The big buzzword for this season, a person is said to have cankles if their calf merges with their foot, erasing all sign of ankle definition. Millions of Americans suffer from the dreaded cankle. While the term gets its share of laughs, there is nothing funny about cankles for those who are plagued with them.

Heredity, obesity and even pregnancy can play a big part in whether or not someone is affected by cankles. Mostly associated with overweight individuals with fat ankles, by contrast, a skinny person whose legs are devoid of shape may appear to have disappearing ankle syndrome, too.

Diet can affect the size of cankles. A diet high in sodium can cause you to retain water, causing your legs and ankles to swell. Avoid as much as possible, the amount of processed food that it is in your diet. Develop a habit of eating healthy foods that are low in sodium, calories, sugar and fat.

Drink more water. Consuming at least eight 8 oz glasses of water every day will help move the excess salt and retained fluids from your body. A body that is well hydrated will actually retain less water.

The 2 main muscles in the calves are the gastrocnemius and soleus, sometimes referred to as the twins. Developing these muscles will give you shapely, sexy legs.

Sculpting the shape of the calf can help to make ankles look thinner. This can be accomplished by doing calf raises. Try these easy to do exercises when you are watching television. Stand behind a stationary chair with your hands on the back of the chair for support. Rise up and down on your tiptoes, as if trying to see something on a top shelf. Repeat these 25-30 times until you are able to do 3-5 sets of these. If you are looking for a bigger challenge to this exercise, you can add weights to take it to the next level.

Walking is one of the most beneficial exercises that you can add to your fitness routine. Spiritually uplifting, this low stress activity can improve your overall health and result in significant weight loss. Brisk walking at least 3 times a week for 30 or more minutes will give you the best results. Walking combined with stretching, jumping, lunges, squats and Pilates can also help you clobber those cankles!

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If you are just getting started with your fitness program and looking for an aerobic exercise that’s easy to do, try walking for 30 minutes. This is the simplest form of cardio that you can do, unless of course, you have a physical problem that prevents it. All you need to get started is a good pair of shoes and a safe place to walk.

Walking is something that you can begin slowly and learn to enjoy. Find a place to walk that is safe, bring along pepper spray if you need to, and try not to walk alone after dark. Ask a friend to join you, but keep the pace up. If your friend walks faster, challenge yourself to match her pace. You may lag behind in the beginning but if you keep at it faithfully, you’ll be stepping up your game in no time at all.

Begin by walking one way for 15 minutes, at that point, turn around and return to your starting point. That should equal 30 minutes of walking. Now, after a week or so, you will build up strength and start to walk faster. After the first 15 minutes you will find that you are walking further than you did previously. This is great—you will begin to reap the benefits of a cardio or aerobic fitness program.

While I believe it’s essential to get outside and explore nature in order to maximize the benefits of walking, you may prefer to get your walking exercise from a treadmill. Although you can’t experience the true sights and sounds of the great outdoors, you can simulate different terrains on some treadmills. This helps to keep it interesting, because after all you are walking in place for miles at a time, so you need to create some kind of distraction to keep you from getting bored out of your mind.

The great thing about treadmills is that you can set the equipment to continue for 30 minutes so that you can be sure that you are spending the recommended time engaged in aerobic activity.

Don’t forget about your dog, if you have one. Most dogs love to go for a walk. They help to keep you safe and are also great motivators to keep you committed to your program. Once Fido gets used to the outings, he’ll be looking at you with those sad dog eyes, tapping at his leash and prompting you to get those sneakers on and get moving.

I have worked with many women who have complained about gaining weight after their doctor put them on various medications. Certain meds for diabetes, high blood pressure and psychiatric disorders have been known to cause weight gain. These medications may be critical to your health, so it is important that you continue to take them unless otherwise advised by your physician. However, you may be able to make some small adjustments that can help you to take control of your weight.

Here are some ideas: 


• Start a fitness journal and make special notes about your appetite and level of energy. Write down everything you eat and drink every day. Record all of your activity, how far you walk, how many sit-ups you do, how long you stay on the treadmill, etc. You can share this information with your doctor to determine how much weight can be attributed to the medication. Providing these notes to your doctor will demonstrate how proactive you are, and how concerned you are about the impending weight gain.

• Recognize that whether the medication increases your appetite or slows your metabolism, it is no harder to lose this weight than any other weight. Make your mind up that you won’t sit idly by and watch the pounds pile on. It may be a battle but with a winning spirit you can be the victor.

• Adopt a consciousness about what you are consuming. Learn the nutritional value of the foods that you are eating. Healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables will fill you up but are low in calories. 


• Try to exercise regularly and increase your daily physical activity. Depending on your illness or disability, some type of physical activity is usually encouraged by doctors. Before starting any type of exercise, check with your physician and follow his/her advice.

• Park farther away than necessary and walk, take the stairs and try to get at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity every day. Make a conscious effort every day to exercise. Start slow and gradually increase your activity.

• Eat five small meals a day, instead of three large meals. This will help to regulate your blood sugar, and keep you from craving sugary snacks in between meals.

• Eat protein at every meal, but choose low fat sources. We need protein to build cells and muscles. If you have diet restrictions, check with your physician about which food choices are best for you.

• Be wary of foods with high sodium content. Too much sodium can make you crave sweets, make you thirsty, cause swelling and a whole bunch of medical problems. Check your food labels, and avoid adding salt to your food until you have eaten at least three bites. This will give your taste buds a chance to adjust before you start sprinkling the salt.

• Avoid sugary sodas. If you really want to drop some serious pounds, substitute water or unsweetened tea for sugary soft drinks. You might be surprised at how quickly you can lose weight when you give up these high calorie beverages.

• Drink lots of water. If you concentrate on drinking an adequate amount of water each day, it will be easy to substitute the water for the sodas.

• Don’t stop taking your medication. However, talk to your doctor about the weight gain and ask about other medications that you could take instead. If your doctor prescribes an alternative, be sure to follow his or her instructions exactly as you change medications.

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Investing as little as 30 minutes a day in exercise, by combining resistance training and aerobic activities, can help you live longer and healthier. The benefits of exercise go beyond physical. Staying active is beneficial to our mental health as well.

Exercise helps to:

• Stimulate feelings of euphoria.
• Reduce depression.
• Build confidence.
• Stall loss of muscle.
• Preserve the metabolism of youth.

Regardless of your age, weight or athletic ability, a regular exercise program is essential to good health. 30 minutes of an aerobic exercise like walking, running, skating or swimming three days a week, alternated with 30 minutes a day of resistance training exercises on the other three days, will strengthen your heart, give you more energy, build up your muscles and make your overall body stronger.

It is important to include resistance training as part of your fitness program. Resistance exercises help to strengthen your body so that you will have an easier time with your aerobic activities. You see, these two types of exercise go hand in hand. Resistance training also helps your body look beautiful. Several of the resistance exercises outlined in my program will help to accentuate your natural curves. After 90 days of following my program, you’ll begin to see the results¬¬¬¬–like a smaller waist, firmer legs, thinner ankles, and a more attractive derriere.

My 30 Minutes to a New You exercise program provides all of the essential elements of a lasting, effective physical fitness regimen. There are different intensities for each exercise to match any age or fitness level. From seventeen to seventy, slim to full-figured, newbie to seasoned athlete, my program can work for you.

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All too often, we judge our physical health by how much we weigh. What a mistake! The number on a scale will only give you a limited assessment of what your physical health really is. Your body weight is comprised of the weight of your bones, organs, muscles, connective tissues, fluids and yes, fat. Do you know your body fat percentage?

Now, there are costly scales that calibrate fat, certified trainers that can perform skin fold tests, and sports performance labs that use dunk tanks for the most accurate body fat percentage assessment. Whew! Thankfully, there’s a simpler way to determine your body fat percentage.

Invest in a full length mirror, you’ll enjoy seeing your entire body change as you progress through the 30 Minutes To A New You exercise program. Standing naked in front of your mirror, can you see your muscles below the surface of the skin? Some areas of a woman’s body naturally hold more fat than other areas so don’t be too critical. Will most women see cellulite on the backs of their thighs and their buttocks? Of course! Don’t be alarmed, you’re a woman!! What you need to be concerned with is the amount of muscle definition you see throughout your body.

The more you exercise the bigger your muscles will get. You will begin to lose fat but you may not see a big difference in the number on the scale. But tell me this, are your clothes getting a little loose? Do you see the change in your muscle definition throughout your body? These are true signs that you are shedding the fat.

Remember, just because someone loses a lot of weight doesn’t mean that they are physically fit and weight loss alone does not constitute a healthy fitness plan.

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