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Planning for Optimal Health by Dr. Lori Shemek

December 28, 2011 By 4 Comments

Wouldn’t it be nice if we were to just snap our fingers and all we wanted in life appeared instantly? We all know this isn’t a reality so we have to create our life, not with the snap of the fingers, but with a plan. We have control. 

Creating healthy change is almost as easy as snapping your fingers if you have that blueprint to take you to health success. Making, pardon the pun, ‘snap’ decisions regarding your health is a plan for failure. Why? Because you don’t have the necessary steps laid-out in front of you. You have to live your life on purpose!

For example, if you know you’ll be going to visit Grandma and she always cooks high calorie foods and sweets, your plan then is to eat a small healthy meal before you go that includes a lean protein and a smaller amount of complex carbohydrates (whole grains, beans, fruits or veggies) to help minimize the urge to overdo it at Grandma’s table.

Other health habits to include in your plan for success:

Get enough sleep.  Keeping your phone, computer or television by your side will prevent you from getting the 7-8 hours of sleep a night. Also, if you are a night owl, consider hitting the sack 1 hour earlier to acclimate your body to a longer sleep cycle. Sleep is vital to optimal health, emotional health and weight loss. 

Plan and prepare your food. The key to a healthy diet is to plan what you are going to purchase at the store and what you are going to make for your meals. Have your grocery list full of healthy foods in hand when you go shopping. Prepare most of your meals in advance. Step out of the ‘Convenience Culture’ mentality that is slowly damaging your health.  Stopping at the drive-thru is convenient yes…but it is also your first class ticket to weight gain and poor health. Pre-chop those veggies, boil a carton of eggs for meals and snacks, make those lunches the night before. By planning and preparing your meals, you are setting yourself-up for healthy success.

Schedule Your Exercise. Select a day and a time to exercise that you absolutely know you will stick to! Put it in your appointment book or calendar and honor it as you would a doctor appointment. This action is ‘accountability’ and accountability is vital for any successful endeavor including fitness. If you are consistent with this, exercising will become something that you do automatically, much like brushing your teeth.

Whether your goal is to eat healthier, lose weight, reduce stress, age younger, or just create optimal health, you’ll find a plan is your key to achieving optimal health.

Dr. Lori Shemek is a Health Expert for the #1 ABC Show “Good Morning Texas!”  She is the author of “Fire-Up Your Fat Burn:  Super-Easy Quick Tips, Strategies and Goals”  http://dlsHealthWorks.com/

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You’ve Committed, Now What…

December 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Congratulations on committing to re-enter the fitness world! It’s been awhile, so where to start? When your workout has taken a back seat to life, try these easy tips to get moving again. You’ll super-charge your motivation with super-results!

Scenario: Injury. Just because you’re unable to continue your current mode of exercise doesn’t mean giving it up all together. Most training plans can be adjusted to work around injury. Be smart, use common sense to not exercise through pain, enlist aid from a professional, but keep moving. Moving often helps the physical healing process, and will do wonders mentally and emotionally as well.
Expert strategy: Try cross-training! Cross-training provides an unaccustomed effect and burns more calories allowing you to work around your injury. If you have an injured upper body, try a stationary bicycle cardio workout. If you have an injured lower body, try an upper body ergometer. Unable to do high impact exercise as you’re used to? Jump in the pool for a non impact workout.  Unable to lift heavy weights for awhile? Try a challenging exercise band or body weight circuit workout.

Scenario: Poor performance. Every once in awhile regardless of training efforts, our performance will be less than par. While it’s hard to mentally accept the outcome, quitting will only lead to regrets and wondering what could have been. For example, you trained so hard for the 5K, but an unexpected sinus infection caused your performance to slip.
Expert strategy: Reset your mental focus! For example, write down what was a controllable-factor contributing to your poor performance (hydration, food the night before and during the race, sleep), and what was uncontrollable (sinus infection.) Let go of the un-controllables, and then sign up for a new event or goal.

Scenario: Time away from working out. In everyone’s journey to healthy living, there will be times when exercise must wait or be modified.
Expert strategy: Focus on consistency! Remember that living healthy is cumulative, every little bit counts. Take what time and energy is available and make healthy choices. For example, set a goal to workout 3 days a week to start. Use a calendar to mark your progress.

Scenario: Travel. Tending to obligations out of town can be time consuming and tiring. For example, the unexpected travel your boss required last quarter meant you had to forego your favorite spin classes for several weeks.
Expert strategy: Plan ahead! Next time you have to travel, research your visiting town beforehand.  Find a gym where you may purchase a guest pass to attend their spin class, or pack your running shoes and head out for a jog after your meetings.

By Nicole Clancy

Filed Under: Get Fit Quick Tagged With: ,

Healthy Holiday Treat Tricks by Betsy Markle

December 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Holidays always seem to be filled with mixed emotion. Obviously it a joyous time filled with family, friends, and lots of yummy treats, but then there are also the 500 calorie eggnog drinks, the endless amount of chocolate and candy, the inactivity, the insane levels of stress, and most of all, the guilt that everyone feels by the end of the season.

Luckily, little healthy changes and habits can make a huge impact.  Here are three nutrition tips how to be healthy during the holidays without feeling deprived.

Do not skip more than 4 hours between meals. Try to eat a balanced meal or snack every 2-4 hours. With a level blood sugar, your cravings will be minimized and you will stay energized.

Stick with water, water, water and if you want to indulge in an alcoholic drink, choose wisely.  Spiced eggnog with rum has approximately 450 calories, 10 grams saturated fat, 60 grams carbohydrates and 50 grams sugar!

Bring a healthy dish to parties. Start a light healthy dish as a holiday tradition. Here are a few recipes to get started:

Bocconcini Tomato Skewers: Festive red, white and green appetizer

20 cherry bocconcini or ovolini cheese, or 5 regular bocconcini sliced into quarters
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 Tablespoons chopped fresh chives
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
20 small cherry tomatoes
40 small fresh basil leaves

Put the bocconcini in a bowl with the oil, parsley, chives, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Cut each cherry tomato in half and thread one half on a skewer or toothpick, followed by a basil leaf, then bocconcini, another leaf and then another tomato half.  Repeat with more skewers and the remaining ingredients and serve.

Butternut Harvest Apple Soup:

¼ cup ghee (clarified butter) or butter
2 large leeks (white & light green parts), chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 cups cubed butternut squash
2 cups diced carrots
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored & chopped
8 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup coconut milk
½ tsp ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup chopped chives

Melt ghee (or butter) in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in leeks and onions and cook for 5 minutes.  Add potato, squash, carrots, apples, and stock. Bring to boil then reduce to medium-low, cover, then simmer for 20 minutes (till vegetables are soft). Puree soup (in batches in blender or with stick blender in pot). Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper; simmer gently for 5 minutes. Ladle into bowls and garnish with chives.  Makes a large pot of soup.

Creamy Pumpkin Soup:

2 tablespoons ghee or butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 (15 oz.) cans solid packed pumpkin or use your own puree
1 quart water
1 cup coconut milk (I use So Delicious brand – unsweetened)
2 tablespoons raw agave nectar or maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat; add onion and cook, stirring often until very soft, about 8 minutes. Add pumpkin, water, coconut milk, syrup, salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, whisking often. (Soup can be made 1 day ahead. Let cool and then cover and chill. Bring to a simmer before serving.)

Dairy Free Pumpkin Nut Smoothie: Low sugar smoothie balanced with protein

1 cup unsweetened organic applesauce
¼ cup creamy salted organic peanut butter
¼ cup creamy salted organic almond butter
¾ cup canned organic pumpkin (unsweetened)
1 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp pumpkin spice
¾ cup light coconut milk
Sweetened with agave as needed
Directions: Blend together.  Makes approximately 4 x 8oz cups

Betsy Markle, Registered Dietitian & Certified Personal Trainer
www.SunshineWellnessInstitute.com
Phone: 609.849.2222
Fax: 888.849.0169
Please contact us to learn more about our 7 Step Nutrition Workbook & Resource Guide, 9 Day Natural Detox Program and Nutrition Consulting.

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5 Ways to Stay Fit While Traveling by Derek Peruo

December 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Don’t let the hustle and bustle of the holidays prevent keeping up with workouts! Staying fit while traveling simply takes a little planning and creativity. Here are five ways to stay fit:

CARRY YOUR LUGGAGE
Stop rolling your luggage around, and start carrying it by the handle or on your back! This simple change will work your arms, your legs, and your core without taking any time away from your travel plans. In a large airport or train station, all this additional carrying will add up quickly to a serious workout.

CALL AHEAD AND RESERVE AN APPOINTMENT WITH A PROFESSIONAL FITNESS TRAINER
Call your hotel before getting there and schedule a training session with the personal trainer on staff. You are much more likely to stick to your fitness plan if you have an appointment scheduled. Plus, working with a trainer means you don’t need to think about what to do in the gym; the trainer will take care of that. If there’s no trainer on staff, ask the hotel where the nearest gym is and schedule a training session there.

BRING YOUR OWN EQUIPMENT
Not every hotel will have access to a gym, so you may need to bring your own equipment. Resistance bands or a bodyweight suspension trainer are perfect for situations like this. They are light-weight and come with a variety of pre-planned workouts you can do on your own

DRINK WATER AND PACK SNACKS
Long trips in planes, trains, and automobiles can lead to dehydration. Bring a water bottle where ever you go, and keep it full at all times. This way you know you will always have water on hand. Do the same with snacks: pack them with you, so you know there is always a healthy option available.

Derek Peruo, CSCS, is a personal trainer in New York City, and designs training programs for his clientele. He has written and consulted for Men’s Fitness and Muscle & Fitness magazines. http://bodybydrock.com

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Optimal Exercise by Dr. Bushman

December 14, 2011 By Leave a Comment

What is an “optimal” exercise prescription?
What will bring about the greatest results for the time invested in an exercise program? 

A study by researchers at Duke University Medical Center and East Carolina University published in the November 2011 issue of the American Journal of Physiology – Endocrinology and Metabolism provides some insight. The researchers compared aerobic training to resistance training to see the impact on fat stores, along with some other health-related measures, in a group of overweight or obese inactive adults. Although both visceral fat (the fat within the abdominal cavity surrounding the internal organs) and subcutaneous fat (the fat just under the skin) were assessed, the focus was on visceral fat due to its relationship with type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and even some cancers. Researchers found that aerobic exercise including use of treadmills, elliptical trainers, and/or cycle ergometers was superior to resistance training for reducing body mass, subcutaneous fat, and visceral fat. Aerobic exercisers included an equivalent of about 12 miles per week (about 132 minutes) at an intensity around 75% of their peak oxygen uptake while the resistance training group exercised 3 days per week, 3 sets per day with 8-12 repetitions per set, for 8 different exercises.

Based on the study results, for individuals with limited time to exercise, aerobic exercise appears to be more time-efficient and effective than resistance training to reduce body weight and fat. Does this mean that resistance training is of no value?  Rushing to that conclusion is premature. Realize this study focused on very specific outcome measures and thus did not examine the effect of resistance training on improvements in other important health parameters like blood pressure or bone mass, both of which have been found to be improved with resistance training in other studies.

Bottom line: Resistance training IS important for improving strength and lean body mass, even if its role in reducing visceral fat wasn’t found in this study.  Thus, don’t throw out the concept of a balanced exercise program for overall health, which includes both aerobic exercise and resistance training. 

For a complete look at the research study, see http://ajpendo.physiology.org/content/301/5.toc.  For more information on the benefits and components of a complete exercise program, see ACSM’s Position Stand on Quantity and Quality of Exercise for Developing and Maintaining Cardiorespiratory, Musculoskeletal, and Neuromuscular Fitness in Apparently Healthy Adults: Guidance for Prescribing Exercise (http://www.acsm.org/access-public-information/position-stands) or a summary of this material at http://www.healthyourwayonline.com/?s=bushman. 

Dr. Bushman is a Professor at Missouri State University and is American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) certified as a Program Director, Clinical Exercise Specialist, Health Fitness Specialist, and Personal Trainer.  She is the editor of ACSM’s Complete Guide to Fitness & Health (Human Kinetics, 2011, http://www.humankinetics.com/products/all-products/acsms-complete-guide-to-fitness–health), a book focused on optimizing both exercise and nutrition to improve fitness and health for individuals of all ages. For more health and fitness related tips, join Dr. Bushman’s Fitness ID Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/FitnessID) to discover, develop, evolve, and personalize your FITNESS ID. Dr. Bushman also is the lead author of ACSM’s Action Plan for Menopause (Human Kinetics, 2005,

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Staying Stress-Free by Juli Shulem

December 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Do you become flustered around the holidays between trying to spend extra time with family and friends, more cooking and baking, as well as attending end-of-year parties. Scheduling and planning skills are in high demand at this time of the year!

Here are 6 strategies for surviving the holidays:

Don’t take on any new commitments. Beginning a new project is generally not a good idea unless you had planned on it and scheduled it weeks or months ago.

Plan your week in advance on Sunday night so you know what you have coming up. If there are several parties you plan to attend, you might be able to group certain tasks together in order to lessen the time it takes to get them all done.

Prepare a gift list on a spread sheet or similar program in order to keep good track of who you have acquired gifts for and who is still on your list. Keep a “gift cabinet” or designate an area where you can regularly keep gifts for others. In order to not forget what you got for whom, place a sticky note on the items for specific individuals.

Schedule a day for wrapping and get it all done at once. That way the mess is made and cleaned up in one session reducing the clutter carrying itself all over and creating a bigger clean up job later on.

Note all the events and activities you will attend over the month of December on your calendar.  Place the paper related to them (invitations, flyers) in a folder entitled “coming up soon” so you can keep the various papers from getting lost around the office or house. You will find it again when you go to the event and need the address/information.

Make a comprehensive list of all the tasks you would like to complete before year’s end. Be mindful however of your desired outcome for the end of the year so that you don’t place too high of an expectation on yourself and fall short of your goals. Sometimes the goal set is not even worthwhile. Perhaps it has been on your list for months and you feel the need to rush to complete it only to realize it has no importance any longer. Prioritize what is important.

Contributed by Juli Shulem (jshulem@gmail.com/805-964-2389), Efficiency/ ADHD Coach. www.julishulem.com, Efficiency Expert since 1984, and author of the eBook, Order! A Logical Approach to an Organized Way of Life, www.getordernow.com

Filed Under: Big Picture of Health Tagged With: ,

8 Simple Steps to Fill the Nutritional Void of School Lunches By Dr. Kent Sasse

December 6, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Remember when you went to middle school, and the choices you encountered in the hot lunch line? I still can clearly recall the tater tots and fish sticks as well as a gallon jar of oily peanut butter! Sure, there might have been an apple as well, but the point is when kids are faced with unhealthy options they will gravitate towards them. The school lunch has received attention recently for nutritional void- truth is the hot lunches we dealt with when we were kids are confronting our kids now.

Here are 8 simple steps to fill the nutritional void from school lunches.

Step 1: Take time to pack your kids lunch with them, either the night before or the morning of school. Parents directly influence meal choices their kids make; packing a lunch at home is the best way to prevent poor choices. Understandably, preparing a lunch is inconvenient in what can be a chaotic time of day; sending money in place of a lunchbox is much more conducive. But, first and foremost this is more than just lunch. We are “teaching and educating” kids on how much and what to eat.

Step 2: Completely remove soda and juice boxes. Sodas are responsible for the most extra calories in today’s diets (12 ounces has about 150 calories). If it is carbonation kids crave, introduce flavored sparkling waters that are infused with natural flavors. Try a brand that doesn’t add artificial sugars. Even the tradition milk, or chocolate milk, is a healthier option, packing vitamins and protein.

Step 3: Replace the mayonnaise with mustard. Trade the high fat and cholesterol condiment for the flavorful yellow alternative. French’s classic mustard boasts zero fat and zero cholesterol, and a little mustard goes a long way on sandwiches.

Step 4: Pack lean protein lunch meats. Sure, hotdogs and bologna are a favorite of kids, and adults, but the high sodium and high fat meats pack little to no protein. Protein is an important component in a child’s growing body, from rebuilding muscles to supplying the necessary antibodies to fight off diseases. Think grilled chicken breast, lean turkey or tuna salad as a lunch alternative.

Step 5: Fruit with yogurt is a sweet alternative to store bought dessert. Forget the three C’s: cookies, cake, and candy, it is just as easy to pack an apple or banana. Get creative with a homemade parfait by adding yogurt and granola to the mix. 

Step 6: Replace potato chips with something healthy and crunchy. With high sodium, fat and calories, it is difficult to see any redeeming quality to serving chips on a regular basis. Give vegetables a chance to replace the fun and crunchy aspect of chips. Fill celery sticks with almond butter (a great alternative to peanut butter), or pack snap peas and carrots with a side of hummus.

Step 7: Forget the white bread and go for whole wheat bread and pita. White bread has been under scrutiny for years, slowly being replaced by whole wheat options. Whole wheat grains are linked to lower risk of health problems, like diabetes. 100% whole wheat bread or whole wheat pitas are great for sandwiches and provide the necessary grains.

Step 8: Put something fun in your kid’s lunch every day. After all these steps, it may seem like your child may not enjoy their lunch as much as before, but that is why this step is important. A little something special, like a Jello cup or fruit roll up can make a lunch something to look forward to…and hopefully not trade with other kids.

Dr. Sasse founded Western Bariatric Institute and iMetabolic. He is also the author of numerous books and a featured speaker nationally in the field of weight loss.

Filed Under: Kids/Teen Corner Tagged With: ,

Home Gym Essentials by Brett Klika

December 2, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Home gyms come in all shapes, sizes and most significantly, prices. It’s important to note however, the true worth of a home gym is not in how much it costs; it’s in how much it’s used.  Low cost, multi-functional, space saving equipment that is used regularly is a lot more effective than elaborate, expensive, space hogging machines that are used primarily as clothing hangers (can you even find that treadmill you bought under everything you have piled on top of it?) Odds are your exercise preference will change over the years. There is no one way you will want to exercise for your entire life. When you buy equipment that allows only a limited amount of exercise options, you’ll eventually get bored and quit. You will want to buy equipment that can adapt to new trends and keep you challenged no matter how you chose to get fit. Below are 4 must-haves for an effective, adaptable, and useable home gym that won’t break the bank. 
 

Selectorized dumbbells ($300-$500). Regardless of your goals or fitness level, dumbbells are hard to beat for adding resistance to your workouts. They can be used in any activity in a nearly un-ending variety of movement patterns to make an exercise more challenging. The only problem with dumbbells is that you often need to have quite a few of them because different activities require different resistances. This can get expensive as well as space-consuming.    

Selectorized dumbbells allow you to use one set of dumbbells and have the ability to change their weight, often from 5 up to over 100 pounds! Different brands use different mechanisms, but you chose the weight you wish to use and when you pick up the dumbbells, it only carries that amount of weight. This not only allows you to do literally thousands of different exercises, it allows you to progress over time.

TRX Suspension Trainer ($120-$150). The TRX is the most significant piece of fitness equipment to hit the market in many years. It’s an extremely simple design, but allows for thousands of exercise variations using your bodyweight as resistance. Developed by Navy Seals to stay strong while in the field, all you need is something sturdy to hang the adjustable nylon straps with handles and foot cradles from. There are an endless number of exercises for strength, power, core, endurance, cardiovascular, and even rehabilitation training. It can be stored in a small bag so you can take the TRX with you if you travel. Multiple videos are available that demonstrate different programs, and TRX constantly updates the information. You will never run out of ways to get fit with this piece of equipment.

Adjustable Weight Lifting Bench ($200-$500).  This is one of those no-frills pieces of equipment that has nearly endless uses.  A bench can be lied on, sat on, jumped on and stepped on. It can be used to modify exercises to make them harder or easier. It takes up little to no space and offers quite a few opportunities, from the creative to the traditional, to shape the body you want.

Resistance Bands with Handles ($15-$30 each, 3 different resistances are recommended).  Resistance bands allow for a unique method of training. Unlike what you can do with the other equipment, resistance bands allow you to work independent of gravity. This offers thousands of exercise options for beginners a well as advanced exercise enthusiasts. With bands you can rotate, push, pull, chop, and do a ton of varied movements, without having to lie on your back or position yourself against gravity. 

Seek professional advice to get started on the right foot. Enlisting guidance from a professional fitness trainer is a great way to learn proper techniques and new exercise methods. Additionally, they’ll keep you accountable in the years to come.

Brett Klika C.S.C.S., Director of Athletics at Fitness Quest 10, is a world renowned human performance specialist, motivational speaker, author, and educator. For a copy of his new e-book and exercise program “The Underground Workout Manual- Exercise and Fat Loss in the Real World” visit www.undergroundworkoutmanual.com.  To contact Brett, send correspondence to brett@fitnessquest10.com.

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