Adult Fitness Newsletter
September - October 2005

Fitness Classes
October 3-November 4

• Beginning/Intermediate Pilates Mat Class

• Fitness Walk/Jog

• Muscle Combo Workout

• Exercise Specific for those with Osteopenia or Osteoporosis

• Easy Step

• Tai-Chi

• Low-Impact Aerobics

• Yoga

If you are interested in attending any of these classes contact:
Heather Minetti, x2928 or hminetti@wesleyan.edu

Soda and your smile - it's not just the sugar in soda that is bad for your teeth - flavor additives destroy tooth enamel as well. Researchers found that non-cola soft drinks and canned iced tea cause up to five times the damage of the darker colas. Sugar-free versions were just as corrosive, white root beer had the fewest additives of all. If you don't want to switch to water, brush your teeth 30-60 minutes after drinking a soda or iced tea to minimize damage. Waiting lets the saliva rebuild damaged tooth enamel; brushing too soon could remove tooth layers.

Low-carb lessons
Here is what we have learned from the fizzling low-carb craze:
(1) Fad diets don't work long-term. You may lose weight, but you won't keep it off
(2) Calories count. You can't eat all  you want as long as you avoid carbs (just like you can't eat all you want as long as you avoid fat).
(3) There are some good low-carb foods: Mission Low-Carb tortillas and Yoplait Ultra Low-Carb yogurt.
(4) Beware of sugar alcohols. Many low-carb products contain sugar alcohols such as sorbitol, mannitol and xylitol. While the food industry does not consider these lower-calorie forms of sugar to be carbs, they still have some calories and can cause gas, bloating and diarrhea.
(5) If you wouldn't give it to your kids, don't eat it yourself. Low-carb diets weren't recommended for children; this is a clue that they are not the best for adults either.

Shoes can strike a nerve
You may have never heard of Morton's neuromas, but they're one of the top 10 foot problems in the United States and like bunions or hammertoes, may require surgery if not caught and treated early on. As they enlarge, these benign clumps of nerve tissue can feel like a hot poker being stabbed into the ball of your foot. The main culprit? Ill fitting shoes. Here are three foot-saving buying tips:
1. Buy your correct size. Shoes that are too tight and short cause the most problems. Shop for shoes in the afternoon, when your feet are at their biggest (the result of mild swelling). When standing, you need 1/2 inch between the end of the shoe and your longest toe on your larger foot. Remember too that sizes vary among manufacturers.
2. Flexibility and good soles count. Hard-soled shoes transfer pounding to your feet and body. Opt for cushioned casual shoes and athletic shoes when you can.
3. Replace and repair often. Worn heels put your body out of alignment, so if you must wear those 3-inch Manolas, at least get them reheeled every three months or as soon as the heel is no longer flat. Runners need to replace shoes every 350-500 miles.

What works!
Lunges and squats are popular leg exercises for good reason, each one strengthens and sculpts all your lower-body muscle groups at once, they are incredibly time efficient. Even more important, lunges and squats train your quadriceps to support your knees and keep them tracking properly, which can mean fewer injuries and better performance in your daily activities and favorite sports. But to get all the benefits these moves have to offer, pay close attention to form. Don't let your knees extend past your second toe or rotate them inward or outward, which can stress your knee joints. Also, be sure to drop your hips straight down, not push them forward, to protect your lower back.

Count calories, don't "sense" them
Listen to your stomach, goes the old advice on when to eat. But new research suggests that this may not be the best guidance for people who battle the bulge. Women who recently lost weight felt hungrier during three days of overeating than women who had always been thin, according to a small study recently published in the journal Appetite. People prone to weight gain do not sense calories appropriately. Keeping a calorie or food log may be the best route to shedding pounds.