This article comes from Weighty Matters.

Is there an area of life that is more all or nothing than dieting and weight management?

Truly everything else in our lives we’ll happily accept our personal bests as great, and more importantly, we’re realistic about them. We appreciate that while we can no doubt always do better or try harder that there are fair limits to how hard we can try.

I remember trying to get into medical school. Boy I spent a lot of time in the library and when I didn’t get in to medical school on my first try, following my rejection I didn’t wish I’d truly eliminated every last ounce of my social life to study – I was disappointed, but I was sure that I had done my best knowing full well that at the expense of real life no doubt I could have done more.

Bests aren’t perfection. Bests are affected by real life. Bests need flexibility. And bests change depending on circumstances.

Those folks who head into weight management thinking their bests need to be perfect, that they need to always be on? No doubt in my mind for the vast majority it’s just a matter of time before they’ve frustrated and disappointed themselves often or badly enough that they’ll quit trying altogether.

All or nothing almost always gets you nothing.

Click here to go to the original article.

This article is from Active for Life.

When you have a young family, weekends, Mother’s Day, and Father’s Day are all opportunities for family time. But just as often they are a time when the kids get special time with Dad. And sometimes Dads (and Moms) need a little inspiration for how to pass this time in a fun and active way that everyone will enjoy.

Inspired by our interview with Slow Movement advocate Carl Honoré, we got to work thinking about ways to carve out special time together without electronics or a big financial outlay. Imagination, creativity and a sense of adventure are all you really need to make a parent-child connection and have a blast.

Here’s a list of ideas to get you started.

1. Build a fort together. Either head outside to the backyard and forage for scraps and materials or if the weather isn’t cooperating make the mother of all pillow forts. Create your own story and characters to act out once it’s finished.
2. Go for an explorer walk. Load up a backpack with binoculars, notepads, pencils, and any other explorer gear you have laying around the house and set off to find some treasures or record nature facts. Bring back what you find and use them to create a nature picture of the whole family (use sticks for bodies, leaves for hair, pebbles for eyes; better yet use your imaginations and come up with your own unique creations) or make your own nature fact book.
3. Be an active artist. Break out the sidewalk chalk and play hopscotch and then beautify your driveway or put your stamp on the sidewalk.
4. Have a ball. Grab a soccer ball and head over to the park for some throwing, catching, or kicking practice. Let the kids lead the game and make sure that it stays light-hearted and fun.
5. Dig it. If you have young children nothing is as sure fire a hit as sand, sand, and more sand. Pretend to be paleontologists and go digging for dinosaur bones in your local sandbox.
6. Cook together. Choose mom or dad’s favourite recipe and make it together. Dad can either pass along his skills in the kitchen or everyone can learn together.
7. Pick wild flowers. Nothing says “I was thinking of you” like a handful of forget-me-nots from a toddler. Make sure to climb up and down some hills for additional exercise while you are at it.
8. Create an obstacle course. Let the kids lead this one by helping them pull out items to bike, scooter, or run around. Don’t forget to give it a whirl yourself!
9. Change the scenery. Pack a picnic and visit somewhere you’ve never been before. A park that isn’t in the usual rotation or a spot by the water. Tuck a jump rope into the picnic basket and work off lunch by practicing your skipping skills.
10. Be a tourist. Take the kids on a tour of your own childhood. Visit the house you grew up in, the park you played in, and your favourite tree. Recreate some of our favourite active childhood games. If you don’t live in the same place you grew up, then show your kids a meaningful place in the family history. This could be where you and your spouse met or a special place you liked to go when they were babies. Take a picture of the kids in that spot and then frame it for a special gift.

Click here to go to the original article.

This post comes from Active for Life.

When Jennifer Keesmaat was a kid, she walked to school. It would take her 15 minutes to get there and sometimes 1.5 hours to get home, but that was okay because the journey mattered. It mattered to her sense of self, her health, and her understanding of the world. She had exploring to do, chances she wanted to take. Walking to school helped shape her worldview.

As chief planner and executive director for the City of Toronto, Keesmaat uses the below TED Talk to question what happened to this free, simple adventure that all parents ought to offer their children.

Keesmaat points out that in 1969, only 12% of the population was driven to school. Today, only 12% of the population walk to school. In one generation we have completely inverted the way we get to school, and that matters for three reasons:

1. Walking to school is a rite of passage. By doing so, children begin to understand who they are in relation to their neighbourhood, their community, their world. The walk provides trials to be overcome. If we prevent children this chance to develop autonomy, we put the future of our society at risk.
2. As walking has decreased, obesity has significantly increased. Obese children face the obstacle of not being able to participate in day-to-day activities taking place at school, which can have a psychological impact. Children who walk to school are more likely to be active throughout the day.
3. We need to live more simply. We’re taking more from the Earth than the planet has to give, and creating more waste than it can assimilate. What’s more simple – and green – than strapping on your shoes and walking to school?

As Keesmat says, kids don’t need permission to walk to school. They don’t need a license. They can do it right now. Exercise before school improves attentiveness in class, and leads to better grades. Plus, it provides an important opportunity for them to become independent.

In this 16 minute video, Stephan Guyenet talks about the history of food. There are a number of really interesting things that he shares. Did you know that in 1822 the average person consumed the amount of sugar that’s in a 12 oz can of cola every 5 days? That’s about 10 teaspoons, or 10 sugar cubes every 5 days.  Today, the average person consumes 10 teaspoons of sugar about every 7 hours! He also talks about an ingredient that is found in most packaged foods, an ingredient that by law, the manufacturer doesn’t have to explain to you. It shows up on the food label as “artificial flavour”. And by law, artificial flavour is considered to be proprietary which means the people who make it don’t have to tell you what’s in it.

In his presentation, Stephen shares the ingredient list for a shake. And he is able to give the list of all the things that go into that ONE ingredient labelled as “artificial flavour”. Take a look at all the ingredients that make up the artificial flavoring in this product:

Here is a great video from the CBC program “Live Right Now”. The video was all about the physical and emotional benefits of eating together as a family. The physical benefits I had heard before, but this was the first time I had heard about the scientifically proven emotional benefits.

Children who come from families who eat together:

1. More likely to get better grades
2. More likely to have better language skills
3. More likely to make healthy food choices
4. Less likely to be overweight
5. Better self esteem
6. Less likely to experience depression
7. Less likely to develop eating disorders
8. Less likely to use drugs or alcohol

The dietitian in the video emphasizes that the most important thing that you need to do for family meals to happen is to plan ahead and be organized. Click here for information that will help you create a weekly meal plan for your family.

Many people assume that if it’s a salad,  it’s healthy. Believe it or not, this article has a a list of 15 salads that actually have more calories than a BIG MAC!

This is a great article from Shape magazine. Click here to access the original article.

Five mistakes you don’t want to make when hitting the trails

Warmer Spring weather inspires many to ditch the gym and run outside in the fresh air and on open roads. Before you make the switch from treadmill to street, avoid these common mistakes that could lead to injury.

Doing Too Much Too Soon

Between the steep hills, wind factor, uneven or slippery terrain, and not having a belt propelling you forward, running outside is harder than running on a treadmill. And since it’s more taxing on your muscles, you are more prone to shin splints and other pains. Start off with shorter distances on flat roads or trails, and as your endurance improves, gradually increase your mileage and hill work. If you experience shin pain, take a few minutes to walk and stretch out your lower legs. Don’t run through the pain because it may cause further injury, preventing you from running at all. When you’re not running, strengthen your shins with this exercise.

Trying to Maintain a Constant Pace

The treadmill belt keeps a consistent pace for you, so it’s easy to get into a rhythm. Outside is a whole new ballgame since you’re in charge of maintaining your speed. Aside from using your own muscles to propel each step, the steeper inclines, road obstacles, and uneven terrain make it harder to run fast. Don’t feel compelled to push yourself to run at the same pace you did on the treadmill you may end up falling or pulling a muscle. Run at a moderate and comfortable pace that allows you to run safely, and gradually increase your speed over several weeks. Check out these tips on how to become a faster runner.

Running on Pavement

Although easily accessible, pavement is a hard, unforgiving surface. Abruptly switching from a soft treadmill belt to a stiff road can be such a shock to the muscles and joints; some may find it hard to run half a mile without stopping in pain. Ease into running on the pavement by starting on the grassy areas between the sidewalk and the road, or better yet, stick to dirt roads or woodsy trails. Here are even more trail-running tips for the beginner.

Wearing the Wrong Shoes

A regular running sneaker was perfect for the flat, predictable surface of a treadmill, but once you head outdoors, make sure your sneaker’s tread can handle the gravel, dirt roads, and slick trails. You want a sneaker that supports your feet and offers a grippy sole so you feel confident moving over uneven surfaces.

Getting Lost

It’s easy to hit the ground running, but if you’re not paying attention, you may end up in an unfamiliar neighborhood or woodsy trail, with no clue as to how to get home. The adrenaline that builds from a panicked feeling of being lost can often make you run faster without paying attention to where your feet step, increasing the likelihood of tripping. Prevent getting lost by planning new routes before you head out the door. Always bring your phone along and try one of the many iPhone running apps that use a GPS to keep track of your location (I use the Nike+ GPS app). Taking a running buddy is also a smart idea, and get in the habit of telling someone where you’re going before you head out, just in case you get hurt or lost.

This article comes from ACE Fitness:

Does this sound familiar? Despite being a fan of a variety of foods, you find yourself eating the same healthy foods repeatedly because it’s part of your routine—it’s easy, tastes good and you can automatically get what you need at the grocery store without having to think about it. If this sounds like you, you’re not alone. We’re the first to admit that we have love affairs with a handful of our meals for these very reasons and we could eat them every day without ever getting bored. But what could be so bad about eating the same foods all the time, especially if the foods are healthy ones?

To read the rest of the article click here.

This article is from ACE Fitness.

As registered dietitians and personal trainers, we’ve noticed that our clients often unknowingly make mistakes at the grocery store that ultimately sabotage their healthy-eating routines. Here are just a handful of common grocery store mistakes along with some easy solutions:

Mistake #1: You go to the grocery store following a workout.

Mistake #2: You forgot your grocery list.

Mistake #3: You mosey through the store.

Mistake #4: You avoid frozen produce and assume it’s not as nutritious as fresh.

Mistake # 5: You fall for the claim on the front of the food package.

Mistake #6: You buy a food simply because it’s organic.

Mistake #7: You pay no attention to salt.

Mistake #8: You buy granola for breakfast thinking it’s a healthy choice.

Mistake #9: You purchase a food that normally wouldn’t be considered healthy because the label claims it’s “made with real fruit.”

To read the complete article and learn tips and tricks to avoid these 9 mistakes click here.

This article is from ParticipACTION.

Physical activity makes us healthier, faster, stronger, more flexible, smarter and more. But when it comes to kids, it should be all about active play. The following tips are designed to help them enjoy as much active play as we once did.

1. DAILY ROUTINES: Help your kids build physical activity into their daily routines with activities like walking or cycling to school with friends.
2. IT’S IN THE BAG! Pack their backpacks with equipment that promotes active play at school recess and lunch breaks: a soccer ball, skipping rope, chalk, Frisbee, basketball, etc.
3. AT LUNCH & AFTER SCHOOL: Encourage your kids to play active games with friends and to join school teams. Click here for our After School Tips & Recommendations.
4. SWIMMING LESSONS: Register for swimming lessons and stick with them until your kids are competent swimmers. Swimming is a life skill and making a splash at the local community centre pool is a terrific way for kids to play.
5. BE A MODEL: Be a role model for your child. Active parents tend to have more active children. Introduce your child to some of the activities you enjoy and participate in some of the active games and activities they enjoy too.
6. END OF DAY PLAY: Don’t let your child sit in front of the TV or computer after school. Instead, register them for active programs, have them invite a friend over for active outdoor play, or better yet, get active with them.
7. EVENING, WEEKEND & HOLIDAY FUN: Make evenings, weekends and holidays active. Plan your activities as a family, write them on the calendar, and anticipate the fun!
8. LIMIT SCREEN TIME: Set rules and limit daily screen time or have your children earn it. For example, your child might earn 20 minutes of screen time for every hour they’re active.
9. EDUCATE OTHERS ABOUT INACTIVITY: Make sure your child’s daycare and school knows that physical activity is a priority for you and draw their attention to Canada’s physical inactivity crisis. Ask them what they’ll be doing to address inactivity.
10. TRACK IT: Buy your child a pedometer to wear and encourage them to strive for at least 10,000 steps a day. You might also equip your child’s bicycle with an odometer to help them track the distance they bike in a day, week, month, or throughout the year.

Watch our new Bring Back Play TV spot!