Healthy Weight

Hi everyone! 

Have you heard of the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation?  The HWCF is a CEO-led organzation with more than 80 of the nation’s retailers, food and beverage manufacturers, sporting goods, insurance and other non profit and trade associations as members.  The focus is to reduce obesity by 2015.  The HWCF wants to help consumers lead healthier lives by making energy balance–calories in balanced with calories out–a daily habit.

That is what ICount is all about!  We make it easy to set, track, achieve and reward activity, nutrition and other wellness goals. 

So, people ask me how I stay slim.  It is because I spend 10-15 minutes each day tracking.  I know what my calorie burn is as well as my calorie intake.  So, it is pretty hard for me to fall out of line.  It is now a daily habit to track.  It so works!!!

Anyway, the HWCF just launched 3 great websites.  One for educators, one for parents and one for small businesses.  Our solution, ICount Wellness, is the turnkey solution for businesses!  Check out their new sitewww.yourwellnessadvantage.com.

Let’s Leave a healthy footprint!

Blue Hair and Mental Wellness

Hi.  I was on a late flight last week working a tough crossword.  If I can’t be physically moving, might as well keep mentally fresh.

While changing planes at O’Hare, I went to the restroom.  As I was washing my hands, I happened to look in the mirror.  I screamed as did the woman next to me.  Apparently, my blue pen had leaked all over my hands.  For some reason, probably thoughtfully pondering a word choice, I had run my left hand through my hair…over and over again.  The hair on the left side of my head was as blue as the bluest sky.

I didn’t arrive at my hotel in the DC area until about 2am.  Except for the woman in the restroom, no one said a word.  Not my seatmates on the next flight, the flight attendent, the rental car guy, the hotel receptionist…no one.  The next morning, it would not come out and I gave my talk to a distinguished group of people…with my blue hair and little business suit.  Apparently, the smurf look is quite acceptable.

Anyone else have any travel stories to share?

The Bay Breeze 5k

Hi everyone!

Occasionally, we are fortunate to have a day when we smile until it hurts.  Saturday was one of those days for me.  It started early.  Alarm at 4am.  Yes, on a Saturday!  Drove to LAX and caught a Southwest flight to Oakland.  My dear friend Dina picked me up and we went to meet a group of students and staff from San Jose Job Corps who were walking/running a 5k race.in San Leandro.

An amazing campus faculty member, Holly, had organized 20 students and 10 staff to get up early and do this race together.  This is all part of their ICount Wellness efforts.  Despite the early hour, everyone was so excited!  I learned so much.  One staff member has lost 61 pounds since we started our healthy lifestyle focus.  One of the students is getting other students together in the evening and they dance and dance to get in more steps.  This is instead of watching TV!  They talked of having more energy, building new relationships, and seeing a successful future.

After the race, they were proudly showing off their completion medals.  I was immediately asked if there would be more races in which they could participate.  The smiles were endless.

Oh, and after doing the race, walking through a mall with Dina afterwards, and more steps in the airport, I ended up with 16k steps that day.  A very special Saturday, indeed!

Join the ICount Movement

Doing simple healthy things each day and supporting others to do the same, is what ICount is all about. To that end,  we are excited about launching the ICount Movement!  With all that is going on with health care reform, one thing we can commit to is to lead healthy lifestyles.

50% of our health is our lifestyle!  So, let’s all rally and say ICount, together.  It doesn’t matter at what fitness level you start at because it is all based on incremental improvement.  Everyone counts!  We all just need to set simple goals and track.  And, we need to support each other.  That is what the ICount Movement is all about.  Just tell your friends, family and company to sign up at www.walkstyles.com   Our simple steps collectively will equal one big step forward for mankind!

Thanks for being part of the ICount Movement!

Turn up that music to turn up your workout

MSNBC reports that women who increase the volume of their favorite music could improve their workout. According to a new study, a slight increase in volume of high-energy tunes motivated women and helped them to perform more repetitions when lifting weights. For the full article, click here.

Walking News: I’m too busy to exercise…and other excuses

The most common excuses for not exercising are refuted. These excuses include, “I’m too busy”, “I’m too old”, “My kids get in the way”, “I’m too fat”, and “I’m thin already”. Stop making excuses and get moving! To see the excuses that top the list, check out US News and World Report’s slide show here.

Walking News: Getting fit after 40

A doctor who authored the book Fitness After 40, says don’t assume that the fitness rules and the regimen that worked for you in your 20s and 30s will work for you over 40. “There’s a shortening of muscles and tendons, weakening of our bones, and a decrease in pathways between the brain and muscles that can hurt our balance,” she says. On the brighter side, her research shows that we can continue to achieve high levels of performance into our eighth decade. Read more here!

Walking News: Getting healthy at work

According to a survey by a benefits consulting firm, nearly two-thirds of large employers planned to transfer more of the cost of healthcare benefits to employees. At the same time, one-third planned to put greater emphasis on wellness plans, to encourage employees to adopt healthier lifestyles. The New York Times reports on wellness plans here.

Walking News: Why we love to walk

The Seattle Times reports that walking is by far the most popular exercise in the nation. It’s convenient, inexpensive, can burn calories, build muscle tone and improve balance. It’s easy, but you can make it more challenging if you want a tougher workout.

Walking News: Sidewalks are good for us!

 

 

 

 

The Huffington Post reports that a study published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine found that the presence of sidewalks increases physical activity and fitness among neighborhood residents. Does your town have sidewalks? Get out there and use them!