One cup of cooked quinoa provides about 8 grams of protein—equal to the protein found in about an ounce of meat or cheese—but quinoa contains no saturated fat, which is found in many animal-sourced foods. In addition, quinoa is atypical of plant foods in that the protein in quinoa is “complete”; this means it contains all of the essential amino acids the body needs in the correct proportions. There are only a few plant-based foods that are sources of complete proteins.

That same cup of cooked quinoa also contains five grams of fiber. Fiber adds bulk to your meals and helps you feel fuller faster and longer, which may be helpful when you’re trying to control your weight. In addition, fiber plays a role in digestive health and can help prevent constipation. It also may be beneficial in preventing heart disease and certain cancers.

Noteworthy Quinoa Nutrition Facts

So exactly what’s in this mineral goldmine? Besides the health benefits noted above, quinoa nutrition facts include an array of minerals that are valuable to our bodies.

One cup of cooked quinoa contains almost 3 milligrams of iron, which is about 50 percent more than what you’ll get from 3 ounces of red meat. Iron helps transport oxygen from your lungs throughout your body and also helps your muscles store and use oxygen. To help boost the iron that your body is able to absorb, eat your quinoa with vitamin C-rich foods such as red or orange peppers or citrus fruits.

Quinoa, cucumber, and tomato salad—one of countless creative ways to work quinoa onto your menu. [Photo: © Olga Kriger | Dreamstime.com]

Other nutrients found in quinoa include potassium, zinc, copper, manganese, and folate.

If you’re a calorie counter, you should know that cooked quinoa comes in at a reasonable 220 calories per cup, which is about the same as a cup of cooked pasta or white rice.

Quinoa: Versatility in Your Meals

Besides all those quinoa nutrition facts, the seed is versatile within any menu. Incorporate it into your diet in a variety of ways.

• For breakfast, try quinoa as a hot cereal, much like oatmeal, and top with blueberries or strawberries. Or, you can stir in dried fruit, such as pineapple, apricots, cranberries, or raisins, nuts, and a sprinkle of cinnamon or other favorite spices.
• For a healthy, delicious lunch, combine cooked quinoa with diced cucumbers, bell peppers, and tomatoes, chickpeas, crumbled feta cheese, and a drizzle of olive oil and vinegar. You also can add high-protein foods, such as grilled chicken or shrimp, to your quinoa salad.
• Quinoa can easily be included in a healthy dinner; just serve quinoa instead of pasta, rice, or potatoes. If you don’t care for plain quinoa, stir in cooked onions, peas, and/or carrots and season with a dash of garlic powder and some basil or oregano. For a Mexican-style side dish, add green chilies, cumin, chili powder, and a dash of cayenne or flaked red peppers.

A final bonus regarding quinoa’s nutrition facts: It’s gluten-free, which makes it suitable for people who must avoid gluten because of celiac disease or gluten insensitivity.

This article was originally published in 2018. It is regularly updated. 

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Then there’s the concept of so-called “negative-calorie foods.” Certain types of food—celery is usually mentioned first—that, as some health experts claim, account for negative calories when you back out the energy it takes to chew, absorb, and digest. As “enticing” as that concept sounds, writes Christy Wilson, RD, for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website, “there is no research to support this claim. Although foods such as celery, lettuce, and cucumbers may have negligible calories, make no mistake, they still count toward a day’s worth of calories.”

As our Dawn Bialy writes about calorie counters, “Nutritionists often recommend reducing the number of calories consumed.” So while you won’t find zero-calorie foods, you can make sure the following items have a regular place in your diet. Your best bet is—no surprise—the produce section of your grocery store. But you don’t have to stop there. You’ll find a number of other selections among fruits and packaged treats that will add very little to your calorie count.

(Almost) Zero-Calorie Foods: Vegetables

Vegetables, of course, are your best bet for almost-zero calories. Granted, they’re not as tasty to most of us as, say, ice cream, but don’t let that thought keep you from three to five servings per day, experts say. Here are 10 veggies with low calorie counts.

• Watercress: 4 calories in 1 cup.
• Arugula: 5 calories in 1 cup.
• Celery: 6 calories in one large celery stalk, which also give you almost 1 gram of fiber.
• Radish: 9 calories in ½ cup.
• Romaine lettuce: 18 calories in 2 cups of shredded romaine lettuce, which contribute 1.4 grams of fiber.
• Cucumber: 20 calories in a half of a normal-sized cucumber, which also supplies a gram of fiber.
• Tomato: 25 calories in one medium-sized tomato, medium-sized (fiber: 1.4 grams).
• Carrot: 30 calories in one medium (fiber: 2 grams)
• Zucchini: 31 calories in one medium-sized zucchini.
• Jicama sticks: calories: 45 calories in 1 cup (6 grams of fiber)

Low-Calorie Foods: Fruits

• Peach: 35 calories in one medium-sized peach (1.5 grams of fiber)
• Plum: 30 calories in one medium-sized plum
• Grapefruit: 37 calories in half of a grapefruit (fiber: 1.7 grams)
• Strawberries: 49 calories in 1 cup (fiber: 2.5 grams)
• Watermelon: 50 calories in one cup (fiber: 0.4 grams)

Packaged Foods with Low Calorie Counts

They’re not zero-calorie foods, but certain packaged items can count as low-calorie treats. Among them: frozen fruit bars (also called frozen juice bars). Examples made by Dole and Nestle’s contain—per their labels—between 30 and 70 calories. Rice snacks have similar calorie counts. Four of Quaker’s Apple Cinnamon cakes contain a collective 30 calories.

If you’re partial to popcorn, avoid the butter-drenched salt-fests you get at the movie theater (upwards of 1,000 calories), and go for microwavable brands that are labeled as fat-free. Orville Redenbacher’s SmartPop! brand, for example, has 100 calories per six cups popped; Newman’s Own Organic Light Butter “Pop’s Corn” has 110 calories in 3.5 cups popped; and Jolly Time’s Low Soduim Healthy Pop has 110 calories per five cups popped.

What about zero-calorie beverages?

We know that the concept of zero-calorie foods is a stretch, but how about zero-calorie drinks? Here’s how the World Heritage Encyclopedia sums up that question:

“Water has zero calories and cold water is ‘negative-calorie’ since the body must warm it to body temperature. Some infusions like plain tea and coffee are also effectively zero calorie, and their caffeine can also increase one’s metabolic rate. The weight loss occasioned from heating chilled beverages, however, is minimal: five or six ice-cold glasses of water burn about 10 extra calories a day and would require about a year to eliminate a pound of fat. (Additionally, excessive water consumption can be dangerous.)

“Urban legends that diet soda manufacturers bribe the Food & Drug Administration to defraud the public have not been proved, but the FDA does permit any food or drink with less than 5 calories per serving to be labelled as containing 0 calories. Replacement of standard sodas with diet ones has been linked to ‘significant weight loss’ by some studies but others have found no benefit at all, as participants simply consumed more calories from other sources.”

Originally published in 2018, this post is regularly updated. 

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Plant foods are known to contain fiber, vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and healthy fats along with, importantly, a significant amount of protein. Among the plant-based protein sources are legumes (beans, lentils, peas, and peanuts), seeds (chia, hemp, flaxseed, and others), and nuts (including almonds, walnuts, and pistachios).

Plant-Based Protein Foods

You’ll gain maximum health benefits from consuming healthy, high-protein foods at each meal. Protein is also an important component of healthy snacks because it helps you feel full longer, which can help prevent weight gain. Foods that are ideal for snacking include nuts, seeds, and dips made with beans or peas.

Below, we dig in on eight of the most nutritious, plant-based protein foods available.

#1. Legumes

Legumes are a class of vegetables that includes beans, lentils, and peas. Legumes are shelf-stable and economical, and they provide fiber, folate, manganese, potassium, iron, magnesium, copper, selenium, and zinc in addition to protein.

Consuming legumes has been linked with lowering blood cholesterol levels, reducing weight, and helping to prevent heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and some types of cancer.

Dried beans and canned beans are economical choices. If you purchase canned beans, look for those with no added salt, or rinse the beans to remove unwanted sodium. Commonly available legumes include:

• Black beans
• Black-eyed peas
• Chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• Great Northern beans
• Kidney beans (light red and dark red)
• Lima beans
• Navy beans
• Pink beans
• Pinto beans
• Lentils
• Split peas

#2. Soy

Among the most popular plant-based protein foods are soybeans. They’re legumes, but they’re in a category all their own. This bean has been widely studied because of its unique nutritional profile. In particular, soy provides a good balance of amino acids.

One cup of cooked soybeans contributes 57 percent of the Daily Value of protein, as well as significant amounts of fiber, iron, calcium, and 10 other essential nutrients. (The percentage of Daily Value is expressed as “% DV,” the amount of a nutrient one serving of a food provides, based on 2,000 calories per day.)

Studies have linked eating soy to a number of health benefits, including reducing cholesterol levels and lowering the risks of heart disease and prostate cancer. Some women avoid soy foods due to concerns about an increased risk of breast cancer, but recent studies have found that soy intake poses no increase in breast cancer risk, even for breast cancer survivors.

#3. Walnuts

The nutrient-dense walnut earned a qualified health claim from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the role it can play in reducing the risk of coronary heart disease. Walnuts also have been linked to cancer prevention, protection against cognitive decline, and reduced risks of type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Walnuts are rich in fiber, magnesium, and phosphorus, and they provide four grams of protein in a single ounce.

Walnuts, like all tree nuts, are dense in calories; they contain 180 calories per one-ounce serving. Although they are a great source of many nutrients, it’s advisable to eat just one serving each day to keep the calorie counter from going too high.

#4. Almonds

Almonds are high in healthy, monounsaturated fat and rich in protein, providing six grams per ounce (just a bit less than the amount of protein found in meat). Almonds also are one of the top sources of vitamin E, which acts as a powerful antioxidant in the body.

Studies that have been conducted on almonds point to numerous benefits, including better heart health, management of diabetes, and weight control.

High-protein foods from plant sources? Peanuts, almonds, and walnuts are top sources—and better raw, of course, rather than salted.

#5. Peanuts

Peanuts are another worthy plant-based protein source. A one-ounce serving of peanuts (about 28 whole nuts) provides seven grams of protein—the highest protein content of all types of nuts, and about the same amount as in an ounce of meat. And, peanuts provide many other valuable nutrients, including niacin, thiamin, choline, vitamin E, magnesium, zinc, iron, and copper.

Daily consumption of about one ounce of peanuts is linked with the reduced risk of many chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. In addition, studies show that eating peanuts as a healthy snack can help you manage your weight, because they have the protein, fat, and fiber combination to help control hunger. (See also our post Is Peanut Butter Healthy?)

#6. Hemp Seeds

Hemp seeds’ nutrition facts are impressive; they contain 10 grams of protein and 10 grams of heart-healthy omega-3 and omega-6 fats per ounce (three tablespoons), along with iron, thiamin, magnesium, zinc, and manganese. Hemp seeds can be tossed into homemade granola or salads, blended into smoothies, sprinkled into stir-fries, and mixed into savory dishes.

If you’re concerned about hemp’s relation to marijuana, rest assured that hemp seeds do not cause a psychoactive effect when ingested.

#7. Chia Seeds

Chia seeds are packed with protein (6 grams per two-tablespoon serving), as well as heart-healthy unsaturated fat, fiber (10 grams per serving), calcium, magnesium, manganese, and iron. When combined with water, chia seeds have the unique ability to form a gel that can help bind ingredients together, so a mixture of chia seeds and water can be used as a replacement for eggs in many recipes, such as cookies, breads, puddings, and cakes.

#8. Flaxseed

Don’t overlook flaxseed as a plant-based protein source. Flaxseed is rich in heart-healthy unsaturated fats and plant omega-3 fatty acids. One ounce (about three tablespoons) of flaxseed contains five grams of protein and provides vitamin B1, magnesium, zinc, and manganese. Some studies have linked cardiovascular benefits with flaxseed consumption, and researchers are exploring its potential for diabetes, cancer, and digestive benefits.

Always grind flaxseed before using, since whole seeds will pass through your digestive tract intact, and your body won’t receive their beneficial nutrients.

Originally published in 2016, this post is regularly updated.

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Fast-food establishments and even upscale restaurants typically serve up fare that is higher in calories, sodium, and saturated fat. If you want the best nutrition, take a DIY approach. Here’s how.

Meal Planning: Get Organized

Cooking meals can be quicker than calling and picking up a take-out order; all it takes is a little planning. Follow these home-cooking tips to support your healthy eating plan.

• Build a weekly menu. Sit down and write out a healthy meal plan for the week. To expand your menu’s variety, try to include one new recipe a week.
• Write out a healthy shopping list. Make sure you have shelf-stable items on the list each week so you have the basic ingredients you will need on hand. Then, add fresh items to your list, keeping in mind the seasonal availability of produce.
• Keep it simple. Healthy eating doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be as easy as stir-fried vegetables with tofu or shrimp over cooked brown rice, or a burrito filled with black beans, lettuce, tomatoes, and avocado slices.
• Pack your own healthy snacks. Skip vending machines and convenience stores and bring healthy snacks with you when you’re on the go. Stow a bag of dried fruits, nuts, and seeds in your purse, carry cut-up vegetables or fruits and nut butter in a cooler bag, or take along whole-grain pita bread and hummus.

Preserving Nutrients in the Kitchen

Make the most of your wholesome foods by preserving their powerful vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals.

• Fresh is best, frozen is next. Fresh, ripe produce in season-no cooking required-will usually be highest in nutrients. But what about produce in the middle of winter? USDA data indicate that freezing produce immediately after harvesting retains 95 to 100 percent of most vitamins and minerals, with the exception of vitamin C, which diminishes by up to 30 percent in frozen produce.
• Be water-wise. USDA data shows that up to 50 percent of the vitamin C, thiamin, vitamin B6, and folate content in food can be lost to the water it’s cooked in. In order to retain water-soluble nutrients, use cooking methods like steaming or stir-frying that use little or no water.
• Make friends with your microwave. Since it cuts cooking time and water use, the microwave is a nutrient-friendly kitchen appliance. Microwaving preserves higher antioxidant activity in a majority of vegetables than other cooking methods, according to research.
• Preserve the peel. Keeping peels on foods like potatoes, yams, apples, and pears preserves more nutrients, which tend to concentrate just near the surface.

What’s in a Healthy Meal?

Center your healthy eating plans around lean proteins, whole grains, vegetables, fruits, healthy fats, and herbs and spices. In order to meet your complete nutrition needs, use as a resource USDA’s MyPlate, a pictorial guide that shows you the basics of building a healthy meal.

Also, visit choosemyplate.gov to learn about the amounts of foods in each category you need to consume each day to preserve your health.

Keep Your Eyes on Portion Sizes

One of the most important things about a diet plan that is healthy is to pay attention to portion sizes. Most people significantly underestimate how much food they actually consume, and even healthy foods can put your calorie counter on overload if you eat too much.

Be more focused on your food intake by eating meals at a dining table rather than eating while working, watching TV, or surfing the Internet. Dish up foods on salad plates rather than dinner plates, and avoid eating out of large containers, such as jars of nuts or bags of chips.

Originally published 2016, this post is regularly updated.

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Diets or dietary patterns like the Mediterranean diet, the Atkins diet, or the Zone diet have been in vogue for quite a while—and each has its adherents. U.S. News & World Report—publishers of “Best” lists on a variety of health-related subjects—has a long history of helping people cut through the clutter to find diet solutions that work.

But not so fast, according to health and nutrition researchers.

Are “Best Diets” Valid?

A recent study from the University of Florida found little evidence of clinical trials supporting these “best diet” claims. When you eliminate diets that rely solely on calorie counting or that recommend vigorous exercise (which still top most diet recommendations), then the resulting diet plans have little support in the form of clinical studies.

Researchers looked only at diets without calorie counts and/or recommendations of vigorous exercise, which are guaranteed to lead to weight loss. Do popular diets based only on what we eat—low-carbohydrate, grain-free diets and others—lead to a trimmer waist?

“Not all diets showed clinically meaningful weight-loss outcomes,” said the study’s lead author, Stephen Anton, Ph.D., division chief of clinical research for UF’s department of aging and geriatric research and a member of UF’s Institute on Aging.

Researchers looked for clinical trials evaluating the effectiveness of 38 popular diets listed within U.S. News & World Report’s 2016 ranking of “Best Weight-Loss Diets.” After cutting diets listing specific calorie targets and/or exercise recommendations, they were left with 20 popular diets.

Of these, seven had been evaluated in clinical trials that met strict criteria set by researchers. And just two of those diets were evaluated by three or more trials.

“The small number of clinical trials examining the efficacy of many popular diets is concerning, as it indicates relatively little empirical evidence exists to support many current popular diets, which are heavily marketed to the public,” said the study, recently published in the journal Nutrients.

Best diet? The Mediterranean diet is one that nutrition experts tend to recommend. [Photo: © Designer491 | Dreamstime]

“Best Diet” Methodology

According to U.S. News “Best Diet” methodology, a panel of experts examined research regarding each diet’s potential to produce both short- and long-term weight loss and assigned ratings. But UF researchers included only interventional clinical trials with at least 15 participants per group, study periods of at least 12 weeks, inclusion of study participants with a body mass index of at least 25, and objective measures of weight with no self-reporting. They also excluded studies that did not follow the diet as prescribed.

The low-carbohydrate Atkins diet came out far ahead of the pack, with 10 clinical trials evaluating either short- or long-term weight loss. It was followed by the moderate-carbohydrate Zone diet, with three clinical trials.

Those with two clinical trials apiece were:

• The Mediterranean diet, rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, and olive oil;
• the Glycemic-Index diet, which emphasizes “good carbs” like bran cereal and vegetables;
• the Ornish diet, a low-fat, vegetable-based program;
• the Paleolithic (or Paleo) diet, based on foods available to early humans 2.5 million to 10,000 years ago.

The so-called DASH diet—Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, which is low in saturated fats and sodium—was researched with one trial.

Nine of the 10 clinical trials evaluating the Atkins diet demonstrated clinically meaningful short-term weight loss, and six of eight long-term Atkins clinical trials demonstrated long-term weight loss. (Some individual studies examined both long- and short-term weight loss.)

Other diets that demonstrated clinically meaningful weight loss in at least one study were the Mediterranean, Paleolithic, and Zone diets.

Watch Those Polyunsaturated and Monosaturated Fats

Researchers said their review suggests that diets high in poly- and monounsaturated fats plus low-carbohydrates “are the most advantageous” for promoting long-term weight loss.

“For not having specific calorie limits and not being paired with a formal exercise program, the magnitude of the weight loss on some diets was surprising and quite extensive,” said Anton. “Not to say this would work for every person, but it does suggest a potential approach that is successful for many people.”

The study’s co-authors include Christiaan Leeuwenburgh, Ph.D., a professor and vice chair of research for UF’s department of aging and geriatric research and a member of UF’s Institute on Aging; Todd Manini, Ph.D., an associate professor and member of the Institute on Aging; Azumi Hida, Ph.D., formerly a visiting scholar at the Institute on Aging from Tokyo University; and UF research assistants Kristen Sowalsky, Ph.D., Heather Mutchie and Christy Karabetian, Ph.D.

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Many experts believe that sugar-sweetened beverages—soda, sweet teas and coffees, energy drinks, sports drinks, and fruit-flavored beverages—are a significant contributing factor to the nation’s obesity problem as well as the type 2 diabetes epidemic.

Many sweetened beverages consist of nothing more than a pile of sugar and flavorings that are added to a liquid. The American Heart Association issued a report advising Americans to cut back on added sugar, suggesting that women get no more than 100 calories (about 6 teaspoons) a day from added sugar and that men get no more than 150 calories (about 9 teaspoons) a day.

1. Water

Water should be your No. 1 beverage, since it registers zero on a calorie counter; in fact, some food pyramids depicting healthy diets include several glasses of water. In addition, many plant-based beverages, such as tea, coffee, and even red wine, may offer health benefits.

2. Tea

True tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant. The varieties of tea—green, black, oolong, and white—depend upon how the leaves are processed. Research suggests that tea consumption is linked with a lower risk of heart disease and certain cancers, protection of oral health, bone health, and immune function, and perhaps even modest metabolic benefits. To reap the most benefits from tea, skip the premade tea drinks and brew your own-the flavonoid contents of freshly brewed teas are much higher than tea drinks in bottles or cans.

Coffee, thankfully, has its health benefits. It has been associated, for example, with improved mental and physical performance. [Photo: Q&K Media]

3. Coffee

Coffee is loaded with phytochemicals—more than 1,000 active compounds with antioxidant properties have been identified in coffee beans. Coffee has been linked with improved mental and physical performance, a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, liver protection, and cancer-fighting properties. If you’re sensitive to caffeine, you can still gain antioxidant benefits from decaffeinated coffee.

4. Red wine

Research links red wine consumption with reduced risks of stroke, heart disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, obesity, osteoporosis, and infectious diseases. Red wine can be included in a healthy eating plan; in fact, it is part of the Mediterranean-style diet pattern, which has been linked with a number of health benefits, including lower risks of heart disease, diabetes, and neurodegenerative diseases.

Red wine is rich in phytochemicals, including resveratrol. This phytochemical has antioxidant, anti-clotting, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities.

When it comes to your health, the most important thing about wine is to drink it in moderation. Benefits linked to red wine only occur with moderate consumption—one glass (5 ounces) per day for women, and one to two glasses per day for men.

Originally published in 2016, this post is regularly updated.

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American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS)
orthoinfo.aaos.org/main.cfm
OrthoInfo provides information about musculoskeletal conditions and injuries—treatment and prevention. Physician members of the editorial board peer review all the content on the website.

American Council on Exercise (ACE)
www.acefitness.org
Nonprofit ACE provides evidence-based health and fitness information to the public. The website touches on everything from walking as a business growth tool (VIP walks for clients), workplace walking groups, and new walking routines. It also offers guides for both laypeople and professionals interested in developing walking programs.

American Heart Association “Walking: Take the First Step!”
www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/PhysicalActivity/Walking/Walking_UCM_460870_SubHomePage.jsp
The American Heart Association cheerleads for walking with everything you need to know to get started and stay motivated.

American Volkssport Association (AVA)
www.ava.org
Founded in 1976 and headquartered in Texas, the nonprofit AVA promotes noncompetitive physical fitness activity for Americans based on a German model. AVA links about 300 active local clubs that put on more than 3,000 volkssporting events each year, with walking (or volksmarching) being the most popular.

Arthritis Foundation “Walking with Arthritis”
www.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/exercise/workouts/walking/
This section of the foundation website links to information, workout routines, and numerous videos demonstrating warm-up exercises and stretches.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) “Walking”
www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/walking/index.htm
The CDC’s walking page links to reports and resources about walking and walkable communities.

ClinicalTrials.gov
www.clinicaltrials.gov
ClinicalTrials.gov is a registry and results database of publicly and privately supported clinical studies of human participants conducted around the world. If you’re interested in donating your steps to science, type in “walking” and your location to see if researchers are recruiting volunteers.

Every Body Walk! Collaborative (EBWC)
everybodywalk.org
EBWC is a partnership of national, state, and local organizations; federal agencies; businesses; and professional associations committed to developing and implementing approaches to improve walking and create more walkable places.

Exercise & Physical Activity: Your Everyday Guide from the National Institute on Aging!
The National Institute on Aging (NIA)
www.nia.nih.gov/health/publication/exercise-physical-activity/
The NIA offers this book as a free download in English or Spanish. Chapters offer sample exercises in four key areas: endurance (including walking), strength, balance, flexibility.

International Nordic Walking Association (INWA)
www.inwa-nordicwalking.com
Founded in Finland in 2000, INWA promotes the sport around the world through a global network of coaches and instructors.

MyFitnessPal
www.myfitnesspal.com
This popular free online calorie counter and fitness journal, also available as a phone app, makes it easy to log what you eat and what you do. Users may also join a virtual community discussing diet and exercise.

The Labyrinth Society
labyrinthsociety.org
This nonprofit supports “all those who create, maintain and use labyrinths” and serves “the global community by providing education, networking and opportunities to experience transformation.”

Racewalk.com
www.racewalk.com
This website provides information for racewalkers of all abilities.

Road Scholar
www.roadscholar.org
This not-for-profit travel company offers 5,500 learning adventures in the United States and around the world to more than 100,000 participants annually. Travelers can search for walking/hiking trips, at activity levels ranging from easy to challenging.

Step it Up! The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Promote
Walking and Walkable Communities
www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/walking/call-to-action
The CDC published this 2015 report under the leadership of President Obama’s surgeon general, Dr. Vivek H. Murthy. It calls upon Americans to make walking a national priority.

USDA Supertracker
www.supertracker.usda.gov
This online food and physical activity tracker from the U.S. Department of Agriculture offers an online space to journal about your eating/fitness goals and practices.

Walk Score
www.walkscore.com
The company Walk Score claims promoting walkable neighborhoods as its mission. You can type any street address into its website and get walk, transit, and bike scores that reflect how far you can get on feet alone.

The Walking Connection
walkingconnection.com
An adventure travel company with a website that connects “a community of like-minded people who enjoy walking, hiking, being outside, and for many, traveling and exploring some of the world’s greatest destinations by foot, kayak, hot air balloon or occasional zip line.”

The Walking Site
www.thewalkingsite.com
Patty Cartwright (PC), “an active mom, wife, personal trainer, and certified running coach,” created this site as a resource for walkers of all fitness levels.

The post Appendix II: Resources appeared first on University Health News.

• Stand up tall. Imagine that a wire attached to the crown of your head is gently pulling you upward. Walking erect will keep you moving at a brisker pace.
• Keep your eyes on the horizon. This will help you to stand taller and avoid stress on your neck and low back.
• Lift your chest and tighten your abs. Using muscles in the front of your body to straigh­ten up will take pressure off your back.
• Bend your arms. You’ll be able to swing your arms faster, which helps increase your speed. It also prevents swelling caused from blood pooling in your hands as you walk longer distances.



• Relax your shoulders. Your arms will swing more freely, and you’ll avoid upper back and neck tension.
• Maintain a neutral pelvis. Don’t tuck your tailbone under or overarch your back.
• Keep your front leg straight but not locked. You’ll have a smoother stride and be able to propel yourself forward more easily.
• Aim your knees and toes forward. Proper alignment will reduce your chances of injury.
• Land on your heel. This facilitates the heel-to-toe walking motion that will carry farther and faster than if your foot slaps down on the ground with each step.”

Goals

We all walk somewhere, even if just around the house. Since you’re reading this book, it’s probably safe to assume that you’re aiming to walk more. You need to change your routine.

We all know of the New Year’s resolutions that never survive the month of January: Research reveals that about 25 percent of people embarking on a new exercise program quit in the first week, and another 25 percent drop out within six months. To succeed in building better habits, experts recommend setting specific, realistic, and heartfelt goals.

Specific implies that you can count or measure a result. You want to walk more, but how much is more?

Realistic acknowledges that while you might wish upon a star to walk the Disney Princess Half Marathon, don’t expect to do it tomorrow if your usual distance is the mailbox.

And heartfelt acknowledges that the most powerful motivation comes from within. Your internist, your sister, your boss can get their own aerobic workout lecturing you on the benefits of regular exercise, but really the only voice that counts is your own better angel. People change because they want to, not because someone tells them they should.

Short vs. Long Term

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) offers good advice on goal setting. First, distinguish between short-term goals, what you plan to accomplish within the next week or month, and long-term goals, which look six months, a year, or years down the road. Write down your goals, put them where you can see them, and review them regularly.

That last thought is important. Although you want your goals firm enough to hold you accountable, you also want to allow room for adjustment, so that your new exercise routine can become a way of life, not a burdensome challenge that you can’t wait to drop. Be flexible. If you set a goal of beach walking after work three times a week but burn out in the sunset traffic jams, you may decide to walk in your neighborhood park and save the seashore for Saturday mornings. Goals should pass the Goldilocks test: not too loosey-goosey, not too onerous, but just right—for you.

Short-Term Goals

Short-term goals may initially cover preparation. First, you may want to establish your baseline so that you can measure progress. For example, you might start like this:

• Today, I will time how long it takes me to walk from my house to the corner.
• Tomorrow, I will count the number of steps I take in an ordinary workday.

           Other short-term goals may include setting up the conditions that you anticipate will make you successful.

• By the end of this week, I will find out whether my town has a walking Meetup group.
• By the end of the month, I will buy new polka‑dot socks.

Long-term goals

Long-term goals also should be specific, realistic, and important to you. A few examples are on the following page:

• In three months, I will double the number of my daily steps.
• By next summer, I will average 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise, as the American Heart Association recommends.
• In six months, Rover and I will walk the Humane Society’s 5K.
• In a year, I’ll sign up for the Disney Princess Half Marathon.

Time and/or Distance

Many walkers set performance goals. Both the American Heart Association (AHA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend at least 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week. More is better—more intensity and/or more time—but health professionals set the bar at 150 minutes, about as long as it takes to watch The Wizard of Oz. While the AHA recommends five 30-minute walks, the CDC greenlights even shorter chunks. If your schedule is so packed you have trouble carving out half hours, squeeze in brisk 10-minute walks to raise your heart rate.

And everyone agrees that something is better than nothing. To pull out Lao Tzu’s now overwalked, er, overworked, dictum, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

Measuring Intensity

How do you know if you’re shambling or striding? Fitness professionals speak of relative intensity and absolute intensity. Relative intensity refers to the level of effort required to do an activity. Absolute intensity refers to the amount of energy your body uses. According to the CDC, walking three or more miles per hour ranks as a moderately intense activity, while race walking, jogging, running, or hiking uphill with a backpack qualifies as vigorous. Weight factors in because the heavier you are, the more energy it takes to move your body.

You can often gauge the relative intensity of your workout by how heavily you’re panting. If you can talk but not sing, you’re likely engaging in moderate physical activity. Chatting during vigorous exercise, you’ll probably have to catch a breath every few words.

More subjective than the “talk test” but about as reliable is the Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE). You self-monitor your panting, sweating, heart pounding, and muscle fatigue on a scale of 6 to 20, with 6 being no exertion, 11 light exertion, 15 heavy exertion, and 20 maximal exertion. For a moderate-intensity walk, you would aim for a “somewhat hard” 12 to 14 feeling.

Heart Rate Yourself

If you don’t mind math (and pausing your workout to take your pulse), you can calculate the intensity of your exercise by your heart rate. During moderate physical activity, your target heart should rise to 50 to 70 percent of your estimated maximum heart rate. During vigorous exercise, it should rise to 75 to 80 percent of your estimated maximum heart rate.

First, calculate your estimated maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. For a 60-year-old, for instance, it’s 160 beats per minute.

Next, find the target rate by multiplying 160 by the target percentage.

• Moderate activity for a 60-year-old runs between 80 (160 x .50) and 112 (160 x .70) beats per minute.
• Vigorous activity runs between 120 (160 x .75) and 128 (160 x .80) beats per minute.

Finally, take your pulse by pressing your middle and index finger lightly over the artery in your wrist. (Neck and chest arteries also work.) Count the beats for 30 seconds and multiply by 2. Compare the count to your target rate and adjust your pace accordingly.

If you’re walking in a gym, likely the management has posted a target heart rate chart to make these quick checks easier.

Mileage

Another measure of a walking workout is distance, which has less individual variability. Your 10 minutes of walking may be far brisker than mine, but a mile is a mile for both the tortoise and the hare. If you’re concerned that the time recommendations aren’t precise enough, distance offers an alternative gauge. It may even be a better metric than time, at least with obese people, concluded Paul T. Williams, PhD, a staff scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, in Berkeley, California.

Timewise, vigorous exercise outpaces moderate activity: The AHA equates 150 minutes of walking with 75 minutes of running. But at equal distances, even workouts of different intensities produce roughly equal benefits. In a major study published in a 2013 issue of the AHA’s Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, Williams and other researchers compared 33,060 runners in the National Runners’ Health Study and 15,045 walkers in the National Walkers’ Health Study over six years.

Running and walking involve the same muscle groups. Both come out about equal in reducing the risk of developing diabetes. But to the data analysts’ surprise, walking does a better job of lowering the risk of high cholesterol and high blood pressure. The first findings:

• The risk for getting diagnosed with high cholesterol was reduced 4.3 percent by running and 7 percent by walking.
• The risk for getting diagnosed with hypertension was reduced 4.2 percent by running and 7.2 percent by walking.
• The risk for getting diagnosed with diabetes was reduced 12.1 percent by running and 12.3 percent by walking.
• The risk for coronary heart disease was lowered 4.5 percent by running and 9.3 percent by walking.

Of course, because of their faster pace, runners may end up covering more ground than walkers if they spend the same amount of time working out. That’s how runners may come out ahead.

10,000 Steps

You can walk your target distance on labeled track or roadway, but 10,000 steps has gained traction as a handy gauge of a good day’s walk. Why 10,000 steps? Japan manufactured pedometers in the 1960s called manpo-kei, “10,000 steps meter.”

Japanese walking groups and research caught the attention of Americans concerned about the rise of obesity in the United States. In 1994, Dr. C. Everett Koop, who had served as surgeon general in the Reagan administration, launched Shape Up America!, a nonprofit initiative with much PR firepower that spread the gospel of 10,000 steps.

At an average stride length of 2.1 to 2.5 feet, 10,000 steps works out to almost five miles, or 1.5 hours of walking. Not precise enough for you? You can figure out your stride two ways.

1. At a comfortable pace, walk 10 steps. Measure the distance. Divide by 10 to get your average stride. Then divide 5,280 (the number of feet in a mile) by your stride length. That equals how many steps you take per mile.
2. Multiply your height in inches by 0.413. That’s an estimate of your stride in inches, so divide by 12 to get your stride in feet. Then divide 5,280 (the number of feet in a mile) by your stride length. That equals how many steps you take per mile.

See the table, right, for a cheat sheet.

The NIH offers forms for you to track your aerobic exercise.

Which should you track, time or distance? “It’s usually easier—and more accurate—for people to use minutes” to gauge their activity, says Karen Hamill, a physical therapist in the UCLA Health System’s department of rehabilitation. Most people can walk a mile in 15 to 20 minutes.

As satisfying as numbers can be, nothing beats feeling your progress. As you grow more fit,

• You tend to have more energy.
• Your overall mood and outlook on life improve.
• It’s easier to climb a couple of flights of stairs, get in and out of the car, and do your usual daily activities.
• You sleep better at night.
• You have less pain when you move around.

Fitbits, Misfits, Apple Watches, and Other Gizmos

Technology has made tracking exercise a digital delight—and distraction. The options range from $1,000-plus wearable fitness trackers to free smartphone apps. If you prefer clocking time rather than counting steps, online journals such as My Fitness Pal (www.myfitnesspal.com) will ask your minutes and your pace and deliver bar graphs with calories burned or time spent exercising.

Wearable fitness trackers are the direct descendants of polygraph machines, which used biosensors to detect when people were telling lies. Apps rely on these gauges built into smartphones. Recommended by CNET, the free Stepz pedometer app, for instance, will count steps and keep the results for a week as long as you’re wearing an Apple Watch or carrying your iPhone in a pocket or purse.

All of these, notes UCLA PT Karen Hamill, are “not super accurate. They’re reliably unreliable.” But so what? They give you an informed guesstimate of your activity, and they help you compare from one day and one week to the next. What matters is the movement. “However a person will be successful is OK,” Hamill says.

Hamill, who walks, hikes, and runs to raise her heart rate, wears a Fitbit. “I try not to be neurotic,” she says about monitoring her exercise, but she does pay attention to whether she’s on track to walk 10,000 steps every day. “Usually I have an idea of how far I’ve gone, but if I haven’t hit the mark by 5 p.m., I know what to do,” she says. “I’ll park a little bit farther from where I’m going. Or I’ll take an extra walk around the block.”

If you’re in the market for a fitness tracker, most run $50 to $250 dollars. Check online for independent reviews rather than marketing material.

Talking to experts and users, AARP suggests that you take the following into consideration:

• Ease of use. Are the instructions clear? Can you set up easily? How do you navigate its features?
• Distance vs. training gauges. All-day trackers generally measure steps (distance) as well as stairs climbed, length of workout, and calories burned. For the lowdown on intensity, investigate training trackers, which may be tailored to specific sports.
• Calorie counter. Do you care? Do you want a breakdown on carbs, fat, and protein? Do you want the device to prod you?
• Heart rate monitor. Is cardiovascular health your chief concern? For the most accurate monitoring, chose a device that straps to the chest rather than the wrist.
• Display size. Bigger is usually easier on the eyes. If you’re mostly walking outdoors, can you see the numbers in sunlight? Or does the device talk to you?
• Comfort and style. Do you prefer something strapped to your wrist or clipped to your clothes? Are you wearing this to work? Does it need to coordinate with your clothes? Is it adjustable?
• Wireless technology. Does it connect quickly and easily with your phone or computer? Does it synch with an online program that archives information?
• Water and sweat resistance. How does it handle sweat? Will it withstand just a splash or a shower?
• Sleep tracking. Does it keep tabs on the length and quality of your sleep? If so, is it comfortable enough to wear to bed?
• Battery life. How often do you have to recharge the device? Does the battery drain quickly?

One advantage of your smartphone doubling as your pedometer is that you may be able to access other useful features, such as a built-in GPS in case you get lost or just want to find the nearest coffee shop. A cellphone or MP3 player with a set of earbuds can plug you into a world of entertainment—or learning—to stride by. “There are perhaps 50 podcasts for anything you can be interested in,” says UCLA Health System physical therapist Juliana Plank.

You can also download (or DJ your own) playlists at tempos guaranteed to get your heartrate up. Shape Magazine sets the metronome at 128 beats per minute for a brisk walk: Think “Without You” by David Guetta and Usher. To browse a free database of workout songs, check out the online site Run Hundred (www.runhundred.com).

But be careful not to crank the volume of your sound too high. “I always recommend that you can hear what’s in your environment,” says physical therapist Hamill. For safety, you need to hear dogs growl, bike bells ring, and cars honk. An aware walker does not look like a tempting mugging victim. And your ears will thank you. With hearing loss on the rise, doctors recommend the 60/60 rule: Set the volume on your device no higher than 60 percent, and don’t listen for more than 60 minutes per day.

Starting from Scratch

Unless you’re bedridden, no one starts from nothing. And the beauty of walking is that you can just step out the door—or even circle around the kitchen island. Just do it. Walking is its own warmup, says Hamill, so you don’t even need to stretch beforehand. But do it at the end of your workout.

That said, give yourself a once-over before embarking on a new regime. Take it easy in the first couple of weeks, advises Hamill. “Multiple short walks can sometimes be better than one long one.”

Most people don’t need a doctor’s OK, experts agree. But do check in with your healthcare provider if:

• You have a heart condition, diabetes, or high blood pressure, or
• You’re over 40 years old and have been inactive for several months.

Once you start walking more, let your doctor know if you feel dizzy, faint, or short of breath—or if you experience chest, neck, shoulder, or arm pain, which may signal a heart problem.

If you’re feeling unsure of your stamina, “you might want to go to a busy, well-lighted site where people can keep an eye on you,” says Hamill. She suggests a mall, in the morning before most shoppers arrive. Outside, popular parks may offer paved trails and benches where you can stop for a rest. Even a big grocery store at a slow time can serve as an indoor course with that added advantage of a cart to lean on.

Out of the Gait

Erin Palinski-Wade, author of Walking the Weight Off for Dummies, advises a gait check as well. Face straight ahead, feet hipbone width apart, toes forward. “Picture having headlights on your hipbones, kneecaps, and big toes,” she writes. They should illuminate your path.

When you step, Hamill says, “the heel comes down first, and the toes should follow.” You roll onto the ball of your foot and then onto the toes, pinky first, big toe last, according to Palinski-Wade. Also assess your posture, making sure that you’re standing tall but not arching your back. To avoid neck strain, gaze about 20 feet in front of you, with your chin and chest lifted, shoulders back.

Without thinking, you’ll likely swing your arms in alternate pattern with your legs. Again, keep them oriented straight ahead, not diagonally. Vigorous arm motion boosts the cardiovascular component of walking, so you may burn 5 to 10 percent more calories.

“Swinging your arms will help you take bigger steps, which make muscles and bones stronger,” adds UCLA’s Hamill. “Most people tend to take too small steps. We’re good at things in front of us, but we let the leg drag too far behind. Big steps strengthen hip muscles particularly and improve range of hip motion.” But if you have a painful knee or hip, Hamill advises holding off for a few days or working with a physical therapist if the pain persists. Favoring one side causes you to walk lopsided.

Peer Support

Resolutions are mental or even written contracts we make with ourselves. UCLA physical therapist Juliana Plank urges her patients to set both short- and long-term goals and then share them with friends and co-workers. They will hold you accountable in the nicest of ways. Hearing someone say, “I heard you were going to walk 10 minutes every day during lunch hour,” can be the nudge that helps you hold fast to a resolution.

Better yet, find a walking buddy. Plank says that the science behind behavior change points to peer cheerleading as an important factor in remaining positive about a goal. “If you have trouble staying motivated,” says Plank, “walk with friends, because it’s a little harder to avoid.” She also recommends linking up with a partner who shares the same particular goal. For instance, if you’re walking to lower your cholesterol, pair up with a fellow cholesterol watcher.

If you don’t have a candidate at hand, ask within your social circle, Plank advises. “Anyone walking 20 minutes once a week?” You don’t have to do all your walking with the same person. “You can always contact a local large rehab facility,” she adds, “and see if anyone matches your criteria. Then look into community organizations, especially if you’re an older adult.”

Your doctor might know someone else searching for an exercise companion. You might put a note on a bulletin board where you worship, or at a senior center, or on the neighborhood listserv.

Many communities have self-organized Meetup groups (www.meetup.com), especially for walking. Organizers post rendezvous information online, and you simply show up to participate.

Walking with friends ticks two important boxes. Because the pedestrian pace leaves us enough wind to talk, we can pass the time chatting, building or cementing a friendship. It’s multitasking at its best.

“People who are more active tend to be happier,” says Plank. Many studies have underscored the health benefits of social connections as we age. Volunteering, attending religious services, enjoying hobbies with friends—activities like these buffer stress, with measurable physical and mental health benefits. Walking with companions delivers a double-dose of positivity. Friends can motivate us to start and continue good habits while enhancing our sense of belonging to a community.

In the United Kingdom, a family doctor’s project to get patients walking has burgeoned into Walking for Health, a network of about 8,300 trained volunteers who organize 1,800 weekly walks, short and easy enough to encourage non-exercisers to step it up. Other organized walking groups have proliferated as well, providing a vast data pool for researchers. According to one recent analysis, participation in organized walking groups ameliorates blood pressure, heart rate, total cholesterol, mood, and more with almost no downside. Walking with others outside significantly lowers depression, perceived stress, and bad moods, boosting mental wellbeing.

Physicians at several UCLA Health offices hold monthly “Walks With a Doc.” The Walk With a Doc movement, which began in 2005 with an Ohio cardiologist who coaxed a single sedentary patient to go for a stroll, has now spread to more than 140 locations. The UCLA walks begin with a doctor introducing a health topic and then letting the conversation evolve as walkers take in stunning California views from valley to ocean. One walk leader, Dr. Jennifer Logan, a UCLA family practice physician at the Redondo Beach office, finds the casual talks an excellent way to impart health information. “During an office visit, people are often stressed and overwhelmed. They may be more at ease on a walk, which makes it easier to learn and understand,” she says. Patients see doctors taking their own advice, i.e. walking the talk.

“I wholeheartedly support the Walk With a Doc mission to encourage healthy physical activity in people of all ages,” says Dr. Michelle Lin Emi, a UCLA internist and walk leader in Westlake Village. “A sedentary lifestyle raises many health risks, but even moderate activity can turn that around.”

Sometimes a social relationship can be a destination, the reason we hoist ourselves out of the easy chair. UCLA physical therapist Plank recalls one elderly patient with little interest in walking for the sake of walking, but she adored her knitting circle. She embraced walking so that she could maintain the mobility necessary to get into and out of her car and make her way up the path to the building where her knitting circle gathered.

Eating Well

A Mediterranean diet or other healthful eating pattern will accommodate the additional steps in your day. If you increase your physical activity without eating more than usual, you’re likely to drop a few pounds. Once you reach your desired weight, moderation should prevail. Once again, the great thing about walking is that it requires nothing special.

You may have heard athletes discuss carbo-loading to store glycogen in the muscles. But unless you’re going to run a marathon, you don’t need more than a regular balanced diet.

As Kristine L. Clark, director of sports nutrition at the Center for Sports Medicine at Pennsylvania State University in State College, told the editors of Prevention magazine, many athletes mistakenly overload carbohydrates but shortchange healthful fats, such as those found in a tablespoon of olive oil or a handful of almonds. “Many athletes fail to realize that carbohydrates also occur in vegetables and dairy products, and thus they consume more starches than they need to,” Clark said.

And even when they eat the right amount of carbohydrates, 55 to 60 percent of their daily calories, they often end up with too many sugary and processed foods rather than fiber-rich complex carbohydrates, which fill you up and provide energy for a longer duration.

You can overdo protein as well. “Protein builds and repairs body tissue, which might be damaged during exercise,” Jackie Berning, assistant professor at the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs and a nutrition consultant to the U.S. Olympic swimming team told Prevention. But too much can strain your kidneys and interfere with calcium absorption. According to the magazine, “Regular walkers need just 0.7 g of protein per pound of body weight each day. For a 135‑pound woman, that’s … the amount found in 1 cup of yogurt plus 2 cups of soybeans, or a veggie burger and 1/4 pound of chicken.”

Easy Substitutions and New Routines

Working out may sound intimidating, but most people can add at least 10 minutes or 1,000 steps of walking to their day without breaking stride. UCLA physical therapist Plank suggests walking early in the day, if possible. “Usually when something’s important, we do it first,” she says. “We put it top of the list.”

But if you’re a night owl, not a lark, don’t fret. “The best time of the day [to walk] is when you will do it most consistently, because the benefits of physical activity are tightly linked to the amount you do on a consistent basis,” Russell Pate, Ph.D., professor of exercise science in the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, told the American Heart Association. Many people have success squeezing in a walk before work (an opportunity to review the to-do list with an aerobically sharpened mind) or after (as a relaxing transition from job to home). Whatever the hour, look for opportunities to get off your duff and on your feet.

Work and Errands

Video gaming with a side of double bacon cheeseburgers has no doubt contributed to the U.S. obesity epidemic, but researchers have fingered another, and perhaps more significant, culprit than lazy leisure: sedentary work. As far back as 1953, British researchers noted that London bus drivers were nearly twice as likely to die of heart disease as conductors. According to a survey published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, Americans average nearly five hours of sitting each day, but for office workers with a desk job and car commute, sedentary hours number closer to 10.

“Metabolism slows down 90 percent after 30 minutes of sitting.” says Gavin Bradley, director of Active Working, an international group that is working with Public Health England on a “Get Britain Standing” campaign. “The enzymes that move the bad fat from your arteries to your muscles, where it can get burned off, slow down. The muscles in your lower body are turned off. And after two hours, good cholesterol drops 20 percent.”

Spending too much time on your behind may harm your health even if you exercise every day—another argument for many small walks. An analysis in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that people who sat for eight to 12 hours or more a day were more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer, or die from heart disease or cancer, regardless of whether they exercised. The American Diabetes Association recommends three or more minutes of light physical activity (e.g., walking, leg lifts/extensions, overhead arm extensions, or torso twists) every 30 minutes.

Of course, not all jobs plunk you in a chair. In 2006, the American Council on Exercise (ACE) and the Exercise and Health Program of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, looked at a handful of different occupations and how many steps they require each day.

Can you guess who steps more?

Police officers vs. lawyers: Cops win, but not by much. Lawyers average 633 steps per hour; police officers, 663. Officers who walk a beat, of course, cover more ground than their squad-car riding colleagues.

Nurses vs. restaurant servers: Servers deliver food with a side of exercise for themselves. They average 1,772 steps per hour, compared to nurses’ 986.

Custodians vs. construction workers: At 1,624 steps per hour, custodians make the 10,000 per day goal on a full-time shift. Construction workers come close with about 1,206 steps per hour.

Over the course of a normal week, observe your everyday walking patterns. Then imagine where you might add five more minutes. Maybe in the morning you let your dog out in the yard. Could you clip on a leash and walk him around the block? If you make it a retractable leash, you can even pump your arms for a more cardiovascular workout. At the office, maybe you stroll down the hall to the restrooms. Could you detour and tack on extra steps? If you’re a passenger in a car, have the driver drop you off a few blocks from home and walk the rest of the way. Every night before bed, walk around your house and do a quick pick-up/cleaning. “Plus 5” can soon add up to a solid 30 minutes of walking a day.

Take the Stairs

If you live in a house with a staircase, you have a built-in exercise machine. Whenever you can take a break, climb up and down. If you have children or grandchildren around, chances are you don’t lack for stuff—laundry, books, toys, etc.—that needs to be on a level it’s not. Instead of accumulating a pile at the top or bottom, walk it piece by piece to where it needs to go. (Tap into your passing irritation as a fuel.)

At work or out in the community, move to the passing lane on the escalator—or take the stairs instead of the elevator. Consider adding an extra flight. If you’re on the first floor going to the second, ascend to three and then go back down one. If you’re stepping away from your desk to the restroom, go to another floor rather than down the hall. Stairs add a little aerobic zing to your steps.

According to Harvard University experts, stair climbing doubles the exertion of brisk walking. Compared with their sedentary peers, men in a study of Harvard alumni who walked 1.3 miles a day had a 22 percent lower death rate—and a 33 percent lower death rate if they averaged at least eight flights of stairs a day.

Ambulatory Meetings & Calls in Motion

Have you ever nodded off during an afternoon meeting? Consider a working walk instead.

Ambulatory meetings have become a hot topic in corporations and the business press, both of which have noted the health and creativity benefits of thinking on our moving feet. At LinkedIn, for instance, workers frequently stroll the bike path by the company’s California headquarters. Facebook put a half-mile loop on its roof in 2015. An unwavering proponent of the “walk and talk,” Silicon Valley entrepreneur and visionary Nilofer Merchant has argued that “sitting has become the smoking of our generation.”

Merchant demolishes the strongest objection to the walking meeting: that it detaches workers from their technology. How many people bring their phones or computers to a gathering just to relieve the boredom by checking their messages? She argues for sharing background information before a meeting and then using the time on foot to be fully present instead of multitasking. “What efficiency was to the industrial era, relationships are to the social era,” she wrote in Wired in 2013. “Walking without technology keeps our attention—and relationship—bank balance high.”

Another walking meeting champion, Dr. Ted Eytan, Medical Director of the Kaiser Permanente Center for Total Health, agrees: If people feel “that there’s a need to ‘sit in front of a computer,’ ask yourself if it is needed for 100 percent of the meeting time. Usually (92.5 percent of my experience) it is not.”

Walking meetings add variety and companionableness to the workday. They help break down barriers erected by office hierarchy and may lead to more honest exchanges. Survey results published in the Harvard Business Review in 2015 indicated that workers who participate in walking meetings are 5.25 percent more likely to report being creative at their jobs and 8.5 percent more likely to report high levels of engagement. And for workers concerned about their health, another pilot study published in a CDC journal reported that walking meetings added a small boost to participants’ overall activity levels.

The University of California, Riverside, has assembled some commonsense planning tips if you’re instigating a walk and talk:

• Invite, don’t mandate, participation.
• Keep it small. Walking meetings work best for groups no bigger than four.
• Circulate an agenda, as usual: set out the start/end times and points to cover.
• Give advance notice and remind group members to bring comfortable shoes to the office.
• Set the pace and route based on the slowest participant’s ability.
• Assign roles—facilitator (in charge of the agenda), tour guide (in charge of the route, knowledgeable about restrooms, shade, traffic, noise), and note taker (who can use the cross-walk stops to jot down ideas or speak into a voice recorder)
• Ask for feedback after a few “walk and talk” meetings to see what might work better.

Leave the Car at Home

Fitness experts tout the “active commute”—walking, biking, or using public transportation instead of driving to work. In one study, 103 people who lived within two miles of work wore accelerometers to measure their activity levels. People who walked to the office had physical activity levels 45 percent higher than those who drove during the workweek. They also had 60 percent more minutes of moderate to vigorous activity than drivers.

Multiple studies have pointed to the weight loss benefits of an active commute. One study of 12,000 adults found that suburbanites outweighed city dwellers, likely because of car hours. In Atlanta, for instance, 45 percent of suburban men were overweight (and 23 percent) obese, versus 37 percent of the urbanites (13 percent of whom were obese). Body fat percentage is commonly lower among those who use active or public transport. In one active commuting experiment, findings suggested that by leaving the car at home the average man could drop about six and a half pounds, and the average woman about five and a half pounds. And they saved on gas!

As you would expect, given the rosy side effects of walking, an active commute may also improve moods. One study looked at data from almost 18,000 people over a period of 17 years and found that the overall psychological well-being was higher in walkers, bikers, or users of public transportation than in drivers. The longer people spent walking to work, the higher their well-being scores.

Park Once & Shop While You Drop (Pounds, Blood Pressure, etc.)

E-commerce is expanding. Almost 70 percent of Americans online shop regularly through the Internet. It’s fast and convenient, but the only one getting a workout is the mail carrier or delivery driver dropping off the package.

Old-fashioned shopping offers lots of walking opportunities. U.S. shoppers average almost five trips a month to the supermarket (to some of us it feels more like 50) and at least one more to drug and dollar stores. Try parking in a central location: You can rack up minutes and steps by radiating out to various stores and ferrying goods back to the car. And even though you might have to wait at the intersection, it can sometimes be easier to cross a big, busy road on foot that to negotiate your way around a median in a car.

If you’re heading into only one establishment, park as far from your target as possible. Once inside, do a lap around the store or the mall before you tackle your shopping list.

A British newspaper article reported that women have good reason to gripe about being exhausted after shopping, according to a study commissioned by the British retailer Debenhams. “The average woman covers 2.96 miles on a shopping trip and spends around 2.5 hours browsing in stores every week. … In contrast, men spend an average 50 minutes and cover just 1.5 miles per week.” And as long as shoppers can steer clear of the food court, experts calculated from another poll that “women burned around five calories for every minute spent browsing the shelves—almost 48,000 per year.”

Aerobic Chores

It probably comes as no surprise that housecleaning (and car washing) already gets us walking. By exaggerating the movement, vacuuming, sweeping, dusting, and doing laundry can turn into a cardiovascular workout. Crank up the music to set the tempo. Even tidying up can add those last few steps to lift you over your goal.

So much of life involves “hurry up and wait.” But if you throw an old pair of shoes into the back of the car, you’re ready to walk anytime, anywhere—while your partner’s getting a haircut, say, or the mechanic’s changing the oil. Especially if you’re a parent or grandparent on chauffeur duty, a piano lessons or dance class can open an ideal window for you to walk.

Here’s a good rule of thumb: Don’t sit if you can stand, and don’t stand if you can walk. Case in point: Dispense with the remote and get up to change the channels on the TV. Cell phone ringing? Answer it and start walking.

A FAR-Reaching Health Strategy: Food, Activity, Rest

Did your mother warn you not to swim for an hour after eating or you’d drown? Turns out that’s a summer myth, debunked by scientists who have yet to document a case of postprandial sinking. After a meal, your gut does signal that it needs oxygen, so the heart pumps more blood to the GI tract to facilitate digestion. And, yes, if you start running a marathon or swimming the English Channel, the competing demands for blood in your stomach and in your leg muscles may raise your blood pressure or produce a cramp as digestions slows. Give your food 15 minutes to settle. But then a 15- to 20-minute stroll usually improves digestion and modulates blood sugar levels, studies have shown. Don’t eat and run, but do eat and walk.

In 2008, German researchers fed participants a large meal and then had them either drink (an espresso or an alcoholic digestif like brandy) or walk slowly on a treadmill. Walking, but not drinking, accelerated food’s transit through the stomach. Other experiments suggest that the same stroll can prevent blood sugar spikes after meals. The amount of glucose in the blood typically rises after eating, but for folks with type 2 diabetes, a 20-minute walk can lower glucose levels better than walking before a meal or not at all.

In a different study of older, overweight, inactive adults, researchers found that three 15-minute post-meal walks were even more effective that a 45-minute morning walk in controlling hyperglycemia, probably because the exercise activates muscles that pull glucose out of the bloodstream as it is peaking.

Pre-Breakfast Stretch

If you’re walking to lose weight, a small study published in The American Journal of Physiology—Endocrinology and Metabolism in 2017 points to the significance of timing.

Researchers from the University of Bath in England had 10 overweight but healthy young men walk an hour on a treadmill before breakfast on one occasion and after one another. The breakfast eaters burned slightly more calories; the postprandial blood sugar rise fed their carb-starved muscles. The fasters burned more fat, a less efficient fuel because of the complexities of metabolism. But walking on an empty stomach may produce additional health benefits because it activates genes within fat cells that produce proteins that modulate blood sugar and insulin levels.

As author Dylan Thompson told The New York Times, “If we just think of this in evolutionary terms, our ancestors would have had to expend a great deal of energy through physical activity in order to hunt and gather food. So, it would be perfectly normal for the exercise to come first, and the food to follow.”

Lunch-Hour Ambles

Does it really take you a whole hour to munch through a sandwich or salad and return a phone call? Dedicating a hunk of your lunch break to pound the pavement can ward off afternoon snooziness and brighten your outlook on the rest of the day.

In a rare in-the-moment assessment of walking effects, a team of researchers recruited sedentary office workers and sent them in groups on a self-paced half-hour walk three times per week. Through a customized phone app, participants assessed their stress, fatigue, and emotions before and after walking. In a paper published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, the authors reported that on their rambling days participants felt more enthusiastic, more relaxed, and more able to cope, and moods improved from morning to afternoon. Alas, many of the walkers predicted that they wouldn’t be able to continue the new positive routine because bosses often expected them to work through lunch.

After-Dinner Strolls

“After dinner rest a while; after supper walk a mile,” sayeth the English proverb (dinner, in proverb speak, being a big lunch). It contains two pieces of advice: Don’t overeat in the evening, and then don’t roll into bed.

Nutritionist Manuel Villacorta recommends the 70 percent rule, consuming 70 percent of your calories before dinner. After eating the remaining 30 percent, allow an hour and a half to digest before going to sleep. Other health practitioners suggest an even leaner evening intake, although that can be challenging for shift workers and others who have little time to eat during the day.

The drop-off in the hormones cortisol and adrenaline in late afternoon signals that we should wind down the day—but our lives may not let us. Many reach for quick energy boost in the form of a sugary snack and then postpone dinner. Trouble is, calorie-burning efficiency depends on the time of day. Our circadian rhythms affect metabolism.

Later eating is more likely to lead to more weight gain and higher blood sugar. One reason: Our bodies are more likely to store dinner and late-night snacks as fat rather than use them to fuel activity, according to Kelly Allison of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine’s Center for Weight and Eating Disorders.

But once again exercise can be a mediator. In one experiment led by Michael Ormsbee, director of the Institute of Sports Sciences & Medicine at Florida State University, a small protein shake at bedtime—coupled with exercise three times a week—reduced morning hunger in overweight, otherwise sedentary women without the insulin and glucose spike that accompanied simply eating/drinking. “Exercise is absolutely the game changer,” Ormsbee says. “You’ve got to include that in your daily routine.”

Perambulating after dinner offers other advantages. By keeping you upright, it reduces acid reflux (heartburn), a condition that  in some cases can even lead to esophageal cancer. Although the prevailing wisdom warns against exercise in the hours before bedtime because of overstimulation, a 2013 Sleep Foundation poll and recent research suggest that wakefulness depends on the individual. Walking, no matter what time of day you do it, generally promotes sleep. In the poll, only 3 percent of vigorous or moderate exercisers who worked out late in the day said they slept worse.

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According to the 2015-20 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 45 to 65 percent of the calories you consume daily should come from foods that contain carbohydrates. For a person taking in an average of 2,000 calories a day, that’s between 900 and 1,300 calories—or between 225 and 325 grams—of carbs each day.

By contrast, most low-carbohydrate diets recommend getting less than 5 percent—or about 20 grams—of carbs per day, especially in the first few weeks. Such diet plans could more accurately be called very-low-carb diets because they place such an emphasis on limiting carbs. Going on a very-low-carb diet can result in fairly rapid weight loss, but sustaining one for months, years, or a lifetime isn’t possible for most people. And following a low-carbohydrate diet for long periods of time likely will result in a deficiency of certain nutrients.

A Smarter Approach to Carbs

Rather than concentrating on the number of carbohydrates that foods contain, you’re better off focusing on the overall nutrition benefits that foods can offer. Some foods with high carb content also provide many beneficial nutrients, while others are empty-calorie foods—meaning they provide few, if any, nutrients your body needs to function optimally. The same can be said for low-carb foods: Some are healthy, and some are not.

Sugar molecules form the basis of all foods that contain carbohydrates:

• Simple carbohydrates are the most basic form and are made up of only one or two sugars. Simple carbohydrates, which include glucose, sucrose, fructose, galactose, and lactose, are the carbs most easily absorbed by your body. They’re found naturally in foods such as fruits, milk, and vegetables; they’re also added to processed foods (candy, pastries, cakes, pies) in the form of refined sugar.
• Complex carbohydrates, also called starches, are made of three of more linked sugars. Foods that contain complex carbs include grains (such as wheat, rice, barley, and rye) and starchy vegetables (including winter squash, potatoes, corn, peas, and beans). All fruits and vegetables contain some carbs, although some are lower than others.

Not all simple carbohydrates are bad, and not all complex carbs are good.

Carb Content: The Good and the Bad

Starch must be broken down into simple sugars before your body can use it as energy. Because complex carbs take more time to digest, you may think they’re a better choice than simple carbs, but this isn’t always true.

Who doesn’t love pasta? In an effective low-carbohydrate diet, though, pasta made from white flour—often listed as “enriched flour” on the ingredient label—is one type of food to give up.

For example, all grains contain carbs, and whole grains provide many vitamins, minerals, and valuable fiber. However, foods that contain refined grains—such as breads, crackers, baked goods, and pasta made from white flour (often appearing as “enriched flour” on the ingredient list)—have had the nutrition- and fiber-rich portions of the grain kernel removed. In addition to being less nutritious, they are more easily absorbed into the bloodstream, so they cause blood sugar to spike more quickly.

Keep in mind, too, that all foods that contain simple carbs aren’t unhealthy. For example, fruits contain fructose, an easily absorbed, natural (not added) sugar, but they also contain fiber and many vitamins and minerals when consumed in their whole form. The fiber in fruit absorbs water, making contents of the stomach more gelatinous and causing nutrients from foods, including sugars, to be absorbed more slowly into the bloodstream.

However, foods and beverages that contain carbs in the form of added sugar are never a healthy choice, regardless of whether you’re on a low-carbohydrate diet or not. Soft drinks, candy bars, cookies, and other sweets usually score high on the calorie counter but provide few, if any, nutrients.

Low-Carbohydrate Diet: The Bottom Line

When it comes to consuming carbs, whether they’re simple or complex, choosing whole, natural sources is the way to go. And, keep portion sizes under control; consuming too many carbs of any type increases your chance of weight gain.

Examples of high-carb foods to include in a balanced, healthy diet:

• Whole grains (whole wheat, brown rice, quinoa, millet, barley, buckwheat, rye, teff, triticale).
• Fruits (with no added sugar).
• Vegetables (with no added fat or sodium).
• Legumes (beans, peas, and lentils).

Examples of high-carb foods to limit or avoid:

• Processed foods made with refined flour.
• Processed foods made with added sugar.

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Vegetables | Fruits | Protein | Snacks

Low-Calorie Foods: Vegetables

From asparagus to zucchini, a wide array of vegetables should appear in your reduced-calorie diet plan. Here’s a list of popular vegetables that provide less than 60 calories per one-cup serving:

Low-calorie diet? Go a little crazy when you get to the vegetable section; try different combinations to keep variety in your diet.

• Asparagus
• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Cucumber
• Eggplant
• Green beans
• Kale
• Lettuce (all varieties)
• Mushrooms
• Spinach
• Sweet peppers
• Tomatoes
• Yellow (crookneck) squash
• Zucchini

Many of these low-calorie foods have a high water content, which means that they can help you maintain an adequate fluid intake. Many vegetables are also good sources of fiber, which helps satisfy your appetite as well as providing numerous health benefits.

Starchy vegetables—including potatoes, winter squash, beans, corn, and peas—are good sources of many nutrients. However, they contain more calories (most have between 100 and 160 calories per cup) than non-starchy vegetables, so limiting your consumption of these foods and keeping portions under control may support your weight-loss efforts.

Low-Calorie Foods: Fruits

Most fruits are higher in calories than vegetables since they contain natural sugars, but they are still considered low-calorie foods. If you buy frozen or canned varieties, be sure to choose products that contain no added sugar. Fruits that provide less than 70 calories per one-cup serving include:

Raspberries and blackberries are among the fruits that provide fewer than 70 calories per one-cup serving.

• Apples
• Blackberries
• Cantaloupe
• Honeydew
• Mangos
• Papaya
• Peaches
• Raspberries
• Strawberries

Fruits that fall in the 71- to 100-calorie range per one-cup serving include blueberries, sweet cherries, grapefruit, grapes (red or green), oranges, pears, pineapple, and plums. Although these fruits may rank a little higher on the calorie counter, they’re still worthy choices, since they provide plenty of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.

Like vegetables, fruits contain fluids and fiber, and they have an added bonus: Their natural sugar content makes them an excellent alternative to sugary, high-calorie desserts when you’re craving something sweet.

Keep It Balanced

Even when you’re losing weight, it’s important to make sure you’re following an overall healthy eating plan that includes some foods that are higher in calories but are good sources of important nutrients, such as healthy fats and protein.

For example, nuts contain healthy, unsaturated fats as well as protein and fiber, and many healthy diet plans recommend eating nuts a few to several times per week. However, limit yourself to no more than one serving a day, since a quarter-cup runs from 160 to 200 calories, depending on the type of nut. Vegetable oils, including olive, flaxseed, canola, soybean, and corn oils, are another source of healthy fats, but all oils contain about 120 calories in one tablespoon, so use them sparingly.

Although fat was once regarded as an “enemy” if you were trying to lose weight, fat is no longer a forbidden food. In fact, research has shown that including healthy, unsaturated fats in an overall healthy diet plan can aid weight loss.

Fat has a high satiety factor—it helps you achieve the feeling of fullness that tells your brain it’s time to stop eating. Eating small amounts of fat with other foods will also help you absorb fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K).

Low-Calorie Foods: Protein

Your healthy eating plan also needs to include some lean protein. Protein provides the amino acids that are used as building blocks for all of the cells in your body. Studies have shown that eating protein helps you feel full more quickly, which can help with appetite control.

Good protein sources (if they’re steamed, baked, or broiled with little or no fat or breading) include:

• Most fish, including ocean perch, cod, haddock, halibut, mackerel, bass, catfish, grouper, snapper, flounder, salmon, and tuna
• Most shellfish, including oysters, crab, shrimp, and scallops
• Skinless, white-meat chicken and turkey
• Lean cuts of beef (tenderloin, top sirloin, top round, bottom round)
• Lean cuts of pork (tenderloin, bone-in sirloin roast, boneless top loin chops and roast)
• Eggs
• Beans, peas, and lentils
• Soybean products, including tofu and tempeh

Low-Calorie Foods: Healthy Snacks

If you’re always hungry when you’re trying to lose weight, keep snacks on hand that combine low-calorie fruits or vegetables with some protein and healthy fat.

Healthy snacks to keep your hunger at bay include:

• 1 cup of celery sticks (16 calories) or sliced cucumbers (14 calories) with 2 tablespoons of hummus (40-70 calories; check Nutrition Facts label on product package)
• 1 cup of red bell pepper slices (29 calories) or sliced zucchini (29 calories) with ¼ cup of homemade black bean dip (70 calories; see recipe in sidebar box)
• 1 cup of apple slices (57) with 1 tablespoon of natural peanut butter (100 calories) or almond butter (95 calories)
• 1 cup of cubed cantaloupe (54 calories) or watermelon (46 calories) with ½ cup of low-fat plain yogurt (71 calories)

Bottom line: Include plenty of low-calorie foods, especially vegetables and fruits, in your diet. When you choose foods that are higher in calories, make sure that they are meeting your complete nutrition needs if you want to avoid putting on extra pounds.

RECIPE FOR BLACK BEAN DIP

• 1 (15-oz) can no-salt-added black beans, including liquid
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• a few pinches of salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon lime or lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• ¼ teaspoon hot sauce (such as Tabasco), or to taste
• 2 teaspoons olive oil

Yield: About 8 (1/4-cup) servings, 70 calories per serving

Put beans, cumin, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and hot sauce in the bowl of a food processor. Drizzle in olive oil; process until ingredients are thoroughly combined. If mixture is too thick, add a teaspoon of water at a time until desired consistency is reached.

Extra tips:

• If you can’t find canned beans that contain no added salt, drain and rinse the beans thoroughly before using them, and add 2 tablespoons of water to the bowl before processing.
• If you don’t care for black beans, substitute your favorite type of bean: kidney, navy, cannellini, fava, Great Northern, garbanzo, and pinto beans will work just as well.
• If you don’t have a food processor, use a blender.
• To add color and more flavor to the dip, stir in 1 tablespoon fresh, chopped flat-leaf parsley, cilantro, or basil.

Originally published in 2016 and updated.

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