Extreme Photo of the Week - National Geographic

Link:  Adventure National Geographic

Burn Calories Playing in the Snow

Winter is such an awesome time because the snow and ice allow you to do so many fun activities. Let's see how they compare. This chart shows how many calories you burn per hour. 

Activity	Calories Burned
Building a Snowman	285 calories burned per hour
Having a Snowball Fight	319 calories burned per hour
Making Snow Angels	214 calories burned per hour

Winter Sport	120-lb woman	150-lb woman
Skiing	273	340
Snowboarding	273	340
Snowshoeing	382	476
Cross-Country Skiing	436	476
Ice Skating	327	408
Ice Hockey	436	544
Winter Hiking	327	408
Shoveling Snow	273	340
Sledding	327	408

So skip the gym this weekend, instead grab your honey, best friend or grandmother and play in the snow.


Source: Unknown

Are You a Smart Snacker? QUIZ

Are You a Smart Snacker? Take This Quiz to Find Out 

Snacking is a smart way to keep hunger at bay throughout the day, but the key is snacking on the right things, at the right times, and in the right places. Are your snacking habits healthy--or horrific? Find out how your snacks stack up with this short quiz.


Link:  TAKE QUIZ NOW!! 


By SPARKPEOPLE

PARENTING - Advice from a former obese kid

“I know that recognizing the joy of the outdoors at that early age was probably the biggest reason that my major fitness overhaul wasn’t something I have had to start from scratch since,” says Max Greenberg. (James Brosher-AP) 

As a kid, I took solace in food and led a mostly sedentary life. This landed me well north of 200 pounds sometime after middle school. Year after year, my parents plied me with rewards, begged, occasionally threatened — to no avail.

It eventually took many hours of focused exercise (and countless uneaten cupcakes) to shed that dangerous weight. But a much subtler change in behavior ensured that, while I might periodically struggle in years to come, I wouldn’t get myself...

Unstructured outdoor play is an important complement to more focused exercise, building habits where youth soccer practice — which usually ends when one’s youth soccer career ends — might not. A study published in the September edition of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine showed adult supervision may actually lower the likelihood of physical activity (adult safety concerns tend to put a damper on kids and inhibit freedom) and that, for the youngest children, more organized play may mean less total activity. Read More

Article Link: Advice from a former obese kid
By Janice D'Arcy

12 Ways to Grow Younger in 2012

Wouldn't it be nice to feel younger as you get older? You can, and it isn't the stuff of "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." From taking vitamin D to watching your blood pressure and managing stress, these 12 anti-aging strategies will help you live younger in 2012.

Want to grow younger in 2012? Pump iron a few times a week.

1. Take vitamin D. YOU Docs Mehmet C. Oz, M.D., and Michael F. Roizen, M.D., call vitamin D "the ultimate anti-ager." That's because it nourishes your memory, skin, heart, bones, and arteries, and it helps fight off cancer. Getting enough vitamin D daily (1,000 mg; 1,200 mg after age 60) can make your body think it's 9.4 years younger.

Here's the best time of day to take your vitamin D.

2. Care for your teeth and gums. A healthy smile looks lovely -- and helps keep your arteries and immune system in top shape. Flossing and brushing daily can prevent periodontal disease and tooth loss, which can make you feel 6.1 years younger.

3. Watch your numbers. Keeping your waist size, blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol in the healthy zone dramatically reduces your risk of many problems, including cardiovascular disease. The combined effect can make your body think it's as much as 19.8 years younger.

4. Keep stress in check.Stress comes in many shapes, sizes, and strengths. Some stress is good, but the bad kind ages you inside and out. Reducing bad stress with meditation or other meditation techniques can help you feel 1.7 years younger.

Use these 12 steps to conquer stress.

5. Stay in touch. Reach out to family and friends through e-mails, phone calls, and, whenever you can, face-to-face visits. Staying connected can make you feel 8.5 years younger.

6. Pump some iron. Working out with weights does your muscles and... Read More

Article Link:  12 Ways to Grow Younger in 2012
By The Editors at RealAge | Healthy Living