Take the Stairs

I found this tid-bit of info on a blog called "eh that's life."

Climbing stairs burns up to 250 percent more calories than swimming for the same amount of time, and 150 percent more than tennis or bowling.

Tap water is as good as - if not better - than bottled water. Want proof?

The power of marketing is evident in the $10 billion dollar bottled water industry. On the outside you see a pristine mountain glacier and on the inside, “tap water” from Greenville, Tennessee. That’s the case for “Glacier Clear Water,” but we shouldn’t just pick on them. The situation is similar for many bottled water products.

So is bottled water a better tasting, healthier, and safer product than your municipal water supply (i.e., tap water)? Numerous scientific studies have been completed and the conclusions are clear.

Not too long ago, ABC’s television show “20/20” did a piece on the topic. The ABC reporters were told by The International Bottled Water Association to talk to Yale University School of Medicine's Dr. Stephen Edberg, so they did. Dr. Edberg agreed that bottled water is no better for you. "No, I wouldn't argue it's safer or not safer." He also said, "I wouldn't say it's healthier than tap water."

So why do people repeatedly pay 500 times more for bottled water. It’s all about marketing and a very gullible, uneducated consumer.

Want more proof? Read any of the following articles and you’ll be convinced.

Bottled water article by John Stossel, ABC 20/20

UC Berkeley Bottled Water Article - Wellness Newsletter. In addition to this bottled water article, UC Berkeley did a nice piece on "Chocolate as Health Food?" Yeah, it's another marketing ploy and the Mars candy company is leading the way with their CocoaVia bar ad campaign.

If you're a chocolate lover, which I am, enjoy chocolate more for pleasure than as a health food. If you want higher levels of the beneficial flavonoids found in chocolate, choose dark chocolate that contains a high cocoa content not processed with alkali (you don't want “Dutch” cocoa). Better yet, eat more fruits and vegetables, which are still the best source of flavonoids in your diet. Also, they contain vitamins, minerals, and fiber you won't get by eating chocolate. Chocolate covered strawberries - the best of both worlds!

Why are fitness professionals so obsessed with target heart rates?

You’ll often read that your target heart rate goal should be from 60 to 80 percent of your maximum heart rate when you exercise. And, to obtain the health benefits gained from cariovascular exercise your workout plan should include a goal of three to five workouts per week - 20 to 60 minutes (excluding warm-ups).

Although athletes often exceed the 60-80 percent target to build endurance, the average person gains little additional value when their heart rate exceeds this range. Exceeding the target range puts undue stress on your body and increases your potential for injury. The heart is simply working too fast and your body has a difficult time replenishing oxygen. On the flip side, exercise below the 60 percent target has fewer benefits for those exercising on a regular basis.

So yes, heart rate monitors are useful tools for those interested in maximizing their results in the least amount of time. They are especially useful for endurance athletes and those interested in losing weight. Keeping your heart rate within the target range allows you to exercise for longer periods without exhausting your body’s resources and you achieve maximum benefits during your workout.

Here's a nice little tool for estimating your target heart rate: Calculate Target Heart Rate.

Typical Heart Rate Zones

• Warm Up (50 - 60% of max. heart rate): The right zone for people just starting a fitness program and a good warm up zone for those that regularly exercise. This zone has many benefits and a low risk of injury. It also helps you lower your body fat, blood pressure and cholesterol levels - it is estimated that 85% of calories burned in this zone are from body fats.




• Mild Exercise Zone (60 - 70% of maximum heart rate): This zone basically offers the same benefits as the warm up zone, except you burn more calories due to the increased level of exercise.




• Aerobic Zone (70 - 80% of maximum heart rate): The aerobic zone will improve your cardiovascular and respiratory system and strengthen your heart. This zone is preferred by endurance athletes.




• Anaerobic Zone (80 - 90% of maximum heart rate): Endurance athletes benefit from training in this zone. This zone helps to improve your VO2 maximum - greatest amount of oxygen one can consume during exercise. Your doctor or a higher end fitness facility can test your VO2 max. It takes more than just measuring your heart rate while running on a treadmill; specialized equipment you breath into while exercising is the best way to measure it. Exercising in the anaerobic zone also improves your endurance levels by increasing your lactate tolerance (you fight fatigue better). This is a high intensity zone. Only include it in your workout if you know what you are doing and you have your physicians approval.




• Max Heart Rate (90 - 100% of maximum heart rate): Consult a physician before creating a workout plan that includes exercises to achieve max heart rate. Although this zone can be achieved and you'll burn lots of calories, most people - even those in excellent shape - will enter this intense zone for very short periods of time.

US Olympic Committee Names Chris Witty to Carry U.S. Flag

US Olympic Team

The U.S. Olympic Team elected five-time Olympian Chris Witty as the flag bearer to lead the USA delegation into Friday night's Opening Ceremony in Torino.

"To be able to lead the U.S. Team into the Opening Ceremonies is a great honor," said Witty, a three-time Olympic medalist. "My peers elected me ... I'm honored to represent them and I'm honored to represent our country."

Witty, who was abused by a family friend for seven years as a young child, is an inspiration for all abused children across the country. She is actively involved in fund-raising and awareness campaigns for Good Touch, Bad Touch, a child abuse awareness program.

At this year's Winter Games, Witty will compete in the speedskating 500, 1000 and the 1500-meter races. Her first competition is the 500-meter on Tuesday, Feb. 14.