Happy Feet, Healthy Body

Shake that groove thang. Bust a move. Twist and shout. Get jiggy with it. Walk like an Egyptian. It doesn't matter which dance gets you moving—the important thing is that you get moving. That's the whole point of National Dance Day, a grassroots movement that encourages Americans to get up and move. The big day is tomorrow: Saturday, July 31, and it's being recognized as a national holiday.

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), who has been an advocate for healthy lifestyle and is responsible for getting Congress to recognize the day, will speak about the importance of dance and physical education, and then will host her own flash mob on the National Mall in D.C. (Not familiar with flash mobs? Check out the 20,000-strong flash mob that invaded Michigan Avenue during Oprah's 24th season premiere.)

Although many programs, such as the Dizzy Feet Foundation and Angelina Ballerina, are focusing on getting children involved, there are plenty of ways for adults to get in on the action, too. Check out the So You Think You Can Dance blog or Examiner.com to find events (many of them offered free of charge) by city.

If there are no special events in your area or you're looking for other ideas, you can:

• Check out the phone book or your local community guide, or even do a Google search in your area for dance lessons for adults. Just make sure to confirm the class is for adults—you don't want to be surrounded by pint-size, pink-tutu-wearing princesses. If you find a class but you're still unsure whether you'll enjoy it, ask to watch a session before joining.

• Hit your local gym and take an aerobic-based dance class, such as cardio dance, Zumba, salsa aerobics or even pole dancing (our rookie diaries blogger gave this class a spin and loved it). Or, look into renting or buying a video or DVD version of one of these classes so you can do it at home.

• Head to a nightclub that offers free dance lessons—this is very popular in Latin and Country dance clubs. Generally an hour before the club gets really busy, teachers from nearby dance studios come and provide a free tutorial so that new patrons can keep up when the club gets crowded.

• Log on and learn to dance. Many online sites offer lessons for free. Check out LearntoDance.com or simply go to YouTube and search "dance lessons" for some great video demonstrations.

The beauty of dance is that it's a personal expression. Unless you're competing in a "So You Think You Can Dance" style competition, there is really no right way or wrong way to dance—no judge will be critiquing you for failing to point your toes or you won't lose points for not having beautiful lines. If you let yourself get wrapped up in the motions and the music, you'll get a good workout (a 150-pound woman can burn about 200 calories during a 30-minute modern dance class) and even have some fun. Now that's what I call happy feet!

Fitness Move of the Week: Pushup with a Twist

Pushups are a great exercise—because they require only your own body weight, you can do them anytime, anywhere, whether you're in the office, your own living room or on vacation in your hotel room. To make the move a bit more challenging, try adding a twist, literally. 

The pushup with a twist forces you to control each and every aspect of this move—lowering your body toward the ground, raising it back up off the ground, and transferring your weight to one hand as you extend your other hand to the sky. The payoff: You'll get a full-body workout. You'll challenge your chest and triceps and even your abdomen (the abdomen stays activated, or tight, during the entire exercise as you work to maintain proper posture, then the obliques get a workout as you twist.) Check out the video demonstration or read the instructions below to learn how to do it.

• Begin in a pushup position—legs extended straight out behind you, hands shoulder-width apart. Make sure your body is in a straight line from your feet through your legs, back and shoulder. Keep your head in a neutral position.

• Lower your body to the ground and perform a pushup. Try to get your chest as close to the ground as you can.

• Push back up to starting position. As you extend up from your pushup, transfer your weight to your right hand.

•  Extend your left arm straight into the sky, rotating your body. Allow your eyes to follow your left arm.

• Hold until the position is controlled. Return your left arm to the ground.

• Perform another pushup and end with a twist again. You can twist to the same side, or alternate sides so as not to fatigue one side too quickly. 

• Repeat 10 to 12 times on each side, or as many times as you can before your form starts to fail.

Note: This move can also be performed from a modified push up position. Begin move in a modified pushup position (legs bent instead of extended straight out, with your weight on your knees instead of your toes). Perform a push up. As you extend up from the pushup, transfer your weight to your right hand. Keep your right leg bent but extend your left leg out behind you to help you twist. Extend your left arm straight up into the sky; follow your left hand with your eyes. Pause for a moment to control the move and bring your left arm back to the ground. Bend your left leg to return to the push up position and repeat.

Three Quick Questions to Jumpstart Your Fitness

If you're not feeling excited about your fitness routine, if you're no longer seeing results, if you'd rather do your taxes than your regular routine, then it's time to reevaluate things. Check out the three key questions you should ask yourself to get your workouts back on track or watch the video below.

Question 1: Are you doing something you enjoy?
Remember the thrill of riding bikes or swimming when you were young? You didn't think about fitness then—it was all about playing, not exercise, and you did it because it was fun. Who says things have to change just because you're now a grown-up? Find something fun that you can do that will also give you a workout! Biking, rollerblading, kayaking, hiking—whatever activity you enjoy and will keep you interested and motivated—is the ideal workout.

Question 2: What is the best time of day for you to get in a workout?
Research shows that exercising in the morning is best because it allows you to get your workout in before the trials of the day take over, which often cause you to miss your sweat session altogether. Try exercising different times during the day to see which works best for you. And remember, this is good information to have whenever you're forced to adjust your schedule.

Question 3: How are you going to adjust your routine to accommodate the expected and unexpected?
The summer is loaded with lots of fun things to do, from vacations to weddings to barbecues to our kids' sports practices and camps. But all of these can throw a big wrench into the precision of your less-busy winter schedule. Each week, schedule your exercise sessions to fit around your hectic lifestyle. And think of it this way, in a month or two, when things settle back down, you'll be a pro at juggling and finding time for all of your priorities.

Fitness Move of the Week: Step Squat Jump

Even though the days are getting longer, with the kids out of school and weekends flying by, it seems that there's even less time to exercise than there was in the midst of winter. The best way to overcome this barrier is to combine moves that challenge your cardiovascular system (heart and lungs), burns calories and also offer some intense strength training benefits at the same time. 

The Step Squat Jump is one of these moves. It can be done anywhere, anytime, with a stair, a stool or even a curb, which makes it the ultimate go-to exercise when you're in a time crunch. This exercise works not only the quadriceps muscle (which is the largest muscle group in the body, located on the front of your thigh) but also your calves, glutes, hips, abdomen, shoulders, upper back and chest as you use your entire body to propel yourself as high as you can with each jump. To learn how to do it, watch the video demonstration or read the directions below.

• Begin standing parallel to a step. Place one foot up on the step—the higher the step, the more challenging the move—the other on the ground. Let your hands hang comfortably at your side.

• Bend at your hips and knees to perform a squat; your legs will be at different heights.

• Explode straight up into the air using your arms to help propel you toward the sky. Really push off of the leg on the step to get momentum. (The leg that's on the step is the leg that's working the hardest, although both legs are getting a great workout.) 

• Come back down, immediately going into a squat. Repeat 10 to 12 times on each side.

Fitness Move of the Week: Chest Fly with Dumbbells

A new month is approaching, which means it's the perfect time to mix up your workout. Switching things up from time to time not only keeps you from becoming bored with your routine, but it can also help take your fitness to the next level. Remember, the human body is fantastic at adapting to stress, so to keep getting the results you want, you'll have add new and exciting moves to your repertoire. 

And I'm happy to help you by offering you fresh, new moves each week. This week, I'd like to share an exercise—the chest fly—that works the pectoralis muscles (aka pecs). The pecs are involved in any pushing motion, whether you're pushing a stroller or shopping cart, or pushing open a door at the mall. Popular exercises like push-ups or the chest press also target these muscles, but they also hit other muscles in the area as well. The benefit of the chest fly is that it isolates the chest muscle; isolation moves allow you to focus your force—and build strength—on a single muscle.

It's a good idea to start with a light weight and perform high repetitions until you get the form down correctly; this move works the outer area of the chest muscle and can really cause pain if the move is not controlled. To learn how to do it, check out the video demonstration (starring Best Life member Jennifer Levanduski) or read the instructions below.

• Sit on a bench and hold a dumbbell in each hand. Lie back so your feet are flat on the floor and your back is flat on the bench.

• Raise your arms up toward the ceiling, with your palms facing each other and your elbows slightly bent.

• Slowly lower your arms out to the sides until they are even with the chest (make a "T" with your body).

• Slowly raise your arms back up toward the ceiling. Squeeze your chest together and keep your elbows slightly bent as though you're hugging a giant beach ball.

• Perform 2 sets of 12 to 15 repetitions.

The Rookie Diaries: Testing the Latest High-Tech Weight-Loss Gadget

Those of you who watch The Biggest Loser are familiar with the Body Bugg, a device worn by the contestants—and available for anyone with a credit card and a computer—which counts their steps, keeps track of how many calories they've burned and how many calories they've eaten (they, and you, have to log your meals on their website to get this total). Pretty cool, right? (My sister-in-law has one and loves it!) The same company that launched the Body Bugg, recently sent me their "next generation" Body Bugg, called BodyMedia Fit. It pretty much does everything the Body Bugg does and, in addition, clocks your sleep.

It's so sci-fi (how does it know when I'm sleeping??!! Is it alive?!), but I was excited to test out the technology and report back. I wore the armband for 24 hours, logged my meals, slept with it on my arm (it's actually pretty comfortable) and am happy to report it's the real deal. Still, it's pricey—$189 for the armband, $99 for the optional watch accessory (which allows you to see your calories burned when you're away from the computer—it wirelessly downloads the information from your armband), and the monthly subscription to access the website where you keep track of all your numbers ($9.95/month for a six-month membership). Is it worth the dough? Check out my review to know if it's right for you:

Is it better than a regular pedometer? An emphatic yes. I love a good pedometer as much as the next walker, but knowing exactly how many calories you're burning while moving is a whole new level of "wow." The day I wore the armband, I took a modest 5,987 steps, about 4,000 shy of my 10K-a-day goal (I was too busy to make it to the gym). That tells me I'm not moving enough—and a pedometer would have told me the same. But when I looked at my calorie burn for the day, it became crystal clear why I wasn't losing weight: I'd only walked off a total of 1,642 calories…and I ate a total of 1,778 calories. A small surplus, but it adds up. In case you are in denial, the program points out, "You are on a weight gain trend." Thank you, I see that. No, seriously, I see that—looking at the numbers and reading that sentence makes it real and will motivate me to move more (or eat less) tomorrow.

Is it easy to use? Yes. If you're like me, you shy away from new technology, if only for the set-up process. Luckily, this was a breeze to start up. The only tech glitch I encountered turned out to be my fault—the battery on my BodyMedia Fit wasn't charged enough to properly transfer the data (I'd let it run out). I found it a snap to use, from start to finish.

Does it really know when you're sleeping? Yes. Like Santa Claus, it knows when you're sleeping…and when you're awake. I think this was the coolest aspect for me—I just didn't believe it would "know," and it did. I only clocked five hours and 48 minutes of sleep according to the device, and that's about right when I think about how long it took me to fall asleep, how long I overslept after my alarm went off, and when I woke up. Amazing. And sad (I need to get more sleep).

Is it fun? I thought so. Checking whether I'd have a deficit or surplus come nightfall felt like getting a little surprise at the end of the day...the big reveal! I'm sure the excitement wears off eventually, but what you gain is knowledge: The longer you stick with it, the more you're able to see your weekly trends—when you burn the most, eat the most, sleep the most.

Is it comfortable? Yes, even while I was sleeping. I actually forgot I was wearing it during the day, except for the million-and-one times I was asked "what is that?" Therein lies the drawback: In summer, it's out there for all the world to see (in winter, you'll have no problem covering it up). And it's not exactly boardroom or ballroom appropriate.

Who can benefit most from the BodyMedia Fit? Anyone with a diet or fitness goal. It's enlightening to know how your movement translates into calorie burn; also, logging your meals is a great way to stay mindful about what goes down the hatch, and you get a clear picture of how many calories different foods contain. The Best Life program allows you to do this as well, and keeping a food diary is a key habit of successful losers, research shows. This device can be one more effective tool in your arsenal of weight-loss weapons. We can use all the help we can get!

Your Family and Friends: Healthy-Lifestyle Supporters or Saboteurs?

In a perfect world, all the people around you would cheer you on as you made healthy eating and exercise choices—hitting the gym instead of happy hour, ordering the fish dish instead of the greasy cheeseburger special and going for a walk instead of vegging out in front of the tube. But in reality, you may have to deal with a spouse who doesn't understand or support your new healthy lifestyle, or children or friends who feel like the changes you're making negatively affect them. Don't let them zap your motivation–no matter how tricky the situation, there's almost always a fix. Check out the scenarios below and see how to turn things around.

Motivation zapper: Your significant other doesn't like your gym time
The fix: When you work out, you have more energy, are in a better mood, feel better about yourself, and have a better relationship with everyone around you. You understand this, but your significant other might not. Explain to him or her that your daily gym time actually helps make you a better partner. You can also offer to be flexible about the times of your workouts (you can plan to go to the gym while he's at work or mowing the lawn) and the types of exercise you do—perhaps you can invite him along for a long walk, hike or bike ride.

Motivation zapper: The kids aren't keen on quinoa.
The fix: Believe it or not, the best way to get kids on board with a healthy-eating regimen is to give them the benefit of the doubt and go into each meal assuming that your family will try everything offered (they don't have to love it—they just need to try it). It can also help to stay positive—your encouraging attitude can go a long way toward convincing your kids that eating healthfully can be fun and tasty. And finally, you can help ease reluctant kids into a healthier eating regimen by meeting them in the middle. For instance, if they love pizza, make "pizza pasta" using whole-grain pasta, veggie-packed tomato sauce, part-skim mozzarella, and lean chicken sausage. Be sure to offer a variety of foods at family dinners, encourage everyone to try everything, and don't take it personally if everyone's taste preferences don't match; give yourself a pat on the back for having a family meal together!

Motivation zapper: Your friends are hurt because you're skipping Happy Hour.
The fix: If the calories in the cocktails don't get you, the hot wings will—or so you tell yourself when your pals ask you to meet them for Happy Hour. While this after-work social tradition can tempt you to go off track (and dig into your gym time), there are strategies you can use to maintain your healthy lifestyle and your friendships, too. At the bar, try bypassing caloric beverages, and ordering sparkling water with a splash of juice. Forgo fatty appetizers and focus on catching up with your friends. And stay just long enough to mingle with everyone, then head out in time to make your spinning class. Another option: Forget happy hour altogether, and instead, invite your pals over to cook a healthy dinner at your place, meet up to go for a hike, hit up the bowling alley, or host a game night—all of these give you the chance to spend quality time with friends without the alcohol and fatty foods.

Motivation zapper: Co-workers bring treats to the office daily.
The fix: Cake in the breakroom, cookies on your co-workers desk, pastries in the conference room, cupcakes in the office kitchen—no matter which way you turn, it seems like there's a not-so-good-for-you goodie calling your name. While you can't always control what other people bring to work, you can control your choices. Be clear with yourself as to how and when you'd like to indulge in a treat. For instance, once a week you can have a small portion of a treat from the office, but the rest of the week you bring your own portion-controlled meals, snacks, and treats. To make this easier, be sure to have healthful options around that you can reach for when the office bakery is tempting you. Stock the fridge with baby carrots and salsa or hummus, nonfat plain yogurt, fruit, string cheese and bottled water. If you want to be in the room with everyone during an office celebration but don't want to have any of the daily dessert offering, arrive armed with a cup of tea or coffee that you can sip while chatting with colleagues. And finally, when it's your turn to bring something to share, opt for something like a beautiful grilled veggie platter or a mixed fruit tray with yogurt dip. Who knows, you might even start a new office trend.

Fitness Move of the Week: Pretzel Stretch

Sure, you could get your dad (or husband or even your son) another tie for Father's Day, but we have a better idea: Plan a fun and active day for the old man. Some ideas: Going on a hike (even if it's just around a nearby park), exploring a new part of town on foot, organizing a family pick-up game of soccer, touch football or volleyball or going out for a round of golf. 

Of course, any one of these could become the gift that keeps on giving (in the form of sore and achy muscles), if you don't warm up and stretch properly. Use this pretzel stretch to target the muscles in your butt and upper legs. (Need an upper body stretch? Check out last week's Shoulder Stretch.) Watch the video demonstration below, starring Best Life member Jennifer Levanduski, or read on to learn how to do it. Note: You should do it after your workout, and if your muscles are tight, you can try to do it before, as well. (It's best to stretch after a quick warm-up, such as jogging in place or a brisk walk, when muscles are a little more flexible.)



• Lie down on the floor on your back with your arms stretched to your side, your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.

• Cross your right ankle over your left knee.

• Using your ab muscles, gently lift your left knee, with your right ankle still crossing it, off the floor and move it toward your chest. If you need some help, try using a rolled-up towel; wrap it around your thigh and hold an end in each hand. For a deeper stretch, wrap your hands around your thigh to help pull your leg closer toward your chest.

• If you aren't feeling the stretch, make sure you open up your hip by pushing your right knee away from your body.

• Let your head rest on the ground and remember to breathe normally.

• Hold for 12 to 20 seconds. Put both feet back on the ground and switch legs. Repeat 3 to 5 times on each leg.

Fitness Move of the Week: One-Legged Dead Lift

This variation on the regular deadlift offers a more challenging workout. Not only do you work your legs, particularly your hamstrings, but you also target the core muscles and improve your balance, too.

If you feel pain in your lower back at any point, stop—this is a sign that you're doing the move incorrectly. (Your back should not be doing any of the work—you should be using your hamstrings to straighten back up.) Readjust your posture and try again. If you still feel pain, give yourself a day or so to rest from this exercise and try again. Ask someone to watch you and see if they can pinpoint where your posture might be breaking. You should probably try this move without weights at first, then add dumbbells when you feel ready to do so. Check out the video demonstration or read the instructions below to learn how to do it.

• Stand with both feet on the ground shoulder-width apart. Tighten your abdominal muscles and allow your arms (with or without weights) to hang naturally in front of you with your palms facing in toward your body.

• Shift your weight to the right leg and move your left leg behind your body so just your toe is touching the ground.

• Tighten your abs, keep your head in a neutral position, slightly bend your right leg, and keep your hands close to your body.

• Slowly bend over forward, toward the ground, feeling a pull in your right hamstring. Your hands should move toward the floor as you bend over—go as close to the ground as you can. Your left leg can extend behind you to help keep your balance

• Pause for a second—tighten your hamstring and your glutes by pushing your heel into the ground. Then stand back up again using the hamstring muscle in your right leg to do so. 

• Perform 12 to 15 repetitions on one leg, then switch and repeat on the other leg.

Fitness Move of the Week: Wall Squat

The squat is one of the best exercises you can do for your lower body, as well as for your cardiovascular and nervous systems. It takes a lot of control and strength to perform the move correctly; the gluteus maximus, the largest muscle in the body that's targeted in this move, requires a lot of oxygen, which challenges the heart to pump faster and more efficiently; and the nervous system must work to maintain your center of gravity throughout the move. 

Yet, for some people, all they get out of it is sore knees and cramps in their feet (if you lean too far over your toes—because you think you will fall backwards—your toes grasp onto the bottom of your shoe, the floor, or whatever else they can grab to try to keep you from falling forward; this can lead to cramping). Adding a balance ball is great for beginners because it ensures that they use proper form; when you lean back on something, your center of gravity shifts from your toes to your heels, where it should be. It's also good for more experienced exercisers—it can give you more confidence to increase the intensity of the squat by going deeper, adding dumbbells, combining the move with another exercise, such as a squat-shoulder-press combo, or making slight adjustments, such as keeping your toes elevated during a squat.

To learn how to do a wall squat with a balance ball, check out the video demonstration below or read the following instructions.

• Place the balance ball between your mid-back and the wall. Keep your feet slightly in front of your body, about two feet out from the wall.

• Raise your arms so they are at shoulder height in front of you or let them rest to your sides. Do not place your hands on your thighs—you may be tempted to use them to stand back up.

• Slowly lower yourself to the ground using the ball as a guide—do not press into the ball with all of your weight. Keep bending until your knees are at a 90-degree angle.

• Stand back up and repeat 12 to 15 times.

To increase the intensity, hold a weight in each hand, either letting them hang at your side or holding them straight out in front of you. Another option to increase intensity: Lift your toes up off the ground during the entire exercise to challenge your hamstrings.