Wanna stay fit but marathons aren’t exactly your thing?
Don’t sweat it! A new study shows that you don’t have to log miles ‘n’ miles on
the treadmill to do your body good.
Scientists rounded up a group of usually healthy active
young adults to test a Q: What happens when typically active young adults are
told to take it easy? They set up a bunch of volunteers with a device that
checks their blood sugar levels as well as pedometers and arm bands that
measure their activity. They were also asked to keep a food journal.
For the first three days of the study, the group lived
normally—that means walking at least 10,000 steps (a number recommended by
doctors) and eating fairly healthfully (no blood sugar spikes). Next, they were
told to halve their steps for the following three days. So they took the
elevator instead of the stairs, got delivery instead of take-out. The kicker?
They maintained the same diet as before…but their blood sugar spiked
dramatically after each meal. These spikes have been linked to the same test
results derived from those who are developing heart disease and type-2
diabetes. Not cool!
The key to staying healthy isn’t necessarily to eat cleanly
24/7 or to put in killer workouts every day. It’s to eat good-for-ya foods with
the indulgences that keep you satisfied, and to work a good amount of exercise
into your daily routine. We’ve got a few easy ways to give your health a
good-for-ya boost:
1. Make easy swaps –
real fruit instead of fruit snacks, brown rice instead of white, Greek yogurt
instead of your typical variety
2. Help out around the house – Unpack the groceries for mom, unload the dishwasher, take the trash
to the curb and Fido for a walk
3. Gabbing with your girls on the phone? Don’t just sit there—walk ‘n’ talk! Texting up a
storm? Set your phone down across the room so you have to get up to send
another message.
BY ERIN MILLER ON 4/9/2012 12:22:00 PM
POSTED IN health, fitness, workouts