Heart Health

Follow this link to learn about risk factors for Heart Disease and the steps you can take to reduce them. Live Well!
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4726

BMI

Do you know what your BMI (Body Mass Index) is? Go to this site to find out what it is and what it means to your health: http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/
Know Your Body....Take Control...Live Well!!!

Portion Control

One of the most important things you can do for your well being is control your portion sizes. In order to do that you need to know what a portion looks like. Check out the below links to two very "handy" tools that help you to use your hand or common house hold items to determine portion sizes. Live Well!!!
http://education.wichita.edu/caduceus/examples/servings/household_items.htm
http://education.wichita.edu/caduceus/examples/servings/handy_reminders.htm

Dedication

"The person who makes a success of living is the one who sees his goal steadily and aims for it unswervingly. That is dedication."

~ Cecil B. De Mille

Mad as Hell!!!

I smiled to myself this morning while I was watching a clip of Mayor Bloomberg on the news, in which he quoted the movie Network during a news conference about the MTA fare hikes. He said that we had to get on the phone and tell our assembly people "I am mad as hell and I am not going to take it anymore!" And indeed we should. However, those words should not only apply to the external things that alter our lifestyles. Those very words are the words we should say to ourselves every time our physical state interferes with the way we live. Every time you can not fit into a pair of your pants, or you can't do a sit-up because your stomach is in the way, or you can't get up a couple of flights of stairs with out resting...you need to say "I am mad as hell and I am not going to take it anymore!"...Because you do not have to take it! You CAN change it!!! Be an activist...not only about the worldly issues that concern you, but about your health. You matter just as much or more! Live Well!!!

Beach Babe

Need to work on your posture? Something I always tell my clients is to imagine that they are walking down the beach in their bathing suit, every time they catch themselves slouching. By picturing this image you will inevitably respond by sucking in your belly button, throwing your shoulders back, and tilting your chin up. Keep this in mind and your posture will be more noble than neanderthal.
Live Well!!!

Brawn & Brains

Exercising is important to your body in EVERY way. When you are proactive about getting your workouts in you not only reap the benefits of a toned body, elevated metabolism, super efficient cardiovascular system, and improved mood, you also gain neurological benefits that keep your brain healthy and young.
Studies on exercise and brain function have shown exercise to:

• Increase reaction time and attentiveness
• Protect against cognitive decline
• Enhance learning ability
  
• Improve memory formation
• Decrease depression symptoms due to strengthened synaptic connections
• Increase flow of blood and oxygen to the brain

So if you think you are not the "exercise type," you are thinking wrong- probably the effect of lack of exercise on your brain!
Use Your Brain...Live Well!!!

Don't forget your ABCs!

A -Know that you have the ability!
B -Believe in yourself!
C -Have the courage to follow through because you are worth it!

Live Well!!!

A Tool 4 U

Studies have shown that keeping a daily journal of your dietary intake proves successful in aiding in both weight loss and weight maintenance.Writing down what you eat helps you to be more aware of what you are taking in. Check out this link to a printable daily food log:
http://www.vertex42.com/Files/printable-food-log.pdf
Be aware of what you are feeding your body....Live Well!!!

Don't give up working for what you want....

Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go.
William Feather

No Fly Zone

I am all for everything in moderation and I really do not like to put restrictions on foods. However, if you eat the whole box of cookies, or pint of ice cream, or bag of chips, EVERY TIME you bring them into your home...STOP buying them. Yes, you are allowed to ban certain foods from your kitchen. So if you have a particular treat that is a trigger for you to begin an all out eat-fest...get rid of it! There are plenty of other treats in the sea. Live Well!!!

Food as Fuel

So it is Monday...the day to start fresh, wipe away our failed attempts of staying on track over the weekend, and once again begin to take steps toward getting toward our goals. However, this Monday is going to be different than all the other Mondays because you are not just going to get back on track today, you are going to start looking at food in a new light. Yes, today you will begin to see food for what it truly is, fuel. Every time you go to put something in your mouth ask yourself "what will I get from this?" When faced with a choice of a cookie vs. an apple, ask yourself "which will provide my body with benefits like energy, antioxidants, and fiber?" Begin to choose foods for what they can provide for you and you will be well on your way toward getting the body you want. After all, you would never pour sugar into your car's gas tank, would you? Live Well!!!

Switch That to This

An average Chocolate Croissant has about:

• 330 calories (or better)
  
• 17 g fat
• 10g saturated fat

Instead, try having 1 slice of whole wheat toast with 1 tablespoon of Nutella for:

• 200 calories
• 8g fat
• 2g saturated

Now that's a treat...Yummy Chocolaty Goodness without the hiccup in your health plan!!
Live Well!!!

You Need to Stretch

Stretching is just as important to your fitness plan as exercising and eating well is! Stretching helps to keep your body injury free and functional. Check out this site (link pasted below) for a detailed chart of stretches that you should be doing.
http://www.smasa.asn.au/smartplay/plann_sportssafe/downloads/attachment_09.pdf

Remember...

Winners never quit and quitters never win. -Vince Lombardi

Q: How can I stick to my diet when I go out to a restaurant or to a friend's house for a meal? -T.M.

"Going out" does not have to mean "throwing out" all of your hard work! When dining out there are some guidelines you can follow to assure you stay within your health plan boundaries:

1. Go for protein and non-starchy veggies first.
   
2. Skip extras- like dressings, bread, cheese, butter, and creamy sauces.
3. Choose one special treat. For example, 1 glass of wine, or a few bites of a dessert...not both.
4. Enjoy your surroundings and the company you are with and don't allow the experience to be all about the food.
5. Leave food behind...it is ok to not clean your plate. Explain to anyone who questions you that you are more health conscious these days and when your body says it is satisfied you listen.
6. Not all occasions are special. Sometimes Monday is just a Monday so it is ok to just order a simple and light meal. If Monday happens to be your birthday then you are free to indulge a bit...remember having 1 extra drink or a slice of cake is an indulgence and that it is ok to stop there.
7. Plan ahead. Having an idea about what you are going to eat before you get there will help keep you focused and help you to not be overwhelmed by temptation.
8. When you are in a situation where you do not have a choice about what is on your plate, remember portion sizes. Eating small amounts of what is being served to you will not get you into trouble.
9. Don't arrive starving! Remember to keep to your eating schedule that day and have a small snack (i.e. 10 nuts or some carrots & 2 tbsps hummus) before you leave to go out. When you get there, you will more able to maintain control over what you take in.
10. Think about how happy you will be when you reach your goal....sticking to your plan will just help you to get there sooner.

Live Well!!!!

Fun Food!

Think that eating healthfully has to be boring??? Not at all!!! Just revamp your favorite fun meals so they can be part of your healthy lifestyle. Here are some examples of how to make fun foods fit foods:

• Turn a cheeseburger and fries into a turkey burger (use ground turkey breast) on a whole wheat bun with 1 slice of reduced fat cheese and a side of baked sweet potato fries.
  
• Give a makeover to your favorite chile recipe by replacing beef with ground turkey or chicken breast and 1/2 the beans with cubed non-starchy veggies such as zucchini and carrots. Skip the sour cream and sprinkle shredded reduced fat cheese on top instead. Use baked tortilla chips as a garnish.
• Tacos can be made healthier by replacing the beef with a fish fillet and the shells with non-fried corn tortillas. Add sliced avocado, lettuce, and tomato instead of cheese and sour cream.
• Make individual pizzas by using a whole wheat pita as the crust. Next add lots of tomato sauce and some veggies, like broccoli and sliced eggplant, then sprinkle with a 2 tablespoons of shredded mozzarella and 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan....bake, eat...Yum!

Take a look at your favorite recipes or meals and identify the ingredients that you can swap out for healthier choices. If it is pasta, choose whole wheat, if it is ground beef, use ground turkey or chicken breast, if it is bacon, use turkey bacon....try it out, you will be surprised at how well it turns out and how much better your body is for it! Live Well!

Still not eating CARBS?????

Ok...once and for all....please get this through your head.....you, yes you, can NOT live without carbs. That's right, the human body requires them in order to survive. Heck, they are what your brain runs on! You will not be able to sustain any diet plan that excludes carbs with out you eventually binging on them. And forget trying to sustain any level of high energy output, because you will not have any. You will be tired, sick, and smelly...yep, smelly because your kidneys will be breaking down to help keep your brain alive since you have decided to starve it. Even if you lose weight and think you look great, it doesn't matter because no one will want to be close enough to talk to you due to your bad breath...hello halitosis! Oh, and on top of that, you will probably be really grumpy since you are now chronically constipated. Picture perfect huh?

The reason why people tend to lose weight by restricting carbs is because in doing that, they reduce their portion sizes thus reducing their daily caloric intake. Not to mention, there are very few sweets made of protein and fat. This is the lesson to learn here...if you want to lose weight, you must reduce your daily caloric intake...however, you should never restrict a food group entirely...this will just set you up for failure. Carbs provide you with heart healthy, cancer fighting nutrients that you can't get from other sources. You don't gain weight from eating carbs, you gain weight from OVEReating carbs. Instead of eliminating them, reduce them. For example, 1 slice of bread is a serving of carbohydrates, try having 1 slice of toast in the morning instead of 2. Another helpful diet tool, is choosing to eat starchy carbohydrates earlier on in the day(like oatmeal at breakfast and 1 slice of bread at lunch) and non-starchy carbs later on in the day (like spinach and broccoli at dinner). Choosing fruits instead of cakes and cookies and nibbling on raw veggies instead of chips and pretzels, will also help you to keep both your weight and health in check.

If you want to lose weight: eat less, move more! You need carbs...the right ones in the right amounts...stop trying to take shortcuts, they just lead to dead ends! Live Well!

Q: How do I know if I am underhydrated??? -anonymous

A:
If you are thirsty, you are already beginning to become underhydrated. If you sweat alot during exercise and as a result lose weight post-workout, you are underhydrated. If you are fatigued and hungry eventhough you have had plenty of rest and food, you may be underhydrated. If you experience muscle cramps you may be underhydrated. If you have recently had a stomach virus or food poisoning you may be underhydrated.
Aim for eight 8 oz glasses of water each day to assure that you are at an adequate level of hydration. If you sweat excessively, or have had a recent bout of vomiting or diarrhea you may want to drink an electrolyte replacement drink to help you rehydrate. Drinks such as pedialyte, certain coconut waters, and Smartwater, have electrolytes in them and help to balance out your water losses.
Live Well!

Book Club

Are you interested in learning more about what you are eating, where it comes from, how and why? Check out Michael Pollan's book, The Omnivore's Dilemma...it will open up your eyes to the industry of food and will help you to begin to explore the impact your consumption has on the earth. You will never look at food the same way again!
Feed Your Mind...Live Well!

Q: Is there such a thing as drinking too much water? -B.R.

A:
Yes, there is such a thing as drinking too much water. Both Hyponatremia and Water Intoxication are conditions caused by an intake of water that exceeds the body's excretion ability. These are conditions that are associated with problems such as kidney failure, excessive sodium restriction or loss, and overuse of diuretics. For example, marathon runners who have run many miles will not drink water as they run due to the excessive sodium losses they experience as a result of the large amount of sweat they produce...instead, they will drink and eat electrolyte replacement products to stay hydrated and maintain their stamina.
If you are a healthy individual that is not competing in vigorous sports for many hours, and that is not under restriction by a Dr., you are most likely not at risk for overconsumption of water. You are probably more inclined to be underhydrated due to a busy schedule, unbalanced diet, and lack of proper water intake.
We get water from foods, beverages, and as a byproduct of our metabolic processes. We lose water through our kidneys, GI tract, lungs and skin. When altitude and/or temperatures are high, or humidity is low, we may lose more water then usual due to increased sweating or more rapid breathing. It is a good idea to aim for about eight 8oz glasses of water (the common average of water needs for healthy adults) each day in addition to eating a balanced diet, to help you stay hydrated and keep your body functioning properly. Drink Up...Live Well!

Baby, it's cold outside....

It may be a snow day...but don't translate that into a day off of your fitness or eating plan. Although it's cold today, in just a few short weeks it will be sunny and warm and you will have to shed those coats and sweaters...
We will be having random 80 degree days and not random snow days coming up in the next few weeks (it is already March!) and you will be happy you stuck to your plan the first time you need to wear a sleeveless shirt!
Live Well!