Going Old School....

Remember this workout?


Yep.. I have been working out to Denise Austin's old fitness videos which are still being played on the Altitude channel.   One thing I like about these old videos.. is that they were usually 30 minutes or less and you still sweat and feel like you had a workout.  Denise Austin claims she merely works out for only 30 minutes a day as well and takes careful consideration in her diet.  I also like to follow Denise on Facebook, as she is such an inspiration for all of us to get fit.. and stay fit at any age.   She just came out with a new book which I plan to order and order. 















Another work-out DVD I love to work-out to is this...


Billy Blanks is my favorite... as his videos are short and sweet as well.. and you still find yourself tired at the end. 

I have essentially turned my living room into an aerobics studio during these cold months ahead..



By the way.. this is NOT me.. but I look like this in my living room

So what are your favorite work-out DVD's??

Yo..Yogurt

Yogurt has come a long way over the years... and definitely is high on most Americans grocery lists these days.  Yogurt is an excellent source of calcium, with one 5oz carton providing well over a quarter of the minimum daily requirement. 

When shopping for yogurt check the label and look for these things: (based on a 6oz serving)
Per Sparkpeople.com.....

• Less than 180 calories.  if your following a lower caloric diet then 120 calories is preferred.
• Less than 4 grams of fat. A yogurt made with whole milk will contain 7-9 grams of fat; a low -fat yogurt contains 2-4 grams, and a non-fat variety has 0 grams fat.
• Less than 30 grams of sugar. (Yikes.. I would say less than that!!)  Keep in mind that the milk used to make yogurt naturally contains about 12 grams of milk sugar per 6-ounce serving. These naturally occurring sugars are grouped with the added sugars when you read the nutrition facts label for "Sugars." If you prefer "natural" sweeteners (honey, maple syrup, etc.), sugar substitutes, sugar alcohols, or standard sweeteners like regular sugar or high fructose corn syrup, you will have to read the Ingredients list to find out which type(s) of added sweetener your yogurt contains.
• At least 5 grams of protein.
• At least 20% of your daily value (DV) of calcium.
• At least 10% of your daily value (DV) of vitamin D. Some yogurts are fortified with vitamin D 

Many health problems start in the gut, but yogurt contains a magic ingredient that can help prevent these problems..

• Probiotics are the “good” bacteria that help promote a healthy digestive system. Two specific cultures known as Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus are used to make all yogurts. The National Yogurt Association (NYA) developed a “Live and Active Cultures” seal to identify a yogurt that contains 100 million cultures per gram at the time of manufacturing. (per sparkpeople.com) Yogurt companies must pay several thousand dollars each year to use this seal on their products. Smaller yogurt companies may not participate due to the high cost of using the seal, even though they may contain live and active cultures. These days, several yogurt companies are now putting additional probiotics and cultures (such as Bifidobacterium BB-12) into their yogurts and making claims regarding immunity and digestive health. These cultures are safe for consumption and some research shows that they may improve the health of the immune and digestive systems. Also another point to keep in mind is that if you are on antibiotics, try to eat a carton of yogurt each day.  Unfortunately antibiotics kill all bugs (good and bad) but yogurt replaces the bacteria your body needs and also helps prevent the diarrhea caused by sterilizing the gut. 

So now that you have the facts Jack.. get out there and stock your refrig with some yogurt!