Your Guide to a Healthy Year
2011 is upon us -- ready or not. That means it's time to make resolutions toward a better you. Perhaps you need to lose that spare tire or stop smoking. Perhaps you'd like to tackle krav maga or ballroom dancing. Or perhaps you simply realize the wisdom of making an advance directive. This gallery of stories, video and tips will help you prioritize those resolutions and maybe, just maybe, develop some new ones. If your idea of a better you amounts to no more than shedding that post-holiday bloat, no problem. We'll explain how to do that too. So here's to a more healthful year -- and a healthier you.
9:47 PM EDT, April 10, 2011
American School for the Deaf begins yoga program for its students with autism
The four students at the American School for the Deaf, sitting on mats in the cafeteria, take direction from yoga instructor Aaron West, while interpreter Vicki Watson translates into sign language.
3:13 PM EST, February 10, 2011
BOOSTER SHOTS: Oddities, musings and news from the health world
Fixing those broken new year's resolutions -- even when you're 9
One way to help folks keep their new year's resolutions is to hold them accountable -- even if they're 8 or 9. That's what a children's museum in Maryland is doing as part of an ongoing monthly program to help kids and parents keep their healthy-eating promises.
4:23 PM EST, January 25, 2011
Staying indoors and turning up the heat could affect our weight, study says
British researchers find that rising indoor temperatures may make us fatter.
January 24, 2011
Gear
Roy Wallack: Cooler ways to play in the snow
Snow is a beautiful thing, especially when you have the right toys for playing in it. Some of these items are simple and others are high-tech, but all are innovative and are sure to make any winter wonderland even better.
Exercise some restraint: Get a better fitness deal
Regular gym-goers kvetch about New Year's resolution-makers who crowd fitness clubs in the first weeks of the year.
12:00 AM EST, January 12, 2011
Live Health Chat
Web chat transcript: Eat healthy on a budget in 2011
Want to eat healthier? Not sure if you can afford it? Ask our experts how to eat healthier in 2011 without breaking the bank. Go to dailypress.com/health at noon Wednesday, Jan. 12, to chat with Bonnie Tazewell, a Virginia Tech extension agent specializing in foods, nutrition and health, and Jennifer Shea, Farm Fresh corporate dietitian. Can't make the chat? E-mail questions in advance to vchufo@dailypress.com.
6:27 PM EST, January 12, 2011
William Weir: Shoveling snow: Follow these tips to avoid injury
The ideal way to shovel snow hasn't really changed much since, well, the invention of the shovel. But we tend to forget these things over the warmer months, and can always use a refresher.
January 11, 2011
Suzy Cohen: Frequent massages good for your health ... and other resolution tips
Dear Readers: Why do we deem Jan. 1 as a magical day to help us kick bad habits? We should honor the concept of vibrant health every day. I've put together a list to help you increase the odds of making your resolutions a reality, no matter what day of the year you begin. If you want:
Workout dos and don'ts
It's the number one resolution for the new year -- to exercise and lose weight. Problem is -- most people go at it all wrong. A little advice to get you back on track.
January 3, 2011
Your Money / Your Health
Quitting smoking makes economic sense
Many employers offer discounts to workers who take steps toward better health. This can cut costs and encourage wellness, but it could also penalize those who can't make the changes and yet will pay more in premiums.
January 3, 2011
By Roy M. Wallack, Special to the Los Angeles Times: Gear: Exercise masquerading as old-school fun
Remember how fun it was when you were a kid — jumping up and down, swinging your hips and rolling around on the floor? It was really just stealth exercise, and it can be just as fun for adults with the help of the products reviewed below.
January 3, 2011
The success recipe for fitness: Mix in the fun
Put away the eggnog and break out the tennis shoes — it's New Year's resolution time, and no doubt millions have made the pledge to get fit. Many of them will join a gym only to find they're bored with the monotony of cardio equipment and weight training routines.
January 3, 2011
Surfing: Full-body workout and stress reliever
Surfing may be a clichéd pastime in Southern California, but make no mistake, it is physically and mentally challenging. The pros just make it look easy.
January 3, 2011
Dance works arms, legs, heart
Any doubts about the transformative abilities of ballroom dance should be dashed after watching one season of "Dancing With the Stars" and seeing celebrities going from flabby to fit in a matter of weeks.
January 3, 2011
Krav Maga: Get in shape while learning self-defense
Kicking and punching are great for boosting one's heart rate and toning muscles. But add some self-defense and street-fighting techniques and the adrenaline really starts to flow.
January 3, 2011
Trail running: Run away from life's problems and into a healthy body
Not all runners hit the streets for their workout. Trail runners take to the dirt, bounding up and down hills and mountains on hiking trails, working legs and building cardio while getting a big dose of nature.
January 3, 2011
Kayaking: Get in touch with nature and tone your upper body
Richard Hamlin recalls his initial reaction when his wife suggested they take a kayaking trip while in the San Juan Islands: "I said, 'No, it looks like work.'"
January 3, 2011
Pro / Con
The fairness of health insurance incentives
Wanna make a fast buck? Quit smoking. According to the National Business Group on Health, which represents large employers including Wal-Mart and Wendy's, about 68% of its members either offer a discount of several hundred dollars on health insurance premiums to employees who quit smoking, or provide other incentives or penalties to make it happen.
12:28 PM EST, December 30, 2010
Don't sweat it: Picking a health club
January, the time for resolutions, remains the most popular month to enroll in a health club. And South Floridians out shopping for the perfect place to trim their tummy or tone their thighs may find it a better time than ever to join up.
3:06 PM EST, December 28, 2010
2011: This one's for you
Giving to yourself in 12 monthly installments.
December 27, 2010
20 resolutions worth keeping
Tired of the whole lose-weight-save-money vicious cycle? Be kinder to yourself in 2011 with these easy-to-keep resolutions.
December 20, 2010
Opinion: First they came for my Twinkie ...
To ring in 2011, let's raise a toast in unison to proclaim the most frequently made New Year's resolution. Then promptly break it. Yes, it's the season for the annual American vow to lose weight.
December 16, 2010
Making New Year's fitness resolutions
Los Angeles Times health reporter Jeannine Stein spoke with Bravo television star Jackie Warner on Dec. 13 in a live Web chat to talk about making fitness resolutions for the new year. Read more below about her tips for the best ways to make and keep those promises while avoiding injuries and burnout.
January 13, 2010
Motivation to move
Sure, looking like a hunk or babe is reason enough to exercise. But there are some additional important motivations for moving. So if you think exercising is solely for the vain at heart, read on. And remember, it's not too late to reposition your resolutions for 2011.
January 6, 2010
This year make appointments, not excuses
Preventing a disease is easier than trying to manage or cure it. Yet we tend to make excuses instead of appointments when it comes to taking care of our health. This year resolve to make medical tests and screenings routine for the rest of your life so you can have a healthier, more enjoyable future.
December 31, 2010
Live Health Chat
Live chat: How ballroom dancing and Krav Maga self-defense can get you in shape for the new year
Join us on Jan. 3 at 11 a.m. PST/2 p.m. EST when we'll talk about fun ways to get fit for the new year.
Smoking: Helping someone quit
This will give you tips on helping someone who is trying to quit smoking. The information also applies to other tobacco products, such as chew or snuff.
Copyright © 2011, HealthKey