Blog – Page 2 of 64 – Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes

How to Stay Active in the Summers

June 28, 2024June 28, 2024 by Surabhi Aggarwal, RD, LDN

Summer is a great time to enjoy the outdoors and stay active, but the heat can also make it a bit challenging sometimes. However, with some planning and the right strategies, we can maintain our outdoor physical activity routine while staying safe and cool.

Tips to stay active during the hot summer months:

Choose the Right Time of the Day: This is the obvious tip, but try to avoid the peak hours of high temperatures between 11 am and 5 pm if possible. Instead, opt for early morning or evening times when the temperature is slightly lower and outdoor activities can be more comfortable.

Stay Hydrated: Proper hydration is critical when we are trying to be physically active in the heat. Drink plenty of water before, during, and after the outdoor activity. By the time we feel thirsty, we are already partially dehydrated, so it is a good idea to keep sipping water regularly during our time outdoors.

Dress Appropriately: Wear lightweight, breathable, and moisture-wicking clothing while engaging in outdoor activities. Light colors can help reflect the sun’s rays and help keep us stay cooler. Wearing a hat and sunglasses to protect the head, face, and eyes from the sun also helps. Lastly, remember to apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 30 to exposed skin.

Find Indoor Activities: On exceptionally hot days, it may be a good idea to take the workout indoors in a temperature-controlled environment so we are not exposed to extreme temperatures. Joining a gym, attending a fitness class, or following an online workout at home are all good options to maintain our physical activity routine during hot summer days.

Listen to Your Body: It is important to pay attention to how our body responds to the heat. Signs of heat exhaustion include dizziness, nausea, headache, and muscle cramps. We should stop our outdoor workout/activity if we experience any of these symptoms, move to a cooler place, and hydrate.

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Beat the Heat with a Swim Workout

June 10, 2024June 10, 2024 by Erin McCallum

When summer arrives, so do hotter temperatures. The heat can present an added challenge for those of us who enjoy exercising outdoors by means of walking, running, biking, and other aerobic activities that get the heart and lungs pumping. However, if you have access to a pool, lake, or even the ocean, you may want to consider trying swimming for the summer! Not only does it keep you cool, it’s a full-body workout that strengthens the heart and lungs and is easy on the joints.

While swimming laps is a tried and true workout, there are many other ways to get active in the water.

A few ideas include:

Jumping jacks: Do these as you would on land, but don’t let your arms come out of the water. Utilizing the resistance of the water is key!

Seal push-ups: While in a pool, place your palms on the edge and push yourself up out of the water as if you are a seal breaching on a rock. Then, using the same controlled resistance, lower yourself back down into the water.

Jump squats: Standing waist-deep in water, squat low bending your knees, and then jump up as far as you can out of the water.

Flutter kicks: Hold on to the edge of a pool or a flotation device and flutter kick your legs behind you, with your body facing either upward or downward. Both are effective at working the muscle groups in your legs.

Tread water: In water deeper than your height, see how long you can tread water using your arms and legs. If you prefer, you can wear a lifejacket to stay afloat while moving your arms and legs in a treading motion.

Aside from individual exercises, group aquatic fitness classes can be found at many community pools and fitness centers. These classes can stretch beyond basic water aerobics and include classes such as aquatic dance, aquatic boxing, and aquatic yoga, among many other kinds of movement. There are also often classes tailored to those with specific concerns such as arthritis or fibromyalgia. I encourage you to try a few, explore a new kind of movement, and find one that you enjoy.

If you struggle with exercising outside in the summer heat like I do, swimming is a great alternative to try to switch up your exercise routine and support your overall health. Whether you swim on your own, in a group class, or with family and friends, keep it fun and enjoy the summer sun!

Sources

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Trying to start a new exercise routine?

May 23, 2024June 10, 2024 by Annalise Hafner

Are you looking to switch things up when it comes to your physical activity routine? Check out these sample programs from our colleagues at Eat Smart, Move More NC. Feel free to modify or adapt them as you see fit to meet your current fitness levels. Change up your walking or jogging route for some added variation.

Try a new activity or change up your current routine:

Review the list below and pick one new activity to engage in. Many can be done easily from home and require little to no equipment. Others may require access to an outside facility or fitness studio but are worth looking into if you are interested.

Swimming or Water Aerobics: Low-impact aerobic exercise that engages most muscles in the body.
HIIT: High-intensity interval training combines short, maximal-effort work intervals with rest intervals. HIIT workouts are adaptable, quick, and effective. Check out examples of HIIT Workouts, Low-Impact HIIT Workouts for Older Adults, or Tabata Workouts at Home for inspiration.
EMOM: A type of HIIT workout, every minute-on-the-minute workouts are also very adaptable. Choose 1 or 2 exercises and a number of repetitions for each. Every minute on the minute you complete the exercises and repetitions and then rest for the remainder. Follow this format to create a short and effective workout.
Boxing/kickboxing: Cardio boxing workouts focus on air punches and do not require any equipment. If you have access to a gym or boxing studio, these classes can be a great way to get your blood pumping and relieve stress.
TRX: Total resistance exercise training utilizes suspension straps and your body weight for a great muscle-strengthening workout.
Yoga: Mind-body exercises that involve strength, flexibility, balance, and core training. Start your morning off with these simple yoga stretches for a relaxing start to your day.
Pilates: Low-impact muscular strength and endurance and flexibility training. A great bodyweight workout you can do from home.
Barre: Ballet-influenced exercises that involve strength, cardio, and flexibility. You can opt to use light weights or body weight.
POUND: Did you know drumming can be a full-body workout? POUND combines cardio, strength, pilates, and yoga to get your heart rate up while drumming along to the music.
Powerlifting or Olympic lifting: These require specific equipment and techniques but certain gyms offer small group or personal training.
Rock climbing or bouldering: If you have access to an indoor climbing center, it may be worth checking out. All equipment is available on site and the courses are generally changed at some frequency for added variation and challenge. Bouldering is a form of free climbing that does not require a harness.
Hiking: If you live near a trail, lace up your shoes and get moving.

Think Outside of the “Exercise” Box:

FootGolf: A sport that combines soccer and golf. The main goal is similar to the main goal of golf: to get the ball from the teeing ground into the hole in the least number of shots possible.
Pickleball: This sport is played on a badminton court and combines badminton, tennis, and ping pong. It is a fun way to stay active and with a smaller court, it places lower stress on your knees and joints than tennis.
Geocaching: A treasure hunt of sorts, geocaching could be a fun way to change up your walking route. All you need is a phone or GPS.
Plogging: Picking up trash while jogging, or plogging, is an environmentally friendly way to get moving and keep your community clean.

If you need more guidance or inspiration, check out our suggestions for more free ways to exercise at home for additional online resources. Let’s get moving!

Mindfulness Gives Us Options

May 16, 2024May 16, 2024 by Casey Collins

As humans, we have the ability of metacognition, which is a big word that describes something most of us do every day probably without even noticing it–that is thinking about our own thoughts. Our ability to think about our thoughts allows us to practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is deliberately paying attention to the present moment without judgment.

Research shows a myriad of health benefits related to mindfulness: reduced stress, improved chronic pain management, improved immune function, and reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression ¹.

Applying mindfulness to specific behaviors can lead to intentional choices instead of responding to external cues, emotions, or your environment. Mindful eating refers to an individual maintaining a non-judgmental awareness of one’s physical and emotional sensations while eating or in a food-related environment ¹. You can also apply mindfulness to physical activity. Be in the moment and focus on how your body feels during physical activity. After you exercise, assess how you feel–do you feel better, stronger, happier, or less stressed? Notice, but don’t judge.

Mindfulness is not a goal-oriented practice and it is not about getting something perfect, rather it is about awareness. Once we have awareness, options open up!

Download the 12 Steps to Mindful Eating. Incorporating these steps into your life can have transformative results.

Dunn, C., Haubenreiser, M., Johnson, M. et al. Mindfulness Approaches and Weight Loss, Weight Maintenance, and Weight Regain. Curr Obes Rep 7, 37–49 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13679-018-0299-6 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13679-018-0299-6

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Write it When you Bite It & Jot it When you Trot It!

May 16, 2024May 16, 2024 by Casey Collins

Study after study indicates that tracking what we eat and how we move using an app or pen and paper is strongly linked to helping us achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Tracking is a critical piece to success and makes us more aware of our personal patterns which can inform healthy behavior changes. This is why our programs continue to recommend tracking your weekly weight, food, and physical activity. As a reminder, an individual’s healthy weight is influenced by many factors that can include age, sex, genetics, body frame, pre-existing conditions, and external environment.

Tips for Tracking

You can keep it simple, aim for at least three entries each day (ex. in the morning, afternoon, and at night), and do it consistently day after day for the best results. Tracking takes less than 15 minutes each day, and this information will help you make a plan tailored to your needs.

You don’t have to track forever. Tracking every once in a while can still help you be more mindful about what you eat and how you move in order to improve your habits. For example, you may not realize how many calories are in the foods and drinks you regularly consume or that daily physical activity is much higher or lower than you realized.

If you are new to tracking, check the nutrition facts label for serving sizes and number of calories, and consider portion size. For physical activity tracking tips read our blog, Sample Weekly Workout Plans. We would also recommend observing your personal patterns without passing judgment against yourself. Allow the awareness of your patterns to help inform future decision-making.

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National Physical Activity and Sports Month

May 2, 2024May 2, 2024 by Meg Sargent

May is National Physical Activity and Sports Month. We know that staying active is an important continuum throughout our lives for our physical and mental well-being.

Children

Adhering to 60 minutes of vigorous activity a day benefits their growing bodies and leads to a lifetime of movement. A body in motion stays in motion. Visit this health.gov website for information about kid’s physical activity and health weight.

Adults

For adults, finding 150 minutes a week to be active improves strength and cardiovascular health which is essential for overall fitness.

Aging Adults

As we age, finding activities to increase flexibility, mobility, and balance are important for our overall health and safety. This health.gov link outlines ways to protect your health as you age.

How can we plan to move throughout the week? The Move Your Way activity planner is an interactive tool that reminds us of physical activity guidelines and helps us create a unique activity plan based on our lifestyle and goals to meet physical activity recommendations. The activity planner helps us to identify why we want to get active and what kind of activities we are interested in, focusing on lifestyle and what stage of life we are in. Based on our responses, the activity planner gives you potential activities to participate in throughout the week and helps you to make a comprehensive plan inclusive of both aerobic and strength-building activities.

Sometimes, making a plan to be active is the first little step we need to start building a good habit. I challenge you to plan to be active this month, whether with this tool or another way that is helpful for you. Plan on being active this month and move your way!

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Another successful group Ate Smart, Moved More, and Prevented Diabetes at Carolina Preserve

April 24, 2024April 24, 2024 by Kelly Nordby, RD, LDN

For the sixth consecutive year, the Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes program has been offered to residents of the Carolina Preserve community in Cary, NC. From March 2023 until March 2024, 10 participants completed the program losing a combined total of more than 117 pounds! Many also lowered their A1c and overall decreased their risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The program focuses on small step changes to eat healthfully, move more, and manage stress and sleep to help participants achieve a modest amount of weight loss ~5-7% and 150 minutes of weekly, moderate intensity physical activity, such as brisk walking.

This is truly a highlight of my work to deliver this program to willing and eager participants who are motivated to incorporate these strategies into their lives each day in order to feel better and improve their health! They inspire me each and every day!

Amy Hariton completed the program and shared,

“I participated in the year-long Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes program. My motivation for joining was to lose weight, feel better and lower my A1c a bit. Our six-month goal was to shed 5% of our body weight. At the end of the first year, I had lost over 10% of my body weight. I was thrilled.

I have always been an exerciser and a healthful eater. No fried foods, no sugary drinks and no beef or fatty meats for me. The daily “Mindful Eating Journal” is a huge aid. After each meal, I input my foods, my two daily snacks and all of my exercise minutes. I try to take at least one exercise class per day and sometimes two classes.

The instructor focuses on one topic per meeting: e.g., sugars in drinks, added sugars in foods, portion control, mindful eating and forms of exercise. Cutting down on food eaten in restaurants helps me a tremendous amount. My husband and I usually share an entrée or I will bring half of my food home. We don’t need the bread basket. I just returned from a week at Camp Cheerio in the NC mountains where the food was heavier than my usual cooking. I focused on the salads, vegetables and avoided all the desserts. I maintained my goal weight.

The classes are invaluable because we share stories, tips and help to motivate each other. I have recommended five or six friends to the program. I check my weight almost daily and try not to go more than 2 pounds over my goal weight.

By being flexible and focused with foods, drinks, parties and exercise I not only feel better but also look slimmer. It’s a Win-win.”

The Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes program is being offered for only $30 with a full refund for completing the program through funding that NC State University received from BCBS of North Carolina in 2019. This 5-year funding will come to a close later this year with the final classes starting in the summer of 2024.

Dietary Fiber Intake

April 15, 2024April 15, 2024 by Christine Lavelle

The North Carolina Office of State Human Resources offers wellness webinars as a benefit to employees. You do not need to be a state employee to view the webinars as the link to the most recent recording is available on their website, and past recordings are available on their YouTube playlist.

I recently watched a webinar, presented by a Registered Dietitian, on the importance of fiber. She recommended consuming approximately 25 – 35 grams of fiber per day. I decided to track my food intake for 3 days to see if I was meeting that target. What did I learn? I am consuming enough fiber but certain foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes were critical to meeting that goal. I would challenge you to track your food intake for a few days to see how much fiber you are consuming each day.

Embracing Wellness this Spring Season

April 2, 2024April 2, 2024 by Casey Collins

April marks the onset of spring and two important observances dedicated to our overall well-being: National Move More Month and National Stress Awareness Month. These annual reminders allow individuals to prioritize their physical and mental health through mindful practices.

National Move More Month serves as a timely reminder for individuals to incorporate physical activity into their daily routines. Many of us have a predominantly sedentary lifestyle, where desk jobs and digital devices dominate our time, the importance of regular movement cannot be overstated. Exercise helps maintain a healthy weight, prevents chronic diseases, and boosts mood and energy levels.

It is important to remember that physical activity isn’t limited to rigorous gym sessions or intense workouts. It encompasses various forms of movement, such as walking, cycling, dancing, or even gardening. The key is to find activities that you enjoy and can easily incorporate into your daily life. Whether it’s taking the stairs instead of the elevator or going for a stroll during lunch breaks, every small effort adds up to significant health benefits.

Complementing the physical aspect, National Stress Awareness Month shines a light on the importance of managing stress for overall well-being. In today’s fast-paced world, stress has become a pervasive issue affecting people of all ages and backgrounds. Chronic stress not only takes a toll on our mental health but also manifests physically, contributing to a host of health problems.

During this month, individuals are encouraged to explore various stress-relief techniques and mindfulness practices to cope with life’s challenges more effectively. This could include meditation, deep breathing exercises, yoga, or engaging in hobbies that bring joy and relaxation. Additionally, fostering social connections and seeking support from loved ones can provide a valuable buffer against stress.

Physical and mental well-being are interconnected, and nurturing one aspect inevitably benefits the other. Let’s embrace April as an opportunity to prioritize our health and well-being. By taking proactive steps to move more and manage stress effectively, we empower ourselves to lead fulfilling lives!

“I have had tremendous success with the program”

April 2, 2024April 2, 2024 by Christine Lavelle

“I was referred to the ESMM program by a friend who had taken it as a on-site program years before, advising me it was a great way to learn how to permanently lose weight and develop healthy habits for life.

Thank goodness for that referral! The program has been a tremendous success for me. I started at a weight of 278 lbs, a waist of 54 inches, A1c of 7.0, and generally was not focusing on my health. One year later, I have attained the benefits of weight loss of almost 50 lbs, reduced my waist by 6 inches, reduced my A1c to 6.1, and am getting a lot more exercise.

The first six months of weekly virtual meetings were easy to attend, even though I travel a good bit. The instructor, Emma, was very effective in making the discussions interesting and held my attention by her practical examples. This weekly checkin, paired with my use of Noom to track my daily eating habits, allowed me to be very aware of what I was eating that was NOT helping, and seeing that I was making progress towards eating foods that were effective in reducing my hunger, while being a lot healthier for me. Tips on food prep and having good quality snacks handy and visible in the kitchen were a frequent reminder to skip the chips and grab some fruit that was waiting in the bowl on the counter. The weekly planning method helped me stop making last minute hungry choices and instead allowing me to have the right foods at hand to get my helping of vegetables and fruits, choosing better proteins, and skipping the white bread/white rice syndrome.

The second six months consisted mostly of reinforcement and plans to prevent relapses to old habits, and to constantly see the benefits of staying on track to gain the objective I was shooting for.

The two booklets the program provided were very helpful (and a great reminder) at enabling me to capture my weight and activity, as well as a reference for good habits and reminders of information from our class meetings to have handy to look at when I was not near a computer. Being able to see my progress in the charts in the front pages was a constant positive reminder of my progress. Emma’s lessons, although less often in the second six months, were still very important in reinforcing the process of making continual progress toward my goal.

I have achieved success beyond my goal and see that I can continue making progress. The end of the program was not the end of the improvement – it was a milestone in the path to a better, healthier, more fun-filled way to choose healthier options without bothering or frustrating those around me. In fact, one of the habits I developed to get more exercise – borrowing a neighbor’s dog to get me out and walking more – had a wonderful side benefit of enabling me to meet more neighbors when I moved into my new neighborhood.

Thank you, Emma, and thank you, ESMM.”

– John, a successful Eat Smart, Move More, Prevent Diabetes participant