Did you know that food manufacturers must pay for each of their foods to be certified by the American Heart Association?  This is why the AHA logo appears on some products but not on others, even if both meet the guidelines.

In 2008, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) reported the AHA charging these fees per product:  $7,500 for 1-9 products, $6,750 for 10-24 products and $5,940 for 25-99 products in their first year.  To renew in subsequent years, the prices were $4,500, $4,050, and $3,570 respectively.  It’s easy to see how....

Many people want to start exercising or decide to return to exercising after some type of layoff, but they aren’t sure how to start.  Generally when someone doesn’t have a plan, they fail.  Here is a list of common pitfalls that you should avoid if you want to be successful.

•    thinking you are a teenager again
•    not warming up and stretching properly beforehand.  Philosophies behind warming up have changed over the past several years so be sure you know what you are doing and why you are doing it
•    not cooling down and stretching.  Again, ideas surrounding which type of cool down will be most effective and safe have changed
•    not asking for help with anything you are unsure of or intimidated by
•    using a machine you don’t know how to operate or what muscles it engages
•    lifting free weights not knowing how to perform the proper movement or what muscles they challenge
•    getting into a weight lifting contest with anyone.  Don’t let their gender or size fool you
•    not staying hydrated  (learn more here)
•    following someone else’s workout routine even if it was created by a certified trainer.  The chance that their goals, family history, and medical history are the exact same as yours are slim to none
•    blindly following a workout routine you found in a muscle or fitness magazine because it says you will “pack on 10 lbs of muscle in 2 weeks” or “get a bikini-ready body in 3 weeks.”  The creator of the program doesn’t know anything about you, so how can they say honestly tell you their program will give you the results they claim?!!
•    taking supplements of any type that you don’t know what they are for, the side effects they may have, how they could interact with other supplements or medication you are taking, or the reputation of the manufacturer  
•    depending on your health, starting an exercise routine without getting clearance from your physician
•    not stopping when you experience pain.  There is a difference between feeling sore and feeling pain.  Read more here
•    thinking you won’t be sore, either later that same day or up to two days afterward
•    thinking you will recover as quickly as you used to.  Remember, you are no longer a teenager

Follow these tips so you reap the benefits of exercise and you make it a routine in your life.  You never know, you might just have fun along the way too!

Eating healthy does NOT mean that you are destined to never eat fat or baked goods again.  It does NOT mean that you will subject yourself to bland food and an over-abundance of chicken and asparagus for the rest of your life.

Eating healthy DOES mean that your mind will be sharper and your body stronger.  Maintaining a healthy weight reduces the risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and many other health issues.

How do you do this?  It's pretty simple if you take small steps.  Click here and scroll to page 9 to learn how.