Happy Holidays to all from myself and my fellow bloggers, Marie Spano and Kathy Stevens.  It is Christmas Eve and very snowy here in Bellingham, WA so it looks like we will be having a white Christmas.  Not something we have here very often, so it is nice except for the bad roads while everyone is trying to travel.

Thank you to all our blog readers!  We have really enjoyed bringing you the latest news and information about health and wellness and will continue in the New Year.

With all the renewed interest in health and nutritional supplements such as Vitamin D, 2009 should be a great year for additional studies and research. 

Also, don't forget to enter or re-enter the View, Vote, and Win contest and vote on your favorite video.  The contest ends January 3rd, 2009 and the winners will be announced then for both the one year supply of energy and the Video Contest.  Stay tuned!

Stay healthy and well this holiday and into 2009.  Make health and fitness a priority for yourself and your family and it will really make a positive difference in your life.  Start with small steps such as walking and taking at least a vitamin D supplement.  Then add on more later such as nutritional foods, adding calcium supplements or glucosamine and chondroitin for joint health and fitness walking.  Each one is an important step to a healthy lifestyle.

I'm pretty new to this whole social media thing.  My kids have been begging me to have a My Space page, but that was about the extent of my exposure to social network sites.  I recently attended a social media conference where they talked about all of the opportunities of sites such as Facebook  and how to use these sites to spread the word and connect with more people in an engaging way.  I decided I better get started and learn how to best utilize social networking.

I started my own facebook page for myself and then we developed a brand facebook page for our energy supplements - check it out and become a fan!  On the page we have lots of fun features such as videos, wall posts, forums and a blog feed.

Please visit the brand page and become a fan, write on our wall or leave a comment in the forum and join me in the social networking wave!

Now I feel so "cool" when I tell my kids I'm on Facebook!

Ok, so you are wondering how to stay in control of your waistline during the ho, ho, ho, holidays... or how to de-stress the hustle and bustle out of the season?

Well, I am sure you have heard it before, but let me state it again... exercise is directly related to weight management and stress reduction even during this most challenging time of year!  So I am making a list ... and hopefully you will be checking it twice... and lets all see if we can turn a little naughty into nice. 

Here are my Top Ten - Santa beltline and stress busters:

1. Avoid going on empty: fill up with healthy snacks before you go to a holiday party or feast (i.e. fresh vegetables, granola, extra water).
2. Count the amount – and pay it back: For every cookie or piece of holiday candy plan on walking or jogging an extra 10 minutes... If you know this is the barter before you eat the treat you may find yourself being a bit more selective.
3. Step it up: get a pedometer and find creative ways to add up more steps during your shopping excursions or on your work breaks... (i.e. take the stairs instead of the elevator; park further away from your destination).
4. When you’re stuck, suck it up...Breath: If you are stuck in traffic or long shopping lines, take a few deep breaths and focus on positive thoughts. Start from the bottom of your lungs and fill it upward to the top, then let it out in the opposite direction. Deep breathing can get you in a more calmed state of mind and even release some relaxing chemicals in your brain.
5. Make your own list: Start the day with a quick list of things you ‘need to’ or ‘hope to’ do by the end of that day. Check it off as you go and make sure you place some type of exercise in the ‘need to’ part of the list. By organizing your thoughts at the start of the day you will be more likely to complete them.
6. Give and ask for fit gifts: Think about what gifts might give a fitness program a nice lift (i.e. new shoes, clothes, a jump rope, exercise mat or nutritional supplement) ... make your gift list count.
7. Get some extra energy support... think about what you are eating and what supplements you are taking... there is no better time of year to boost your supplement intake with the energy supplements and vitamin D supplements offered by Wellesse.
8. Try something new: every day before New Year try to do one new exercise (i.e. a new yoga pose, type of crunch, class or walking route). By staying creative you will increase exercise adherence and may even find a few things you really like doing to carry over into your New Year program.
9. Have a good book or movie on hand to escape when the going gets too tough.
10. If all else fails, remember that it is not what you do between Christmas and New Years that counts as much as what you’ve done between New Years and Christmas... so enjoy a bit of naughtiness that week.

Speed Walking

Another great way to add a bit of spice to your walk program is with speed play.  Some times called interval or Fartlek training, it is the best way to rev up your walk and train towards faster race time. 

The difference between this type of training and your continuous walk training is that the intensity and speed of the exercise varies, to train both the aerobic (with oxygen) and anaerobic systems (without oxygen).  Simply put, the aerobic system is the system your body uses to perform continuous activities like walking, swimming and bike riding.  Your respiration and pulse rate increase, but you can handle it and keep going for 20 or more minutes.


The anaerobic system is used for high intensity activities like sprinting and jumping, that cause you to become winded and fatigued, forcing you to stop within a 30 to 90 seconds. 

By training both of these systems you will become more fit and able to walk at faster, harder paces.  The easiest way to implement this into your existing walk routine is to perform timed bouts of fast walking followed by slow, recovery walking.  This can be accomplished using the walking techniques described in the previous walking pace articles. 

Start with a warm up walk lasting between 10 and 15 minutes and then pick up your pace to a 30 to 60 second speed walk, followed by 1 to 3 minutes of leisurely paced, health walking.  Once you feel that you have adequately recovered you can go back to a moderate fitness paced walk.  Every time you do a 30 to 60 second speed pace, follow it up with a 1 to 2 minute recovery pace.   Start with two or three of these bouts equally disbursed within your walk, then add in another every few weeks as desired.

The ratio is the time difference between the fast, work pace and the slow, recovery pace.  Typically you begin with a 1 to 3 ratio.  That means the recovery pace is 3 times the length of the work pace.  For example:

30 seconds fast – 1.5 minutes slow (1 to 3 ratio)
or,  1 minute fast – 3 minutes slow  (1 to 3 ratio)

As you get in better condition for intervals you can reduce the ratio to 1 to 2

30 seconds fast – 1 minute slow (1 to 2 ratio)
Or, 1 minute fast – 2 minutes slow (1 to 2 ratio)

It can be a lot of fun trying different ratios. Soon you’ll be cruising down the road with greater speed and energy.  But don’t overdue it... interval training is quite intense so limit these types of training sessions to no more than a few times per week.

Many of the abilities and improvements you will be working on in this three part series go hand and hand because of the cross over between strength, power and speed... so feel free to use a variety of these suggested programs during your week, month and/or year...

Remember, walking is essential for joint health and for managing arthritis and managing osteoporosis.  Try these walking programs and you might walk in the next race!

Join a Walk it Prevention team!

Come and visit us at Booth #2 at the Seattle Marathon Health&Fitness Expo next weekend, November 28&29th at the Westin Hotel.  We will be giving away lots of free samples of energy supplements and glucosamine and chondroitin and coupons. 

The expo features more than 50 health and fitness vendors where you can purchase and sample anything from running shoes, clothing to supplements such as ours and food.  Go to www.seattlemarathon.org for more information.

I was there last year and it was a lot of fun.  It's a very nice location with lots to do and great restaurants.  They even have the tree lighting ceremony very close to the hotel that same weekend.  

If you are running or walking in the marathon - good luck to you!  One of these days I'm going to do it too - at least walk the half marathon.  I was at the finish line last year and it was very emotional.  Maybe next year!

In a previous post I wrote about health walking, which includes a leisurely paced stroll with focus on good posture and relaxed arm swing.  Now that you have done this for a few weeks, it's time to step it up to fitness walking.

In this style of walking pick up the pace (13 to 15 minutes per mile) by focusing on a few additional factors, in particular your arm swing and foot strike.  This style of walking will increase both your pace and the amount of calories and muscles used in the activity.  It will easily take you from moderate to more a more vigorous state of exercise.  It's great for overall joint health and increased energy. 

Fitness Walking Tips
The following technique tips will help you perform fitness walking with good form and mechanics.

• Maintain good posture.
• Flex the elbows to approximately 90 degrees. Let them swing forward and back without crossing the center of the body or swinging higher than the top of the sternum. Keep elbows close to sides.
• Speed up the arm swing to speed up the leg action
• The hips will rotate slightly in a natural motion.
• Land on the heel of the foot with the forefoot raised.
• Roll from the heel to the ball of the foot.
• Forcefully push off the forefoot.
• Lean slightly forward from the ankles, not the waist.

To help keep your joints flexible and strong, make sure to take glucosamine and chondroitin supplements each day.  You will notice the difference as you increase your walking intensity.  Try alternating one day of health walking with one day of fitness walking until you build up your stamina. 

Healthy Eating Habits

1.  Eat breakfast. 
It’s 10 am and you wonder why you are zonking in your morning meeting, yet you flew out the door with a mug of coffee.  All with no food to keep you going.  Food = fuel.  Your car won’t move without gas and your body won’t move very far without fuel.

2.  Eat smaller meals throughout the day.
You’ve heard this one many times right?  Large meals mean more blood flow shunted toward your stomach for digestion and away from your brain.  Less blood flow to your brain = less oxygen to your brain and soon you’ll find yourself drooling with an indentation of your keyboard on your left cheek.  Eat smaller meals more often to keep a constant rate of fuel coming into your body.

3. Steer clear of sugary foods. 
Candy won’t get you very far.  You’ll get a spike of energy then crash.  So seriously, cut the sugary stuff out or at least minimize it.

4. Eat protein at every meal. 
Sure, you’ve heard the old story about turkey and tryptophan and how it can make a person sleepy.  But, in reality, you need a little protein at every meal to keep your blood sugar steady and energy levels even.  I can tell a major difference when I consume protein at every meal.  My current favorite source is nonfat Greek yogurt.  It tastes rich and creamy and has more protein then regular yogurt.

5. Eat the bulk of your calories before you get home for dinner. 
You need energy to function right?  And most of your work comes during the day correct?  So don’t graze like a bird throughout the day then sit down to a nice sized dinner followed by snack after snack after snack while watching Dancing with the Stars.  Instead, make sure you are following #2 above and eating enough food throughout the day to keep you going.  And no, a 230 calorie Lean Cuisine for lunch isn’t enough food in one sitting.

6.  Take your nutritional supplements at the same time each day.
This helps you to remember to take them every day and stay consistent.  If you make it a part of your morning routine, it is less likely you will forget.  Calcium supplements can be split up and taken in the morning and again at night, for better absorption.

Have you voted yet for your favorite energy video?  All of our videos are being hosted on YouTube.com and can be viewed there as well as on our site.

"Surf's Up" by American Film Institute student director, Anna Hauger, is currently the most watched video on YouTube.  It is unique because it combines animation and real images in a really cool, entertaining way.  It is very well done and is definitely one of my favorites.  Watch it here!




Make sure to view all the videos and vote on which one is your favorite.  Plus, enter for a chance to win a year's supply of energy!

Who doesn’t need more energy to get through the day?  Or just to get through a single news segment about the economy?  I know I could use a cup of tea to relax and a healthy snack whenever I turn on CNBC.  Try the Power Foods listed below along with a daily exercise program and you will have more energy and be healthier overall.

Power Foods:

• Lean sources of red meat (your best source of iron and zinc!)
• Eggs! Eat a yolk or two, they contain choline which is necessary for optimal brain functioning
• Berries – rich in the antioxidant anthocyanins
• Vegetables, non-starchy varieties, high in fiber and antioxidants
• Fruit
• Oatmeal (throw some dried berries in there while cooking and they’ll plump up and add a nice sweet taste and load of antioxidants)
• Low-fat dairy
• Whole grain pasta or bread, brown rice, barley, quinoa
• Water and tea – drink up!

Take nutitional supplements each day and choose healthy energy supplements  or energy drinks with less sugar and caffeine and B vitamins whenever you need that extra kick.

Have a fun and safe Halloween!  Check out the blog post on "Healthy Halloween Treats" for some great ideas!  Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, my kids think they are too old to trick-or-treat this year.  That means no candy for me!

In celebration of Halloween, I picked one of our energy drink videos for you to watch which features a great costume.  This video by American Film Institute film student and director, Scott C. Silver, is titled "Stuntman".  It is one of the funnest films you can watch over and over again.  Don't forget to View, Vote&Win in our energy sweepstakes! 

Best Costume Video

 

Everyone seems to have jumped on the yoga train lately... and for good reason.  This often mis-understood form of mind/body exercise is a wonderful way to increase energy, great for managing arthritis and joint pain and reducing the stresses and strains in your body... and life.  The art of Yoga dates back centuries, originating in India as part of a ritual discipline to control, purify and enlighten the mind/body through a variety of forms or schools of practice related to Hindu philosophy.

Hatha Yoga is the style that many people associate with the word "Yoga" today. It has steadily increased in popularity in our western society due to the emphasis on physical health and vitality of the body through the practice of asana (body poses) and pranayama (breath control).
 
The sun salutation is a foundational movement series in Hatha Yoga.  For those with limited time, the Sun Salutation is excellent because it stretches and strengthens all the major muscle groups in the body while also exercising the respiratory system. It consists of a sequence of twelve positions linked by continuous flowing motion. Each position counteracts the one before, stretching, expanding and contracting the body in a different way as you coordinate the movements with a series of five deep breaths.

I have found that this simple series of 12 poses can be performed at various paces to take you from tired to revitalize or from tense and tight to limber and released in about 5 minutes.  Add in some Yoga breathing techniques and you may also experience a great endorphin high.  Endorphins are naturally released chemicals that make you feel wonderful at the end of an invigorating workout. They are believed to enhance the immune system, relieve pain, reduce stress, and postpone the aging process. 

Performance Technique:
This series can be used as a warm up to a more vigorous activity, as a mid day break from a stagnant position or as a great relaxation after a hard workout.  Making it the ideal anytime movement series.  The faster you progress from one move to the next the more heat and energy you build up.  The slower you go through each posture, enjoying the feel of each position, the more relaxing it can be.

Breathing Technique:
Each position alternates between an extended and flexed or folded position of the spine. You will inhale during the extensions and exhale as you flex or bend.  Try to use a full Yoga breathing technique.  This involves slowly filling up your abdomen then chest as you inhale followed by exhaling emptying the chest followed by the abdomen.  Be sure to breath smoothly in and out through your nose.  

Sun Salutation 12 Step Series:

Step 1: Stand tall with feet together and hands palm to palm, at heart level.
Step 2: Inhale, keeping the palms together and stretch the arms up towards the sky as you extend your spine, bending slightly backward. Keep your abdominals held in.
Step 3: Exhale and slowly flex or bend forward with your spine, until your hands touch your shins or feet.  Keep your head tucked towards your knees.
Step 4: Inhale and step back with the right leg into a deep lung position while extending your spine and lifting your head towards the sky.  Keep your hands on the ground with one on each side of the front foot.
Step 5:  Exhale and bring the left foot back next to the right while lifting the hips towards the sky.  Keep the arms straight along side of your ears, forming an A frame with the body. You may want to stay in this inverted position (known as the downward dog position) for several deep breaths.
Step 6:  Slowly lower the body towards the floor, touching the knees, chest and forehead to the ground.
Step 7: Inhale as you straighten the arms, lift the chest and extend the spine towards the sky, arching your back as much as you comfortably can.  You pelvis and thighs stay on the ground.
Step 8:  Exhale as step up with your left leg and get back into the downward dog position performed in step 5.
Step 9:  Inhale and step back with the right leg into the deep lung position used in step 4.  Hands on the ground, head and spine lifted towards the sky.
Step 10: Exhale and slowly bend forward as in step 3; Hands on shins or feet and head tucked towards your knees. 
Step 11: Inhale and raise the arms upward as you extend the spine back repeating the position in step 2.
Step 12: Exhale as you finish he series by returning to the first position, stand with both feet touching and hands together, palm-to-palm, at the heart.

To see illustrations of these visit http://santosha.com/asanas/suryanamaskar.html 

One round of Sun Salutation consists of two reps through the series of 12 poses, the first leading with the right foot in steps 4 and 10, the second leading with the left. Start by doing 2 to 4 four rounds and gradually build up to 8 to 12 rounds.

Modification Technique: 
For beginners or those with limited back mobility and or leg flexibility, the best way to modify the series is to bend the knees slightly during all of the flexed or folded postures (#’s 3, 5, 8,&10) and to reduce the arch in the back during the extended postures (#’s 2, 4, 7, 9&11).

 

....B Vitamins that is.

Not all energy supplements are created equal when it comes to B vtamin content.  Many energy drinks do not have any or only contain one or two - usually B12 and B6.  It's important to look for energy supplements that contain B Complex vitamins, a combination of all the various forms that work together to produce energy in our body.

B vitamins help convert food into energy; without enough B viamins, you may feel sluggish.  View a list of B vitamins and their food sources here.

Some Americans, especially those over 65 years of age, fall short either from consuming too little of a certain vitamin or from a decrease in absorption.  The most common deficiencies in this age groups are B12 and B6.

If you want to get your B's from an energy drink or shot, look for one with the most complete B-Complex formula.  Also choose energy supplements that contain antioxidants, herbs and amino acids to help the body sustain a healthy energy level.

Enter now for your chance to win a year's supply of energy - the natural way!

As a continuation on my post about choosing more natural energy drinks or shots as energy supplements, it's important to know how much caffeine it contains and caffeine sources.

Most energy supplements, whether they are drinks, shots or pills, contain some amount of caffeine.  Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system, increasing our attention span and focus, but there can be too much of a good thing. 

Individuals sensitive to caffeine may opt for a product with low caffeine content.  A typical cup of coffee has about 100 mg of caffeine.  Select one with no more than 100 mg especially if you are sensitive.

Compare the caffeine content now of leading energy drinks and shots.

Also, caffeine can come from many different sources.  Some energy products do not reveal exactly how much caffeine there is on the label so read carefully!

Caffeine is found in the beans, leaves or fruit of over 60 plants such as guaranine, coffee, black, green and white tea and even cholocolate or cocoa.  If the label doesn't indicat total caffeine content, don't buy it.  You may end up feeling more wired than simply alert and focused.

Don't forget to View, Vote & Win in the Viewer's Choice Sweepstakes!

There are so many energy drinks or shots available now - how do you choose?  Here is one important ingredient to take a good look at before purchasing your next energy in a bottle or can.

Amount of sugar
Try to look for ones containing no more than 15 g per serving.  Some energy drinks contain huge amounts sugar and calories, so the energy boost you get is actually your blood sugar spiking which will most likely cause a crash later on.

Dare to Compare the leading energy supplements, drinks or shots. 

Make sure to look at the energy supplements serving size when comparing - some cans or bottles contain as many as 3 servings and most people drink the whole thing at one time.  If there are 2 servings and you consume the entire container, you would need to double the ingredient amounts including sugar, calories and caffeine.

Choose either sugar-free energy supplements or look for products made with a small amount of natural sweeteners like organic cane juice.

I prefer the organically sweetened version.  It has a great flavor and no aftertaste.  I find the perfect time to take it is right after lunch.  It gives me enough energy boost to get through the afternoon when I sometimes get a little sleepy at my desk writing my next blog post!  It lasts long enough to get through my workout after work or for playing volleyball that night.

Don't forget to view, vote and enter for a chance to win a year's supply of all day energy shot!  Enter now!

 

The new energy shot site has been live for a few days and it has been very interesting and exciting to watch the results of the voting for the energy videos.  These videos were submitted by students from the American Film Institute in California, a very prestitgous film school.

I'm not going to reveal who is winning so far but I have to say it is very surprising! 

All of the videos are also featured on You Tube! 

"Castaways" is one of my favorites - watch it here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWPQos78JA8 .  The quality of this video and all the energy videos is amazing.

Make sure to view, vote & win now!  You could win a year's supply of energy the natural way - an energy supplement drink without all the sugar or artificial ingredients and only 2 oz. 

Which ones are your favorite and why?  Send me your comments!

The new ALL DAY Energy website is now live at www.wellesseallday.com!  The new site features videos submitted by American Film Institute students.  You can view the videos, which are also featured on You Tube, and then vote for your favorite.  The videos are fun to watch and very well done.

After voting enter the sweepstakes for a chance to win a year's supply of energy plus lots of other prizes.

The new site explains how the ingredients in the energy shot work together to give a natural energy boost and maintain mental focus and endurance in the "How it Works" section.  Once of the articles by expert Marie Spano, MS, RD, talks about what to look for in choosing an energy drink or shot.

Also included is information about B vitamins and caffeine and exercising.  Great information! 

The goal of this new site is to give the more comprehensive information than any other energy supplements or drinks currently on the web.  I think we have accomplished this in a fun and informative way.

Visit the new site now at www.wellesseallday.com and vote for your favorite video!

Setting the right goal is the most important step in starting a new fitness program... unfortunately it is often underestimated or completely overlooked.  How often do you hear people tell you that they joined a health club last year, but never go? Or they lost 5 pounds only to put back on 10? These unfortunate endings could have been prevented if the right goals were established in the beginning of the process.  

So how do you set the right goals and then actually achieve them?

The first thing to keep in mind is that most fitness related goals need at least 12 weeks for you to see measurable results.  Most people give up just about the time their bodies start changing.

Secondly, you need to focus on one primary goal at a time. Then it is important for you to have a way to monitor and track how you’re doing during the process.  And finally after the 12- weeks are over, you should re-establish a new goal based on your training results.  In doing so you are creating smaller more manageable goal increments. Success of any type often happens in small steps rather than unrealistic leaps.

Use the following steps to select the right fitness goal:

Meaningful: Make sure you’re goal is something that is truly meaningful in the ‘now’...

List 3 things you really want to change or improve about your body (in order of priority)
1.
2.
3.
(For example: 1. Lose weight; 2. Improve Joint Health; 3. Tone up)

Measurable: Now look at the three goals you listed and decide if and how you can measure them.

1. ____________________________
2. ____________________________
3. ____________________________

(For example: Lose weight: measure by scale; Feel better: self evaluation of energy level; less joint pain; Tone up lower body: tape measure)

Manageable: Take another look at your potential goals and decide which might be the most manageable, realistic and achievable over a twelve-week training period.

List the increment you would be trying to achieve per week.
1. __________________per week
2. __________________per week
3. __________________per week

(for example: Lose weight: 1 pound; Feel better:10%;  Tone up: lose ¼ inch off hips and/or thighs)

This process will help you recognize which of your potential goals might be the best to work on first.  Once you have achieved your goal, you can continue on the same path, advance the measurement or start working on one of the remaining two goals.

This systematic approach to goal setting and achievement can make the difference between ‘success’ or ‘depress’ when it comes to your next fitness program... so get goal setting and GO!

It’s back to school time already!  With our busy schedules before and after school it can be difficult to find time to exercise for anyone in the family unless the kids are in an organized sport like soccer or baseball. 

One scary statistic is that although over 25 million American children are participating in organized sports, we still have a huge group of de-conditioned children who aren’t getting off the bench (or couch for that matter)—we have 50% more overweight children than 20 years ago and 30 to 60% of today’s kids have at least one risk of heart disease by age 10.

Our schools have cut back on physical education to the point where the non- athlete has very little physical movement opportunity throughout the school day.  PE is no longer mandatory in high school past the 9th grade, and most elementary schools don’t have the budget for a fitness professional, which basically leaves PE to unequipped and overburdened homeroom teachers.

Basically we need to face up to the fact that our children’s health and fitness program has to start with family lifestyle choices...and what better time then the ‘back to school’ season to start a new family fitness program.

Here are some helpful hints to get your family moving in the right direction:

• Help your kids learn to enjoy physical movement...This starts with you, be a positive role model!
• Provide them with a wide range of sports and fitness activities. Keep in mind that a wide variety of physical experiences carry over into ones ability to enjoy recreational activities, so try not to limit your child’s choices.
• Volunteer whenever possible to help out with sporting teams and or school fitness programs. It gets you out there and shows your kids that you really care.
• Make it clear to your child that physical activity is good and needs to become an integral part of daily life.
• Find excuses to move more, whether it’s walking with them to school or racing them during simple tasks like taking out the trash or carrying in the groceries.
• Keep a activity chart on the wall and start a friendly family competition based on how many minutes a week you do some type of organized exercise.
• Reward positive physical changes... create your own biggest ‘winner’ contest.
• Avoid getting your child into a highly competitive sport too soon (typically before 8) and make sure they are mature enough to know what they are committing to if they join a specialized team.
• If playing organized sports, praise them for what they do well or try to do well and don’t worry about the score or the competition.

Most importantly, Have Fun!  You may find that you that you enjoy it as much as your kids and have more energy than before!

I'm so excited!  We are getting ready to launch a brand new website for our energy supplement very soon.  This is always one of the favorite parts of my job - creating and launching fresh new websites with all new features and graphics. It's like buying a new car or a whole new wardrobe. We have been working hard on this site for a couple of months now and its really looking great. 

We decided to do this as a separate website enable to give in-depth information about the energy 2 oz shot, but also present it in a really fun and dynamic way.  It will feature such pages as "Dare to Compare" and "People are Talking" and "How it Works".  Visitors will be able to get in depth information on the ingredients and other news and information regarding the energy drink.

The site will also feature videos for visitors to vote on.  These videos were submitted by first year film students from AFI - American Film Institute - a very prestigious film school in California.  Each film student was told to incorporate the energy product into the video in a fun and creative way.  They turned out amazingly great!  These students are really talented.  Make sure you check them out and vote on your favorite and then enter to win the Viewers Choice Video Sweepstakes for a year's supply of energy!

Check back soon to find out when the site launches and to vote on your favorite video!

Part 2 of Series on Exercise Gear

Exercise Wear
One of the first questions I often get when doing senior fitness orientations at my health club is ... what should I wear when exercising?  Well besides the right shoe (see part 1: Does the shoe fit) the next most important thing to have is the right exercise clothing.  Three things to think about when selecting your exercise where are comfort, breath-ability and layering.
 

• When it comes to comfort seniors will want to make sure clothing covers what they need to but doesn’t restrict full range movement or have any tight or irritating elastic banding. 
  
• By breath-ability I mean the ability for the material to release heat energy and possibly even decrease the sweat on your skin, often referred to as wicking sweat away.  This type of material helps with the evaporation of sweat and is quick cooling. Wicking-material clothes are typically found in the running or walking department of sporting good stores.
   
• And last but not least is the layering factor.  As we age our internal body temperature seems to be a bit out of whack.  I find that half my senior exercisers are always too cold and the other half heats up too fast.  It takes a bit longer for senior bodies to catch up with environmental changes... Thus those who are cold have a hard time warming up and those who run hot have a harder time cooling off.  Therefore, having a way of warming up or cooling off by putting on or taking off an extra layer of clothing is important.  For the cool senior it will be important to always bringing along a sweat or fleece jacket.  For those hotties it means making sure that they have short or non sleeved shirts on under their outer-wear and switching to shorter pants or legging.  
  
  In my next post I will talk about choosing the right kind of exercise equipment depending on why kind of exercises you want to do.  Remember exercise is very important for overall bone and joint health as you get older.  It's important to stay active and keep those joints moving!