First, watch this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUaInS6HIGo
Okay, are you convinced that just 30 minutes of activity a day will change your health/life? I sure was. This video was suggested to me by my 7th grade sons P.E. teacher. What a find!!!! And oh how happy I am that we have this kind of knowledge in at his school. *Huge* in terms of adults helping us to educate our youth.
So, here's the deal. From January 6th to February 4th, we are going to see if we can do this. 30 minutes a day for 30 days, or 30/30, I am calling it. What kind of exercise, you ask? Anything will do.Walking, jogging, swimming, etc. It's not what you do but the consistency in how you do it. I plan to walk.....I need some fresh air and daylight here in Washington state.
It's best if you journal your activity, too. Note the date, time, length of exercise (it often leads to longer sessions once the endorphines kick in), and your RPE which is Rate of Perceive Exertion. (That is, on a scale of 1-10, how hard was the session. "1" is lying on the couch, "10" is total exhaustion. I want you at a 7 - 8.) Track your progress....it will work!!!!
We live in a culture that doesn't support taking 30 minutes a day to care for your health, but I am suggesting you be selfish and demand that 1/2 hour be your medicine, prevention, and stress relief for 30 days! Now, if illness or an unforeseen circumstance comes up and you can't find 30 minutes, not to worry! You can tack on minutes to the next day or over several days to make it up. See? You don't have to throw in the towel.....ever! This isn't about weight loss (although it will likely lead to it) but creating time when you think you don't have it and developing a habit that benefits your health in ways you never dreamed possible.
You in? Good. Enjoy the end of the year and I will check back in on January 6th!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Thursday, November 21, 2013
B2B Annual Turkey Burn! Join Us?
B2B Annual Turkey Burn!!
Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 2013.
Bethany Baptist Church
All over the age of 12 are welcome to participate!
(Childcare will be provided for those under 12.)
Come join us from 8:00 - 9:30 for a fun work out,
guaranteed to allow fpr
extra calorie consumptions later in the day!
**New guests/participants, please arrive a few minutes early for check-in.**
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
AH!!! Finally....a fact..... Pesticides are messing with our hormones!!!
Attention all health conscious Friends:
This story was released today on KOMO news. This is a start the media attention awareness that pesticides are causing harm to our bodies!! Don't assume this pertains only to endometriosis....it won't take long for these same researchers to link many other illnesses, diseases and certain types of cancer to the use of chemicals that, when ingested, wreak havok on our hormones and trigger hormone-related disease. THANK YOU, Fred Hutch, for finally declaring this truth. Now what, you ask?
November 5, 2013 - My emphasis in blue :)
SEATTLE – Researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center have discovered two pesticides they believe cause an increased risk of endometriosis, a condition that can lead to infertility in women.
Endometriosis occurs when the tissue that lines the inside of the uterus grows outside of the organ and attaches to other structures or organs. The condition most often affects the ovaries, fallopian tubes and lining of the pelvic cavity. While it is not fatal, endometriosis can cause chronic pelvic pain, painful menstrual periods and infertility.
The condition affects up to 10 percent of reproductive-age women.
“For many women, the symptoms of endometriosis can be chronic and debilitating, negatively affecting health-related quality of life, personal relationships and work productivity,” said Dr. Kristen Upson, a lead researcher at Fred Hutch.
Unfortunately, Upson said experts don’t know why endometriosis develops in some women and not others, making it difficult to prevent. To learn more, a team of researchers at Fred Hutch conducted a study to discover what role environmental chemicals might play in a woman’s risk of developing the disease.
Researchers looked at 248 women newly diagnosed with endometriosis and 538 women without the disease within Group Health Cooperative. They found women with higher exposures to two pesticides – beta-hexachlorocyclohexane and mirex – had a 30- to 70-percent increase in endometriosis risk.
“Since endometriosis is an estrogen-driven condition, we were interested in investigating the role of environmental chemicals that have estrogenic properties (did you just read that?!?!) such as organochlorine pesticides, on the risk of the disease,” Upson said.
Beta-hexachlorocyclohexane and mirex have both been banned in the United States for decades, Upson said. But, women are still exposed through diet, particularly meat, dairy and fish.
“We found it interesting that despite organochlorine pesticides being restricted in use, these chemicals were detectable in the blood samples of women in our study and were associated with increased endometriosis risk,” Upson said. “The take-home message from our study is that persistent environmental chemicals, even those used in the past, may affect the health of the current generation of reproductive-age women with regard to a hormonally driven disease.”
Pesticides have been shown to have adverse reproductive effects in laboratory studies, altering the function of the uterus and ovaries, as well as hormone production.
“Given these actions, it’s plausible that organochlorine pesticides could increase the risk of an estrogen-driven disease such as endometriosis,” Upson said. “We hope our findings will help inform current global policymaking to reduce or eliminate their use.”
Better late than never, so I'm happy. But be advised, Friends....CHEMICALS CAUSE CHAOS. Reduce your exposure through foods, cleaning supplies, make-up, etc. It's high time we start addressing this truth and begin preventing instead of treating. And if you have daughters, you have the opportunity to be hugely influential on her delicate hormone chemistry by teaching her the importance in avoidance of chemicals that will alter her finely-tuned chemistry.
This story was released today on KOMO news. This is a start the media attention awareness that pesticides are causing harm to our bodies!! Don't assume this pertains only to endometriosis....it won't take long for these same researchers to link many other illnesses, diseases and certain types of cancer to the use of chemicals that, when ingested, wreak havok on our hormones and trigger hormone-related disease. THANK YOU, Fred Hutch, for finally declaring this truth. Now what, you ask?
AVOID PESTICIDES by buying ORGANIC foods as much as possible.
November 5, 2013 - My emphasis in blue :)
SEATTLE – Researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center have discovered two pesticides they believe cause an increased risk of endometriosis, a condition that can lead to infertility in women.
Endometriosis occurs when the tissue that lines the inside of the uterus grows outside of the organ and attaches to other structures or organs. The condition most often affects the ovaries, fallopian tubes and lining of the pelvic cavity. While it is not fatal, endometriosis can cause chronic pelvic pain, painful menstrual periods and infertility.
The condition affects up to 10 percent of reproductive-age women.
“For many women, the symptoms of endometriosis can be chronic and debilitating, negatively affecting health-related quality of life, personal relationships and work productivity,” said Dr. Kristen Upson, a lead researcher at Fred Hutch.
Unfortunately, Upson said experts don’t know why endometriosis develops in some women and not others, making it difficult to prevent. To learn more, a team of researchers at Fred Hutch conducted a study to discover what role environmental chemicals might play in a woman’s risk of developing the disease.
Researchers looked at 248 women newly diagnosed with endometriosis and 538 women without the disease within Group Health Cooperative. They found women with higher exposures to two pesticides – beta-hexachlorocyclohexane and mirex – had a 30- to 70-percent increase in endometriosis risk.
“Since endometriosis is an estrogen-driven condition, we were interested in investigating the role of environmental chemicals that have estrogenic properties (did you just read that?!?!) such as organochlorine pesticides, on the risk of the disease,” Upson said.
Beta-hexachlorocyclohexane and mirex have both been banned in the United States for decades, Upson said. But, women are still exposed through diet, particularly meat, dairy and fish.
“We found it interesting that despite organochlorine pesticides being restricted in use, these chemicals were detectable in the blood samples of women in our study and were associated with increased endometriosis risk,” Upson said. “The take-home message from our study is that persistent environmental chemicals, even those used in the past, may affect the health of the current generation of reproductive-age women with regard to a hormonally driven disease.”
Pesticides have been shown to have adverse reproductive effects in laboratory studies, altering the function of the uterus and ovaries, as well as hormone production.
“Given these actions, it’s plausible that organochlorine pesticides could increase the risk of an estrogen-driven disease such as endometriosis,” Upson said. “We hope our findings will help inform current global policymaking to reduce or eliminate their use.”
Better late than never, so I'm happy. But be advised, Friends....CHEMICALS CAUSE CHAOS. Reduce your exposure through foods, cleaning supplies, make-up, etc. It's high time we start addressing this truth and begin preventing instead of treating. And if you have daughters, you have the opportunity to be hugely influential on her delicate hormone chemistry by teaching her the importance in avoidance of chemicals that will alter her finely-tuned chemistry.
Sunday, November 3, 2013
This is SPOT ON!
If only we could get the two to work together~we'd see a dramatic decrease in chronic illness and disease....an entirely different country.
Thursday, October 24, 2013
I-522. You have the right to KNOW.
Hot topic, right?
It's very simple. If food has been Genetically Modified/Engineered (the food has been changed from it's original NATURAL design in some laboratory) you and I have the right to now this information so we can decide if we want to buy that product.
You will hear opposition to this, no doubt. But it always comes back to eating food that is not itself...how God designed it and nature produces it. We are a packaged/processed country and that is a fact of reality not likely to change anytime soon. But if I want to better my health and be able to make informed decisions, I need to trust that the products I eat are accurately labeled and giving me all the information available about that product.
Do your own research and ultimately choose your side. But please take the time to investigate and feel 100% convicted in your choice.
http://yeson522.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lPFkesAKRU
http://blog.seattlepi.com/boomerconsumer/2013/10/22/vote-yes-on-i-522-consumers-need-to-know-if-food-products-contain-gmos/
*Funny side bar.....
5/22 (522) just happens to be my wedding anniversary. For those of you who know me, I find this God's awesome sense of humor :) He speaks to me in a variety of creative ways!
It's very simple. If food has been Genetically Modified/Engineered (the food has been changed from it's original NATURAL design in some laboratory) you and I have the right to now this information so we can decide if we want to buy that product.
You will hear opposition to this, no doubt. But it always comes back to eating food that is not itself...how God designed it and nature produces it. We are a packaged/processed country and that is a fact of reality not likely to change anytime soon. But if I want to better my health and be able to make informed decisions, I need to trust that the products I eat are accurately labeled and giving me all the information available about that product.
Do your own research and ultimately choose your side. But please take the time to investigate and feel 100% convicted in your choice.
http://yeson522.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lPFkesAKRU
http://blog.seattlepi.com/boomerconsumer/2013/10/22/vote-yes-on-i-522-consumers-need-to-know-if-food-products-contain-gmos/
*Funny side bar.....
5/22 (522) just happens to be my wedding anniversary. For those of you who know me, I find this God's awesome sense of humor :) He speaks to me in a variety of creative ways!
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Just a month is all it takes.
I recently had the opportunity to read an amazing article written by a well known health and fitness expert. You know when you hear or read something and you can't stop thinking about it? You want to tell everyone you know (whether they want to hear it or not) all about your experience? I knew this article was meant for my eyes that day, and I am living the truth that I am called to share things that hit me. So here it goes.
You already know this. The marketing in our culture bombards us with "Only 100 cal per serving" and "Low-fat", "Zero Trans Fat", "High in Fiber", and so on. But what are we truly to listen to, believe, and adopt? These labels are purely for sales - please don't fall for them. And please don't succumb to the crazy fads/eating plans/whatever-they-call-it that Hollywood (and your neighbor) are "on." Severe and restrictive diets only breed severe metabolism and deficiency issues, which is a bigger problem - and a different post. So back to the topic at hand......
Personal tid-bit: I have never counted a calorie in my life. Nope. I've never weighed my food, tracked my daily fat intake, or measured total calories. Not that I don't think it's valuable, but I've never been one to micro-manage much. And truth? I really like to eat. I don't want to pause before every meal or snack to document what's about to be sucked down in the next three seconds. If I'm out in a restaurant, I am entitled to eat whatever I want, darn it. I'm a hungry girl, burn a gazillion calories a day, a busy wife and mom...I have no time for this! Give me my grub (and another basket of chips and salsa, please) and let's move on.
This is not to say I'm oblivious as to what I eat. I DO pay attention to ingredients and sugar content. I despise artificial anything (I can almost taste the aspartame as I write this - yyyyuuuck!) And I am, overall, a very health-conscious consumer. I stay far way from the obvious no-no's and try to make sound choices for myself and my family. But..........................I stand convicted. I really had no idea "how much" I was eating (or wasn't eating; more on that later.)
Rewind.
So over the summer, I was carrying on in the usual way. And I just felt God saying, "You aren't doing all you can." WHAT?!?! Seriously, Lord, how do you expect me to change anything right now? Kids are home, vacations are coming up, I am nearly over-training, and yet I hear Your voice telling me there's more?? Insert an open mouth and dropped jaw; perfect for the bowl of ice cream I ate just to spite my new bummer revelation.
Then, I stumbled upon the article that I was meant to read. Calories (and what kind of calories they are) C.O.U.N.T. I am no dumb dumb, of course they count. Aren't I suppose to eat, like... 2000 a day? And as long as I'm doing that, all is well? And I eat protein. Yeah, I do. And I watch my sugar and salt and I drink water and, and, and..........And then I realized, I didn't really kmow. Like, for sure know. I was accustomed to generalizing and so far, it worked. But I turned 43 in August and I could feel it wasn't working anymore. No, I was not "fat" - that isn't where I was. But I didn't feel my best and I believe when we feel our best, we are able to live our best and serve God every day. So, I got over myself and my pride and started searching for ways to cinch it up in the kitchen.
I started writing down everything I ate and the nutritional content of it. UH, NO THANKS. Nobody has time for that. But I know that's where it starts because documentation = realization. I'm not an iPhone addict but realized this might be my ticket to efficiency. Since I don't do Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. I gave myself permission to exchange that time to start working with an App that would help me on this road to discovery. This was about my health and I felt good about using the tools technology offered. I knew it wasn't going to be long-term but simply just to help me become better acquainted with my eating habits and food choices.
And so, after a weekend away over Labor day (and some undocumented meals at The Cheesecake Factory) my husband and I downloaded a great app that we have been using for exactly one month. Know what? As much as I hate to admit it, I wasn't doing a great job. Shout out, God, you were right. And here it was - all proofed out on my phone (ahem, personal palm computer) in black and white. For me, some of the information was already known. But some was shocking: 1) I was usually under the necessary calories I needed each day. 2) I was only consuming 30-40% of the needed protein intake for my profile. 3) I sometimes skipped meals (eek!) 4) I was way over on sodium. 5) I didn't really get enough water. There's more, but overall, this raised my eyebrows.
After a month of our dedication to knowing more, we both feel healthier, have more energy, sleep better, work out harder, make better choices, are not as moody, and can now feel it when we don't eat enough!! (This leads to problems, Friends. Your body requires food/fuel, especially if you are trying to lose weight. You will not succeed long-term if your body feels deprived, not to mention the vitamin/mineral pitfalls when you don't get them!) So whatever you might discover, over-eating, trans-fast addiction, sugarholic, protein deficient, under-eating, dehydration, too much saturated fat - IT IS WORTH A MONTH OR SIX WEEKS OF LEARNING ABOUT IT. Eventually, you won't need an App to tell you how you're doing. But much like hiring a Personal Trainer, at first you must be taught and once you understand, you go off on your own. (Trainers often work ourselves out of a job, but that's the irony of good training.) Every now and then, you might need a tune-up with your new best-friend-app, but for now, I strongly suggest you set a date to start and commit for at least one month.
*If you would like to know what App I am currently using, contact me at balancepersonaltraining@comcast.net
Calories Count.
You already know this. The marketing in our culture bombards us with "Only 100 cal per serving" and "Low-fat", "Zero Trans Fat", "High in Fiber", and so on. But what are we truly to listen to, believe, and adopt? These labels are purely for sales - please don't fall for them. And please don't succumb to the crazy fads/eating plans/whatever-they-call-it that Hollywood (and your neighbor) are "on." Severe and restrictive diets only breed severe metabolism and deficiency issues, which is a bigger problem - and a different post. So back to the topic at hand......
Personal tid-bit: I have never counted a calorie in my life. Nope. I've never weighed my food, tracked my daily fat intake, or measured total calories. Not that I don't think it's valuable, but I've never been one to micro-manage much. And truth? I really like to eat. I don't want to pause before every meal or snack to document what's about to be sucked down in the next three seconds. If I'm out in a restaurant, I am entitled to eat whatever I want, darn it. I'm a hungry girl, burn a gazillion calories a day, a busy wife and mom...I have no time for this! Give me my grub (and another basket of chips and salsa, please) and let's move on.
This is not to say I'm oblivious as to what I eat. I DO pay attention to ingredients and sugar content. I despise artificial anything (I can almost taste the aspartame as I write this - yyyyuuuck!) And I am, overall, a very health-conscious consumer. I stay far way from the obvious no-no's and try to make sound choices for myself and my family. But..........................I stand convicted. I really had no idea "how much" I was eating (or wasn't eating; more on that later.)
Rewind.
So over the summer, I was carrying on in the usual way. And I just felt God saying, "You aren't doing all you can." WHAT?!?! Seriously, Lord, how do you expect me to change anything right now? Kids are home, vacations are coming up, I am nearly over-training, and yet I hear Your voice telling me there's more?? Insert an open mouth and dropped jaw; perfect for the bowl of ice cream I ate just to spite my new bummer revelation.
Then, I stumbled upon the article that I was meant to read. Calories (and what kind of calories they are) C.O.U.N.T. I am no dumb dumb, of course they count. Aren't I suppose to eat, like... 2000 a day? And as long as I'm doing that, all is well? And I eat protein. Yeah, I do. And I watch my sugar and salt and I drink water and, and, and..........And then I realized, I didn't really kmow. Like, for sure know. I was accustomed to generalizing and so far, it worked. But I turned 43 in August and I could feel it wasn't working anymore. No, I was not "fat" - that isn't where I was. But I didn't feel my best and I believe when we feel our best, we are able to live our best and serve God every day. So, I got over myself and my pride and started searching for ways to cinch it up in the kitchen.
I started writing down everything I ate and the nutritional content of it. UH, NO THANKS. Nobody has time for that. But I know that's where it starts because documentation = realization. I'm not an iPhone addict but realized this might be my ticket to efficiency. Since I don't do Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. I gave myself permission to exchange that time to start working with an App that would help me on this road to discovery. This was about my health and I felt good about using the tools technology offered. I knew it wasn't going to be long-term but simply just to help me become better acquainted with my eating habits and food choices.
And so, after a weekend away over Labor day (and some undocumented meals at The Cheesecake Factory) my husband and I downloaded a great app that we have been using for exactly one month. Know what? As much as I hate to admit it, I wasn't doing a great job. Shout out, God, you were right. And here it was - all proofed out on my phone (ahem, personal palm computer) in black and white. For me, some of the information was already known. But some was shocking: 1) I was usually under the necessary calories I needed each day. 2) I was only consuming 30-40% of the needed protein intake for my profile. 3) I sometimes skipped meals (eek!) 4) I was way over on sodium. 5) I didn't really get enough water. There's more, but overall, this raised my eyebrows.
After a month of our dedication to knowing more, we both feel healthier, have more energy, sleep better, work out harder, make better choices, are not as moody, and can now feel it when we don't eat enough!! (This leads to problems, Friends. Your body requires food/fuel, especially if you are trying to lose weight. You will not succeed long-term if your body feels deprived, not to mention the vitamin/mineral pitfalls when you don't get them!) So whatever you might discover, over-eating, trans-fast addiction, sugarholic, protein deficient, under-eating, dehydration, too much saturated fat - IT IS WORTH A MONTH OR SIX WEEKS OF LEARNING ABOUT IT. Eventually, you won't need an App to tell you how you're doing. But much like hiring a Personal Trainer, at first you must be taught and once you understand, you go off on your own. (Trainers often work ourselves out of a job, but that's the irony of good training.) Every now and then, you might need a tune-up with your new best-friend-app, but for now, I strongly suggest you set a date to start and commit for at least one month.
Because in the end - Calories Count.
*If you would like to know what App I am currently using, contact me at balancepersonaltraining@comcast.net
Friday, September 13, 2013
....Was talking to a friend not too long ago about goals, to-do lists, dreams, life setbacks, etc. While we were analyzing and dissecting from all angles
(and at one point, writing all scenarios out on paper)
a quote I'd recently read popped into my mind.....
"Prayer is intended to be your first priority;
not your last resort."
I promptly remembered that no matter what your current life's circumstances, talking with God about it often eliminates or decreases the amount of time we need to spend working on it. I am grateful for that truth and
I need to check myself and ask,
"Have I prayed about it as much as I've talked about it?"
Because God is a muuuuuch better problem solver that I am!
Monday, September 9, 2013
Welcome Back!
The hiatus was unintentional, Friends......Life gets in the way sometimes. So on that note (while this morning has been non-hectic so far) I bring you a dose of encouragement. Should you be one of the many who deem the start of school/the fall your "new year," let's start off with a simple truth:
It will take four weeks for you to notice
a change in your body/health.
It will take eight weeks for your
friends and family to notice.
And it will take 12 weeks for the rest of the world.
Give yourself 12 weeks.
Do. Not. Give. Up.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
More on what is making us unhealthy, sick, and fat.....
Find the Hidden Sources of Sugar
Sugar is everywhere -here are Jillian Michael's tips on how to avoid it now.
Let's get something straight — stay far, far away from high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Seriously, this stuff really puts the "junk" in junk food! The people who make it have tried to claim it's the same as sugar, and while it's chemically similar, our bodies process it in different ways. HFCS is processed only by the liver, making it a greater contributor to obesity, diabetes, and more. It's the most abundant source of calories in a lot of foods out there and it's terrible for you because it boosts your fat-storing hormones. Look at your labels and you'll find HFCS in so many foods that line the shelves in our grocery stores. It's found in most soft drinks, processed foods, breads, candy, flavored yogurts, salad dressings, canned vegetables, and cereals. But just because high-fructose corn syrup is evil doesn't necessarily mean halos are hovering over other sugars. There's more sweet stuff out there that you need to avoid!
We still have far too much of the non-corn variety of sugar in our diets, and it's definitely not doing anything good for our health or our waistlines. The average American eats more than 30 teaspoons of sugar a day — that's more than 114 pounds of sugar a year!
While sugar is everywhere, you must do your best to eat it in extreme moderation. The World Health Organization recommends no more than 12 to 15 teaspoons a day, or 48 to 60 grams. Your best bet is to keep that amount as low as possible. Check your food labels — anything with "sugar" should obviously be avoided. However, sugar has many aliases. I'll give you a hint: Anything that ends in "-ose" is a sugar. See what I mean in the list below, and beware of these sweeteners in the foods you eat!
Aspartame
Dextrose
Evaporated cane juice
Fructose
Fruit juice concentrates
Galactose
Glucose
Honey
Invert corn syrup
Lactose
Malt
Maltose
Malt syrup
Maple syrup
Molasses
Rice syrup
Sacharin
Splenda
Sucralose
Sucrose
Now that you know what not to eat, there are some sweeteners that are okay to use, like organic maple syrup, Monk fruit, Nectresse, Stevia, and Truvia. The following are okay — but only in moderation: agave syrup, wild organic raw honey, and cane juice. Keep an eye on what you're consuming and limit yourself.
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Helpful Hints ...a time to recommit.
So......getting a lot of emails and phone calls about how to speed up the process in the gym. (I can tell spring is in the air when the minor look of panic spreads across faces at the mere thought of shorts and tank tops.)
Let's chat.
We must take an honest look at what's going on the kitchen...... and at the coffee bar.....and at the restaurants......basically, WHAT IT IS YOU CHOOSE TO EAT. If you need a refresher, you can print this list out, laminate it, and place it on your fridge, your dashboard, your wallet.......just in case you forget.
1) Water. Half your body weight in ounces. Every. Single. Day.
2) Increase WHOLE FOODS - Foods that do not have an "ingredient list" on their packaging. Better yet, how about NO PACKAGING??? New concept for you? That'd be step #1....... Also, this makes eating out much more challenging; just sayin'.
3) Eliminate Processed Foods (yes, go through the pantry and TOSS it.) Foods that have ingredient lists that are abundant are simply not going to be nutritious. The simpler the better in those columns. *This would assume you regularly read the back of your food packaging, yes?*
4) Have designated "time to eat" - breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner. No eating in front of anything with a screen or it becomes mindless. We want to enjoy our food, eat slowly, and remember that eating is not part of our multitasking-obsessed society.
5) Sugar is just as harmful, (if not, worse) than fat. Don't kid yourself when you read No Fat or Fat Free on anything. If that's the case, they likely added sugar or artificial sugar to make it yummy. Sugar is e-v-i-l and will negate almost anything else you do! Sugar is not just in sweets. Sugar is in EVERYTHING; that's why it tastes so good. So, label reading should become 2nd nature. If the sugar content is above...say....10 grams per serving (for starters....it will go less as time goes on) it is a flat out NO. (Ahem.....again, how do you know how much sugar is in food at a restaurant? Exactly.)
6) Quit eating at least three hours before bedtime. No big, heavy meals, no sweets, no salts. Nothing. You do not need to go to bed on a full stomach. If you are hungry before bed, GOOD! You can eat a big, healthy breakfast and feel great in the morning. You should feel slight hunger at pillow time!
7) Get real about your beverages. Folks, just because you don't chew it doesn't mean it's not full of empty, toxic, fattening calories. MUCH of our problem is in our sodas (a total and absolute no-no in my book - especially "diet" sodas), coffees, juices, and excessive alcohol (today is St. Patty's day.....green beer.....blech....not for me, thanks.) Please don't fall into the trap that you will replace a meal with a mondo Starbucks (Anthem, Big Foot, Forza, Coffeemate creamer in your travel mug, etc.) And if you have that mindset, call me. I'll set ya straight :)
Start here, Friends. And allow yourself the grace to be shocked, then sad, then deprived, then a bit testy. All part of the process of cleaning up from the inside out. You wanna feel better, look better, have more energy, sleep soundly, and get rid of fat? Here's how you start! It won't be easy but it will be worth it. You can do better when you know better, and now you know better :) I want you to succeed and I want to hear how you did.
Let's chat.
We must take an honest look at what's going on the kitchen...... and at the coffee bar.....and at the restaurants......basically, WHAT IT IS YOU CHOOSE TO EAT. If you need a refresher, you can print this list out, laminate it, and place it on your fridge, your dashboard, your wallet.......just in case you forget.
1) Water. Half your body weight in ounces. Every. Single. Day.
2) Increase WHOLE FOODS - Foods that do not have an "ingredient list" on their packaging. Better yet, how about NO PACKAGING??? New concept for you? That'd be step #1....... Also, this makes eating out much more challenging; just sayin'.
3) Eliminate Processed Foods (yes, go through the pantry and TOSS it.) Foods that have ingredient lists that are abundant are simply not going to be nutritious. The simpler the better in those columns. *This would assume you regularly read the back of your food packaging, yes?*
4) Have designated "time to eat" - breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner. No eating in front of anything with a screen or it becomes mindless. We want to enjoy our food, eat slowly, and remember that eating is not part of our multitasking-obsessed society.
5) Sugar is just as harmful, (if not, worse) than fat. Don't kid yourself when you read No Fat or Fat Free on anything. If that's the case, they likely added sugar or artificial sugar to make it yummy. Sugar is e-v-i-l and will negate almost anything else you do! Sugar is not just in sweets. Sugar is in EVERYTHING; that's why it tastes so good. So, label reading should become 2nd nature. If the sugar content is above...say....10 grams per serving (for starters....it will go less as time goes on) it is a flat out NO. (Ahem.....again, how do you know how much sugar is in food at a restaurant? Exactly.)
6) Quit eating at least three hours before bedtime. No big, heavy meals, no sweets, no salts. Nothing. You do not need to go to bed on a full stomach. If you are hungry before bed, GOOD! You can eat a big, healthy breakfast and feel great in the morning. You should feel slight hunger at pillow time!
7) Get real about your beverages. Folks, just because you don't chew it doesn't mean it's not full of empty, toxic, fattening calories. MUCH of our problem is in our sodas (a total and absolute no-no in my book - especially "diet" sodas), coffees, juices, and excessive alcohol (today is St. Patty's day.....green beer.....blech....not for me, thanks.) Please don't fall into the trap that you will replace a meal with a mondo Starbucks (Anthem, Big Foot, Forza, Coffeemate creamer in your travel mug, etc.) And if you have that mindset, call me. I'll set ya straight :)
Start here, Friends. And allow yourself the grace to be shocked, then sad, then deprived, then a bit testy. All part of the process of cleaning up from the inside out. You wanna feel better, look better, have more energy, sleep soundly, and get rid of fat? Here's how you start! It won't be easy but it will be worth it. You can do better when you know better, and now you know better :) I want you to succeed and I want to hear how you did.
"Bad habits in the kitchen waste all the time you just spent in the gym."
Next week - How to kick start your workouts and maximize your time!
Monday, January 21, 2013
It's not that complicated, Friends......
January.
People are eager to make lifestyle changes, specifically regarding their health and/or appearance. Problem is, most of them want an easy and quick way to accomplish that. After all, we are a society that has become addicted to the FAST, INSTANT, and IMMEDIATE answers. That might work with technology but it does not work with the body or overall health and wellness. We're not comfortable with the "process" of things. We are uneasy and agitated by baby-steps. We grow frustrated in hearing "this will be a journey...." Don't know about you, but I'm not so sure our dependency on getting what we want in a jiffy is all positive. (There's something to be said for staying in bed for a day, sipping on chicken soup, and reading from a paperback book, but that's another post.........)
So, when it comes to our desire for physical change, I have repeated it before and I'll say it again:
YOU GET FIT IN THE GYM;
YOU GET FIT IN THE GYM;
YOU LOSE WEIGHT IN THE KITCHEN.
You can do one without the other, but you will only get half the results.
In both the gym and the kitchen, you have to do three things:
1) Be Prepared 2) Be Committed 3) Be Intentional
Be prepared. Have a plan for your workout, do shopping ahead of time, keep your workout shoes in your car and healthy snacks with you at all times.
Be committed. Look ahead six or eight weeks and pencil in your training. Say "no thanks" to a gift of goodies from a co-worker. When the computer screams "stay here!!" stand up and shout back "when I'm done with my workout." Eat that healthy snack not necessarily because it's tastes good,
but because it's good for you.
Be intentional. Don't just show up to your workouts; work h-a-r-d. Pay attention to your meals - are you feeling full? Then stop eating. Finish your run, reps, time on the clock. It matters more how you finish than how you start. Stay out of the fridge/pantry/cupboard unless it's time for food!
Folks, if you have any other suggestions or tips for our fellow readers, please comment!!!! We learn best from those in the same boat, so SHARE your ideas and testimonies!!!
Looking forward to hearing all of your success stories..........
in four months!!! :) :) :)
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