September: Childhood Obesity Awareness Month

August 20, 2011 by
606968-overweight-children

Welcome to eFitFamily.com!  For the month of September, we are honoring Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, as well as Yoga Awareness Month.  The statistics on childhood obesity are shocking: The Center for Disease Control reports that obesity prevalence among children and adolescents has nearly tripled since 1980.  http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood/data.html  Currently, over 23 million children ages 2 to 19 in the United States are overweight.  To translate, childhood obesity affects one in three children, putting them at risk for numerous health concerns, including diabetes, high blood … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Child/Teen Health, Child/Teen Mental Health, Child/Teen Nutrition

Managing Your Child’s Obesity

August 19, 2011 by
large_kids

What I have learnt from being a mother of three is that we tend to parent the same way we were brought up. As a child, I was shown love primarily through food. The amount of food I accepted was my way of showing love, as this was how love was expressed to me. I sometimes find myself doing the same with my sons. I am constantly baking cookies and cupcakes as a token of my love. It wasn’t until I noticed that my older sons were not as active and were indulging in my love cookies that I realised I wasn’t setting a good example. I am now more aware of expressing my love through kisses and cuddles … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Child/Teen Health, Women's Health Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Everyday Movement

August 14, 2011 by
First Time On Skates

Families are known to play sports together. The Kennedy’s were avid football players, I suppose the Beckhams, soccer. Naples families go to the beach, swim, sail in the gulf and at local parks, hoola hoop!! Growing up in CT we’d hike, swim, bike, ice skate, ski, dance. To rollerblade feels like flying! Sports require amazing agility, balance, and coordination. Group sports require teamwork and understanding a game plan--the big picture. Movement is a relief of the regular stuff that settles in, shaking us out of our reverie into an altered state--one we’re not normally in. Usually it evokes … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Child/Teen Health, Exercise Tagged With: , , , ,

3rd Trimester Exercise and Nutrition

August 8, 2011 by
Erin and Corry Pregnant

You’ve finally reached the home stretch!  You’re 2/3 of the way through, maybe even picked out baby names, nursery colors and are beginning to nest.  So before you think about slowing down your exercise routine or indulging in those extra treats because you are almost done, read this!   1.      Maintain your workouts – Some experts even recommend ramping up the amount of exercise you do in the 3rd trimester.  Why, the additional fluid and body fat on your body causes swelling and achy joints.  If you keep moving, not only will your body feel better but you will reduce your overall weight … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Adult Exercise, Exercise, Exercise Tips, Healthy Mommy & Baby, Mindful Parents, Motivation, Women's Health

Back to School, Back to Fitness Basics

August 2, 2011 by
LT396Cobalt-Wide

The summer season is about to wind down quickly and the kids are headed back to school. The first week or so of school is typically getting back into good study habits, remembering note taking skills, and using the basic learning tools.   The same should apply when you are beginning or refreshing your fitness routine. Going back to the basics is always a solid building block to set your foundation. With good form and fitness techniques, you are bound to get results faster, safer, and better quality. Here are the TOP 5 form reminders to remember during your "Back to Basics" … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Adult Exercise, Exercise Tips, Women's Health Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Fitness Time Well Spent

August 2, 2011 by
Half Moon bind

  August is hot in most parts of the country but not so much here in sunny southern California. Fortunately we have had moderate temperatures, and we all get to enjoy summer a  little longer before kids go back to school. Whether your kids are starting school or have started, now is the perfect time to begin mapping out the new fitness goals and routines. It seems like the optimal time to begin a new exercise program once the kids are off to school, and your schedule begins to have a little consistency. Now it just becomes a matter of using your time wisely.   It has … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Exercise, Exercise Tips, Women's Health Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Ginger-liscious

August 2, 2011 by
GingerRed

Ayurvedic medicine is India’s form of ancient medicine. It works on a system of balancing the body’s internal energies by looking at the different temperatures that go inside us. According to this practice, ginger is one of the best foods you can eat.   Because ginger has been around so long, both ancient and modern medicine believes that ginger has numerous benefits. It has anti-cancer properties, great for digestion, and can relieve car sickness by settling the stomach. This is especially helpful for sea sickness and morning sickness for pregnant women. (I have really enjoyed my … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Healthy Recipes, Nutrition, Women's Health Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Freshman 15? I think not

August 1, 2011 by
college food

Have you heard of the "freshman 15"? It's the idea that when a student goes to college, they gain 15 lbs from their new eating habits. I went to Penn State and I thought I was lucky. While friends around me gained weight, I managed to NOT gain the dreaded 15 lbs. The cafeteria at my branch campus was pretty good. I was making healthy eating choices and working out. I thought I was in the clear. Until I moved to the main Penn State campus, University Park, my junior year. There were so many new and exciting food choices - restaurants, sub shops, many cafeteria's and the infamous Penn State … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Healthy Eating, Nutrition

How to Avoid the Freshman 15 by Combating Cravings

August 1, 2011 by
scale

By: Angelique Millis Ah, the Freshman 15- the infamous 10-20 pound weight gain phenomenon that college students experience as they transition from highschool to college.  While the hustle and bustle of college life makes it difficult for students to diet, many have learned that they can compromise with their cravings and make better decisions to avoid the weight gain. What are Cravings? Cravings are strong yearnings for specific foods, usually those with high sugar or high fat content. Unlike the normal hunger that we experience between meals on a daily basis, cravings are triggered by … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Adult Nutrition, Child/Teen Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Nutrition Tagged With: , , , , ,

Small Changes = Big Results!

July 26, 2011 by
lady sitting

Embarking on some new healthy changes in your life? Great! Even if you’ve been inactive or have had poor eating habits for a while, no worries. You have to start somewhere, so why not start from where you are now? Today is the first day of the rest of your life. You can’t do it all at once and you’re not supposed to. Trying to do too much at once will only lead to frustration, or even worse, injury. So start slow. Here are five little things you can do each and every day to set you off in the right direction of all that you desire for yourself. 1) Set an intention. In my yoga and yoga … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Exercise, Healthy Eating, Healthy Recipes, Inspiration, Mindfulness, Motivation, Nutrition, Yoga Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,