WRITTEN BY RICHARD SEVEN

	The Seal XP by Aqua Sphere

Want to look cool while you keep the water out of your eyes? If so, you might want to check out the latest design from Aqua Sphere: Seal XP. It combines the 180-degree view provided by the earlier-generation Seal Mask but employs the look of more traditional goggles.

The Seal XP has a silicone skirt and strap, a watertight fit, a curved lens and, the company says, 100 percent UV protection, plus superior transparency with scratch- and fog-resistant treatments. It's also quite sturdy.

"The Seal XP is the ideal goggle for those who want maximum visibility and a cool look," says Don Rockwell, president of Aqua Sphere.

The goggles look slightly like what divers use, and the company says it can be used to protect eyes while surfing, jet skiing, kayaking and wind surfing. The product comes with three lens configurations (clear, tinted and photochromic) and retails for between $19.99 and $24.99. For more information, see www.aquasphereusa.com.

Before you take the heat . . .

We know you've waited all year for summer, but consider the risks before you jump into hot-weather exercise or competition. Heat stroke, in various forms, is a real concern, especially for young people.

The American College of Sports Medicine offers the following advice:

• Replenish water lost through sweating by an almost equal amount.

• If you're not acclimatized to hot weather, don't exercise in it.

• Get fit in a cool environment before competing in the heat.

• Move intense workouts to the cool parts of the day.

• Take in more salt early after being exposed to heat or if cramping occurs.

• Monitor water intake.
 
Yoga for the expecting

The Seattle Holistic Center has produced two yoga tapes and DVDs, including one geared toward expectant mothers.

Featuring Colette Crawford, a registered nurse, "Yoga for Pregnancy, Labor and Birth" goes beyond usual information and demonstrations on pose and breath. It also offers tips on mental-comfort techniques that might help pregnancy and labor. In fact, Crawford discusses using yoga poses to reposition the baby.

"Yoga for Women's Health," also featuring Crawford, is intended for women of all ages, and pays special attention to reducing incontinence, prolapsed organs and low back pain.

Each hour-long video retails for $19.95. See www.seattleholisticcenter.com for details.

Little books, big advice
 
Local fitness author Erika Dillman has churned out a series of "little books" designed to demystify workouts. The latest offerings are "The Little Abs Workout Book" and "The Little Strength Training Book."

The books are about palm-sized, but are packed with concise information on the reasons for and methods of specific exercises. In fact, their simplicity is a virtue because many exercise books get lost in their own "methods."

Her little books, especially the latest on weight training, seem geared for the novice and those who need a refresher or a nudge. Dillman, who has written for magazines such as Runner's World and Women's Sports and Fitness, has tackled yoga, Pilates, foot care and other topics.

The books, which retail for $9.95, are about 180 to 200 pages.

Stretch your options

You have to do more than stretch. That's the finding of a report published in a recent issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, the scientific journal of the American College of Sports Medicine.

"The use of stretching primarily as a way to prevent sports injury has been based on intuition and observation rather than scientific evidence," said lead researcher Dr. Stephen Thacker. "The best advice is to include a combination of warm-up, strength training, plyometrics and balance exercises to lessen injury risks."

The research team reviewed more than 350 scientific studies and articles that examined the relationship between stretching and injuries the past four decades. Evidence shows stretching is important in increasing muscle and joint flexibility, but researchers often found little if any relationship between stretching and injuries or post-exercise pain.

"We are not suggesting that athletes discontinue flexibility training and stretching altogether," Thacker said, "but that athletes, coaches, trainers and others look critically at routines to ensure they include all the activities which, when combined, can enhance safety."

What are you really hungry for?

It's not always hunger that leads you to eat. It might be emotion. If that is happening consistently, then you need to develop a diet strategy, says Diane Javelli, clinical dietician at the University of Washington.

Javelli advises keeping a food diary to understand not just what you are eating and when, but potentially why. Armed with that information, you can analyze and learn. Here are some tips on editing meals and adding activities:

• Move. Long-term weight control is virtually impossible without exercise. You don't have to be vigorous at first, just consistent and persistent.

• Shrink your servings. Too much food equals too many calories. Aim to eat just enough, rather than until you feel too stuffed to move.

• Eat more fruits and vegetables. Your body needs the fiber, and fruits and vegetables come with a relatively low caloric cost.

• Curb liquid calories. Fruit juices, sodas, instant drinks and sports drinks often pack a lot of calories. That goes for beer, wine and distilled beverages, too.

• Limit fat, by reducing rather than cutting out, meat, fried foods, salad dressings, fast foods, cheeses and desserts. Include a little fat in each meal to enhance flavor, but watch the portion sizes.

For more guidance, visit www.eatright.org/Public/.

Bragging rights and sobering facts

Almost nobody here, relatively speaking, watches TV. One recent national survey based on Nielsen figures puts the Seattle/Tacoma market near the bottom of tube watching. About 85 percent of residents reported engaging in regular physical activity, more than any other region.

The bad news: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers seven out of 10 Washington residents to be at increased risk for health problems because of lack of exercise — yet that's one of the best scores in the nation, too!

More Seattle survey facts: We're 50 percent more likely to lift weights than are residents of Portland. Generally, aerobics and spinning classes lag here. We're No. 4 on the national list when it comes to water sports such as kayaking, rafting and sailing.

Attention, Over-50 Females

We boomers have boomed. We're getting old(er). But we're hardly done.

With that spirit in mind and an eye toward the future, Acorn Media has released a three-video program called "Keeping Fit in your 50s," targeting the female boomer in the areas of strength, flexibility and aerobics.

Cindy Joseph, a model discovered at 49, hosts the programs, but the instruction comes from physiologist Robyn Stuhr. Before leading viewers through workouts, the women spend considerable time explaining physical changes that occur after 50 and the benefits of exercise. They also do a nice job with important workout tips at the beginning of each tape.

The video workouts are controlled and clear and heavy on proper form. They range from between 65 and 81 minutes long. It isn't a workout for someone in real good shape already, but it is well thought out.

The marketing strategy behind the program seems solid, too. Boomers range in age from 39 to 57 and by 2010 will push the country's over-50 population to about 90 million.

List price for the DVD set is $49.99; the VHS, $39.99. Single videos cost $19.99 apiece.

Not-for-wimps dance

Who says ballerinas aren't tough?

It's hard work being graceful, and world-class ballerina Stephanie Herman, who danced with Mikhail Baryshnikov and Rudolf Nureyev and others, has produced two challenging videos.

On "Dance With Me: Ballet Workout," Herman leads a dance workout incorporating principles of tai chi, Pilates and yoga. It's broken down into simple movements that even nondancers can follow (although she is impossibly graceful) but hard enough that those with dance backgrounds may gain something.

Herman speeds things up on "Dance With Me: Jazz Workout." She spends considerable time instructing on posture and alignment, and the exercises target the arms, buttocks and back. All her movements are fluid, controlled and calm. Each costs $14.98 for DVD and $9.98 for VHS. More information is available at www.muscleballet.com.

How do you stay in shape? How do you stay motivated? How did you get over that hump? What's holding you back? What should work yet doesn't? What is it you need to learn?