If you have the best intentions but need that extra push, you may benefit from the support of an exercise group. This group can consist of friends or complete strangers but it’s focus it to get fit together. Walking Curves of Atlanta, Georgia is one of the many fitness groups for plus size women. If you’re interested in starting a Plus Size exercise group in your area, the following steps will point you in the right direction.

• Decide what type of exercise you want to do. Walking, running, low impact aerobics, high impact aerobics, calisthenics, weight training, tai chi and yoga will require different levels of fitness and will attract different participants.
• Determine your own fitness level, as you will want this to be the starting point for the group. If you haven’t exercised in years, you don’t want to attract people who are ready to start out running five miles a day or doing an hour of high impact aerobics. Be realistic.
• Find a location suitable for the needs of the group. If the group will be running or walking, you’ll need to find a trail or track at a park, playground or university. If you’ve decided on an indoor exercise regimen, approach the YMCA or other community center about using a space in their facility.
• If you’ve decided you want to do aerobics, yoga or another type of exercise that requires a leader, rent a selection of instructional DVDs that demonstrate workouts of that type. Watch them and choose a couple that are your speed.” Be sure to select ones that show participants working out at various levels, because there will always be some group members a little more or less advanced than others.
• Get the word out. Tell everyone you know what you’re trying to do. If you work for a large company, consider the possibility of starting an exercise group in that setting. Create a flyer to raise awareness and get permission to post it throughout the building.If starting a group where you work is not an option, post flyers in the vicinity of the location where the group will exercise. Call your local paper and ask them to mention it in the Community Events or Meetings section.
• Make the first meeting a getting-to-know-you and information gathering session. Discuss how often and what time the group will meet. Serve light refreshments, such as coffee, bottled water and juice. You may want to play the DVDs you’ve selected and get some feedback from the participants. Some of them may also have favorites that could be considered for the group’s use as well.
• Get to work! As the informal leader of the group, you should try to keep your enthusiasm high to set a good example. Moaning and groaning is not good for the group’s morale.

More tips

• Consume choline: You may never have heard of it, but choline is a nutrient with the potential to reduce harmful gene effects that may result in birth defects. It also is important for brain function, among other benefits. Most women don’t get enough choline; many prenatal vitamins don’t even contain it. Egg yolks are rich in choline; only beef liver contains more. Cauliflower, the highest choline-containing veggie, has 25 percent of the choline found in one egg yolk.
• Watch your herbal teas and supplements: “You really have to be careful of having too many botanicals in your diet,” cautions Biasucci-Vianna. Some herbs—including licorice, sassafras, ginseng, St. John’s wort and ephedra—should be avoided while in fertility treatment or pregnant.
• It takes two (usually) to tango: Fertility problems may be due to the male partner’s weight or diet. Johnson says that vitamins C and E, zinc and folic acid help improve sperm health. Sperm motility can also be damaged by smoking, drinking alcohol (including beer) and recreational drug use.
• Fish carefully: Don’t eat sushi or any raw fish. Avoid fish that have high mercury content due to their environment—including swordfish, tilefish, king mackerel and shark.
• Stay fluid: When you don’t drink enough water, your cervical fluid (the stuff that helps the sperm find the target egg) becomes sluggish, Johnson points out. The same goes for a man’s ejaculate fluid. Drink enough water so that your urine is a light yellow color.
• Cut caffeine: High caffeine intake interferes with conception. You may want to consider eliminating it from your diet altogether by avoiding caffeinated coffee, tea and soft drinks (decaf is fine). Once you’re pregnant, caffeine also crosses the placenta and can affect the fetus and even cause miscarriage. Stick to no more than two five-ounce cups of regular coffee a day, advises Biasucci-Vianna.

Photo Credit: Soulfulbeauty.comYou know all of the good-for-you arguments for becoming more physically active, but here’s an especially attractive reward: exercise can improve your sex life.

Being physically active helps you feel more interested in sex, gives you the energy and strength you need for enjoying your partner or yourself more, reduces the stress that can block sexual interest and builds the muscles used in sexual intimacy.

Research shows that exercise boosts women’s sexual arousal—even if they were experiencing low sexual desire before starting physical activity. That effect is strongest 15 minutes after exercising (a good reason to work out at home!).

These exercises can help increase your sexual interest and pleasure:

• Aerobic exercise of all types—brisk walking, dancing, bike riding, swimming, jogging—improves blood flow, which supports sexual arousal. It also increases lung capacity and cardiac endurance for sustaining sexual activities as long as you want.

• Do floor exercises to strengthen your flexibility and stamina. While lying on your back, try gentle pelvic arches, lower body lifts and thigh stretches. And don’t forget the importance of being able to support your body’s weight during sex. To get in shape for that, lie on the floor face down and do modified push-ups (keep lower leg bent on the mat or carpet).

• Kegel exercises strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and are known for improving urinary incontinence in women and men, but these exercises also may help women reach orgasm and increase sexual functioning. Go here and here to learn more about how to perform Kegel exercises.

• Pilates and yoga both build core muscles and so are likely to benefit sexual activity. Women have reported anecdotally that these methods have helped them. A 2010 study found that Pilates improved pelvic muscle strength as much as a pelvic floor muscle-training program in women with little or no functional problem. Recent yoga research determined that women enrolled in a 12-week yoga program significantly improved their sexual functions in all categories: desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction and less pain.

~HealthyWomen.org

How would you feel if your child was removed from your home and placed into foster care for being obese?

According to a group of health specialists in England and Ireland, some obese children should be removed from their homes.

There are 20 documented cases in the U.K. where obese children have been removed from their homes and there are sporadic cases of the same situation occurring in the U.S.

How is this justified?

Childhood obesity can be seen as a failure to adequately care for your children by failing to provide a healthy diet and sufficient activity, whether through direct neglect or more subtly through an inability to deny children the pleasures of energy dense fast food and television viewing, according to health experts.

The neglect that leads to obesity may be a sign of other problems in the home. As many as one-third of obese adults say they were sexually abused as children.

Some pediatricians and other professionals wonder if obese children would be better off in the custody of child protective services.

Failure to provide children with medical treatment for chronic diseases (asthma or epilepsy) can result in the government intervening and placing the child in foster care.  If  removing an obese child from their home prevents future health problems such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes, is this justified?

Thoughts?

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Some of those changes are downright sneaky—you can slip them into your daily eating plan without any stress and they’ll help you feel healthy each day.

1. Take out a ruler and measure your plate. The size of American dinner plates has grown in recent years. Many are now 12 or even 14 inches wide, great for loading up but not so good for encouraging healthy eating. Big plates result in big portions and weight gain, since most of us are conditioned to eat what’s on our plates. Instead, get out those old 9- or 10-inch “luncheon” plates you may have received as hand-me-downs or buy some inexpensive new ones. You’ll serve yourself less food with smaller plates, but still feel satisfied.

2. Make your second helping all veggies. You may have heard the advice to mentally divide your dinner plate in fourths and fill two of those sections with vegetables and/or salad, one with a starch and one with a meat or other protein. That works well as a guideline for smart eating, but if you’re still hungry and want more, commit to making your second helping all veggies. For seconds, start with one-fourth of the plate or less. Eating more cooked or salad vegetables increases your feeling of fullness without adding a lot of calories—so long as you don’t butter the vegetables and use only nonfat or low-fat salad dressings.

3. Serve from the stove, not at the table. Although the image of filled serving bowls on the family dinner table is associated with well-being, serving food directly from pots on a stove or counter is better for healthy weight, according to Brian Wansink, PhD, director of the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab and author of Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think. The reason this sneaky tip works for weight control is simple: When you sit and look at food, you take more and eat more. For a modified approach, reduce traffic jams at the stove and promote better food choices by keeping only the cooked vegetables and salad on the dining table.

4. Eat breakfast every day. More reason to wake up and smell the coffee: Eating breakfast improves weight loss efforts and helps keep weight off long-term. When you skip that starter meal of the day, hunger hits stronger, often well before lunchtime. To quiet hunger pangs quickly, you might reach for something calorie-loaded without much nutritional benefit, such as a doughnut (or two!), muffin or bagel. Whole-grain cereals, like oatmeal, will carry you through the morning. Other options: have nonfat yogurt, eggs or peanut butter for protein, with whole-grain toast.

5. Have a tall, thin one. Time to hide the wide glasses! Dr. Wansink and his research colleagues have shown that you’ll pour less and drink less (thus cutting calories)–yet still be satisfied—when you use tall, skinny glasses for serving beverages. You can still use your wide glasses for water and other calorie-free drinks.

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Although being pregnant during the summer is not ideal for anyone, having a newborn baby during the warmer months has its benefits.  As my sister in law gets ready to have her baby anyday now, here are tips for mothers with summer newborns.

Newborns Love the Outdoors

Giving birth to a baby in the summer means that you can utilize the beautiful summer weather. The air and atmosphere change once you step foot outside. Babies love this change. It soothes them. As a matter of fact, one of the best ways to calm a crying or colicky newborn is to take them outdoors. My first child was colicky and it was the ONLY way we could stop her cries. If you make sure you have a nice porch swing or glider, your time outdoors will not only be soothing for your newborn, but also for you.

Don’t Let a Newborn Overheat

Babies, and small children in general cannot release body heat as well as adults. This is because adults have more surface area to sweat the heat away from their bodies. For this reason, try to always keep your newborn inside on the terribly hot days. If you are uncomfortable, your baby is definitely uncomfortable.

Protect Your Newborn From the Sun

The skin on your newborn’s body is virtually perfect. It is unharmed and undamaged by years of sun and age. Preserve this beautiful skin for your baby. Make sure you only go outside in the morning or evening. Try to avoid the mid-afternoon time. This is when the sun is the most dangerous. If you are outside, make sure your newborn is in the shade, or has a large hat. At such a young age, most pediatricians do not recommend sunscreen.

Properly Dressing Your Newborn

Generally speaking, if you feel comfortable in a tee-shirt and shorts with no socks, your newborn will too. Do not judge your newborn’s body temperature by the temperature of his/her feet. At such a young age, newborns cannot properly regulate body temperature as well to extremities. This means that the feet may appear to be cold to you, but they actually feel quite comfortable to the baby. Instead, feel the neck or chest of your newborn to judge body temperature.

Once your pregnancy is over, enjoy the summer weather with your newborn. Having a baby doesn’t mean you have to stay indoors all the time. Newborns love being outside just as much as adults.

Explore the recesses of your refrigerator and you may find foods that science is, increasingly, crediting with being especially supportive for brain health. These edibles may improve memory, clarify thinking, delay cognitive decline, and perhaps even ward off Alzheimer’s disease.

Recent research shows that you may want to include the following on your shopping list more often for brain-strengthening nourishment:

• Apple juice and pomegranate juice
• Red grapes, cherries, apples, blueberries and strawberries
• Tea and cocoa
• Salmon and light tuna
• Soy foods
• Sunflower seeds, walnuts
• Vegetables, especially leafy greens
• Canola oil, olive oil
• Dark chocolate

When buying processed or packaged foods containing these ingredients, be sure to read the nutrition labels carefully. Some of these “good” foods may be prepared with high amounts of sugar, fat or salt added to them, resulting in too many calories or too much sodium in your diet. For healthful eating, choose fresh versions of these foods most often, or prepare them with low-fat ingredients. Eat processed types in moderation.

For example, you can still get the benefits of pomegranate juice (which has sugar added to offset its tart flavor) by mixing one or two ounces into sparkling water as a spritzer. Cocoa made with nonfat milk gives your brain a boost without adding extra fat. And letting a small piece of dark chocolate melt slowly in your mouth prolongs your enjoyment while keeping your daily intake healthful (one ounce or less).

For brain health as well as overall health, be sure to avoid foods containing saturated fats or trans fats (check those nutrition labels!). Diets that are high in such fats are specifically related to declining brain capabilities.

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Snoring is usually caused by irregular nasal air flow due to a blockage in the airways. Other causes can be a weakened throat, a throat surrounded with fat, nasal congestion, or tissues surrounding airways that rub against each other and vibrate.

If you are looking to find solutions to snoring problems, there are a wide variety of treatments available. While there are some very effective surgical and medical treatments, it is always a good idea to start with natural and non-invasive solutions.

6 natural cures for snoring:

1) Mild snoring can usually be addressed by switching to a different sleeping position. If you sleep on your back, you may want to try sleeping on your side and see if it addresses or reduces your problem.

2) Try elevating your head when lying down by using more pillows. This can free your airways and make breathing less strenuous while you sleep.

3) Lifestyle changes can do a lot to remedy your snoring problems. If you have vices such as drinking or smoking, try cutting down or quitting entirely. You should also exercise regularly to enhance your respiratory system. If you are overweight, try to lose a few pounds and get to your ideal weight.

4) Several types of medication can also cause snoring problems. Among them are sleeping pills which, ironically, people tend to take when they can’t sleep due to their snoring problems. As much as possible, try to get natural sleep and ask your doctor if any of your other medications contribute to your snoring problem.

5) There are also other very helpful but unconventional treatments including singing or playing woodwind or brass instruments. Such activities exercise your lungs and strengthen your throat to reduce or completely cure your snoring problems.

6) Activities such as yoga and meditation can help you eradicate your snoring problems if done regularly, especially before sleeping. Such activities help you relax and improve your breathing techniques.

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She knows all too well that her weight loss successes are due in part to a tremendous family support system who encouraged her and created an environment that fostered a healthy lifestyle. She has lost 30 more lbs since the finale show, making her truly an inspiration to those who feel like there is no hope in controlling their weight.

Carla’s journey to losing the weight and keeping it off  is the catalyst behind her involvement with the Health and Weight Loss Family Festival Saturday, June 26 in Morristown, New Jersey. This free event is hosted by the daughter of Former Heavyweight champion Muhammed Ali, Khaliah Ali and will feature fun activities for the family, all the while providing alternatives to assist those that are struggling to control their weight and assistance for the families that support them. For more information, visit their website.

Carla has been keeping busy since her appearance on The Biggest Loser. She is the C.E.O. of  Let’s Get Gorgeous, an image consulting firm and is also a  fitness advisor. She  recently added model to her growing  list of titles having just appeared in a photo shoot for Plus Model Magazine and on the runway during Full Figured Fashion Week™  in The Susan Moses Collection.

The two stretches below take only a few minutes, but help ease the burden on your body created by sitting for hours. They’ll rejuvenate you during the work day and send you home ready for an active evening.

#1: Chest stretch

Why this exercise is helpful: When you sit at a computer all day, you often start to slouch, shoulders rounded forward. It’s a good idea to relieve that strain by opening up the chest muscles several times throughout the day.

Where to do it: Sitting in a chair or standing.

How to do it:

•Stand or sit with your body straight.
•Put both arms out to the side (elbows slightly bent) with your palms facing forward.
•Bring your arms back as far as you can go comfortably, while feeling the stretch in your chest.
•Hold for 20 to 30 seconds.
•Repeat 3 to 5 times.
#2: Neck and upper back stretch

Why this exercise is helpful: This stretch relaxes muscle tension in the neck and upper back. It also helps relieve workday stress.

Where to do it: Sitting in a chair.

How to do it:

•Drop your chin down to your chest.
•Place your hands on the back of your head.
•Gently push down until you feel a comfortable slight stretch in your neck and some of your upper back.
•Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, breathing slowly.
•If you close your eyes while doing this stretch and concentrate on your breathing, this can be a great stress reliever.
•Repeat 3 to 5 times.

{HealthyWomen.org}