Keeping Fit With Amy Blizzard

Archive for January, 2010

When I started researching artificial sweeteners I was overwhelmed with information, both pro and con. What I have tried to do is take that wealth of information and boil it down to a quick summary that might peak your curiosity. I hope you will research sweeteners in more depth after you read my post and then make an educated decision on the use of artificial sweeteners.

Saccharin

You probably know this sweetener best by the name “Sweet and Low”. Sweet-and-Low has been around for a very long time and its available in almost every restaurant and many homes. I was a regular user a long time ago until I started hearing it being linked to cancer. For a time there was talk that it might get banned. This was before the internet was popular so all we had to go on without extensive research was what we heard on the news or read in the newspapers. I’m not a conspiracy theorist but I’m also not naive. I understand the influence Corporate America has so based on the chatter I was seeing I stopped using it. It has since been determined that the naysayers could have been mistaken and it might only cause cancer in rats.

Nutra Sweet and Equal

After Saccharin there was a lot of buzz about this wonderful new sweetener called Nutra Sweet or Equal made from aspartame. It was much better tasting than saccharin and much better for your health.  Pretty soon popular “diet” foods and drinks were being made with aspartame. As this sweetener started to gain popularity there were bits of information trickling out about how it may cause memory loss. There was also concern that you shouldn’t use it if you are pregnant since they did not know what it would do to a fetus. Despite the talk it is still going strong after all these years. The FDA claims it is safe but there is a lot of evidence from independent researchers that says it may not be.

Splenda or Sucralose

When this sweetener first came on the market it was being sold with the claim that it’s made from sugar. It might start from sugar but is so chemically altered that they had to change their claims. It is still relatively new so no one really knows what the long term effects may be. There is evidence that it may cause quite a few different problems, some mild and some severe. Only time will tell whether or not it is a safe product.
Here is an article with a summary of pros and cons for these artificial sweeteners.

Stevia – Truvia – PureVia

From all reading I have done this sounds like one of the best choices for sweeteners. It is a natural, no calorie sweetener that is native to areas of Paraguay. It has been used for centuries and is very popular today in Japan, areas of South America, China, Germany, Malaysia, Israel, Australia and South Korea. There are not any known ill effects from using Stevia as a sweetener. It has been sold in the United States in health food stores for quite some time but only as a dietary supplement. It was not lawful as a sweetener until recently. It is now being sold in grocery stores under the name Truvia. Pepsico and Whole Earth Sweetener Company have introduced PureVia,  their Stevia product. Some drinks and foods are starting to be made using Stevia. How exciting to think of being able to drink and eat sweetened products without the fear of health problems!

I am no expert when it comes to chemical or natural sweeteners but I hope this has enlightened you and encourages you to study your choices when that sweet tooth starts calling.

For a limited time Amazon has some great deals to help you get back into shape after the holidays. Check out the workout DVDs, fitness machines, athletic shoes and more!

As time went on and I continued exercising with Bodies in Motion, I found it was getting easier and I was ready to add to my routine. There was another ½ hour show on ESPN after Bodies in Motion that I thought I could try. The TV show was called Basic Training. It was also set in Hawaii but on a military airstrip. At the beginning of the show the host, Ada Janklowicz would land in a Sikorsky helicopter. Ada is Gilad Janklowicz’s sister so I figured since Gilad’s exercise program was so helpful for me hers might be helpful as well. It was a great show and also a great addition to my workout. Ada provided the same motivation I found with Bodies in Motion so I continued this routine for some time. There is a video available based on the show so if you are looking for a good workout video I recommend trying Basic training.

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When I first started exercising routinely back in the ’80s, I found some exercise programs on ESPN. I decided to start there and see if they were something I could handle as a beginner. One of the first shows I exercised to regularly was Gilad’s Bodies in Motion. I can recall it being very challenging but I was determined to get in shape so I kept going. It was a ½ hour show set in Hawaii and the scenery was beautiful as were the people exercising. I figured that was a great place to start so I became a faithful follower. Gilad Janklowicz was the fitness instructor and host of the show. He can really get you motivated and make you feel that you can do anything you put your mind to.

In preparing to write this, I searched for Gilad’s name to make sure I spelled it right and discovered he is still going strong with exercise videos and TV programs on FitTV. Gilad’s website has an abundant amount of information on getting fit. He helped me when I started exercising and he may help you too!

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This is Amy Blizzard, I want to welcome you to my diet and fitness site. I will offer tips that have helped me over the years to maintain a reasonable weight without starving myself, neglecting my family or work, and without completely giving up the foods I really like.

I will share some of my favorite exercise shows, videos, and DVDs and, if all goes as planned I will be selling fitness equipment and natural supplements that I use and approve of.

I look forward to sharing my past, present and future accounts of fitness, exercise and diet tips. I say diet tips, but I don’t really diet, I eat healthy.

I hope you will join in.