Tag / healthy by choice

by tessbrennan

Jawbone – Tips to help us all Lose & Maintain our Weight

Jawbone recently released data they have accumulated from what their users are reporting and this gives us some really good insight into what works and what doesn’t!

Here are a few of the key points Jawbone found from the data:

  • Those who lost weight logged 75% more meals per week than those who didn’t lose weight. There has been debate about whether eating more well-balanced, small meals actually helps your metabolism. Some experts say yes and others say no, but Jawbone’s data supports the former.

  • UP users who lost weight logged 60% more workouts per week.

  • Jawbone wearers who lost weight also had 11% more teammates than those who didn’t.

    Those who lost weight got 8% more sleep, too.

  • UP users who lost weight also logged foods that had 25% more fiber, 13% less fat, 13% fewer calories, and 12% less sugar per meal.

  • They also ate breakfast 30% more often and drank 33% more water than those who didn’t lose weight.

via Weight-Loss Habits, According To Jawbone – Business Insider.

These are tips I frequently use in coaching, it is nice to see them confirmed, once again!

by tessbrennan

New Year’s Time Saver – Chili & Refried Beans

As a busy mom, I frequently look for ways to accomplish more in less time.  Cooking is an area where I can easily do this.  I like to make the most of my time in the kitchen, so last night, I prepped some beans for the crock pot today.

It doesn’t take any additional time soak twice as many beans, so I soak enough to make more than one bulk dish.  Last night, I soaked 1 pound of small reds, 1 pound of black, 1 pound of light red kidney beans in my larger crock pot.

This morning, I’ve got both Chili and Refried beans in dueling crock pots.  You don’t have 4 crock pots in your possession? (Yes, I may have an issue with crock pots.) Not a problem.  Make chili today and cook those refried beans tomorrow. Just put that helping of soaked beans in the fridge and cook ’em tomorrow. 🙂

(Looking to kick the nutrition of your refried beans up a notch?  Grab some Moringa leaves from a tree and throw them in right before you put in the fresh beans.)

Looking for a tasty veggie chili?

Dueling Crock Pots

My crock pot fetish. The crock on the left was my grandmothers, then my aunts, and now mine. It is an original crock pot and still works wonderfully. The crock on the right is my trusty favorite. Its frequently on my counter. I use it as a prepper – in most cases we don’t like our veggies cooked to mush (pulls out and destroys the nutrition) but is wonderful at cooking down stocks from left over carcasses (chicken bones) and cooking tomato dishes and beans.) We eat lots of beans here. 🙂

by tessbrennan

8 Tips to Avoid a Blue, Blue Christmas

As the holidays rapidly approach and the hustle and bustle that is the Christmas season rock into full speed craziness it is easy to become overwhelmed.

Things don’t always go the way we intend, people aren’t there to spend it with us, money may get tight, things seem out of control and our moods drop and sadness can take over. 

Here are a few tips to fight those blues and keep your mood more golden and happy.

Add Vitamin D: Go out and get some sun!  Vitamin D levels have been shown to affect our moods.  Mayo Clinic & Vitamin D Get out and absorb some D from the sun or look for a quality supplement to assist you in this task.

Get Moving: Harvard Health tells us in its compilation of previous studies that moving. It is easy to get trapped in that spiral of depression and sluggishness.  I fight this on a regular basis.  Feeling a bit low, so you lay on the couch, then after a while you begin hurting from a lack of exercise so you don’t want to move, then you feel even more bad about yourself because you’ve been a slug and haven’t moved.  Just get up and go for a walk.  (I continue to struggle with this one issue. It is a daily choice to find ways to move and stay active.)

Add Vitamin B Complex: The B Complex vitamins are ESSENTIAL for our mental well being.  When the levels get low (which is easy since we don’t store it or make it) our moods can follow.  Studies show that low levels of these essential vitamins can have a marked effect on our well being.

Don’t Over-Imbibe: When we drink alcohol it uses up the B Complex in our system as well as any Vitamin C.  So A) don’t drink so much and B) replace the vitamins you know are being depleted by your actions.

Be Conscious of your Sugar Intake: I KNOW you don’t want to hear this during the holiday season, BUT…  According to World of Psychology, “People who suffer from depression are especially vulnerable to sugar’s evil power.” Eat 7-9 servings of fruits and veggies a day, the fiber will help to counteract some of the damage being done by those sugars. Whole foods, minimally processed are the antidote to the damages being done by sugar consumption. See: Sugar, The Bitter Truth

Follow General Nutritional Suggestions: When your body is getting the fuel it needs to be keep running strong and healthy, it is better able to deal with stressors and set backs!

Drink Water: Stay Hydrated! PsychCentral and other sources tell us that dehydration is also related to depression, so keep drinking water and remember that “flavored” drinks, sodas, and coffee don’t count as your water intake.

Meditate: Whether you clear your mind of all thoughts, focus on a scripture, visualize yourself by a babbling brook or journal your thoughts – meditation is shown time and again to provide relief from depression and the blues. A local source to teach Mindful Based Stress Reduction is Madeline Ebilini.

Thank you, Kara Shufflebarger for the image that I turned blue! 🙂 

by tessbrennan

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.

Fat vs Muscle

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.

by tessbrennan

Are you Praying for Better Health

How many times have you prayed for better health? Additional energy levels? Better results on a physical?  How many times have you prayed for a cure? Why don’t I just feel better?

Prayer

The answer to this question isn’t an easy one.  Yes, I believe, He does provide miracles. I also believe we need to give some assistance in this case.

If we were looking for a new job, we wouldn’t just pray for a new job and then sit down on the couch and wait for one to fall in our lap.  We would create a resume, fill out job applications, search the want ads, talk to people and let them know what we are looking for.

Couch is Satan

Why don’t we look at health the same way?

If you would really like “better health” then why don’t you look for it?

1 Corinthians 3:16-17New International Version (NIV)

16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.

For many years I fed my body, and my temple, noodles ramen and Busch Light beer – all my friends did.  When I reached the age of about 27 I was miserable, on six pharmaceuticals for depression, asthma, migraines, and more…  My body was not functioning properly and I frequently prayed that I felt better.

It wasn’t until I began paying better attention to assisting in supporting my health that it all turned around. Just like taking action to find a new job.

Two_Questions_food-feel

I began drinking more water and eliminated soda pop. I started feeling a bit better.

Rethink your drink - sugar

I began walking 5-6 miles 3-5 days a week. I started feeling better.

pink shoes

I stopped eating fast food on a regular basis. I started feeling better.

I paid close attention to eating whole foods, and adding more servings of fruits and veggies. I started feeling better.

Foundation and produce

I added a sound foundational supplement regimen and MY CRAVINGS WENT AWAY!

Not all disease or illness can be prevented, but I DO know I feel better, have more energy, and the migraines, asthma, and depression are all but gone!  These are the things that worked for myself and many of my friends and colleagues.  I am happy to assist you in reaching your new healthy self!

Don’t just sit on your couch and “wait,” get up and do something to get there. Smile 

You are what you eat.

If you are wondering where to begin, contact me and I can provide you coaching, foundational suggestions, and much more!

by tessbrennan

What is Nom-Day? (Give up Hating Mondays)

So many people have expressed their disdain for Mondays that I have decided I will not have any more Mondays!  Now, I shall have amazing NOM-DAYS!

NomDay is a day to devote to tasty, healthy foods!

What is Nom-Day?

In my video I discuss the Brainy Brownies that my daughter loves so much!  She was begging me for one the other day, then I accidentally mentioned, “spinach brownies” and you should have seen her face!  LOL  (My Colleague Jenni Oates’ recipe)

I love the protein cookies that pack a punch of 6.5 g of protein in a dark chocolate chip cookie.  Sometimes I slip in some white chocolate chips to make her extra happy.

Finally, here is a link for some of the other Nommy recipes we use on a regular basis! 

Happy, Healthy, Eating!

For more information or to schedule a consult, feel free to contact me!

Make it a GREAT Day!

by tessbrennan

Healthy, quick tip of the day!!! Get Moving!

We are all busy, but when we take a moment to reflect on how one change can effect our healthy, it can be mind boggling!

In less than a minute I give quick tips you can choose to implement into your daily choices to improve your health!

Get MOVING… my friends! Smile

 

less than 60 seconds to improve your health!

Let me know how YOU are moving… Today, I’m going for a bike ride!

by tessbrennan

Are Schools Modeling Healthy Behaviors?

Yesterday, I had the honor of talking with these amazing people. Aimie and Daniel Stillings are traveling the country and the world to create a documentary on Nature Play.

As I sat and spoke with Aimie, yesterday, I started to process and think more and more about the tests our Children are being required to take about every 4th day school.  The tests that they all prepare to take in 3rd – 10th (and now 11th) grades. The fact that we are “teaching” all children all the way down to Kindergarten to “take tests.”  (Bubble in the correct answer)

How does this relate to health?  Our schools are where our children learn the behaviors they will have for a lifetime.  Yes, many habits and such are learned from the parents, but ask most parents of high school students and you will find they are learning “new” habits while at school.

Documentary_image

 

  • Our children are being asked to SIT for 6-7 hours a day
  • Our children are given twenty (20) minutes to eat their lunch
  • Our children are being denied recess
  • Physical Education classes are being scaled way back
  • Our children are being asked to complete page after page of worksheets, even in Kindergarten
  • Administrators and teachers are telling them that walking from one class to another is considered “a break”
  • Our children are being rewarded for good behavior or correct answers with candy, pizza parties, and the like
  • Our children are being TESTED every 3-4 days

Our country is in dire straights when you consider the health of our nation.  80% of the top 4 health problems in the United States are preventable through daily lifestyle choices!

2013_Obesity_Rates

We ask our children to sit at their desks and pay attention for 6-7 hours a day – as young as Kindergarten.

sitting_epidemic

By asking our children to sit still for 6 hours a day we are modeling risky behavior for their future health. Studies are showing that sitting for long periods can be VERY detrimental to our health:

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

Many of our children are given 20 minutes to eat their lunch, if this includes their travel time and time in line to purchase that meal, this can quickly whittle down to 10-12 minutes to eat. This models poor eating habits that can stretch into a lifetime of issues.  What happens when we eat too quickly?  Check out the information from LiveStrong on the topic of eating too fast.

Our children are being denied recess!

With all the stress being placed on test scores, there just isn’t time for recess! We need another 15 minutes for English Language Arts or Math class.  All fine and dandy, but what good is a test score when you are out of shape, your body begins falling apart in your 2o’s and you are spending days, months and years in doctor’s offices, medical centers and hospitals.  Not to mention, the plethora of research pointing to children retaining more information and grasping information better when given a break and then coming back to the classroom!

How many of us would willingly take a job with 13 minutes to eat and no “breaks” during the day.

Recess 

Our child is lucky, she gets PE 3 times a week! Many districts across the United states, AND our higher grade levels are NOT being given physical education classes.  Those are considered optional classes and if the student requires remedial action due to another test score, these options are no longer on the table. 

I remember in grade school, Mr. Jones taught us how to “fall down correctly.”  Told us that if we learned and then used it if we fell, we would not hurt ourselves as badly. We thought it was really silly at the time, as an adult, I now see the importance of all he taught us about moving on a daily basis to stay healthy!  Our students need to learn to stay active, they need to be taught to enjoy activities so they can remain physically strong and healthy.  When our muscles atrophy due to inactivity we begin feeling more and more pain on a daily basis.  I do NOT want that for my child or any other child!

Worksheets are the norm!

Gone are the days of make believe, kitchen sets, dress up clothes and such.  Our children are no longer, for the most part, encouraged to move around and explore and learn through play – even in kindergarten our children sit at desks most of the day and complete worksheets.  They move to the carpet for story time, then return to their seats to complete an activity worksheet on the story.  Movement is gone from the classroom due to the perception of chaos and the need to score better on end of course exams… YES, END OF COURSE EXAMS FOR OUR KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS.

Moving from your seat to the restroom or another classroom is not enough to be called a break!

What would be your thoughts if your boss told you that your breaks would consist of the time you spent walking from your desk to a colleague’s desk, or the restroom, or the copy machine.  I have actually had administrators tell us that this is a break because they are not being asked to complete work at this time!  I THINK NOT!

Candy is your reward for a correct answer!

So, our children are snarfing down their lunch, not given time to play and move around, sitting for hours and slowing their metabolism and when they answer a question correctly or do something good, they are rewarded with a piece of candy or a mini-marshmallow?  How is this modeling healthy behaviors?  Having a pizza party because their class won a competition is NOT modeling healthy behaviors.  Perhaps, they could be rewarded with some additional time on a PLAYGROUND and be allowed to PLAY!

I was NOT rewarded with a skittle in class if I answered correctly and I still learned and fell in LOVE with learning!  If our classrooms have sunk so low that we must entice our children like Pavlov’s Dogs in order to get them to answer, we have some huge problems.

Finally, our children are being tested every 3-4 days as mandated by districts, states, and our federal government.

I liken this to someone hired for a new job.  You are told to learn on the go and not take breaks. Every 3-4 days someone comes in and administers an exam to you on what you have been learning. The test was not written by someone familiar with your industry so it is difficult to know how to answer the questions.  You will never be allowed to review the test, so you will be unable to discover exactly what you missed and where you made the error. 

Would you be stressed in an environment such as this? Of course you would be stressed!  So are our children.

HOW TO FIX IT!

The dialog has begun.  Parents have begun standing up and speaking out to fix our public schools for our children.

SPEAK OUT!  – Your child is our future! Your child’s future should be a future of joy and learning, and good health!

When we eliminate the high stakes testing, ALL high stakes testing, there will no longer be any need to eliminate recess, no need to eliminate Physical Education classes, no need to rush through meals, and no need to sit for 6 hours a day to complete worksheet after worksheet.  When our children are taught to LOVE LEARNING there is no need to bribe them with candy or treats.

Join your local group working toward eliminating high stakes testing, talk with your board of education, and vote!  For the health of our children and the health of our nation, PLEASE STAND UP!!!

Thank you

https://www.facebook.com/HealthySchoolsLee

http://unitedoptout.com/

If you would like additional information about groups in your area, or how to begin a group in your area, please contact me.

by tessbrennan

Beginning with the BURSTclub Workout

I have a confession to make.  I dislike working out! I AM a health coach, but I struggle with the couch.  I love to walk but it takes so much time.  Some days I am so busy that there is not time, others I pretend like I am busy so there is no time…

Enter the BURSTclub workout!

3 minute warm-up, 3 minute stretching, 3 minutes of BURST, 3 minute cool down, DONE

I’ll admit, when I first tried these a year ago I was overwhelmed. I tried to do the workouts EXACTLY as the Oates’ did them… WRONG…  They are professionals, they do it daily, they are in shape – I. WAS. NOT.

Now, 12 days ago, I looked at my cushy tummy with the “baby flab” still there after 7 years. (Don’t get me wrong, after losing 55 pounds 7 years ago I am proud of my physique.)  I had taken a 12 day hiatus from nutrient dense foods, from exercise, from routine, and from my healthy lifestyle.  – How easy is it to form a NEW BAD habit??? 

I was feeling sluggish, bloated, unhealthy, and when I attempted to wear heals my feet hurt again. So, I committed, once again to working the BURSTclub workouts.  (These come FREE with my 180 Lean & Healthy kit as a way to give me a full system.)

On day one I could hardly make it through the warm-up. I was SO happy when the warm-up stretching began.  I was NOT able to finish out the 3 minutes of burst completely – but I kept moving. I kept doing the “exercise” of the minute in a “lesser” way.  Its only 20 seconds, then you get a break! 

Day two was similar.

Day three – the saboteur stepped in. I felt a bit sore from the first two days of effort. (okay, quite a bit sore in places) A friend posted a motivational image on Facebook and I went in and DID IT – its only TWELVE minutes… The muscle soreness subsided quite a bit after the workout, too.

Day four – I rested – I still did stretching (egosque) and I kept moving, walking, shopping, playing with my daughter, and rearranged the furniture in her room.

Day 5 – Now I’m feeling really good. There was one of the exercises I physically could not do, so instead of giving up, I modified it to one, similar, that I could do and finished my workout.

Day 6-11 – Same general thing.  I take a day off to rest about every 4-5 days, but I still stretch and move.

Day 12

After only 12 days I can feel that I am getting stronger and I am increasing my energy levels.

FINALLY, the proof that something is happening…

Day 1 - July 2014Day 12 - July 2014

Before photo 7/12/14                          After photo 7/23/14

As Zig Ziglar frequently said, “Keep on, keepin’ on”

For more information on the Shaklee 180 system and tools, contact me. I am here to be a resource for you!

by tessbrennan

What is Causing us to “Be Sick?”–Our Products at home?

Last night, in my Temple Maintenance class we were discussing choices.  All the choices we make, how many times a day we are voting with our dollars and our actions.

Our overall health is determined by our overall LIFESTYLE.  The choices we make profoundly effect our health on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis!

What choices am I talking about? Simple choices made every day.

  • —What to eat
  • —What to drink
  • —What to think
  • —How & when to move
  • —Products we put on our skin
  • —Products we use in our homes

Why are the last two choices on this list?  Let me show you. Doris Rapp is a board-certified environmental medical specialist and pediatric allergist.  She has done extensive research on the effects of allergens and CHEMICAL exposures.

07161401

The photos I am sharing are in regard to studies done with children.  As adults, we must realize that if our children are effected, then we certainly are too!  These are some of the examples from the above book.

071614020716140307161405

We have so many children being labeled as ADHD these days.  We have them sitting in classrooms for 6-8 hours a day with NO recess, surrounded by toxic cleaners that are inhibiting their brains ability to function at its optimum potential.

07161404

In class last night I referenced this piece, below, and the reaction the girl had to Choline bleach exposure – through the ductwork of the home.  Mom was in the basement laundry room and the girl was in her bedroom.  What effect is that bleach having on the person who is actually acutely exposed?  (We don’t use bleach in our household – we use the Get Clean line of cleaning products.)

07161406

Below, the Teacher is commenting on the change in the student’s writing pattern.  An outsider, with no knowledge of what was going on, noticed the difference in the before and after. 

07161407

Finally, here is an example with Pinesol.  This parent changed to the Get Clean line of cleaners for a week, didn’t believe that it could have that big an impact on her child, so went back to the Pinesol to test her hypothesis.

image

The Solution? (pun intended)

Switch out the toxic cleaners in your home for cheaper, concentrated options. Vinegar and baking soda are one option.  Here is the option I choose!

Toxic_Cleaner_ContentsToxic_Cleaner_Prices

Price is something that concerns many of us. Not me, I’m saving SO much on my cleaning products, its amazing!!!  And they WORK! Just ask my skeptical husband. Smile

These products are available piece by piece if you choose to finish what you have on hand first, OR – as a kit to swap it all out at once, as I did, or even in mini kits for the different areas of  your home!

get clean kitGet_Clean_vs_others_HealthyGreaseMonkey

Begin voting today with your dollars, not as many dollars as you have been using. Tell the toxic industry, we are no longer interested in what they have to sell.  We do not wish to pay them to poison ourselves or our families. 

For exhausted, busy moms… They can clean all day and we know they are safe. (So are our pets if they decide to wash them too!)

Added_Cleaning_bonus