How to Keep From Falling Off the Fitness Wagon

Never give in. Never, never, never, never. -- Winston Churchill

WE'RE 43 DAYS into the new year. How are those resolutions holding up?

Falling off the fitness wagon can happen so easily, often without realizing it. We just sort of slide off imperceptibly over time until we're back to where we were 43 days into 2006. Sometimes life gets in the way. Mostly though, our thoughts are the secret saboteurs of our diet and exercise program.

It's one of the fundamental tenets of human physiology: How well you eat and exercise directly impacts how good you look, feel and think. Most of us accept that truth, yet still find ourselves struggling to make the best diet and workout choices.

Sugar cravings, lack of time and exercise ennui are well-known barriers to better fitness, but your biggest nemesis may be your own mind.

"When you make a poor diet or exercise choice, it's much more mental than physical," says Jim Taylor, a sports psychologist with a consulting practice in San Francisco. "It's not that you're too tired to work out; it's that you convince yourself that you are."

Case in point: The pre-workout internal debate in which you teeter between working out and packing it in. You may feel tired when you begin, but once you get going, you get energized. It's a matter of overcoming that initial mental hurdle.

The same goes for eating well. You know that snorking down an entire bacon-filled cannelloni may not be the wisest choice, but you order up anyway. If you find yourself rummaging for the remote control instead of your running shoes or reaching for the baklava instead of the banana, the trick is to interrupt those negative mental patterns by taking positive actions that get you on the right track before you can think not to be. Here are four ways to do that:

TIP: Cue yourself in

"Different visual and auditory cues can be very powerful motivators," says Taylor. "What we see and hear can influence our moods - and the decisions we make." For example, watching a televised marathon or a show on fitness may inspire you to get up and go work out. Even smaller cues, like having your workout gear and healthful foods at your fingertips or posting inspiring pictures of athletes and fit bodies, motivational quotes and other words of encouragement, will keep your mind on making healthy choices.

TRY THIS: On a series of index cards, write down your "best of" excuses for skipping workouts on the front ("I'm exhausted"; "It's boring"); and on the back, counter them with fresh, compelling reasons to do the workout ("Exercise energizes me!" "Have fun - try a new workout today"). You can do the same thing with diet excuses and solutions, as well as posting inspiring quotes or images of athletes in places you'll see them most.

Tip: Act before you think

"Our ability to rationalize and reason can be our downfall," says Diane Roberts Stoler, a Georgetown, Mass., licensed psychologist, board certified in both health psychology and sports psychology and a member of the American Psychological Association.

"We can list a dozen reasons why we shouldn't work out or why we 'deserve' the candy bar. Much of the time, we give in to those reasons." But if you do something before the thought processes start, your head will likely follow your body's lead. "Most of the time, it's just a matter of getting started down the right path," says Stoler.

TRY THIS: When the time to exercise or eat is approaching, clear your head of any thoughts (i.e. "It's getting dark," "I'm too tired from work," "I can't work out with this painful carbuncle on my foot.") and simply take action. Begin getting dressed for your workout or start boiling water to steam vegetables. Your mind won't even have a chance to steer you in another direction, once you get going.

Tip: Play up the positives

Let's face it, eating healthier isn't always appetizing and exercising isn't always exciting, but the fact is these things will help you live longer - and better. The quality of our lives is determined, in large part, by the quality of the food we eat and the quality of the exercise we do.

So, focus on the positive payoffs and healthy consequences of smart eating and better fitness, rather than on the deprivation you feel when you must allocate the time to prepare a healthy meal or suit up for a ride. "The clearer you can visualize the consequences of your actions, the better chance you'll have making the right decisions," says Taylor.

TRY THIS: When you eat a healthy meal, allow yourself time to feel the healthful nutrients nourish your body. Reflect on the fact that what you just did will better your life in a tangible way. Know that eating better will improve the overall integrity of your family, because when you are healthier, everyone benefits.

Let me include this critical caveat: I believe food is a source of genuine pleasure in our lives. I am not suggesting that you swap out Big Macs and Ring Dings for bark and berries (unless that's your bag, baby). The point here is: We ought to be passion-driven, not guilt-induced when we eat. This tip of "playing up the positives" is merely meant to help you improve your diet by subtly shifting your focus; it's not about banishing delicious foods from your life altogether. The cost of that is nowhere near the benefit. It's all about a healthy balance.

Tip: Try something new

We humans are creatures of habit, and the thought of breaking out and trying something new can often feel daunting -- or inconvenient.

We tend to fall into routines, which can be beneficial in one sense. They produce results: work, sleep, family time, chores, gym workout, etc.

But, when it comes to exercise, routines can quickly become ruts, and ruts are the death knell of an inspired, effective fitness program.

TRY THIS: This week, set out intrepidly and try a new activity, such as swimming, racquetball, basketball or Bikram yoga. Or, prepare a fresh, exciting new recipe for dinner as a family. The simple act of trying something new can infuse your workout program and your diet with purpose and passion.

Mark Twain said: "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

Good health and fitness advice for us all.

"I Am Powerful Workout "Campaign with Eric Harr

“Never doubt that a small group of concerned citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." –- Margaret Mead

LET'S FACE IT: Sometimes life can feel fairly mundane. As we move from one moment to the next, much of our focus is on dealing with the seemingly insignificant minutiae. Then, we get a wakeup call of sorts. Something happens that forces an epiphany: those few, precious moments in life when we gain a genuine insight into the reality or essential meaning of something important. It requires us to take stock of what’s truly important and, really, what we’re doing here in the first place.

These moments of clarity might be precipitated by an acute event like the birth of a child or the death of a friend. For me, it all began with a few simple but poignant moments on a recent trip to Africa.

I spent seven days in Mozambique with CARE, a leading global humanitarian organization. I was there to observe their work and to meet the people who benefit from it. Just when I thought I knew so much, I realized I know so little.

Mozambique is located on the southeast corner of the continent. Like most African nations, it has a remarkable and painful history. In the 1990’s after a 16-year civil war broke the back of the country, and the hearts of the people, Mozambique became known as the poorest country in the world. While the Mozambicans have made a heroic and breathtaking comeback, some wounds of the war remain: one in four children dies before their fifth birthday; seventy percent of women cannot read or write; and approximately six out of 10 people do not have access to clean water. In spite of all this, the Mozambicans have a radiant optimism and an indomitable spirit.

In Mozambique, just as they do in more than 60 countries, CARE focuses on preventing poverty by addressing its root causes, not merely its consequences. To do that, the poverty-fighting experts at CARE pursue a three-pronged strategy: First, they embrace a rights-based approach. Take water, for example. CARE doesn’t stop once the well is dug (the necessary front end); they advocate for the right of all people to have access to clean water (the necessary back end). Second, they forge partnerships with the local people, allowing them to participate in the decisions that affect their lives. And third, they strategically focus on empowering women who, incidentally, suffer disproportionately from the ravages of poverty. And, rather than regard these women as victims desperate for help, CARE works to tap into women’s innate power to help them change their own world. For good.

Two events led me to CARE in the first place. The first occurred in December 2003 during the 36 hours that my wife Alexandra gave birth to our daughter Vivienne. In the most splendid moment of my life, I couldn’t help but think that millions of women have died in childbirth or pregnancy simply trying to be a mother -- and more die every day. The day I met my daughter was the day I committed to fight for women and girls in poverty worldwide.

Then, several months ago while in New York, I saw the CARE “I am Powerful” public service announcement. I was struck by the image: a strong, dignified, graceful woman and next to her the words: “She has the power to change her world. You have the power to help her do it.” I connected with that uplifting message, and it moved me to think that I had the power to make a tangible difference in the lives of women and their families.

So, I called CARE, we forged an alliance, and within a couple of months, I was on my way to Mozambique. The beauty of serendipity.

On the first day there, I met one of the most powerful women in the world. To some, the word “powerful” might connote a wealthy or widely influential figure. This woman is neither. In fact, she is among the poorest of the world’s poor in terms of money. But, she is among the richest of the rich in terms of authentic power.

Her name is Albertina Francisco -- a stalwart, stunning 44-year-old woman who leads a community water project in Kongolote, which is located on the outskirts of the capital city of Maputo. Albertina has taken on the critical job of ensuring that her community, comprised of roughly 100 families, has regular access to clean water via nine “access points.”

This is a woman with little money or education, living in a culture where most women are not permitted to hold positions of authority. But, she has risen up against all odds to perform a job that nobody else would do, a job that is saving lives.

As I strolled the dusty roads of Kongolote with Albertina, and observed how people reacted to her, I realized I was in the presence of true, authentic power. It was humbling.

That is the moment I gained an authentic insight into the essential meaning of the word “power.” Albertina’s power stood in stark contrast to the kind of power usually derived from money, influence -- or sheer force. According to Sweden’s Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, there are 17 active, major armed conflicts raging in the world right now.

In contrast, Albertina’s power has been bestowed on her as a result of worthy, courageously noble acts. It was not demanded, wrested or seized. It comes from what she does, not who she is. And, Albertina exercises her authentic power with humility, compassion, fierce dedication -- and grace.

Albertina Francisco is empowered, and she is using that authentic power to change her world each and every day.

My time with Albertina gave rise to the first of many lessons while in Mozambique:

I learned that empowering women can break the complex, downward cycle of poverty and create an upward spiral of positive change that lights up entire communities. I learned that the empowerment of women and the well-being of children go hand in hand. When you nurture a mother, her children flourish. And, I came to understand that, worldwide, women are the most untapped treasure-trove of power that history has ever seen -- and that when women are supported with even the most basic tools and training, a fire of hope and optimism for a better life lights in their eyes. Then, that fire spreads as others join in strong solidarity to improve the health and well-being of their communities. Once this happens, there is no stopping it. I saw all of this firsthand, and I can tell you that the progress these women are making in Mozambique, with the assistance of CARE, feels like the inexorable juggernaut of the civil rights movement. It can be resisted, but it cannot be stopped.

Further, I discovered that despite having so little, the people of Mozambique give so much. They are the most generous, gracious and dignified people I’ve ever met. They respond to the smallest acts of kindness with the biggest displays of gratitude. And finally, I realized that as an American, I have been granted the privilege and the capacity to bring about great, positive change -- and it’s incumbent upon me to do just that.

I believe it’s important to empower people both near and far. At home, we become empowered when we exercise and live healthier. Farther away, in a place like Mozambique -- where a woman’s life expectancy is a little over 40 years -- we can help empower women to improve their health and well-being and that of their families. I also believe we need to be inspired by a greater purpose to confront life's hardest challenges head on.

That is why CARE and I have come together to launch the “I am Powerful Workout” campaign. I am training for the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon World Championships in October in order to raise money and awareness to fight global poverty through CARE. I’ve asked everyone I know -- and some complete strangers! -- to donate money on my behalf directly to CARE, and the response has been overwhelming.

Here’s what I’m asking you to do: Challenge yourself and set an ambitious fitness goal: you know, the one that has been burning inside you. Maybe you want to lose a few pounds, climb a mountain or train for your first marathon. Get inspired. Get moving. Get your friends and family behind you, and ask them to support you however they can. Maybe they’ll give money. Maybe they’ll give time. Maybe they’ll join you! Then, channel all of your new energy to live your best life -- as you help others live theirs.

For more information about CARE, visit care.org. I encourage you to keep returning to that site because in the coming weeks we will launch the “I Am Powerful Workout” campaign. The website will include all of the information, fundraising tools, guidance and support you need to achieve your boldest fitness goals -- and to raise money and/or awareness for CARE. You'll have the opportunity to share your own success stories, too.

Join me on this mission-driven journey. Together we can motivate each other to achieve something truly meaningful -- and lasting. Every step you take towards a better life for yourself will be a step on behalf of marginalized women and girls worldwide.

Speaking of steps, I’ve got a few thousand to log right now: with a fire in my eyes -- and women like Albertina in my heart.

Learn to Control Everyday Stress Before it Kills You

“Reality is the leading cause of stress amongst those in touch with it.” -- American Playwright, Jane Wagner

SINCE WE ALL LIVE in reality -- well, most of us anyway -- we’re likely to experience stress. And, getting stressed out is hard to avoid. Every time I vow not to sweat the small stuff, I find myself getting drawn into a winner-takes-all NASCAR competition with the guy who cut me off in traffic. I’d better watch it; I’m one rude driver away from a permanent facial tic.

Apparently, I’m not alone. Recent medical studies indicate that a growing number of people are more stressed than ever. According to The National Institute of Mental Health, roughly one in three people suffers from moderate to severe stress, and on a daily basis. This can have grave and long-term effects on one’s health.

To most people, the very idea of stress has negative connotations. They see it as a painful or debilitating condition. But, physiologically, stress is merely the body's instinct to defend itself. This hard-wired feature aids us during emergencies, such as dodging a speeding car or fleeing a hard-charging wart hog.

The late Hans Selye, M.D., a Viennese-born endocrinologist who won international acclaim for his research on stress, was the first to explain that, for better or for worse, stress is a constant influence in our day-to-day lives. He also made an important distinction between positive stress, known as “eustress”: the type of stress you are likely to experience when you win the lottery or finish a 5K run; and negative stress, or “distress”: the stress brought on by a money woes, a bad relationship -- or a hard-charging wart hog.

Eustress is beneficial in that it can give us a competitive edge in performance-related activities, such as athletics or public speaking.

Distress, however, can be harmful. When distress is allowed to continue unabated, real problems can crop up. Prolonged distress has been shown to compromise the immune system, damage memory cells in the brain and increase the risk of heart disease, cancer and other illnesses, according to Bruce S. McEwen, M.D., author of “The End of Stress as We Know It” (Joseph Henry Press, 2002) and director of the neuroendocrinology laboratory at the Rockefeller University, a medical research center in New York City.

Experts agree that the key to successful stress management is to find and maintain a personal equilibrium between channeling eustress and reducing distress. In other words, being your best when faced with positive stress, such as a tough workout; and better controlling the negative stress that emerges during a traffic jam, for example.

To do this, it may be helpful to first examine the science of stress. Human beings are designed to respond instinctively in certain situations. For example, in times of emergency, the body shifts into a biological stress mode of “flight or fight” that galvanizes us into action. Our focus sharpens, our heart and lungs accelerate, the body releases adrenaline, all of which helps us respond quickly and decisively. It's how you might feel at the market when you turn around to discover that your 2-year-old has somehow scaled to the summit of the carefully-constructed pyramid of bean dip.

However, it’s the persistent nature of stress in our lives that can overload our body’s stress systems. In other words, we are not as biologically equipped to meet multiple stresses that often hit us simultaneously -- traffic jams, urgent appointments, job deadlines, unexpected house guests and our little canned-food climbers.

“The fact is, we're now living in a world where our systems are not allowed a chance to rest, to go back to base line,” says Dr. McEwen. “People are being driven by excess calories, inadequate sleep, lack of exercise, by smoking, by isolation or frenzied competition.”

So what can you do? Dr. McEwen advises such things as sensible eating, smarter exercise and moderate drinking. “It's a matter of making choices in your life,'' he says.

Here are five ways to help subdue the stress in your life:

Recognize it

This is the first, and most important, step. While it’s not difficult to do, it’s difficult to remember to do. Like flossing, I suppose. The idea here is that when you feel negative stress creep in, take a moment to recognize what’s causing it and how it’s making you feel. This will allow you to take action before the distress takes a firmer hold on you.

Breathe

Once you recognize the distress, breeeathe. Often the difference between stress and serenity is a breath away. That’s because when you breathe deeply, you engage your parasympathetic, or relaxation, response which can lower blood pressure and soothe your spirit.

Champion athletes also rely on breathing techniques to channel their stress before major competitions, and studies show that deep, diaphragmatic breathing seems to have the most immediate effect on reducing stress.

Leonard Holmes, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist who directs the Chronic Pain Program at the Hampton Veterans Administration Medical Center in Tidewater, Va., outlines a breathing technique that consists of taking three very deep, deliberate breaths. Try it right now: Breathe in through your nose and count silently and slowly to 3; push your stomach out rather than your chest. This allows you to breathe with your diaphragm and to get a deeper breath. Breathe out on a slow count of 6 -- through your mouth -- and as you do, visualize all negative stress melting off your body. Nice, eh? The best part of this stress-buster is that you can do it anytime, anywhere to gain control of almost any situation.

Exercise Right

It’s been verified repeatedly that exercise is a killer stress killer. But did you know that if you exercise too intensely, your body can register some of that as stress? That’s right. When you work out strenuously, your body releases adrenalin which is a stress hormone. Too much adrenalin can bring about adrenal exhaustion. Also, hard, or “anaerobic,” exercise can engage the fight-or-flight response.

The best exercise program to manage stress combines relaxing physical pursuits such as yoga, swimming or Pilates with moderate aerobic activity. To be sure you’re exercising in that “optimum zone,” monitor your heart rate; it’s a reliable indicator of how hard your body is working. There are several products that can help you do this. Polar makes a device that transmits your heart rate from a chest strap to a wrist watch: www.polarusa.com. MIO has a line of a new products that measure your heart rate and track calories burned without the uncomfortable chest strap. For more information, log on to www.miowatch.com.

Eat Right

The quality of the food you eat, in large part, determines the quality of the life you live. You can help your body manage stress better by including, and excluding, certain foods. First, strive to eat a balanced diet filled with fresh vegetables (organic if possible, lean meats (free range if possible) and quality fats found in extra virgin olive oil and fish such as wild salmon. The National Institutes of Health also offers this suggestion: Eliminate or reduce intake of caffeine or other stimulants since they just make things worse.

By putting the above strategies into action, you can slough off a lot of stress and free yourself up to live your best life.

Finding the Time to Exercise

“Half our life is spent trying to find something to do with the time we have rushed through life trying to save.” -- Will Rogers

The single biggest barrier to better health and fitness is: lack of time.

Despite the myriad gadgets and “killer apps” designed to help us save time, we seem to have less and less of it. Over the years, I’ve gathered together a literal arsenal of accoutrements to streamline my life -- software, hardware, Blackberries, Blueberries, (if there’s a Berry, I own it) -- and I’ve never been more pressed for time.

Most people feel it’s hard enough to find time for the things we have to do, much less the “extras,” like exercise.

But, therein lies the crux of the problem. Why don’t have the “time” to exercise, because we consider it a nonessential “extra.” And, when our daily schedules tighten like a noose, the extras get pushed to the periphery and relegated to the end of our “to do” lists.

However, exercise is not an extra. It’s an essential.

Here are four things you can do to find the time you need to fit in fitness, so that you can live your best life. Time is short. Let’s get moving.

DO IT EARLY

You’ve likely heard this advice ad nauseum, but there’s a reason for that: it works. Exercising first thing in the morning is the only way to assure that something else won't push exercise out of your schedule. By putting off workouts until later in the day, you stack the odds against yourself.

"Plenty of research has been published about lack of time as the most frequently cited reason for exercise dropout," says Joe Quatrochi, Ph.D., associate professor of human performance, sport and leisure studies at the Metropolitan State College of Denver. "Since many people have limited free time during the day, I suggest they attempt to exercise early in the morning. It prevents them from using excuses like ‘someone scheduled a meeting for me.’ It saves time, because you only have to shower and change clothes once. It’s also a major boost to your self-confidence to know that by 8am, you’ve done more than some people do all week!”

There are two caveats here. One: listen to your body. We each have our own natural 24-hour biological cycle (called “circadian rhythms”). That means we experience exercise differently at different times of the day. For example, some of us are “morning people” (me); others are not (my wife). With some effort, you can get learn to actually enjoy morning workouts. But, if you absolutely, positively loathe morning exercise, then do it at another time. Two: if you have to wake up at ungodly times for work, then morning workouts are not realistic. Find a time that suits you. Then, lock in those exercise times and treat them like “serious business appointments.”

STREAMLINE YOUR ROUTINE

The more “layers” that exist between you and a workout, the greater the odds that you’ll nix it. For example, if, to workout, you must: drive home, gather together all of your workout clothes, drive to the gym, wait for the machines, shower, lather, rinse, repeat change and drive home, you’ll more likely to skip all of that in favor of something easy and tasty like…Cheetos. Life is chaotic and time-consuming. Your exercise shouldn’t be. Simplify your routine: keep all of your workout gear in one place; swap time-intensive workouts, like cycling and swimming, for time-efficient ones like running, walking and hiking. Sometimes, the best -- and most rewarding workout – can be had when you lace up your shoes and step right out your front door!

NO NIXING

If we’re running short on time, we tend to nix workouts altogether. That habit needs to change. If you’re short on time, cut your planned workout by half -- or more. The fact is, in fitness, something is always better than nothing. Even a 10 minute walk confers cardiovascular benefit. The value of doing that workout goes much deeper, however: you’re keeping your promise to yourself. And you’re sustaining your precious exercise momentum, which -- in physical terms -- is nine times more difficult to generate than it is to maintain.

CHOOSE WISELY

There are 168 hours in one week. The average person spends roughly one of those 168 hours on their health and well-being. If our health is our most precious asset, there is something very wrong with that picture. We often claim we don’t have the time to exercise. Yet, we do have the time to: clean our homes, wax our cars, pay our bills, mow our lawns, synch our Berries and watch the playoffs. Could it be that we simply choose some activities over others?

Ultimately our lives -- and the quality of them -- are determined by the choices we make each day. Putting off exercise is like accruing credit card debt. It feels mighty fine in the short-term, but later on you’ll be asked to pay. With interest. That said, it’s time to get out of (fitness) debt. And to do that, you must pay yourself first. I’m not asking you to become a self-absorbed, ego-maniacal professional athlete (like I used to be!); I’m merely suggesting that you make one choice per day to protect, and cultivate, your health and well-being.

You won’t think you have the time to exercise until you make it a priority. Let me say that again: you won’t think you have the time to exercise until you make it a priority. Once you do that, it will completely change your perspective. When you put exercise (health) on par with work (money) and time with your kids (family), your exercise will become one of the last things that you drop during the day.

The bottom line is this: we make time for things that are important to us. Health is important. Without it, everything else falls away. Make exercise important to you, give it the reverence it deserves -- and you’ll find the time you need to do it. And that’s a Berry good thing.

CBS Early Show Appearance

[On January 1st, fitness expert ERIC HARR appeared on the CBS Early Show with four simple exercises you can do in the comfort of your own home that promise to give your metabolism the jump-start it needs to kick-off the new year on a good note.]

SO MANY OF US MADE the resolution to get fit in 2006, but found it difficult to actually get started with an exercise regime. For our fitness, this is the toughest time of year! Our metabolism is in winter hibernation, our bodies are turning every spare calorie into lovehandles (not fair!) -- and we’ve just eaten more than any other of time of year.

But now, there are no more excuses. Here are five moves to fire up your metabolism moving in 2007:

1. The “Jumpstart” Jumping Rope: Rocky 6 is in theaters, so jumping rope is back in style -- and it’s for all ages! It’s trendy, shapes a fab physique and burns the calories like no other single exercise.
Demo: You want to start low to the ground and keep your elbows close to your sides…by flexing your biceps, you’re working your arms as well as your legs. This is a phenomenal total body workout.
Benefits: It shapes your shoulders, calves arms and abs, while rocking your heart rate -- all on par with running. You can burn up to 1000 calories per hour. Even though this is a weight-bearing exercise, it doesn’t jar your joints, since the impact of each jump is absorbed by both legs. Overall, jumping rope works wonders on your agility, posture, balance, reflexes and coordination.
Goal: If you’re just starting out, try to jump without stopping for one minute. Then, take an active recovery period for about 30 seconds. Your goal is to build up to ten minutes of jumping rope at one time—which is the equivalent of running an eight-minute mile!
Gear: A hot number is the “Valeo Digital” that counts calories as you jump ($10). I'm not -- nor will I ever be -- a fan of counting calories, but I do believe in the value of "tracking progress." So, don't obsess with the calories, but do monitor your progress!
For a better upper body workout, choose the RopeSport Premium 4-in-1 ($15) that includes a “weighted” rope.

2. The Go-To Gadget: Reebok Core Board: This is a fun and fresh spin on strength training. This exercise integrates two of the “top 10 fitness trends for 2007” according to the American College of Sports Medicine: core training (#5) and strength work (#6).
Demo: This is sort of like a surf – or snow – board…this platform provides instability. That’s good because it fires every muscle in your body just to balance on it.
Benefits: Instead of spending thousands on machines, here’s a great alternative. Millions of Americans suffer from back pain. It prevents us from living our best lives –- a lot of that is due to poor core strength. In this case, instability is a good thing! When you are forced to balance on this unstable platform, every muscle in your body is “activated.”

- “Simple Stand” Just balancing on the board is a great workout for beginners. Loosen the stability setting as you progress.

- “Balance Lunge” hits your entire lower body…two “trouble spots”: hips and backside. You want to lunge right onto the board. The balance involved as you land on the board boosts the benefit of the move. (Watch Eric do the move on the CBS Early Show. Link at end of post.)

Exercise bands provide a double boost to your metabolism: it revs up your heart rate and it builds strength. For a more aerobic workout, loosen the resistance and do more repetitions, more quickly. For strength, up the resistance and do fewer repetitions, more slowly.
Goal: Use this instead of weights to get a total body workout two to three times a week. You can do it while you're watching TV!
Gear: Reebok Core Board. $170. Includes a workout DVD with directions of how to do all these exercises.

3. “Band Camp”: Functional fitness training -- i.e. using strength training to improve performance for activities of daily living -- again, this combines two of the hottest fitness trends for 2007: “functional training” (#4) and strength work (#6). Exercise bands are the most efficient and effective way to strengthen and tone your entire body. They are completely adjustable (to the millimeter). And, they are a terrific “portable gym,” ideal for travel and “anywhere” workouts.
Benefits: Exercises that mimic actual job tasks or other activities help improve balance, coordination, strength, and endurance. Many of the activities we do in life are performed across multiple planes of movement, but most traditional “strength training” in the gym doesn’t really strengthen us for everyday life. Functional training embraces that fact and allows strength training to be more applicable to the everyday movements of the human body as well as sports specific training. In addition to building strength, significant improvements in balance and coordination are principle benefits of the unrestricted motion of functional training. The bands can burn up to 500 calories an hour -- and revs your metabolism all day long.
Goal: You can use bands every day for strength training or to help you stretch. Go entirely on feel and strive to "comfortably challenge" yourself each time you do a session with exercise bands. That level of subjective effort will ensure that you get fit without fatigue.
Gear: Bodylastics - Basic Tension. $40.

4. Body Bar Workout: The Body Bar is a classic, timeless fitness tool; a simple, one-piece solid, weighted fitness bar encased in easy grip rubber. But, here’s the fresh, new spin on it: the new “flex” version allows for an array of super strength and toning moves.
Demo: Two basic moves:

- “Waist Twist”: develops core strength and flexibility simultaneously and improves performance in any “rotational sport” such as golf, tennis or swimming.

- “Flex Squat”: A better variation of the traditional squat (which puts too much pressure on the knees.) This more elegant and effective move strengthens the lower body, while toning the upper body in safe way.
Benefits: This workout tones and stretches all major muscle groups. Perfect for people just starting to exercise or for people wanting to get past a fitness plateau. Builds flexibility, balance and strength. Using controlled movement strengthens core muscles, back and abs to stabilize the body and develop functional range of motion and balance needed for everyday movement. Also targets the midsection which weren't not feeling particularly thrilled about this time of year!

Goal: Like the core board, you can use this instead of weights to get a total body workout two to three times a week. You can do it while you're watching this show.
Gear: Power Body Bar Flex 4’ ($40).

5. GAIAM Balance Ball: Balance training is a red hot trend in the fitness world now -- and for good reason. Here’s a simple balance ball move to rev up your metabolism and reshape your body.
Demo: Sit with your hands on the floor behind you, your fingertips pointing toward your body. Place your feet on the ball (if you’re feeling wobbly, try it without the ball at first or come down onto your forearms). Keeping your abdominals tight, press your hips up toward the ceiling (think of making a diagonal line from your shoulders to your feet). Hold for 3–5 breaths, then return to starting position.
Benefits: The Reverse Plank tones and strengthens shoulders, arms, low back and abdominals..
Goal: Complete 5–8 reps; build to 3 sets a day.
Gear: Brighten up your workout with the GAIAM BalanceBall in Tie Dye. $30. Includes air pump and DVD with three complete workouts.

(A note from Eric on his Early Show appearance: "I felt compelled to make a comment about CBS Early Show anchor Hannah Storm. There are countless stories about network personalities being demanding or difficult to work with. Hannah Storm is anything but. She is an absolute delight. I've been doing TV for almost 8 years -- and in that time, I've learned that you can tell a lot about an on-air personality on either end of the actual on-camera segment, i.e. when the camera is off. Hannah was sweet at all times, to everyone on set. The sweetness you see on the air is genuine; it's who she is. Nice to know, because I admire her work professionally.")

To view Eric's segment on the CBS Early Show, vist: http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=2319214n