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.