Yoga & Breathing

 

 According to the National Institutes of Health, Yoga breathing, also called Pranayama in Sanskrit, can help prevent and even reverse some symptoms of diseases like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Yoga can also help reduce stress-related illnesses. Deep breathing exercises can help improve lung capacity and decrease muscle tension.

Abdominal breathing, also known as diaphragmatic breathing, can help improve blood and lymph flow and increase stamina and energy. Abdominal breathing can be done twice a day to help eliminate upsetting thoughts or mitigate pain. To practice abdominal breathing, you can sit upright or lie on the floor on your back with your hands and legs casually outstretched. Watch your abdomen rise and fall as it does when you breath normally. After a few moments, you can try to increase the rise by allowing your abdomen to rise to its full extent and then allowing it to fall completely, contracting the abdominal muscles during the exhale. Try to exhale fully while keeping your chest still during this type of breathing.

Most chest breathing is inefficient because most of the oxygen exchanged in the lungs is done in the lower lobes, which rarely get used in normal, shallow breathing.
During thoracic breathing, concentrate on your chest. Notice how it rises and falls slightly during inhalation and exhalation. To enter into deeper breathing, concentrate on your chest and begin to exaggerate its movement, lifting and expanding your rib cage during inhalation and letting the lungs collapse fully upon exhalation. Try to keep your abdomen still during this type of breathing.

To gain the full benefits of Yoga breathing, you can combine both abdominal breathing and thoracic breathing. This allows a more full exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide which helps deliver more oxygen to all the cells of the body. In full yogic breathing, inhale to fill the abdomen then continue to inhale, filling and expanding the chest. When exhaling, first empty the air from the lungs and chest, then contract the abdomen, pulling it inward to force any remaining air out of the lungs. You can repeat this breath up to 20 times several times a day.

Another yogic breathing technique, called bellows breathing, helps increase energy. Also called the stimulating breath, this exercise simulates the breathing that occurs when you are under stress and can stimulate the adrenals to release energizing chemicals.

To practice the bellows breathing technique, sit up straight and close your mouth. Breath in and out of your nose as fast as possible, as if you are inflating a bicycle tire. Try this for no longer than 15 seconds, building up in five second increments each time. Try this exercise when you need a short boost of energy.

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What Do the Dietary Pros Eat?

Dietitians' diets vary, but one staple seems to always come up: a dab of peanut butter, usually spread on wheat bread. Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images The root word, "diet," in the term dietetics has acquired a four-letter-word connotation in the United States, and the term "nutritionist" can raise notions of dietary perfection, restriction or bionic willpower. But dietetics, or the science of nutrition, seldom relates to going "on a diet."

While fad diets come and go, rarely leaving health or happiness in their wake according to the National Eating Disorders Association, a balanced lifestyle based on healthy foods seems golden.

Sound easier said than done? Take notes from five dietary professionals who say otherwise.

While many paths lead to wellness, the featured experts share a passion for wellness and an intense appreciation for food.

I'm simply a person who loves food and loves people. I just want to encourage people to follow their dreams, live life to the fullest and live long. That does not necessarily mean they can never eat mac and cheese or their favorite dessert once in a while.

Christine Avanti, chef and nutritionist

Ever wished you could channel the wisdom of a dietary professional? Well, read on. When asked what one tip she would share with readers, here is what each of our pros suggested:

"Go to the store once a week and keep some staples -- frozen, cooked grains, fruits and vegetables -- that you keep in your home. Also, invest in glass or plastic containers so that you have items you can bring to work or keep at home. If you don't go to the store, consider grocery delivery." -- Robyn Goldberg

"Always eat a PC combo, meaning a lean protein with a "real food" carb -- not a packaged variety -- to stabilize [your] blood sugar and speed up [your] metabolism." -- Christine Avanti

"Feed your body throughout the day. If you surpass five hours without eating, your brain must signal your liver to feed you. And the liver tends to overfeed in a survival mode." -- Diane Kress

"Invest and become one with a digital food scale and measuring cups. When you make pasta -- whole-grain, I hope -- you have to get it out of the pan somehow, right? Use a measuring cup for a spoon. I use my scale several times a day, as well as my measuring cups, and would totally overeat without them." -- Yvonne Quinones Syto

"Try to eat at least one leafy green vegetable every day. Whether throwing spinach into your morning smoothie, having a big dark green salad at lunch, or sauteing kale and collards for dinner, go for it! It's so good for you." -- Dina Aronson

Registered dietitian Robyn Goldberg became aware of her cholesterol levels during childhood.

"Everyone in my family has high cholesterol and/or heart disease hereditarily," she said. "My father would always talk to me about how weight is not the issue -- cholesterol is."

Her desire to maintain positive heart health and fuel her tennis-playing body -- she's been an athlete her entire life -- instilled in her a hunger not simply for food, but for the right food.

During college, another factor arose. "Having friends with eating disorders gave me compassion for the emotional factors involved with eating," she said.

She now specializes in medical conditions, disordered eating, preventative nutrition and sports nutrition.

On a usual day, Goldberg eats soy yogurt with flaxseed meal, nuts and fruit for breakfast and almond or peanut butter on whole wheat bread, veggies with hummus or a chopped vegetable salad with beans for lunch. Because she avoids poultry to keep her cholesterol down, her protein sources include beans, nuts, fish and veggie burgers. Vegetable omelets are one of her staple dinners.

"And I allow for what I call play foods every day -- vanilla wafers, animal crackers. Berry cobbler's my favorite!" she said. "My clients are relieved when I tell them they can eat foods they enjoy and maintain wellness."

Christine Avanti, nutrition director and executive chef at Passages, an addiction rehabilitation center in Malibu, California, and author of "Skinny Chicks Don't Eat Salads," never planned on becoming a nutritionist.

"In my late 20s, there was a death in my family. To deal with my grief I overate everything in sight. In five short weeks I gained 30 pounds. After that I spent four years trying every fad diet and weight-loss pill on the market. Nothing worked," she said.

So Avanti pursued a certification in holistic and sports nutrition. Eleven years later, she continues to share her expertise and passion for healthy eating and cooking with clients, readers and viewers of "Oprah's All Stars," "The Doctors" and other TV shows.

Her typical breakfast consists of hard-cooked omega-3 fatty acid containing eggs, green tea with virgin cold-pressed organic coconut oil and blueberries or a banana. For lunch she'll have a grilled artichoke chicken, brown rice and an arugula salad with balsamic vinaigrette. In the afternoon she might snack on reduced-fat Gouda cheese and organic grapes. Dinner often includes whole wheat pasta, ground turkey and vegetable marinara sauce.

She also allows for pleasurable snack foods.

"Once in a while I will end up having diet soda, and salt and vinegar potato chips," she said. "I'm simply a person who loves food and loves people. I just want to encourage people to follow their dreams, live life to the fullest and live long. That does not necessarily mean they can never eat mac and cheese or their favorite dessert once in a while."

If you are seeking the food police, you won't find one in registered dietitian and author of "Nutrition Map: Your Guide to Eating Healthy in the Real World" Yvonne Quinones Syto.

"There are many reasons I wanted to become a dietitian," she said. "The main reason stems from my love of food."

She starts most days with coffee flavored with soy milk and agave syrup, oatmeal with peanut butter and a banana or slice of wheat bread with peanut butter and a "smidgen" of Nutella.

"Lunch is usually something left over from the night before," she says, citing a whole grain with vegetables and beans or tofu. Depending on her appetite, she snacks on nuts, toast with hummus or chips and salsa between meals.

"If I have something indulgent, it involves oodles of potatoes smothered in cheddar cheese. If I'm craving chocolate, it can usually be quenched with peanut butter and Nutella on wheat toast. I don't restrict myself. I just try to fuel my body right and not stick to arbitrary rules. I am human, like everyone else, with the exception that I have an awareness of how my choices affect my health."

During her sophomore year of college, Diane Kress knew something wasn't right.

"I was feeling fatigued, unable to focus or concentrate easily, [along with] a certain melancholy," she explained. And her naturally thin stomach had gained a "roll of fat." She began studying and applying traditional diet techniques with a vengeance, but to no avail.

She soon needed medications for diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol and depression. So she traded her dreams of Wall Street -- she'd been a finance major -- for dietetics.

"I became a dietitian to learn what was wrong with what we taught so I could figure out how to make it right," she said.

Since then, she's maintained her desired weight. And her book, "Metabolism Miracle," is a "New York Times" best-seller.

Kress's typical day starts with a multigrain English muffin with peanut butter, fruit and coffee with light creamer and stevia, an herbal sweetener. Lunch includes a low-carb turkey and vegetable wrap. For dinner, she'll have salad, broiled flounder, brown rice, steamed veggies and dark chocolate dessert. Between meals, she snacks on yogurt, nuts or popcorn.

Her favorite indulgence?

"Crumb cupcakes!" she said. "I have half of the cupcake and count it as my "slip-up" for the week." Other once-per-week indulgences might include pizza and Chinese food.

"People are amazed about a few things in the way I eat," she said. She eats whether or not she is hungry, including an hour before bed and in the middle of the night.

"As a person with insulin imbalance, I don't count calories," she said. "My focus is always on the total carb grams, dietary fiber grams. And I always read the ingredient label."

Registered dietitian Dina Aronson's passion for wellness also emerged during college.

"When I began eating better, sleeping more and exercising, I had more energy," she said. "My grades went up. My body got stronger. And I felt happier overall. So I sought ways to turn this passion into a career."

Her coursework taught her more than the nutritional benefits of a plant-based diet, including, she said, "the realities of factory farming, the food industry, global sustainability and the environmental impacts of meat production. Once I internalized these realities, veganism came very naturally to me."

Her days often start with cereal, fruit, walnuts and almond milk paired with coffee and soy creamer. Her lunchtime favorite involves a whole-grain wrap or sandwich filled with hummus, avocado, sliced heirloom tomato and baby spinach. For dinner she'll have vegan ratatouille with lentil soup, gazpacho or sauteed greens and a grain, such as quinoa.

Although her "healthier" days are chock-full of fresh produce, nuts and seeds, she indulges in moderate portions of treat foods most days.

"My favorite treats are vegan ice cream, homemade cookies or muffins, chocolate soy milk and dark chocolate," she said.

Like most people, she admits to eating at times for the "wrong reasons" -- "Stress, anyone?" she remarked. But she doesn't count calories, judge others for what they eat or apologize for dietary imperfections.

"Food should be savored, enjoyed and shared," she said. "Food is a pleasure, not a punishment."

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The New World of Group Fitness

Boot camp training sessions take a military-style approach to group fitness. Photo Credit Mike Powell/Digital Vision/Getty Images Quick -- where can you go to sway like a belly dancer, build strength like a weightlifter and sprint like a sergeant? If you belong to a typical modern fitness center, you already know the answer. Group fitness classes have entered a new era, and their offerings surpass simple aerobics by leaps and bounds.

"One of the biggest changes in group fitness is the variety of classes that are offered," said Melissa Baumgartner, certified fitness instructor and spokeswoman for the American Council on Exercise. Those classes are designed to cover a range fitness interests and levels, and some are even devoted solely to specific muscle groups.

A study of fitness trends by the American College of Sports Medicine found that workout junkies are becoming more focused on traditional strength and core training, while former staples -- most notably Pilates -- are losing popularity.

But not to worry if you're seeing fewer of your go-to classes on the schedules these days -- plenty of newer ones will do the job. "The changes in classes give people lots of variety so they don't get burned out," said Marjorie Albohm, president of the National Athletic Trainers' Association. And if you're new to the group fitness world, take heart -- these days, there's something there for everyone.

One of the biggest changes in group fitness is the variety of classes that are offered.

Melissa Baumgartner, certified fitness instructor and spokeswoman for the American Council on Exercise

Exercising among strangers isn't for everybody. But fitness experts say that for certain people, group classes make for a more effective and enjoyable workout.

"People often push themselves harder when they are in a group," said Barbara A. Brehm, professor of exercise and sports studies at Smith College. You're less likely to give up when there are other people sweating it out around you, she said.

In addition, working out with others offers psychological benefits. "There's a sense of camaraderie that for a certain personality improves compliance," said Marjorie Albohm, president of the National Athletic Trainers' Association. Once you commit to a group exercise class, people get to know you and will notice if you skip out on a session -- which may in turn spur you to attend classes more often.

In the end, it's all about finding a group of people you feel comfortable with and a workout that fits your fitness level and your interests. "If you find a group that is similar to you that makes you feel good, it increases your confidence," Brehm said.

If the thought of lifting weights or pounding out the miles on a treadmill is keeping you away from the gym, you might be a candidate for some of the dance aerobics classes that are filling up fitness club calendars. From African dance to burlesque, the variety of offerings seems endless.

And they're worth your time, experts say. "The intensity level of these classes is doable, and it's a good workout," Baumgartner said, adding that dance-based classes force you to move your body in ways you probably wouldn't in a more traditional workout.

Among the most common styles in recent years has been Zumba, a Latin-inspired dance class that takes elements of traditional dances, such as salsa and merengue, and blends them into routines with a fast-paced beat. The idea is to get your heart rate up and to move to the music instead of focusing on repetitious movements.

In the same vein is Batuka, a mix of aerobics and dance moves set to a similar Latin beat. According to the Batuka website, the word "Batuka" is based on the Batucada -- a festive Brazilian style of music. Batuka instructors are trained to teach choreographed routines that involve a full-body workout.

Belly-dancing classes, meanwhile bring a Middle Eastern flair to the group fitness world and can make you forget you're at the gym. Belly dancing classes are available in a surprising number of variations, some of which include props and strong dance beats. They're appropriate for people of all fitness levels and provide a full-blown abdominal workout in addition to cardiovascular exercise.

Many of today's strength-training classes get their tricks "straight from the military world," Baumgartner said. These classes often incorporate some cardio with a full-body strength workout. Strength-training classes have an advantage over weight room workouts because many people miss major muscle groups if left to their own devices, Albohm said.

One type of strength-training class is total body conditioning. These classes can be a mixed bag in terms of specific exercises, but they almost always live up to their name. Instructors often combine weight training -- think body bars, free weights and many lunges and squats -- with a bit of mild cardio. Expect tough strength training that will give you stronger, more toned muscles.

If you want a solid mix of cardio and strength training, boot camp is the answer. Boot camps are a form of circuit training that comes straight out of the military handbook. Instructors create stations for a workout that alternates rigorous cardiovascular exercise -- such as sprints and jumping rope -- with traditional workout moves such as pushups and situps. Boot camp is never for the faint of heart, but many of the moves can be adapted to different fitness levels -- just ask the instructor for tips.

Some types of classes seem to have a permanent following and haven't faded from gym schedules. Most of them have evolved with time -- yoga classes set to music, for example, or spinning classes that incorporate ab workouts.

Perhaps no form of self-improvement has developed as many variations as yoga. It's virtually impossible not to find a version that suits your fancy: There's hot yoga and dance yoga and a yoga class for just about every time of day and every state of mind. Start with a class that's specifically intended for beginners, Brehm suggested. Once you get a feel for the terminology, poses and philosophical approach, you'll have a better idea of what to try next.

Sometimes, though, the introspective nature of yoga just doesn't fit your mental state. Or perhaps it's not a match for your personality at all. If you're one of those people who thinks there's no better way to end a stressful workday than by throwing a few punches, give kickboxing a try. Most gyms have at least one kickboxing class that combines cardio with intense calisthenics.

For the ultimate indoor cardiovascular conditioning class, check out spinning. In this stationary-bike workout, instructors lead you through a course that often includes intense sprints and laborious hills. If treadmills do too much damage to your joints or your psyche, this is the class to try.

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What Are the Benefits of Olive Oil Consumption?

 

 The olive tree is native to the Mediterranean region, and olive oil is pressed from the olive fruit. Found in products from cosmetics to medicines, olive oil can show up in items you use every day; however, it is perhaps most beneficial when you include it in your diet.

Olive oil consumption has a positive effect on heart health. There are several factors of cardiovascular health that influence heart disease, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, inflammation and oxidative stress. Olive oil has been found in clinical studies to positively affect all these cardiovascular disease risk factors. It lowers bad cholesterol, raises good cholesterol, reduces inflammation, reduces blood pressure and fights cellular damage due to free radicals, according to researchers published in the October 2007 issue of "Molecular Nutrition and Food Research." Olive oil's heart-protective benefits are attributed to its vitamin and antioxidant content, as well as its mono and polyunsaturated fat content.

Cancer is a leading cause of death around the globe, and the World Health Organization reports that the number of cancer deaths is projected to rise annually. Olive oil contains several active components that help protect the body from cancer. One component in particular, oleuporein, has been shown to inhibit the development and spread of cancer in all stages. Oleuporein has been shown effective against breast, bladder, brain, skin and colorectal cancers, according to a study in the April 23, 2010 issue of "Scientia Pharmaceutica."

Inflammation is the body's normal response to injury, but if the body is in a state of chronic inflammation, this can lead to organ damage, cancer, arthritis and heart disease. Researchers from Australia report that olive oil helps alleviate inflammation. Their study, published in the 2011 issue of "Current Pharmaceutical Design," states that olive oil contains a compound called oleocanthal which works as well as ibuprofen in fighting inflammation, without harmful side effects which include liver stress.

Diabetes or high blood sugar is a serious condition often associated with obesity, high cholesterol, eye trouble and circulatory problems. However, consuming a Mediterranean diet rich with olive oil reduces the risk of developing diabetes, according to a study in the January 2011 issue of "Diabetes Care." In the study, participants who consumed virgin olive oil consistently experienced up to a 52 percent reduction in their risk of developing diabetes.

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What's Your Breakfast Personality Type?

A dry carb and a coffee to go: the ubiquitous breakfast of the busy. Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images You've heard more than once that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but making good breakfast choices may just not seem practical. After all, you're busy and on a tight schedule -- so you let your "breakfast personality" dictate. You opt for something fast but fat-laden, or something tasty but lacking in substance, or perhaps, you're in the habit of skipping breakfast all together. No matter what your breakfast personality type is now, you can change it. Deciding to actually eat breakfast and making healthy choices can put you on the right track to eating healthy throughout the day.

Our bodies require nutrition to function, and if we forgo breakfast, we are not giving our bodies a good start to the day.

Nicole T. Smith, author of "Skinny Genes"

Chef and cookbook author Lindsay Nixon converted to smoothies for breakfast and hasn't looked back. She says that eating a wholesome breakfast sets the tone for selecting a wholesome lunch and dinner, too.

"I also find that I'm much more energized, and don't even need coffee to feel awake in the morning when I have a quick and nutritious smoothie for breakfast," she says.

You can prepare one of her favorite smoothies in less than 5 minutes. For a Tropical Bliss smoothie, combine 1/2 to 1 cup soy or almond milk with 1 cup of frozen pineapple chunks and 1/4 cup of frozen mango chunks in a blender. Blend until smooth, adding more soy milk as necessary. Alternatives include substituting orange juice for some of the soy milk or coconut milk in place of soy milk.

Nixon's cookbook, "The Happy Herbivore," includes a variety of vegan breakfast options, and her upcoming book slated for December 2011, "Everyday Happy Herbivore," is to include a number of smoothie recipes.

Breakfast is called "breakfast" for a reason -- you're breaking the fast you had while you were sleeping. "Our bodies require nutrition to function, and if we forgo breakfast, we're not giving our bodies a good start to the day, says Nicole T. Smith, a licensed acupuncturist and author of "Skinny Genes." "In addition, many people who skip breakfast opt for coffee to start the day or sugary foods later on."

Gina Keatley, a nutritionist and personal chef who operates the nonprofit community food program Nourishing NYC, works with many different breakfast personality types, including the homeless, who don't often have the resources to make good meal choices. "A good breakfast really does get your body moving," she says. "Set yourself up for success. Be aware that you're making a conscious choice for yourself."

"The truth is, with breakfast as with any other meal, your body is depending on you to give it what it needs," says Smith. "When you don't, it is only a matter of time before it will begin to show signs of trouble, sickness, disease and aging."

Every morning is the same -- hectic. You're so busy getting yourself and possibly other members of your family ready for the day that it's not until you're in the car or on the train that you realize you forgot to eat breakfast. By lunchtime, you're ravenous and head straight to a fast food restaurant to put an end to the hunger pangs and indulge those cravings.

If too often you find yourself "too busy for breakfast," Keatley suggests starting small and making hard-boiled eggs ahead of time. You can peel them and store them in the refrigerator to grab on your way out the door. Aim to consume at least one protein and a whole grain in the morning, and you'll feel much more prepared to take on your day.

In the midst of the morning rush, a daily dose of carbs beckons you. Like those who are too busy for breakfast, all too often you find yourself steering the car toward the nearest drive-through or stopping at the cafe around the corner from your place of employment for a large bagel slathered with cream cheese or a hearty ham and cheese biscuit.

"For breakfast, I usually have two eggs and four pieces of turkey bacon," says Caitlin Kizielewicz, a public relations manager in Arlington, Virginia. "At our old office we used to always walk down the block to the doughnut shop -- I would get a whole wheat bagel and light cream cheese. It wasn't until I started watching what I ate that I realized how many empty calories were in that breakfast -- and I was still hungry not too long after. Needless to say, it's been a while since I've had a bagel."

Eating a healthy breakfast, especially one high in protein, increases satiety and reduces hunger throughout the day. In addition, a protein-rich breakfast reduces the brain signals controlling food motivation and reward-driven eating behavior, notea University of Missouri researcher and her team who used functional magnetic resonance imaging to reach their conclusions, which were published in the journal "Obesity."

You love to savor that large cup of coffee from your favorite barista every morning, and you always tell yourself a large nonfat latte will serve as your only breakfast item. But once you face those rows of freshly baked muffins and pastries, you cave -- more often than you'd like to admit.

Jacqueline Gikow, a New York-based jeweler, remembers her coffee and muffin days all too well. For 10 years, she frequented a specific diner for her morning java and muffin top, even though she had a weight problem. "About three years ago, I started going to a nutritionist who changed my approach to eating, and that included my breakfast choice," she says. "Now I am a fruit and fiber breakfast person most days. My weight has stabilized, and when I eat breakfast I don't snack until lunch. My breakfast usually consists of a banana and high-fiber cereal -- and it's very satisfying."

You'd prefer a relaxing bowl of Wheaties, but your schedule won't allow it. Instead, you grab a cereal bar that might not be as healthy as you think. In her book, Smith, who refers to these types of bars as "Heath bars" instead of "health bars," includes a chart to help readers differentiate between the bars that are healthy and the ones that are loaded with sugar.

"You may be surprised to learn that most bars fall into candy bar category and you can never trust the front label, for bars or otherwise," Smith says.

Instead of a cereal bar, why not opt for "lunch for breakfast" instead? The American Dietetic Association suggests powering up with a hearty breakfast to stave off sugar cravings later on. You can reach for that leftover veggie pizza or a skinless chicken breast with veggies on the side for your morning meal.

As for how many calories you should aim to consume during breakfast, it varies from person to person. Keatley suggests looking more at what is in your breakfast rather than how many calories you are consuming.

"It's better to eat something with 400 calories that is organic, sprouted, whole grain and/or raw than something that is 100 calories and processed," Smith says.

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Exercises You've Never Tried

Runners at the Bondi Barefoot Race (above) jog Bondi Beach outside Sydney, Australia. However, you don't have to confine your barefoot running to the sand. Try it across different terrain -- since you probably haven't before. Photo Credit Cameron Spencer/Getty Images Sport/Getty Images If you're dreading another tedious visit to the health club, going nowhere on the elliptical machine or treadmill, then maybe a change in your exercise routine is in order. After all, even the most enthusiastic gym-goers can get stuck in a rut if they don't change things up once in a while.

But there's no reason to quit working out just because you can't stomach another mind-numbing session of squats, pushups and lunges. Plenty of fresh training methods and fitness programs shape and tone while adding a new spark to your workout. And if you never had much enthusiasm for workouts in the first place, you just might find your attitude changing when you try one of these different fitness methods.

I tell people, 'If you leave sweaty and you had fun, then mission accomplished. There are no dance judges in class.'

Lawanda Brokenborough, owner of Aerobics Delivered, Atlanta

So you've signed up for your new fitness program. Everything is fresh and exciting. And now the challenge is to stick with it.

"The key to adherence is to set mini goals along the way," said Kathy Stevens, a board member for the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America, the world's largest fitness educator. "That could include tracking one's body fat and/or pant size. It could also be based on performance, such as the amount of pushups or situps you can complete in a minute."

Stevens says goal setting is key to staying excited about a workout because it reinforces your participation through positive results.

She also recommends partnering with someone and setting common goals.

"Typically, a person will be less likely to skip a workout if they know that someone else is counting on them being there," Stevens said.

She says people can also keep things fresh by cross-training their workouts. For example, she says, rather than taking three Zumba classes a week, try one Zumba, one TRX, and then run on the beach another day.

"Anything gets old if you do it too often. And muscles also need the cross stimulation to increase overall results and reduce overuse injuries," she said.

This device, consisting of adjustable straps with handles, uses your own bodyweight to get you into shape. It was created by a U.S. Navy Seal who wanted a way to keep fit while stationed in remote areas with no gyms available. As a result, this system weighs a very portable 2 lbs., allowing you to bring it with you and use it anywhere you go, even when traveling or on vacation.

You can attach the TRX suspension trainer to any fixed object, such as a closed door, and do more than 300 different leveraged bodyweight exercises. The workout not only helps tone your muscles, but also improves your balance and flexibility.

And it's very user friendly, says Jonathan Acosta, owner of Get Sexy San Antonio boot camps. He explains that you decide how much you want to leverage your body on the straps. And this will depend on how fit you are, because it's the leverage that determines the intensity of the workout. The more leverage, the more powerful the workout will be.

But for Acosta, perhaps the biggest appeal of the TRX is its ability to strengthen a person's core, those muscles closest to the spine.

"Core work on [the TRX] is 10 times better than anything else I can think of," he said.

Because a lot of the exercises are performed while you are suspended, with either one or two of your four extremities on the ground, you are forced to continuously use core muscles to maintain control and stability. This improves your range of motion, strength, flexibility, balance and overall general conditioning.

"Ditch the workout, join the party" is Zumba's slogan. And since 2001, when its founders created Zumba Fitness LLC, millions have done just that, dancing their calories away to Latin rhythms, such as salsa, meringue, mambo and cha-cha. Zumba is meant to be something different and to take the chore out of going to the gym.

Lawanda Brokenborough, owner of Aerobics Delivered in Atlanta, confirms that it certainly achieves this, saying the biggest appeal of Zumba is that it just doesn't feel like a workout.

"It feels like a dance party," she said.

The Zumba program also allows for freedom and originality for both instructors and class participants. For the instructors, Zumba Fitness encourages them to throw in a bit of their own favorite tunes when teaching a class. This music might be anything from hip-hop to belly-dancing music, says Brokenborough.

And for the class participants, the company encourages a no-worry policy. So don't be concerned if your hand-leg coordination isn't as good as a contestant's on a televised dance contest. Zumba classes are geared toward all dance abilities.

"I tell people, 'If you leave sweaty and you had fun, then mission accomplished," Brokenborough said. "There are no dance judges in class."

You can even take the party to the pool. Aqua Zumba is another type of class Zumba Fitness has designed. These classes provide a water-based workout that addresses both cardio and toning.

Put aside all the stereotypes you may have about pole dancing. Those who have dedicated themselves to pole fitness will tell you it's a challenging sport that provides a total-body workout.

"It's a super intense physical activity," said Lian Tal, co-owner of Body & Pole in New York. "It's not just good for your upper body and core. You're absolutely working every single muscle in your body."

While pole dancing may carry the stigma of being associated with exotic dancers, trainers such as Tal and those with the American Pole Fitness Association are working to increase awareness of pole fitness and change people's perception of it. These aren't simply classes for skimpily clad women to entertain onlookers, they're for seriously athletic people who want a challenging exercise.

Consider the pole a personal stretching assistant. For example, the pole shoulder stretch is good for keeping your chest and shoulders open and loose, says Susan Peach, creator of the Pole Fitness Series DVDs. Or you can strengthen your upper body and core by doing pole knee lifts, which is basically holding on to the pole and pulling your body off the ground, then lifting your knees upward.

Tal says that sometimes all that's needed is one visit to a pole fitness class for someone to better understand the concept that it does take work and effort to complete the exercise routines on the pole.

"It's amazing to see when people come in, how it changes their perception of it," she said, adding that participants will sweat and burn calories. Because everyone in the class is participating and working to complete their routines, there's no room for observers or people to be entertained.

Tal says the pole fitness classes will not only give you a good workout, but will boost your confidence as well.

Tal's partner and business co-owner, Kyra Johannesen, helped develop a training program for others who wish to lead pole fitness classes. The X-Pert Pole Fitness certification has earned accreditation from the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America as well as the American Council on Exercise.

If running has becoming too painful, especially for your feet, shed the shoes and try running with bare feet.

It may be more than just a liberating experience. Some, like Tamara Gerken of Atlanta, argue that it might be better for your feet, too. Although she acknowledges there's no scientific proof that running barefoot is either good or bad for you.

Gerken, president of the Barefoot Runners Society and editor of "The Barefoot Running Book: A Practical Guide to the Art and Science of Barefoot and Minimalist Shoe Running," says that she wouldn't be able to run long distances if she weren't barefoot due to Morton's neuroma, a painful nerve condition in the ball of the feet, between the toes. She says shoes were compressing the inflamed nerves and not allowing her toes to spread out naturally.

Barefoot runners also tend to hit the ground with their midfoot or forefoot, instead of their heels, Gerken says. Although the Barefoot Running Society says barefoot running may alleviate impact-related injuries, no concrete evidence has been published to support it.

Still, Gerken advocates barefoot running for all who want to try it.

"If their running has become stagnant, then this pumps new life into [it]," she said. "It's freeing and different."

The growing popularity of barefoot running has even led to a new market of minimalist footwear, with several companies making these stripped-down running shoes.

While Gerken stresses she's not anti-shoe, saying, "shoes have a place," she prefers to not wear even the minimalist footwear and run barefoot whenever possible.

Of course when the ground is frozen or burning hot from the summer sun, she says, some runners might then consider the minimalist approach for protection.

The effect of fire dancing is memorizing, not only for the person swinging and twirling the flaming objects, but also for spectators.

It's that fiery display of hand-eye coordination that captivated Tonya Kay, a professional dancer and actress, and inspired her to try fire dancing about a decade ago. Since then, she's been teaching and performing it across the country, including as a competitor on the television show "America's Got Talent." She was also among those who fire danced on the "Glee" 2010 Super Bowl segment to Katy Perry's "California Gurls."

Kay sings the praises of fire dancing, especially as an alternative and artistic form of exercise. Best of all, she says, she finds it to be very therapeutic.

"I'm pretty active, so meditating for health is boring, and I won't do it," she said.

Instead, she does fire dancing, which has a similarly calming effect, Kay says. She views it as "active meditation" and has described it as "yoga with flames."

"A lot of athletes will fall into meditation after participating in a repetitive motion," she said, saying that some runners achieve a tranquil state of mind in the middle of their run. The repetition, combined with the exertion and circular motions of fire dancing, often propels the participant into a trance.

There are different types of fire dancing, depending on the equipment being used. You can fire dance with hoops set on fire or with a staff that's been lit on one or both ends. Another choice is with poi, a pair of chains with burning wicking material at the ends.

Kay says Maori warriors -- indigenous people of New Zealand -- used poi as an ancient training exercise for battle. It helped them build strength in the arms and wrists so they could better fight in combat.

Fire dancing, especially with poi, also increases flexibility, improves coordination and gives the triceps, biceps and deltoids a healthy workout, according to Kay. It's not only good for the upper body and upper back, but for the leg muscles, too.

Kay says people who want to fire dance don't start handling fire immediately. They have to first attend classes to learn the exercise routines using the equipment without fire. They will also learn about fire safety and regulations. Then, depending on how fast they master the routines, they can begin doing the moves with the equipment set on fire.

She says it's natural for women to want to do a beautiful form of exercise, but that it's appealing to men as well because the handling and spinning of flames is often viewed as dangerous and cool.

"This exercise appeals to the people who want to make it an artistic expression," Kay said.

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Training for a Faster 5K

Setting a personal record at the 5-kilometer, or 3.1-mile, distance is a goal for every competitive runner. Photo Credit John Foxx/Stockbyte/Getty Images Finishing a marathon may be the holy grail of the typical runner, but the 5K is by far the most common road race distance. And for obvious reasons: It's the shortest standard event and doesn't require an excessively long time to prepare for it. Furthermore, if you don't get the 5K run right on your goal day, you can always come back in a week or two and try again. This isn't an option in longer events, which require more recovery time.

Although the race takes most people less than a half-hour to finish, you will still need to prepare. This requires a sensible plan that addresses speed, endurance and proper recovery time. While even those who are new to the sport can train to run a 5K, most of the recommendations here are aimed at runners with a solid three to six months of consistent running under their belts, as well as one 5K race time to serve as a benchmark around which to design the various elements of preparation.

Focus on rhythm and familiarity with target pace for mental reasons, as well as to achieve a workout.

Brad Hudson, 2:13 marathoner and coach of numerous world-class athletes

To figure out how to train most effectively, determine goal paces for various types of workouts. If you know your maximum heart rate, or MHR -- which can be estimated by subtracting your age from 220 -- and use a heart-rate monitor, you can use percentage of heart rate max as a primary guide. It's preferable, though, to work directly with paces.

Base-building or recovery runs: These should be done at 65 to 75 percent of 5K race pace -- which means you divide your pace in minutes per mile by 0.65 and 0.75 and run within the resulting range -- or about 60 to 70 percent of MHR.

Tempo runs: These are done at about 90 to 95 percent of 5K pace or 85 to 90 percent of MHR.

Race-pace intervals: Since by the end of the 5K you'll be above 95 percent of MHR, you should be hitting this in the last couple of repetitions in speed workouts. Your pace for these should be about 95 to 110 percent of 5K pace -- at the slower end for longer intervals and at the higher end for shorter ones.

Before you launch into the 5K-specific training phases that involve fast, intense running, you need to build what coaches call an endurance base. This means running four to seven days a week, about 20 to 40 minutes at a time, over a span of two to three months. The pace of these runs isn't critical. They're simply about basic aerobic work at a conversational pace, developing the ability to cover five or six miles without undue effort and feeling adequately recovered between runs. As a general rule, aim to run on soft surfaces whenever you can.

While you should pick a flat course on which to take aim at a personal record, the base-building period ought to include a healthy dose of hills. These act as speedwork in disguise, because they work the cardiovascular system without forcing you to take long, quick strides, an endeavor you should reserve for the later race-specific preparatory phases.

"Keeping your heart rate up going up a hill is easier than on the flat, so it's naturally a harder workout," said Lize Brittin, a former course recordholder at the venerable 13.1-mile Pikes Peak Ascent and one-time runner-up at the U.S. Junior 5K National Cross-Country Championships. "If you then push the uphills, there's less risk of injury. And you're still training your heart and lungs, as well as your mind, to go hard,"

she says.

This part of the training, focusing on building endurance, is an 8- to 12-week phase. It should end eight weeks out from your goal race, so you'll need to plan accordingly.

Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images Learning to manage oxygen debt by running just on the friendly side of it, and then over, is an indispensable weapon in your training arsenal. So in this four-week phase, you'll begin adding high-end aerobic work in the form of tempo runs, or lactate-threshold runs.

Coined by professional coach Jack Daniels in the early 1990s, the term "tempo run" usually refers to a 20-minute effort at the pace you could hold for about an hour in a race. Because it corresponds to a level of work at which you skirt the edges of oxygen debt, it trains the body to more efficiently metabolize lactic acid and promotes efficiency and confidence at medium-hard paces. A tempo run should leave you just on the edge of not being able to hold a normal conversation but not gasping for breath.

Brad Hudson, coach of two U.S. Olympians and the founder of Hudson Training Systems, suggests runners focus on the feel of tempo runs more than anything else to become acquainted with the sensation. Additionally, he recommends the runner do them as progression runs, with the pace gradually increasing from start to finish.

"Our athletes focus on rhythm and familiarity with target pace for mental reasons, as well as to achieve a workout," Hudson said. "They're able to hit tempo pace without any specific heart-rate or pace feedback once they're used to doing them."

In the first two weeks of this phase, aim for one shorter tempo run of 15 to 20 minutes that includes 10 or so minutes of easy jogging before and after, as well as one longer tempo effort of 20 to 25 minutes set within one of the longest runs of the week. Your pace should be about 25 to 30 seconds per mile slower than your current 5K race pace.

Then, in the next two weeks, do one longer tempo effort of 25 to 30 minutes at the end of a midweek run of 40 to 45 minutes, and add another, just faster than tempo segment of 10 minutes at the end of a second, longer run of 45 to 60 minutes toward the end of the week. This allows you to become familiar with genuine oxygen debt, which you'll inevitably need to do.

By this point you should be hitting anywhere from 25 to 50 miles a week, with a longest run of five to nine miles, depending on your goals and experience.

This phase, the sharpening and tapering phase -- which involves short, intense repetitions at planned race pace with short rests -- develops the leg turnover and anaerobic power needed to handle the rigors of the last half of a 3.1-mile race. This, too, is a four-week phase.

Here you'll keep a weekly 20-minute tempo run, but add an interval session on the road or on a track toward the end of the week. The basic scheme involves roughly three miles of slightly faster than race pace running per session, broken into reps of 400 to 1,600 meters, with a walking or jogging rest period of about 75 percent of the repetition time. For example, if you hope to run 7-minute miles in your 5K, you would do 3 reps of 1,600 in 6:55 with 5 minutes rest, 6 of 800 in 3:25 with 2 1/2 minutes rest, or 12 of 400 in 1:40 with 1 1/4 minutes rest.

Hudson advises that runners give a lot of attention to 400-meter reps with even shorter rests. This allows for close monitoring and modulation of the pace as well as an accurate assessment of fitness. He says that running faster than race pace repetitions of 600, 400 and 200 meters in a step-down fashion has special value "because it develops running economy. That's important because it's basically the ability to run faster while expending the same amount of energy."

These sessions should be hard, but not killer. If you're truly struggling before the halfway point of these workouts, consider adjusting your race goal accordingly. Two weeks before the race, your overall mileage should drop by about 25 percent from peak. It should drop by 50 percent in the last week to allow your legs to rest up for the big day. Don't do any speedwork or tempo running in the five days beforehand. But consider doing a 2-mile time trial at 95 percent effort the weekend before the race to gain an accurate assessment of your capabilities over 5K.

The training leading into the race is the rehearsal; the 5K itself is the production. Make sure you're ready in every way possible. Prepare a checklist the night before the race that includes everything from making sure you know the directions to the start to bringing an extra pair of shoelaces in case you break the ones you have. Don't do anything new or unusual on race morning. If you rarely drink coffee, for example, don't load up on caffeine. And don't skip breakfast. Eat something bland, like toast or a plain bagel or perhaps an energy bar.

Warm up very slowly for 15 to 20 minutes. Then do three to four 20-second "stride-outs" at what feels like race pace to get both your neuromuscular system and your cardiovascular apparatus ready to go. Once the gun goes off, be patient and don't let adrenalin propel you out to an overly fast pace.

"There's one way to learn proper pacing in competition," said Hudson. "And that's learning race pace in training and practicing strides at that pace, on very easy days as well as speed days."

When the effort inevitably gets tough at about 2K to halfway into the race, it's critical to have confidence in your fitness. Know the mile or kilometer splits you intend to reach and visualize nailing them in advance. But as the race unfolds, embrace the effort, the essence of striving, for its own sake. Try to keep your stride rate constant as fatigue starts to set in and remind yourself that this is what you've been preparing to do for months and how sweet it'll be to knock a chunk of time off your best.

Above all, when everything is said and done -- no matter the outcome -- congratulate yourself on making it to the finish. If things didn't go your way, assess what you did wrong and what you did right. And remind yourself that there are always other days and other races in which to show what you're made of.

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