Mental Health - eFitFamily

Healthy Tips & Recipes for School Lunches

June 20, 2012 by Christy Seguin MBA, CPT

Wow--the school lunch. These have certainly been the topic of hot debate ever since Congress in its infinite wisdom declared that pizza counts as a 'vegetable' for school lunches. (Ostensibly because it has a tablespoon of tomato sauce on it---Let's Get REAL! In reality, it's because they get bribed with big bucks from big food manufacturers.) You're a busy mother, & making breakfast for yourself & your children is already almost an impossibility. Now, you add MORE time & effort in the crazy mornings? No way, you think. Yes, there IS a way, with a little pre-planning, an … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Child/Teen Nutrition, Family Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Healthy Recipes, Nutrition

Family Summer Fitness

June 3, 2012 by Jolene Puffer

Summer is the time when school children look forward to free time and activities. Parents must find things to do to help their children stay active and avoid spending the summer in front of a monitor, computer or television. Simple ways to help your family stay active and avoid the lazy days of summer. Play dates - Get outside and hit the parks, meet friends and while kids play set up a circuit in the park. Easy stations can be set up using park equipment like the monkey bars for fitness activities. Audio Books - Get your books in mp3 format using them on ipods or mp3 players and plan … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Exercise, Family Exercise

Top Summer Slimdown Tips

June 1, 2012 by Angelique Millis

Summer is just around the corner and many are scrambling to make positive changes in time for their vacations. Here are some "Summer Slimdown" Tips that you can incorporate to ensure that you are Swimsuit ready! 1. Know Your Daily Caloric Intake While you don’t need to neurotic about every bite you take throughout the day,it’s always in your favor to have a ball-park figure of what you need to consume to maintain and/or lose weight. Average Daily Calories to MAINTAIN Your Weight: Here is a simple formula) courtesy of Discovery Health that can also help you figure out how to lose a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Adult Nutrition, Family Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Nutrition

Beating the Odds of Hyperthyroidism – Jane Montoya

June 1, 2012 by efitfamily

I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism during a difficult time in my life and with limited means to research the condition it just made it all the harder for me to come to terms with. My weight when diagnosed was 110lbs and when I was finally treated one year later with a radioactive capsule it rose to 145lbs- added to which I began losing my hair which left me feeling devastated and depressed. In addition to this I had Graves’s disease and endured three eye surgeries to normalize the appearance of my eyes to the point where my eyeballs no longer look so protruded. The vanity I admit to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Inspiration, Motivation, Physical Illness

Guy’s Guide To Slim Trim Grilling

June 1, 2012 by Karyn Capozzo, RD, LD, CDE

The summer months mean it’s time for the guys to put on their aprons and dust off the grill. It seems all men are in their element with charcoal and spatula. Summer is also a time we want to slim down as we replace the sweaters and coats with shorts and bathing suits. So guys how can you get those flat abs back and still enjoy the back yard BBQ? It’s easy! Choose lean proteins. Not only do high fat meats add unwanted calories they also can have a negative effect on heart health. Instead of choosing high fat meats like ribs, sausage and prime rib choose leaner cuts. Try salmon, shrimp … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Adult Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Men's Health, Nutrition Tagged With: BBQ, burn calories, calories, grill, lean meats, slim, summer, Weight Loss

Power Yoga for Swimsuit Season

June 1, 2012 by Missy Balsam

As part of your workout regimen to get ready for swimsuit season, why not try a vigorous form of yoga called power yoga? Power yoga, or power vinyasa, yoga, is a flowing series of postures, or asanas, linked together one to the next through the breath. Because you are moving through the poses at a quicker pace than other forms of yoga, you can burn up to 500 calories or more in an hour-long practice! Most people don’t think of yoga as a way to help you lose weight, but practicing power yoga helps build a swimsuit-ready body in the following ways: 1) Power yoga utilizes a type of breathing … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Adult Exercise, Exercise Tips, Yoga Tagged With: burn calories, get in shape, power yoga, sweat, swimuit season, vinyasa, workout, Yoga

Slim Down with your Spouse – Fun Summer Activities

June 1, 2012 by Rachel Ettinger

Summer is here and NOW is the time to enjoy the wonderful weather. Who else better to enjoy it with? Your spouse! Life is getting busier and busier and our relationships seem to be more and more strained. Have you heard about couples having "date night"? Well what about "daytime date" or "fitness fun"? As we get older, we seem to make things more complex than they really are. What about the good old days when we were kids and "played" with simple things like Frisbees? Do you remember how much fun a Frisbee can be? There is a rapidly growing sport activity called disc golf. It's a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Adult Exercise, Couples Connection

June 2012 Letter from the Editor – Summer Slimdown & Men’s Health

June 1, 2012 by Kimberly Rodgers, LCSW, RPT-S

Hi eFitFamily Readers! Thank you for staying connected with us! We are enjoying the sunshine with tips for slimming down this summer and men’s health. We continue to bring simple steps to help you live healthier every single day. Whether you are determined to trim down for your favorite new swimsuit, feel the energetic benefits of exercise and healthy nutrition, or reduce health risks, we strive to provide information and inspiration for overall health. Enjoy quality family time as the school year ends and explore more healthy lifestyle choices with us! Happy Summer! :) … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Men's Health, Motivation

Smart Start to Summer

May 11, 2012 by Jolene Puffer

April showers bring May flowers and an opportunity to get a healthy start to summer! The weather is warmer and the sun is out longer giving you more time to be active. Summer is a great time of year to be more active, eat healthier and make new habits. Schedules change as children are out of school, giving you more time to work on changing habits or adding better ones,seize the opportunity. Do what is easy first- Eat more fruits and vegetables- summer brings healthier choices so take advantage of those choices. Add after dinner strolls- taking a walk after dinner when you have the sun on your … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Motivation

Arthritis

May 1, 2012 by Jolene Puffer

Arthritis is one of the most debilitating conditions affecting mostly people over the age of 55. It doesn't only affect that specific age group, but also a percentage of young adults. It's not just a simple disease but a group of conditions that may cause damage not only to your bones but also to other organs in the body. Different forms of arthritis manifest different symptoms. Common symptoms of arthritis include: persistent joint pain; tenderness in a joint which is aggravated by movement; inflammation indicated by joint swelling, stiffness, redness, and/or warmth; pain and stiffness in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Physical Health, Physical Illness, Senior's Health