Riding my bike doesn't feel like a chore. I love walking outside, but I do have a treadmill and stationary bike in my workout room. Where would I get more bang for my buck? Is one or the other better for me? Let's compare the two....it really doesn't matter to me I enjoy them both. Should I change it up? Let's investigate and research...

According to the June 21, 2007 Medical News Today, a paper that appeared in "The Journal of Physiology" noted that how you exercise determines what fuel source your body uses. In general, the lower the intensity and the longer the duration of exercise, the higher the percentage of fat you burn off. Your body uses up stored calories or fat tissue when it has the luxury of a slow and rather inefficient synthesis of energy. When you are not out of breath, or pushing so hard that your muscles ache, you burn more fat than when you sprint or do high intensity workouts. Carbohydrates are the body's "go-to" fuel for fast and furious exercise because they break down quickly and get energy to the muscles the fastest.

According to the MayoClinic.com, a 160-lb. person walking at a rate of 2 mph burns 183 calories per hour of exercise. The same person burns 277 calories per hour if she increases the pace to 3 1/2 mph. Bicycling for one hour at an easy pace, or less than 10 mph, burns about 292 calories in one hour. Swift walking and leisurely bike riding have similar caloric requirements. Riding a bicycle faster or riding it uphill increases the calories burned above those used for walking.

To get more out of your walking routine, it's more effective to simply pick up the pace. If you're in good shape, you might incorporate short bursts of jogging into your regular brisk walks. If you're less fit, you might alternate leisurely walking with periods of faster walking. For example, if you're walking outdoors, you could walk faster between certain mailboxes, trees or other landmarks.

We didn't have a speedometer and odometer unit for our bikes, but once we got serious about losing weight and getting in shape, this feature became a "must have." You simply cannot track your progress without knowing how far and how fast you're riding. If you riding a stationary bike many have these built in. 

Bottom Line: It really doesn't matter which form of exercise you do....Just move, some may start slower it's okay five minutes today may be more than you did yesterday. YOU CAN DO IT!!

Even before the first book was written about wine in 1410 by a French doctor, the virtues of drinking wine had long been touted since the first century. The fact that wine contains certain compounds that add to longevity is apparent in what has become known as "The French Paradox" theory.

For France, which has had the lowest prevalence of obesity among nine northern European countries and among the lowest of Westernized countries in the world, these results raise some important social and cultural questions. The so-called French paradox -- the belief that there is something in the French lifestyle, red wine perhaps that protects them against obesity, heart disease, and diabetes -- may be a myth or it may be a truism that is passing into history. As more and more French men and women adopt a lifestyle that is increasingly American -- fast foods, processed foods, more soda pop and caloric intake, little or no exercise -- they may be entering the front end of the obesity and diabetes epidemics that began in America nearly 20 years ago.

Remember I blogged about Pasta? Pasta isn't bad for you it's the creamy fat laden sauces. Marinara is still the healthiest sauce we can marry with our Pasta. Okay back to wine.

With further study the connection between wine and longevity was traced to anti-oxidants and natural occurring chemicals found within the seeds and skin of the grape, though it is not certain whether the grape itself can render theses benefits in the same manner.

One of the most widely known benefits of wine consumption relates to the heart, and it is known that wine improves heart health by increasing the amount of HDL (good cholesterol) within the body. Wine also reduces the amount of LDL (bad cholesterol) and when consumed with a meal the delayed absorption of food that wine causes in the gastrointestinal tract reduces the growth of arterial muscle cells.

A reduction of these smooth muscle cells insures that arteries stay clear and healthy, and blood pressure is lowered as a result. This is not the only benefit that wine offers, however, a reduction in the risk of certain cancers has also been noted, and even a reduced risk of kidney stones in women is listed as a potential benefit connected with wine consumption.

 That is not to say that everyone should drink wine though, and it is important to remember that when mixed with medications, even over-the-counter drugs, the resulting damage to the liver and kidneys associated with those products is increased. The heavy consumption of wine in fact, raises the risk of some diseases that it is known to reduce the risk of. With people suffering the effects of diabetes, or gastrointestinal disorders such as ulcers wine should be avoided, and when paired with certain situations it can be dangerous to drink wine, such is the case when operating a motor vehicle. Wine may also impair a person's judgment and in some cases may cause migraine headaches, though changes in the fermentation process have lowered the risk of severe headaches.

I have blogged on food myths, but, this time let's talk a look at parent myths. Are you still following eating habits that your parents taught you decades ago? It's time to see if that advice stands up to the test of time -- or if some of the things your parents taught you about food are your family's diet myths. Diet myths are handed down for generations. After All don't we listen to our elders when we are children. Let's take a look at how nutrition has evolved over the years.

Hurry up! Did your parents coach you to wolf down your breakfast every morning so you wouldn't miss the school bus? If you still eat in a hurry, you might miss your body's cues that you're full. It takes 20 minutes for the brain to register that you feel full.  If you eat too quickly, you can scarf down a lot of food in a 20-minute period, and then you feel stuffed.

Solution: Make a conscious effort to slow down. Many people don't put a sandwich down until they've eaten the whole thing, but it will slow you down. Also, putting your utensils down between bites should help.

You deserve dessert today! You may have learned this habit early, if you earned a trip to the ice cream parlor for a good report card. Or your parents may have promised you dessert as a reward for eating your broccoli or other vegetables. They had good intentions, but this is a bribe that sends a message that vegetables aren't appealing on their own. 
Solution: Stop using food as a prize. Instead, reward yourself with a movie, a manicure, or a phone call to a friend. Do reward yourself for your achievements -- just don't make food the reward.

Finish everything on your plate. Did you grow up hearing that at every dinner? Did your parents make you stay at the dinner table until you'd finished everything on your plate? And are you still eating that way today? If so, you may not be heeding your body's signals that you're full and that it's OK to stop eating.

Solution: Try leaving something on your plate. But more importantly, stay in tune with how you're feeling. Are you full? Are you eating just because there is still food on your plate? Be particularly careful when you're eating out -- the food is appealing, the plates are huge, and you may want to eat it all because you paid for it. If there are large portions, ask for half now and have them box the other half, so you don't run into trouble.

The popular Myth Busters is back, Here is part four. I hope these clear up some of your food myths. 

Coffee Causes Cancer - NO! Raise your cup? Studies have also shown in recent years that drinking coffee appears to offer some protection against other conditions, including Parkinson’s disease and type 2 diabetes (although in order to substantially lower your risk for the latter, you may need to imbibe a jitters-inducing six cups per day). Some people also worry that consuming too much caffeine will raise their blood pressure. While caffeine may cause your pressure to rise, a study of more than 155,000 women found that the coffee lovers among them did not have an increased risk of high blood pressure.

Raw Fruits and Vegetables are More Nutritious than Cooked Ones - No! Scientists have discovered in recent years that cooking actually boosts levels of important compounds in some fruits and vegetables. For instance, ketchup contains five to six times more of the antioxidant lycopene than raw tomatoes do, making it much more useful against diseases such as prostate cancer.

Heat does rob fresh produce of some nutrients, especially vitamins that dissolve in water. For example, cooking fruits and vegetables tends to reduce their levels of vitamin B6, vitamin C, and folate in particular. But it increases the antioxidant levels of some vegetables, such as sweet corn and carrots. The bottom line: If you like raw produce, crunch away — but don’t fear the vegetable steamer or stir-fry pan.

Frozen and Canned Fruits and Vegetables are Less Nutritious than Fresh Ones Yes and No! Fresh fruits and vegetables are more nutritious than the frozen and canned variety — at the instant they are picked. However, the foods you find in the produce section have often had a long journey from the moment they were packed in crates, spending days or even weeks in transit from the farm or orchard. During shipping and storage, natural enzymes are released in fresh fruit and vegetables that cause them to lose nutrients. Food processors quick-freeze fresh-picked produce, which preserves much of its vitamin and mineral content. “With some fruits and vegetables, you actually lock in a higher nutrient content by freezing,” says Douglas Archer, Ph.D., a professor of food science at the University of Florida. A 1992 University of Illinois study found, for instance, that frozen beans retained twice as much vitamin C as fresh beans purchased in a grocery store. Contrary to common belief, canning does not deplete fruit and vegetables of significant amounts of nutrients either. While heat processing may reduce levels of some vitamins, certain canned foods — such as spinach and pumpkin — actually have higher levels of vitamin A than fresh versions.

Can swallowing gum cause stomach problems? - "Chewing and swallowing sugarless gum can contribute to abdominal pain, gas and diarrhea," says Joel M. Andres, M.D., a gastroenterologist. If you experience any of these symptoms, you're probably chewing gum that contains sorbitol, an artificial sweetener that's known for causing intestinal distress. 
Can cherries relieve pain? - After a study was conducted at Michigan State University, it is believed that eating about 20 tart cherries a day helps reduce inflammation in patients with arthritis and gout. They zeroed in on the cherries because of evidence collected over years in a state that is one of the largest producers of the fruit.

What is the purpose of Body Fat?
Fat is known to have two main purposes:
1) Fat stores excess calories in a safe way so you can use them when you're hungry, and
2) Fat releases hormones that control metabolism.

The truth is that overweight women have higher levels of male hormones, which increases their risk of heart disease. Those hormones also cause male pattern balding, some excess facial hair, and acne. More truth? Overweight people often suffer from sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, which is dangerous. Sleep apnea causes breathing to stop many times during the night. This makes oxygen levels drop, which affects the heart and increases risk of heart attack, stroke and diabetes. But relax; a certain amount of body fat is necessary for storing energy, heat insulation, shock absorption, and other functions.

Abdominal, or belly, fat is viewed as a bigger health risk than hip or thigh fat. It has a worse effect on insulin resistance, boosting the risk of diabetes,  and a worse effect on the level of fats in the blood,  boosting heart and stroke risks. Belly fat, or an apple-shaped body, is also most associated with heart disease and other diseases, such as metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. The bigger your waist, the higher your risk of developing heart failure, a condition where the heart isn’t pumping enough blood out and fluid begins to back up into the lungs and/or pool in the feet and legs.

Obesity is an excess proportion of total body fat. A person is considered obese when his or her weight is 20% or more above normal weight. The most common measure of obesity is the body mass index, or BMI. A person is considered overweight if his or her BMI is between 25 and 29.9; a person is considered obese if his or her BMI is over 30. BMI is calculated by dividing your weight in kilos by your height in meters squared, or by multiplying your weight in pounds by 703, then dividing by your height in inches squared.

The normal amount of body fat (expressed as a percentage of body weight) is between 25%-30% in women and 18%-23% in men. Women with over 30% body fat and men with over 23% body fat are considered obese.

Believe it or not, healthy skin and hair are maintained by fat. Fat helps the body absorb and move the vitamins A, D, E, and K through the bloodstream.

What would it take to make our resolutions stick? Every year, the majority of us — stemming from the most noble of intentions, or the most nauseating of eggnog overindulgence — declare our desire to start anew and totally revise our lives. What does it take to make us happy? The inner promise we make ourselves...the resolutions have the best of intentions, don't they? Well as my father always said "the road to hell was paved with good intentions". 

The tradition of the New Year's Resolutions goes all the way back to 153 B.C. Janus, a mythical king of early Rome was placed at the head of the calendar.

With two faces, Janus could look back on past events and forward to the future. Janus became the ancient symbol for resolutions and many Romans looked for forgiveness from their enemies and also exchanged gifts before the beginning of each year.

Okay with the history of resolutions out there, Here it is the number one resolution: Enjoy life more! You guessed it number two is lose weight. But, to make your commitment you must have a plan, have the right mind set, know each day is a new day. The most important mind set to have is this is not a diet, it's a journey!

Accountability is the secret to sticking to resolutions. That's why groups like Weight Watchers are effective. There are many ways to hold yourself accountable and we have support here and additional support on our facebook page.  If you're going to resolve to start exercising (one of the most popular resolutions), don't resolve to go to the gym for an hour every day before work. Start by going for a 10-minute walk at lunch or marching in place once a day during the commercial breaks in your favorite TV show. Little accomplishments provide energy for bigger challenges. The humble resolution you actually follow is more helpful than the ambitious resolution you abandon.