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An Apple a Day
Tuesday December 22, 2009
Posted by: juliaperla at 11:21AM EST on December 22, 2009
I just came across an article that talks about Santa's "obesity problem." The health experts interviewed say that Santa needs to better use his public image to promote healthy living. They suggest that Santa should "lose his belly fat (the most dangerous kind), to eat carrots instead of energy-dense cookies and to don a helmet while participating in 'extreme sports such as roof surfing and chimney jumping.'" They even scoff at him for promoting "unsafe air travel."
Seriously? What has this world come to? I'm a huge advocate of being fit, obviously, but there comes a point when people need to take responsibility for their own health. I highly doubt that people are looking at Santa—who comes around just once a year, mind you!—and saying, "Well, if Santa's fat, then I can be too!" This brings up the issue of celebrity role models as a whole. I agree that those in the spotlight should take care of themselves as best as they're able to, but so should the rest of us. It's one thing to view a celebrity as an example of what to do (or not do), but it's quite another to rely on them to dictate what we all know we should be doing in the first place. I'm just tired of people making excuses for being unhealthy and unfit, and health experts like the ones in this article are only encouraging that blame-it-on-the-other-guy mentality. Lastly, Santa's bowl-full-of-jelly belly signifies more than the fact that he's had too many candy canes. It's what identifies him at this nostalgic time of year. When children see an image of Santa, it brings them feelings of joy, not the urge to overeat. If we're going to pick on a celebrity for being a bad example, let's look to the likes of Tiger Woods, and leave poor Santa alone. Monday December 7, 2009
Posted by: juliaperla at 5:24PM EST on December 7, 2009
Putting together a health magazine is fun but challenging. Not only do we have to stay up-to-date on the latest health trends, but we also need to be aware of what our readers—right here in Northwest Indiana—want from a local health mag.
My art director and I are in a constant debate about the photos in Get Healthy. If we're doing a story about, say, arm jiggle, the art director (AD) will run a photo of a woman with arm jiggle. That makes sense, but I would rather run a photo of a woman with a toned, muscular arm, so that the reader has something to aspire to. AD says that the arm-jiggle photo is more realistic, and therefore something the reader can relate to. I see his point, but I personally don't want to see arm jiggle. I want to see some amazing triceps. Such a photo might make me feel bad about myself at first because my arms don't even come close to looking like that, but I guarantee I'm going to read the article to find out how to GET arms like that. The beauty of health magazines—as opposed to fashion mags—is they tell you HOW to look like the model in the photo (and without having to spend $700 on a Fendi bag). There is a possibility of hope that comes with a health article. AD says that using photos of pretty people is just as bad as photoshopping a model on the cover. It's unrealistic and therefore unfair to the reader. He makes a good point, and I honestly don't know which one of us is accurately representing our readers. What do you think? When reading an article about fitness or weight loss, would you rather see a photo of a person who looks like you, or one who looks like the person you aspire to be? It's okay if you don't agree with me; I'm looking for your honest-to-goodness opinion! Thursday November 19, 2009
Posted by: juliaperla at 3:30PM EST on November 19, 2009
Food and I have been fighting.
It's like Food has multiple personalities. It is both the dark and light angel on my shoulders. It can't make up its mind. I wish it would just be healthy all the time. That would make my life a lot less miserable.
Friday October 30, 2009
Posted by: juliaperla at 10:33AM EST on October 30, 2009
Everyone's getting sick.
Whether it's swine flu, a stomach bug, an upper-respiratory infection or whatever, there's all kinds of funk going around. If you're sick, you might think you need to take a break from your workout routine. But that might not be necessary. In fact, exercise can often make you feel better, and can shorten the duration of your illness. However, you may not have the energy to fit in a workout. And of course, there are times when exercise can do your body more harm than good. I've done a lot of reading on this subject, and there's a pretty simple rule of thumb about if/when to exercise while sick... If the illness is in your head (sinus pain, headache, etc.), then continue with your regular workouts, but at a lighter pace and intensity. In this case, the extra blood flow might actually clear up the gunk in your head. If the illness is in anything below your head (chest cold, stomach ache, etc.), then forgo your workout for a couple of days and get lots of rest instead. Exercising in these conditions might only aggravate the problem, which makes sense if you think about it. The only thing is, once you're better, make sure you pick up your exercise regimen again. So many times, I've quit working out when I was sick and then never returned to it. It's so easy to get out of the habit. For you die-hard fitness fans, taking a break from your workout might be very difficult for you. But just remember that being fit is more about being healthy rather than having perfectly sculpted biceps. If you continue to work out while sick (below the head), you'll only prolong the illness, your body will eventually break down, and recovery will take much longer than if you were to just stop and rest in the first place. Wednesday October 28, 2009
Posted by: juliaperla at 1:38PM EST on October 28, 2009
The holidays are on their way. And that means lots of good eating. (I use the word "good" to mean good-tasting, of course, not good for you.)
It's easy to get into the all-you-can-eat mentality during the holiday season. After all, starting January 1st, we'll all work really hard to eat better and lose weight, right? But I recommend getting started on your nutrition and fitness goals now, so that you can develop healthy habits that will be harder to break come turkey time. Why not treat November 1st as if it were January 1st? If your workout routine has been mediocre at best, amp it up and make a commitment to it, as if it were your New Year's Resolution. If your diet is stocked primarily by McDonald's or Taco Bell, make NOW the time when you give up fast food. Make a goal, make it big (but attainable) and make a commitment. Just like you would if it were the first day of 2010. I say this not so you will deprive yourself during the oh-so-tasty holidays. But I do know from experience that it's easier to turn down those extra Christmas cookies after you've been working so hard to get fit—and when you know your new rock-hard abs might go flabby. Happy New Year. :) Monday October 19, 2009
Posted by: juliaperla at 1:02PM EST on October 19, 2009
I recently read an article about Michelle Obama in the October issue of Women's Health magazine. No matter what your political views are, you can't deny that the first lady is a powerhouse of a woman. Aside from her own political prowess, she is also known for her no-nonsense parenting, her passion for nutrition, and of course... her enviably muscular arms.
The cool thing is, Michelle isn't doing much more than you or I could do when it comes to staying fit and eating right. She lives a very moderate lifestyle—taking time to enjoy some junk food every once in a while—but she also sets limits and sticks to them. The thing I liked best about this article is how she's teaching her children about health. Her two daughters have learned at a very early age that proper nutrition, lots of activity and limited TV/computer time makes for a long and healthy life. I've taken some of Michelle's parenting techniques and am going to use them in my own household. After all, the current health care debate is centered around the fact that something needs to change. And that something, in my opinion, is the American tendency toward gluttony and laziness. We adults may be too far gone (though I refuse to believe that), but our children can still be molded for change. I encourage you to read the entire article. (It even includes her secret arms workout!) Let me know your thoughts on it. Thursday October 15, 2009
Posted by: juliaperla at 1:35PM EST on October 15, 2009
I can usually only go to the gym three times a week, always after work. But to stay toned, I prefer to exercise more than that. So back in January, I started waking up at 5:00 in the morning to do strength-training exercises in my living room.
5:00 is really, really early. I did well for a few months, but my motivation quickly waned. Suddenly the snooze button became much more appealing than rock-hard abs. But I started to feel bad about myself. I had a good thing going, and the results were starting to show. How could I just throw all of that away? Also, I liked using that time in the morning to do other things, not just exercise. I could get some things done around the house and eat breakfast, all before 6:30 a.m. I decided I needed to mix things up a little, create a new source of motivation. So I got a notebook, and every morning I fill out the following fields: Wake-up: [This is the time that I wake up. I try to make it between 5 and 5:30. I'm not exactly sure why I want to document this; it fulfills some sort of psychological need for me, but I can't put to words what it is. So I can look back and feel proud of myself, perhaps?] Accomplishment: [Some sort of chore that I never get around to doing in the evenings. It could be organizing a file cabinet, painting my fingernails, rearranging furniture, whatever. I can only pick one task, because any more than that is unrealistic. And I must be done with it by 5:40 at the latest, so that I have enough time for everything else.] Exercise: [Whatever strength-training exercise I did that day. I try to do something different every day—arms one day, abs the next, etc. I usually only exercise for 30 minutes, but that's enough to get results.] Scripture: [I like to read the Bible in the morning, and I write down which passage I read and a couple of sentences about what I learned from it. Oh, and I always eat breakfast while I read.] For some reason, writing these things down makes it fun for me. And it gives me a proud sense of accomplishment, like I'm documenting that I AM NOT, in fact, a slacker. This specific practice may not work for you, and that's okay. I'm just showing you what I do when I need a boost of self-discipline. We all want to sleep in. We all want to lay on the couch rather than go to the gym. It's part of our nature to want to be lazy. But laziness can lead you down a dark and ugly path. So whenever you feel yourself veering toward that path, just mix up your routine, give yourself incentive, make it fun, do whatever works for you. I'd like to hear what you do to stay motivated! Feel free to comment below. |
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