Get in Shape Without Spending Hours at the Gym!

Do you want to get in shape, but just don't have the time? The truth is you don't need to spend hours at the gym in order to get yourself a healthy body. Take advantage of your local parks and bike paths! If your town is lacking in the park and recreation department, it may be time to look for new fundraising opportunities!

As we get older we begin to see the effects of spending 8 hours a day sitting behind a desk, staring into a computer screen.

Here are a few activities you can squeeze into your day to help you lose that 'desk' weight!

Biking
Of course this is our favorite activity! If you have small errands to run after work, drop off the car and take the bike! This way you are multitasking, and you're body will thank you!  

Jumping Jacks
Remember these? Jump up, clap those hands above your head, while you spread your feet below you! Adding jumping jacks into your routine is a great way to lose weight quickly. You can even make this the part of your morning routine!  

Jumping Rope
Maybe you loved jumping rope as a kid, why did you stop? We tend to think of jumping rope as child's play, but it's actually a really great activity to help you lose weight!

Running
We've got to suggest this one, as it's one of the most effective exercises. Running makes you sweat, and is a great cardio workout. The more you sweat, the more calories you burn! Head to the local high school and run a quick mile on the track. Build up from there, maybe you'll be doing a 5k in no time!  

Walking
If you aren't quite up for running, try taking a brisk walk. At a brisk pace, you can walk a mile in about 20 minutes. This will get your heart rate up, and you'll also break a sweat. Maybe you could even squeeze in a walk during your lunch break?

Check out Bikepath Country for more great tools and tips to improve your workouts! 

4 Tips to Maximize Your Workout

There never seems to be enough time in a day, especially when trying to squeeze in time for exercise! But, we all know that there are a ton of health benefits from exercising and who doesn't want to be healthy? We've put together 4 tips to help you maximize your workout. This way, you can make the daunting task of exercising fit into your schedule. (No matter how many minutes you think you don't have!)

Q: Do you spend the majority of your day in a chair, behind a desk? 
A: Make it a habit to get up and out of that chair every 20 minutes or so. Exercising in small bursts can be beneficial. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk to the farthest printer or bathroom. There are plenty of little tricks you can find to integrate exercise into your work day.

Q: Do you dread exercising alone? 
A: Why not find a workout buddy! You can help motivate each other to stick with your workout regiment! You can also venture away from the run/walk/bike ride, and try some fun activities that require more than one person like tennis, frisbee, etc. (Maybe you'll feel like you are simply hanging out with a friend and you might even find your workout time getting longer and longer!!)

Q: Do you spend more time walking then you think?
A: Remember that every step counts! Buy a pedometer, and have some fun. Set goals for how many steps you'll take in a day/week, and see if you can reach those goals!! Why not start with a goal of 10,000 steps per week. If nothing else it'll be interesting to see how many steps you take right in your very own house!!

Q: Are you getting the most out of your current workout?
A: Try to incorporate multi-joint moves into your workout such as squats, lunges, rows and presses. These are more efficient than a single joint moves because they save time as well as maximize energy expenditure! Simple terms...more calorie burn!



The time is now! Take control of your health, and challenge yourself to 'make time' for exercise! Of course another great idea is to leave the car keys at home and take the bike on all your short errands and commutes! You can use the handy Bikepath Country Navigation App to get yourself around town! Checkout out more great exercise and workout tips from Bikepath Country!

Biking in New York City: The Dirty Facts

So I was going to this party with my friend in Brooklyn on the Fourth of July, and walking from the Prospect Park subway station I noticed these-

Bike paths. 

Actual, explicitly segregated bike paths alongside a two-lane road. I couldn't help myself- I stopped in my tracks to snap that pic. I needed proof. This was the kind of bike path I thought only existed in places like... like Disneyworld. Or, at least, hipster neighborhoods in Colorado. Based on where I live in Queens and where I work in Manhattan, I assumed biking was a fend-for-yourself kind of operation anywhere but an actual park, regardless of whether you were biking to work or in a large loop right back to where you started. I didn't realize that in a major metropolis, biking could be anything but a very dangerous game of survival-of-the-fittest with contestants battling erratic SUV's and randomly opening driver's doors, but here was the evidence- at least in this borough, bikers have rights. 

Of course, seeing the gorgeous paths winding through South Brooklyn is nice, but it doesn't help me much. Walking home that night, I glanced at my own street. It's big enough for me to bike with no problem, but I couldn't help but pout at the definitive absence of missing green paint and medians. After seeing the luxury of an actual bike lane, I became a little concerned. If actual bike lanes exist, what does that mean for areas without the lanes within the same city? This seems like it might be an issue. 

According to public record, NYC had about 170 miles of painted bike lanes in 2009, with other lanes either in progress or under planning. That's only a small fraction of the total mileage of roads in NYC overall, though- so for anyone biking on the regular roads, I checked. You can still bike anywhere, you just have to follow basic traffic laws. You're considered a vehicle, which means you don't have any particular right of way over traffic. This is less of an issue for a commuter, but that can make recreational biking less... well, recreational. 

Uhmmm... okay.

As someone who used to run, this is new to me. I'm used to getting the right of way, not to mention use of the sidewalks. I almost trashed the idea of getting a bike altogether- if I have to use the roads, I might as well just get a car and call it a night. It's not like I can bring my bike on the subway, right?

False. While looking up some of the bike path stats for the city, I came across some interesting information for recreational bikers and commuters alike-

First, some of the laws I found to make biking easier. In 2004, the city limited the number of cars that could drive through Central Park, then went on to limit the speed limit of said cars to 25 mph and grant the park an additional hour of car-free time in 2007. There's currently a movement to make Central Park completely car-free as well, and some people are pushing to allocate road funds specifically for speeding up the extension of bike lanes throughout the city. 

Then, for commuters. Here's what the city does to make your life easier, and what you need to know- according to a study done by the city, the number of people in New York commuting on bikes has almost doubled in the past decade. This makes sense, since roughly 40% of NYC residents live less than a dozen miles from where they work. The city has bike racks in most Metro North and LIRR stations, and is working on adding bike racks to regular city lines, but for now you can bring your bike onto the train with you with a permit, obtainable for no cost at Grand Central Station. In 2009, the city also added a law requiring buildings with freight elevators to permit employees to bring bikes into the office with them. 

Whether you're a commuter or a recreational biker, though, this caught my eye: Every May, NYC holds the 40-mile Five Boro Bike Tour for over 40,000 riders. It's the largest recreational cycling event in the United States, spanning all five borough and ending across the Harbor on the Staten Island Ferry. I think... I think I've found my new New York Marathon. 

This whole biking thing is still kind of a maze to me- it seems the more research I do about cycling, the more information I end up needing to find. It's kind of cool, though- my city's doing it's best to make biking a bigger thing. It's nice to see a road with more bikes than cars, as impractical as it is to imagine that might become the next big thing. I'm done rambling, though. Until next time... ride on! Catch ya on the flipside. 

JOURNEY TO A BIKE: FROM FEET TO WHEELS

Since high school, I've been 'the runner'. My little brother and I would get up at the crack of dawn every morning to race through our neighborhood, then I'd usually head back to the treadmills when the sun went down after a long day of school or work, and run again until I could barely walk. I ran marathons in Houston and Galveston, and then a few in New York- but haven't been pounding out footprint rhythms since early May, when I broke my ankle. It was bad enough when I was on crutches, but even when I could walk again I couldn't run. The doctor told me to be as active as I wanted, so long as it didn't involve too much stress on my ankle. It was driving me crazy- my legs felt achy from disuse, I couldn't sleep… then I slept too much. So I decided to talk to the doctor about rehab. He said my ankle was healing fantastically- but a stress fracture from running tends to discourage running in the future. I might get back into 5k's soon enough, but I doubt I'll be running any marathons in the near future… so I'm on the hunt for a bike.

I've started with the stationary bike at my gym, but I live in New York City- where's a better place to have a bike than Queens? It sure beats the bus, and it'll keep me active. So as of 48 hours ago, I've become a future cyclist- and I hope you all get a kick out of following my journey.

Don't just read along, though. Have any particularly wise tips about biking? Recommend one brand or model over another? What's your favorite diet to keep yourself from crashing after a 10-mile ride? Feel free to comment, suggest, and advise- and if you have any questions, feel free to ask those, too. Whether it's something I can already answer or something I'll happily try out to provide the info for you, we can all learn together.

Until next time- ride safely! 

Increase Your Fiber Intake

Boost Fiber Intake…It's Easier Than You Think!

So why more fiber? Fiber is one of the easiest nutrients to incorporate into your diet, and one of the most important! However, many Americans don’t get the much needed 25 to 30 grams recommended daily for a healthy diet. Insufficient fiber intake can increase your risk for many health problems, including constipation, high cholesterol, weight gain, irritable bowel syndrome, and even colon cancer.

So what is Fiber and how do I get more of it?

Fiber is the fibrous part of a plant food that your body cannot digest. Therefore, when it passes through the digestive system, it acts as a broom, sweeping out all unnecessary waste leftovers from digestible food. Fiber can be found naturally in many foods, and in

Supplement form. 

Here are some easy ways to add fiber to your diet:

• Replace your white bread with whole wheat bread.
• Choose whole grain cereals over the junky ones.
• Beans, beans and more beans.
• Increase consumption of Fruits and Veggies.
• Supplement, but only as a last resort.

Also it’s important to note that when you increase your fiber intake you must increase your water intake as well!

To your success,

Nancy DiCioccio, M.P.H

nancy@bikepathcountry.com

Find Your Balance

Find your balance between food and physical activity.

Becoming “a healthier you” is not just about eating healthy, it's also about physical activity. Regular physical activity is important for your overall health and fitness. It also helps you control body weight by balancing the calories you take in as food with the calories you expend each day. In general, I recommend being physically active for at least 30 minutes, most days of the week. Then increasing the intensity or the amount of time that you are physically active over time to achieve even greater health benefits. Additional time may be needed to control body weight and keep it off. We don’t want to lose it and find it again! We want to remove the excess unhealthy fat. About 60 minutes a day may be needed to attain this. CONSIDER THIS: If you eat 100 more food calories a day than you burn, you'll gain about 1 pound in a month. That's about 10 pounds in a year! The bottom line is that to lose weight, it's important to reduce calories while increasing your physical activity.

To your success,

Nancy DiCioccio, M.P.H

nancy@bikepathcountry.com

Breakfast or No Breakfast?

Not a breakfast eater? Neither am I! But if you are someone who thinks skipping breakfast will help you lose weight, think again! Studies show that breakfast is associated with better weight control. Also, it’s important to note that breakfast eaters tend to eat fewer calories overall, less saturated fat and cholesterol and have better overall nutrition than breakfast skippers. Here are the facts, when you skip breakfast, your metabolic rate slows down and your blood sugar drops. As a result, you become hungry and have less energy. This sets you up to impulsively snack in the morning -often on high-fat convenience foods - or to eat extra servings or bigger portions at lunch or dinner. Here’s a healthy option for you that I have been using for years, a satisfying healthy shake. My favorite breakfast on the go, 1 scoop whey protein powder, soy/rice/almond or low fat milk, your choice, 1 cup a fresh or frozen mixed berries, and ice, blend and enjoy!. YUM! You can add ground flax seeds, a nut butter, the choices are endless. Give it a try!

To your success,

Nancy DiCioccio, M.P.H

nancy@bikepathcountry.com

So what should your plate look like??

I love the new recommendations issued by The Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. Check out what your plate should look like. MyPlate from www.choosemyplate.gov illustrates the five food groups that are the building blocks for a healthy diet. This is a great visual aid to help you choose what to eat and the proper serving size before you fill your plate. To learn more about building a healthy plate, check out www.choosemyplate.gov and select from the food groups to help you choose wisely.

What I also love about this site is the numerous free resources to guide you on you healthy journey. This is essential to ensuring your long term success.

To your success,

Nancy DiCioccio, M.P.H

nancy@bikepathcountry.com

Get Out The Trash Bags

Cleaning out your unhealthy environment… Get out the trash bags!

"If it comes through a car window, it’s not food". - Former Arkansas's Governer Mike Huckabee

Food is your foundation for good health. It is tempting to describe individual foods as “good or bad”; it’s straightforward and simple. Yet, while some foods are more nutritious than others, labeling foods as simply “good” or “bad” may lead to restrictive eating, or negative attitudes about food in general…..not so good.  A more healthful approach to eating is one that focuses on the positive components of food and the importance of eating a balanced and sensible menu. A balanced diet means choosing a variety of nutrient-rich foods as the foundation of what you eat. "Healthy” foods are those that are nutrient-rich—or have a large amount of key nutrients, like vitamins and minerals, per calorie. Nutrients--such as vitamins A, C and E, zinc, calcium, complex carbohydrates, potassium, iron, fiber, B-vitamins and protein—are needed at all ages to promote healthy growth, fuel activity and prevent chronic diseases.  As limit our total caloric intake to lose weight, it's critical to make each calorie count by selecting foods with more essential nutrients in fewer calories.

To obtain these important nutrients, choose nutrient-rich foods which may include the following:

Low-fat and fat-free dairy

Whole grains

Colorful fruits and vegetables

Green tea with lunch or dinner, instead of soda or sugar-sweetened beverages

Lean meats, seafood, eggs, beans and nuts

The more nutrients you can include in your diet from these foods, the more balanced and healthy

Your overall diet will be. You don't have to entirely give up your favorite foods to eat a healthy diet. If your core choices are nutrient-rich, you can round out the rest of your diet with less nutrient-rich foods as calories and exercise levels permit.

To create a healthy mind set and lifestyle, don't focus on eating to lose weight...eat to live, nourish and protect your body. Our goal in the coming days is to eliminate sugar, processed foods and starchy carbs from our menu while replacing them with nutrient rich foods.  This is how our bodies were intended to be nourished.   So grab the trash bags and start cleaning out your refrigerator, pantry, glove compartment, desk drawer...any and all hiding places for those less nutrient rich foods and snacks.  If it's not with in your reach you are not going to eat it! 

To your success,

Nancy DiCioccio, M.P.H

nancy@bikepathcountry.com

Determine Your Why!

 Determine your why!  Previously, we discussed the importance of keeping a daily journal. Your first entry was to determine your "why". Find your compelling "why" that will inspire you to take immediate and consistent action towards overall better health and well being.
Next we need to be honest and specific about where we are right now as we begin this journey towards optimum health and fitness. A great place to start is to contact you physician and schedule complete physical examination and blood profile before undertaking any dietary or lifestyle changes. It's important to make sure you are healthy enough to begin and exercise regimen and to discuss the important those base line numbers with your doctor. Also, nothing is more motivating than to watch your numbers improve over time! Your doctor can also help you figure out your BMI. Your Body Mass Index can help you identify your goal weight or optimum weight. Body Mass Index equals a person's weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. Your doctor can help you set a healthy goal weight using a BMI chart and an appropriate time frame to achieve your weight loss. On average a healthy body can lose 1-3 pounds of fat per week. But there are many factors that come into play and this should be discussed with your health care provider.
Once you and your health care provider have discussed all your important base line numbers, your goal weight based on your BMI and an appropriate time frame in which to accomplish your goal weight you need to write it down in your journal and give it a deadline!

"Goals are dreams with deadlines". - Diane Scharf Hunt

To your success,

Nancy DiCioccio, M.P.H

nancy@bikepathcountry.com

Take Action

Take Action! It's up to us to decide to take the first step. Make the decision that now is the perfect time to commit to achieving your health and fitness goals. But how do we do it? Health really is a multi-dimensional experience of the mind, body and spirit and should be thought of as a process that is constantly evolving and constantly changing. As you begin to make small incremental changes in your eating habits, activity levels and mind set you will start to feel better and better mentally, emotionally and physically.  Small changes over time are the key to lasting change.

"Take the first step of faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step". - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

To your success,

Nancy DiCioccio, M.P.H

nancy@bikepathcountry.com

Make the Commitment

Make the commitment!  Each time you take action towards your personal fitness and wellness goals, you will find that you reaffirm and deepen your commitment.  One of the first steps that my clients are required to do on a regular basis is to write down their goals and keep a daily journal.  This is to ensure that they become totally accountable to themselves.  So your first step is to get a journal and start writing!  So what should you write in your journal?  A good place to start is to answer a few questions - Why do I want to start exercising consistently?  Why do I want to lose weight?  Why do I want to kick the bad habits? More importantly, why right now? Discovering your why will motivate you, will inspire you and will help you consistently make healthier decisions and help you get more out of life both physically and emotionally.

Next we will work on the specifics to creating an achievable fitness and wellness plan for 2012! 

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world”.-Mahatma Gandhi

To your success,

Nancy DiCioccio, M.P.H

nancy@bikepathcountry.com