30 Ways to Stay Healthy and Fit
by Amy E. Lemen

What do you really need to stay healthy? Not a simple question, is it? Wouldn’t it be nice to have tips you can put to use TODAY to get in gear? austin FiT magazine spoke to area experts and asked for their best, most straightforward advice for staying healthy and fit. So whether you want to exercise more efficiently, get a better workout, eat healthier, relax or de-stress, there’s a tip here for you.

Get Motivated
If you’re motivated, you can conquer the world in every area of your life — not just your health. Here are some tips to get — and stay — at the top of your game:

1 Work out with a partner. Or join a running/cycling/walking group. According to Amy Culp, R.D., L.D. and partner of sCULPture Fitness and Nutrition, “you are much more likely to stick with an exercise program if you have a workout partner.”

2 Participate in local fitness events. With the ubiquitous presence of Run-Tex, there’s no reason not to sign up for an event. Do it a few months in advance, give yourself time to train and you’ll be ready to go on race day. “This is where the healthy addiction will reach out and grab you,” says Culp. “Challenge a friend or co-worker to do an event with you.”

3 Use a heart-rate monitor. The American Council on Exercise (ACE) says that using a heart-rate monitor is a great tool to gauge how hard your body is working. Rick Dowlearn, director of personal training for Pure Austin Fitness (formerly Powerhouse Gym), says a monitor is also good for weigh-loss. “It ensures you’re staying in the right zone for fat-burning, aerobic activity,” he explains.

4 Look at the clock. ACE says it’s important to work with your body’s natural energy level, not against it. Exercise when you usually have the most energy, rather than putting your workout off until a time when you might not feel your best.

5 Crank up that iPod! ACE also says that a little Metallica (or whatever your choice of tunes) can make a workout more fun and give you that extra burst of energy you need to work your hardest. So start downloading and turn it up while hitting the machines!

Eat Right
You may work out five days a week, but an unhealthy diet can certainly make that sweat seem like it was for nothing. Particularly when we try to shimmy into those short skirts or ease into those butt-hugging jeans. The right diet is crucial to a healthy body, so here are some tips on making sure you get it:

6 Shop the perimeter of the grocery store. “That’s where the whole foods are: grains, lean meats, fish and chicken, fresh fruits, veggies and low-fat dairy,” says Culp. All the junk lurks on the inside aisles; the outside is where you’ll find the good stuff.

7 Write it down. According to Culp, accountability is the key. “Whether you keep a journal, use a form or keep a diary, having some idea of your intake — calories burned and calories consumed — is crucial, so you know where to focus.”

8 Hire a pro. “So many people know a lot about nutrition already,” says Culp. What they need help with is making changes.” There are a lot of fad diets these days. Consider hiring a pro to help you stay on track and devise an eating plan that works for you.

9 Drink up! And not those 12-ounce curls of beer or soda. It’s water you need — a lot more than you might think. “Water is the basis of our bodies, and it’s essential that we get enough to stay healthy,” says Jenny Hudson of the Herb Bar. Hudson says the bare minimum our bodies need is half our body weight in ounces. For example, 140 pounds equals 70 ounces of water, and that’s for a sedentary person, who doesn’t endure the heat, doesn’t drink caffeine or get stressed. “In Texas, we need a lot more — at least three-quarters to our full body weight in ounces,” Hudson advises.

10 If you eat out, ask questions. Nutritionist Culp worked with restaurants in California to put healthy items on menus. In the course of that research, she carried out nutritional analyses of thousands of restaurant recipes. The conclusion? “Most meals have between 1,000 and 2,000 calories and anywhere from 50 to 100 grams of fat,” she says. “If you’re not careful, you can get your entire day’s intake in one meal.”

11Grilling isn’t always healthy. Always ask how your food is prepared. While grilling food is generally a healthy way to cook, many restaurants put the food on a griddle first, then load it up with butter. “Most of the time, it’s probably healthy, but always ask how it’s cooked to make sure,” Culp recommends.

Work That Body
Studies show that exercise on most days of the week won’t just keep you bikini- or brief-ready, it’ll also help you live longer. Here are some tips to keep moving — and to improve your current level of fitness without getting injured:

12 If it’s not fun, it won’t get done! That’s the advice from Mark Brown, M.Ed., and personal training director for BodyBusiness Health and Fitness. “The point is to pick an activity that feels good to your body and mind,” he says. “Don’t force yourself to follow the ‘trend of the month’ — you will progress much faster by finding an exercise program that you enjoy.”

13 Find a way to exercise while at work. “Three 10-minute bouts of exercise a day are greatly beneficial and sometimes easier to accomplish, as opposed to working out for 30 minutes at a time,” says Yancy Culp, an ACE-certified personal trainer and partner of sCULPture Nutrition and Fitness. Keep exercise shoes at work or in your car so there’s no excuses for not hitting the gym.

14 Look for machines that work on the muscles you actually USE. Pure Austin’s Dowlearn says there’s a trend toward machines (and workouts) that are “functional” — that is, they concentrate on areas needed for specific purposes, such as for a particular sport or lifestyle. For example, “If you golf a lot, you can train the muscles responsible for your swing,” he says.

15 Don’t forget to warm-up. Just about every trainer will tell you that a warm-up is crucial. “Follow this routine when you work out: five minutes warming up, light stretching, exercise, five minutes cool down and stretch,” says Culp. “Warm muscles make for a more beneficial stretch and often prevent injury,” she says.

16 Weight-train at least twice a week, which, according to Dowlearn, is the minimum. “Shoot for three or four times a week, if possible” he says, “because strength training is essential for building bone density.” Wondering what to do at the gym? Do two to three sets of 10 to 15 repetitions for the large muscle groups: chest, back, quads, hamstrings and glutes, plus two to three sets for abs, calves, biceps, triceps and shoulders. Also, take the time to consult with a trainer to develop a schedule that meets your needs.

17 Cyclists: Pretend you’re Lance on a treacherous climb and get out of the saddle. “This turns cycling into more of a weight-bearing exercise and will help with bone density,” says Culp.

18 If you’re new to the track, ease into it. A lot of beginning runners can get overzealous, and need to put the brakes on to avoid injury early in training. “There’s a perception that there’s a difference between running and jogging, but there isn’t,” says Steve Sisson, director of Run-Tex University and a former All-American runner at the University of Texas. “Listen to your breathing and just relax. Either way, you’ll get a great workout,” he says.

19 Push yourself, but don’t overdo it. This applies to most sports, including running. “You don’t need to run every day, but as you get comfortable, add distance like a long run on the weekends,” says Sisson. “Use different techniques like running, then walking. Run until you’re tired, and then walk until you feel recovered,” he says.

20 Stuck in a rut? Change it up! Mark Brown from BodyBusiness says just a slight change can elicit a new response from your body to kick it into high gear again. Strength training variables to play with include the amount of weight, number of repetitions, number of sets, speed of movement, type of equipment and frequency of workouts.

Free Your Mind
A fit mind is just as, if not more, important than a healthy body. Here are some tips on how to keep things in sync:

21 Seek out alternatives. “Alternative medicine is great for preventing disease and staying healthy,” says Katie McBrearty-Shields, M.S., a licensed acupuncturist and owner of Ancient Arts Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine. “Keeping your body in tip-top condition before you get sick is key — and you can do that with acupuncture and herbs.”

22 Look to mind-body workouts for performance. McBrearty-Shields is a former swim coach for Texas Aquatics at the University of Texas. She used to have her swimmers do t’ai chi for focus and injury prevention. “It helped prevent shoulder injuries and they learned to move their body more efficiently,” she says.

23 If you love yoga, make sure to get proper instruction. “I see a lot of neck injuries from yoga,” says McBrearty-Shields. “Make sure you go to someone who watches what you’re doing. You need someone who can give you personal attention and make sure you’re doing the poses correctly,” she says.

24 Has menopause set in? Then try acupuncture. Recent studies have found that acupuncture and acupressure treatments are very effective in improving mood and hot flashes in menopausal women. Dongxin Ma, Ph.D., an acupuncturist and the dean of herbal studies at the Academy of Oriental Medicine in Austin, says he treats many women formerly taking hormone replacement therapies (HRT). “Most of the time, they’re able to stop HRT with acupuncture,” he says. Acupuncture is often used with traditional Western medicine treatments, so check with your doctor on how best to incorporate it.

25 Try acupuncture in general for what ails you. Besides menopause, acupuncture can help in a surprising variety of areas, like pain management, energy issues, mental health, stress management and infertility. “Acupuncturists specialize in a lot of different areas, so be sure to ask,” says Dr. Ma, whose specialty is women’s disorders and allergies. You might just find an alternative to popping another pill.

Relax!
Stress is one of the leading causes of disease in this country. We’re too busy, too overworked and rarely allow time for relaxation. Here are five quick tips that will encourage you to make time for your health:

26 Go back to your roots — literally — and de-stress. “Essential oils and herbs are wonderful for both your physical and emotional well-being,” says Hudson. “Herbs are the basis of healing since the beginning of time — a time when we would simply eat a root to feel better.” For example, herbs like lavender and clary sage can help ease depression and stress.

27 Take a tonic. Hudson recommends herbs like nettle for full-body tonics. “Nettle is very high in vitamins and minerals and it’s great for people of all ages,” she says.

28 Wear sunscreen! We all know this, but it’s important to take this advice seriously. Go get a few big bottles today: one for your face, one for your body and one for your kids (if you have them). Your gorgeous, cancer-free epidermis will surely thank you years from now.

29 Heed these two words: B complex. There’s a reason health professionals stress taking B vitamins, because “B complex is important for a healthy body, including stress, kidney and adrenaline function,” says Hudson.

30 Be aware of two more words: vitamin C. Another biggie to take regularly, especially if you feel a summer cold coming on. Vitamin C not only boosts the immune system, it also helps cleanse your liver, ease allergy symptoms and aid in cell regeneration, explains Hudson. n