Hot Topic: Exercise with a Hula Hoop

Image Source

The hula hoop-you know the plastic and sometimes glitter blasted ring that children use to play outside?  It has been the latest exercise craze!  Have you tried it in a while?  It has been years for me & I'm not sure I could actually sustain it long enough to call it exercise...but apparently some do.  A quick Google search brings up 192,000 hits when searching "hula hoop workouts".  Now that's a lot of information.  This 'new' form of exercise is touted as being FUN! That is something that all our exercise or physical activity should be.  Finding ways to incorporate the things that you love doing into physical activity is the golden pathway to a more active lifestyle.  That means that the hula hoop may not be for everyone.  But for those still interested here are a few info tidbits:

• Start by using a regular child-like hula hoop and when you get the technique down, start using a weighted hula hoop. You can find them online or in sports stores across the nation.  Just look at all THESE hoops! They even have a "travel hoop" that breaks down to increase portability!

Travel Hula Hoop Image Source 

• Read about hula hoop workouts and determine if you would like to do it at home or in a gym setting.  
• Real Simple has an online guideline to hula hooping
• Find an instructor HERE
• Benefits include: increased torso flexibility, core strength, inches lost around the waist
• Like any other exercise, you must be consistent to see results

If you are looking for a different way to get in your physical activity this might be just the type of activity you have been looking for! Let us know what you think after you try it!

The Post Holiday or New Year "Diet" Trend

Now is the time! The time to jump on board with a new year's resolution in hopes of keeping it throughout the year.  According to statisticsbrain.com, losing weight was the #1 new year's resolution and "staying fit & healthy" was ranked #5 in 2012.  Here are a few more stats from statisticsbrain.com:

-45% of Americans usually make new years resolutions
-8% successful in achieving their resolutions
-24% never succeed and fail on their resolution each year

It's interesting that "lose weight" is the #1 new years resolution, but it's not surprising since the overweight/obesity trend in America is rising each year.  Why is this?  Plain and simply answered...over consumption.  Americans are eating too much; too many calories that is.  And the new year falls on the heals of the major 6 week, "over consumption period of time", beginning with thanksgiving.  So, Americans spend 6 weeks (or more) eating too many calories then they decide to make a goal or resolution to lose weight.  Great idea if they are the 8% who are successful in achieving their resolutions, but not so good when it means another fad diet ending in starvation and disappointing results. 

What Americans really need is a reliable program that will provide them with the necessary tools to make lifestyle changes.  

life·style noun (ˈlīf-ˈstī(-ə)l): the typical way of life of an individual, group, or culture;  a particular way of living:the way a person lives or a group of people live 1
 

Trying each year to participate in a short term diet or short term stint at the gym to accomplish weight loss is not the key.  The key is participating in changes that you can do for the rest of your life (all year round; including holidays, get togethers, etc.).  Those are considered "lifestyle" changes. When a person is able to make lifestyle changes that they can do ALL year around and not just the first 6 weeks of a new year, this is when they are successful in achieving their goal of weight maintenance or weight loss. 

 

HNT is that reliable program to provide quick weight loss results (that's what you want) while meeting nutritional needs (that's what our registered dietitians and other health professionals on staff want) as you learn the tools you need in order to make the necessary lifestyle changes. 

 

The idea of weight loss is simple....if you overeat or eat too many calories at some point you must compesate by eating fewer calories.  Otherwise you will gain weight if you continue to eat too many calories-as many Americans do each year.  Did you catch that?  I said the "idea" or "concept" of weight loss is "simple".  I didn't say actually "DOING" it was! That is why we are here to help-it's our job!

 

We are here when you are ready.  Call 317.489.4817 for more information on how you can break the cycle of creating the same new years resolution each year and not being able to be successful.  Come to one of our FREE orientations to get started.  

Indianapolis Proven Weight Loss Program

Health and Technology Nutrition (HNT) is dedicated to providing weight management and long term weight loss solutions through medically supervised weight loss. The Indianapolis area is the original location of HNT- Program for Health and Weight Management. We have proudly served the community since 2002. We believe that support combined with education is what it takes to make a lifestyle change permanent. Our goal is to teach you the skills to develop a healthy lifestyle and to coach you while practicing these skills. In a supportive setting, you'll focus on mastering four essential skill-sets: Behavioral; Nutritional; Environmental; Physical Activity.

Personal and professional coaching is fundamental to our program. Our dedicated staff consists of four registered dietitians. Accountability is at the core of the participant-coach relationship. You're highly encouraged to attend weekly behavior change classes, keep records and check in with the coach between visits. It is this high level of contact with your coach that makes this program unique.

Sustainable Health improvement often starts with initial Weight loss. We can assist anyone ready to change. With a range of starting weights from 131-557lbs. everyone benefits. Our average weight loss in the first 20wks is 16% loss; maintained 1,2,3,4 years out!

We invite you to attend a FREE information session to learn more about our program. We know that you want all of the details before you decide if it is right for you. It is 1 hour long and provides an opportunity to get your questions answered. Family and friends are encouraged to accompany you. When you’re ready to change it impacts those around you—positively.

 

 

HNT Indiana Staff

 Call us, 317.489.4817, we'd love to work with you if you are ready for your weight loss journey to start!

Lifestyle Changes

After Foundation, our great intentions and positive lifestyle changes can slowly but surely give way to some habits we thought we had said goodbye to. It can be discouraging and a bit humiliating. The "inner voices" can have a hey day with us. "Don't I already know this, what is my problem, I'm too busy to focus on this, or this stuff is just too tedious."

The reality is lifestyle change is a process and life can throw us some challenging curve balls. The main thing to remember is you don't have to go at it alone. Sometimes we all need to be accountable to someone besides ourselves (especially when those inner voices are influencing us in the wrong direction).

The point is....we're here for you if you need some support getting back on track. There is a complimentary check-in on Wednesdays from 11:50 to 12:10. The wellness walk follows afterwards! All are welcome but your choice on that one. Practice classes are $30/month. Just want to drop in for one class to recharge, $10/class. Would like some one-on-one guidance, $20 for a 25 minute session. I wanted to offer some different options. As we say the view for optimal health is so worth it but there are different styles to achieve it. 

Have a well week,