Category Archives: Fitness

Start 2010 with a hike, a run, a ride — even a chilly dive

I can almost guarantee that your resolution to be more active in 2010 will last at least through New Year’s Day. That’s because there are way too many activities scheduled to keep you on the move.

Sure, some fall into the intense category. The Triangle Scuba Group plans to dive the frigid waters at Fantasy Lake at 10 a.m. The North Carolina Bicycle Club plans to get together for a little ride — of 62 miles at an average pace of 19 to 20 miles per hour. And no doubt someone has plans to lead a winter assault on Mt. Mitchell or Clingman’s Dome. read more

Smart choices at the coffee shop

Got a coffee shop addiction? I do. I’m in one at least once a day. Fortunately, my addiction is straight up caffeine, my delivery system of choice: the Americano.

I say “fortunately” because, caffeine aside, you can get in a lot of trouble in your neighborhood coffee shop. Walking into my local Carribou a few minutes ago I picked up their “Beverage Nutrition Guide: On The Trail to Better Health,” which gave a hint of the caloric chaos a trip here can cause. I could have my 5-calorie Americano (12 ounce) or I could have a small hot cocoa for 230 calories. And that’s the range of their smart choices. A visit to Caribou’s online nutritional guide, which details all its drinks, shows the extent to which a coffee shop habit can derail an otherwise exemplary diet. read more

Recommended reading over leftover salad

Feeling guilty about all those holiday leftovers?

Then turn ‘em into a salad!

For lunch yesterday, Marcy took leftover turkey, cut it into bite-size pieces, tossed it in with some arugula, walnuts and blue cheese crumbles. She added a dollop of cranberry sauce and topped it with dressing, which we pretended were croutons. Save perhaps for the dressing-as-croutons, it was a healthier use of leftovers than, say, putting a couple slabs of turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, and gravy between two pieces of white bread and calling it a sandwich. It was also mighty tasty, and if you’re into point counting I’m guessing it had about a third the calories of a leftover sandwich. read more

Wii Fit: Simple fun or actual fitness?

I’m weak, I could stand to lose 22 pounds and I have the agility of an 80-year-old (I’m 53).

I paid $324 for this?

On Christmas Day, the Wii Fit entered our home, storming in with the attitude of a boot camp sergeant none-too-happy with its new recruits. It told the 11-year-old she was teetering on being overweight (she’s nowhere near: she eats better than any kid I know and is twice as active). It told the 15-year-old he was weak (he won the high school division of a local mountain bike race series this summer). And in addition to telling me I’m weak, a bit heavy and old, suggested I’m “unbalanced” as well. read more