Viva Vitality

False. When it comes to carrying around those extra pounds, the area the weight is distributed is more important than overall weight, and the size of our waist is the most important indicator of mortality. Having an apple-shaped body, which means carrying weight around the middle, is much more dangerous than the pear-shaped body where weight is found in the fat on our hips, thighs, and butt. This type of fat is subcutaneous fat, and unlike belly fat, it doesn’t feed right into your vital internal organs, so it’s not detrimental to well-being. Good news for folks with thick thighs…they live just as long as people with thin thighs!

Answer b. We all know how sluggish, old and worn out we can feel if we haven’t had enough quality zzz’s. Sleep is the most fundamental way we nourish and rejuvenate ourselves. It restores our youthful vigor making us feel fresh and bouncy…boing! Being sleep-deprived not only ages us at warp speed, it also wreaks havoc on the hormones that regulate our appetite, making us more prone to over-eating. Plus, when we’re tired, who feels like being active? We’re much more likely to sit back on the couch which just gives us one more excuse to chuck back those bon bons.

Answer d. Most of us are sipping, slurping or swigging back 450 calories a day in beverages. This is double what it was 30 years ago. Not only do these calories add up quickly, we tend to quickly forget them because they don’t provide the same satisfaction as food calories. Paying attention to what we’re drinking and limiting sodas, juices and those decadent coffees can make a really big difference. As an example, fruit drinks average 120 calories/glass, soda is about 150 calories/can. And…bad news for coffee lovers…drinking your favorite cup of joe like a double-double, latte, cappuccino, mocha or whatever your pleasure may be (don’t forget the whip topping!) can average anywhere from 230 calories to more than 500 calories. That’s an entire meal, not to mention a ton of sugar and fat. Dessert in a cup! Liquid calories are the easiest to cut. Just limit the quantity and replace them with more water.

Answer c. Walking is the safest, easiest and best form of exercise…it’s pretty hard to injure ourselves doing it. We’re built for walking so if you’re mobile, there’s no excuse for not doing it. It increases our stamina and is the foundation for all other exercises. Aim to walk about 10,000 steps a day. Begin walking for at least 30 minutes a day (that’s about 3000 steps) and work your way up. If you need to, you can even break this down into chunks of at least 10 consecutive minutes. Just 30 minutes of daily walking has been shown to decrease the risk of breast cancer by 30% and increase its survival rate by 70%. It also improves the survival rates of people who have had heart attacks by 80%. Impressive! Get out and get moving!

Answer c. Foods high in fiber take more energy and time to digest so they keep you feeling fuller for longer periods of time, and fiber controls blood sugar levels which can ward off cravings to gorge on goodies like sweets and treats. Warning! If you’re not used to eating much fiber (the average person only gets about half of what they need each day), please, please, please start out slowly. A diet high in natural fiber promotes regularity to support digestive health, but too much too soon can cause bloating and discomfort and enough gas to warrant getting a pair of Fartypants!

Answer b. After the age of 35, we lose on average 5% of our muscle mass every ten years if we aren’t proactively doing something to preserve it. This might not sound like much, but muscle mass prevents age-related weight gain by burning calories more efficiently. If you don’t exercise to maintain your muscle, you’re going to gain some chub and flub as you age even though you are still eating the same amount of food that you always have. Or every ten years you’ll need to cut 120-420 calories from your diet every single day just to maintain your current weight. That’s bad news if you actually enjoy eating.

Answer d. Most packaged foods are highly processed, contain many chemical additives and are lacking in nutrients. When you eat processed foods, you’re pretty much just putting garbage into your body….your body is not a garbage chute! Some frozen foods may be low in calories (350 or less), but the quality of that food is poor. So even though you may lose some weight, it doesn’t mean you’ll be healthy or look better. And many of these foods aren’t balanced. Any food plan that restricts carbs, proteins or fats is not a healthy, well-rounded one and will be difficult to maintain long-term.

False. People who eat breakfast every day are thinner. That’s because you’re breaking the fast after a good night’s sleep and jump-starting your metabolism for the day. Don’t skip it! Find something simple that you like and stick with it like steel-cut oatmeal, whole grain cereals or breads, fruit, egg white omelets, smoothies.

Answer d. Studies show that people who have a ritual of drinking 1-2 glasses of wine a day with family and friends live longer than those who drink none. Actually, any alcoholic beverage will have the same effect. 80% of the benefit of wine is the alcohol; 20% is because of the resverotrol. The key here is to make it a daily ritual with other people so it’s about bonding and de-stressing. You don’t want to kick back, all alone, with a bottle of Jack Daniels and a stogy. AND, you can’t save up a few days worth and drink 14 glasses on Saturday night.

Answer c. There’s an old saying “you’re only as young as you are flexible.” If you’re not flexible you’re more likely to hurt yourself just doing regular day-to-day activities, and if you get injured while you’re exercising, you’ll likely stop exercising. A good test of flexibility: most people should be able to reach their toes with their fingertips…to do this, lean over at the waist and relax so that your hips release into the stretch.