The Fun Fit Blog

Good Sugar, Bad Sugar

Results from a recent study give yet another reason to give up fructose in processed foods.

Six subjects were given energy drinks with glucose or a mixture of glucose and fructose. The researchers found that the fructose more than doubled the production of fats in the body compared to glucose. The fructose sugars were turned into fat by the liver within 4 hours of drinking the fructose drink.

While this was a very small study, I suspect we'll be hearing  about more studies like this in the future.

Some diet bars and energy drinks may contain fructose. Read your food labels and avoid processed foods that are high in fructose.

There is fructose in fruits and vegetables, but generally, you can never go wrong with fruits and vegetables. Plus patients in this study did not receive any fruits or vegetables. Keep eating your fruits and vegetables and avoid those processed foods with fructose, especially energy drinks.

Have Fun, Be Fit!
"Functional Marc"

Healthy Diet at Work

During a typical work day, you'll probably eat a meal or two and have a few snacks. Having a plan can make a big difference with your calories for the week.

Every Sunday night, I'll put a water bottle, some protein bars, cans of tuna, and slices of whole wheat bread in my car.

I'll typically drink a protein shake in the morning before I go to work. At about 9 AM, I'll eat an XStart breakfast bar. Around 11:45 AM, I'll eat lunch at the work cafeteria. At around 1:30 PM, I'll have a low-sugar protein bar and around 3:30 PM I'll have a a can of tuna with a slice of whole wheat bread. Having something healthy to eat between meals keeps me from eating all the bad food that is available at work.

Just a little planning on Sunday night can help you avoid a lot of needless calories during the work week. Plan some healthy snacks that you are likely to eat at work and you'll be one step ahead for a healthy diet.

Have Fun, Be Fit!

"Functional Marc"

 

Exercise Versus Alzheimer's Disease

There's yet another good reason to be exercising!

A recent study investigated exercise and brain shrinkage in 64 subjects without dementia and 57 subjects with early Alzheimer's disease. Brain shrinkage was determined by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The researchers of this study concluded that increased cardiovascular exercise is associated with reduced brain shrinkage in Alzheimer's disease. Recent study results were published in Neurology.

So if you're looking for yet another reason to exercise, you have it. And if you are not too keen on the idea of your brain shrinking, then go and exercise! For all sorts of ideas on how to make fitness fun and part of your routine, read the The FunFit Blog Archives.

Have Fun, Be Fit!

"Functional Marc"

Summertime Cardio

With the summer weather here, it's a great time to do outdoor cardio exercise. If it seems too hot for exercise, try working out in the early morning or in the evening when the temperature is cooler. Take a walk in the evening or try an early morning run. For a real challenge, go to your local high school or college outdoor track. You can use the school's track and then run up and down their bleachers several times for a great workout. Make the most out of summer, it won't be here forever.

Have Fun, Be Fit!

"Functional Marc"

Unfair Pharmacist Tax Hurts Pharmacists' Credit Scores in California

I want to inform you of certain tax practices by the California Tax Franchise Board that target pharmacists licensed in California. These practices are unfair and have the potential to hurt the credit scores of many pharmacists licensed in California.

Recently, I applied for a home improvement loan. I pay my taxes and keep my CA pharmacist license in good standing. Imagine my surprise, when I discovered that a lien by the California Tax Franchise Board prevented me from getting a mortgage or even selling my house!

After an entire day of investigating the problem, I discovered that the California Tax Franchise Board put a lien in February for approximately $8200 on my social security number. The thing is, I haven't lived in California for 6 years. After some discussion with the phone representative from the California Tax Franchise Board, I found out that they are checking professional licenses against people's income taxes. If you are licensed in California and they can't find a record of a CA income tax, the Tax Franchise Board automatically puts a lien on your social security number for back taxes.

Out-of-state opportunities sometimes occur. No pharmacist wants to retake the California Pharmacy Board test again. Pharmacists licensed in California who move out of state are having unjust liens put on them by the Tax Franchise Board and are also having their credit history ruined, just because they are licensed pharmacists. And these pharmacists might not discover the lien for many years.

I'm not asking for any help for myself. I've resolved my situation with the CA Tax Franchise Board. But I'm concerned for all the other CA licensed pharmacists out there that may end up in this situation. The profession of pharmacy deserves better than this by the state of California.

Sincerely,
Marc

Tell the California Tax Franchise Board how you feel about an unjust tax that hurts pharmacists' credit score. Click here to help.

Assisted Pull Ups

Pull-up exercises are a great way to build upper body strength. Whether it's a narrow-grip or wide-grip pull-up exercise, most of us don't have enough strength to lift our entire body for 3 or 4 sets. But don't give up. All you need is a little help.

If you're in the gym there's probably an assisted pull-up machine that you can use.

If you're working out in your home gym, you won't have an assisted pull-up machine, but you may have a pull-up bar. A great way to get an assist with a pull-up bar is to place one of your feet on something and then use your leg to help make the pull-up exercise easier.

For me, a decline bench or BOSU work well. I place one of my feet on either my decline bench or BOSU and use my leg to assist with the pull-up exercise.

Take the opportunity of the assist to concentrate on good form. Focus on slower movements instead of momentum. Your head and legs shouldn't be all over the place. Keep your head and back straight. Try not to swing your legs. And if possible, try and get out some reps without the assist and then finish off the set with the assist.

Pull ups are a great exercise. Don't feel bad if you have trouble performing the exercise, just get an assist.

Have Fun, Be Fit!

"Functional Marc" 

So, Where Have I Been?

The Bellydancing Diva has been missing in action… It's been a few months of some ups and downs, life changes, and challenges… but I've come out on top.  After over a year of being unhappy with my job, I finally found the courage and opportunity to move on. The sense of loss over what I'd hoped would be a longer-lasting affiliation was difficult to navigate.  During the transition time I went from nervousness over the interviews, to angst over the negotiations, and sadness of leaving people with whom I'd built important bonds.  And despite my best intentions, I used food and fancy cocktails on and off to soothe the feelings and celebrate the new job, gaining about 7 pounds in as many weeks.  Starting my new job, I weighed more than I did on the interview, but this time, I broke a pattern.  In the past, I'd gain 15 to 30 pounds in the transition-and-starting-a-new-job phase. I wasn't going to let it happen to me again.

I tried to keep up my spinning routine, only to find it more difficult to leave at the end of the day, because there were so many new challenges to tackle, and so many new people to impress or appease, all while trying to continue to "look the part" and "be confident and in control", when on occasion, I felt I was doing neither.  So I slacked off with my exercise-at-the-gym a bit, and after my 2nd week on the job (and a sad couple nights of eating way too many jelly beans), I started to really focus on my food plan. And instead of being at the gym 3 days a week, I spent a few nights in the home gym instead.  Not a 'perfect plan', but one that worked in the short term. 

I took the time to plan my foods, shop for them, chop them (more veggies!) and bring them to work.  A couple weeks later, I was below where I'd been a few months ago (still not breaking that mystical barrier into "onederland"), but I was feeling quite good about my commitment to myself even in a time of change.  I allowed myself a couple days of indulging in some less-than-healthy treats, but this time coupled with walking another 5K and resuming my food plan immediately after without hesitation.  So, it's success in the big picture, with wandering off the path here and there. 

I've got some more important goals now. This time, it's not about charity for others.  This time, it's about charity for me.  I … I need to go to my spinning classes for me.  I need to work out to manage stress.  I need to get below 200 pounds.  I need to get healthy.  And the only one who can do this for me… is me. I need to be selfish for me and my health.  No holding back.  I want to qualify for that extra life insurance, and I want a better quality of life. I have to make this happen.

So, where have I been?  I've been digging in… on several fronts, making things happen. I'm happy to say that I'm happy at my new job (honeymoon phase or not), I'm happy with my fitness progress, and I'm happy that I've got a few days off to relax and write. And I'm happy that this month, I'll be spinning at least once a week, and I may even get myself a new trainer closer to home.  And I'm taking belllydancing lessons again in the fall.

Best Fitness,
Bellydancing (and Spinning) Diva

Don't Let a Small Space Cramp Your Workout Style

Walking lunges are one of the best leg exercises. But when you think of walking lunges, you probably think of performing this exercise in a large space, such as a commercial gym. And because you are walking all over the gym as you perform the exercise, this is one of the more public exercises at the gym.

But how about performing walking lunges at home? All you need is a set of dumbbells. If you don't have a large area for the exercise, go back and forth 4 or 5 times for each set. So if you did 4 sets, you would walk back and forth a total of 16 to 20 times. And by performing walking lunges at home, you don't have to feel self-conscious about who's watching you work out.

I've already talked about how to perform lunges properly. Click here for a refresher. Don't let a small space cramp your workout style, just get more creative with how you work out.

Have Fun, Be Fit!
"Functional Marc"

The Chocolate Fitness Challenge

OK, who here likes chocolate? I'm willing to bet that most people reading this post like chocolate.  Sure the dark chocolate is the healthiest type of chocolate, but overall chocolate isn't the healthiest of foods.

Today I have a chocolate fitness challenge for you. No, I'm not asking you to completely give up chocolate. That would be insane. Instead I offer you an alternative. Here are the rules of the Official FunFit Chocolate Challenge:

• This challenge lasts one month
• The only chocolate that you can eat is in the form or a protein bar

Try this challenge! You'll be getting more protein in your diet and after the 1-month challenge you might find that you miss the protein and end up eating healthier. Also, try different types of bars and look for the bars that aren't too high in fat. Labrada Nutrition makes some really tasty chocolate-covered protein bars and with 30 g of protein no less.

Don't go cold turkey on chocolate. But do try some of the wide variety of chocolate-covered protein bars on the market. You might find that chocolate combined with protein is more satisfying.

Have Fun, Be Fit!

"Functional Marc"