Kare about Health

It’s Friday! Happy Halloween! Time to check in with our healthy behavior goals.

I maintain my beautiful weight this week. I am trying to look at it from that perspective right now. I am not gaining!  After 5 weeks of trying, I am only 2 lbs. down! Frustrating! Right now, I have been restricted in my physical activity and that, in turn, has caused me to have more nights at home not doing much physical activity and with more access to food! It has been a difficult struggle, but I am not giving up!

What I thought I would focus on this week, is healthy living in general. If you are familiar with Dr. Oz, he made these 5 simple recommendations on the Oprah Show a while back (before he got his own show). Not sure I completely agree with them all, but I think it is a good place to start. I took the liberty (forgive me Dr. Oz) of re-prioritizing them. But, it doesn’t matter what order they are in. If you pay attention to all 5 you will live a healthier life.

1. 

   Getting enough sleep is more important than you think!

   Sleep and Sex. I put this one first because you can do everything else, but you won’t feel good or be healthy if you don’t get enough sleep. Research has shown, that no matter what you think you have trained yourself to “get away with” sleep-wise, MOST adults need 7-8 hours of sleep a night.  There are very few exceptions. It is amazing what goes on in your body when you sleep.  Dr. Oz also recommends that you have sex 2-3 times a week (to garner all those health benefits I mentioned in an earlier article.)

2. Food. He recommends adding the following to your diet;  foods high in anti-oxidants (5-7 servings a day),  At
   

   Eat 5-7 servings of foods rich in anti-oxidants

   least 25g of fiber, 3g/day of omega-3’s (walnuts, flax seed, salmon), red wine or grape juice (1 glass a day), and 4 cups of green or white tea.

3. Exercise. Dr. Oz’s recommendations are for at least 30 minutes a week of strength-training and at least 3 times a week getting your heart rate up with aerobic exercise (60 minutes a week). He also recommends walking every day.
4. Meditate. Trying to reduce stress is important to keep healthy. Dr. Oz suggests that even 5 minutes a day of focused relaxation (meditation) can help you to reduce stress.
5. Vitamins. This is where Dr. Oz and I may differ. Vitamin crazes have come and gone so many times in my career as a health educator.  Does anyone remember Dr. Kenneth Cooper’s “Antioxidant Revolution”? Since his extreme vitamin recommendations back in 1995, we have found that it is not possible to get all of the benefits of these antioxidants in a pill form. There are too many other factors in the whole foods that require a balanced diet to be healthy. You can’t maintain your health by eating poorly and popping vitamins. However, a decent multi-vitamin supplement should suffice if you are maintaining that healthy diet. Some populations may require additional calcium and Vit D as well.

That’s it! Five things!  How many of them are you currently practicing?

Reminder: Please consult with your doctor or health practitioner for medical advice and treatment before starting any new program.

Burlington, Vermont… #1 city to raise a family.

One of the criteria for why this city was chosen was that they have the lowest obesity rate of any city in the nation, and guess what? Burlington also has the the lowest number of fast food restaurants per capita! Hmmmm…

Speaking of fast food restaurants, I am finally going to submit my first entry in the socio-economic experiment. Fast food meals. I visited McDonald’s restaurants and Burger King restaurants in two different areas of Tucson to see what it costs for a family of four to eat at these convenience restaurants.  Prices were very similar except for the tax amount in the city of South Tucson is 8.1% vs. 6.1% in Pima County. I used the lowest prices for my comparison. Here are the criteria that I used:

• I tried to order both frugally and picking “better” choices when possible.
• I ordered for a typical family of four with two adults and one younger child and one older child.
• I did not include drinks unless they were part of a “Value Meal” that would have been more expensive to do separately. Drinks were only included in calorie counts for kid’s meals (since they came as part of it).
• Price totals include 6.1% tax.

Here are the details:

Burger King

"Have it your way"

1 Grilled chicken sandwich and small fries  –  $6.68

830 Cal, 38 g Fat, 30 g Pro, 95 g Carbs

1 Steakhouse Burger and medium fries  –  $6.58

1,430 Cal, 82 g Fat, 45 g Pro, 156 Carbs

1 Whopper Jr. and Value fries  –  $2.00

590 Cal, 32 g Fat, 21 g Pro, 59 g Carbs

1 Kid’s Meal (4 piece chicken tenders, value fries and milk)  –  $3.49

490 Cal, 23.5 g Fat, 15.5 g Pro, 57 g Carbs

Total Bill (including tax)  –  $19.89

Total Nutrition — 3,340 Calories, 175.5 g Fat (47%), 111 g Protein (13%), 367 g Carbohydrates (44%)

McDonald’s

"I'm Likin' It"

1 Angus Deluxe with side salad and ranch dressing   –  $ 5.98

940 Cal, 54 g Fat, 47 g Pro, 74 g Carbs

1 Southwest Salad with crispy chicken (low-fat Italian dressing)  –  $5.19          490 Cal, 22 g fat, 27 g pro, 38 g Carbs

1 McChicken sandwich with fruit and yogurt parfait –  $2.00

520 Cal, 18 g Fat, 18 g Pro, 71 g Carbs

1 Happy Meal (4 piece chicken nuggets, small fries,  milk) — $3.99

520 Cal, 25 g Fat, 20 g Pro, 52 g Carbs

Total bill (including tax) –  $18.21

Total Nutrition — 2,470 Calories, 119 g Fat (43%), 139 g Protein (23%), 235 g Carbohydrates (38%)

While we are looking at nutrition, let’s examine what percentages are considered healthy and appropriate for the various foods we eat.

It is widely recommended that a well-balanced diet will contain about 20-35% of total Calories from fat (heart-healthy diets are recommended to be 10-20%). As you can see, the meals from the fast food restaurants averaged between 43 and 47% Calories from fat. That is well above even the highest end of what is recommended. And more than double what would be prudent for heart health.  But we all know this, don’t we?And don’t even get me started on saturated fat. We should consume no more than 7% of our Calories from saturated fat. The above menus contain about 15% Calories from saturated fat. More than double.

Protein recommendations are a bit more complicated. It is recommended that we consume about 1 gram of protein for every pound of body weight. This is sometimes looked at as 0.8g per pound of muscle mass and of course athletes and body builders try to consume about 1.5g per pound of muscle mass. We will keep it simple. About 10-20% of your calories (no more than 30%) should come from protein. The meals above meet this requirement. The problem is the protein in these meals comes from non-lean sources as indicated by the total fat and saturated fat content. Most protein should come from lean sources (such as poultry, low-fat dairy, soy, egg whites, beans, lean beef and pork tenderloin).

It is recommended that 55-65% of Calories come from carbohydrates.  The meals above are lower in carbs than recommended, but it is due to the high fat content rather than protein sources. And once again, the source of carbohydrates is very important. Whole grain sources as well as fruits and vegetables should make up the bulk of your carbohydrate intake. Very little, if any, such sources found above.

Let’s not forget about vitamins, minerals and fiber. Three VERY important components that are sorely lacking in the fast food diet. Research is finding that you cannot get all the same benefits of whole foods vitamins and minerals from a pill. And If you do not eat foods which contain enough fiber you might end up with problems of the colon and rectum and will not be helping your cholesterol and heart health any. It is recommended that you consume 14g of fiber for every 1000 Calories.  To give an example, the Angus Deluxe and side salad above has 940 Calories and only 5g of fiber. That many Calories should have 13g of fiber. That’s not even half of what is recommended.

And don’t even get me started on the sodium!

If you’re looking at the Dollar Menu in terms of how much food (and Calories) you get it really appears as a good bargain.  But if you’re looking at it as how many nutrients are you getting for a dollar, it is the LEAST economical!

McDonald’s says it seeks to provide options for its customers, at both low and higher prices. “We’re proud of the choices we offer customers,” said Bill Lamar, chief marketing officer for McDonald’s United States business. “You can come in and order Apple Dippers, salads with low-fat dressing, yogurt, or you can order an Egg McMuffin, which is a very nutritious sandwich. People can make the decisions about how to eat for themselves.”

Two comments I have here. Even if you choose the lowest fat salad meal (that has protein) which is the Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken and a low-fat dressing, you are still over the highest recommendation for fat (35%) since the salad and dressing come to 37% fat.  And we all know, very few people actually order the grilled chicken salad. Actually, since McDonald’s started advertising the Dollar Menu nationally, the double cheeseburger has become the chain’s most ordered item. The double cheeseburger weighs in at 47% fat. Almost half of the Calories are from fat!

The other comment is that in order to make “healthier” choices, it costs more.  At Burger King, in order to switch out the Value fries for Apple fries in a Kid’s Meal, it will cost you 79 cents more (that’s 23% more).  A budget-conscious family is going to order mostly from the Dollar Menu which has almost no healthy choices. The Fruit and Yogurt Parfait is the only exception. All in all, the high fat and low nutrition on the Dollar Menu is a recipe for disaster for the health of our community.

Bottom line, you can feed a family of four for under $20, quickly and easily. But at what health costs to you and your children? At what cost to your child’s development and future health? Not to mention the costs to our environment (see my article on The Cost of Eating Cheaply). I understand the convenience and ease of feeding your family this way when couples (or single parents) are working full-time and exhausted at the end of the day. And when kid’s activities pull you away from the kitchen. My hope is that with this information and armed with my recipes and tips in the next week or so, you will make this a rare event, rather than a regular one.

So, my job is to find easy, healthy, budget-conscious meals for a family of four for under $20. I think I can do it! Stay-tuned… the best is yet to come!

Happy Monday! Please forgive me for my absence on Friday, but life got in the way and I could not get my post out! But here I am to check in with you and see how we are progressing!

I weighed in on Friday at 1.5 pounds down from my starting weight. Slow, but sure is what I am going for here! I was able to lose that one pound while having two girls’ nights and a big dinner party this week! I am still working on the journaling and portion control. It is a work in progress!

This week I thought I would focus on exercise. What is keeping you from exercising? Believe me, in my time as a trainer and physiologist, I have probably heard all the excuses.  Let’s face the most common excuses one by one and try to see the reality.

I don’t have enough time

This is the most common excuse I hear. I understand that our lives are extremely busy and it IS very difficult to fit in exercise at times. But I truly believe that we make time for the things that are important to us.  Here are some tips:

Squeeze in short bouts of exercise during your day.

• Do some sort of exercise for 15 minutes before you start your day. It will energize you and get it over with, so to speak.
• Go for a ten-minute walk before lunch. Then find another ten minutes to stride around the block while dinner is in the oven.
• Perform some core body exercises during commercial breaks or try the footwork while watching “Dancing with the Stars”.
• Put in some music and dance with yourself, your family or your dog while dinner is simmering on the stove.

Combine Activities

• Use the treadmill or exercise bike while watching the news or your “soap”.
• Instead of catching up with a friend over lunch, meet for a walk.
• Have “walking meetings” with business colleagues.
• When looking for a parking spot, stop fighting for the place closest to the door. If you park farther away, you’ll get a mini-walk!
  

  Make exercise a family affair!

• Do family activities like playing in the park or a family hike or a family water exercise session. Quality time with your family becomes healthy time for your body as well.

Prioritize

• Schedule exercise on your calendar and don’t let errands or work sidetrack you. Keep this appointment with yourself the same way you would with your doctor or dentist! You are more important! That to-do list will still be there tomorrow. You’ll get more done after you’re energized with exercise anyway!
• Exercise first thing in the morning. Activities and obligations are less likely to get in the way and, statistically, early morning exercisers are more successful sticking with it.
• Keep a pair of athletic shoes and socks handy at work and in the car. That way you’re always ready to grab some exercise and fresh air, no matter where you are.

It’s Boring

• Find something fun! Dance class, hiking club, walking group, outside yoga, tennis, basketball, cycling group, Master’s swimming, water aerobics – the options are endless. Doing something in a group or class makes the time go much faster and you get social benefits, too. Not to mention people are expecting you so you are less likely to flake!
• As mentioned above, do exercise in small bouts so that you don’t have time to get bored. Just try to accumulate at least 30 minutes during the day.
• If you go to the gym, mix it up. Do 10 minutes on the treadmill, 10 on the bike, and 10 on the elliptical. Thirty minutes goes by very fast this way.
• Don’t do the same thing each day. Water exercise one day, walking another day, weight lifting the next day. The body likes new challenge and gets too used to the same thing anyway.

I’m too tired

Regular exercise will help you to sleep better, but in case you need more help to get that started:

• Exercise as early in the day as your schedule allows. As the day rolls on, fatigue sets in and it’s easier to talk yourself out of it.
• Recruit an exercise buddy. When you just don’t have the energy, you know they are depending on you and you can keep each other going. This could be a neighbor, family member, or how about the dog?
• If you’re planning on exercising after work, a late afternoon snack such as yogurt or half an energy bar will give you the energy you need to get to the gym and put in a good workout.
• Find activities that you enjoy or you can share with friends or family. Always wanted to learn ballroom dancing or tai chi? NOW is the time to sign up for a class. If you are getting immediate “fun” benefits it will give you more reasons to exercise on those low-energy days.
• Hire a personal trainer to help motivate and guide you. You’ll have a personalized coach who is monitoring your progress and expecting you to show up. Just make sure to look for a trainer who possesses an NCCA accredited certification, such as ACE or ACSM.
• Try to get enough sleep. Studies have shown that most people require 7-9 hours of sleep for optimum health, even if they have convinced themselves otherwise.

I’m too self-conscious or I’m not athletic

• Find activities you can do alone until you get your confidence up. Go for a walk, or get a piece of home exercise equipment. You can also exercise to a fitness DVD or television show.
• Everyone can walk. You don’t have to be athletic.
• If you are female, you may consider joining a female-friendly exercise club such as Curves.
• Find a group of people more like you that want to start healthy behaviors.
• Remind yourself what a great favor you’re doing for your cardiovascular health, or focus on how much stronger you feel after a workout. Praise yourself for improving your stamina and making a commitment to lifelong fitness.
• Go out with confidence and others will be inspired rather than ridicule. Think of yourself as a role-model for others that may be feeling the same way.

I can’t afford it

• Find things to do that don’t require much in the way of equipment. All you really need is some well-fitting, comfortable and supportive shoes.
• You can walk, jog, dance around the house, use soup cans and bags of rice for weights, go to the park and chase and kick a ball or use the outdoor fitness circuit at your local park.
• Invest in one or two good exercise videos you can do at home.
• Re-think your budget. Is there something you spend money on every week that could be changed? Many people find if they pack lunches, cook at home more often and stop going to Starbucks, they can save enough money in a month to pay for a gym membership. Some are as little as $24 a month.

The weather is bad

• Dress appropriately. Choose exercise clothes designed to keep you warm and dry in the cold, and cool in the heat.

• During hot weather, exercise first thing in the morning when the air is cooler and ozone levels are low. Or exercise in the evening. Find a shady course or park for walking or bike rides. Drink plenty of fluids before you leave home and carry a water bottle with you.
• Snowy, icy weather can create slippery surfaces. Choose an indoor option, or wear shoes with good traction. Remember that layering with jackets, hats and gloves keeps you protected when you leave the house, yet you can remove items as your body warms up.
• When the weather is really bad, find indoor options: fitness club, home exercise equipment, fitness videos or television shows.

It’s not safe in my neighborhood

• Recruit an exercise buddy or more. Two are always safer than one. A group is best. Walk tall and display confidence. Confident targets are less likely to be selected.
• Exercise in the morning. Based on crime statistics, it’s a safer time of day.
• Be aware. Trust your instincts. If someone or somewhere doesn’t feel safe, it isn’t!
• Don’t second guess yourself; leave immediately.
• Exercise in an area that’s well lit, with some foot traffic so you’re not alone. Many shopping malls open early and have security on duty. You’ll be surprised how many people take advantage of mall-walking programs.
• Carry pepper spray or a whistle in a handy place (for example, on a wrist bracelet or around your neck). Take your dog with you on your walk.
• Awareness and prevention are key. Take a self-defense course, but remember that it’s easier to avoid a high-risk situation than get yourself out of it.

I’m afraid to hurt myself/have health concerns

• If you have joint or muscle conditions such as osteoarthritis or low back pain, check with your doctor before beginning an exercise program. Ask for a referral to a physical therapist or exercise physiologist who specializes in your condition. You’ll learn targeted exercises that will strengthen the injured area and allow you to engage in an overall program of exercise.

• If you have knee problems you may still be able to do water exercise, cycling and chair exercises. Check with your doctor.

• Although many health conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure require certain modifications and precautions, these conditions can be significantly improved by regular exercise. Seek guidance from your doctor before starting a vigorous program.
• Don’t do too much too soon. Start with just 5-10 minutes of activity every other day and add only 10-20% in time or distance each week. Give yourself permission to “start low and go slow”. You’ll reduce your risk of injury and gradually build your body’s tolerance for a new active lifestyle.

So what is it that is your biggest barrier to exercise? I’d love to know if I have missed any!

With special thanks to American Council on Exercise for inspiration!

I love that song about tequila making her clothes fall off. But can alcohol consumption make you exercise, too?  And therefore, make you live a healthier life? Wow… the list of my favorite things being good for you just keeps growing!  Several major studies have found that light to moderate drinking — up to two drinks a day on a regular basis — is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, and some have also found this leads to a lower risk of some cancers.

Does wine make you exercise?

But a Danish study, one of the largest of its kind to examine the combined effect of drinking and exercise, found there were additional protective effects gained from doing both. This study commenced in the 1980’s and followed almost 12,000 men and women for more than 20 years. People who drank moderate amounts of alcohol and were physically active had a lower risk of death from heart disease and other causes than people who didn’t drink at all. Remember, moderate drinking was defined as one to fourteen drinks per week, which is one to two drinks per day.

People who neither drink alcohol nor exercise have a 30-49 percent higher risk of heart disease than those who either drink, exercise or both.

Do not fret, however, if you have reasons for alcohol abstention such as religious beliefs, previous alcoholism or pregnancy.  This study showed that physical activity can reverse some of the adverse health effects associated with alcohol abstention. People who did not drink but whose physical activity was moderate or high had a lower risk of heart disease than the inactive non-drinkers.

It seems the lowest risk of death from all causes was observed among the physically active moderate drinkers and the highest risk among the physically inactive non- and heavy drinkers.

Interestingly, those who consumed the majority of their alcohol as wine were more likely to be women, but also more likely to be physically active.

Researchers concluded: “Neither physical activity alone nor alcohol intake can completely reverse the increased risk associated with alcohol abstention and lack of physical activity. Thus, both moderate to high levels of physical activity and a moderate alcohol intake are important for lowering the risk of fatal IHD and deaths from all causes.”

Also, in other research out of the University of Miami (reported in the September/October issue of American Journal of Health Promotion) researchers found that those who reported drinking more alcohol were also more likely to report exercising regularly. They used Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data from 2005 on 230,856 respondents and focused on the drinking and exercise measures. Results showed a relationship between levels of drinking and physical activity, with greater levels of exercise being associated with higher levels of alcohol consumption.

Ooops! Maybe we shouldn't do them at the same time!

Women who reported drinking more than 45 drinks in the past month — a behavior that pushed them into the category of “heavy drinkers” — exercised 14 more minutes per week on average than those light drinkers who drank one to 14 drinks in the month. These women also reported exercising on average 20 minutes more than those who abstained from alcohol altogether. Also, drinkers were 10 percent more likely than their sober peers to exercise vigorously in any given week.

The results were similar for men, with heavy drinkers — those who threw back 75 drinks per month — exercising 21 minutes more per week than light drinkers who only consumed one to 29 drinks per month and 23 minutes more than abstainers.

Researchers offered some possible explanations for the observed trend:

Calorie Compensation. Is it possible that we exercise to try to work off the calories we consume through drinking?

Social Aspects of Drinking and Exercise May Be Intertwined. Is it more common for sports teams and workout partners to go out for drinks after exercising?

Work(out) Hard, Play Harder. It may be that certain personality types ascribe to a kind of work hard/play hard philosophy that makes them more likely to do hardcore sports like rock climbing or marathon running and to party hard at the bar afterwards.

Remember that heavy drinking (more than one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men) has many other consequences both physically and socially. It always goes back to doing things in moderation, yes? I feel that on the whole, these findings suggest that a lot of people may be striking a balance between their unhealthy and healthy habits. Is there a big segment of the population that drinks responsibly, enjoys alcohol, and potentially receives health benefits … by balancing exercise and alcohol.  Hmmm… if drinking alcohol moderately somehow gets us to do more exercise, that’s not such a bad thing, is it?

I’ll drink to that! (In moderation, of course!)

It’s Friday (already!) and time to check in and see how we are doing on our healthy behaviors journey. I hope you have made your goals and are working toward them. It’s never too late to start!

I must say, that I am very disappointed that I did not hear from those that committed and it seemed to effect my motivation.  I started last Friday with good intentions, but was left all alone and didn’t rise to the occasion!

I realize that blaming you is just an excuse and I need to take responsibility and accept that this is MY life and MY body and only I can take care of it and live happy and healthy. So… onward…

As you have probably figured out, I did not do well last week. My weight did not change.  I started out

I did not lose any weight this week!

well, but fell off the wagon. I am hopeful that my mistakes can help others know that they are not alone and that one week’s failure doesn’t stop the journey. Let me explain.

Last week’s post mentioned that my weakness was food and wine! Portion sizes (of both) is the major culprit. So, I wrote a list of ways to keep energy levels up and hunger at bay while moderating those portions! It all sounded so good (and still does), but I didn’t listen to my own advice. Here is where I failed:

1. I didn’t journal my food intake. Yes, I started out well. I got myself a pen and pad and kept it in the kitchen and was very good about it for one and a half days. Then, I just stopped. I know this is one of my weakness. I hate doing food diaries. But just because you eat things you don’t want to write down, doesn’t mean you should just stop! So, I am determined to write it all down this week. I figure, I can do anything for a week… one week at a time!
2. I didn’t avoid temptation. Chips and salsa is a weakness of mine. I went to OktoberFest and bought this mean, awesome salsa called “Blackout” and I just HAD to have chips to eat it with! Bad idea! Due to my emotional eating problem this week (as I will describe below) I overdid it on the chips and salsa… sigh.
3. I let myself get too hungry. I was so determined early on to cut my calories enough to actually lose some weight and so I was allowing myself to get too hungry and then I would make those bad choices, like the chips and salsa aforementioned! I also work a lot from home, so I have access to my own cooking (even though it is healthy) anytime I get hungry.  This week I will follow my normal eating patterns that include some small healthy snacks to keep the metabolism revved up and hunger at bay.
4. I was not measuring my food. Once again, I did this for the first day or two, then fell off the wagon. Forget about the past. Make the right choices moving forward.

One more thing. I am an emotional eater. I think there are many of us out there. I eat when I am happy. I eat when I am depressed. My family background involves comfort foods galore! Even though my personal life is going very well right now, my professional life is not. I was laid off and am struggling with new business ventures. It is becoming a vicious cycle of low-motivation due to depression about the lay off, which keeps me from moving forward aggressively to change the situation.  The cycle needs to be broken and only I can do it.

Major life events — such as unemployment, health problems and divorce — and daily life hassles — such as a stressful work commute, bad weather and changes in your normal routine — can trigger emotions that lead to overeating.

Some foods may have seemingly addictive qualities. For example, when you eat enticing foods, such as chocolate, your body releases trace amounts of mood- and satisfaction-elevating hormones. That “reward” may reinforce a preference for foods that are most closely associated with specific feelings. Related to this is the simple fact that the pleasure of eating offsets negative emotions.

Food can also be a distraction. If you’re worried about an upcoming event or rethinking an earlier conflict, eating comfort foods may distract you. But the distraction is only temporary. While you’re eating, your thoughts focus on the pleasant taste of your comfort food. Unfortunately, when you’re done overeating, your attention returns to your worries, and you may now bear the additional burden of guilt about overeating.

So, here are some ideas to help you

1. Know your triggers and avoid them whenever possible. Pay attention and determine what triggers you to emotionally eat and try to ward them off if you can.
2. Look elsewhere for comfort. Instead of unwrapping a candy bar, take a walk, treat yourself to a movie, listen to music, read or call a friend. If you think that stress relating to a particular event is nudging you toward the refrigerator, try talking to someone about it to distract yourself. Plan enjoyable events for yourself.
3. Don’t keep unhealthy foods around. Of course, this is not my problem. I don’t have to eat unhealthy to overeat and emotionally eat! But some of my trigger foods, I can try to avoid.
   

   Snack healthy!

   Although there is also a lesson in moderation and deprivation here. I learned a long time ago that to deprive myself of chocolate only led to overeating a lot of calories trying to quench that craving! So, I have taught myself to keep chocolate around and eat it in small quantities just to soothe the craving. Obviously, once in a while, I overindulge. But it works most of the time. Know yourself and act accordingly.

4. Snack healthy. Try to have healthy snacks like apples, carrots, nuts around and pack them to take with you. Then when you feel the urge to eat between meals, it will be lower calorie and healthy for you!
5. Exercise regularly and get adequate sleep. Your mood is more manageable and your body can more effectively fight stress when it’s fit and well rested.
   

   Get back on track!

So, I am going to forgive myself for my emotional eating this past week and start fresh today. I have learned from the experience, and I am making a plan to prevent it in the future. I am going to focus on the positive things I do (such as my exercise schedule) and the changes I am making in my eating habits and continue to be healthy!

Be happy! Be healthy out there! I love you all!

Okay, let’s face it. We all have a lot of excuses as to why or how we cannot bring new, healthy behaviors into our lives. Most of the excuses revolve around time. Between work, and children and living companions and animals and house maintenance, etc. there are a million excuses. So, I thought it might be nice to suggest some simple ways to sneak healthy behaviors into our lives. Here are my top 10 (as of today!):

1. Commit to 15 minutes! I spent a lot of time, while consulting at a premier spa, helping people find time to exercise. These were busy people, sometimes very famous people, who had a hard time fitting exercise into their lives, especially if their looks were not a factor in their fame. But the great thing about most of these people is that they usually had, or could easily get, access to wonderful exercise equipment. Many of them had treadmills, or exercise bikes or elliptical trainers in their homes, but they never used them. One way I was able to get people started into a more active lifestyle was to suggest they only do 15 minutes (actually in some cases, I only required 10 minutes, but that’s another story). No matter how busy your life is, you can usually find 15 lousy minutes to get on the bike or treadmill or elliptical, or, for those of us without the equipment, go for a walk or jog or swim.  If you tell yourself you only have to do 15 minutes (or 10 minutes!) then it is a much easier commitment. Some days that is all you will do and that is better than nothing. But most times, you will find that after 10 or 15 minutes you are starting to feel good and it will be just fine to do 5 more minutes or 5 more minutes after that. But the bottom line is you have my permission to do only 15 minutes!
2. 

   An exercise ball at your desk forces you to sit with good posture

   Practice good posture. Have you ever seen an unhealthy person with good posture? Not usually. On the other hand, have you ever seen a healthy person with bad posture? Of course you have!  Our whole inner being and happiness and health is reflected in how we carry ourselves.  The only way to have and maintain good posture is to practice it.   Set an alarm on your phone. Wear a ribbon or rubber band around your wrist. Put a sign in your work area. Something to remind you to straighten up. The more times you can do this in a day, the better your posture will be without thinking. Another thing you can do is bring an exercise ball to your desk. One of those large balls that you can sit on while you work at your desk. The act of sitting on these balls automatically puts you in good posture. And you can burn a few more calories by bouncing around on it!

3. If you have a sweet tooth, choose fruit. When you have that craving for something sweet, try a piece of fruit and see what happens before you indulge in the candy bar or piece of cake. You may be surprised how well it works if you give it a chance.
4. Practice portion control. This is more difficult than it sounds, but try very hard to cut your portions in half for a week and see what happens. Put half of that restaurant meal away before you even start or take only half of what you usually do at home and see if you really want more when you are done.
5. Add vegetables to frozen/saved meals. There are quite a few healthy frozen dinners out there these days. Part of the problem is that the portions and calories can be quite small and leave us feeling unsatisfied which can lead to overeating things that may not be so good for us! What I like to do is just throw in some fresh cut veggies to bulk up the meal without adding a lot of empty calories. I sometimes cut up a bunch and keep them in a zip-loc bag in the fridge to use during the week.  You can do this with saved meals from a restaurant as well.
6. 

   Exercise during TV commercial breaks!

   Exercise in front of the TV. Even if it is only during the commercials, get down on the floor or on your exercise ball and do a few sit-ups, pushups, planks (or other core body work as I demonstrated in an earlier post). Or just do your stretching while watching TV. You will feel so much better about indulging in your favorite TV show!

7. Drink more water. Try to drink at least one 8-ounce glass of water with each meal and one in between each meal. And try to drink a glass of water in between each alcoholic drink when you imbibe. You will eat a slightly smaller amount of calories and possibly drink less alcohol which can be a big calorie addition.
8. Get up and walk around in the office. Get up whenever possible. Walk to the rest room that is farther away rather than the closest. Take stairs to go to floors that are only 2 or 3 flights. But avoid the areas where temptations may lie (like a co-worker that always has goodies on their desk or the break room where treats may lurk). Or go for a walk during your “smoke” break. Smokers tend to take their 10 minutes breaks every hour or two, why can’t you?
9. Eat meat as a condiment. Use vegetables as your main course and meat as a smaller side. Just a different way of thinking of things. Remember that quarter rule – one quarter lean protein, one quarter whole grains and two quarters vegetables (or fruits).
10. Plan to be healthy! Pack healthy meals when going to work and cook ahead and freeze meals for those nights when you don’t have time to cook.  Yes, it takes a little work, but it is so worth it for the convenience and healthier habits you will ingrain. Bring fruit and leftovers to work for lunch. Pack carrot sticks or healthy nuts for snacks. If you have these things with you, you will not be as tempted by unhealthy foods. Also, plan for some activity. Take along exercise clothes and shoes so that there is no excuse to go home first!

I hope you find this list helpful and can implement a few into your life. Interestingly, not everyone agrees with this approach. Associate professor at the NYU School of Medicine, Marc Siegal, MD, told WebMD that the idea of stealth health is, “a small, gimmicky idea to target people with very unhealthy lifestyles,” and that these small actions are like “using a Band-aid to stop a hemorrhage.” In other words, he feels stealth health isn’t a long-term answer for the very people who need to make the most drastic changes to save their health. I can understand his point – to a point. Some health conditions are dire and require immediate, sometimes drastic, changes, but getting started is sometimes the hardest part, yes?  I think many people are overwhelmed by what it takes to get healthy, lose weight, or start exercising. Overhauling your diet, lifestyle, and exercise routine (or lack thereof) overnight is overwhelming! This can set many people up for failure, causing them to give up before they even try. But starting with small tasks is manageable. If walking for 10 minutes or just adding one piece of fruit to each day is all you can manage for right now, it is better than nothing, yes? And in my opinion, it often leads to more healthy behaviors as you adapt.
What do you think? Do you think stealth health works? What are some of the ways you sneak small bits of health, fitness or good nutrition into your days?

Happy Friday!

It is time for our first week report on our healthy journey! Thanks for those of you who have committed to joining me on this adventure! If you don’t know what I am talking about, check out last Fridays post. So, Jenna, Dianne, Paula, Michele and others… it’s time to check in! Also, it is not too late to join in the fun. Just commit to a goal for the week to live healthier! Then report back next week. Look forward to hearing from you.

Here is  my report.  My goals for the week and how I met them (or not!):

30 minutes minimum of aerobic exercise at least 5 times.

I accomplished this with jog/walks on the beach, lap swimming in the pool, flamenco rehearsals and exercise bike at the gym! Check!

Strength-training 2 times during the week.

Find a way to exercise wherever you are!

This was tougher due to being in San Diego without access to my gym.  Normally, I would have just skipped it until I got back.  But, because of my commitment, I did 2 days of a modified strength program of push-ups, dips, lunges and squats (along with some core exercises) while in San Diego, then one day at the gym after returning. Check!

Drinking more water, and water with every meal.

I did pretty well with this. I believe it lead to less wine consumption overall. Maybe…

Reducing portion sizes by at least a third.

I was very conscious of this and think I came pretty close, but I do need to work harder at it. I also had a big lapse when driving back from San Diego, I got an In-n-Out burger and fries that probably was what set me back! I had let myself get way too hungry and couldn’t pass on the fries! Lesson learned. Onward…

Lose 1-2 lbs of (hopefully) fat.

Well, I am going to be completely honest. I only lost 0.5 lbs. I am hopeful that due to drinking more water and exercising a fair amount, the scale is not showing my full fat loss!! Also, we all know how much our weight can fluctuate for various reasons from day to day. What’s important is not giving up, incorporating and sticking to healthy behaviors and slowly losing that body fat. It will show up when it’s ready!  I need to be persistent!

On to Week Two!!

Okay, it seems for me my culprit is eating (and drinking) too much. What is it that was an obstacle for you?

Stay away from temptation!

Due to my needs and wanting to share my strategies, I have come up with ten tips for eating less. I am going to try to follow them all this week. We all could probably eat a little less.

1. Don’t let yourself get too hungry! I find if I get too hungry I eat more at the next meal and make poorer choices. Also, going too long between fueling can slow your metabolism. Keep that engine revved up! Eat smaller portions more often.
2. Take your time. We all have heard that it takes our brain about 20 minutes before we realize we are full. Allow time. Eat slowly and enjoy every bite! If you still want more after 20 minutes, then you can re-negotiate.
3. Use smaller plates, bowls and utensils for serving. Studies have shown that people who were given smaller serving spoons and plates or bowls, ate about 25% less.
4. Know your weaknesses. Try to figure out ways to avoid encounters with tempting things. Plan ahead. Find another route through the office if someone has tempting things on their desk!
5. Measure your foods. One of the things that Weight Watchers taught me was about portion
   

   One ounce of nuts measured out for a snack later.

   sizes. I actually measured on a scale what an ounce of nuts looks like, a half-cup of rice and what 4 ounces of wine looks like in my glass! I need to get back to this.

6. Plate your food properly. Keep these proportions in mind when cooking or plating your food. One half of your serving (plate) should be vegetables, one quarter should be lean protein and one quarter should be whole grains.
7. Eat some protein at each meal or snack. When cutting back on volume, it is often difficult to get enough protein. Protein helps to increase the feeling of fullness as well since it takes longer to digest. Focus on lean proteins when possible. A great snack is just one ounce (measure it out!) of nuts. (Read more about the health benefits of nuts).  You’ll be surprise how well this small amount of fat and protein will keep hunger at bay.
8. Eat breakfast! Just do it. No excuses about not being hungry in the morning, etc. Train yourself to eat breakfast to get your metabolic engine going and so that you are not too hungry before or at lunch time!
9. Doggie Bag it. Restaurants serve way too much food. We all know this. I have heard different strategies from different people. One woman I know (when she can’t take the food with her) pours salt on half of her meal to make it unpalatable! I wouldn’t go that far, but I have asked for a to-go container right up front and put half away before I even start. Or I sometimes discreetly divide it in half on my plate and try to eat only one side. This one is less successful, but is better than just eating until I think I am full.
10. Keep a food journal. Yuck! I know what you are thinking. And this one will be the MOST difficult for me! I hate writing down everything I eat or drink. Such a pain! But, studies have confirmed that those that keep food journals lose more weight. Period. I tend to believe it is because they are compulsive type people anyway, but you can’t argue with the facts. I’m starting today… sigh…

I can’t wait to hear how your week went.

What goals did you make for the week and how close did you come to meeting them?

Maybe we can work together to find ways to stick with them better, or maybe make better goals! I’m looking forward to your comments!

It is finally happening! I think the government, health-care providers and even the general public are finally getting the message that exercise is good medicine! It has been a long time coming! More and more research and then presentation of this information to the public and to health professionals is accumulating fast!

A recent publication is a case in point. Healing through Exercise: A New Way to Prevent and Overcome

She is taking her medicine!

Illness-and Lengthen Your Life by Jorge Blech (March 2009) presents research from the U.S. and Europe and opinions of medical professionals pointing to exercise as the key to health and longevity and a powerful way to significantly cut health-care costs. Exercise as medicine is not a new development, yet we seem to be just beginning to understand this.

A fifty-four year-old article was brought to my attention this morning and I just had to share some of it with all of you.The Case for Exercise by W.A. Pullum from the Health and Strength Annual 1954. Read the original HERE.

“Physical culture, however, as any competent authority interprets the term, is not the production of extremes in achievement that verge on the abnormal, but simply the creation through intelligent exercise (as far as this medium applies) a condition where all the organs of the body perform efficiently the work for which Nature has designed them, setting up automatically in the process a regular state of vigorous health.”

I like that term “Physical culture.” I think we are having a real resurgence of the idea of “physical culture.” It’s about time!

“The case for exercise would need no urging if only it were better appreciated how by its sane employment so much can be done — and often,  so easily — in the various directions so many need.”  Then he goes on to discuss constipation, common colds, nervous system disorders, slipped discs, and even asthma.

Unfortunately, one thing is different now. More and more people actually understand and accept how important exercise is and how good it is for their health than in the 1950s. But we still seem to need much urging in order to make it happen.

We  know that positive attitudes about exercise and knowledge about the benefits of exercise are insufficient in promoting exercise habits. Otherwise, more people would be doing it. We need to connect to deeply held values and a purpose beyond someone’s self-interest.  This is more difficult than it sounds.

Exercise really needs to be viewed as a drug and very few clinicians or patients understand this. I believe it is one of the most powerful “drugs” that we have in the treatment of certain chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. Unlike typical commercial drugs, exercise can actually cause one to go into permanent remission for certain diseases.

Exercise, like any drug, has to be taken at certain doses, with certain frequency and for a certain period of time in order to get the benefits. In all the research I have perused for many years, there seems to be a threshold of exercise dosage that gives the most benefits. And benefits there are! We will talk more about this later, but for now I am going to do a short list of things that exercise can positively change in your life:

Improves mood (decreases depression, anxiety)

Improves weight maintenance

Helps cancer prevention and recovery

Strengthens heart and lungs

Improves cholesterol, triglycerides

Decreases high blood pressure

Improves blood glucose tolerance

Decreases stress

Increases stamina

Strengthens bones

Improves arthritis symptoms

Improves sex

Hastens recovery from trauma, surgery, illness

Helps keep mind sharp (improves brain function, decreases dementia)

Decreases sick days and health care costs

Decreases back pain

Improves sleep

Increases recreational options

And there are more! So many positive benefits that I can’t even mention them all. And now I will reveal that secret dosage to you! Are you ready?

Here it is: In order to get the benefits listed above (plus many more), exercise  should be done for 45 minutes, every day (may take a day off), at a medium high intensity(difficulty to carry a conversation). This is more important if you are overweight, have hypertension, diabetes, high triglycerides or high cholesterol.

So there you have it! Exercise prescription for a multitude of benefits! But don’t have an all-or-nothing mentality about this. It’s okay to start small (10-15 minutes a day!) and build from there.

So, take your 45 minutes of exercise! And call me in the morning!

Happy Friday Everyone!

Okay, I have a confession to make. If you have looked at my blog pictures, you know that I am not a skinny person! I am not technically overweight (according to BMI and other obesity ratings), but I feel I am over-fat for what is healthy for me. That darn middle-age has changed everything… along with some other great excuses! We all have times in our lives that give us great excuses for not being as healthy as we should be. Here are mine from the past 2 years:

• Obesity runs in my family big-time (weight control has always been a struggle)!
  

  This is NOT what my scale reads right now!

• Got divorced and depressed
• Sudden onset of debilitating back pain which halted all exercise
• Major surgery
• My Mom died while all this was going on

As you might imagine, during that time, I gained a little weight. Probably about 10 pounds. I was just beginning to get back into shape and had lost half the fat pounds when:

• I got laid off from my job
• I got restricted by a chronically inflamed achilles.

My activity level has had to drop again and that along with enjoying a lot of travel and an amazing new social life, my weight has gone back up again!

So, what’s a person to do? Go public with the information and the subsequent program, of course! Anyone game to join me? I’m putting myself out there, somebody please come with me! You don’t have to want or need to lose weight to join. Maybe you just know you need to improve your habits a bit and you are ready to set goals.

Health goals, like any other goals in life need to be SMART. You have heard this before, but let me reiterate:

S = Specific
M = Measurable
A = Attainable
R = Realistic
T = Timely

Specific means that it should be clear and meaningful as to exactly what you are going to do. Losing weight, is not specific. Cut my portion sizes in half and drink water with every meal is more specific. But your long-term goal of losing weight is still in the background.

Measureable means you need to set concrete criteria and you need to be able to measure progress.

Attainable means that it is doable… not necessarily easy. Having a goal of losing 30 pounds in a month is not attainable. One to two pounds a week is more realistic.

Realistic is very similar to attainable. You can have all the best intentions, but if completely abstaining from sweets is not realistic for you, don’t set that goal. Take baby steps and gradually take the sweets out of your diet. Deprivation is not the best way to attain a goal.

Timely means you set deadlines or time-frames that are measurable and attainable!

Here’s what we will do — well, what I will do and I hope some of you will chime in and do it with me!

I (we?) will weigh in every Friday and honestly report any weight change and/or change in behaviors. Today is ground zero.

My plan is to try to lose 1-2 pounds of fat per week.  I will be eating healthy and sufficiently as well as strength-training so that I don’t lose muscle mass. I have a long-term goal of losing 8-10 pounds, so we are talking about 2 months most likely.  Along with the weigh-in each Friday, I will be giving tips on how to best exercise to lose fat weight and also some recipes and nutrition tips.  It’s going to be tough. I can gain weight just looking at food!

Let’s get started…

No need to report weights. We’ll just report pounds lost and exercise done. Or report your positive behavior changes, i.e., I only had ice cream twice this week instead of daily!

Here is my plan for the week: I will do aerobic exercise 5 days (at least 30 minutes) and continue my 2x/week strength-training. I already eat pretty healthily, but I eat too much (and drink too much wine)!  So, my plan for this week is to cut my portions of meat and white carbs (eat only whole grains) in half.  I am also going to drink water with every meal! We’ll see how it goes!

This week will be tough, too, because I will be in San Diego visiting! But lifestyle changes need to be able to be done no matter where life takes you, yes?

Who’s In??

What is YOUR plan for this week?

Can you do just one thing this week to be healthier? Tell me what it is!

There has been mounting evidence in the last few years that the spread of obesity — not just in our country, but around the developed world — may be much more than availability of unhealthy food and lack of exercise. Although, these are important factors, we humans are so much more complicated than that!

In 2007, researchers from Harvard and the University of California, San Diego, reviewed a database of 12,067 densely interconnected people — that is, a group that included many families and friends — who had all participated in a major American heart study (Framingham Heart Study) between 1971 and 2003. The participants met with heart researchers every two to four years. To facilitate study follow-up, the researchers asked participants to name family members and at least one friend who could be called on if the participant changed addresses.

Is obesity contagious? (Bing Images)

According to their analysis, when a study participant’s friend became obese, that first participant had a 57% greater chance of becoming obese himself. In pairs of people in which each identified the other as a close friend, when one person became obese the other had a 171% greater chance of following suit. Wow.

Geographic distance between friends in the study seemed to have no impact: friends who lived a 5-hour drive apart and saw each other infrequently were just as influenced by each other’s weight gains as those who lived close enough to share meals and social events. The obvious question is, Why? Spouses share meals and a home, but the researchers found a much smaller risk of gaining weight — a 37% increase — when one spouse became obese. Siblings share genes, but their influence, too, was much smaller, increasing each other’s risk 40%. Maybe the effect has much more to do with social norms: whom we look to when considering appropriate social behavior. Having fat friends makes being fat seem more acceptable. Your spouse may not be the person you look to when you’re deciding what kind of body image is appropriate. But why do we not necessarily compare ourselves to our siblings? I guess that old saying rings true here, “You can choose your friends, you cannot choose your family.”

Socializing with overweight people can change what we perceive as the norm; it raises our tolerance for obesity both in others and in ourselves. It’s about being comfortable. Past research has shown that adults tend to eat more around friends and family than they do with strangers. Are overweight diners more likely to tone down how much they eat in front of skinny people to avoid the stigma of overeating?

Do you eat less with the opposite sex? (Bing Image)

When it comes to holding back, there’s nothing like the opposite sex to curb our appetites, at least when we’re single and female. In a study to be published in the October issue of Appetite, researchers at Montreal’s McGill University secretly observed 460 college students eating in the campus cafeterias. They found that when a woman was with a man, she ate about 100 calories less than when she was with a woman. The more men that were present in the eating groups, the fewer calories a woman had on her tray. Women ate roughly 100 fewer calories for each man at the table! But there was no such effect on men! Wish that worked for me!

A study published in the August issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition finds that how much tweens and teens eat can be influenced by how much their friends weigh. In the study, 130 kids ages 9 to 15 were allowed to snack as much as they wanted while hanging out with a friend or with a peer they did not know. All the kids ate more when they were with a friend than with a stranger. But the overweight children ate the most when paired with an overweight friend — an average of 300 more calories than when they spent time with leaner friends. The research also found that friendship itself makes the appetite grow stronger: when overweight kids ate with similar-weight kids who were already their pals, they threw back an extra 250 calories than when they ate with chubby kids they had just met. Lead researcher and clinical psychologist Sarah-Jeanne Salvy says her research demonstrates an eye-opening social theory: obesity can be contagious. But that is socially contagious.

To take it a step further, there is accumulating evidence that certain viruses may cause obesity.

A study in the January 2006 issue of the American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology published by the American Physiological Society suggests that obesity isn’t just spreading; rather, it may be contagious between people, like a common cold.

More recently, Nikhil Dhurandhar, an associate professor at The Pennington Biomedical Research Center, in Baton Rouge, La., said the virus, known as adenovirus-36 or AD-36, infects the lungs then finds its way around the body, forcing fat cells to multiply. “When this virus goes to fat tissue it replicates, making more copies of itself and in the process increases the number of new fat cells, which may explain why the fat tissue expands and why people get fat when they are infected with this virus,” Dhurandhar said.

In one test, a third of obese people had the rare and highly contagious virus compared to just 11 percent of thinner people. Weight gain can last three months until the body has built up resistance to the bug. Researchers are now trying to figure out why some people seem to become obese after Ad-36 infection while others don’t.

So, what do we learn from all this? The answer isn’t to ditch our fat friends. Social isolation is a much worse place to be. Some research has found that overweight people eat an average of 400 calories more when they’re alone, compared with when they’re in the company of friends of any weight group. You do not stop seeing people because they are fat, but you might be able to influence them into leading a healthier lifestyle by living a healthier life yourself. If you are in the habit of only eating and doing sedentary social activities with your overweight friends, then change that. Invite them to join you in healthier meals at home or recreational activities.

I feel it may be the idea of misery wanting company. If we are trying to eat better and exercise more, we don’t want to push that on someone else. We don’t want to appear high and mighty over them and their choices, so we slip into their lifestyle. There is no reason why this phenomenon cannot work the other way around. If you are overweight, make a point to hang out with thinner people and see if normal weight can be contagious, too!

How do you feel about this?

Do you eat more with certain friends?

Do you eat less around the opposite sex?