No Fat Cat Here
LaTonya M. Baldwin (Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan participant)
In my house, our cat Patches rules. That is until I got a pedometer, remembered how much I love dancing and discovered Deep House Cat music. I’m a stepper and dancing is one of the most fun ways I boost my aerobic minutes. I’ve mentioned a few other sites and I’m introducing another because as much as I love steppin’ and the benefits of exercising, the reality is, I have to keep working out fun and varied or I lose interest (and the body becomes very efficient when it comes to aerobics so variety matters). If you haven’t given serious thought to music and how it impacts your workout, revisit the issue and while you’re researching the effects of music on working out, check out Deep House Cat music. Each podcast offers a different guest dj with club music that will keep you steppin’ for forty-five to sixty minutes. 
You can download podcasts from iTunes or Deep House Cat’s website.
On my early morning walks, I often listen to classical. For the treadmill or the bike, it’s rock. During lunch or my break, I tap on my Nano and select one of my Deep House Cat mixes. It’s twenty minutes of pure dancing pleasure.
Depending on intensity and goal for a walking session, I choose a different tempo and style of music. What about you? What moves you?
Eat Smart! Another reason to rethink your sugary soft drink choice
Here is something to think about before you pop open another bottle of your favorite sugary beverage. A new Danish study suggests drinking regular soda pop not only adds weight but contributes to belly fat – the kind of fat linked to an increased risk of diabetes and heart disease.
The study focused on ectopic fat – the unhealthy fat that builds up in the abdomen and liver, around the heart, and in muscles. It is more dangerous than the subcutaneous fat found under the skin. Excess fat in the liver also increases risk of liver disease.
Researchers at Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark asked 47 participants to drink either a liter of water, skimmed milk, diet soda or regular soda every day for six months.
Results showed that the regular soda drinkers had more than double the amount of fat in their liver and muscle tissue compared to the other participants. The regular soda drinkers also had higher amounts of abdominal fat and increased cholesterol and triglycerides in their blood.
The study noted skimmed milk drinkers had no negative effects on the fat in the liver, muscles, abdomen or blood. They also noted that the diet soda had almost the same effect as water.
The study’s conclusion: Drinking regular soda every day increases your risk of diabetes and heart disease; therefore you should keep your intake of these drinks to a minimum.
So, before you grab that regular cola, consider switching to a club soda (carbonated water) or unsweetened iced tea or even a tall glass of icy cold water.
2 Million Steps and Going: Meet Walter L. Epps
LaTonya M. Baldwin (Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan participant)
Hello fellow steppers, recently I had an opportunity to talk with another Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan stepper. When BCBSM launched its first challenge in October, it quickly became evident that Blue participants were committed to making a real difference in their lifestyles by getting healthier by walking. At BCBSM, top steppers log as many as 50k steps a day. Today, I want to you to get to know more about one of those lead steppers, Walter L. Epps.
While Walter has been with the company less than a year, it’s clear, that his values align with Blue Cross Blue Shield’s commitment to advocating and promoting a healthy lifestyle. To date the single, 42-year-old Detroiter averages 38k steps a day. Since October 24th he has trekked 2.2 million steps or over a thousand miles. He says he gets in most of his steps after work. He runs two miles a day and walks everywhere, every chance he gets. He’s in the Navy Reserve so staying fit is a must. Walter says he’d classified his fitness level between fit and athletic. He works out at home and when he’s not walking, he’s lifting weights or participating in casual pick-up sports.
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| Walter works in Corporate & Financial Investigation. He’s been with the company for nine months. |
Okay, less of me giving you a summary; I’ll let Walter tell you more.
LaTonya: Why did you choose to participate in the challenge?
Walter: I was asked by a co-worker, who motivated many of us in the office to participate.
LaTonya: Your stats are amazing: Over 2 million steps and you’re regularly in the top five on the leader board. What do you attribute your success to?
Walter: I have to admit it was tough especially towards the end. The key factors that kept me going was one, making myself comfortable by wearing the proper clothing; I even went out and bought new shoes. Two, dedication to the walk! I was very dedicated. I gave up a lot of personal things that I’m used to doing like going to the movies. All I did was walk, walk, walk.
A typical day for me after work would commence with a hard two mile run, then a walk. I walked the treadmill, the River Walk and Jefferson Avenue and all around the city (of Detroit) and the malls. I walked with friends and sometimes I was the lone stepper. I concentrated on increasing my steps, stamina and endurance. For me it wasn’t walk for a certain point, it was to walk within a certain time frame. Because I did not have the opportunity to do much walking during business hours, I would have to hump. Gradually, I was able to reach an average of about 40k steps or about eighteen to twenty-one miles a day according to the pedometer; I often thought I had actually walked more than that sometimes. On weekends, I really tried to boost my numbers. My best day was about 73k steps but that was out of pure desire to keep up with the diehard walkers at BCBSM.
While I probably always took walking for granted in the past, I have come to respect the WALK, and I do intend to walk ten times as much as I’ve done before this challenge. Walking is now part of my workout regimen.
LaTonya: Okay, let’s talk about food. I’ve had some real challenges in this area. What about you?
Walter: In this area I was bad. I noticed that my appetite really increased. I was always hungry! I drunk a lot of water, but I ate just about everything I could get my hands on with the exception of candy. I ate everything though that would be considered a dieter’s nightmare.
Now that I have resumed my regular workout routine,I eat much more sensibly. I eat cereal for breakfast, a light lunch and a pretty light dinner closer to 7:00 PM. I cook meals for myself, but I am conscientious mostly not to eat a lot of sweets, and I minimize my intake of sugar-based drinks, not too much soda pop or juices.
LaTonya: What did you gain or learn from participating?
Walter: I’ve learned a lot about my physical self since I started walking. I guess I had gotten use to running everyday, so my body was pretty efficient at running. But after I started walking, I noticed my body changed in a good way: my breathing and my form improved. I learned that my body responds well to walking. While I probably always took walking for granted in the past, I have come to respect the WALK, and I do intend to walk ten times as much as I’ve done before this challenge. Walking is now part of my workout regimen.
LaTonya: Any parting words?
Walter: I walked so much, I drove everyone around me crazy. It was really hard to motivate others to walk. Some did walk, but only for a short time. I’m really impressed with the way BCBSM encourages their employees about the importance of good health. Now we have to spread the word!!!
LaTonya: Walter, you’ve encouraged me. You keep me going. Thanks for taking time to share with us.
Eat Smart! Celebrate the benefits of tea during National Hot Tea Month
January is National Hot Tea Month and on a cold wintery day, nothing can be more refreshing than a steaming cup of tea.
Tea contains antioxidants, has less caffeine than coffee and actually keeps you hydrated.
It is the second most popular beverage in the world, behind water. All tea – be it white, green, black or oolong – comes from the same plant and all varieties are beneficial. The difference is in the processing. For example, white tea is harvested from young plants. Green tea is made from unfermented leaves and has more amounts of polyphenols than black or oolong tea.
Research shows that the amount of polyphenols in 4-6 cups of green tea a day can lower risks of cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. But do not add milk to your tea. German researchers have found that milk blocks the beneficial polyphenols in tea.
Tea has no calories plus it has a third less caffeine than coffee, about 30 milligrams. Green tea may even help boost your metabolism slightly. In a small study, participants burned about 65 more calories a day when they drank tea as compared to an equal amount of water. The study also reported a significant increase in fat oxidation (turning fat into energy) with tea over water.
Drinking 4 cups of tea not only hydrates as well as a liter of water, but is a great antioxidant, protects the immune system, guards against a variety of cancers and even boost your metabolism.
And with flu and cold season upon us, there is nothing more soothing than drinking a cup of hot tea.
Brewing the perfect cup of tea
Take your pick – white, green, black or oolong – and brew a pot of refreshing and healthy tea. The key to a great cup of tea is in the brewing time – longer does not make it better, it makes it bitter. Follow these simple four steps to a great cup of tea.
1) Place one bag or one teaspoon of leaves for each 8 oz. cup of water in your cup or teapot.
2) Heat the water in a kettle, boiling for black tea, hot, not boiling for white or green tea.
3) Pour over the tea and step away from the cup or pot. Resist all temptation to dunk the bag or stir the leaves during the brewing process.
4) Keep an eye on the clock – it only takes a few minutes.
Suggested brew times:
- White: 4-5 minutes
- Green: 1-2 minutes
- Black: 2-3 minutes
- Oolong : 3 minutes
Move Smart! Set your walking goals the S.M.A.R.T. way
With the New Year comes resolutions and your commitment to walking which is probably the most important thing you can do this year. And goal setting can help you achieve it. Use the following S.M.A.R.T. criteria to develop your goal, review your progress weekly, and you will achieve what you have set out to do.
S – Specific. Define exactly what you want to accomplish. Walk 10,000 steps a day? Great, increase your average daily step count by 20 percent. When you’re comfortable with that, increase that amount by 20 percent. Keep doing this until you reach your goal.
M – Measurable. Upload your steps once or twice a week and use the tools on the Walkingspree website. Monitoring your progress will encourage you to keep going.
A – Adjustable. Be flexible and have a backup plan in case you are not able to get out for your regular walk or catch a cold. Adding 1,000 or so steps a day (about 10-15 minutes more walking time) may be all you need to get back on track.
R – Realistic. Make sure the goal reflects what is attainable for you and not based on comparing yourself to others. This is a lifelong commitment, not a horse race.
T – Time based. Set a deadline, and remember long term changes are achieved when you invest the time.
There will always be days that you don’t meet your goals, but it’s like brushing your teeth. If you forgot one night before bed, you wouldn’t say “I give up. I’m never brushing my teeth again.” Fitness and health is the same way, get back up the next day and start all over again.
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