24 Hr Fitness

Question: What’s small, weighs about an ounce, and comes in dozens of different models? Answer: a Pedometer.

Would you have guessed it had I mentioned this item can help you lose weight, decrease your chance of diseases like hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease, and improve your overall fitness? Using a pedometer to count your steps is one of the cheapest and easiest ways available to improve your health and fitness.

The tremendous variety of pedometers available today make it difficult for people who want the health benefits of a pedometer to decide which one is right for them. There are flip-down cases versus open-face units. There are those that just count steps versus those that count steps, distance, calories and time. Some pedometers come with lights, radios, alarms, step filters, scanning, pacing, auto start/stop, memory, voice, and on and on.

The most important thing to decide is what features you need. The basics are steps, distance, calories, and time. If you’re doing a 10,000 step program or something similar, you will need to know your steps. They are the foundation for all other calculations within the pedometer.

If you are interested in knowing the distance you cover in your walking or running, get a pedometer with a distance calculation (in miles or kilometers, some have both). Make sure you can set your stride length or your distance measurements will be inaccurate. When walking or running, make sure you are actually taking steps the length you entered into the pedometer.

A pedometer that measures calories burned is helpful in giving you an idea of how much energy you have expended. If you are counting calories, this can be a good way to see if you’ve earned that extra doughnut or not. Again, make sure you can enter your weight to get the most accurate calculation possible.

The time function comes in a variety of forms. Some pedometers will show time of day, while some have a stopwatch or countdown timer. There are units that will start and stop only when there is movement, so you don’t have to start and stop a stopwatch manually.

After features, another factor will be the physical properties of the pedometer itself. What sort of case configuration will work best for you? A flip-down case means the reset, and other, buttons are protected, and you flip down the case to see your steps. An open-faced pedometer is just that, open, and you have to look upside-down at your numbers. Not bad when you are checking steps, but it can be cumbersome if you are looking at a lot of data. Some pedometers have a holster-style case where you can pull the unit off your hip and look at it.

Consider where the pedometer is manufactured. There is general agreement that the best units are made in Japan, with Taiwan a close second. Pedometers made in China are generally believed to be less accurate than Japanese or Taiwanese models.

Price is always a consideration as well. The law of “you get what you pay for” works to a certain point, but is not the only guideline you should follow. I’ve heard of a few people who thought their free McDonald’s or Kellogg’s pedometers worked well, while most of the feedback I’ve heard was negative. I’ve also seen very expensive pedometers that just weren’t worth the price.

It pays to shop around and find the pedometer that will work best for you. Consider the features, the structure, and the country of origin, then factor in the price. You will end up with a pedometer that will give you motivation to keep moving throughout your life.

Download our FREE pedometer ebook: ‘Simple Steps to Fitness: A Beginner’s Guide to Pedometers’. It will give you more information on choosing and using your pedometer.

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Riboflavin is a common name for vitamin B-2 and was once
known as Vitamin G. You will see Vitamin B-2 described as
Riboflavin on the back of vitamin bottles and in other food
packaging.

An interesting and curious fact about Riboflavin is that it
is naturally produced by the bacteria in your gut. Although
it may not be produced in sufficient quantities to prevent
deficiencies. Intestinal production, however, can reduce
the symptoms of a deficient state.

Some experts claim that B-2 deficiency is the most prominent
nutrient deficiency in North America. Those who eat a diet
largely constructed of refined and fast foods may be at
risk. And of course, alcoholics are at higher risk of B
vitamin deficiencies. Low-income individuals may also tend
to be at higher risk due to diet.

Problems with blood proteins may lead to deficiency. And
states that block or reduce the uptake of riboflavin into
the cell can also be responsible for a deficient state.
Therefore, just having an adequate supply of Riboflavin in
your food does not necessarily preclude deficiency.

Brewer’s yeast and organ meats are sources that are high in
Riboflavin. Lower amounts may be found in milk, eggs, green
leafy vegetables and some fruits.

As a side note, I once had a biochemistry teacher whom
offered two pieces of advice to his students. He told us to
drink a gallon of water per day and to take some brewer’s
yeast every day. As I remember it, he talked about how
brewer’s yeast was excellent food for the cellular processes
of the body. That was probably due to the fact that
brewer’s yeast is an excellent source of the b vitamins.

Drinking a gallon of water per day was slightly unusual
advice as most experts and nutritionists agree that 2 liters
is an adequate intake. This biochemistry teacher was
recommending twice that amount. Remember to consult with a
physician before changing your diet, supplement or water
intake.

Riboflavin is very important in cellular metabolism, the
process by which your body produces usable energy. It is
important in forming the coenzymes that are necessary to
make ATP, which is the energy currency of the cells.

A partial list of deficiency symptoms include fatigue,
sensitivity to light and dermatitis. Nerve tissue damage
and retarded growth in infants and children can result from
a deficiency.

More detailed and technical information about Riboflavin can
be found at emedicine.com. If you have any doubts about
your health as it relates to Riboflavin, ask your doctor for
a proper diagnoses and treatment. Each human body is
different with different needs and contraindications, that
is why it is important to consult your physician.

This article is for information purposes only and is not
intended to prevent, treat or diagnose any health issue. If
you have or think you might have a health condition or
issue, please contact your primary care physician for proper
diagnoses and treatment. The statements in this article have
not been evaluated by the US FDA as far as I know.

You have permission to publish this article electronically
or in print, free of charge, as long as the author bylines
are included and any hyperlinks are left active on web
pages. You may make minor editorial corrections only.

David Snape writes for All Things Pondered: http://allthingspondered.com - where you can have your say and (almost) anything is pondered. He also writes for To Be Informed: http://tobeinformed.com - a site supportive of health, fitness and wellness.

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I am one of the fortunate few who get to work from a home-office most days of the year. Because of the nature of my work, my physical location is not important to the task at hand. As such, I also have the opportunity to better control my food choices and eating habits during the work day. If you are in this category, be thankful that you are because — for most people — it is much more difficult to eat well during the work day.

Sometimes, however, my work requires my physical presence in the office — often for many days at a time. This week was such a week. Yesterday, as lunch time came and went, the pangs of hunger began to gnaw at me and I finally decided to run over to the local McDonalds for some lunch. Since I was very hungry, I reminded myself to order thoughtfully.

When those of us fighting the Battle of the Bulge are visiting a fast food restaurant, there are some really obvious things that we must do to avoid overeating and/or choosing the wrong kinds of food. These “obvious” things include to not order anything that is “deep fat fried” and to not “super-size” any order. It struck me, though, as I sat there “inhaling” my cheeseburger, that there are many other things that we can do that will also help prevent over-consumption of the wrong kinds of foods.

The first thing to consider is what you drink. Most fast food companies will provide “ice water” at no charge when you are making a food purchase. Not only can you save some money, but you can drink more water (please see the www.weeklyweightlosstips.com archives to read more on drinking water), which is something that you already know to do. Many wise fast food restaurants are also selling your favorite brands of bottled water, which can typically be refilled at the beverage kiosk if you are still thirsty when you finish your meal.

Not only is this important when comparing beverage choices (e.g., soda vs. water), but also when you consider the fact that fast food contains much more salt than what we typically would use on our own food at home. If you have been reading these articles for some time now, you have likely read some compelling reasons why we need to limit our sodium intake. Sodium causes us to retain water (which weighs about seven pounds per gallon) and the only way to safely regulate this (sodium and water retention) is to drink more and more water.

The next thing to consider is the condiments. Many fast food restaurants are suggesting salads as a low-calorie option to their traditional offerings. These are a great way to avoid higher fat, lower fiber alternatives, but with salads the dressing must be scrutinized, or else you may end up not saving calories at all. Dieticians suggest choosing the dressing type wisely, as well they recommend using the smallest amount possible.

If you order items other than salads, the same thing is true. Mayonnaise if a very high-fat food that should be avoided. Most restaurants will allow you to “special order” a small amount of your condiments (”light on the mayo, please…”) or just those that are lower in fat and calories. Mustard is a low fat, low calorie condiment, though it may not be suited to everyone’s individual taste.

The last thing that I would recommend that you keep in mind when visiting a “fast food” restaurant is to not get wrapped up in the “speediness” of the environment. One of the worst dining habits is to eat your meals quickly. The very nature of the fast food shop makes it difficult to slow down and enjoy your meal. Make a conscious effort to sit down, relax, and savor every bite. Don’t allow yourself to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the surroundings. When you sit down at the table with your food, tell yourself that you are going to eat slowly, savoring your food, or you are likely to eat too quickly and too much.

You may not always be able to avoid eating at a fast food restaurant, so when you must do so, prepare yourself before you get in line to order. Don’t let your hunger cause you to over-order, make wise food and beverage choices, and when you eat, take time to savor your food. Following this advice will keep you on track for a lighter, healthier you!

Michael Callen is the author of the Weekly Weightloss Tips Newsletter (http://www.weeklyweightlosstips.com) and the Chief Technology Officer for WellnessPartners.com (http://www.WellnessPartners.com), an online retailer of dozens of health and wellness products such as conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), r+ alpha lipoic acid (R+ ALA), and green tea extract.

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