three hours) to accelerate metabolism and maintain steady energy levels throughout the day.


*Tip 2: Combine carbohydrates and protein at every meal

The simple fact is, our bodies work better with a balance of carbohydrates and protein. Not only is protein essential for building healthy muscle and maintaining a strong immune system, it stabilizes insulin levels, which leads to steady energy throughout the day. One more benefit: eating protein has been shown to reduce your appetite. So, avoid high-carbohydrate nutrition plans and instead balance your protein and carbohydrate intake.


*Tip 3: Choose appropriate portion sizes

USDA statistics show that because of increased portion sizes, the average total daily calorie intake has risen from 1,854 calories to 2,002 calories over the last 20 years. That increase 148 calories per day theoretically works out to an extra 15 lbs. every year. Portion size is important to weight management. Employ a common sense approach, such as using the palm of your hand or your clenched fist for gauging the portion sizes of food. When you dine out try cutting the meal in half, putting one half in a to-go box and eating the second half. This way you control your portiions and you have another meal!


*Tip 4: Plan meals ahead of time

You may even want to try different recipes and decide what works for you before you begin your training program. Experiment with different seasonings, try a variety of vegetables, and find which microwave settings work best for preheating food. By the time you're ready to start, you'll have the supplies you need and the confidence that you know what you're doing. Then, fix your meals in advance and freeze them. It's important to shop at least once a week. If you forget, you'll run out of good food and be tempted to cheat on your diet. On Sundays, I pre-package my snacks into the correct serving sizes so when I am hungry I can just grab a baggy of something healthy and already sized.

*Tip 5: Get containers to store your food

Purchase plastic storage containers, sports bottles, a water jug and a cooler to store and carry your food. Having nutritious meals within reach during a hectic day can keep you on track.

*Tip 6: Drink 10 glasses of water every day

Its especially important to stay well hydrated when following a comprehensive training, nutrition, and supplementation program. Drink at least one glass of water with each of your six meals, and four more throughout the day. If you have an occasional diet soda, coffee or tea, you'll need to drink an additional glass to compensate for the diuretic effect of these beverages.


Happy, Healthy Eating!!!

Susanna Blanchard

StrollerFit League City Owner/ Instructor