The Wall (Street) Sit: Wall sits are great for building strength and endurance. Standing with your back against the wall, bend the knees and slide your back down the wall until the thighs are parallel to the floor. Sit and Hold for 30-60 seconds while browsing a magazine. For some extra burn, try crossing the right ankle over the left knee, hold for 15 seconds, then switch!

The Patient Printer: The boss just requested that a 200-page presentation be printed “perfectly.” Why lackadaisically stand by the printing pages when you could be sculpting your calves with calf raises? Standing with feet shoulder-width apart, press up onto the tippy toes, pause at the top, then lower back down. Repeat for three sets of 12-15 reps, or until the printing, faxing, or scanning is done. Ready to level up? Try raising only one leg at a time.

The Silent Squeeze: Believe it or not, some deskercises can be kept under wraps, and this isometric glutes exercise is one of them. To start toning, simply squeeze the buttocks,  hold for 5-10 seconds, and release. Repeat until the agenda wraps up or the glutes tire. The results will be uplifting in more ways than one!

The Cubicle Dip: Tricep dips can be done almost anywhere, including a cubicle. Using a sturdy desk or a non-rolling chair, sit at the very edge and place hands on either side of the body while gripping the chair’s edge. With the feet planted on the floor a step or two away from the desk or chair, straighten up the arms to lift up the body. Next, bend the arms to reach a 90-degree angle so that your body dips down, hold, and re-straighten while keeping the body raised above the chair. Complete 8-10 reps.

So what are you waiting for, get on it!

More and more, employers are getting on board and supporting their cycling employees by adding showers, bike racks, and even incentives for those who choose a method other than driving. If your boss isn’t pro-biking yet, consider telling them about how much money it could save the company, by making employees healthier. Bosses love that kind of thing.

Of course, if you’re routinely driving more than, say, 20 miles to work, getting up at the crack of dawn to cycle may not sound appealing. But consider the money you would save: with a 20-mile commute, you could stow an extra $160 per month, just by switching gears. Not only that, but cycling to work is great for your heart, lungs, and overall health, which means no more worrying about trying to fit in a workout–or a doctor’s appointment–on your way home or your lunch break.

History of Bike to Work Day:

National Bike to Work Day was started by the League of American Bicyclists, who also promotes Bike Week and Bike Month during the month of May. Since its origin, this day has grown and developed into a nationwide event. Local, regional, and national bicycle advocacy groups participate to encourage people to commute to work using a bicycle. There are even pit stops along some bicycle routes that provide cyclists with snacks and drinks!

Join thousands of other Americans today for the Annual Bike to Work Day. Whether you are environmentally conscious or just love the exercise, biking to work is a great way to avoid the commuter traffic and stay in shape!

And don’t forget: Bike to Work Day is this Thursday!

• The latest statistics and facts concerning women and heart disease
• Information on cardiac risk factors for women, including the four risk factors that are more deadly for women than for men
• 10 Myths about Heart Disease
• Why the Mediterranean Diet is the healthiest diet in the world to prevent and treat not only cardiovascular disease, but most chronic diseases

Click here to register for the webinar!

-WebMD

Need ideas for healthy breakfasts?

Mediterranean Breakfast Pitas:

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup egg substitute
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 small tomato, chopped
• 1/2 cup torn fresh baby spinach
• 1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh basil
• 2 whole pita breads
• 2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese

Directions

• In a small nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook and stir red pepper and onion over medium heat for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the egg substitute, salt and pepper. Add egg mixture to skillet; cook and stir until set.
• Combine the tomato, spinach and basil; spoon onto pitas. Top with egg mixture and sprinkle with feta cheese. Serve immediately. Yield: 2 servings.

Nutritional Facts 1 pita equals 267 calories, 2 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 4 mg cholesterol, 798 mg sodium, 41 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 20 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 2 lean meat, 1 vegetable.

- Mediterranean Breakfasts

Brunch Parfait:

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup apricot preserves
• 3 cups sliced strawberries
• 2 cups low-fat vanilla yogurt
• 1/2 cup low-fat granola without raisins (such as Kellogg’s)
• 2 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted

Preparation

1. Place apricot preserves in a medium microwave-safe bowl, and microwave at high for 10 to 15 seconds or until preserves melt. Add strawberries, and toss gently to coat.
2. Spoon 1/4 cup yogurt into each of 4 parfait glasses; top each serving with 1/3 cup strawberry mixture. Repeat the layers with the remaining yogurt and strawberry mixture. Top each serving with 2 tablespoons granola and 1 1/2 teaspoons almonds. Serve immediately.

- Cooking Light

What’s the difference?

Sunscreens contain chemicals that absorb UV radiation and reduce the amount that reaches the skin. Sunblocks physically prevent UV radiation from reaching the skin. Sunscreens tend to be transparent and are invisible when applied, whereas sunblocks are thicker, remain visible when applied and are more difficult to wash off than sunscreens.

Sun protection products should protect against both UVA and UVB radiation. UVA rays affect the outermost skin layers, causing aging and wrinkles. UVB radiation damages deeper skin layers, potentially causing skin cancer. The amount of protection offered by sunscreens is measured in sun protection factor (SPF) units. The SPF level of a particular product indicates how long a person can remain in the sun without becoming burned. For example, if you use a product with an SPF of 20, you may stay in the sun 20 times longer than if you did not use any sunscreen. The higher the SPF level, the greater the protection from UV radiation. Sunblocks provide more protection against UV radiation than sunscreens, but sunblocks are not measured with SPF units. Sunblocks protect the skin from both UVA and UVB rays. Sunscreens protect against UVB, but not all offer protection against UVA radiation.

Recommendations:

• Use SPF of at least 15–higher for people with light skin.
• Sunscreen must be reapplied after swimming or sweating, even if the product is waterproof
• Sunscreen must be applied 30 minutes before going out in the sun
• Sunblock is effective as soon as it is applied and can be applied immediately before sun exposure
• People who are especially sensitive to the sun should use sunblocks

Don’t forget to use sun protection all year long, whether the weather is sunny or cloudy!