Kettlebells

There are lots of fitness fads that come and go. But Wiserhealth has joined the Russian kettlebell bandwagon. This device looks like a cannonball with a handle and allows you to exercise in a flowing pattern that is centered around the hips and leg muscles, i.e. the real core.

The basic movement is the swing. Grab the kettlebell by its handle with both hands and let it hang between your legs. Take a semi-squat stance and thrust your hips forward to raise the kettlebell up to eye level. Don't use you arms to lift, let them hang loose. Let the kettlebell fall back down between your legs like you're hiking a football to the quarterback. Raise it again, using your hips.

Try this basic movement for five to 12 minutes to get a vigorous full-body workout that also blasts your lungs and heart. An average man can start with a 35-lb. kettlebell, a woman can start with the 16-24 lbs.

Worst excuse for not trying

One of the lamest excuses I hear is when someone sees a fit celebrity and says, "Well if I had a personal trainer and full-time cook, I could look like that."

Don't hate. Get to library and teach yourself how to cook. Actually, the healthiest foods are simple to prepare because not much is actually done to the basic ingredients. Learn to love food in its most natural state.

As for the personal trainer excuse, search for a good exercise program, find some activity you like and get to it. Push yourself and keep an exercise journal if you need accountability. You may never look like Matthew McConaughey or Demi Moore, but that's mostly because of genes.

"Up In the Air" mini-review

You've heard the accolades from the press. "Up in the Air" stars George Clooney as a nomad corporate tool for mass layoffs. It will certainly stand up as one of the more entertainingly cerebral film experiences of the year.

It's 100 minutes of smart conversation, musings and sorrow that boldly explores whether settling down in one place with one person has any merit. Breezy and attention-grabbing, these are old-Hollywood-type characters that are well worth your cinematic dollar.

Justify good food

Another great bit of wisdom passed on from food author Michael Pollan is: "It's better to pay the grocer than the doctor."

During the sick-prone winter days, it makes a lot of sense to be protected with vitamins and anti-oxidants. Exercise keeps us strong. Get the right amount of sleep. Wash your hands thoroughly often. Sickness can be avoided or minimized.

This quote also applies to the bigger picture. Eating more healthy foods helps prevent serious diseases. It makes our skin and bodies look better, too.

Shake what your mamma gave you

It's not a new concept, but it's one worth repeating: Genetics play a huge part in what our bodies look like. So no matter how many calf exercises I ever do, my lower legs will always look like twigs.

So what? Variety is what makes our world beautiful. The key is tap into your own body's potential. Most recently ESPN the magazine had its bodies issue and featured various types of athletes from tennis players to track athletes. The range of body types was incredible, and each were admirable for how much form followed function.

When thinking about health and fitness don't let anyone tell you the rules. Do what works best for you and I promise you will shine.

Go hard, for not too long, for great results

More and more fitness experts are recommending shorter periods of intense aerobic exercise for good results. This is great news since many of us don't have time for 10-mile runs of 50-minute bike rides.

Here's a foolproof combo I like: Kettlebell swings and squat thrusts (or burpees). Mix these two exercises and blast the heart and lungs. Fifteen minutes, if you can make it, should do the trick.

Aren't familiar with kettlebells? That's worth a whole post.

Throw in another WiserHealth favorite, jump roping, if you don't have a kettlebell yet.

Hate working out? Try Dr. Oz's 7-minute routine

I don't like many celebrity gurus. But Dr. Oz offers lots of good tips to keep us healthy and he doesn't seem full of himself. Good enough for me.

He has a great morning routine that takes seven minutes. Here's the link to video:

This routine has a nice rhythmic mix of stretching, relaxation and a little bit of strength training.

Wiser Health Quote of the Day

This one is a wise sports analogy for life from The Great One:

Wayne Gretzky: "I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it's been."

breakfast

Don't skip breakfast. This is an often repeated mantra in health and fitness circles. One way to make this happen is the make it easy for yourself to throw together a nutritious breakfast.

Most mornings, I microwave some instant oatmeal with some water. Or I'll break out some Greek yogurt and throw in some berries. Bananas are easy too to incorporate.

I definitely have more energy throughout the day and don't tend to overeat later. On the weekends, I'll make some eggs and breakfast meats for a treat.

Wiserhealth endorses

Why can't more companies make workout gear that is stylish? After witnessing all those garish marathoners taking over the subway system last weekend, I vowed to write a post to give proper respects to companies making exercisers look good.

My wife looks stunning in her Stella McCartney adidas. The designer channels an ancient gladiator look and combines it with neoprene for future-perfect design. Check out the clothes and sneakers here.

My hat goes off to a company that let's cyclists not look like fools. Even Lance looks dorky in a standard bike kit. So check out these duds by Rapha.

A new upstart helps the adventure set look chic. Aether sells great looking gear. Here's their stuff. Pictured is their Highland Waxed Jacket.

This stuff is pricey, but hopefully they will influence the entire industry to design less garish workout garb and kicks.

Throw away the scale

I haven't weighed myself in years. What's the point really? It's a number that can tell you something, or nothing at all. How do my pants fit? is usually a better question to ask yourself.

People obsess over weight, but unless you are competing in a sport with weight divisions, the scale can be a harmful tool in helping people achieve physical health.

Think about how you breathe after climbing a set of stairs. Do your joints ache? Does your neck hurt? Do you feel tired? Fix those things first.

Getting back into the swing of things

For the last month, I've become a member of my local gym, a basic, no-nonsense type of place. Mostly, it has free weights and the necessary little things like towel service. People are friendly and don't blather on if engaged in conversation.

The end of summer is always welcome for me. It means sweaters, football and leaves changing. Business gets more serious. It's time for full-body workouts, plenty of yoga-inspired stretching and a healthy dose of nutritionally valuable foods.

Fall is good time to revisit New Year's resolutions. Are you there?

Cool salad ideas

There's always a place for sharing a great article on how to made salads that aren't the same old thing. Summertime is great for gathering all these fresh ingredients. Here's the article from the Times.

Don't cheat

I saw an ad for a rope-less jump rope once. How idiotic is that?

The whole point of jumping rope is get into a rhythm. I see tons of products advertised to make exercise easier, mostly trying to trick people into whittling down their midsections.

Good exercise can be hard, but it gets easier. The key is to know your limits. Instead of choosing the easier machine at the gym, go with a free weight but use a manageable weight. Free weights are, for the most part, better at building the body. Instead of walking that last mile, jog slower.

Work hard in the moment and the rewards will come.

combating office fatigue

If you sit at the desk in front of a computer for most of the day, the neck, forearms and back are in definite danger of becoming too stiff. In my newspaper days, one real estate reporter had carpal tunnel syndrome so bad she wore wrist supports and had a swivel support system for her forearms attached to her keyboard. I never forgot that sight.

Get up and walk (standing straight as if a tight string was pulling you up from the heavens) and grab some water. Stand up and do some side bends and neck twists. Rotate your hips. If you're on the phone a lot, ask your office manager to order you a headset.

Also make sure your keyboard sits comfortably with about a 90-degree bend in your arms. The top of the monitor should hit eye level. These are tips from years of having an ergonomic consultant visit us in the newsroom.

It's bad enough a lot of work in The Office. Let's not let it make us old.

congratulations Alberto!

Alberto Contador won his second Tour de France today, outclassing his rivals in the mountains and the time trial over the three-week race. Lance finished an admirable third, proving that his legs, lungs and heart are still among the strongest in the world.

Once thing Lance showed in his comeback was that he never really took time off from taking care of his fitness. He raced mountain bikes, finished marathons and simply made sure that invigorating exercise was still integral to his daily routine. 

So do something everyday for your health. Eat some avocado. Do some lunges. Read the op-ed pages. 

Are you fit?

Can you run 1.5 miles in 10 minutes? How many push ups can you do?

Can you jump onto that banister and climb through your window when you accidentally locked yourself out of the house?

What are true measures of fitness? 

To me, it doesn't really make that much sense if you can do an Ironman triathlon, but you can't kick my butt.

Health care reform begins at home

As national health care reform takes shape, hopefully, it's time to consider what may be the only really effective health insurance. 

The only real control we have is preventative care. While health news seems to change daily, we have to listen to our own bodies and use logic. Floss. Eat more vegetables. Eat less. Force our bodies to work so they work well. Stretch. Walk up the stairs. 

Seinfeld once joked about people who work out in the gym just so they could be in shape to go to the gym again. Well, it is funny how our society has made exercise seem like a hamster wheel. But like cars, regular maintenance helps everything out in the long run. 

Stand tall. Take small steps. But take control.

As Michael Jackson sang: "I'm looking at the man in the mirror."

Or as my friend Taharba said about his regular workout habit: "Just gotta keep it tight."

Exercise of the day: Renegade row

This exercise is very tough if done correctly. It's good for your back and forces you to stabilize your core. Get in push-up position holding two dumbbells. Pull one dumbbell up to your waist. Repeat on the other side. Keep your body straight. 

One key is to weigh down the opposite side you are pulling from.

The goodness of shrooms

For dinner we threw a bunch of mushrooms into our polenta sauce. We've been fortunate to have access to mini portobellos, which have a lot of flavor. They work in a variety of dishes and are especially nice on top of whole wheat flatbread pizza.

Cooked mushrooms are a great source of potassium, riboflavin, niacin and selenium (an antioxidant). Sources like Dr. Weil also tout the anti-cancer attributes of mushrooms.

I've never really appreciated mushrooms, but nowadays I try to make them part of my weekly intake just because they taste so good.

Now only if I could learn how to enjoy the taste of kale. 

What home exercise equipment works

So you're sitting at home watching the late-night tube and suddenly there's an ad promising awesome abs through some little ball that you can do sit-ups on. Its effectiveness is proven by "university studies." Most stuff that's meant for home exercise just doesn't do that much.

However there are two cool, relatively inexpensive, devices that WiserHealth endorses. One is the pull-up bar that you can simply through over a doorway without bolting anything on. The one brand is the Iron Gym Total Upper Body Workout Bar. It's secure and lets you bust out some pull-ups and chin-ups. You also put it away so pretty easily.

The Perfect Pushup is pretty good to for a very comfortable and effective way to do the classic push up. It allows the wrist to stayed locked and rotate naturally like when throwing a punch. 

With a push and pull home device, you can crank out a balanced workout at home. 

Tour de France so far

Lance is back in the mix, sitting in third place. No one expects to make a move until week 3. This makes for some exciting bicycle racing. His teammate Contador looks poised to show who's boss. Who will betray the other? That's the fun of the le Tour. As one rider stated, there's a little bit of "Melrose Place" going on.

Still don't understand the tour? Here's the easy version: The rider with the lowest time over the three week race wins. There are several disciplines. One is time trialing, where the riders race against the clock. 

Then there's the flat stages, where sprinters can excel. Usually, not much happens in the overall, because the main pack (the peleton) won't let any contenders get ahead. 

Then there's the mountain stages, which favor climbers. These stages often make or break the race because there can be huge gaps in time earned or lost here.

So the best all-around rider will be the one sipping champagne in Paris. There's plenty of other finer points, but just watch to see if anyone can get a huge lead in the mountains right now.

More on eating less

Dieting, as it has come to manifest in American culture, does not appear to work very well. The latest study on monkeys and calorie restriction reinforces what may be the simplest solution to being healthier through what we eat.

Eating less is one of those good habits to try to incorporate one meal at a time. Some tricks that may be obvious, but it's good to be reminded of these tenants:

1.) Eat slowly. Chew. Enjoy your food. (This is one I have to work on.)

2.) After eating, just sit there and let the food fill you up. One tip I like: Drink a cup of herbal tea because it gives your mouth something to do and it's nice.

3.) Put food on a smaller plate so it looks like there's more. 

Now, I used to be of the mindset that I could eat as much as I want as long as I worked it off through exercise. But I dropped that belief simply because I have more energy throughout the day by eating less.

This site is called Wiser Health for a reason. It's not about being so mindful of "being healthy" that it takes away life's pleasures. It's about establishing good habits so we become healthy most of the time. 

Monkeys who eat less live longer

Here's the study in the Times.

Now, only if I could cut 30 percent of my daily calorie consumption. 

Regular bacon is better that turkey bacon!

Great news for bacon lovers. Turkey bacon is worse for you than regular bacon.

Both have the same amount of fat and calories but turkey bacon has way more sodium. This from the Men's Health column Eat This, Not That.

Intervals

One of the themes we like to focus on in Wiserhealth is making the most out of precious time. We don't all have the luxury of lots of time to work out. Latest studies have shown that interval training is really efficient. This is were the body trains at a regular speed and then goes for short all-out spurts, recovers at the regular speed and hits the super-fast pace again. 

It trains your body to push harder, burning fat, forcing lungs and heart to work hard. Here's a good treadmill interval session that's easy to memorize:

4 minutes warm-up, 30 second sprint, 1:30 solid pace, 30 second sprint, 1:30 solid pace, 30 second sprint, 30 seconds solid pace, 30 seconds sprint, 30 seconds back to normal, 30 seconds of sprinting, back to 1:30 recovery rate, 30 second sprint, one more 1:30 recovery, the last 30 second sprint concluded by 3:30 of warm down as the solid pace.

It adds up to 18 minutes. Easy in, easy out. Remember to really work hard during the sprints. This stuff really works. You should feel like quitting in the middle portion if you are doing it right.

Inverted poses

There is something to be said for inverted yoga poses such as headstands and shoulder stands. As my favorite yoga author Richard Hittleman tells us, the inversion reverses the blood flow and it stimulates the cardiovascular, lymphatic, nervous and endocrine systems.

I like to do a shoulder stand for as long as I can, five to ten minutes, perhaps. It helps loosen my neck. I have not mastered the headstand yet, so proceed with caution unless you know what you are doing.

crackers and hummus

That's a good snack. Get some hearty whole wheat crackers and some hummus spread and you've got a tasty treat that's good for you. 

I got introduced to hummus way back in college, and it certainly was a bit overdone by the post-collegiate Whole Food devotees, but now I am way into it again. I like the garlic infused flavors.

I've been told to also munch on olives as a healthy snack,  but my taste buds don't jive with them, yet. 

Exercise of the day

It's really important to shore up those hamstrings and lower back. These oft-injured body parts do a lot of work. First off, stretch them often. WiserHealth likes two classic yoga poses: The forward bend and the standing forward bend. Bend from the waist and really feel it in your hamstrings. The downward dog is also a good one.

To prevent and strengthen, my wife and I tried this today and it really hit the hamstrings well. It's a stiff-legged deadlift on one leg. Grab two dumbbells and balance on one leg. Maintaining and arch in your back bend forward until you feel it in your hamstrings. Kick one leg back behind you.

Here's a link to a video for help: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsX2VU26GMg

This dude has pretty good form, too.

Salad without lettuce

One nice way to rethink salads is to lose the dependency on lettuce as a base.

We've been enjoying tofu salad, with a little bit of Romaine, scallions and cherry tomatoes with a soy sauce/sesame oil dressing. It's light and packed with good stuff.

Or try this Mediterranean style mix of cucumber cubes, tomatoes and onions.

The point is, rethink salad. Get creative and break out of the must have mixed greens thinking.

Wiser Health stretch of the day

Do this classic, the cobra pose, to counteract any overemphasis on the abs. This is a great release of stress.  Hold for 10 breaths and fully release.

More on the abs

It seems as if the Times article has cast some intrigue. While Iran is burning, North Korea is aiming missiles at the Aloha State and healthcare is in crisis, the most e-mailed article from the NYTimes.com site is the abs exercise article mentioned yesterday. Comments are off-the-charts and boy! what a fitness obsessed society we live in.

So back to the subject of abs. It seems that the safe consensus is that any exercise the forces you to stabilize your midsection is good for the "core." So squatting, deadlifts, standing shoulder presses, planks, etc... are sufficient to have strong abs and lower back.

good questions to pose about abs

The NY Times published a thorough look at how sit-ups and crunches affect the spine:

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/17/core-myths/

There are lots of points to consider here, but I'm not sure that sit-ups are to be discarded. Once again, Wiserhealth defers to listening to one's own body and doing what feels the most natural.

Bottom line: It is important to have a healthy lower back. So stand straight (like there's an invisible rope pulling your spine upright).

favorite sports documentaries

Just finished some excellent tacos at a real Mexican place (no fajitas, no nachos) on Grove Street in Jersey City with my friend Mike Gartland, who is making a film about Yankee Stadium called "Yankeeland: In the Shadow of the Stadium."

shadowofthestadium.com

Which brings to mind, what are your favorite sports documentaries?

Mine is, no doubt, "Hoop Dreams," the incredible stories of William Gates and Arthur Agee.  

summertime is watermelon time

Right now watermelon is especially sweet. Slice it up into cubes and store away for a refreshing, hydrating snack loaded with more lycopene than tomatoes.

One thing to watch out for: Eating a lot of watermelon before bed makes you pee a lot overnight. My wife Susan learned the hard way.

Back on the hoops court

I couldn't find the bottom of the net all during my practice session today as I finally grabbed my trusty basketball, courtesy of my good friend John "Catholic" Lavelle, who used to tear up afternoon runs with me at the East Shore Y.

Finally got two others to play a little 21, the game where every man is for himself and the first to get to 21 points wins. One dude was a European who faded to his left every time. The other was a doo-ragged big man who preferred a lazy game. I was missing from the corner and then everything started to click with the outside shot. I learned a little from watching Rashard Lewis' release. Thwap. Nothing but net. Three straight from beyond the arc and I had reached 21.

No big deal. But it always feels good to win in the universal game of basketball. 

Layoff never helps

It's been too long since my last post. The good news is I am now married and living the family life, a positive turn for a healthy lifestyle.

Just like blogging, when you take time off from exercise, it really becomes hard to get back into the swing of things. But start slowly, and get back into the groove.

BTW- My wife and I eat a lot of watermelon, and it turns out it contains more lycopene than tomatoes. Lycopene fights the free radicals that exist in our bodies and try to harm us.

Do vitamin pills work?

Just as I suspected:

Read this

Birthday post

Wow. 36. On the other end of middle age. 

Tomorrow is my birthday and I feel pretty good. I have to eat less and workout more nowadays, but that's life's challenge. I've learned to make my exercise more efficient and to choose carrot sticks, which are quite delicious. 

Let's mark this birthday, the Year of the Ox, as an occasion to measure myself against Wiser Health's resolutions made in entry no. 1:

1.) Eat more fruits and vegetables. (Not too bad, sweet potato frites!) Grade=B+

2.) Laugh a lot. ("The 40-Year-Old Virgin") Grade=A

3.) Choose exercise that is difficult, but rewarding. (Chin-up contest, anyone?) Grade=A

4.) Read a good book. Watch a good movie. Listen to a transcendent album.  (Assembling a wedding party mix is hard work. Really.) Grade=C+

5.) Get out of the house and feel life. (C'mon, it's cold outside in New York) Grade=B

Nice and smooth

The best advice I heard about descending on a mountain bike is: Flow like running water.

Be smooth in no matter what you do. The best athletes are always in control. Lance Armstrong pioneered the fast, smooth spin as he dropped his competitors in the mountains. Even is a rough sport like mixed martial arts, top fighter George St. Pierre looks effortless flowing from jujitsu to grappling to boxing towards victory. Check out Ray Allen's jump shot.

"Float like a butterfly. Sting like a bee."

Top basketball shoes

For hooping, shoes are pretty important and a very personal choice. Kobe, who lit up The Garden for 61 two nights ago, told Complex magazine that his new shoe, a low top, is light and lets him feel the court. 

I'm with him on that concept. I don't like bulky high-tops made for post players. In my experience, relying on fabric for ankle support is just hype. Give me something quick.

My all-time favorites (pictured from top to bottom):

1.) Air Jordan IIIs (simply gorgeous, almost too pretty to play in) 

2.) Air Flight Huarache  (another 1992 shoe, that has many incarnations, popularized by Michigan's Fab Five)

3.) Air Raids (1992s that are ready for battle)

Great exercise #2

Remember the squat thrust from gym class? Well, the adult version is called the burpee. There are many variations, but the one I like to do is just the same as the old-school version, but with a leap at the end of the movement.

Here's some dude's YouTube video. Since he has pretty good form, WiserHealth will endorse it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_Dq_NCzj8M

Do as many as you can without pausing. Incorporate it into a circuit of exercises.

iPod Classic rules

The advantage of not jumping too quickly on the latest technology is usually the value exponentially increases on tech devices if you wait just a bit.

I just picked up an iPod Classic (my first real non-Shuffle MP3 player) for $250. For $100 more than the Nano, the Classic has 120GB of storage compared to the Nano's 16GB. That means 30,000 songs!

Why is this an entry on a health-related site? It's because music is good for the soul. Every dull moment waiting for the subway or walking to run errands is made better by Eric B and Rakim or Thievery Corporation. 

Also, always go for things that are Classic. 

Show love, destress

Couples should give each other regular massage. Give each other a shoulder and neck rub for 10 to 15 minute sessions and switch. Use a timer like the one on your microwave. 

Since my fiancee doesn't have the strength to push hard enough to my liking, she walks on my back, which loosens the spine up quite nicely.

The great coffee debate

One day coffee is good for you. The next day it's going to kill you. Either way I love grinding some dark roast beans and enjoying a big cup of coffee every day. I've held my coffee intake to a decent moderation: one cup only during the weekdays. If I need another caffeinated beverage I drink tea.

The latest news published in the New York Times saying that coffee could help ward off dementia. Check out the article.

Good coffee is delicious. Quite wasting money at Starbucks and get a decent commuter mug and buy it by the pound. I like Trader Joe's French roast. It's nice and evil. My fiancee sets the timer on our coffee machine so I wake up to my favorite smell. It's a noiseless alarm!

Also, lose the milk and/or sugar habit. 

Wiser Health quote of the day

"Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."

Michael Pollan, author of "In Defense of Food"

Thinking about bicycling? Here are some considerations

If you are new to cycling and are confused on what type of bike to buy here are some tips. 

1.) Most importantly get one that fits. A $2,000 bike that doesn't fit properly isn't as good as a $200 bike that fits. Make sure your reach to the handlebars feels right.

2.) Skip the department store bike and go to your local bike shop. You aren't getting bargain by buying a cheap bike that has parts that can't be replaced. Trust me, there's a huge difference even for a kid's bike. (Thanks, dad, for dropping some coin on that Schwinn Predator for me. I was the happiest third grader ever.)

3.) A good bike store will help you with fit and find the right bike for your needs. If you want to do long distances go with a road bike. If you are really riding on dirt trails, get a mountain bike. If you are riding in the city, get a simple bike that won't be attractive to thieves. 

4.) In the end get a cool bike that fits your personal style. Again, if you look good doing, you'll feel good doing. Don't underestimate the importance of style. Lately I've been feeling old-school lugged-steel road bikes like the one pictured. Bob Weir once said, "Bicycles are almost as good as guitars for meeting girls."

Get out there and start spinning. Take in the fresh air and smile.

Real evidence there's no overnight solution

Everyone wants instant change. Not even Obama can do it instantly. People complain that they don't see results immediately after starting a workout program. Now there's evidence in a New York Times article that it's difficult to make significant physical changes in a few weeks of working out.

The point? Keep at it. Do something on most days of the week. Stretching counts.

Fancy looking, but easy-to-make lasagna

One of the first meals I've ever made for my fiancee was a pinwheel vegetarian lasagna. It's easy and impressive looking, and, most importantly, tasty. 

Saute some red onions, garlic and cremini mushrooms and then throw in a bag of pre-cleaned spinach once the rest of veggies are almost done. Salt and pepper to taste. Take your veggie mix and add it a bowl with ricotta cheese sprinkled with some of that handy Italian seasoning. 

Spread your lasagna strips out and put three dollops of the cheese and vegetable mix evenly spaced out across the noodle. Roll one end towards the center so that it forms a pinwheel. Layer a pan with tomato sauce and place each completed lasagna pinwheel in nice tidy rows. Throw another layer of tomato sauce over it all and sprinkle a layer of mozzarella over everything. Bake at 370 for about 45 minutes.

Wiser Health endorses...

The jump rope. A good jump rope costs maybe $20. I like ones that are light and fast and plenty adjustable. I tend like a little more slack for my meager height so I can really whip it around. Jump ropes are portable and fun. 

In my high school wrestling days, I used to try to show off my moves - doubles, crossing hands, through the legs, arm wraps - during warm-ups. Boxers have forever used them to improve their foot-speed. Get one now and you'll never have an excuse for not being able to work out.

Bring jump roping into you circuit training. Do three minutes, lift, crank out a set of burpees, another type of lift, repeat... 

It's deep into the winter freeze on the East Coast, so load up on Clementines. Grab a box and get your vitamin C the best way. Delicious.

Wiser Health guru no. 1

One of my favorite health advisors is Dr. Andrew Weil, who gives a lot of sound advice through his books and his Web site. His food tips are very good, and he favors a Mediterranean diet-based plan. He writes well and boils down the essentials for living healthy. His advice is sensible and he considers the constraints of everyday life. 

Besides, doesn't Dr. Weil just look jolly?

junk food is good

What do you mean junk food is good? Isn't this a blog about health?

Of course, junk food isn't good for you... if you eat too much of it. I try to eat healthy as much as I can. I am fortunate to have a nice little mom-and-pop grocery store with an excellent selection of fresh produce.

But when I go home to Philly, I grab a buddy and head to Delessandro's for a cheesesteak, sauce and fried onions. It's one of the most unhealthy foods on earth - the white bread, the processed cheese and red meat overload.

However, this is time to enjoy with one of the best tasting foods on earth and a chance to spend time with getting down with a hometown ritual. Allow yourself some "bad foods" in life. Don't beat yourself up if you do indulge. Enjoy it... but just not too often.

great athlete #1

Great athletes inspire us. And playing sports is an incredible way to keep in shape without even thinking that you are working out. For me, nothing beats a day of mountain biking or two hours of hoops. 

The first athlete I'll write an ode to is none other than A.I. I remember when I first heard the Philadelphia Sixers had drafted Allen Iverson in the first round, I told someone that our basketball woes were over. I was somewhat right. Although the Iverson-led Sixers didn't beat the Shaq-led Lakers in the championship series in 2001. Iverson carried that talent-challenged team to new heights. 

Philadelphians like their professional athletes to go all-out. That's one thing that A.I. did every time he stepped on the court. Undersized, but full of heart and talent, Iverson inspires me with his sheer will.

Films, recent and older

One of the biggest pluses of moving to New York is that movies worth seeing are going to open here first. For me, going to the movies and losing yourself in the darkness and big screen is a great way to invigorate one's mental health.

Two notable films of 2008 for me were Gus Van Sant's "Paranoid Park" (pictured), a surreal odyssey of a skateboarder's grim discovery, and Woody Allen's "Vicki Cristina Barcelona," where Penelope Cruz delivers. It was good to see the Woodman going back to a simple romantic travel story. Javier Bardem was appropriately silly as the charming artist type.

Put these on your Netflix queue: the unsettling documentary "Capturing the Friedmans," Pedro Almodovar's "Bad Education" and Van Sant's "Elephant." "Persepolis," the most enjoyable story set against the Iranian revolution ever, is also on my must-see list.

Richard Hittleman rules

One of the goals of my blog is simplify ways to be healthy. If you are interested in yoga, you do not need a pricey class to get started. If you decide to really get into yoga later, a good instructor will take you to the next level.

A used copy of "Richard Hittleman's Yoga: A 28 Day Plan" is a fantastic resource. His book, published in 1969, has great directions, insights (sometimes outdated by modern societal standards) and clear photos (of some odd old-school yoga models). If you follow the plan, you will feel tangible results. It's a challenge if done to Hittleman's standards. 

note to exercise post

I was thinking that someone unfamiliar on how to squat might wonder why I didn't post a photo or video or more detailed directions. I am not a fitness pro and I don't really like typical muscle-bound fitness photography. Therefore I defer to the many great sources available to learn technique and form. 

Great exercise #1

Now and again, I'll post a description of an exercise that is highly effective.

Squats: The key is pretend you are sitting back onto a chair and go into a deep squat. They can be done without weights. This movement works muscle groups that help in real-life tasks.

Pomegranate juice?

I fell for the pomegranate juice craze, thinking it would be a delicious way to get the antioxidant benefits of the tasty fruit. It turns out there is a lot of hype about the juice promoted by the industry.

Here's a handy article from Smart Money on the truth behind the juice. Something about the price of the juice made me second guess its worth.

Now I simply eat the fruit, taking time to cut it in half and extract the seeds. I pop it as a snack or throw it into my morning oatmeal along with a handful of blueberries. Try it.

Gym shoes

If you look good doing it, you'll feel good doing it.

That's the mantra I go with when I pick shoes for exercising in. I've finally picked up a pair of Nike Air Max 95s on sale and boy these kicks are comfortable. There is plenty of cushioning and this is a legendary shoe as far as important sneakers go.

My pair is black and white, with pink laces, not my first color choice. But the point is pick out a pair sneakers, lace them up and get on with the sweating.

New Year's resolutions

Welcome to my blog/online magazine about being healthy. Some will automatically think exercise, diet, etc... But in my mind being healthy is an all-around attitude, one that encompasses intellectual health and overall happiness.

My blog will include coverage of sports, fitness, movies (I was once a paid film critic), food, New York City, design, bicycles (the ultimate machine) and racial identity.

The reason I wanted to start blogging about health is because the quest to achieve healthy living in our society tends to be over-commercialized, over-promising and too complicated. 

Here's some simple ways to improve your health:

1.) Eat more fruits and vegetables.

2.) Laugh a lot.

3.) Choose exercise that is difficult, but rewarding.

4.) Read a good book. Watch a good movie. Listen to a transcendent album.

5.) Get out of the house and feel life.