Healthy B.P.M.

I had a crazy idea while working out over the weekend. Crazy in the sense that it wasn’t the safest thing in the world to try, but with a little modification I thought it might work. As you know treadmill walking is a tried and true method for burning calories, and toning the lower half of your body, BUT…it gets kind of boring after awhile. I decided to shake it up a bit, by walking sideways. Not the best idea. I believe my treadmill was the first one off the assembly line and is devoid of any padding or sound structure, so I lowered the speed to 1.6 in hopes of walking at a steady, even pace. Still not a good idea. Trying to keep up with the machine resulted in my feet getting twisted and me flying off the end. The next light bulb that went off was to try and walk backwards. Slightly better footing but it took too much concentration, and my form and technique was horrible. Basic walking, primarily targets the quadriceps, (front of the thigh) and for a balanced workout you want to work the opposing muscle group, the hamstrings (back of the thigh). Other than wanting to add some spice to my workout, I needed to work my hamstrings, abductors and adductors (outer and inner thighs) as well. Still believing that lateral and backwards walking was a good idea, I decided to hop off the antiquated treadmill and just go for it on land.I use in home walking DVD’s and tapes, walk outside and sometimes grab my workout music harking back to my fitness instructor days and make up my own routines. Trust me I’m getting to the point. Here’s what I came up with and it works with whatever method of walking on land that you choose. After walking forward for approximately five minutes, walk backwards for two minutes, then straight ahead for three. Alternating this way for about thirty minutes. This is a good way to add intervals to your workout, boosting intensity. When that becomes comfortable add a lateral walk by simply walking sideways at the same intervals, in place of, or in addition to walking backwards.

From time to time I’m asked about different supplements, weight loss and energy enhancers. And from time to time I test them so as to give first hand feedback. This time Sports Beans, manufactured by the

Jelly Belly Candy Company,  was the product in question.

They’re advertised as energizing jelly beans and come in one ounce packs. The flavors are fruit punch (the one I bought), lemon lime, berry blue, and orange. For .99 I thought what the heck I’ll try them. Package directions instruct you to eat a pack 30 minutes before activity, take additional ones as needed to sustain energy, and replenish with a pack after activity. Oh, and always take them with water (too late). There are approximately fifteen sports beans in a pack, I ate them twenty minutes ago (6:45pm EST) ; we’ll see what happens.

The taste was a combination of sweet and salty. Sweet first, then the salty hits you at the end. Sports Beans are a part of a study on competitive athletes at UC Davis, along with two other carbohydrate supplements. Researchers want to know if these super sugary treats actually boost performance during physical activity. It makes you wonder if this is just a marketing ploy to sell more Jelly Bellies. It’s now 7:54 pm and I’m still waiting for the rush. Maybe I should have tried the Berry Blue.

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Urban legend or not? I’ve heard and read that Janet Jackson the seemingly sanest member of the Jackson clan has had some surgery. No not the kind that made MJ show up on all the worst of plastic surgery lists; but having one or more ribs removed to appear thinner. First the mill said she had the lower ones removed, then low and behold I read (honest I did) that she had ALL of them removed. This is one of the stories where you tell a friend then she/he tells a friend and before you know it the story has become down right stupid. Having one rib removed would make you think that the person is slightly obsessed with their appearance. But for someone to say she had all of them taken out, c’mon. Number one, how can that be anatomically possible? Don’t you need the ribs to kind of hold your innards (yes I said innards) in place? The whole point is at what point do we cross the line of striving to be healthy and fit to being ridicuously fixated with appearance, and what kind of example are you setting? Accepted or not celebrities are role models and should think about the signals they send. This falls into the “hot mess�? category.

What do you do when you have an uncontrollable desire to eat? First you make your way to the fridge, the first stop on the road to mindless eating. Standing in front of the fridge your eyes glance quickly over the shelves. Shiny bits of sliver topped containers holding yesterday’s gastronomical delights await the soon to be feeding frenzy. Then you yank the freezer door open for a thorough surveillance of its icy delicacies.Mindless munching rules stipulate that no stone be left unturned, that means the cabinets are next. They too are scoured intently. “Umm what do we have here? Fruit cocktail, that’s kinda, sorta, healthy right?�? It’s only a small can and only 109 calories, so you eat it. The next shelf reveals another goodie, sugar free, fat free pudding, healthy and chocolate no less. “In less than two minutes this creamy concoction will be mine all mine.�? A couple spoonfuls before it sets won’t hurt. (2 TBS 22.5 calories) “Into the fridge you go. But before you close the door a piece of leftover grilled chicken catches your eye. “What the heck the chicken is low fat and I need the protein. (81 calories)By now you’ve admitted that you don’t know what you want to eat. Your rational mind is telling you to “run like the wind�? out of the kitchen; better yet out of the house. Then you remember reading that brushing your teeth is a ploy to keep you from munching. “Colgate here I come.�?

By choice or by chance you’ve landed on Healthy B.P.M and let me be the first to welcome you. My name is Sandra L. Garth and I live in Saginaw, Michigan. I’ve been active in wellness education for the last twelve years and tried every diet known until I finally figured out what really works. (Of course I’m gonna tell you).