MAD CAT UPPER BACK STRETCH
How:

• Begin on hands and knees with hands directly under shoulders and shoulder-width apart, and knees directly under hips and hip-width apart.
• Simultaneously drop chin to your chest, pull stomach towards spine, and arch back up like a mad cat.
• Hold 10-30 seconds.

Why: The Mad Cat stretch strengthens abdominal, shoulder, and back muscles, and helps loosen a tight lower back to ease nagging discomfort.

STANDING CHEST STRETCH
How:

• Hold arms about 6 inches from your sides with palms up.
• Squeeze shoulder blades together while pulling arms behind body, as though holding a ball in place with shoulder blades.
• Hold 10 to 30 seconds.

Why: The Standing Chest Stretch “frees up” the upper body by allowing neck and shoulder muscles to relax. It works wonders for anyone who spends hours crouched over a computer, counter, or conveyer belt.

SEATED INNER THIGH STRETCH
How:

• Sit on the floor.
• Bend knees and bring soles of feet together till they touch each other. (Don’t cross your legs!)
• Grasp ankles and, as able, lower knees toward floor. (Don’t use elbows to put pressure on your knees.)
• Hold 10-30 seconds.

Why: The Seated Inner Thigh Stretch helps the lower body move more freely through a greater range of motion. And it helps those who have trouble getting up off the floor or rising from chairs.

5-Minute Fitness: Stretch Away Pain The Saturday Evening Post

Competitive cyclist Heidi Dohse is proof that heart patients can do amazing things.

“I was lucky that a routine test revealed my dangerously fast heartbeat before it was too late,” says avid cyclist and pacemaker patient Heidi Dohse, who is back on course and teaming up with the Heart Rhythm Society to raise awareness of the problem. “Knowing more about common arrhythmias could save your life!”

Arrhythmias, also called heart rhythm disorders, occur when the electrical system, or “wiring,” of the heart muscle goes awry. Millions of people experience arrhythmias at some point in their lives. (The heart doesn’t beat with the accuracy of a Swiss watch.) However, some abnormal heart rhythms can be serious or even deadly. When drugs don’t work, doctors implant a cardiac pacemaker to steady irregular pulses.

Dohse recalls feeling lightheaded as a young teen and having trouble finding her pulse during high school PE class—telltale symptoms that were overlooked until routine pre-op testing at age 18 confirmed her arrhythmia. Now 48, and on her seventh pacemaker, the athlete’s competitive drive is as strong as ever.

“I am training to ride almost 800 miles in eight days for the Amgen Tour of California (May 12-19) as a way of promoting a heart healthy lifestyle and inspiring heart patients and their families. Living with a heart condition has helped me understand that I am accountable for my own health. If you are having symptoms or can’t find your pulse, don’t be in denial or feel foolish. Take charge of your health, listen to your body, and talk to your doctor about what is best for you and your life. Heart patients can accomplish amazing things!” she says.

Know your risk and protect your heart with these tips from the Heart Rhythm Society:

1. Small choices, big heart benefits: Exercise regularly, eat healthy foods, maintain a healthy weight, and avoid smoking.
2. Know your rhythm: Pay attention to abnormal heart rhythms—palpitations, fast or slow heart rates, or a fluttering in your chest. Shortness of breath can also signal arrhythmias.
3. By The Numbers: Treat and monitor health conditions that can contribute to heart problems, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.
4. Family First: Know your family medical history and understand the associated risk for other cardiovascular related conditions, like heart failure.
5. Don’t Skip A Beat: Document your symptoms and discuss them with a clinician or electrophysiologist to determine the best treatment options for you.

Cyclist Says: ‘Listen To Your Heart’ The Saturday Evening Post

A new DVD from Dr. Lisa, women’s health champion and co-host of the award-winning talk show The Doctors, orders up funky dance moves, strength exercises, and power stretches. “Yoga Blast is a fun blend of my favorite exercises. These workouts fit into any busy lifestyle, and can help people feel more flexible, empowered, and energized,” she says. Here’s a sampling:

Target: Cardio
Exercise: Push-Turns with Side-Steps Combo

Push-Turns

1. To pivot body counter-clockwise, stand with feet hip-width apart. Step left foot to front, swinging weight to left hip and then back to center.
2. Continue by stepping left foot to left, back, and right, swinging weight to left hip with each step.
3. To pivot body clockwise, stand with feet hip-width apart. Step right foot to front, right, back, and left, swinging weight to right hip with each step.

Side-Steps

1. Take large step to left side. Bring right foot to left foot.
2. Take large step to right side, bringing left foot to right foot.
3. Repeat Steps 1 and 2.

Target: Strength
Exercise: Lateral Stretch

1. Stand with feet turned out and knees bent, then raise arms until palms are parallel to the ground.
2. Keeping lower body steady, shift torso from side to side.
3. Keep tail bone lengthening down and focus on drawing the belly button toward spine for support.
4. Do for 30 seconds side-to-side, pulse in the middle, then repeat 30 seconds for a total of 2 minutes.

Target: Stretch
Exercise: Funky Chair

1. Stand with feet together, knees bent, and hips dropped low as if sitting into a chair behind you. (Beginners can use wall for balance.)
2. Bend right leg and rest on left knee. Legs will create a figure-4 pattern.
3. Raise and rotate arm(s) inward and alongside ears.
4. Fold forward at waist, sweeping arm(s) toward floor and then up to frame head. Balance checks: keep abdominals pulled toward spine, and pulse gently in position.
5. Build up to holding position for 30 seconds. Repeat on other leg.

Photo courtesy Lisa Masterson.

5 Minute Fitness with Dr. Lisa The Saturday Evening Post

Parting the Wild Horse’s Mane The Saturday Evening Post

Waving Hands Like Clouds The Saturday Evening Post

Gear up your smartphone with free apps to crush those annoying goals that show up on our top-10 lists every year:

Lose Weight: Two proven weight-loss strategies—calorie counting and peer support—team up in FitNow’s app (loseit.com). Set a daily calorie budget, track activities, and connect with friends for extra motivation.

Get Organized: Build collections of photos, recipes, and decorating ideas at pinterest.com. Think of it as a personal digital scrapbook that you just happen to share with the entire world.

Manage Money: Track and categorize spending at mint.com. Enter account information, then sit back and watch. As the year unfolds, you’ll begin to notice where to cut back and save.

Learn Something New: Bring global photo journalism into your tablet with this app from Reuters (widerimage.reuters.com). Timely, insightful, sometimes disturbing, always fascinating. (Sorry, it’s iPad only.)

Get a New Job: Access postings from job boards and company websites at indeed.com. Bonus: Personalize and send your search to your smart device.

Quit Smoking: OK, these apps aren’t free—but they’re lots cheaper than smoking. QuitNow! ($2.99, Google Play) and Livestrong MyQuit Coach ($3.99, iTunes) motivate soon-to-be-reformed-smokers with progress trackers, chats, and achievable goals.

Help Others: Find a great place to volunteer at volunteermatch.org.  Make a difference and connect with others in your community with this iPhone app.

Meet New People: Join the largest location-based social network at badoo.com. Meet new friends, chat, and share interests.

Send Cards: Find the perfect card for whenever and whomever at justwink.com. Get reminders and send personalized digital greetings via text, email, or Facebook.

Save the Planet: Go green with the One Small Act app from greenisuniversal.com. Choose from 400+ simple, eco-friendly actions; track progress; and share achievements.

Top 10 Apps for Self-Improvement The Saturday Evening Post

Rooster Stands on One Leg The Saturday Evening Post

Stronger muscles and better weight control are among the many benefits of t’ai chi. “In contrast to the Western ‘go for the burn’ workout, t’ai chi conserves your life energy to balance mind, body, and spirit,” says David-Dorian Ross of the PBS program T’ai Chi, Health & Happiness.

T’ai chi techniques can be practiced one by one or as a short flowing routine. Try these relaxing yet strengthening moves from Ross’ latest DVD, Intro to T’ai Chi, available at gaiam.com.

How-to Video: Parting the Wild Horse’s Mane

This move (aka Tossing the Frisbee in a Lunge) coordinates arm and leg movements.

How-to Video: Rooster Stands on One Leg

This exercise requires some balance and will help you build strength in your leg muscles.

How-to Video: Waving Hands Like Clouds

New practitioners of t’ai chi will love this basic, fluid move that requires very little footwork.

5-Minute Fitness: T’ai Chi for Calmness and Strength The Saturday Evening Post

Nia and family hit the beach for fun and fitness. Land-locked? Scope out local activities. Photo courtesy Gene Reed.

The best way to counter holiday “calorie creep” and kick-start New Year’s resolutions to get fit, stress less, and be organized is to do some advance planning. Start now with tips from busy MBFGW actress, mom, and screenwriter Nia Vardalos:

Get Fit: Don’t go into hibernation just because it’s the holiday season. Carve out three hours every week (in one chunk or shorter bits) for family walks, gym workouts, or video fitness challenges. ”Our favorite family outing is taking our dogs to the beach,” says Nia, who lives in the Los Angeles area with her husband and young daughter. “We have two dogs—a giant lab and a medium round-bodied mix-mutt. California has a few beaches where dogs are allowed to be off-leash and it’s hilarious to see our normally sleepy dogs chasing each other across the sand and trying to bite waves. Walking, running, and playing in the sand is fun for us, too. Whatever picnic food our daughter and I prepare—from turkey and mashed avocado on whole-wheat toast to cold rigatoni and peas in an olive oil and balsamic dressing—it all always tastes delectably delicious for the simple reason that we’re consuming it outdoors. Sand included!”

Nia’s script for healthy living balances work, exercise, and family time. Photo courtesy Jackie Tucker.

Stress Less: Take an inventory of time spent working, playing, and relaxing. Come up with the unique balance that’s best for you and your family and ways to achieve it. Nia says, “My day may consist of getting my daughter to school, then getting to an exercise class, then writing or filming all day. But I’m fine with that as long as I prepare by packing a healthy lunch like sliced chicken on arugula, plus snacks like an apple or celery and peanut butter.”

Be Organized: Nia recently teamed up with the “Life Supplemented” campaign to encourage healthy habits. “Sticking with a health and wellness routine can be a challenge for busy moms like me, so I recently downloaded the WannaBeWell app from Life Supplemented to help keep me organized. It’s free, easy, fun, and makes sense. My favorite feature is the personalized Wellness Coach that delivers daily motivational and education tips—without the yelling from a personal trainer! You can also set up reminders to take vitamins and supplements, just like getting texts from a friend. And for each download of the WannaBeWell app, $1 is provided to Vitamin Angels (up to $13,500) to help get nutrients to children in need.”

More about Nia Vardalos: Academy Award, Golden Globe, Writers Guild nominated actress and writer of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, winner of Independent Spirit Award, Peoples’ Choice Award, Nia Vardalos most recently played in the American Girl movie: McKenna Shoots For The Stars. Her new book Instant Mom (Harper Collins) on adopting her daughter is available in April 2013 wherever books are sold. Vardalos lives in Los Angeles with her husband Ian Gomez of TBS’ Cougar Town, their daughter, and several pets.

Holiday Health & Fitness Tune-Up: “My-Big-Fat-Greek-Wedding” Style The Saturday Evening Post

“Whether you walk, run, or ski, strength and balance exercises can keep you on your feet this winter,” blogs Colorado-based Gale Bernhardt, World Cup triathlon trainer, multisport coach, and author. “Standing on one foot seems pretty easy, but I’ve yet to meet anyone who could do these exercises on the first try.”

Advance through the moves as you gain skill. Beginners: Stand near a stable surface for safety and support. Aim for performing five to 10 sets of any one exercise one to three times weekly.

Step 1: Look forward, stand on right foot, and count 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004, 1005.  Repeat on left foot. Build up to 30 seconds per foot.

Step 2: Look forward, stand on right foot, and count to five. Staying on right foot, look over right shoulder and count to five. Then, look over left shoulder, and count to five. Repeat on left foot.

Step 3: Do Step 2 with eyes closed.

Step 4: Stand on right foot with left knee raised and thigh parallel to ground. Count to five. Repeat on left foot. Build up to 30 seconds per foot.

(Stuck on Step 1? Don’t give up! Get moving with balance exercises from the National Institutes of Health.)

5-Minute Fitness: Balance Builders The Saturday Evening Post

Our bodies have two kinds of fat: brown and white. In the simplest of terms, the difference is brown fat burns energy, while white fat stockpiles it. We don’t have much brown fat (and yes, it is actually brown in color), just a few ounces around the back, shoulders, and neck. But a recent study shows it consumes calories like a furnace and can boost metabolic rates by 80 percent when we’re exposed to the cold.

Yet other science finds that a newly discovered hormone dubbed “irisin” actually transforms ordinary white fat into a type of brown fat when we exercise. (This may explain the old conundrum of why we burn more calories during exercise than the amount actually required for the activity.) Much work lies ahead to explain exactly how brown fat works, but harnessing its natural power just might make Americans leaner and healthier.

Body Fat with Benefits The Saturday Evening Post

Hike or bike trails to explore the great outdoors. Photo courtesy Shutterstock.

Exploring the great outdoors can be a springboard to better health, says Dr. Mary Reimer, director of the Reimer Wellness Center in Palo Alto, California.

For starters, drink plenty of water and stretch before being active. Then, slather on the sunscreen. Finally, jump-start your healthiest year ever with Dr. Reimer’s tips for day trips that leave you energized—not exhausted!

1. Explore new places. Scope out choice destinations via bike and hike paths. Resist the urge to see as many things as possible from the car.

2. Enjoy new activities. Pack up the kids and play beach volleyball or tackle an outdoor adventure course. Alternatively, sign up for a yoga retreat, or plant the garden or flower bed you’ve always wanted.

3. Eat new foods. While you are out and about, discover tasty seasonal snacks (and save calories) at farmers markets and produce stands—not at the gas station. When eating out, watch portion sizes and savor a variety of local flavors by sharing entrees with family members or ordering smaller appetizers.

For more about outdoor fun, see Get Out, Get Fit.

Ready, Set, Get Moving! The Saturday Evening Post

Kettlebells combine cardiovascular, strength, and flexibility training. Photo courtesy Shutterstock.

Kettlebells (think cannonballs with handles) are catching on with people looking to burn calories and strengthen muscles.

“A kettlebell workout consistently sheds fat and transforms bodies. It doesn’t build muscle—it takes what you have and tightens it up,” explains Zar Horton, senior national kettlebell instructor and owner of Firebellz gym in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Lifting a kettlebell (unlike a standard dumbbell) works the entire body. Trim and tone legs, shoulders, and arms with this single exercise.

Overhead Push Press

1. With palms up, hold kettleball by handle at chest level.
2. Bend knees slightly, keeping back straight.
3. Straighten knees, lifting ball overhead.
4. Return ball to chest level,  bending knees slightly. Repeat at medium pace as able. Gradually work up to 5 sets of 15.

NOTE: Use a kettlebell weight that matches your strength. For beginners in supervised workouts, Horton recommends an 18- or 36- kettlebell for men and women, respectively. Search online at Dragon Door for certified kettlebell instructors in your area.

5-Minute Fitness: Kettlebells The Saturday Evening Post

We frequently use this space to talk about heart-healthy behaviors. The first things that usually come to mind are good nutrition, physical fitness, and stress reduction. These are all vital to heart health, but one subject that doesn’t get as much attention is the importance of healthy social ties—more specifically building on positive relationships and letting go of toxic ones. A 2012 UCLA study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal suggests that a key factor in lowering the kind of stress that poisons your heart is extracting yourself from hurtful relationships. The study found that social friction causes a spike in the body’s production of pro-inflammatory proteins that raise cardiovascular risk.

What are toxic friendships? Anyone who’s survived the tortuous high school years should have a pretty good idea. One example might be a friend who drives you crazy with snide remarks, but always says he’s “just kidding” when you try to confront him. Another example: the narcissist whose every comment is about himself or who dominates conversations with self-centered tirades. According to the research, such people are more than just an annoyance: Spending time with them can stress the heart and clog the arteries!

It’s not always easy to extract yourself from toxic relationships. But, if you can muster the willpower, your heart will thank you for it!

Life Saver

Bypass surgery for clogged arteries can increase the odds of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA)—the number one reason Americans die suddenly. To mitigate that danger, inventors have come up with a novel kind of defibrillator that slips on like a vest.

Current practice is to wait three months after bypass surgery before implanting a defibrillator because data now suggest the SCA risk can drop as the heart heals. But wearing the Zoll LifeVest protects patients who may still be at high risk during the 3-month window of time.

The Skinny on Fitness

Is it better to be fit or trim? New evidence declares that the winner is … being fit. Statistics clearly show that you’ll live longer (and feel better!) if you’re fit—even if you’re not completely happy with the digits that show up on the bathroom scale, according to recent research reported in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. In the study of 14,345 men, being less fit was a more significant risk factor than being overweight for dying from a heart attack, stroke, or other cause. “This is good news for people who are physically active but can’t seem to lose weight,” said Duck-chul Lee, Ph.D., the study’s lead researcher and physical activity epidemiologist in the Department of Exercise Science at the University of South Carolina’s Arnold School of Public Health in Columbia. “You can worry less about your weight as long as you continue to maintain or increase your fitness levels.”

Heart Beat supplements the advice of your health care provider, whom you should consult for personal medical problems.

Send your letters to:
medicalmailbox@saturdayeveningpost.com or Medical Mailbox, 1100 Waterway Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46202. Please include your mailing address.

Heart Beat The Saturday Evening Post

CrossFit integrates a short series (20 minutes or less) of challenging training drills that build strength, endurance, and overall conditioning.

“It’s a great full-body, fat-burning workout—and without getting on a treadmill!” explains Harper. So grab a timer (or stand by a clock) and go for it!

Warm it up! (Standing Kicks) 

“This exercise will not only warm you up, it will strengthen your legs and help steady your balance,” says Harper.

1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and arms at sides.

2. Keeping right leg straight, kick it up about 90 degrees. As you do so, reach left hand toward top of foot. (Keep back straight and head up.)

3. Repeat with left leg and right hand. Alternate legs for 60 seconds.

Get in Step! (High Knees)

1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.

2. Lift right leg, bending knee at 90-degree angle. As you do, lift left arm, bending elbow at 90-degree angle (marching band-style).

3. Alternate by jumping to  left leg and right arm. Continue back and forth for 30 seconds.

On Your Toes! (Calf Raises)

1. Stand facing wall.

2. Place hands on wall with arms straight at shoulder-height and shoulder-width apart.

3. Raise heels of both feet, then return to starting position. Repeat for 60 seconds.

Take a Seat! (Air Squats)

“The air squat for strength and balance is one of the fundamentals of functional fitness,” says Harper. “It’s a great fat-burner, too.”

1. Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart with both arms overhead and even with ears. (Beginners: place one hand on a sturdy chair or nearby surface for support and safety.)

2. Bend knees and squat as though sitting in imaginary chair. (Keep back straight and knees behind toes.) Then, return to standing position.

3. Do as many squats as you can in 60 seconds.

Ready, Set Go! (CrossFit Round for time) 

10 Assisted Pull-ups—Loop a thick resistance band (one made for your body weight) around the pull-up bar. With hands on bar, place one foot inside the band and straighten leg. Pull yourself up above the bar and then slowly lower back down.

15 Wall Balls—Assume squat position with toes pointed out and approximately 2 to 3 feet from cement or brick wall. Hold 12 to 20 pound medicine ball under chin with elbows down and back straight. Raise to standing position, extending legs and arms and shooting ball toward target marked on wall. In a controlled and steady motion, catch ball and return to squat position.

20 Step-ups—Begin in standing position with both feet on floor. Place right foot on a sturdy and stable box (the higher the box, the more hip flexibility is required). Push down into right heel to lift body, placing left foot on box and coming to standing position. (Keep back straight and body upright.) Step down with right leg, then left leg. Alternate legs or do a set on each side.

25 Sit-ups—(Harper suggests using an ab mat.) Place ab mat on floor and under curve of your lower back. From a seated position and with bottoms of feet together (butterfly position), lie back with arms extended and touching floor behind you. Tighten abs to return to seated position, and touch hands to toes.

30 Burpees—Begin in standing position. Squat down, placing hands shoulder-width apart on floor. Kick out feet to a push-up position and do a push-up. Then, bring feet back in, jump up to a standing position and clap hands above head. (Feet should come completely off the ground when jumping.)

Check with your doctor when starting a new fitness routine. Don’t overdo it. Gradually increase reps as you become stronger.

Click here for news and videos from Bob Harper and his line of Smart Success Supplements.

Go CrossFit with Bob Harper The Saturday Evening Post