In the loopy world of blogs, this is the first post you'll see. For us, it's the last.

From the time this blog launched with several contributors, it has always been in a bit of a gerrymandered space between the sports and health worlds, with some transportation and food thrown in.

We've lost some voices in the year since then, so it's with some relief that those of us still active move to Picture of Health this month. We hope you'll come with us so we won't have to miss you.

It's been fun. Thanks for all the comments!

Photo credit: Getty Images

Posted by Patrick Maynard at 6:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
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Kirstie Alley is well known for a weight that goes up ... and down ... and up ... you get the idea.

That continued today with news that the comedian had dropped 100 pounds. Good for her. Conveniently, it involved several products she was marketing. If that helps other people stay healthy, more power to her.

Before she was widely known as the Amazing Self-Vending Yo Yo, however, Alley had already waged a slightly different type of public health campaign. Here's Alley as the Tooth Fairy in 1997:

I remember my sister watching this around the time I got my wisdom teeth removed. The writers' noir script for this scene won't unseat Dashiell Hammett anytime soon on my list of favorites, but it brought a nice bit of levity to an otherwise painful situation.

For what it's worth, I consider Alley's real-life attitude toward her weight to be healthier than many celebrities' way of approaching things. I've never seen her fall below what I would consider a health threshold, and there's something to be said for that.

Posted by Patrick Maynard at 10:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Diet, General Fitness, Media, Nutrition
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Here are five beach ideas for cool, post-Labor-Day weather. Add yours for a chance to win a specially modified badminton set.

>>> Go fly a kite. The Maryland International Kite Expo is in the spring, but kites are functional in any season. The adventurous can try variations, such as kitecarting. Either way, flying a large kite can be excellent full-body exercise.

>>> Go be a kite. I learned about skatesailing from my dad. This one is winter-specific, since it requires a solidly frozen surface. Don't be dumb -- the usual rules for skating apply. Come to think of it, it's probably safer in general just to ice skate. That will still give you a good workout.

Continue reading "Labor Day contest: What do you do on a cold day at the beach?" »

Posted by Patrick Maynard at 11:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: General Fitness, Outdoors, Swimming, Weekend
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The winner of the “Deadline Fitness” book stepped up to claim it.

The book went to Jen!

Posted by Andrea Siegel at 5:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
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We were hoping to give away the book Deadline Fitness, which lays out a three-month diet-exercise plan as well as how to deal with short-term fitness crises.

We're waiting to hear back from our lone entrant to give it away ...

Posted by Andrea Siegel at 6:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: General Fitness
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A healthy outdoors option for Sunday, which just happens to be National Trails Day:

Walk the Heart Smart Trail at Gunpowder Falls State Park.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources and Franklin Square Hospital Center are scheduled to reopen it with festvities from 1 to 3 pm Sunday, according to a news release we received.

The walking path is one mille long.

Events include a ribbon cutting ceremony, health awareness activities, and raffles, prizes and outdoorsy fun. Pets are welcome.

And of course there are health benefits to taking a walk.

The action will be at the park's Sweathouse Branch Area, Belair Road / Route 1 in Kingsville.

Posted by Andrea Siegel at 2:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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We have a winner of the abs-core book: Congrats to Peter. He told us -- like a number of you did -- that planks are a key part of his abs/core workout.

Me, never done them, but you're motivating me to try.

If you're goal-oriented -- timewise, that is -- you might be interested in another book. This one's called "Deadline Fitness," and it's by Gina Lombardi, celebrity fitness coach, with health-workout author Linda Villarosa.

The idea here is to assess your eating and exercise habits, then set goals that are realistic for you to achieve in three months. This means that with a reasonable short-term commitment, you can, for example, see toning in your arms that you can show off in our hot summer, trim you middle and feel great about reaching goals.

I think the section on exactly how to ratchet up your exercise as you work toward goals is particularly helpful. There's also one on dealing with an emergency one-week deadline, instead of three-month program -- which looks extreme to me, but sure gives you perspective on fitness and weight loss.

Interested? Same deal as last week. This time, tell us what one-week exercise program has helped your body "emergency" and you're in the running for the book. Emails by Monday night!

Posted by Andrea Siegel at 5:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
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The belly dancing post and comments got me thinking about abs and core muscles. I wasn't doing crunches, just thinking.

In their recent book, "The New Rules of Lifting for Abs," conditioning specialist Lou Schuler and strength coach Alwyn Gosgrove point out that you could look ripped but still have a weak core. And you could have a strong core -- including abs -- without the glamour abs. But, they write, no matter the appearance, core muscles' strength and stability are important for health and spine safety. All of that is aside from diet and nutrition, let alone weight control.

I've skimmed through the book. It's aimed not just at men. It is billed as for men and women looking to develop a strong core.

It has an abs workout program that the authors recommend doing three times a week. It also has a three-phase strength program (with pictures of buff people demonstrating exercises) and it includes options for exercising when you've got space or social anxiety restrictions. Many exercises require nothing beyond a floor to stand on, but some use suspension trainers, kettlebells and other equipment.

Interested in getting the book? Between now and Sunday night, give us a description of a core/abs exercise that's working for you. No crunches! Names go into a bag, and we'll yank out a name at random and contact the winner.

Posted by Andrea Siegel at 5:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (14)
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I heard that belly dancing is a great workout, especially for abs and core. So when my gym offered a free trial class the other week, I was there. I was sore for a few days, which is probably a testament to my need for it.

As a first-timer, I spent most of the hour trying to figure out how to isolate hips, abs and shoulders. Each body section essentially does its own thing to give the dancer graceful movement and, ideally, a toned body. I was anything but coordinated as I tried what the instructor called a washing-machine hip shimmy. And I nearly fell over raising one hip to complete a multi-step circle. I tried swirling a scarf in my arms the way my experienced classmates were doing, but got tangled in it. So much for being graceful. As much as this is exercise, it's clearly an art.

Only two of us in this small group were first-timers. Most of the women had been taking the class for a year or less and they said it helped their posture, strengthened their arms and abs. One woman has been doing it for years, and it shows.

I expect that I'll return to the class occasionally. It was a fun, low-impact break from my regular exercise routines, and that's something we probably all need every so often. If only I could be graceful at it!

Posted by Andrea Siegel at 5:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: General Fitness, Gym, Newbies
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Each week a nutritionist from the University of Maryland Medical Center will provide a post on nutrition topics. Have questions or ideas for future topics? Email healthsci@baltsun.com. This week, Robin Rudner, RD, LDN, (pictured) weighs in on workplace fitness.     

If you stare at a computer all day or have a sedentary job, you may believe it is simply impossible to achieve your health and fitness goals while at work. After all, your day is extremely busy, filled with lots of phone calls, paperwork and other administrative duties. Who has time to take long breaks from work anyway, right? What if staying fit at work didn't take as much effort as you thought? Below are some fun and easy ways to stay on track with your day-to-day health and fitness goals.
 

1. Get up and fidget more often. Are you emailing or texting your coworker who is down the hall or in the cubicle on the other side of the office? Try walking over to his/her cubicle instead. Remember that every step counts. Research shows that people who fidget and move more throughout the day burn more calories than their counterparts. A pedometer is a great way to stay motivated and get extra steps in. Your goal is to aim for 10,000 steps each day.
 

2. Take the stairs more often. You've probably heard this time and time again. This doesn't mean you have to take the stairs every time you come and go from your desk, but aim for taking the stairs at least half the time.
 

3. Journal more. There is a lot of research supporting the positive impact journaling has on your overall food intake each day. If you bite it, you write it. Practice this with exercise as well. Journaling holds you accountable and can help you see your progress. Keep your journal with you as often as possible and use it to track meals, beverages and exercise.
 

4. Don't keep tempting foods in your drawer or in sight. Make sure you create an environment that is going to support your health and fitness goals. If you have snacks calling your name from the drawer, you're most likely going to give in. Don't have them around!
 

5. Drink more water and focus on drinking as few calories as possible. Liquid calories don't fill you up the way solid food calories do. A 20 oz soda contains 250 calories and will not satisfy you the way a 250 calorie meal will. If you drink 20 oz of soda every day, you're consuming 91,000 calories which is equivalent to 26 pounds over the course of a year.
 

6. Keep motivating quotes or pictures in sight. Keep sticky notes at your desk and write your goal each day. If your goal is to sneak in exercise, write "MOVE" or "EXERCISE." If your goal is to take the stairs instead of the elevator, write "STAIRS." If the sticky note is in sight, you'll most likely think twice before you take another bite of something that will sabotage your hard efforts.
 

7. Planning is one of the most important factors in achieving your health and fitness goals. The more specific you are in your planning, the more successful you will be. For example, "I will take more steps in the day by taking the stairs 3 times today" vs. a more general goal of "I will be more active today."
 

8. Take a mini break every hour to stretch your legs and walk around. Remember that you don't have to do all of your exercise at once. Doing 10-15 minute increments several times a day is just as beneficial as one 30-60 minute session.
 

9. Go for a walk during lunch. Start a walking club or team up with one or more of your coworkers. The more support you have, the more likely you will stick with your goals. Having a buddy can help keep you motivated and encourage you to stay on track. Try a friendly competition in your office- who can take the most steps each day?
 

10. If you sit at a desk try to tighten your abs, move your calves or tighten your buttocks.
 

Remember when it comes to achieving your health and fitness goals, it takes perseverance, dedication and consistency. Be as specific as you can, but don't be too hard on yourself. If you get off track one day forgive yourself and get right back on track. Remember that each day you are one day stronger, more fit and closer to your goal.

Posted by Kim Walker at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: General Fitness, Nutrition
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Gardening is a combination of diet and fitness: Burn calories and tone muscles while you work to grow the good food you'll be eating.

I love seasoning tomatoes I grow with herbs I grow. I enjoy the beauty of flowering plants and shrubs, with all the butterflies, hummingbirds and even bees they attract. And relaxing in the shade is terrific, including as a place to cool down with an iced tea after exercise.

Last weekend, I was torn between going to the gym and going to the backyard to start preparing the veggie/herb garden and the like.

I did a little of both. Anyone who has gotten busy with their garden knows those activities work arm, leg and back muscles. I actually tried doing a lunge with a little shovel in my hand to attack weeds. It wasn't all that efficient for gardening, but it made for great lunges.

I checked around on the calorie burn and fitness value of gardening. Lots of numbers are out there, and fyi, weeding by hand is good for about 182 cals in 30 minutes. But I found this item, though it's not brand-new, particularly interesting. It shows gardening has health benefits way beyond growing your own yummy organic foods:
http://www.everydayhealth.com/blog/zimney-health-and-medical-news-you-can-use/gardening-is-good-exercise/

If you've got some gardening-exercise tips, share them with us!

Posted by Andrea Siegel at 5:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
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He's the biggest winner and biggest loser: Leonard Frett, a Fort Meade pet care worker, got an armload of goodies for being the overall and individual male biggest loser in the military base's Dump Your Plump contest. He couldn't be happier, and not just because this week he was awarded an iPad, gym bag and more.

Frett, 30, lost 24.8 percent of his body fat and 65 lbs in the 2-month program. And since the last weigh-in earlier this month, he dropped another 10 lbs. Now at 251 lbs, he says he has about 50 to go.

"I got up and 4:30 every morning so I was at Gaffney, the gym, at 5 when it opened. I ran and walked 2 miles on the treadmill," he told me. "Then I did 30 mins on the bicycle and 30 minutes on the elliptical." That was "very hard," but seeing results and staying ahead in a friendly competition with his manager kept him focused.

Top female winner: Air Force Master Sgt. Kat Collins. 17.8 percent of her body fat and 25.4 lbs -- gone. This was the third year of the DYP challenge.

Continue reading "Dump Your Plump winners" »

Posted by Andrea Siegel at 5:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: General Fitness, Gym, Newbies, Nutrition
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I wish I was one of those people who run outdoors year round. Heck, I wish I just ran anywhere year-round. 

But because it's too cold for me in January and February, and I LOATHE the treadmill, I just took more than two months off running, save for a few weekend 6-mile jaunts with friends when the weather was freakishly warm late last month.

On my way home from work this week, I've been pleased to see more and more runners out on the streets. "That reminds me," I thought to myself yesterday, "I really ought to start training."

I've checked the calendar, and sure enough, I've got exactly 10 weeks until my scheduled half marathon. I'm mildly freaking out, and also still having a hard time getting motivated to get my butt outside. Maybe I need a new outfit? Or maybe I just need a hard shove out the door? Signing up for races this summer and fall is getting me excited, but I'm just not quite there yet.

Anyone else gearing up for a spring race? Or looking for inspiration/motivation to get out the door?

By the way, I really admire everyone I know who's running the National Marathon or half marathon in a few weeks. Kudos for training through the winter! And good luck! :)

Posted by Anica Butler at 2:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: General Fitness, National Marathon, Running
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As Dump Your Plump, the 8-week weight-loss/fitness competition at Fort Meade, goes down to its final hours, we talked with a member of Dead Weight, the team in first place on the home stretch.

At the start in January, Matthew Wise, 31, weighed 295. “I’m at 250 now,” he says. Another member lost 17 lbs. And the other two dropped about 15 lbs.

The foursome, civilian youth program workers, has competed every year of DYP. Wise says he, Alonzo Coley, Fran Jamison and Jim Dey ate their way through the winter holidays, made too many fast-food runs and bulked up in time for the start of the third year.

Halfway through this year’s contest, “we all weren’t doing so well. We needed to step it up,” Wise says. That meant stricter adherence to diet and more exercise.

The hardest part? Not cheating on a diet that has junk, burger runs and meal-size snacks off-limits. “Resisting the temptation to grab a slice of pizza when it’s right here in front of you, it’s the hardest,” he says.

Exercise? Twice a day. For Wise, a.m. is a half-hour stationary bike and abs, p.m. is an hour of running or other aerobics.

Motivation? “We don’t want to finish second again,” he says.

We'll find out how this turns out. Meanwhile ...what motivates you in your weight-loss and exercise plan?

Posted by Andrea Siegel at 5:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
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Just as another cold and icy day this week left me with no inspiration to head for the gym, inspiration arrived. The AARP magazine -- yes, the one from the organization for people age 50 and up -- has a piece about the benefits of exercising as we age.

The article includes a fair share of aging medalists who train and still compete. But beyond that, it points to studies of adults who exercise -- and that can be running, playing tennis, swimming, anything that's physical activity. Those show that some of what we've come to think of as inevitable debilitating effects of aging aren't all wrapped up in growing older.

Studies that compared sedentary adults to those who exercised showed that being a couch potato apparently is a huge risk factor for declines in strength, endurance, aerobic capacity and muscle mass in people approaching middle age and beyond.
The people who were fit -- not surprisingly, their aerobic capacity had declined by half as much as in the sedentary middle agers.

For me, that's inspiration to watch tv while I'm on the elliptical instead of on the couch.

To read the article, click here

Posted by Andrea Siegel at 6:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)
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More shopping and partying but less workouts, and all those weekends when I deserved to sleep late and spend no time at the gym -- I am paying for it now.

I slacked off big time. When I went to use the weight machines the other day for the first time in too long, I kept to my previous settings. Was that ever a mistake.

I was sore down to my pinkies afterward. And that is pretty sad, because even my regular settings are wimpy. And I had worked up to those.

Goes to show you how quickly muscles "forget" the routine. This weekend -- I do weights only on the weekend -- 5 lbs comes off on every machine. Maybe 10. I'm wondering how long it'll take to work back up to where I was.

Posted by Andrea Siegel at 6:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
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VitaminWater has come under attack again.

The National Consumers League has fired off a letter to the Federal Trade Commission complaining about "deceptive advertising" and writing that one of the VitaminWater ads implies that drinking the beverage can so strengthen your immune system that a flu shot's unnecessary. It claims ads for the product are misleading, and it wants the government to put an end to the ads touting health benefits that it says aren't proven.

VitaminWater says its contents are right on the label for anyone to see.

Take that as a reminder to read labels. On this one, you'll see that a whole bottle has some vitamins as promised, but also 125 calories. And it's easy to gulp down a whole bottle when you're exercising and thirsty. Me, I drink water at the gym, and then when I'm back home and unwinding, have a cup of nice hot tea, which is after all, mostly water.

Last month, the Brits' agency that regulates advertising said the drink has too much sugar in it to be marketed as nutritious, and over here, consumer groups have whined about the beverage, mostly because of the sugar.

To read about the NCL complaint, click here

Posted by Andrea Siegel at 6:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
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The Green Revolution bike modification company that I wrote about here and here hasn't approached the Maryland Athletic Club, according to the the club's head of personal training programs, Jeff Urban, but he says he's intrigued by the idea.

Urban, who is relatively new to the MAC after a long career elsewhere, told me this morning that the trend he's seen in equipment lately has been away from specialized, high-tech solutions and back toward the basics, with "a lot of studio facilities that have popped up; they'll include bars, weights, ropes and pulleys."

Continue reading "Update on those electricity-generating bikes" »

Posted by Patrick Maynard at 1:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Bicycling, General Fitness, Gym, Technology
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In a nearly-dark room, a crowd of people perspire over their labors, feeding the metal machines around them. A taskmaster stands in front of the group, illuminated by a glowing screen that displays their collective output in watts, constantly egging them toward a more productive work session.

It's not a Fritz Lang dystopia or an Apple commercial: It's a Howard County spinning class on a Saturday morning, and the people seem to be enjoying it quite a bit, thank you.

We'll be publishing more details in a day or two, but for now, the basics are that the Columbia Athletic Club installed more than two dozen new bikes in November. Those bikes were then modified by a Connecticut company, which added generators to the mix, along with an inverter -- a file cabinet-sized device that allows the bikes to feed energy back into the public grid.

Continue reading "More fun than blowing at windmills" »

Posted by Patrick Maynard at 4:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
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Treadmills are the top home exercise machine. Frankly, one that I once had got more use drying clothing than it did anything else. It now lives in someone else's house.

In the February issue, Consumer Reports tested home treadmills and their cousin, ellipticals. The verdict: You don't have to buy the fanciest or priciest to get a decent machine and a decent workout.

The nonprofit consumer organization gave its best-buy rating to seven treadmills, three nonfolding and four folding. Even so, the highly rated nonfolding PaceMAster Platinum Pro VR costs some $2,000. A highly rated folding treadmill, the Horizon T202, costs $800. Three ellipticals got a best-buy rating: the Nautilus E514, the Horizon EX-68 and the Schwinn 420.

Among their tips: Ellipticals elevate you, so make sure you've got enough ceiling clearance. Test out treadmills to make sure they're long enough for your running stride. Spending more $$ on a treadmill usually gets you more horsepower and a sturdier machine. Sturdy design, a good warranty, your comfort and features you really will use are what to look for.

How many shirts it will hold for drying wasn't part of the evaluation.

Posted by Andrea Siegel at 6:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
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A new fitness center a short drive from Thurgood Marshall BWI Airport and Arundel Mills will hold opening festivities from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, with games and prizes and, of course, enrollment deals.

"We are a small boutique luxury club," Danny Tyler, general manager for Merritt's two-week-old Buckingham location near Route 170 and 100, told me. Buckingham is a new community in Hanover.

The plan is to go 24-hours a day soon.

The setup is based on what's called a life fitness journey concept, the company says. It focuses on individual goals with three "neighborhoods" of equipment - cardio, resistance machines and free weights. Within each "neighborhood," machines are grouped by level of fitness.

The idea is that beginners, for example, can start at their level, where most of the equipment is easier, and then as they progress on their "journey," they can move to more challenging resistance machines and free weights in intermediate and advanced levels.

Meritt's Canton center is remodeling using the same concept, and plans are being made for the rest of the company's Baltimore-area locations to get that makeover too.

Posted by Andrea Siegel at 6:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
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Something to consider in business and vacation travel planning: nice hotel gyms.

Many hotel gyms have gotten an upgrade from the dingy closet-like afterthought with three iffy pieces of equipment to a well-kept, spacious fitness center -- if not in the hotel, then a pass to a nearby one. Some hotels tout them on their web sites along with other amenities they've improved in recent years, like the addition of Wi-Fi.

Most don't charge extra, unless that's their arrangement with a fitness center or pool within walking distance -- but you should always ask if there's a charge. Some hotels lend bicycles and fitness gear to guests -- but again, ask about a charge.

Looking for more on this trend? Click here.

And click here

Posted by Andrea Siegel at 6:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Articles/Reports, Bicycling, General Fitness, Gym, Newbies
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