Encouragement and Motivation!!!

[Dogstar]

No kidding! I was on here all afternoon, and now I'm at work and peeking in ...Some days are like that .

[JulieCitySlicker]

I'm getting back to my walking tomorrow I wasn't able to do anything when I was home except for a few crunches I'm thinking about getting a home gym, I just need to try to find one that won't be that expensive. I just don't want to go through winter without something to work out on

[SCOTTSMYMAN]

I know what you mean Julie. The winter can be so depressing and the time I found myself just not wanting to do anything! I' ve got my exercise bike and have been working hard on that plus , I walked today after dropping my daughter off at her bus stop! I'm gonna try and enjoy the weather before it gets too cold here! It was beautiful today!

[JulieCitySlicker]

I walked 3 miles today, mowed the front lawn, and did crunches today I'll probably do some more crunches before I go to bed to

[Sheila63]

Way to go, Julie!!

[JulieCitySlicker]

Thanks Sheila

[TeriB19]

My boss and I have resumed our 3 mile walks during our lunch hour. So long as there's no rain or snow on the boardwalk in Atlantic City, we'll keep up the 3 mile pace!

[JulieCitySlicker]

Good for you Teri
I walked 3 miles today to and did some crunches:P I really need to get to walkin more again :embarass:

[SCOTTSMYMAN]

That's cool Teri! Especially walking by the beach. It's also great when you have someone to walk with!

I walked again today after the bus came.

[JulieCitySlicker]

We went to Walgreens yesterday and they had a 5 in 1 home gym thingy for only $60.00 I'm not sure how it will work but I'm thinking about getting it

[Sheila63]

That sounds great, Julie! Let us know if you decide to get it. I'd love to hear about it.

Teri, walking along th boardwalk sounds so wonderful. I love being near the ocean in just about any kind of weather.

[Dogstar]

My mom and I walked on the beach while I was up in Rhode Island. That's my favorite place to walk . We probably did a couple of miles. I didn't do any walking today, but I'm going to give it shot tomorrow .

Julie, if you get that gym station, let us know how it is. It sounds cool.

[TeriB19]

I did an hour of cardio this morning, and then my weekly step class tomorrow. I love being back in my fall routine. Now all I need is to get a massage. That's coming in October!!

[hotforscott]

I am about to excercise in just a minute. I have been really good about doing it each day. It takes me awhile to get in the mood, but once I am doing it, I am fine.
That is wonderful news about everyone else as well. Hearing others stories helps motivate me.

[JulieCitySlicker]

If I do get the home gym thing I'll be sure to let you guys know about itand give a review about it

I got this from my home page, it looks very interesting and helpful.

US Revising Food Pyramid to Slim Waists
Wed Sep 10, 6:59 PM ET Add U.S. National - Reuters to My Yahoo!


By Randy Fabi

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government on Wednesday moved forward with its plan to refashion its well-known Food Guide Pyramid to help pear-shaped Americans eat less and exercise more.



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With two-thirds of Americans either overweight or obese, consumers have largely ignored the government's dietary guidelines and eat too many sweets and fats rather than fruits and vegetables.


"We've got to do something to get a behavioral change," said Eric Hentges, director of U.S. Agriculture Department's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. The USDA and the Health and Human Services (news - web sites) are responsible for federal nutrition policy.


Developed in 1992, the Food Guide Pyramid offers a general outline on how much a healthy person should eat each day from the five major food groups. It is the main educational tool used to help consumers interpret the U.S. Dietary Guidelines.


The government, which is working to revise both the Pyramid and the Dietary Guidelines by early 2005, on Wednesday called for input from dietitians, nutritionists, academics, industry representatives and other interested professionals.


Under the new Pyramid, the USDA will recognize for the first time that most Americans do not exercise regularly.


New brochures and educational materials about the new pyramid may be targeted to consumers with sedentary lifestyles, Hentges said. Americans who are physically active would be encouraged to obtain more specific dietary information through a government Web site.


"Given the sedentary lifestyles of many Americans, it was considered better not to assume any specific level of physical activity," the USDA said.


The USDA said its publications would encourage regular exercise.


The current pyramid graphically depicts how Americans should divvy up their food intake each day. Fats, oils and sweets are at the narrow top of the pyramid with advice to use them sparingly. Dairy and meat products occupy the next tier of the pyramid, with a recommended 2 to 3 servings per day. Next are vegetable and fruits, with a recommended 5 to 9 servings daily. At the bottom of the pyramid is the bread, rice and pasta group, with 6 to 11 servings recommended.


The new pyramid may also use cups and ounces to replace the more vague "servings," the USDA said.


Some nutrition experts were, however, skeptical USDA's efforts would help solve America's obesity epidemic.


"Nobody understands the pyramid anyway," said Marion Nestle, a nutrition professor at New York University. "Until USDA starts giving straight information about foods and diets, it's pretty unlikely that people will understand what they need to do to lose weight."


Under the proposal, the USDA offers significantly more detail on the amount of calories certain groups should consume on a daily basis. Groups are based on age, sex and level of exercise.


The proposed recommended servings of fruits, vegetables, grains, meat and milk are based on 12 calorie levels ranging from 1,000 to 3,200 calories. The current Pyramid bases food portions on only three levels -- 1,600, 2,200 and 2,800 calories.


An example, a 25-year-old female who doesn't exercise needs about 2,000 calories per day, while a woman the same age who walks three miles a day needs 400 more calories.


USDA's proposal also takes into consideration recent concerns over trans fats and the benefits of whole grains.





Hentges said the USDA was reviewing every aspect of the Food Guide Pyramid, so consumers can make nutritional choices that are "adequate, but moderate."

Depending on how food groups, consumer advocates and other interested parties respond to the proposal, the pyramid could take a different shape when the revisions are published in February 2005. No new shapes have been proposed, Hentges said.