Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Healthy Snack Ideas from WebMD


The Best Healthy Snacks in Your Supermarket

24 snack ideas to satisfy your cravings.

Why do I need to register or sign in for WebMD to save?

We will provide you with a dropdown of all your saved articles when you are registered and signed in.

 

ByElaine Magee, MPH, RD
WebMD Expert Column

Snacking has gotten a bad rap, thanks to our tendency to choose empty-calorie snack foods like candy or chips to ease between-meal cravings. But when your stomach starts growling hours before your next meal, a healthy snack is actually a good idea, to hold off hunger and keep energy levels high.

The supermarkets are full of new products advertised as healthy snacks, many of which come packaged in individual bars, microwaveable cups, and 100-calorie pouches. But which ones pass the test of being both tasty and healthy (or at least not unhealthy)? I recently hit my market and came up with two dozen snacks that satisfy without calorie overkill.

These may not be "perfect" snacks, mind you. Some are a bit higher in sugar, saturated fat, or sodium than I would like. But most have:

·         Enough calories to be satisfying, but not so many that the snack becomes a meal.

·         Less fat and saturated fat than other similar snacks.

·         Whole grain and fiber, protein, and/or other nutrients that give them staying power.

Here are my picks for healthier supermarket snacks, whether you feel like having something sweet, something cool and creamy, something crunchy, or something hot and filling.

Healthy Snacks: Something Sweet

My five sweet snack choices include a higher-fiber pastry, creamy pudding, and three higher-fiber cookies.

Fat-Free Sugar-Free Instant Pudding (made with nonfat or 1% milk), various brands, 1.4-ounce box makes 2 cups. Per 1/2-cup serving made with nonfat milk: 80 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 6 g protein, less than 1 g fiber, 7 g sugar (from the natural sugar in milk).

Fiber One Bars (variousflavors, such as Blueberry), 6 pastries per box. Each pastry has 190 calories, 4 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 4 g protein, 5 g fiber, 15 g sugar

Nabisco 100% Whole Grain Fig Newtons, 1 pound bag. Fig Newtons have gone whole grain! Two cookies have 110 calories, 2 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 1 g protein, 2 g fiber, 12 g sugar (some of which comes from the figs).

South Beach Living Fiber Fit Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies, 6 individual packs per 5.1 ounce box. Among the ingredients in South Beach cookie packs are whole-grain wheat flour, high-oleic canola oil, and oat fiber. The sweeteners include sugar, maltitol (a sugar alcohol), sucralose (Splenda) and acesulfame potassium. Each pack of the double chocolate chunk variety has 100 calories, 5 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 1 g protein, 5 g fiber, 5 g sugar (2 g sugar alcohol).

South Beach Living Fiber Fit Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies, 6 packs per 5.1 ounce box. Each pack has 100 calories, 5 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 1 g protein, 5 g fiber, 5 g sugar (2 g sugar alcohol).

 

Healthy Snacks: Frozen Treats

For a frozen dessert to be satisfying, it needs to have some protein and fiber along with the carbohydrate calories. These two choices have a few grams each of protein and fiber.

Healthy Choice Fudge Bars, 6 bars per box. Per bar: 80 calories, 1.5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 3 g protein, 4 g fiber, 4 g sugars, 3 g sugar alcohols.

Skinny Cow Chocolate Truffle Bars, 6 bars per box. Per bar: 100 calories, 2.5 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 3 g protein, 3 g fiber, 12 g sugars, 0 g sugar alcohols.

Healthy Snacks: Something Crunchy

There are lots of fancy crackers on the shelf. But one of the best is an oldie but goodie: Reduced Fat Triscuits. Some of the newer crackers are either high in fat and saturated fat, or low in fiber (even some types that sound like they'd have plenty of fiber.)

In this list, you'll also find heart-healthy mixed nuts and two types of microwave popcorn that offer a more healthful option for all those popcorn addicts out there.

And, in case you like some protein along with your crunch, Bumble Bee Tuna now offers a fat- free tuna salad kit complete with low-fat wheat crackers. There's not much in the way of fiber, but the 9 grams of protein could be just what you need in a filling afternoon snack.

Nabisco Reduced Fat Triscuit Crackers, 8.5-ounce box. Per 7 crackers (1 ounce): 120 calories, 3 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 3 g protein, 3 g fiber, 160 mg sodium.

Planters Nut*rition Heart Healthy Mix, 9.75-ounce can. These contribute smart fat: 8 grams of monounsaturated fat and 5 grams polyunsaturated fat. Per ounce: 170 calories, 16 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 6 g protein, 3 g fiber, 45 mg sodium.

Orville Redenbacher’s Smart Pop, 3 bags per box. Per 3 tablespoons unpopped: 120 calories, 2 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 4 g protein, 4 g fiber, 240 mg sodium.

Smart Balance Light Butter Popcorn (no Diacetyl added), 3 bags per box. Per 2 tablespoons unpopped: 120 calories, 4.5 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 3 g protein, 4 g fiber, 290 mg sodium.

Bumble Bee Fat Free Tuna Salad Kit (with low-fat wheat crackers). Per kit: 150 calories, 1.5 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 9 g protein, less than 1 g fiber, 580 mg sodium.

Healthy Snacks: Something Hot

The first type of product listed under the "something hot" category consists of microwavable entrees. These products come in handy stored in your desk at the office or in your pantry (the kids can fix them themselves in a pinch). Just remember to recycle the packaging. Many parts are recyclable.

 

Healthy Choice Fresh Mixers, Rotini & Zesty Marinara Sauce, 6.95-ounce microwavable container. The sauce is made with some dynamite ingredients, like tomato puree, crushed tomatoes and tomato paste, fire-roasted onions, burgundy wine reduction, and extra virgin olive oil. 300 calories, 3.5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 10 g protein, 7 g fiber, 600 mg sodium.

Safeway Eating Right, Whole Wheat Ravioli with Cheese, 2 servings per 15-ounce microwavable cup. Per 1-cup serving: 160 calories, 2.5 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 6 g protein, 4 g fiber, 520 mg sodium.

If you've got access to a toaster oven, these two frozen treats are sure to satisfy:

Ore Ida Bagel Bites 3-Cheese, 9 bagel bites per small box. Per 4 bagel bites: 210 calories, 6 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 9 g protein, 2 g fiber, 400 mg sodium.

Lean Pockets made with Whole Grain Turkey, Broccoli & Cheese, 2 pockets. Per pocket: 260 calories, 7 g fat, 3.5 g saturated fat, 10 g protein, 4 g fiber, 390 mg sodium.

A cup of lower-fat, higher-fiber soup also makes a good healthy snack, whether it comes in a microwavable cup or in a can.

Healthy Choice Minestrone Soup Cup, 14 ounces. Per 1-cup serving: 130 calories, 1 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 6 g protein, 5 g fiber, 400 mg sodium.

Healthy Choice Country Vegetable Soup Cup, 14 ounces. Per 1-cup serving: 100 calories, 0.5 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 4 g protein, 5 g fiber, 480 mg sodium.

Healthy Choice Chicken Tortilla Soup Cup, 14 ounces. Per 1-cup serving: 160 calories, 1.5 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 10 g protein, 6 g fiber, 470 mg sodium.

Campbell’s Chunky Healthy Request Vegetable Soup, 18.8-ounce can (2 cups). Per cup: 120 calories, 1 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 4 g protein, 4 g fiber, 480 mg sodium.

Campbell’s Select Harvest Light Vegetable with Pasta Soup, 18.6-ounce can (2 cups). Per cup: 120 calories, 1 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 6 g protein, 8 g fiber, 960 sodium.

Amy’s Organic Soups Lentil Soup, 18-ounce can (2 cups). Per cup: 150 calories, 4.5 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 8 g protein, 9 g fiber, 590 mg sodium.

Amy’s Organic Soups Lowfat Black Bean Vegetable Soup, 18-ounce can (2 cups). Per cup: 130 calories, 1.5 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 6 g protein, 5 g fiber, 430 mg sodium.

Sometimes, there's nothing more soothing than a serving of hot cereal. The Quaker Weight Control line of instant oatmeal is packed with fiber, each packet contributing a whopping 6 grams! It's also much lower in sugar than your average instant oatmeal, with only 1 gram per serving. It does contain the alternative sweetener sucralose (Splenda).

 

Quaker Instant Oatmeal Weight Control Cinnamon, 8 packets per box

($2.50 to $4.89). Per packet: 160 calories, 3 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 7 g protein, 6 g fiber, 270 mg sodium.

Elaine Magee, MPH, RD, is the "Recipe Doctor" for the WebMD Weight Loss Clinic and the author of numerous books on nutrition and health. Her opinions and conclusions are her own.

 

 

 

Skinny Kitchen from WebMD



A Fresh Take on "Good for You"

 
The opinions expressed in WebMD User-generated content areas like communities, reviews, ratings, or blogs are solely those of the User, who may or may not have medical or scientific training. These opinions do not represent the opinions of WebMD. User-generated content areas are not reviewed by a WebMD physician or any member of the WebMD editorial staff for accuracy, balance, objectivity, or any other reason except for compliance with our Terms and Conditions. Some of these opinions may contain information about treatments or uses of drug products that have not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. WebMD does not endorse any specific product, service or treatment.

Do not consider WebMD User-generated content as medical advice. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified healthcare provider because of something you have read on WebMD. You should always speak with your doctor before you start, stop, or change any prescribed part of your care plan or treatment. WebMD understands that reading individual, real-life experiences can be a helpful resource, but it is never a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a qualified health care provider. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or dial 911 immediately.


Monday, November 12, 2012


By David Grotto, RD, LDN

What’s standing in the way of having the body you always wanted? Maybe it’s your kitchen!

After visiting hundreds of patients in their homes, I’ve stumbled on one undeniable fact: skinny people “do kitchens” differently than those who aren’t so svelte. And it’s not just that thin folks spend more face time with their kitchens, it’s what’s in their “skinny kitchens” that’s dramatically different than their weight-challenged counterparts. The kitchen, as it turns out, contains secrets that are the linchpin to long-term success in managing weight and health. So what are these secrets? I’ve narrowed them down into four key areas. This week, I’ll let you in on secret #1.

Skinny Secret #1: Stock a Skinny Pantry

Fill your pantry and fridge with these essentials to keep hunger at bay, belly bulges busted, and metabolisms boosted:

Hunger and Calorie-Blockers:

High-protein breakfast foods like eggs and Greek yogurt keep hunger at bay for hours compared to carb-laden breakfast choices.

High-fiber foods such as whole grains, cold or hot breakfast cereals, dried fruits, and fresh and frozen veggies are all excellent ingredients that can be added to most dishes to pump-up fiber and diminish calories from being absorbed in the digestive track.

Go nuts! Studies on nuts, especially almonds and pistachios, show amazing hunger-busting and fat-shedding effects for those who add them to their diets. Two studies showed that substances in nuts increase fecal excretion of calories when a handful of them are added to the diet. In fact, 55-75% of calories provided by nuts may not be fully absorbed. Research has also demonstrated that people who add nuts to their diet stick to their diets longer and achieve greater weight loss than those who forgo these foods.

Belly Bulge Busters:

Whole grains: In a study from Tufts University of nearly 3000 men and women, researchers found that adults who ate three or more serving of whole grains and limited refined grain items to 1 serving or less had 10 percent less belly fat than those who didn’t eat this way.

Resistant starch (RS) food sources such as firm bananas, beans and lentils, potatoes, pasta, rice, and certain whole grains such as corn contain RS which increases glucagon-like peptide-1, a major appetite suppressant hormone. RS also helps make insulin work better and regulates blood sugar – the key essentials to stopping the accumulation of belly fat and reducing the risk of “dia-besity”.

MUFAS, also known as monounsaturated fatty acids, are found in such foods as avocado, almonds, olive oil, and canola oil. MUFAs help eliminate belly fat, especially in insulin-resistant individuals.

Anti-Bloat ingredients such as parsley, fennel, cabbage, watermelon, watercress, celery, and cucumber are not only low in calories but have unique properties that rid the body of unwanted excess fluid. Many of my bloated patients were poor water consumers when I first began to work with them. Ironically, drinking more water helps the body’s natural fluid regulators, the kidneys, do a better job of managing water balance.

Metabolism Boosters

Coffee & tea and less of me: Beverages that contain caffeine and antioxidants called catechins have been found to help burn calories through thermogenesis (the creation of heat). They counteract the decrease in metabolism that often accompanies weight loss efforts. The overall effect may be small (less than 50 calories a day burned) but this can add up to nearly 5 pounds on the scale in the course of a year. Combine this intervention with other metabolic boosters such as physical activity and proper rest and the fat-burning potential is substantial!

Poly wants a crack at her. Research shows that fruits like apples, pears, grapefruit, and grapes, long associated with helping to manage weight, are rich in naturally occurring plant chemicals called polyphenols. These polyphenol-rich fruits decrease skinny-phobe bacteria called firmicutes that accumulate in the gut and contribute to weight gain. These fruits also increase friendly bacteria called bacteriodetes that break down polyphenols into helpful substances that boost the body’s metabolism. In one study, people who drank Concord grape juice daily lost weight compared to a control group that consumed a sugar-sweetened grape beverage and gained weight. It’s possible that the polyphenols in the grape juice helped keep the weight off among the drinkers of unsweetened grape juice.

Hot stuff. There’s a spice that’s just dying to rev-up your fat-burning engine but rarely sees the light of day in culinarily impaired kitchen cabinets: hot peppers! Capsaicin is the active ingredient in hot peppers that boosts metabolism and decreases appetite – not only in the meal that it’s eaten in, but even for the next few meals, according to recent research. Capsaicin can be found in paprika, chili, and cayenne pepper powder, as well as dozens of other hot pepper varieties.

I’ve put some of these tips together in a killer egg salad sandwich for you. Hope you like it. What else do YOU put in your kitchen to help keep the pounds away? I’d love to hear about it in the comment section.

Hunger-Busting Egg Salad Sandwich

Servings: Makes 4 sandwiches

Ingredients:

6 large eggs, hard boiled

3 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

2 stalks celery, washed and chopped

½ red onion, diced

2 tablespoons pistachios, chopped

2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

4 large romaine lettuce leaves

8 slices of hi-fiber whole grain bread, toasted

Directions:

Place eggs in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a gentle boil. Turn off heat, cover, and let sit for seven minutes. Meanwhile, fill a bowl with ice and water. When eggs are finished cooking, place them in the ice bath for three minutes. Remove eggs and peel them and then place in a medium mixing bowl. Add yogurt, mustard, lemon juice, and hot pepper sauce along with salt and pepper. Mash mixture with a fork, being careful to leave some texture. Stir in celery, onion, pistachios, and cilantro. Taste and add more hot sauce if you want more of a kick.

Toast bread. Spread mixture onto a slice of toast. Place lettuce leaf on top and cover with another slice of toast. Repeat for remaining sandwiches.

The Skinny

293 Calories, 13.7g Total Fat, 3g Saturated Fat, 317mg Cholesterol, 25g Carbs, 8g Fiber,

20g Protein, 495 mg Sodium

Photo: iStockphoto

Posted by: David Grotto, RD, LDN at 1:08 pm

Friday, January 25, 2013

Yoga to shape up


Test Your Drink IQ


Simple Ways to Eat Less


16 Simple Ways To Eat Less

How to get a grip on auto-pilot noshing and be more mindful when you eat






·         4. Save wine for dessert



·         7. Chew gum while baking




·         11. Don't miss meals



·         14. Keep snacks out of sight



·         More weight loss tips


Curb Distracted Eating for Good

Find out if these mindless munching habits are making you fat

You're eating healthy foods—but still weigh more than you'd like. If that's you, consider this tidbit of edible math: When Cornell University researchers asked volunteers to estimate the number of eating decisions they make everyday, most said 15. In fact, they really made about 221 decisions about what to eat—as well as how, when, where and with whom they'd eat.

"So many food decisions are made on mindless autopilot," says researcher and food psychologist Brian Wansink, PhD, author of Mindless Eating—Why We Eat More Than We Think."It's really easier than we think to let small things around us—plate size, package size, people around us, distractions—influence these 200-plus decisions, because we are not aware of them in the first place."

From taste-testing globs of cookie dough to taking second helpings of mac 'n' cheese to settling in for this week's episode of The Voice with a bag of chips, auto-pilot noshing can pad your diet with hundreds of undocumented calories every day. Getting a grip on "amnesia eating" could close hidden diet loopholes so that you can reach your healthy-weight goals—and cut unwanted fat and sugar out. Here, strategies to help you identify situations where you consume excess calories and how to set yourself up for success.

Eat 400-calorie meals to lose weight without feeling hungry.



Read more:
http://www.prevention.com/weight-loss/weight-loss-tips/how-eat-less-and-be-more-mindful-about-meals#ixzz2Ikaf1LG0

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Diet Sodas & Depression


Is Diet Soda Making You Sad?

New facts on the fizzy stuff


When you’re stuck in an afternoon slump and hours away from wrapping up for the day, sometimes it seems there’s just one solution: the soda machine. With caffeine and a bevy of sweet bubbles, a sip of soda is bound to pick you up, right?

Don’t count on it. New research from the American Academy of Neurology has found that sweetened drinks—especially of the diet variety—are associated with a heightened risk of depression.

Emotional Health

Depression

The study began back in 1995, when researchers started tracking 263,925 people between the ages of 50 and 71. For a year, investigators measured participant consumption of beverages like soda, fruit punch, and coffee. A decade later, study enrollees reported on whether or not they had been diagnosed with depression in recent years.

Even after researchers adjusted for a host of factors, including age, sex, race, education, marital status, and physical activity level, the link between sweet stuff and depression remained clear: Those who downed at least four cans of soda per day were 30% more likely to suffer from depression than people abstaining from pop, and people who consumed the equivalent in fruit punch were 38% more likely to develop depression.

Here’s the worst news for those who prefer calorie-free drinks: Those who consumed diet soda and diet fruit punch had an even greater risk of depression than those who drank sugar-sweetened drinks. “Our findings are preliminary, and the underlying biological mechanisms are not known,” explains study author Honglei Chen, MD, PhD, a tenure-track investigator in the epidemiology branch at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). “[But] they are intriguing and consistent with a small but growing body of evidence suggesting that artificially sweetened beverages may be associated with poor health outcomes.”

This isn’t the first time that science has taken the fizz out of diet soda. Studies have linked the drink to kidney problems, weight gain, and even cell damage. Next time you need a pick-me-up? Consider one of these healthier alternatives for a refreshing boost:

Coffee. The soda-shaming study wasn’t all bad news. Coffee drinkers who enjoyed four cups per day were about 10% less likely to develop depression than their java-free peers. That’s no surprise, since coffee is rich in antioxidants and might even protect against diabetes.

Green tea. It delivers the caffeine kick you crave, plus a lot more. In addition to fighting cancer and lowering blood pressure, green tea is a natural brain booster: It contains an amino acid called theanine, which enhances mental performance, according Keri Glassman, RD.

Super smoothie. Whip one up at night, and save it to enjoy at work tomorrow. Fruits and veggies are natural mood lifters, but so is chocolate—toss in a dark variety for a healthy helping of caffeine.

Published January 2013, Prevention

Easy Ways to Fit in 10 minutes of exercise into your busy schedule


From Prevention magazine:
 
25 Easy Ways To Fit In 10 Minutes Of Exercise

Squeeze these quick calorie-burning exercises into your busy schedule to stay motivated

 
 
Stolen Moments Add Up

Experts recommend working out 45 minutes to an hour a day (30 minutes for beginners) for weight loss and fitness. But if you're like most women, you don't always have a block of 30 to 60 minutes a day to devote exclusively to doing your workouts.

Lest you think that short bursts of activity have a negligible effect on your fitness program, think again. One study found that women who split their exercise into 10-minute increments were more likely to exercise consistently, and lost more weight after five months, than women who exercised for 20 to 40 minutes at a time.

Fitness Tips
Tips For Success


In a landmark study conducted at the University of Virginia, exercise physiologist Glenn Gaesser, PhD, asked men and women to complete 15 10-minute exercise routines a week. After just 21 days, the volunteers' aerobic fitness was equal to that of people 10 to 15 years younger. Their strength, muscular endurance, and flexibility were equal to those of people up to 20 years their junior. "It would be useful for people to get out of the all-or-nothing mind-set that unless they exercise for 30 minutes, they're wasting their time," says Gaesser.

Breaking exercise into small chunks on your overscheduled days can also keep your confidence up, since skipping it altogether can make you feel tired, guilty, or depressed. Keep in mind, though, that short bursts of exercise are meant to supplement, not replace, your regular fitness routine.

Here are simple, practical ways to work exercise into your day even when you're short on time:

Around the House

1. When you go outside to pick up your morning newspaper, take a brisk 5-minute power walk up the street in one direction and back in the other.

2. If you're housebound caring for a sick child or grandchild, hop on an exercise bike or do a treadmill workout while your ailing loved one naps.

3. Try 5 to 10 minutes of jumping jacks. (A 150-pound woman can burn 90 calories in one 10-minute session.)

4. Cooking dinner? Do standing push-ups while you wait for a pot to boil. Stand about an arm's length from the kitchen counter, and push your arms against the counter. Push in and out to get toned arms and shoulders.

5. After dinner, go outside and play tag or shoot baskets with your kids and their friends.

6. Just before bed or while you're giving yourself a facial at night, do a few repetitions of some dumbbell exercises, suggests exercise instructor Sheila Cluff, owner and founder of The Oaks at Ojai and The Palms, in Palm Springs, CA, who keeps a set of free weights on a shelf in front of her bathroom sink.

Adapted from Fit Not Fat at 40.

While Waiting

7. Walk around the block several times while you wait for your child to take a music lesson. As your fitness level improves, add 1-minute bursts of jogging to your walks.

8. Walk around medical buildings if you have a long wait for a doctor's appointment. "I always ask the receptionist to give me an idea of how long I have left to wait," Cluff says. "Most are usually very willing to tell you."

9. While your son or daughter plays a soccer game, walk around the field.

10. Turn a trip to a park with your child into a mini-workout for you. Throw a ball back and forth and run for fly balls.

At Work

11. Walk to work if you can. "I walked to work for months, 1 1/2 miles each way," says Mary Dallman, PhD, professor of physiology at the University of California, San Francisco, and she really saw results.

12. If you dine out on your lunch hour, walk to a restaurant on a route that takes you a little bit out of your way.

13. If you have a meeting in another building, leave 5 or 10 minutes early (or take some time afterward), and do some extra walking.

14. On breaks, spend 5 to 10 minutes climbing stairs.

15. If you're pressed for time and must wait for an elevator, strengthen your core with ab exercises. Stand with your feet parallel and your knees relaxed. Contract the muscles around your belly button. Then elevate your upper torso, and release. Finally, contract your buttocks for a few seconds.

16. Use a ringing phone as an excuse to stretch your back. Stand with your feet astride. Imagine that you are encased in a plaster cast from your waist to your head. Gently tilt the lower part of your pelvis backward. Contract your abdominal muscles. Then gently tilt your pelvis forward.

When You're Watching TV

17. Put away your remote and change channels the old-fashioned way—by getting up and walking to the television set.

18. Dance as if you were 16 again. Put on a music program or MTV. Then dance like crazy, advises Peg Jordan, PhD, RN, author of The Fitness Instinct. "Free yourself to think of movement as something that you have a right to do," she says.

19. During commercials, jog in place. A 150-pound woman can burn up to 45 calories in 5 minutes. Or try our Couch-Potato Workout.

20. Do leg exercises and lifts with small weights while you watch The Weather Channel, cooking shows, movies, or the news.

While Traveling

21. Pack your sneakers and a fitness DVD. Call ahead to make sure your room has a DVD player. If it doesn't, ask to rent one from the hotel.

22. If you're traveling by car, stop twice a day for short, brisk walks and some stretching.

23. During layovers at airports, avoid the mechanized "moving carpets" that transport travelers from concourse to concourse. "If you're in between flights, walk around the concourse as much as you can," suggests Cluff.

24. Book a hotel room between the fifth and eighth floors, then ignore the elevator. Better yet, take two stairs at a time. (Check with the hotel first because for security reasons some hotels do not allow guests to use stairs except for emergencies.)

25. Do calf stretches while riding in elevators.