Jubilee Health Place

Finding a Place of Health and Fitness through God's Grace

Jack Elder

Walking 4400 Steps A Day Is The New Goal

by

According to Jodi Helmer, new study in JAMA Internal Medicine looked at the average step counts of more than 16,000 people and found those who walked just 4,400 steps per day were 41% less likely to die over the four-year study period compared to those who walked 2,700 steps.

Walking more than 4,400 steps helped lower the risk of all-cause mortality even further, but the benefits leveled off when walkers logged 7,500 steps. In other words, more steps did not equal better outcomes, according to lead researcher I-Min Lee, PhD, an associate epidemiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

That is a lot better than the 10,000 steps of the past. Most of us don’t have the time it takes to walk that long. Charlene and I are out each morning and we get our walking in early. The sun is coming up later so we start a little later than we did during the hot summer. My goal is 5000 steps a day. I have my Fitbit goal set to 5000 and get the celebration signal for reaching that amount. Walking 5000 steps is about 2.5 miles for me. When home we walk on a 1/3 mile track and get our steps in. When traveling we try to get the steps in also. We just came back from Gatlinburg where we actually got a little more than our goal each day.

Walking has many significant health benefits, including lower levels of depression and anxiety, lower body mass index and waist circumference, improved glycemic control in those with Type 2 diabetes, and reduced blood pressure and lower LDL ‘bad’ cholesterol. If you haven’t been walking much start slow and work up to the 4400 steps a day to maximize your health.

Dieting-A Life Change

by

Charlene and I are on a diet again. This time we have our mind renewed to the necessity of getting the weight off. We are operating under the grace of God and relying on His power to diet. A diet is a major change in life. It is a life change. It has totally changed how we eat and we have to adapt. So far so good.

Losing weight requires we make changes, which aren’t so comfortable. I think the healthiest diets are ones that require the most change. We can’t just eat what we were in smaller portion sizes. There is nothing healthy just eating less, except for the fact you may get the weight off. That’s healthier itself. However, some foods are just not that healthy and isn’t the goal of a good diet to get healthier and lose the weight?

We are cutting out the unhealthy foods. This means a life change—a major change. It’s surprising what we eat and snack on that really isn’t helping our health. We are making the changes and not looking back. It means having to get very creative when traveling and planning ahead. We don’t go to our favorite restaurants and that’s okay. We are ready to make the changes needed to get the weight off, keep it off, and get healthier in the process. And we are burning fat as we walk the trail each morning.

 

Helping Knees By Getting The Weight Off

by

As we get older, our old knees begin showing signs of wear. I know both Charlene and I have to take special care of our knees. Not too long ago I could hardly walk on my right knee and it got so bad I had to go to the doctor. She said it was inflammation and my knees were fine except for the normal wear older people get.

One thing I know is being overweight does not help our knees. Marc Lindsay says, “The more you weigh, the more stress is placed on your knees during exercise. Over long distances, even 10 extra pounds can make a big difference. If you’re using walking as a way to lose weight but still haven’t reached your goal weight, consider making changes to your diet and adding more strength training to your routine to shed more weight. Doing so helps take your performance to the next level, improves your endurance, and helps you stay injury-free.

Charlene and I are getting our weight under control. We are back on the diet trail to get the weight off from thick to thin. We are getting out there first thing in the mornings before it gets too hot and walking. We both wear knee support for extra protection. So hope to see you on the trail.

Have A Bite

by

 

Have a bite. It’s good for you. No it’s not a poison apple. Have an apple instead of a donut, or a cupcake, or a candy bar. Your overweight body will thank you. Even if you aren’t overweight have an apple. It’s good for you… 

I Can’t Find A Diet I Like

by

 

Most dieters are looking for a diet that allows them to eat anything they want, and sit and watch TV, and lose 10 pounds a week. If you’ve been looking for such a diet then you’re right, you can’t find one you like.

The whole subject of finding the right diet encompasses information beyond the scope of this excuse. There are plenty of resources available to find just the right diet to fit your needs.

I will be the first to admit choosing a diet that works for you is hard. I read the book and think this diet is perfect, and for whatever reason not so perfect for me. You need to do your research. There are websites giving reviews of various diets, such as Everydiet.org. I’m not sure how they base their reviews whether scientific, medical, opinion, or all of the above.

There are other websites as well. I’ve been a member of SparkPeople for years, and they have diet plans. There are websites that will plan your diet based on your input. If you have been dieting very long, you can probably come up with your own list of “diet foods” and create your own eating plan.

Decide what you want to accomplish with your diet. Do you just want weight loss? Do you want to combine weight loss with healthy eating? Do you want to add fitness in the mix? Many factors go into choosing a plan. Most people like a weight loss plan someone has prepared, with meal plans, food lists, and grocery lists. There are plenty of those available. There is a diet just for you.

(Excerpt from 187 Excuses Why You Are Still Overweight. Available on Amazon.)

Fast Food Is Fast

by

Fast food is after all, fast. When you have a very limited amount of time, grabbing a quick bite at a fast food place is convenient. We have talked about fast food before, but we didn’t address the fact it is fast. Del Taco or Taco Bell can fix your 10 tacos before you can even fill up your cup of iced tea. All these fast food places feature drive-thru windows so you can get your food and be on your way. Our society is always in a hurry. Your 30-minute lunchtime is only 15 and you have to be at your next appointment.

At one place, I worked, I noticed the workers ate very fast and went out to play basketball during the rest of their lunch break. We live in the instant microwave society. We have instant pudding, instant oats, instant rice, instant soup, and of course, Ramen noodles. The family doesn’t sit down together because they are all off doing something.

The fact they call it “fast food,” indicates to me they sell the fact it is fast. People want fast, so sell them what they want. However, fast doesn’t change the reality of being high calorie and contributes to the obesity epidemic today. Therefore, slow down or as the signs say Stay calm and eat slowly. Your weight loss will thank you.

(Excerpt from 187 Excuses Why You Are Still Overweight. Available on Amazon.)