We are all so quick to grab our phone. Many are maniacal about keeping surfaces clean, but how many remember this?
Tag / Healhty tips
Quick Tip – Rollerskating
There are many activities we do with our children, that with a bit of effort can increase the effectiveness, calories burned, and muscle strength.
Today, I went rollerskating with my daughter, a favorite activity of ours. My goal is to get my heart rate elevated for a prolonged period of time, sweat a bit, burn some of those calories and even build some muscle.
If you hold your arms out to the side, up in the air, for a second, its easy, same thing when you squat down. BUT, if you keep your arms there for an extended period of time, you will begin to feel the burn as gravity does its work and the muscles begin to work as you are holding them there. Same thing, with the squat. So what I do is keep my feet moving and work my thighs by squatting down into the moves and using my thigh muscles to push my feet out and pull them back in, all while maintaining that squat.
Keep moving until you feel the burn, then hold it a bit longer to make it worth it. I use the burst mentality to make the most of my time.
3-5 minutes of warm up.
3 minutes of stretching muscles.
20 second bursts of movement in the squatted stance with 10 second intervals of relaxed gliding between. (3 minutes 30 seconds total at a time)
3 minutes of cool down.
Today, we were only at the rink for a couple of hours. (1 hour of it that I could skate) So, I did several reps of the above workout.
Quick Tip–Tempt Yourself!
I’ve spent my time employed in an office. I’ve seen the candy dishes, the boxes of bagels and donuts that come in from well meaning vendors to lure us into using their line of products, the cookies from happy clients who made it special for you… This is like triple death to many. You take a job, you sit all day to do that job, you have no “time” for exercise, and people bring in empty calories as a “treat” for you.
Even when I worked in the offices, I frequently stocked my own “candy dish.” Here is my candy dish today!
When we set ourselves up to succeed, it is so much easier! If you would like more quick tips or additional support or coaching, contact me.
Quick Tip–How to get Prolonged Energy Throughout the Day
How we begin our day, every day, sets us up for prolonged energy or a lack there of.
Breakfast is the first meal you eat each day. No matter what time you eat, it is still your “break fast.” What you eat is just as important as when you eat.
If you begin your day with nothing but carbohydrates (breakfast cereals, bagels, donuts, etc.) you are setting your body up for a blood sugar rush and then a plummet. PLUMMET = ENERGY DROP
When you begin your day with a high quality protein and some fiber it then allows your body to work efficiently and avoids that drop in energy and also avoids the spike in cravings.
Begin your day with a quality, plant based protein and you will find that you don’t get as hungry, early in the day, and that your energy levels are more stable, all day long! When you are a busy mom, like me, a fast smoothee is an amazing way to begin the day, giving me all day energy and it also gets me through to lunch without all the nasty cravings.
For more information on healthy eating, quick tips, coaching or health promoting products, contact me. I’m happy to be of service.
Quick Tips–7 to 9 Daily
The CDC reports that eating plenty of Fruits and Veggies could:
"Eat your fruits and vegetables." You’ve likely heard this statement since childhood. Research shows why it is good advice:
- Healthy diets rich in fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of cancer and other chronic diseases.
- Fruits and vegetables also provide essential vitamins and minerals, fiber, and other substances that are important for good health.
- Most fruits and vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories and are filling.
Find ways to fit them in!!
Here are some ways I fit more of these colorful gems into my daily life.
- Start be blending 1/2 a banana and some berries in a smoothee.
- Mix a 1/2 cup of veggies in with your eggs in the AM.
- Keep an apple, orange, or grapefruit with you for on the go snacks.
- Keep Veggies and Fruits washed and prepped ready to eat. – When they are all ready to go. When they are prepped and ready, it is so much easier to reach for them when the mood strikes. (Helps us to avoid grabbing cookies or chips instead.)
- Fix an extra veggie with dinner. It doesn’t’ take that long to heat up an extra serving of veggies when prepping the rest of dinner.
- For a dessert or snack – opt for fresh fruit instead of ice cream!
- Salads are good for any time of the day and aren’t all just leafy greens (even though they are tasty and do count!) Try a tasty broccoli salad or a mixed fruit salad. Keep away from the polluted HV ranch dressing – even try making some of your own.
What are some of the ways you like to fit your 7 to 9 in each day?
Quick Tip–Avoiding Sitting Disease
It’s a new year and may have pledged to get into better health! According to JustStand.org sitting for long periods of time can be compared to smoking.
- Sedentary lifestyles increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. “For people who sit most of the day, their risk of heart attack is about the same as smoking.”~ Martha Grogan, Cardiologist, Mayo Clinic
Here is a quick video with some tips to combat that “Sitting Disease.”
Here is a few of the statistics provided on JustStand.org!
Tomorrow is 2015 – What is in YOUR Fridge?
In May of last year a reporter came to my home to report “What’s in My Fridge.” She wanted to know what she would find in a health coach’s refrigerator. It was an excellent opportunity to evaluate if I was actually LIVING what I teach/coach/preach.
Today, as you are preparing for the NEW YEAR, think about what is in YOUR fridge?
Is your resolution, or goal, for 2015 to become healthier, to lose weight, to improve your health statistics? If you are setting realistic goals, You NEED to set yourself up for success. If it isn’t in your refrigerator or pantry, you are less likely to eat it.
Tips:
- Eliminate Soda and sweet drinks. Ramp down slowly, if you are used to drinking multiple sodas (or the gallon jug per day from the gas station) to keep from having caffeine withdrawal. You can reduce your caffeinated beverage by a cup a day until you have weened yourself off. I switched to a natural soda for a while until I was ready to cut it out almost entirely. (Izze)
- Switch to whole foods. Eliminate low fat/no fat. Eliminate artificial sweeteners. Look to fresh whole foods for high fiber, nutritive choices… apples, strawberries, grapes are sweet… carrots, celery, and cherry tomatoes are crunchy… a sprinkle of Himalayan sea salt and they are great!
- Throw out the processed foods. Our media and advertisers have done an exceptional job of making us believe that we can’t do it all and eat too unless they do it for us! LIE! Bald faced LIE! It is just a matter of learning new habits. I have done it, it is possible, and you will LOVE the difference! I enjoy showing people ways to create tasty treats and to make sure you have healthy foods, even when time is short! When you stock up on the Whole Foods, you should immediately eliminate all the processed to make room for the healthier options.
- Gluten FREE does NOT equal HEALTHY. Many companies have jumped on the “Gluten Free” band wagon. I have news for you… Processed food is Processed food whether it has Gluten or NOT. 😉 (Also, Fat free, sugar free, or any other “FREE” does not equal healthy.)
- ASK FOR HELP. Not sure where to begin. Ask for help. JUST ASK. I enjoy helping others and assisting them in learning to live healthier lives.
You don’t need to make the change all at once! Even One Change Counts! I have videos to help you learn, blog articles, coaching, classes, and many friends who all work to share the good news. That healthier can be done.
Happy New Year! Make 2015 HAPPY, HEALTHY, AND PROSPEROUS!
Tips to BURN FAT and Not Muscle
We want to maintain a healthy weight –or, we’d just like to get to a healthy weight. Either way, MUSCLE MASS is an important tool.
Muscle burns 2x as many calories as fat and takes up much less space.
The challenge, with many diets, is that when we lose weight, we lose it from fat loss AND muscle loss. As we lose more muscle mass, we lose our calorie burning machine.
Here are a few tips to assist you in maintaining that muscle mass.
- Workouts – research is showing that burst workouts can assist the body in burning more fat and less muscle mass, all while ramping up the metabolism for the entire day to burn additional calories throughout. Did you know: you can burn as many or more calories in an intense 3 minutes than you can with 30 minutes of aerobics?
- Water – drinking 500 ml of water increases metabolic rate by 30% in both men and in women. The increase in metabolic rate was observed within 10 min after completion and reached a maximum 30–40 min after water drinking. –source JCEM
- Protein – New research suggests that many of us may need more protein than we realize. The current RDA is 0.8 g of protein per kilogram of body weight, but several studies have found that 1 to 1.2 g may be more protective against age-related muscle loss. I begin EVERY morning with a protein smoothee.
- Leucine specifically – Whereas total protein is important in providing substrates for gluconeogenesis, leucine appears to regulate oxidative use of glucose by skeletal muscle through stimulation of glucose recycling via the glucose-alanine cycle. – Source – The Journal of Nutrition
- 1/4 plate – the protein on your plate boosts calorie burn by 25-30%
- Fruits & Veggies – 7-9 per day. There are many sources to build muscle and boost metabolism. A rainbow of these babies gives a multitude of vitamins & nutrients – solid building blocks to build healthy new muscle and to maintain what you already have. Here are a few resources outlining specific metabolism boosting foods.
- Whole Grains – Fiber is so important when building healthy muscle and then maintaining that muscle. Fiber assists the body in moving things through, allowing the digestive system to work properly, absorb the nutrients needed and to not stay too long and absorb things NOT needed by the body. Stay away from the processed foods and look for whole grains or raw nuts.
Using solid building materials to build a strong body/foundation will assist you in the long run!
Keep on keeping on. ~Zig Ziglar
When you work to maintain a healthy body and a strong muscle mass in your body it will:
- Create a leaner physique
- Reduce your risk of injury
- Increase strength, stability, power and endurance
- Improve balance and mobility
- Improve the way you feel about yourself
- Increase energy and vitality
- Improve athletic performance
- Create metabolic reserve in times of traumas such as (car accidents and burns)
- Increase your metabolic efficiency
- Improve insulin sensitivity and improve blood glucose control
The system that I used to lose my 55 pounds and maintain that weight loss for over 7 years is based on the principals above. If you would like more information on how a Shaklee 180 could assist you in building a FAT BURNING machine of a body – contact me.
Breast Cancer–Attention to Prevention
It’s in the news. It has its own month, its own color, its own warriors. I know so many who have been diagnosed, suffered and even lost the battle to breast cancer.
Everything you see and read touts “early diagnosis” or “awareness” or “find a cure.” While I agree that all of this is important, I am frequently angered that we don’t see more – Attention to Prevention!
Just today two articles have popped up in my news feed. TWO!
15 minute workout could cut breast cancer risk by a fifth
Obesity Linked to Breast Cancer
The Bad News:
Studies show, repeatedly, that obesity increases your chances of breast cancer, especially in post menopausal women! Obesity increases your risk of breast cancer by 31% Consider extra abdominal fat as an organ!
This abdominal fat does 2 things:
- Converts testosterone to estrogen – triggering estrogen fed breast cancer.
- Causes additional inflammation – also a trigger for cancers
There are 220,000 new cases of breast cancer EVERY YEAR!
Good News!!!
When one loses the extra weight, they can decrease their odds of a breast cancer diagnosis by 80%! That is EIGHTY PERCENT!!!
How to begin to lose to cut your risk factors:
- Reduce your alcohol intake
- Increase your activity levels (see the first link)
- Here is a previous article on 7 steps to better health.
- Begin focusing on improving your diet*
*I used a nutrition based weight loss system to assist me in my 55 pound weight loss. I now assist others in attaining their goals in becoming healthier as well.
More Good News:
When you are at a healthy weight. When your waist line is half your height in inches, you ALSO decrease the odds you will ever be diagnosed with :
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Diabetes
- Other cancers
Ask me how “One Change Counts.” We can get you started on a healthier new you!
Well POOP!
It certainly doesn’t conjure up pretty thoughts, does it?
My husband’s friends have many colorful metaphors for it. Movies make fun of it. It’s the first thing that seems to come to mind when things go wrong. (I know, I’ve heard many a person use the metaphor when things have gone wrong. – okay, I’ve used it too.)
The problem is, we don’t talk about it. Poop just isn’t discussed, it is almost taboo. Yet, our poop can tell us a lot! (I’m NOT saying I want you to email me photos of your poop! – have a friend who does this to his wife) What I AM saying is, “When we look at our poop, it can tell us a LOT about our health.” – Current health and even FUTURE health!
Why look at poop?
- Americans are suffering from colon problems that are affecting over 90% of the population!
- 79% of our immune systems are located near our colon & digestive tracts.
- Most colon ‘diseases’ come directly from impaction, miscellaneous debris, or toxic materials that are formed in the colon and generate toxins throughout the rest of the body – a direct cause of many diseases
What GOOD poop looks like. (Yes, I AM going THERE)
- Medium brown
- Prolonged periods of a different color could indicate issues that need investigated
- 1/2 inch in diameter
- The size of a healthy, clean colon
- ~24 inches per day (about 2 pounds)
- NO, you don’t need to measure – just guestimate
- Little to no odor
- Doesn’t leave a mess behind
- Does it sink or swim?
- It should gently and easily “dive” into the pool (toilet)
- It should settle in the water
- Diver – too little fiber in your diet
- Floater – too much undigested fat
- 2-3 times per day (YES, PER DAY)
- Big meal in SHOULD = Big meal out (A healthy bowel moves after every significant meal.
- Big meal in SHOULD = Big meal out (A healthy bowel moves after every significant meal.
What to do when things “don’t look good.”
- Hydrate – constipation is often caused by dehydration. DRINK MORE WATER
- Drink water 30 minutes before your meal and 2 hours after your meal to increase the effectiveness of digestion enzymes
- Technically, you should avoid drinking during a meal to prevent the dilution of those important digestion enzymes
- Supplement with Calcium/Magnesium or VitalMag – magnesium is a gentle mineral that brings water into the colon among many other things
- 7-9 servings of fruits and vegetables per day
- FIBER IS KEY
- Eat nutrient dense foods – not processed crap
- Flax seed is a great way to add fiber
- Lubrication (NOT THAT WAY)
- Exercise – get things a movin’ and a shakin’
Why NOT OTC laxatives?
- Laxatives come with side effects that are detrimental to your health and they don’t FIX IT.
- Mineral Oil is BAD
- the body does not absorb it
- it prevents digestive juices from getting to the food you eat
- it prevents the lining of the intestine wall from absorbing the good nutrients you need
- Herbal formulas increase the peristaltic action of the colon and help it function better
Herbs to move constipation on out…
- Senna leaf
- Alfalfa LEAF (note alfalfa LEAF – not the rest of the plant)
- Anise seed
- Blue malva flower
- Buckthorn rood
- Culver’s root (not their burgers)
- Fennel seed
- Licorice root
- Rhubarb root (NOT their leaves)
When we can say, “That’s some good poop!” we know our immune system and our bodies are in good health, making healthy cells.
For more information on achieving “perfect poop” feel free to contact me. Would love to discuss your health and how we could move it along! 
sources:
Treasures of Health Nutrition Manual, Annette Reeder & Dr. Richard Couey
Why Do I Feel This Way?, Christine Gaber, RHN & Charlene Day, RDC
Healthy Grease Monkey 
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