1. Why Do I Want a Home Gym? Before you even start your spreadsheet, first ask yourself why you think this is a good idea.  Is it because you want to save money?  Do you prefer to workout alone?  Do you hate the gym scene?  For some, working out at home can end up boring, dull or unsocial.  Be sure that if you love being around people and the social aspect you aren’t being shortsighted by wanting to save money.
2. What Activities Motivate You? Now you need to start a spreadsheet or chart.  Make a list of your ideal activities…maybe it is yoga, maybe it is strength training, maybe it is cardio, maybe it is dance.  In the first column of your chart, list ALL of your favorite activities.  Then rank them in order of most enjoyed to least enjoyed.  Make sure they are activities that motivate you to exercise.
3. What Equipment Do You Need? Your next column should address the equipment you need for your different activities.  Some equipment you’ll need may include: a DVD player and television, free weights, a treadmill…etc.  Don’t forget some of the required “accessories” that go with each activity.  For instance, if yoga is on your list, remember to include a yoga mat, blocks, etc.  If you are interested in free weights, remember to include a bench.  For abdominal exercises, think about including stability balls, medicine balls and a mat.  Be as thorough as possible.
4. How Much Space Do You need? This is very important.  Underestimating how much space you will need for an ideal gym environment is one of the biggest mistakes people make.  If a space is too small or crowded, you will HATE using it.  As a result, the next column of your spreadsheet should address the space requirements for your activities.  This includes the equipment storage space, circulation space and the floor space required.  Here are a few examples of appropriate space allocations for various activities:
   1. Yoga: 8′ x6′ min. floor space per person + storage space for mat, blocks, etc.
   2. Dance/Aerobics: 12′ x 12′ min. floor space per person + space for TV and DVD player + storage for other equipment (e.g., steps
   3. Free Weight Training: 8′ x 8′ min. floor space per person + storage for weights + storage for bench and other equipment
   4. Cardio Equipment: Dimensions of equipment + 2′ extra space on each side
   5. Nautilus: Dimensions of the equipment + 2′ – 3′ minimum extra space on each side
5. How Much Does it All Cost? In the last column, approximate how much each activity will cost you to have in your home.  Factor in the equipment and the storage pieces you may use.

Once you have all of these pieces of information, you will then be ready to assess which activities are doable and which aren’t, how much space you’ll need for your home gym and how realistic it is from a cost perspective.  Further, having this information will also give you perspective on what it might cost to create and build your home gym.

Do you have a gym in your home?  Does it motivate you to exercise?

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1. Buttering You Up: To get their way, manipulators will often make you feel good so that they can then ask you to do something that they want.  The person may first compliment you or tell you what a wonderful job you did on something.  Making you feel good will, in their mind, make it difficult for you to say no…after all, you wouldn’t want to disappoint them or give them reason to think you didn’t deserve the compliment in the first place. What you can do: Return the compliments and the niceties before saying no.
2. Guilt: This doesn’t only pertain to Catholics and Jewish Mothers; guilt trips have been a successful manipulation tactic for centuries.  The saddest part of this strategy is that the victims of this tactic succumb to the manipulators’ demands because they feel they HAVE to, not because they WANT to.  In personal relationships, this sets up a co-dependency that is extremely unhealthy.  What you can do: Ask the individual if they want you to do something because you have to or because you want to.  If they say they want you to want to do it, tell them that you don’t and that they are trying to force you into something you don’t feel comfortable with.
3. Broken Record: Probably the most obvious of formats is the broken record tactic.  If a person asks you enough or pushes their agenda enough…constantly repeating the question or request over and over again…in slightly different ways, the victim will inevitably give in and give them what they want.  Oye!  What you can do: Ask the individual what they don’t understand about the word “no.”  Tell them that asking you over and over again isn’t going to change anything and that they are inappropriately over-stepping boundaries.
4. Selective Memory: This one gets me the most.  You swear you have a conversation about a plan and everyone is on the same page, and then one day, the manipulator pretends to remember the conversation completely differently, if at all.  What you can do: Record your conversations…seriously!  Okay, maybe not.  At least have a witness that you can count on to back you up if the person pulls this shenanigan.  Call them out on the fact that they conveniently change the game to fit their needs.
5. Bullying: If a person doesn’t get their way, they make you out to look or feel like the bad guy…like you are the wrong one.  What you can do: Be firm and tell them that their bullying tactics are inappropriate and unacceptable.

Keep your eyes open for these behaviors and continue to stand your ground to ensure that you aren’t a victim of manipulation.  Have you seen any other types of manipulative behavior?

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1. Make a List. I’m sure you already figured this one out.  However, it is important to reiterate.  There are times when I run to the store without a list, and when I get there, I “add” things I might not necessarily need…like ice cream.  Make your list and categorize your foods by the aisles they are in.  When you get to the store, make sure you stick with the list.
2. Eat a Pre-Shopping Snack. Studies have shown that people who grocery shop on an empty stomach are more likely to buy more food and foods that are less healthy than if they go shopping on a full or half-full stomach.  You don’t need to eat a whole meal beforehand, but definitely eat something so that you don’t feel hungry.
3. Leave the Kids at Home. I understand that this isn’t always possible, but if it IS possible, leave your kids at home, with your spouse or their grandparents while you do the grocery shopping.  Kids, unfortunately, don’t always appreciate your attempts to keep the household healthy.  I’ve seen many parents succumb to their child’s demands to spare an embarrassing scene in the grocery store, only to find their cart filled with unhealthy foods.
4. Stick to the Perimeter. Avoid aisles that contain “junk” or unhealthy foods.  Many of these foods tend to be located in the center or inner aisles of the grocery store.   Most healthier or “whole” foods are located in the perimeter aisles.
5. Keep it Fresh. Each grocery gets deliveries at different times.  When it comes to purchasing meats, eggs, produce and fish, it is best to get them as fresh as possible.  Unfortunately, delivery times may vary, depending on the food.  Prioritize purchasing fresh produce, as produce is most likely to lose nutrients over time.  Also, look at the expiration dates of the foods you buy.  Often, the freshest foods are located on the bottom or in the back of the shelf.

Do you have any tricks to make your grocery shopping experience as healthy as possible?

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1. 6:1 Weekly Calendar. Create a holiday event calendar where non-event days are color-coded light blue and event days are color-coded bright red and weeks with multiple events bright yellow.  Events include extended family dinners, work and social parties, and happy hours.  When possible, aim to have no more than one “event” a week…or a 6:1 ratio of healthy days to indulgent days.
2. Plan for the 5:2 or more Weeks: Weeks that are at higher ratios than the 6:1, can cause us to “blend” one celebration into another, and before you know it, we eat as though every day is a  holiday…with or without an event to attend.  When you have these weeks do the following:
   • Exercise: Exercise an extra 20 minutes each day you exercise and add in an extra day of activity.  Also, walk as much as possible to get where you are going.  This will help burn off extra calories consumed.
   • Non-Event Day Nutrition: On non-event days, drink protein shakes for breakfast and lunch (try the apple banana and the berry shake recipes).  They are high in fiber and other nutrients, but will help you keep your digestive tract in working order to keep waste moving through your system.  Have a sensible dinner of salad and some lean protein.  And, when eating snacks between meals, stick with vegetables and fruit.
   • Event Day Nutrition: Do the same as on non-event days, but skip snacks.  Right before your event, however, drink two glasses of water (16 oz) and eat a snack that is well-balanced with healthy fat, fiber and protein (E.g., an apple and a quarter cup of nuts).  This will help you avoid extreme hunger at the event.
3. At Events. Indulge with purpose and in the things that are worth it.  Decide want you want to indulge in before the party – alcohol…dessert…chips – so that you can keep yourself in check from over-indulging.  Meanwhile, fill-up on things you know to be healthy, leaving little room for unhealthier foods.  Here is a good order in which to eat:
   
   • Fibrous Vegetables (leafy greens, carrots, cucumber, peppers, celery, onions, etc.): High in fiber and low in calories.  The more you eat before consuming other food, the better.
   • Lean Protein (turkey, fish, chicken, ham, lean red meat): Protein helps fill you up so that you aren’t left feeling hungry later.  Further, lean proteins aren’t as high in fat as those that aren’t lean.
   • Starchy Vegetables (potatoes, yams, corn, peas): These are higher in calories than fibrous vegetables.  So eat in small amounts.  Avoid creamed starches (such as creamed corn) or those that contain butter (such as mashed potatoes).  Opt for baked instead.
   • Fruit: For dessert, look for those that are made with real-fruit which has tons of vitamins and minerals, and fiber…all good for you!
   • Snacks, Sweets and Alcohol: These are highest in empty calories…so aim to eat these last or in the smallest amounts!  Try splitting pieces of cake with another person.  Stand away from the foods you know are bad.  And, aim to drink alcohol in moderation (one to two drinks per event or day).

As you experience the holiday season, enjoy! Don’t obsess about weight gain, just be smart about your habits and choices!

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Ironically, my attempt to do everything has counteracted my ability to actually focus on a goal and achieve it.  My walk gave me the down-time necessary to set a couple of goals for the next month or two and, within minutes, I found my funk slowly dissipate, my mood begin to lift and new-found energy percolate.

Although I fully admit that I’m a bit of…okay, a lot of…a type-A personality, the reality is that the simple act of goal-setting is very important to each and everyone of us and our overall well-being and happiness.  Here are some reasons why:

1. Direction: Without even the smallest of goals, it is easy to feel as though we lack direction or are lost.  Having goals focuses our energy, and enables us to work towards something we value.  When we feel as though we are floundering or aren’t quite sure where life is going, setting goals can help us get back on course.
2. Individual Purpose: Goals, whether big or small, are vitally important to giving us individuality and purpose.  Goals can be personal, social, political…anything that you find important to you and your life. Goals are individual to you and your needs, wishes, desires and dreams, and so, YOU drive what they should be.  They make you who you are and allow you to be who and what you want to be.  No one can take that away from you.
3. Boosting Self-Esteem: Without goals we don’t have accomplishments.  Every time you set a goal and reach it, you prove to yourself that you are capable of achieving what you set out to achieve.  This results in a natural boost to our self-esteem and a deeper belief in oneself.
4. Positive Reinforcement: When we accomplish our goals, we reinforce our belief in ourselves to set and accomplish new ones.   This helps to muffle negativity, doubt and fear, making way for a “can do” attitude that helps us continue to strive.
5. To Reach our Full Potential: Goals enable us to move beyond our comfort zone and become the best we can be.  They allow us to take-on new and exciting challenges and help us grow as individuals.

Are you a goal setter?  Do you feel “lost” or in a “funk” when you aren’t working towards a goal? What positives do you see or feel from setting goals?

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1. Hydrate. Approximately 65 percent water, our bodies require substantial replenishment of H2O to function properly.   Proper hydration flushes toxins, ensures proper digestive and body functions, curbs hunger and helps fight aging.   Opt to drink water (you can add lemon, cucumber or a splash of juice for flavor), unsweetened green tea or club soda.  To approximate how much your body needs, divide your weight (in pounds) by two.  The result equals the ounces of fluid you should drink each day. * This hydration formula doesn’t work for people who are obese.  As a result, if you are 50 – 100 percent above your ideal body weight, consult your physician on this subject.
2. Get Your Zzz’s. Adequate sleep is highly beneficial to your health as well as your waistline.  Those who get seven to eight hours of sleep each night tend to weigh less than individuals who are sleep deprived.  Try to go to bed at the same time every night and wake up the same time every morning.  Also, promote sound sleep by avoiding caffeine after noon, eating at least two to three hours before bedtime and limiting alcohol intake.
3. Strength Train and Exercise. Strength, cardio and flexibility training are all important to keep bones and heart strong, metabolisms high and bodies free from injury.  Find a variety of activities you enjoy and get in one or more (for approximately one hour) at least three times a week.  This should include two 20 to 30 minute sessions of strength training weekly.  Instead of weight lifting, you can enjoy Yoga and Pilates (both incorporate strength training) as well as other forms of exercise that require muscular strength.
4. Drink Moderately. Alcohol has seven calories per gram of alcohol, as compared to nine calories per gram of fat and four calories per gram of protein and/or gram of carbohydrates.  Alcohol in moderation, however, can help raise HDL, the good cholesterol.  Recent research suggests that the heart-health benefit of alcohol is increased if moderate consumption is consistent: three-to-seven times a week, as opposed to sporadic consumption. To balance the benefits with the calories, women should limit themselves to no more than one drink a day; men, no more than two. One drink is 4 ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer (a bottle or can) or 1 ounce of hard liquor.
5. Manage Stress. Stress is part of life.  Managing stress, so it isn’t overwhelming, is critical in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.  When we are over-stressed, we find reasons to soothe ourselves and, often, we do so with food.  Exercising, getting enough sleep and spending down-time alone or with loved ones, are all ways to help diminish the impact of stress on our lives.

Don’t forget to eat healthy too, but remember that other healthy habits are just as important!

Adapted from “GET REAL” and STOP Dieting! Copyright © 2009 by Brett Blumenthal. All rights reserved.

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Health Benefits

1. I Spy with My Little Eye: We had an optometrist in our family who would always discourage eating carrots…he felt that they would put him out of business!  Carrots are high in beta-carotene which helps to protect vision, especially night vision, as well as provides protection against macular degeneration and senile cataracts.
2. Heart Protection: Carrots are very high in carotenoids, a type of antioxidant.  Studies have shown that diets high in carotenoids showed reduced risk of heart disease.
3. Cancer Prevention: Also, because of their high antioxidant content, carrots are helpful in reducing risk for breast cancer, cervical cancer, colon cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer among others.
4. Healthy Lungs: Diets deficient in Vitamin-A are said to potentially increase chances of emphysema…especially in those who smoke, or who are often exposed to second-hand smoke.  Cigarette smoke contains benzo(a)pyrene, a carcinogen, which tends to cause vitamin A deficiency.  Eating carrots, however, boosts your Vitamin A intake which can help ward off lung disease.
5. Blood Sugar Stabilization: Studies show that intake of carotenoid rich foods may be inversely associated with insulin resistance and high blood sugar levels.
6. Colon and Digestive Health: Because of their high fiber content, carrots help promote regularity.  Further, because they contain a phytonutrient called falcarinol, which may be beneficial in reducing the risk of colon cancer.

And for the Trivia Fanatics…

1. Carrots are part of the parsley family, which also includes celery, parsnip, fennel, dill and coriander.
2. Carrots were first grown for medicinal purposes, not for food.
3. Carrots can be found in other colors then orange: purple, white, red or yellow.
4. Carrots have one of  the highest content of beta carotene (vitamin A) of all vegetables.
5. Carrots were the first vegetable to be commercially canned.

Ways to Enjoy Carrots

1. Soups: Carrots are a strong vegetable which makes it hold up in soups and stocks.
2. Salads: Raw carrots provide a great flavor and crunch to salads.
3. Muffins and Breads: They provide a natural sweetness which helps you to cut down on the sugar required during baking.
4. Snacks: Dip raw carrots into hummus or yogurt dips to have a balanced, nutritious snack.
5. Side: Steam carrots to create a healthy side-dish with dinner or lunch.
6. Smoothies: Mix with spinach, tomato juice and cucumber to get a delicious veggie smoothie, rich in vitamins and minerals.

How do you eat carrots?  Are you getting a healthy dose a day?

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As much as we strive for healthy relationships, we inevitably encounter individuals who are bullies, toxic or just plain manipulative. Some of these people KNOW what they are doing, but often, most “just don’t get it:”  They have little-to-no self-awareness and feel that they are fully entitled or appropriate in their behavior.  And what’s worse is that they frequently get away with it because others don’t stand up to them.  This enables boundary breakers and convinces them that their behavior is acceptable.  Here’s a news flash: It ISN’T.

The best thing you can do is firmly establish boundaries.  You’ll feel better about yourself and your relationship.  Further, you won’t have to succumb to their inappropriate behavior over and over again:

1. Know Who You Are Dealing with: The first step in this process is to identify those individuals who don’t respect your boundaries.  Doing so will keep you on the look-out for times that boundaries need to be reinforced or put into place.
2. Tune-in: Start paying attention to how these people typically break boundaries.  Some questions to ask: Are they pushy?  Do they ask questions you feel uncomfortable answering?  Do they discuss things with you that are inappropriate?  Do they disregard your wishes or needs?  Do they always prioritize their needs before yours?
3. Trust Your Gut: If you aren’t sure as to whether or not a boundary is being broken, stop thinking and start feeling.  Does something feel awkward, uncomfortable or wrong?  Can you feel an adrenaline rush, but aren’t sure why?  Do you feel nauseous during the discussion?  At times, our guts have better listening skills than our ears.  If you can feel a visceral reaction to the conversation at hand, you can be pretty sure that something isn’t right.
4. Think First, Speak Second: Once you realize boundaries are being broken, think about how you want to react.  Reacting without thinking through your position and what you want as an outcome can lead to an unresolved situation, potential “room for discussion” or more broken boundaries down the line.
5. State Your Position: Tell the person who is breaking a boundary that they are indeed breaking a boundary.  Sugar-coating it…hemming and hawing…playing nice…politely saying no…often doesn’t work with people who perpetually break boundaries.  Unfortunately, many of these boundary breakers don’t have a clue as to the fact that they are crossing a line.  The more obvious you can be, the better.
6. Don’t Back Down: If the person continues to push you on a topic, tell them the topic “isn’t up for discussion.”  The more you stand your ground, the less likely the person will continue to try to push you on things in the future.  No means no.  Inappropriate is inappropriate.  And, boundaries are boundaries.

The more you set boundaries, the easier it will get. Do you have boundary breakers in your life?  How do you handle the situation?



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Diet foods are lower caloric versions of their high-calorie cousins, often made by reducing the sugar and/or fat content.  Reduced sugar foods and beverages are often loaded with highly-processed, chemically-derived sugar substitutes; reduced fat foods usually have a lot of added sugars.  Both options require additives and processing that are best avoided.

A few great examples of these types of foods include: Fat-free and low-fat muffins, reduced-sugar or sugar-free sodas and juices, and even products, such as Snackwells, that tout lower amounts of fat.  Each and every one of these examples trades either fat or sugar for the other.  On the rare occasion that you have something that is BOTH fat-free and sugar-free, you are then dealing with artificial sweeteners and other chemicals to make up for the lack in fat or sugar.

Understanding nutrition labels and the nutrient claims on packaged diet foods will help you to get a better sense for what the label is REALLY telling you.

Adapted from “GET REAL” and STOP Dieting! Copyright © 2009 by Brett Blumenthal. All rights reserved.

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Have you ever had olive oil that was really flavorful and tasty…and then, had olive oil somewhere else that seemed light and especially bland?  Beyond the fact that there is a difference between “Extra-Virgin Olive Oil” (EVOO) and plain olive oil, (EVOO  is more pure than ordinary olive oil) there is another reason for that.   Just as we should avoid foods that are highly processed or refined, it is best to avoid oils that are as well.   Many oils are extracted from seeds, nuts, plants and vegetables by using a heating process or a chemical process, using the chemical hexane.  Heat can degrade the flavor, change the nutritional value and affect the color of oils.   While hexane, a petrochemical also used as a paint diluent and solvent may be dangerous to our health.  Is a matter of fact, the EPA declared hexane a Hazardous Air Pollutant in 1993, as a result of the fact that it can lead to serious health complications if inhaled.

As a result, it is best to look for oils that are unrefined.  They are richer in nutrients, and are more robust and true to their natural flavors.

• Expeller Pressed Oil: Expeller pressed oil is a process that extracts oil from nuts or seeds by crushing them.  Depending on the hardness of the seed or nut, various temperatures are required (the harder the nut, the higher the pressure, which directly causes higher temperatures during processing).  However, no external heat is applied.
• Cold Expeller Pressed Oil: As its name implies, CEPO uses a chemical-free process to extract oils from nuts or seeds by crushing them at very low heat…no higher than 120° Fahrenheit.

Unfortunately, some manufacturers trick their consumers by first using one of the above processes and then using hexane AFTER the expeller pressing process.  When you shop for oils, purchase those that are unrefined, cold-expeller pressed to ensure you are getting the highest quality oil.  Natural and Health Food Stores may even carry oils that have a “No Hexane” label on their product, as they know that consumers are becoming more aware.

Adapted from “GET REAL” and STOP Dieting! Copyright © 2009 by Brett Blumenthal. All rights reserved.

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This, however, doesn’t mean you should stop drinking water.  After all, drinking water is very important to our health.  So, what can you do to ensure your water is safe?

1. Check Online: Use this interactive map to find out how your local area is doing in regards to its water supply.
2. Municipal Report Card: You can get a municipal water report or consumer confidence report from your local city.  Your town or city is required by law to provide consumers with this information.   In these reports, you will see what harmful toxins and chemical exist in your water and how much.
3. Filter, Filter, Filter: Use a filter for your drinking water, at a minimum.  If your water is contaminated, bathing in the water can be harmful as well.  So, you should also consider filtering your bath water.  All of the filters discussed below can be bought on Amazon.com.
   • Pitchers: Because they require refilling, pitchers are good for a single person or a couple.  I’m a fan of Brita. But Pur is also a good product.
   • Faucet Filters: If you have a family, tap filters are better because you don’t have to constantly refill your water pitchers.  You can often just attach them to the faucet.
   • Shower Filters: Shower filters act similarly to your faucet filters.
4. At Home Water Test: Test your own water with an at home water test.  WaterSafe Test is a good product and can be purchased on Amazon.
5. Flush Your System: Debris and elements like lead can dissolve into your water, the longer the water sits in pipes.  If water hasn’t been run for more than six hours, run your faucet/shower for at least a minute or so to help flush the water out until it gets cold.  To help conserve the unused water, reuse the water for washing dishes, clothes or watering plants.
6. Always Use Cold Water for Drinking/Cooking: Hot water tends to dissolve unwanted toxins more quickly than cold water.  As a result, only use cold water for drinking, making coffee, cooking or even making juice from concentrate or baby formula.  If you want hot water to drink, heat cold water on the stove or microwave.
7. Take Yours With You: If you are exercising outdoors, make sure that you take your own water in a safe water bottle to ensure that you are drinking filtered water.  Many park or public water fountains are not filtered.

Sources: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/13/us/13water.html

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Why do we call distasteful past experiences “baggage?”  Because most of us carry it around…everywhere we go.  And, even though we attempt to pack it up neatly, inevitably it gets carried around so much, that the wear and tear it takes makes it especially distasteful.  Yet, it is still a part of us that somehow, we can’t get rid of.

Although most of our “baggage” is far from humorous, it is easy to find the humor in the analogy.  Granted, the order in which we experience the following during travel may not be accurate, but the concepts sure do ring true!

1. Check Your Bags: Do you want to carry your “baggage” with you wherever you go?  Or, would you rather check it, so that you can be free from it until you need it?

• Real Life Takeaway: If you know or accept that you have “baggage,” decide what you’d like to do about it.  Some of our “baggage” will stay with us for the rest of our lives, but, more likely than not, we can work through a lot of it so that we only have to deal with it when we need to.

2. Baggage Claim: Leaving your “baggage” at baggage claim makes travel difficult.   After all, you can’t travel without your bags!

• Real Life Takeaway: Sure, we may not like our less-than-perfect past.  But denying that it exists or pretending it isn’t part of our make-up, only causes it to resurface in very distasteful ways.  Instead, acknowledge that the “baggage” in your life exists and accept that it has a role in making you who you are.  Embrace how it has molded you and come to terms with the fact that, whether you like it or not, it is part of you.

3. Baggage Carousel: If you don’t pick your baggage up from the carousel, it will continue to go round and round…and you will never leave the airport.

• Real Life Takeaway: If you ignore your “baggage,” it will always be there and you will be going in circles throughout life.  Further, you will never progress into new terrain!  Take your “baggage” off the carousel so that you can move onto better things.

4. Baggage Handlers: When your “baggage” is too big and cumbersome, it is especially helpful to have a professional “baggage” handler help you.

• Real Life Takeaway: Consider counseling for especially difficult to handle situations or personal history.  Psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists and social workers are all professionals who can help you work through the hardships and unhealthy aspects of your past.

5. Baggage Screening: Although your “baggage” may be sealed up tight, people will still be able to see that there is stuff inside.

• Real Life Takeaway: Although people may not always know what your “baggage” is, they still can tell it is there.  Being self-aware and acknowledging your issues will make it much easier to help others understand you and where you are coming from.

6. Lost Baggage: When you lose “baggage,” inevitably you will get it back.

• Real Life Takeaway: Unfortunately, as you go through life, you may find people who have a knack for helping old habits resurface.  This can lead to toxic relationships or worse, history repeating itself.  If possible, don’t let old “baggage,” even disguised as new, come back over and over again.

6. Keep Your Baggage Unique: If you choose “baggage” that looks like everyone else’s, you will find it difficult to find your own.

• Real Life Takeaway: It is really easy to find other people who suffer from the same “baggage.”  After all, you can relate to one another.  However, it can also keep you stuck in the same ruts and behaviors, never breaking free from your past.  Look for people who can help you cultivate healthier habits while letting go of those that aren’t.

Are you handling your “baggage?”

1. One Plateful – One Time: Many eaters rely on visual cues, such as an empty plate, to decide when to stop eating.  Cornell University researcher Dr. Brian Wansink created a bottomless soup bowl, which secretly refilled during a meal.  He found that diners eating from the refillable bowl ate 73 percent more soup than diners who ate from a normal bowl.

What can you do? Eating one plateful will help you to eat less.  Further, forgo buffets and “bottomless” items on menus when eating out.  If eating family style, only fill your plate once!

2. Eat off a Smaller Plate: Dr. Brian Wansink also found that plate size matters.  By reducing plate size diameter from 12 to 10 inches, people ate 22 percent fewer calories.  Funny enough, in 1985, average plate size WAS 10″.  Over time, our plates have increased in size!

What you can do: Measure your plates at home.  How big are they?  If they are more than 10 inches, consider finding new plates to eat off of OR use a plate that is 10″ as a guide to fill your plates with food.  Stay within the 10″ diameter!  You’ll get used to the visual cue once you have done this enough.  Also, consider joining the Small Plate Challenge, which asks consumers to use a 10-inch plate for their biggest meals.  http://www.smallplatemovement.org

3. Eat Small Meals, often: Instead of three large meals a day…breakfast, lunch and dinner…decrease portion sizes and allocate some of the food for snacks. You will spread what would normally be three meals into five.  Doing so will help you eat smaller meals, stave off hunger throughout the day and keep you feeling satisfied and energized.

What you can do: Here’s a good schedule to try:

• Breakfast: 7:30am to 8:30am
• Morning Snack: 10:00am to 11:00am
• Lunch: 12:30pm to 1:30pm
• Afternoon Snack: 3:00pm to 4:00pm
• Dinner: 6:00pm to 7:00pm

4. Pre-Plate Your Food: Cornell University Food and Brand Lab researchers found that people who pre-plated their food ate approximately 14 percent less than those who took smaller amounts and returned for seconds and thirds.

What you can do: Pre-plate your meals or snacks before you start eating so that you have a visual stopping point. Avoid eating chips straight out of the bag or ice cream from the carton.

Adapted from “GET REAL” and STOP Dieting! Copyright © 2009 by Brett Blumenthal. All rights reserved.

Adapted from “GET REAL” and STOP Dieting! Copyright © 2009 by Brett Blumenthal. All rights reserved.

Tired of dieting?  Just in time for the holidays! Learn the 5 simple principles that will help you naturally shed excess-pounds and eat healthy for life...without another day of dieting!

BUY "GET REAL" and STOP Dieting! NOW!

Believe it or not, it is normal to have cholesterol in your body. It is found in your blood and cells, and it is important to a healthy body because it supports multiple body functions, including the manufacturing of cell membranes and some hormones.  However, too much cholesterol in the blood (known as hypercholesterolemia) may increase your risk for heart disease.

Cholesterol is both manufactured by the body, and comes from foods you eat. In order to understand cholesterol’s impact on your health, I’ve provided a chart of the different terms you have heard and what they really mean

* Your ideal LDL number ALSO depends on other risk factors you have, such as your age, family history, cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, or low HDL.   Always consult with your doctor about your risk factors and where your numbers should be.

How else can you impact your cholesterol levels?

Most people’s “numbers” are affected by genetics, age and gender…which, for the most part, are out of our control.  Further, medical conditions and medications may cause an elevation of cholesterol levels in the blood. Other than taking cholesterol medication, however, there ARE several ways you can keep your cholesterol and triglyceride numbers as healthy as possible.

• Diet: Different types of dietary fat have different impacts on your health.   Saturated Fats and Trans Fats may increase LDL; and trans fats increase decrease HDLs.  As a result, it is best to stick with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, while reducing the amount of saturated fat and trans fats and cholesterol in your diet helps lower your blood cholesterol level.  Further, eating a diet high in soluble fiber can help to lower cholesterol levels as well (oats are high in soluble fiber).
• Physical Activity: Exercising and being active can raise your HDL cholesterol, while lowering your LDL.   Inactivity, however, is a major risk factor for heart disease.  Aim to get 30 minutes of activity on most days.
• Weight: Being overweight can negatively impact your cholesterol levels. Losing excess-weight can help raise healthy HDLs, lower unhealthy LDLs, total cholesterol levels and triglyceride levels.
• Smoking: Smoking lowers HDL and increases the tendency for your blood to clot…raising risk for heart disease.
• Alcohol: In certain studies, alcohol has shown to raise HDL.  However, it doesn’t significantly enough to recommend drinking alcohol as a preventative measure.  Always make sure you drink in moderation (1 to drinks per day for men and one per day for women).

Do you have high cholesterol?  What measures are you taking to lower your numbers?

Shed excess-pounds naturally and eat healthy for life with the MOST simple plan: "GET REAL" and STOP Dieting!  BUY IT NOW!

But, before we dive into the details of the healthy side of pumpkins, here are a few fun-facts:

Fun-Facts

• Globe-Trotter: Six of seven continents can grow pumpkins.  Only on Antarctica are pumpkins unable to grow.
• Edible Flowers: Add pumpkin flowers to salads or dishes to make them oh-so-pretty.
• Jack of ALL Lanterns (or Trades!): First harvested in Central America, Native Americans used pumpkins for food, medicine and even household items, such as mats.
• Good Enough for a Leprechaun: Carving pumpkins is originally an Irish tradition.  They originally carved turnips, but found pumpkins to be much easier to carve.
• Your Chariot Awaits!: Cinderella could have very well ridden in a pumpkin at midnight.  Pumpkins range in size from less than a pound to over 1,000 pounds, with the largest ever grown weighing 1,140 pounds! (BOY! That is a lot of carving to do!)

Benefits

1. Cancer Fighter: Much like carrots, pumpkins are loaded with the antioxidant beta-carotene.  Those who consume diets rich in this nutrient are said to be less likely to develop certain cancers than those who don’t include it in their diets.
2. Hypertension: Pumpkin seeds are high in potassium which is known to lower the risk for hypertension.
3. Immune System: As a result of its zinc content, pumpkin is wonderful in boosting your immune system.
4. Bone Health: Zinc also helps support bone density and, as a result, lessens the risk for osteoporosis.
5. Digestion: 90% made of water and high in fiber (3 gms per 50 calories), pumpkins are wonderful for aiding digestion.  Fiber, specifically, is known to help fight cancer and heart disease, as well as other diseases.
6. Arthritis Prevention: Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, pumpkin seeds may help to diminish symptoms of arthritis.
7. Anti-Aging: As a result of pumpkin’s high vitamin A, vitamin C and alpha-hydrox-acid content, pumpkins are helpful in reducing the signs of aging and great for your skin.

Ideas to Get into Your Diet

• Seeds:
  • Roast the seeds for a healthy snack on their own
  • Add seeds to cereals (or look for cereals that already contain them, such as Nature’s Path Flax and Pumpkin Seed Granola)
  • Add seeds to salads
• Pumpkin Flesh:
  • Soups: Cut up pumpkin and heat in a pot with curry and other spices you enjoy.  Once well cooked, blend in a food processor with vegetable or chicken broth for a tasty soup.
  • Bread: Use applesauce instead of butter to keep it low-fat.
  • Pie:You can’t beat pumpkin pie at Thanskgiving
  • Side Dish:  Much like squash, pumpkin is great as a side dish on its own.

Do you like pumpkins?  How do you eat them?



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Dr. Scott Lephart, from the University of Pittsburgh’s Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition, had a proven track record of reducing injury in professional sports teams.  He seemed to be just what the Army needed.  Traditionally, much of the military’s physical training included calisthenics.  However, Lephart’s ETAP takes quite a different approach: Interval circuit training.  Through 45 second circuits, soldiers increase their speed, agility, flexibility and balance.  And although injury rates were the primary focus, it is clear that the results have proven to be beneficial in making soldiers stronger:  ETAP participants are 30 percent more fit than those that go through traditional training!

So, how can you get in on the action?  And, is it really something that you should consider?  Absolutely!

Benefits

1. Cardio AND Strength: Circuit training is a workout combining both cardiovascular fitness and resistance training.  By allowing only a short rest interval of 30-90 seconds between exercises, you get both cardio and strength training in your workout.
2. Boredom: Because circuit training allows a wide variety of exercises and equipment, it is more difficult to get bored.
3. Cost: A lot of the equipment you can use is free or inexpensive.  Some of the equipment you can use includes: your own body weight (free!), resistance bands, jump ropes, dumbbells, medicine balls, physioballs and weight training machines
4. Flexible Fitness Levels: You can do as little anywhere from 6 to 15 stations based on your goals and fitness level.
5. Time Required: Because you are fitting both cardio AND strength into your regimen, you are actually saving time (as compared to splitting them up).

Making it Work for You

You, too, can be as fit as a man or woman of service.  Here’s how:

Warm-up: As with any workout program, always warm up first.  Do 5 to 10 minutes of low-impact cardio, such as walking, elliptical or stationary bike to get your heart rate up; followed by light stretching.

Exercises: You’ll put circuits together of cardio, upper-body, lower-body and core exercises.  Generally, you’ll want to do 10 – 15 repetitions for upper and lower body exercises, and 10 – 30 repetitions for core exercises.  Take no more than a one minute break between exercises (YES! Time yourself!).  To create your own circuits, do the following:

• Decide how many rotations you will do (a rotation includes one of each of the below categories)…2 should be your minimum and 4 should be your maximum.
• From the below chart, start with a cardio exercise and follow it with an upper-body, a lower-body and a core exercise. (The chart provides several examples, but if you know or like other exercises in each category, you can do those as well.)
• Except for cardio, each rotation should have different exercises from each category.
• At the end of your last rotation, do one last cardio exercise.

Cool-down: You should follow your final rotation with 5 to 10 minutes of low-impact, low-intensity cardio and stretching to get your heart rate down and muscles stretched out.

Have you tried circuit training?  Did you see results?

1. Description: The shape of a Somersault is a 1/4″ thick disk that is about 3/4″ in diameter.  Their look reminds me of kids-cereals…namely Cookie Crisp, however, instead of chocolate chips, they have sunflower seeds.    A serving size is about 15 of these little munchables.
2. Taste and Flavors: Somersaults come in three flavors:  Chez Cocoa, Salty Pepper and S.S. Sea Salt.  In general, their flavors, although different, remind me of a cross between pretzels, crackers, nuts and seeds.  Chez Cocoa reminds me of a healthier and slightly less sweet version of Cocoa Puffs.  Salty Pepper has a bit of a nuttier flavor with a bit of a spicy pretzel taste.  And,  S.S. Sea Salt is most like a very salty pretzel.  My favorites are Chez Cocoa: It isn’t too sweet, yet still satisfies the sweet tooth in all of us; and Salty Pepper.  I find that S.S. Sea Salt is a little on the boring side, and not nearly as robust in flavor as the Salty Pepper.
3. Ingredient Quality: Each flavor is made with all-natural ingredients, including: spices, toasted grains, sunflower seeds and sesame seeds.  Nothing artificial and no fillers.
4. Nutritional Value: These little nuggets are a bit high in fat, however, they are low in saturated fat.  Their nutritional breakdown is approximately: 40% Fat, 44% Carbs and 16% Protein.  Further, they offer 3 grams of fiber, definitely a healthy dose per serving.
5. Overall: I like these.  I’m not sure I would make them a regular snack, but they would definitely fill the bill once in awhile.  Further, given their flavor, shape and size, they would most likely be a winner with the kids!  One word of caution:  It is easy to be “not-so-mindful” when eating these, as 15 little nuggets pop in your mouth pretty easily.  So, I’d be extra mindful when enjoying them!

To Purchase:

You can buy either the 2 oz pouches or 6 ounce resealable pouches on Amazon: Buy Somersaults

Samples were provided from Somersaults Snack Co.

Each activity is accompanied with a calorie burn assessment for an individual who is 130 pounds.  If you are at a different weight, you can reference the “Calories Burned Chart” on Sheer Balance to know your personal burn.  The great thing about most of these activities is that they provide both strength and cardio benefits!

1. Rowing, Canoeing and Kayaking: If you live near water (lake, ocean or river), try getting in some rowing or kayaking.  Rivers aren’t as full, which will make navigating more difficult terrain (white water and rapids) a bit easier. It is a great way to see the sites!

• Targets: Upper body strength and cardio.  Rowing, however, provides a great lower body workout as well.
• Calorie Burn: You can burn up to 413, 502 or 561 calories an hour depending on intensity (numbers are reflective of light, moderate and vigrorous intensity respectively) for rowing; and 295 calories per hour for kayaking.

2. Outdoor Bootcamp: Some cities, such as Boston, have bootcamp classes that go outbound in the nicer weather.  If you live in the Boston area, a great one to try is: Beantown Bootcamp.

• Targets: Full body strength and cardio.
• Calorie Burn: You can burn up to 472 calories an hour.

3. Raking Leaves: Don’t ever underestimate the power of raking leaves.  It is a great activity to do with family and kids too!

• Targets: Upper body strength with some cardio.
• Calorie Burn: 266 calories per hour.

4. Horseback Riding: Many national parks and city parks offer horseback riding.  Further, rural and suburban areas throughout the country have horse farms.  Horseback riding is great if you love animals and want to feel connected to nature:

• Targets: Lower body strength.
• Calorie Burn: 236 calories per hour for general riding or 472 calories for racing.

5. Hiking: Hiking is absolutely beautiful during the fall because of the beautiful foliage you can see (obviously this is true in more temperate climates).

• Targets: Lower body strength (and upper if you carry a backpack) and cardio.
• Calorie Burn: 354 calories per hour.

6. Golf: Golf is a game that can be enjoyed all the way through the fall.  Don’t rent the golf-cart, however, as walking will give you a lower body workout and some cardio.

• Targets: Upper and lower body strength.
• Calorie Burn: 207 calories per hour.

And, although these don’t necessarily burn as many calories, don’t underestimate the power of apple picking and pumpkin picking…not to mention pumpkin carving!  So, don’t let the change of season slow you down!  Keep moving and enjoy!

Although Halloween tends to be chock full o’ sugar, chocolate and other unhealthier items, there is no reason why you and the kids can’t enjoy some of the sweetest that Halloween has to offer, without any of the guilt or regrets that tend to follow.  All it takes is a little thinking and “pre-planning.”  Doing so will help you maintain control and not overdo it when the big day finally comes:

Pre-Halloween

• Buying Candy: Avoid stocking up on Halloween candy early.  Having the candy around the house will tempt you to indulge before trick-or-treating starts.  Aim to purchase your candy no more than a day or two before Halloween (you may hit some great sales too!)
• Plan Your Treat-Giving: There is nothing wrong about giving treats that are healthier than the traditional HFCS laden candy that Halloween often includes.  Here are a few ideas:
  • Nut packs, raisins, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds
  • Granola bars, Clif Bars for Kids, and other snack bars
  • Baked chips, microwave popcorn or pretzels
  • Bubbles, pencils, stickers, Slinkies, Trading Cards, gum
  • Dark chocolate miniatures by Hershey’s
• Party Planning: Consider hosting your own party.  Doing so will allow you to have more control over portion control and other foods beyond candy.  Serve treats towards the end of the evening, and start off with fresh vegetables and dips, sandwiches made with whole-grain breads and lean meats, whole-grain crackers and low-fat cheese and fruit.  And, for drinks, choose juice or hot apple cider over soda.
• Rally Your Neighborhood Together: Talk to other parents in the neighborhood and plan on making a healthier Halloween as a community.  Create a “pre-approved” treat list and divide and conquer on the purchases.  This will make it easier for all parents involved! (Check out http://www.greenhalloween.org/)

Day of Halloween

• Eat before Trick-or-Treating: Just like it is wise to grocery shop on a full stomach, it is wise to trick-or-treat on one as well.  Serve your kids a healthy snack that is well-balanced and nutritious before to stave off gorging themselves during and after trick-or-treating.
• Be Picky: Before you go trick-or-treating with your child, talk to them about the treats they are most looking forward to.  You may even want to talk to them about what they think is a good amount to consume that night and make a pact with them about how much they will eat and what you will do with the “left-overs”.
• Mini Bag it: Use smaller bags for trick-or-treating.  In Mindless Eating: Why we Eat More Than We Think by Brian Wansink, it is argued that people consume more food when it comes in bigger packages.  Limiting the capacity of your trick-or-treat bag will help your child to not overdo it.
• Indulge: Whether or not you have discussed an appropriate amount of treat eating prior to trick-or-treating, let your children enjoy some candy in moderation post-trick-or-treating.   Either watch how much they consume or keep the treats in a place that you can manage so that you can decide an appropriate stopping point.

The Day After

• Portion out the Loot: Apportion the left-over candy into “single-serving” treats that they can indulge in once-a-day or whatever frequency you deem most appropriate.   You may even want to formalize these portions by using little Halloween party favor bags to hold two or three small treats.  You can staple them to make it clear that the bag is a serving.
• Giveaway Leftovers: If the idea of giving your child candy every day is distasteful, consider giving away leftovers to places like your office, libraries or pediatrician offices.
• Out of Sight: If you want to keep the leftover candy around, but would prefer to not make it a daily ritual, put the extras into a high-cabinet or into the back of a cabinet to keep it out of sight.  The less you or you child sees the treats, the less likely they will think about them.
• Sales: A lot of stores will sell candy for deep discounts on November 1st.  Resist the urge to stock up.

How do you plan on making Halloween healthier for you and your kids?

Although the old mantra of “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” is pretty ingrained, the average American consumes a mere 65 apples a year.  That is barely once or twice a week, or 2 months out of the year!  Seems like Americans could benefit from upping their intake.  Here’s why:

1. Cancer Prevention: Various studies have shown that eating apples helps prevent the development of various cancers, including: breast, lung, colon and liver cancers.
2. Lung Health: Daily apple consumption helps to lower symptoms of asthma and protect against lung disease.
3. Heart Health: As a result of a unique combination of phytonutrients, flavenoids and fiber, apples help support heart health and lower cholesterol.  Many of these nutrients are found in the skins, so be sure to choose organic and eat the apple unpeeled.
4. Memory and Aging: In a study done at Cornell University, quercetin, an ingredient found in apples, was found to potentially protect brain cells from damage that may result in Alzheimers.
5. Bone Strength: Ingredients phloridzin (found only in apples) and boron help to increase bone density and strength.

And if an apple’s benefits are the least of your interest, maybe some little known facts would be:

1. Top apple-producing country: China
   
2. Top 5 apple-producing states: Washington, New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and California.
3. Varieties: If you think that Granny Smith or Delicious are a couple of several varieties to choose from, think again. More than 7500 varieties of apples are grown in the world, with 2500 grown in the United States.  Red Delicious is the most popular in the US and Golden Delicious is 2nd.
4. Native Heritage: Of all 2,500 varieties of apples, the ONLY apple that is native to North America is the crabapple!
5. Biblical Reference: Although most of us think of Eve tempting Adam with an apple, there is actually no mention of an apple as the forbidden fruit in the Bible.

Want some ideas to get your daily dose?  Here are some ways to enjoy:

• In an apple-banana protein shake
• With a tablespoon of 100% all-natural peanut butter
• In yogurt with honey
• In your oatmeal
• In your salad: Mix with mixed greens, walnuts, grapes and a tablespoon of gorgonzola.  Serve with EVOO olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Do you like apples? How do you most enjoy eating them?  How often do you eat them?

Truth is, these phases are normal.  If anyone claims otherwise, they would be lying.  But just because your inner-devil has won over your inner-angel does not mean that it has won for good!  Here are a few ways to overcome your burnout period and move into a more motivated frame of mind:

1. STOP Exercising. Yep, you heard me right.  Stop exercising.  Take a week off and don’t feel guilty about it either.  Burning out is a sign that you may have been overdoing it.  Allowing yourself to not exercise will give your body a break and, even more importantly, your mind a rest.  The more we berate ourselves into having to go to the gym, the more we feel that it is a chore…something to loathe.  Giving yourself a break will help your mind reset its attitude to be more positive.
2. Do a Little Research. Chances are that you have been doing a similar workout or exercise routine for awhile.  This may be part of why you are burnt out.  Without actually doing the exercises, read up on recent fitness trends, talk to friends about classes or exercise types they really enjoy and scope out what may be new offerings in your area or gym.  Getting some fresh ideas will help you feel excited again about exercising and finding activities you enjoy.
3. Set New Goals. Having goals helps us to focus our attention on an outcome versus the process, giving us something to look forward to.   Maybe you want to train for a marathon.  Maybe you want to gain muscle and decrease your fat (calculate your Body Fat here).  Maybe you want to become a black belt in a Martial Art.  Find something that you can be passionate about to help you get motivated again.
4. Find a Partner in Crime. Having a friend who wants to stay fit with you can help you through the rough patches of exercise.  Make sure, however, that your workout buddy is someone who has real dedication to the task at hand and whom you can count on to push you when you need the push!
5. Get New Music. If you are struggling with cardio, in particular, get a new workout playlist.  Music can be a huge motivator to get you moving.  If your playlist gets stale, it can have the opposite impact on you.  Keeping music fresh will help you stay interested and distracted when your workout is feeling a little long.

How do you get over your workout burnout?

It is easy to get caught up in the day-to-day, but without this specific element, reaching our goals can be more challenging.   Here’s why:

1. The Rough Patches: When we find that we hit a rough patch in our path to success, we need something to pull us out of the “funk.”  Not every day is going to be a success…some days may be dull or may feel like we aren’t getting anywhere.  It is at these times that believing in ourselves gives us the energy to keep going.
2. Rejection: Believing in ourselves helps us get through the rejections, the “naysayers,” the “you can’ts,” the “it won’t works” and the “nos” and, instead, gives us the confidence to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and try all over again.
3. Self-Confidence: Knocking yourself or even just forgetting to believe in your ability to do the things you want can take a toll on your self-confidence.  This negativity, unfortunately, can become a downward spiral…ultimately undermining all of your efforts and sabotaging your ability to be successful.

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1. It’s Contagious: Your belief in yourself is probably one of the best and most valuable sales tools and influences in getting others to believe in you.  In all honesty, have you ever been eager to help those individuals who were doubtful of their own capabilities?  Probably not.  You may have felt badly for them, but you probably didn’t feel very confident in them.  If you exude confidence and a belief in who you are and what you set out to do, other people will feel the same way.  And, unlike the self-confidence point above, this positivity can bring new opportunities and open doors that may not have happened without your believing in yourself.
2. Why Not?: If you can’t believe in yourself, who CAN you believe in?  First and foremost, you have YOU to respond to.  You have YOU to count on.  And, you have YOU to believe in.  You are the captain of your ship, the master of your destiny…so believe in yourself to do what you want to do and be successful!

Do you believe in yourself?  How has it helped you to reach your goals and be successful?

This post is sponsored by Propel® for the You.Propelled Program. Propel’s mission is to enhance your life, give you the ability to move through obstacles and live a more streamlined, energetic life.

What convinced me, however, was one simple thing: It was touted as being a great makeup remover.  For years, I found that unless I washed my face with a washcloth, I didn’t get all of the make-up residue off my face…and that was frustrating.  So, I made the $200 investment and brought home my new shiny brush eager to find out if it worked.  Here is the scoop:

What it is…

Developed by the same people who developed Sonic Care Toothbrushes, the Clarisonic Cleansing System uses a patented sonic frequency of more than 300 movements per second to clean your skin.

Specifics

The Clarisonic system comes in four types – Mia, Classic, Plus and Pro.  Here is a comparison:

Additionally, there are four types of brushes you can use:

• Normal: For normal skin, shaving prep and use on body.
• Sensitive: For sensitive to normal skin types.
• Delicate: Ultra-soft brush for delicate or extra-sensitive skin.
• Spot Therapy: For cleansing areas of the body needing extra care and attention, including the décolleté, hands, arms, elbows and feet. Works with Clarisonic PLUS and PRO models.

And lastly, they sell cleansers and skin-care products that you can use with the Clarisonic.

Benefits

Here are the benefits that Clarisonic claims it provides and how I thought it stacked up against its claims:

• Removes 6x more makeup than manual cleansing: TRUE.  Although I can’t measure “6x,” I definitely get all of the makeup off of my skin, without the need for rough and irritating wash-clothes.
• Leaves skin feeling and looking smoother: TRUE.  Be sure to use the right brush for your type of skin so you don’t overdry!
• Products absorb better: TRUE.  Because dry patches are diminished, I find that my products smooth on more easily.
• Gentle for use 2x daily: TRUE.  If you have sensitive or delicate skin, however, you MUST use the right brushes.  Using Clarisonic twice a day with the wrong brush may irritate your skin.
• Helps reduce oily areas, dry skin patches and blemishes: PARTIALLY TRUE.  I have combination skin, and although  I have found that my skin is smoother and that dry patches have diminished, I would not say that my oily areas have reduced.
• Helps reduce appearance of visible pores: PARTIALLY TRUE.  Again, texture is improved, but in certain areas (chin), I have not seen diminished pores.  In other areas (nose), I have.
• Reduces appearance of fine lines and wrinkles: PARTIALLY TRUE.  I would argue that Clarisonic makes a difference with fine lines, but not with deep wrinkles.

Overall Review

I HIGHLY recommend using the Clarisonic as part of your beauty and skin care regimen.  A few points, however:

• Make sure you purchase the right brushes for your skin type.  This is very important in ensuring you don’t irritate your skin.
• Don’t buy their cleansers.  Frankly, you can use your own cleanser and their products contain ingredients that I recommend you avoid.
• Purchase the model you think you will most benefit.  There is no need to buy the most expensive model.  The technology is the same…and if you are a simple person (like me), you most likely won’t use the extra bells and whistles of the Plus or Pro models.

Where Can you Buy?

Clarisonic at Beauty.com
Clarisonic at Amazon
CLARISONIC Skin Care Brush Limited Edition Pink, Breast Cancer Awareness + 2 oz Cleanser

That being said, many people aren’t self-aware or aren’t self-aware ALL of the time.  Maybe it is someone at the gym who thinks that all of the equipment is his or her very own and doesn’t like to share.  Or, maybe it is a family member who believes that they are always right and that the rest of the world is wrong.  Or, maybe you work with a colleague who just doesn’t have any sense of how they bully others.  Some of these people can produce continual toxicity in our lives, while others may cause only a momentary frustration.  Whoever or whatever the case may be, these people are among us.

But why is self-awareness so important?  It makes us better people.  Here’s why:

1. Empathy. Having the ability to see when we are wrong or when we have made a mistake allows us to see other peoples’ perspectives and to be empathetic to their situation or their feelings.
2. Admission. Have you noticed when people aren’t self-aware, it is very difficult for them to apologize or admit that they are wrong?  Often, these people can’t even SEE that they are wrong in the first place.  They tend to think that they are always right and if something doesn’t work out as planned, it is always someone else’s fault.
3. Man in the Mirror. If we can acknowledge our flaws, we can make positive change to improve upon them.  Knowing is half the battle…and if you can admit to the qualities that are less than stellar about yourself…you can change them or improve upon them.
4. Tolerance. When you can see your own faults, it is easier to accept others’.
5. Humility. Understanding that we ourselves are not perfect allows us to get off our high-horses.  Further, know we can always be better and as a result, can be thankful for the good that does come our way.
6. Likability. Let’s face it:  No one likes a know-it-all or an individual who thinks they are always right.  Having the ability to see other peoples viewpoints, to be open and flexible, and acknowledge that you are not the only person who has the answer makes you a more attractive person.

So how self-aware are you?  Here are a few questions to ask:

1. Do you listen to others during a conversation?  Or, do you tend to do a lot of the talking?
2. Do you ask others how they feel about situations?  Or, do you make assumptions based on your own feelings?
3. Do you think about how your actions affect others?  Or, are you confident that others are fine with how you handle situations?
4. Are you aware of other people’s social cues?  Or, do you mostly focus on your own?
5. Can you admit when you are wrong, and have apologized when you are?  Or, do you tend to think that things are wrong or go bad because of others?

If you answered yes to most of the first questions in each pair, you are most-likely self-aware.  If you answered yes to most of the second questions in each pair, you probably could afford to tune into other people’s reactions and do some inner reflecting.

Self awareness gives you the ability to be open, thoughtful and aware of how you impact others.  It is one of the best and most valuable qualities you can have!  Do you think you are self-aware?  Have you met others who aren’t?  How did they make you feel?

Richard Wilkinson - “Learn to Love Fat.”

During the segment there were a few points that I think are worth mentioning:

• Extremism: The reporter stated, “Not everyone subscribes to the theory that life is best lived hungry and constantly inside the gym.”  These kinds of statements are exactly what discourage people from living at a healthy weight.  If you eat right and are active…you don’t have to be so extreme to always “live hungry and inside the gym.”  Let’s get back to moderation.
• Obesity vs. Inactivity: One of the doctors interviewed stated that she believes there really isn’t an obesity epidemic, as much as an inactivity epidemic. For instance, there are people who are thin and appear to fall into a healthy BMI range who are extremely inactive.  However, on the flip side, there are overweight people who are highly active. Which is better? Personally, I’d argue that the overweight person who is highly active is more healthy than the thin person who doesn’t get their butt off the couch.
• Degree of Overweight is What Matters: Let’s face it, there is a big difference between being 5 – 10 pounds overweight versus 50 to 70 pounds overweight. I would argue that although there are rare cases of a person who is carrying 50 extra pounds is in good health, more often than not, that individual has or will have more health issues than an individual who is 5 – 10 pounds overweight. So really, is it productive to have a “Fat Acceptance Movement?” Or, should we be pushing for a “Happy to Be in My Skin Movement.
• REAL Acceptance?: Dr. Snyderman provides a real life personal question of how accepting we really are: If you are on an airplane and an obese person gets on…would you think to yourself: “Please don’t sit next to me”?

Here is the video for your own viewing:

What do you think?  Do you think that a Fat Acceptance Movement is an excuse for people to be obese or do you think it is a great idea?

1. Explore: Although almost every curriculum has “core requirements” and pre-requisites, it is important to explore the topics that peak your interest…even if they have nothing to do with your major.  If you want to take a dance class, do so.  If you want to learn how to make rockets, look for an introductory class.  You can even create your own classes by doing independent studies.  Exploring your interests is what leads to discovering your passions.  And having passion for what you do makes your future that much sweeter and exciting.
2. Stay Well Rounded. All work and no play makes Jane a dull girl.  Finding courses you love is important, but getting involved in extracurricular activities that you enjoy (other than drinking) is also just as important.  Volunteer for campus initiatives…join the choir…play intramural sports…find things that you love that will take your mind off of your grades and classes and allow you to enjoy life.
3. Maintain Balance. In college, “being in balance” is probably one of the most difficult states to maintain.  It is typical to work really hard, as well as play really hard, often neglecting your need for sleep and health.  Make sure you take time out for yourself to decompress, relax and have some down time.  Stay active through exercise, intramural sports or gym classes.  Avoid the late night munchies and unhealthy foods in the cafeteria and get your 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night.
4. Don’t Procrastinate. Practicing time-management skills in school will be one of the most valuable things you can teach yourself for the rest of your life.  Avoid waiting until the last minute to get your work done.  Cram sessions aren’t good for your mind or your grades.  Plan your semester out by keeping a calendar with all of your key assignments and due dates on it.  Schedule enough time for each so that you can put enough attention and dedication to preparing for them appropriately.
5. Build Solid Friendships. The friendships you build in college will last you a lifetime.  Look to make friendships that are mutually supportive, where both of you are their for one another.  Build in time together that is both fun, and productive.  Rely on each other when you are going through rough spots and celebrate your accomplishments together.

Enjoy your time in school this year and good luck!

Although there are definite benefits to doing aerobic exercise; strength, core and flexibility training all provide numerous health benefits that cardio can’t:  They increase muscular and bone strength, increase lean body mass, safeguard against injury and boost metabolism while decreasing fat.

Is it possible you are overdoing the cardio?  Here’s how to know:

1. Time: Unless you are training for a race, marathon or triathlon, there is no need to do more than 30 minutes of cardio (with your heart rate between 65% – 85% of your maximum heart rate) when you workout. Fitness Revamp: If you want to exercise for over 30 minutes, you are better off doing a 20 – 30 minute cardio session and another 20 – 30 minutes dedicated to strength training, stretching and/or core training.
2. You aren’t seeing results: If you are trying to lose weight, yet you aren’t seeing results, it may be because of too much cardio.  Believe it or not the idea of ‘burning off fat’ does not stem from cardio…it stems from strength training.   Fitness Revamp: Build in 20 – 30 minute strength training sessions 2 – 3 times a week.
3. Injuries: Too much wear and tear on your muscles and joints can end up in an injury…or even worse, multiple injuries.  Incorporating flexibility and strength training helps to strengthen the joints which will prevent pain and damage to joints. Fitness Revamp: Take the time to stretch before and after your cardio sessions.
4. Boredom: Does it take a lot to motivate yourself to go to the gym?  Doing the same type of exercise every day, of every week, of every year is…BORING!  Working out should be fun and should make you feel good.  Fitness Revamp: Mix it up.  Take a class or two that interest you each week.  Get into the weight room and do a few sets of bicep curls.  Go hiking.  Do things that motivate you and keep you interested.  Being active is what is most important…not the time and mileage on a piece of equipment.

Do you think you are overdoing cardio?  Have you found any of the above indicators true?

The New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden in Brooklyn, for instance, run programs where children can plant, tend and harvest their own fruits, herbs and vegetables.  To appeal to the “ripe” ages of the NYBG’s audience, the garden focuses on teaching children around their favorite dishes.  For instance, in the Breakfast Bowl Bed, they plant and harvest cereals and grains such as corn, barley, oats, rice and wheat.  While the Pizza Garden is where they can grow and cultivate various ingredients such as oregano, basil, and tomatoes.

It turns out that these types of programs not only educate children, but also impact their taste buds to appreciate the very foods they would turn their noses up to previously.  Here’s why:

1. Dirty Zone: What kid doesn’t like to get a little dirty?  In programs like the ones at the NYBG and BBG, children are encouraged to dig for worms, plant seeds and get a little dirty.  Putting bad weeds in ‘Jail’ and learning how to play in the dirt is what these programs are all about!
2. Ownership and Responsibility: Through cultivating their own plot, children plant vegetables, watch them grow and pick them with their very own hands.  It gives them a sense of pride and accomplishment…and if you will…attachment to what they grow.
3. Learning While Playing: The children in these programs aren’t being told what they “should be eating”, but instead learn while doing.  The staff teaches them good nutrition through the food they grow, why foods are healthy and how to make them grow the best.  They even learn about the benefits of growing organic.

Unfortunately, programs like the NYBG’s aren’t everywhere.  If you don’t have a program local to you, you can create your own programs right at home.  Here are a few ideas:

1. Garden at Home: If you have a backyard, start your own garden at home and involve your children.  Ask them what they would like to grow and give them their own “crop” to take care of.  If you don’t have a backyard, look for plants you can grow in a window box or herbs you can grow in your kitchen.
2. Farmers’ Markets: Bring your children to your local farmers’ markets and let them explore the good being sold.  Let them choose a fruit or vegetable that they would like to try on their own.
3. Cooking: Let your children pick a new ingredient each week and have them help you come up with a recipe that they can cook and enjoy.  You can even have their friends over and host a Children’s “Iron Chef” cook-off.
4. Educate: Each week, pick a vegetable, fruit or herb that you can research together.  Learn where the ingredient originates from, during what time of year it grows, ways to prepare it, and of course, its nutritional benefits.

Do you grow your own vegetables at home?  Do you involve your children in the process?  Have you enrolled your kids in any of these programs?

When we work hard for something and finally achieve it, it is wonderful to celebrate and reward our accomplishments.  Whether the achievement is big or small, rewarding ourselves allows us to acknowledge our effort, while giving ourselves permission to bask in our own glory.

How we celebrate our accomplishments can be just as much fun as the accomplishment itself.  Here are some creative ways to let loose, have fun and give yourself a pat on the back!

1. Indulge: Eating is as much a necessity as a social occasion.  Enjoying a meal with friends and family at your favorite restaurant allows you to splurge a little.  Order your favorite piece of chocolate cake and heck, throw in a candle while you’re at it!
2. Bottle of Bubbly: Personally, I love champagne, cava (Spanish sparkling wine) and prosecco (Italian sparkling wine) at any time.  In my mind, there is no real need to have something to celebrate to enjoy the bubbly!  However, if you are the type who only pops the cork for special occasions, your accomplishment is as good a time as ever to enjoy!
3. Get Pampered: Indulging yourself in a massage or another favorite treatment is a great way to reward yourself.  Go at a time when you don’t have to rush so that you can maximize your experience.
4. GET OUT of Town: Get away for a day or two.  Even one night in a luxury hotel can feel like a real treat, while relaxing your mind and body so that you are ready to take on your next challenge.
5. GO OUT ON the Town: Go out with your friends and paint the town whatever your heart desires.  Whether it be dancing, theater, karaoke, live music…enjoy a night of fun and festivity.
6. Splurge: Have you been eying something but have been resisting the temptation to make the purchase?  Buying yourself a trinket that seems frivolous, yet luxurious is a great way to feel rewarded.
7. Sleep: If you have been working your tail off to reach your goal, you may have compromised on some ZZZ’s.  Go to bed early and catch up on some much needed sleep.
8. Theme Party: Throw a party that has a theme specific to your accomplishment!   If you just finished writing a book, have a theme of favorite literary icons.  If you just finished your degree, have a theme of what you majored in…let your creative juices flow!

So how do you reward yourself?

This post is sponsored by Propel® for the You.Propelled Program. Propel’s mission is to enhance your life, give you the ability to move through obstacles and live a more streamlined, energetic life.

Recently, I tried Suzanne Bowen’s and Leah Sarago’s Release Workout DVD.  It teaches moves that are part of their Ruah Mind Body Movement, utilizing a method they term “Postural Movement and Flow” to strengthen the mind, body, and spirit.  It is centered in principles of lengthening the muscles through deep muscle work with stretching.  Here is what I thought:

1. Video Synopsis: The video is about 55 minutes long, with 15 minutes dedicated to lower body, 25 minutes dedciated to upper body and core and 10 minutes of the video dedicated to stretching and relaxation.   All of the work is done in a low to non-impact format, utilizing both standing movements and matwork.
2. Type of Workout: Although the video claims that the exercises offer the three components of cardio, strength, and flexibility training, if you are especially in shape, I would offer that the video is more geared towards strength and flexibility.  The more fit you are, the more it takes to increase your heart rate.  If you are a beginner, however, I would say that it definitely offers some amount of cardio.
3. How to Incorporate: Although I would never use this video to replace traditional cardio or strength training, it is definitely something to consider incorporating into your overall workout regimen.  If you are especially prone to skipping stretching or relaxation, and feel it is a waste of time, this video incorporates enough movement to keep even the most non-yoga types engaged.
4. Level of Difficulty: The moves are simple in regards to coordination and choreography, but still challenges the muscles.
5. Level of Creativity: If you have taken a yoga class or a pilates class, many of the moves will be familiar.  They are not especially unique and can be a bit repetitive (this is not a dance video!), however, Leah and Suzanne combine various moves into a sequence which gives the moves a bit of a new twist.
6. Overall Review: I recommend “Release” for beginners who want to ease into an exercise program or for those individuals who are fit, but want to get more stretching, lengthening and toning into their workout regimens.

To learn more about the Ruah Movement, visit www.ruahmovement.com.  You can also buy “Release” here..

1. It is a fruit. Although many people believe that tomatoes are vegetables, they are actually fruits.
2. Italian in Origin..Not so Much. Although popular as an ingredient in Italian cuisine, tomatoes are originally native to the western side of South America.  However, it was first cultivated in Mexico; and it was through Colombus that seeds were first introduced to Europe.
3. Antioxidant Powerhouse. Tomatoes are a great source of lycopene, Vitamin C, and Vitamin A.  They are antioxidants that are instrumental in neutralizing free radicals known to potentially damage cells, which can increase inflammation and the progression or severity of disease.  Diets high in these antioxidants have been shown to help reduce the risk or severity of all of these illnesses.  Lycopene, especially, helps protect cells from oxygen damage and heart disease.
4. Prostate, Colon and Pancreas. Although tomatoes are great cancer fighters in general, they are specifically known to promote prostate and colon health.  Further, a study published in The Journal of Nutrition showed that those consuming a diet high in lycopene had a diminished risk for pancreatic cancer.
5. Organic Matters. In tomatoes, research has shown that organic tomatoes and organic tomato products provide a much greater dose of lycopene than non-organic.
6. Fiber Factor. Tomatoes are a great source of fiber, which helps to regulate blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
7. Canned isn’t so Bad. Although I’m a fan of “au natural” – or right off the plant – when it comes to eating fruits and vegetables…I can get behind canned tomato products.   Is a matter of fact, some believe that canned products are better than fresh whole tomatoes because the nutrients are higher in concentration than the fresh fruit.
8. Every Color of the Rainbow. Tomatoes come in every color except for blue!  You can find them in red, orange, yellow, green and even purple!

Ways to enjoy tomatoes: Tomatoes are very versatile.

• Dishes: Gazpacho, Salads,Tomato and Avocado Salad, Minestrone Soups, Chili
• Sauces: Tomato based sauces, salsas, ketchup, cocktail sauce
• Drinks: Tomato Juice, Bloody Mary’s

Do you like tomatoes?  Do you incorporate them into your diet daily?  Any favorite recipes?

Saying that walking is the only thing you need is like saying that gas is all your car needs to function properly.  If you neglect the engine, don’t put oil in it and don’t inflate the tires, the car eventually will stop running properly.  Walking is a great activity to incorporate into a healthy lifestyle, but it isn’t the begin all and end all of being in great physical shape.

If you haven’t exercised regularly for a long time, walking is a good way to start getting back into a regimen.  But to make it really work for you, remember the following:

1. Intensity: Are you strolling or are you pushing yourself?  More than the exercise itself, getting your heart rate up into a zone of 65% – 85% your maximum heart rate is important to making the activity beneficial.
2. Continue to Challenge Yourself: Walk on a treadmill to pace yourself. You should try to walking between 3.5 to 4.5 miles per hour. This will ensure you are getting some sort of cardiovascular workout. (If you don’t have a treadmill, get a pedometer and try to steadily increase the number of steps you take within the 30 minutes, every time you walk). Once you are able to walk in this range for 30 minutes comfortably, challenge yourself. Try jogging. If not, try to walk faster and longer. As you become more fit, you will need to work harder to get the same benefit.
3. Strength Training: Try to incorporate some strength training into your workout.  It will help you to build muscle and raise your metabolism…which will burn more calories…which will help you lose weight.
4. Eat Properly: Make sure you are eating properly. Even if you were to walk an hour a day, every day of the week, but you continued to eat poorly, you would not see results.

Do you walk for weight loss?  Have you seen any improvements?  Have you incorporated these other important aspects?

1. Taste: The fresher the produce, the better it will taste.  If a fruit or vegetable isn’t in season, it is shipped from across the country, or even worse, across the world.  To do so, farmers harvest their crops early and refrigerate them so that they don’t go bad during shipping.  As a result, they aren’t ripe when picked and don’t always ripen to their full flavor as they would in their natural growing environment.  During chilling and shipping, produce loses freshness and flavor with each step of the process: when chilled, when transported and when held in warehouses prior to distribution.
2. Nutrition: Vanishing flavor from fruits and vegetables also means vanishing nutrition.  As mentioned, when farmers ship to far off areas, they harvest early.  In doing so, the fruit or vegetable doesn’t have as many nutrients as it would have if it was picked when it was fully grown and fully ripe.  Further, because of the transportation process, produce is irradiated to kill germs and layered with preservatives, such as wax on cucumbers.
3. Variety: Eating produce that is in-season means that you eat a wide variety of foods throughout the year.
4. Cost: Buying locally grown, in-season produce means that the cost for that produce is lower.  Why?  Because in season produce is abundant, making supply high.
5. Environment: Eating locally grown, in-season produce means that you are supporting the health of the environment.  Shipping from great distances requires using tons of resources and expelling tons of pollution.

A great resource for finding in-season produce, local to your area is the Seasonal Ingredient Map at Epicurious.com.

Do you buy local, in-season produce?  Do you grow your own veggies or fruit? Can you taste the difference in quality and taste?

So, if you couldn’t tell, I’m a huge advocate for weight training.  Different weight training programs often achieve different goals. Specifically, there are three types of sets that are typically done, each resulting in three different types of results:

• Low weight / high number of repetitions (12 – 15): Best a toning muscle to give them shape, but not necessarily strength or dimension.
• Moderate weight / moderate number of repetitions (10 – 12): Best at building strength, without necessarily building muscle size.
• Heavy weight / low number of repetitions (8 – 10): Best at building muscle (not bulk!) and burning fat.

Each of these types of exercises are important to a weight training program.  Why?  Because when you weight train, it is best to keep your muscles on their toes.  What I mean by this is that you should not do any exercise for too long (more than two weeks).  Otherwise, your muscles become used to the move and/or exercise, and adapts to it.  As a result, your workout doesn’t challenge the muscles enough to see real results.  To be sure that your weight training program is really doing its job (after all, you sure are!) it is best to incorporate each type of set into your routine to continually see results.  Further, this strategy will ensure you lose the most fat, and will look as lean as you want.

Here’s how:

1. 2 Week Cycles: For the first two weeks, do two to three days of weight training that focuses on using low amount of weight and high repetitions, where the 15th or last repetition is very difficult.  During the next two weeks, do mid-weight and 10 – 12 repetitions.  And then for the last 2 weeks, use heavy weight.  Continually repeat this process.
2. Pyramid Training: This type of program tries to achieve all three goals: Build muscle, build strength and tone in one workout. Some believe that this type of training system can achieve greater results more quickly.  Over the course of three sets of the exercise, do your first at the lightest weight – highest reps, the second at the middle weight – middle reps, and the last set at the heaviest weight – least reps, lifting until failure.

Do you weight train?  Have you incorporated all three types of sets into your routine?  How do you like the results?

Sahale Snacks was started by two Climbers who felt the trail mixes they noshed on during a climb of Mt. Rainier were rather uninspiring.  Wanting something more, they decided to create snacks that used whole foods, avoided processed and artificial ingredients, yet incorporated a bit of “culinary magic.”  So what can you look forward to if you take Sahale on a climb of your own?

1. Unique Flavor: Their Glazed Nut Products come in three flavors: Almond PB&J, Almonds with Cranberries, Honey and Sea Salt, and Cashews with Pomegranate and Vanilla.  All three flavors are unique, but the Almond PB&J, which is made with peanuts and berries, is especially tasty with a real ‘peanut butter and jelly’ flavor.
2. Whole Ingredients: The more whole the ingredients the better.  Why?  Because you will feel more satisfied for a longer period of time than if you eat a snack with processed ingredients.  The only ingredients these tasty snacks contain which I would take small umbrage with are the evaporated cane juice and the brown sugar.  These aren’t nearly as bad as white sugar or artificial sweeteners but they are still processed.  Still, they do utilize fruits and fruit juices for most of the sweet flavoring in their nut blends.
3. Nutritional Value: Obviously, these are nut snacks…making them naturally high in fat.  However, the fat content of these nibbles is made up mostly of mono and polyunsaturated fats, making them heart healthy and cholesterol free.  Further, because these snacks are mixed with fruits, the fat content is lower than if you were to eat nuts on their own.
4. Satisfaction: Because of the fat content, these snacks are satiating and will keep you filled up until meal time rolls around.
5. Snack Size Packs: Sahale Glazed nuts come in two sizes: 0.75 oz and 4 oz.  The good news is that 0.75 ounces is a perfect snack size and will keep you from over-indulging.  Remember, even healthy fats should be eaten in moderation!
6. Overall Recommendation: When it comes to overall quality of ingredients and taste, Sahale Snacks’ Glazed Nuts get a thumbs up.  Nutritionally, I provide a word of caution:  I recommend snacks that are high in fiber (2 gms per 100 calories), have moderate fat (2 – 3 gms per 100 calories) and contain some protein, with a ratio of nutrients somewhere between 20  – 30% fat, 20% – 40% protein and 30% – 60% carbs.  These snacks’ ratios fall somewhere in the range of 60 – 64% fat, 11% – 14% protein and 18% – 29% carbs.   As a result, I would recommend that if you were to eat these, make sure to limit your fat intake during the rest of the day so that your overall fat intake ratio stays within the 20 – 30% range.

Where can you get these snacks? You can buy them here: Sahale Snacks Glazed Nut Variety Pack Of 3 Flavors, 4-Ounce Pouches (Pack of 6) Otherwise, they retail their products through gourmet, specialty, and natural grocery stores, cafes, outdoor and recreation stores.

Have you had Sahale Snacks before?  What did you think?

Going to the spa, however, provides a lot of benefits beyond the touchy-feely stuff.  Getting a massage , or even a facial, can provide benefits of relaxation, stress release and flushing of toxins.  The mind-body benefits are hard to argue.  As a result, if you can’t get to the spa, try making spa a part of your life at home.  It is cheap, fun and rewarding.  Here are a few ways to indulge and decompress:

1. Home Hydrotherapy:  I talk about bathes a lot.  The truth is, they can be extremely therapeutic and relaxing.  They also can help your muscles loosen, letting go of the tension that builds up on a daily basis.  Use bath oils to help curb dehydration of your skin.
2. Couples Massage with a Twist: At the spa, a couple’s massage is one where you and another person get a massage together.  At home, you can morph this into giving one another massages.  Take turns on different nights.  Dedicate two nights a week as massage nights.  Alternate who gives and who gets so that both of you benefit.  If you are single, you can always opt for a “friendship” massage.  Ask a friend to partake in giving and receiving shoulder, neck and back massages.
3. Mani-Pedi: Personally, this is where I cut back my spending.  I’ve started giving myself manicures and pedicures instead of going to a nail salon.  I discovered that I actually like it better.  I’m more thorough, use clean tools, and can manage touch ups more easily.  Further, I don’t have to worry about getting any foot fungus or other infections from careless disinfection.  If your hand isn’t very steady, ask a friend to paint your nails for you.
   
   Buy the CLARISONIC Skin Care System
4. Facials: Facials are very good for our skin.  However, getting them on the recommended six to eight week basis can be a bit costly these days.  To keep your skin looking really good, invest in high quality skin-care products that don’t have toxic or irritating ingredients.  And invest in the CLARISONIC Skin Care System.  It is a great product that gently removes embedded dirt and oil from your skin.  It also helps to reduce the appearance of pore size, fine lines and wrinkles.  You can use this on a regular basis.

Don’t let the economy hurt your beauty care and mind-body care regimens!

What do you do to keep yourself feeling and looking your best on a budget?  Are you still going to the spa?

To ensure you are getting the most out of your workout, however, it is good practice to follow a certain order to ensure safety and maximized effectiveness.  Below is an optimal order:

1. 5 minute warm up and stretching
2. Abdominal Exercises
3. Strength Training
4. Cardiovascular / Aerobic Training
5. 3 minute Cool Down and stretching

Here is why:

1. Warm Up and Stretching: This warms up your body by increasing blood flow to the muscles that you will be working, warming up your joints and increasing your heart rate and body temperature…all helping to prevent injury, improve flexibility and prepare your body for the exercises to come.  First do your warm-up and then stretch the muscles you used, using static stretches (no bouncing!).
2. Abdominals: You use your core muscles (abs and back) for almost every movement that you do, whether it be cardio or weights.  Exercising these muscles first helps to ensure that they aren’t tired out before you actually get to them.  Further, you will continue to work them as you move onto the rest of your workout.
3. Strength Training: Nutritionally, it is best to weight train first.  When you exercise, you first use carbohydrates for energy.  Then, you use fat for energy.  When you strength train, the preferred source of energy for your body is carbohydrates.  When you do cardio, your preferred source of energy is fat (this is why they talk about burning fat when you do cardio).  Further, it can take up to 29 minutes of cardio activity to burn your carbohydrate stores, meaning that if you start with a 30 minute cardio session, you have only burned carbs, and then burned fat for only one minute.    Using up your carbohydrate stores with strength training allows you to burn more fat when you do your cardio workout, making your workout much more effective.Now, from a more practical standpoint, strength training before cardio is safer.  You haven’t depleted yourself of all of your energy, allowing you to be more focused and aware of your form while strength training.  This will help minimize risk of injury.  Also, it is good practice to stretch your muscles in between your sets.
4. Cardiovascular Exercise: At this point, you are ready to burn fat.  Additionally, if you are a bit tired, you can do low-impact and/or light cardio and still burn fat.
5. Cool-Down: For two to five minutes, it is good to slow down and let your body return to normal after your cardio workout.  This will help prevent blood pooling in your extremities, lightheadedness and/or fainting after a workout.  Again, add in some static stretches to keep your body limber and flexible.  It will also help decrease lactic acid build-up which can lead to sore muscles!

Do you go to the gym and do all of these activities?  What order have you used?

At this time of year, especially, blueberries are in season.  And when they are in season, they are that much sweeter.  Beyond taste, however, they offer up a ton of nutritional and health benefits:

1. Antioxidants Powerhouse: In a study at Tufts University, 60 fruits and vegetables were analyzed for their antioxidant factor. Blueberries won in its ability to destroy free radicals.  Specifically, blueberries contain anthocyanidins, which help fight multiple health issues, including cataracts, hemorrhoids, ulcers, and cancer.
2. Digestive Defense: Because they are high in fiber, blueberries help keep your digestive tract regular, relieving symptoms of both diarrhea and constipation. In addition to soluble and insoluble fiber, blueberries contain tannins, help reduce inflammation.  Blueberries also promote urinary tract health by reducing E. coli’s ability to adhere and flourish in your urinary tract.
3. Cancer Fighter: In addition to powerful anthocyanins, blueberries contain ellagic acid, which protect against cancer.    The Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry showed that phenolic compounds in blueberries can inhibit colon cancer, and its high content of kaempferol, a flavonoid, can reduce the risk of ovarian cancer.
4. Healthy Heart: First, blueberries’ high fiber content contributes to lowering cholesterol.  And second, their high amount of  anthocyanidins makes them even a better choice than red wine as a heart-healthy beverage. (Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry published a study that touts blueberries as delivering 38% more of these compounds than wine)
5. Smart Food: Blueberries help protect the brain from oxidative stress and may help to reduce symptoms of age-related disease such as Alzheimer’s.

Blueberry season ends in October, so this is a great time to add blueberries into your favorite recipes.  When blueberries are out of season, frozen is still a good way to keep them in your diet.

Many overweight individuals defend their weight and will state that they are unfairly treated because they do not fall within a weight range that the public deems acceptable. Further, some will even go so far to say that their weight is not the concern of anyone else but themselves.

In these economic times, however, when we are deliberating day after day about the health care system and who will pay for what, I have to ask, isn’t it our concern?

This morning, a newscaster on CNN used the phrase ‘An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.’ Personally, I couldn’t agree more. She also sited some interesting facts about obesity and its impact on the health care system. These stats came from a study published in late July 2009, conducted by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In the study, ‘Obese’ is defined as having a BMI of over 30.

When comparing data from 1998 and 2006, here were the findings:

• 1998 Spend: $78.5 Billion a year; 50% financed by Medicare and Medicaid
• Increase in obesity rate: 37%
• Cost of increase: An additional $40 Billion per year to Annual Healthcare Bill
• Medical cost for Obese Person vs. ‘Normal’ Person: 42% higher or an extra $1,429 per year, per person
• Medical expenditure % by Type of Insurance in 2008: 8.5% of Medicare spending; 11.8% of Medicaid spending and 12.9% of private insurance spending

Alina Cho of CNN also pointed out that “25% of American young men are too fat to enlist.” She mentioned that “hospitals are buying special wheelchairs and bigger operating tables, revolving doors are being widened and extra bulk on commercial flights is costing the airlines a quarter billion dollars a year in jet fuel.” Additionally, people who are obese get sick more often, miss more work and decrease productivity. In another document presented by the CDC, they state that “medical expenditures for obese workers, depending on severity of obesity and sex, are between 29%–117% greater than expenditures for workers with normal weight.”

When we are looking at the health care system and its costs, we could drive cost down dramatically and save a lot of money if we could decrease the obesity rate. When obesity costs so much, is it really not our concern? Should we spend on prevention and programs that promote healthy living? What do you think?

Related Topics:

• Obesity in Children: Who’s to Blame?
• Should the Government Ban McDonald’s?
• Should Obese People Buy 2 Airline Tickets?
• Is Medicine the Culprit of Unhealthy Lifestyle Choices?
• Overcoming Disease through Exercise and Diet

Resources:

“Annual Medical Spending Attributable To Obesity: Payer- And Service-Specific Estimates.”
Health Affairs

“Recommended Community Strategies and Measurements to Prevent Obesity in the United States.”
MMWR Recommendations and Reports

OBESITY: Halting the Epidemic by Making Health Easier – http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/publications/AAG/pdf/obesity.pdf

There are two things that influence the success of a personal training program: 1) The Personal Trainer and 2) You.  If both people aren’t properly invested, working with a personal trainer is as good as getting a car wash on a rainy day.  So, if sessions with a Personal Trainer seem appealing, consider the following:

1. The Personal Trainer: If a personal trainer doesn’t take their job seriously, there is a good chance you are going to spend a lot of money for very little return.  Here are five key things you want to understand about your potential personal trainer:

• Credentials: There are a variety of organizations that certify individuals as personal trainers.  For a little money and time, the certifications are not that difficult to come by. Although there are always some exceptions, the best personal trainers tend to have a college level degree in a related field (E.g., sports medicine, Kiniesiology, Physical Therapy, etc.) AND a certification in PT.
• Experience: With experience comes savvy about different conditions, body types, challenges, etc.  You want someone who has dealt with individuals like yourself so they know what works and what doesn’t.
• Referrals: Ask the trainer if they have any references or individuals you can speak to regarding their experience and ability.  Be sure to get a couple references and that they are or were legitimate clients.  Hint:  If they gush just a little too much, be a little skeptical.  Questions to ask:  What were their goals?  Did they achieve them?  How long did it take?  What did they like and dislike about the personal trainer?  Would they recommend them?
• Look: Call me prejudiced, but if the trainer doesn’t look the part, you probably don’t want to use them.  Sure, there are ranges of healthy and fit.  So don’t be too judgmental.  However, if the trainer doesn’t take good care of him- or herself, it may be a sign that they won’t push you to do the work you need to do to see the results.
• Personality: Although you surely want to feel comfortable with your trainer, you are still hiring them to do a job.  You want a work out, not a gossip session.  Be leery of the extra chummy types.

2. You: You and your commitment are almost as important, if not more so, than your personal trainer’s ability.  Here are a few things to consider before spending your money:

• Goal Setting: Make sure that you have realistic goals that are attainable.  Setting goals that are too lofty implies you may have unrealistic expectations and could be setting yourself up for failure.
• What is Your Motivation?: Think about why you want to invest in this process.  Is it for yourself?  Is it to impress someone?  Is it because your Doctor recommended it?  Really be honest with yourself and understand what is motivating you.  If you are doing this because of other people, your motivation might not be sustainable.  The best reason to invest in yourself is because YOU want to.
• Acknowledge the Hard Work Ahead: In all honesty, if you think because you hire a personal trainer you will be fit, you are delusional.  It is important to realize that a personal trainer is there to give you the tools and the knowledge you need to be successful…not to work miracles.

Have you hired a personal trainer?  What was your experience?  Did you think it was worth the price?

On the first day of the competition, all the participants ‘weighed-in’ and set a weight loss goal for the next two months.  The only requirement of the challenge was that each participant come in for weekly weigh-ins.  Heather set her goal to be a loss of fifteen pounds and enthusiastically threw herself into a healthy eating plan and exercise regimen.

At the end of the competition, Heather was devastated and felt as though she failed:  She only lost 10 pounds.  Heather was so caught up in the number on the scale that she lost sight of all that she had achieved over the course of the two month challenge.

Unfortunately, weight loss challenges often fall short if they aren’t planned or managed properly.  Here are three mistakes many of them make:

1. Bad Ways of Measuring Success: Weight is only one indicator of health.  As in Heather’s case, focusing on weight can be discouranging and disappointing.  Many times, what shows up on the scale can be highly misleading.  As a result, it is important to utilize several methods of assessing an individual’s progress.  Here are some to consider:

• BMI: A 5′-10″ person who weighs 175 pounds is very different than a 5′-2″ person who weighs 175 pounds.  BMI takes height into account. Calculate your BMI…
• Body Measurements: As you lose weight, you also lose inches.  Measuring how many inches are lost throughout the program helps you to understand how your body is changing.  At the beginning of a program, women should measure the circumferences of their bust, chest, waist, hips, thighs, calves, upper arm and forearm.  Men should measure the same areas, except for their bust.  Take these measurements every month to see your progress.
• Body Fat / Lean Body Mass: Exercising and doing strength training will help you to lose weight, but more importantly, it will help you to lose fat while building muscle.  Since muscle weighs more than fat, you may not see as much of a loss in weight, but you may very well lower your body fat.  Calculate your Body Fat…
• Heart Rate and Blood Pressure: Exercising can cause your resting heart rate and blood pressure to lower.  This is a sign that your heart and body are getting into better shape and that you are becoming healthier.
• Visual: Watch how your clothes start to fit and see how your body changes.  Are your clothes fitting better?  Do you feel more confident and better in what you wear?  Qualitative assessments can be just as telling as quantitative ones.

2. Lack of Education: Losing weight should be done in a healthy way.  If participants aren’t educated in how to safely and effectively lose weight, they may not see the results they wanted.  Starving yourself, extreme dieting and over-exercising, all can do more damage than good.  Bring in registered dietitians, nutritionists, wellness counselors and fitness specialists to speak to the group.  If your company won’t sponsor this or you are doing this challenge with friends outside of the office, task each group member to do some research on a wellness topic and report what they learn back to the group.

3.  Lack of Emotional Support: Weight loss requires a supportive environment.  If an individual doesn’t have the support of friends or colleagues, they may be set up for failure.  Bring in a wellness counselor who can help individuals work through these issues.  Or, start your own support group.  Have weekly meetings that focus solely on the struggles, set-backs, achievements and emotional side of the process.

I’d rather see Weight Loss Challenges be called Health Improvement Challenges.  It moves the focus away from the scale and onto a healthier mindset.

Have you had any weight loss challenges at work?  Did you partake in them?  What did you think?

Companies, such as Navigenics*, promises consumers an analysis of their “DNA for genetic risk markers associated with a wide variety of important health conditions.”  Specifically, they claim they can predict your likelihood of developing  Alzheimers, various cancers (Breast, colon, lung, prostate and stomach), multiple sclerosis, and diabetes, just to name a few.  They also test for some more benign disorders, including: lactose intolerance and psoriasis.

The concept of getting tested for your risk of getting a disease may sound very appealing (After all, if you could find out if you are at risk for a disease and then take action to prevent its onset, why wouldn’t you?)  The cons, however, seem to outweigh the benefits: 

Cons:

1. Accuracy: Many of the tests are not definitively accurate.  Further, the tests assess risk, not if you will get the disease.  So, is knowing your risk enough?  Or, are the tests only good if they can predict whether or not you will actually develop the disease?
2. Lack of Action: Some of the diseases these tests analyze, such as Alzheimers, don’t have a cure or for that matter, can’t be prevented.  So, knowing you are at risk for developing Alzheimers isn’t necessarily going to help you one way or another.  You have no way of being proactive.
3. Psychological Impact: Sure, if your test results come back negative, you may feel a tremendous sense of relief.  However, if you are unfortunate enough to be told that your tests are positive, you may end up obsessing over the future of your health.  Further, if the disease you are at risk for has no cure, then what?  Do you become traumatized knowing you might develop a terminal disease?

Pros:

1. Prevention: Let’s say you are predisposed to develop breast cancer.  You can change your diet to eat more cancer-fighting foods (fruits and veggies) and also can do more regular screenings and mammograms.  Again, this won’t necessarily prevent you from getting the disease completely, but you might be able to diminsh your risk.

Personally, I would rather live my life from a preventative standpoint anyway.  So, I’m not convinced I would want to know whether or not I might get a disease.  However, as medicine advances, these tests may become more accurate and definitive.

So, would you take a genetic test?  Why or why not?  Would knowing your risk be enough?  If you knew you were at risk for developing a disease, what would you do?  What would you do if there was no cure?

Related Topics:

• Do We Live Too Long?
• Is Medicine the Culprit of Unhealthy Lifestyle Choices?
• Health is Your Wealth
• 5 Keys to Converting to a Healthy Lifestyle
• 9 Ways to Live Longer
  

* Navigenics is just one of many companies that provide these services.  Some companies look at your genetic potential of developing or passing on other diseases and disorders such as autism.  Many of these companies allow you to test from the comfort of your own home by sending in a cheek swab or a spit sample.  The tests cost between a few hundred dollars and a few thousand.

But, what if I were to tell you that having body fat is ALSO important?  Yep…if you are obsessed with losing every ounce of body fat, you might want to think twice.  Essential body fat is needed for the body to function normally and healthily, while storage fat is the fat that lies just under the skin. Both types, however, are important to your health.

Here are reasons why you should aim to maintain healthy levels of body fat:

1. Insulation: Okay, you may have already guessed this one:  Fat is important in insulating our bodies.  It is vital in helping regulate our body temperature, protecting us from extreme cold and heat.
2. Body Function: Body fat is crucial to your body functioning normally and healthy.
3. Vitamin Absorption: Fat is a transporter of fat soluble vitamins A-D-E-K. Without some body fat, you can end up with vitamin deficiencies which can cause disease.
4. Personal Shock Absorbers: Fat is your body’s natural cushioning mechanism.  It surrounds and protects vital organs and keeps joints cushioned as well.  Even athletes need body fat to protect their bodies from potential injury while competing and training.
5. Cell Structure, Beauty and Aging: Fat is part of the structure of our cells.  It is also crucial in maintaining skin, hair and nail health.  Further, although I’m the first to admit that having lean, toned muscles is beautiful, having NO softness to those muscles can be just as unattractive as flabby arms.  A healthy body fat will keep you from looking like Arnold Schwarzenegger during his body building era.
6. Fertility: Body fat helps to ensure the production of hormones, including sex hormones.  Women, specifically, who have very low body fat tend to have low estrogen levels and as a result, stop mentsruating.
7. Energy and Sickness: Having a healthy level of body fat is important in warding off illness or chronic fatigue.  Further, energy levels can be disrupted or lowered as a result of too low body fat.

There are different ways to measure your body fat.  Some methods are more accurate than others.  And, each individual is different, so falling into certain ranges is a better way of knowing if you are at a healthy body fat percentage than paying attention to very specific numbers.  If you are a woman and have stopped menstruating or if you are either a man or a woman and you notice you are easily susceptible to colds and fatigue, you might want to have your body fat checked by a doctor to ensure it is at a healthy level.

Do you know your body fat?  Is it in a healthy range?

Related Topics:

• Calculate Your Body Fat
• Body Fat Percentage Ranges and What they Mean
  
• 3 Things You Need to Know about Burning Fat
• 8 Ways to Measure Your Health
• 3 Reasons Not to Use a Scale
  

Avocados are native to climates where the temperature stays warm year round.  Some say that it is the most nutritious fruit, as it contains protein, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals and a whopping dose of fiber.  Here are some health benefits that avocados provide:

1. Heart Disease: A rich source of oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat, avocados reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol.
2. Cancer Fighter: Avocados have been used in both the prevention and treatment of prostate and breast cancers.  Scientists have determined that avocados contain a cancer fighting toxin.
3. Anti-Aging: Rich in antioxidants, avocados fight free-radicals known to age our skin.  Not only do they keep our skin healthy through ingestion, but avocados can be used topically to treat skin disorders.
4. Sexual Healing: The word ‘avocado’ comes from the Aztecian word for testicle, ahuacatl.  Apparently, the avocado was used as a sex stimulant an has been considered an aphrodisiac.
5. Weight Loss: Because avocados are high in monounsaturated fat, they have the ability to suppress appetite.  Also, avocados are high in fiber which slows digestion.  The slower your digestion, the more likely you will feel satiated between meals.  Because avocados are a nutrient rich food, providing 20 or so vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, you are eating high quality food…making you need less.

Nutrition Facts: Per 1/2 an avocado

Selecting an Avocado: Choose avocados that are unblemished and are slightly soft.  Most supermarkets sell them under-ripe, so it is best to let them sit unrefrigerated for 2 to 4 days to ripen.

Ways to Eat Them: Although a good guacamole is always enjoyable, you can throw avocados into a salad or onto a sandwich to get your daily dose.  Be forewarned though, although avocados are very healthy, they are still very high in fat, so it is best to keep to no more than a serving a day.

Are you a fan of avocado?  Do you eat them often?  How do you like to eat them?

Related Topics:

• Fiber Superhero: Gnu Bars
• Is Fiber Just a Fad?
• Antioxidants 101
• Healthy Fats are Still Fat
  

Celebrities

Regardless of the fact that often, too tight clothing just doesn’t look good, wearing them might also be putting your health at risk.   Here are some documented health problems from wearing clothes that are too tight:

1. Tingling Thigh Syndrome: Although rarely permanent, individuals who wear their jeans too tight can experience nerve problems called meralgia paresthetica.

• How to Know: If your thigh tingles with no explanation.
• What to Do: Don’t wear your extra tight jeans too often.  You may want to buy a pair in the next size for more regular wear.

2. Yeast Infection: When women’s pubic areas are kept tightly under wraps, the area becomes very warm and moist.  This makes it a breeding ground for bacteria and, as a result, can cause yeast infections. 

• How to Know: The vaginal area becomes very itchy, irritating and painful.
• What to Do: Especially in the summer, avoid wearing tight pants.  Wear sundresses, loose fitting and breezy pants.  In the winter, wear a size up and make sure you wear underwear that breathes.

3. Back Pain: When pants are too tight, and are low riding, this can cause nerve compression in the back (similar to the thigh problem above). 

• How to Know: Numbness and tingling in the legs and possible stress on the back.
• What to Do: Choose higher riding pants that fit more loosely.

4. Fainting: Although the corset isn’t as popular as it used to be; tight, constricting clothing can restrict our ability to fully expand our lungs…making our breathing shallow, decreasing our oxygen intake.  Clothes that may fall into this category include: wedding undergarments, bustiers, and spandex.

• How to Know: If you find it hard to breathe, or worst case scenario, faint, you are wearing too tight clothing.
• What to Do: If you are getting married, make sure your dress is fitted properly by a professional.   Also, choose undergarments that aren’t too restrictive.

5. Acid Reflux/Heartburn: Tight pressure against your stomach can increase abdominal pressure, causing acid to go back into your esophagus, resulting in heart burn and acid reflux.

• How to Know: You experience a burning sensation in the stomach, chest and throat.  You also may taste a bitter, acidic taste in your mouth.
• What to Do: Eat smaller meals and make sure your belt and pants aren’t too tight.

6.  Abdominal Pain/Constipation: Tight pants can slow down the digestive process.

• How to Know: Pain in the abdomen for two to three hours after eating a meal.
• What to Do: Eat smaller meals and make sure your belt and pants aren’t too tight.

7. Headaches/Blurred Vision: Wearing button down shirts that are too tight in the collar or ties that are tied too tightly can decrease proper circulation to the brain and head.

• How to Know: You frequently experience headaches, blurred vision or a tingling sensation in your head.
• What to Do: But shirts a neck size larger and wear your tie looser.

So, next time you are tempted to buy a garment that is a bit on the tighter side, think twice.  You might be putting your health at risk!

Have you experienced any of these issues from your clothes?  Have you adjusted your wardrobe and seen an improvement?

Related Topics:

• If the Clothes Don’t Fit, Don’t Wear Them
• How Do You Measure Your Health?
• Detox Guide
• Stop Comparing Yourself to Celebrities
  

Sources:

• http://www.canadafreepress.com/medical/gastroenterology091095.htm
• http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/health/2009/05/23/2009-05-23_are_skinny_jeans_bad_for_your_health_tootight_pants_can_lead_to_tingling_thigh_s.html

I personally believe that my ability to easily gain muscle can be chalked up to my mesomorph body type…I am predisposed to it.  I have to be.  I also believe that some people have to work a lot harder to stay in shape than others.  I know people who rarely exercise, eat tons of bad food, and yet, look like they pump iron 7 days a week and live on protein shakes.  While others will go to the gym five to six days a week, lift weights, eat right and still have a softer, rounder figure.  These phenomenons can only be explained by the fact that yes, there are indeed body types.

In 1954, William Herbert Sheldon wrote the book, Atlas of Men. He classified body types according to three ’somatotypes’:  the endomorph, the mesomorph and the ectomorph.  He also hypothesized that knowing these body types could predict an individual’s mental characteristics.  Here is a breakdown of his categories:

• Endomorph (aka Labradors): Generally rounder, softer shaped.  They tend to have heavy legs, narrow shoulders and a large chest.  Weight is often carried in the hips and abdomen, and body fat tends to be above ideal ranges.  Further, this type of body has difficulty losing body fat and sculpting muscles for definition.
• Mesomorph: Mesomorphs are muscular and stocky.  Their chests are larger than their waists, with broad shoulders.  Body fat is within or lower than ideal ranges.  They don’t have problems losing body fat or sculpting muscles for definition.
• Ectomorph: These individuals tend to have long arms and legs with a shorter trunk, and rounded shoulders.  They often have lower body fat, or don’t have problems losing body fat, yet, they have problems gaining muscle without a lot of heavy weight training.

Most of us are not completely one of these types, but rather, have a combination of two of these in our make-up.  For instance, you could be an endo-meso or a meso-ecto.  But, you can never be an ecto-endo.  As it turns out, Sheldon isn’t the only one to have thought about this theory.  Ayurveda has a system called tridosha, which is very similar with the three doshas of Kapha (endomorph), Pitta (mesomorph) and Vata (ectomorph).  Also, Plato has had similar theories.

Although we have the power to alter our body composition (lean body mass), what we have to do to do so might vary depending on our predisposed body type.  Further, there are some things we absolutely can not change: our bone structure.

What body type are you?  Have you ever had your dosha determined?  Does this theory help you understand your abilities/challenges when it comes to weight loss/gain?

Related topics:

• Body Fat / Lean Body Mass Calculator
• BMI Calculator
• Changing my Shape:  Lesson about my Abs
• What Body Parts are Your Best Assets?
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When I graduated from college, I traveled a lot for business and didn’t feel it was fair to have animals.  Further, spending time away from our family’s felines caused me to develop an allergy to both cats and dogs, which would propel me into a Claritin dependency any time I visited my parents’ home.  Needless to say, for the better part of 14 years, having animals was put on the back burner.  So, when my mom asked if I would ‘cat sit’ Pumpkin for a few weeks, it was hard to say no.

Let me start by saying that Pumpkin is not a cat.  Okay, yes, physically he is a cat.  But, mentally, he is the ‘doggiest’ cat you will ever meet, and I have proof:  My husband Dave, who has only wanted a dog for as long as I’ve known him, has outwardly expressed wanting a Pumpkin II.

Over the 26 wonderful days we’ve spent with Pumpkin, Dave and I have learned some of the best lessons.  Pumpkin honestly knows the most important secrets to life:

• Love should be unconditional. Pumpkin is a good cat, but when he would do something ‘less than stellar’, it was difficult to stay upset.  Is a matter of fact, a light scolding would turn into a mutual ‘love fest’.  He would give me big saucer eyes and I would ‘have to’ pick him up and smother him with kisses.  With people, we often have expectations and when they aren’t met, our love can be overridden by anger, resentment, or disappointment.  Letting things go, and understanding that our loved ones make mistakes is part of loving them.
• Take time and do nothing. Before Pumpkin’s visit, Dave and I were always on the go.  If we were home, we had to be doing something, even if it was watching TV.  A lazy afternoon meant running errands.  And, sitting at home on a Friday night seemed boring.  With Pumpkin, we could sit on the couch and be with him, with or without the TV.  We could pet him, watch his whiskers twitch and listen to his purr for hours.  In the morning, we would let him snuggle between us and be content just being together the three of us.  We enjoyed our time doing absolutely nothing.
• Any time is a good time to be loving. Pumpkin was always up for affection.  He always received love with open paws, and was always quick to return the love.  You could even wake him up from his cat naps and give him ear rubs.  He never held grudges and he always gave love openly and fully.  In our hectic lives, we sometimes forget to stop and be loving towards one another.  Further, we sometimes withhold affection if we carry a grudge.  Affection is important in bringing people closer, and feeling loved and secure.  Further, giving love (and receiving love) releases some happy endorphins that keep you feeling all fuzzy (pardon the pun) inside.
• Put things in perspective. If I felt stressed or anxious about something, all I would have to do was look at Pumpkin and I could feel my face relax, the stress melt away and the corners of my mouth turn up into a smile.  Animals have a way of bringing true calm and peace to your being, and it is that calm, that we so often forget to maintain on our own.  Animals also seem to ‘get’ what life is about:  it is the experience and living in the moment.  Being around Pumpkin has allowed us to take things a little more lightly and realize that getting all worked up over some things just isn’t worth the stress.
• Life is precious and beautiful. Somehow, as humans, we take life for granted.  We are big, we are strong and we are intelligent enough, for the most part, to keep ourselves from danger.  Spending time with Pumpkin, has reminded me how very precious life is.  Watching him breathe, watching the end of his tail flicker, watching his pupils become big with adoration…all seemed like incredible feats of life.  How something so beautiful can be real, is almost beyond me.  Life truly is precious.

The last 26 days with Pumpkin have been anything but boring.  I now realize that Pumpkin did more ‘human sitting’ than we did ‘cat sitting.’

Pumpkin left us today.  It was terribly painful.  His love made our home more loving and more special.  He even had a way of helping bring Dave and I closer together.  I think every person should have an animal in their lives.  They bring so much joy and peace to our existence.

Do you have pets?  How do they make you feel?

Related Topics:

• Are You Living Your Childhood Dream?
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Pete Cerqua, a NYC based Personal Trainer, attempts to get us to do the unthinkable…be fit in 90 seconds.  Look, the reality is, everyone needs a gimmick to get people’s attention.  And the title of the book, in this case, is a bit of a gimmick.  You are NOT going to be fit in 90 seconds alone.  However, the principle behind the book, does revolve around a 90 second concept.   This is the scoop:

1. What 90 Seconds Really Means: In short, Pete Cerqua’s The 90-Second Fitness Solution is to take strength training’s conventional 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 15 repetitions of a single exercise, and convert them into a single 90 second exercise.  The exercises require you to either hold a position for 90 seconds, to do one repetition in steps within 90 seconds or to do no more that three repetitions within 90 seconds.  Essentially, this concept adopts the isometric approach to exercise.  Isometric exercises rely on your larger muscles becoming tired, and as a result, engages other muscles to keep you in a position.  Basically, you are killing a few muscles with one exercise.
2. The Workouts: Pete Cerqua provides four different workouts.  Home routines Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3, and a Gym routine.  Truth be told, the efficacy of these routines is completely dependent on your current level of fitness.  If you are in good shape, have been strength training and have been doing so regularly, Home Levels 1 and 2, more likely than not, are not going to challenge you.  If, however, you are at a low fitness level, and find exercise to be extremely distasteful, these Levels will definitely kick your butt, and will do so in a short amount of time.  Home routine Level 3 and the Gym routine, however, will most likely challenge a person who is already in good shape.   This is how long each routine takes:
   • Home Routine Level 1: 3 minutes / 5 days a week / 15 weekly minutes
   • Home Routine Level 2: 9 minutes / 3 days a week / 27 weekly minutes
   • Home Routine Level 3: 10 1/2 minutes / 2 days a week / 21 weekly minutes
   • Gym Routine: 12 minutes / 2 days a week / 24 weekly minutes
3. What Else?: Pete also provides a few other pieces of the health puzzle.  He couches them in ‘The Four Secrets of Success’.  The secrets include nutrition advice, along with recipes to help individuals eat right.  I’m a big fan of the recipe: Nicholas’s Apple-Banana Shake.  Additionally, he touches on nutritional supplements and stress management.
4. Voice: Although, at times, Pete can sound a little salesy in his book, it is understandable as to why.  His method is a bit unconventional; and just like I was skeptical, he knows others will be too.  Throughout his book, Pete uses real life examples of people who have gone through his methods and have succeeded.  Those success stories are key to making his case and can inspire those who feel frustrated from a lack of results with their current fitness routine.
5. Who Should Buy the Book: Pete is definitely speaking to the busy individual, who doesn’t enjoy exercise and wants to find a low-budget, gym-free routine that gives them some benefit.  If you are really well-informed, are happy with your exercise routines and find them effective, you may not necessarily gain huge insights, but still may want the book, just to get some new perspective.

Although originally skeptical about the The 90-Second Fitness Solution, I think Pete Cerqua has provided some great basic information for the exercise leary.  Further, his solution is founded in strength training, which I believe is hugely impactful to being in shape.  A lot of the exercises are great strength builders and his nutrition advice is sound.  I’d recommend the book highly if you are looking to workout at home, don’t want to spend a lot of time or money to get in some exercise, or need a good kick in the pants to get moving.  If you want to buy his book, you can do so here.

Have you read the book?  What were your thoughts?

Related Topics:

• Recipe: Nicholas’s Apple-Banana Shake
• 90 Seconds Strong?
• Book Review:  Strong, Slim and 30!
• There is No Quick Fix Solution
• Strength Training 101

• Drinking it in my water: I carry a CamelBak bottle filled with lemon water with me all day.
• Drinking it with tea and honey: It is a great cure for a sore throat.
• Chicken Piccata: My recipe is always beefed up with lemon, and has actually been called ‘infamously lemony.’
• With Olive Oil: Reminiscent of Greece, this combination on salads and fish is light, healthy and flavorful.

Although lemon is used widely in foods and recipes for flavor and seasoning, lemon can also provide a host of health benefits:

1. Detox and Beauty: Adding lemon to water, and drinking the combo throughout the day is great for your body and for your skin.  Both lemon and water are important in eliminating toxins.  Further, because lemon acts as an alkalizing agent in your body, it helps to neutralize the PH levels in your body.
2. Digestive System: Lemons can stimulate your digestive system, helping it to eliminate waste.  Specifically, drinking hot water with lemon juice can help to alleviate nausea, heartburn, constipation, hiccups,  and even, parasites.  Further, when lemon is mixed with hot water and olive oil, it may help dissolve gallstones.
3. Immune System: Lemon is high in Vitamin C, and as a result, is wonderful at strengthening the immune system.
4. Infection Fighter: Because of its antibacterial and antiviral properties, lemon can be used topically to help fight infection and increase healing.  If you can stand the sting, lemon also helps to stop bleeding.
5. Hair Maintenance: Lemon is great for removing product build up in hair.  Further, it is a natural and cheap way to create highlights.  Squeeze 1/2 lemon into wet hair and comb it through; and then sit out in the sun for an hour.  Brunettes tend to see golden or red highlights, while blonds become lighter.
6. Insect Repellent/After-Bite Soother: Lemon can be used topically and sprayed in your garden to help ward off mosquitoes and flies.  Further, if you are stung by a bee or wasp, you can use it on the bite to help relieve the pain.

To regularly reap the benefits of lemon, try adding it to your water and drink it throughout the day.  This is a much more healthful drink than sodas, or flavored waters.

Do you like lemon?  Do you use it widely?  What benefits have you found?

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• Safe Water Bottles
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• Water for Sale
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Weighing yourself every day

Wait!  Before you get judgmental, there was reason behind my madness.  No, I was not trying to squeeze into my bikini.  I did not have a big event to go to.  I wasn’t even trying to lose weight.  I was, however, conducting a self-study on how weight is affected by different factors.   This ’study’ included my weighing myself when I woke up, in the middle of the day and at night, both naked and clothed.  Additionally, I kept a journal and recorded what I ate and drank, when I went to the bathroom, when and how much sleep I got, and yes, what I weighed.  My findings?  Pretty interesting:

1. The 80% / 20% rule works: I’m a big believer in sticking to a pretty healthy diet Sunday night through Friday afternoon, and allowing myself indulgences Friday night and Saturday.   In my study, my weight was always the lowest on Friday morning, and heaviest on Monday morning.  The indulgences that may have ‘put on a couple of pounds’ over the weekend was compensated by my healthy habits during the week.  (If you are trying to lose weight, you will want to raise the ‘healthy diet’ percentage to 85% – 90%.)
2. You lose weight while you sleep: Every night, I would weigh somewhere between 1.5 – 2.5 pounds more than I would the next morning.  Although some of this can be attributed to the morning bathroom visit, some of it can also be attributed to nighttime calorie burn.
3. Regularity means weight consistency: Yep, if I was not regular, it would definitely add up in pounds.  Depending on the length of time between bowel movements, I could see a 1/2 pound to 1 pound add up with no other explanation for weight gain.
4. Water causes the biggest changes: When I drank a lot of water, I would end up weighing a lot by the end of the day.  Sometimes, a couple of pounds more.  However, in the morning, I would see the biggest weight drop.   The hydration factor truly does help you eliminate waste and keep you regular.
5. Sodium adds pounds: I love sushi.  In using soy sauce, however, I would see ‘weight gain’ caused by the  water retention due to my sodium intake.  If I used the low-sodium soy sauce, however, I wouldn’t see as much of a ‘weight gain.’
6. Alcohol’s delayed impact: If I every indulged in alcohol past a glass or two of wine, it would show up 36 hours later.  This assumed that I ate a normal amount (no late night munchies).  Basically, I would weigh less the next day, but would weigh more the day after.
7. Clothes are an unpredictable variable: Pajamas don’t add weight.  But, put on a pair of jeans, boots and a belt with a big buckle, and you are sure to weigh a couple pounds more.
8. Travel takes a toll: Whether I was flying or traveling by car, I always weighted more for a couple of days.  Most of the time when you travel, your regularity and hydration levels are disrupted, which can be contributing factors.
9. PMS puts on pounds: Ok…not a lot.  But, I would definitely see a 1/2 pound or 1 pound extra due to water retention.
10. Weighing yourself every day is pointless: The BEST thing I learned, was that indeed, weighing yourself every day, let alone more than once a day, is a really bad way of judging your health, let alone your weight.  Further, it can do a real number on your head…talk about addictive!

I was glad when I was done.  I am finally weaning myself off of the daily weigh-ins.  I do believe that weighing yourself can have benefits…like ensuring you stay within a healthy range of weight.  But, using the scale to monitor your health is a sure way to make you crazy.

How often do you weigh yourself?  Have you noticed any of these trends?

NOTE: Throughout this experiment, my weight stayed within five pounds.

Related Topics:

• 3 Reasons NOT to Use a Scale
• How do you Measure Your Health?
• Is Your Scale Lying to You?
• Are You Obsessed about Your Health?
• Tips for a Healthy Diet
  

When I picked up a bottle of the Kitchen Cleaner “Kitchen Plus,” I was a bit skeptical of its power. After all, they DO list their ingredients, and they include: non-chlorinated water, corn, tree sap, grass, potatoes, and sugarcane.  Sounds more like a funky farmer concoction than a cleaner to me!

In all honesty, however, it was a breath of fresh air (pardon the pun) to find such non-toxic ingredients: safe enough to eat, but supposedly strong enough to clean. Is a matter of fact, to date, “all of Eco Mist Solutions’ ingredients have been recognized as being ‘Food’ surface safe.” Sure, safety comes first, but how does Eco Mist Solutions stack up against other kitchen cleaners? All in all, pretty well. Here are some details:

Cleaning Power: Kitchen Plus does a decent job (worthy of Clorox’s 409) of getting up the typical food and muck from kitchen counters and cabinets. Granted, a little elbow grease or a sponge with a scrub side doesn’t hurt for the tougher jobs.

VOCs (Volatile Organic Chemicals): Whether you know what VOCs are or not, you don’t want them in your home.  VOCs off-gas the smells that often come with household cleaners that are toxic to breathe.  Bleach is one common household cleaner that is infamous for its smell.  That smell, although we are trained to think it means ‘clean’, isn’t good for you or your lungs.  Eco Mist Solutions Kitchen Plus has no odor, no toxic chemicals and hence, no VOCs.

Wide Variety: The company is dedicated to making highly effective cleaners, all from 100% non-toxic and natural ingredients.  To do so, they have come up with multiple formulations to address every household need.   Everything from BBQ Cleaners, Deck Wash and Patio Furniture Cleaners to highly specialized surface cleaners for the home, including those formulated for granite and counter tops, stainless steel, hardwood, carpet, tile and glass.

The Drawback: Unfortunately, Eco Mist Solutions is based in Canada…and as a result, their products are not widely distributed throughout the US or the rest of the world.  You can purchase their products, however, online at Home Depot Canada.  All their cleaners are reasonably priced from $5.99 – $7.99 (Canadian Dollars).

Have you tried these cleaners?  Would you recommend any of them?

Related topics:

• 5 Ways to Keep Your Personal Environment Healthy
• Goodbye Carpet, Hello FLOR
• Safe Water Bottles
• 10 Easy Ways to Get Your Green on at Home
• Asthma and the Healthy Home
  

In short, the best exercise or fitness investment is going to be in those activities, gadgets or systems that continue to keep you motivated.  Everyone is motivated differently and knowing how you are personally motivated to stick to a program will help you choose wisely.  The chart below provides you with a breakdown of what fitness options are least and most expensive, what each option’s benefits are and for whom the option is best suited:

Realize that it is important to look at the short term cost versus the long term cost.  For instance, if you put in a gym at home, you will most likely spend a lot of money upfront.  However, you won’t have to spend that money over and over again, as you would if you were paying for a gym membership every month.

Again, know how you are best motivated to get active, and that is where your best investment will be made.

What do you think is the best value when paying for exercise?  Do you pay for more than one of these options?  Do you pay for other options that are not listed?

Related Topics:

• Is Your Personal Trainer Unethical?
• Wii Fit: Will it work?
• 10 Ways to Know if Your Personal Trainer is Worthless
• Do You Budget for Exercise?
• 8 Traits of a Bad Group Fitness Instructor

As I’ve gotten older, salad continues to be a huge part of my diet.  Is a matter of fact, most lunches and dinners consist of at least a salad appetizer, if not a salad entree. So, when people complain to me that salad is not very fulfilling, it is hard for me to understand.  When I ask them what they put in their salad, however, it becomes clear why they are unsatisfied:  Plain and simple, they are not putting enough nutrition and calories in their salad!

Look, salads are a great, healthy food that can be VERY filling and nutritious.  But, you have to stop treating salads like diet food and start treating them like meals.  Here are some great ways to ensure that your salad leaves your feeling satisfied:

1. Include Protein: Most salads are not fulfilling because they are lacking in protein.  Granted, salad by definition focuses on vegetables, but protein is crucial to making you feel fuller, longer.  Further, protein boosts your metabolism by ensuring you are maintaining muscle mass, which burns more calories than fat.  Here are some ways to get some healthy proteins into your salads:

• Chicken: Opt for white meat that is either baked or grilled.  Avoid fried chicken, chicken salad or dark meat.
  • Portion: 3 – 5 oz or an amount similar to the size of a deck of cards
• Salmon: Loaded with Omega 3s, salmon provides you with protein and healthy fats to keep you fulfilled.
  • Portion: 3 – 5 oz or an amount similar to the size of a deck of cards
• Low-Fat Cheese: When possible, opt for low-fat or fat-free cheese.  This will help to keep the saturated fats down in your meal.
  • Portion: 1/4 cup
• Nuts: Nuts give your salad an extra crunch and provide you with wonderful fiber, protein and nutrients.
  • Portion: 1/4 cup
  • Find out which nuts are healthiest…
• Beans: Beans are loaded with fiber and protein.  Both of which are really important in keeping your tummy satisfied.
  • Portion:  1/2 cup
  • Find out which beans are highest in fiber and protein…
• Note: If you are a vegetarian, combine the nuts and beans in your salad to make a complete protein.
  

2. Quality of your Vegetables: Throwing some iceberg lettuce into a bowl and calling it salad is like calling a few knock-knock  jokes comedy.  It just doesn’t make the grade.  Vegetables are obviously a key ingredient in a salad.  They provide tons of vitamins and minerals and are a great source of fiber.  Use those vegetables that provide the most nutrients for the punch.  Further, the more colorful your salad, the more vitamins and minerals you will be getting.  Here are some of the most nutrient dense vegetables:

• Baby Spinach/Dark Leafy Greens: When it comes to lettuces, aim to ditch the romaine and iceberg for more dark, leafy lettuces and greens.   Spinach, especially, is filled with nutrients that ward off heart disease, colon cancer and autoimmune diseases such as arthritis and osteoporosis.
• Tomatoes: If you didn’t know already, tomatoes are actually a fruit.  However, they are often used in salads.  Tomatoes are filled with lycopine, which helps to fight cancer.  They are also filled with Vitamins A and K, keep blood pressure low and contain free-radical fighters called antioxidants.
• Broccoli: Filled with antioxidants, high in folate, Vitamin C and beta-carotene, and a great immune system booster.
• Carrots: Carrots are filled with antioxidants and Vitamins A and C.  They are wonderful for keeping eyes healthy, and skin and hair looking their best.
• Onions: Whether or not you are an onion fan, onions are great at warding off heart disease, diabetes and osteoporosis.
• Bell Peppers: The best part of bell peppers is that they come in a rainbow of colors (there are actually purple bell peppers!) and are filled with tons of nutrients that ward off heart disease and cancer.
• Cucumbers: Cucumbers taste great in salads.  It is wonderful for hydrating the body, and helps lower blood pressure.

3. Quantity of Vegetables: It kills me when I see people go to the salad bar and put only a few vegetables in the smallest sized container and call that lunch.  No wonder they aren’t satisfied!  Truth is, it is really hard to overdo the amount of vegetables you eat.  The more the better.  Veggies are very nutritious, are high in fiber and have very little calories due to their high water content.  Further, the more veggies you include, the more likely you are going to fill up and feel satisfied.  So go for that large container and fill it to the brim!

When you dress the salad, always use olive oil and vinegar, or if you want a premade dressing, use a vinaigrette.  This will help to keep saturated fats, sugar and sodium out of the goodness of your salad.

Try these tips out and see how filling your salad feels. Do you eat salad for a main course?  Do you use these tricks?  Do you have your own tricks to make them filling and healthy?

Related Topics:

• Top Ten Salad Saboteurs
• Fatoush Salad Recipe
  
• How Healthy are Your Nuts?
• How Healthy are Your Beans?
• Vitamin and Mineral Facts
• Importance of Protein and other Nutrients
  

Sunny days really do have a tremendous impact on us. We perk up. We feel better. We feel more motivated to be out and about. It feels SO much better to basque in the sun than to hide out from the rain. Granted, too much sun exposure can potentially be harmful in regards to aging and skin cancer, but exposure to the sun also provides enormous health benefits:

1. Vitamin D: Vitamin D is the only vitamin that can be synthesized in the skin through a photosynthetic reaction triggered by exposure to UVB radiation. Vitamin D, specifically, is important for immune response, mood stability, and bone health. Vitamin D deficiencies have been directly linked to seasonal affective disorder (SAD), osteomalacia (a softening of the bones because of defective bone mineralization), and, increased premature cancer mortality.
2. Happy hormones Exposure to sunlight enhances our overall mental outlook and sense of wellbeing. The skin’s exposure to sunshine releases endorphins. Endorphins are our body’s natural anti-depressants, and as a result, a lack of sunshine can cause decreased endorphin production, resulting in depression disorders.
3. Circulation and Heart Health: Sunshine helps to increase circulation by dilating the blood vessels in the skin and enhances heart health by decreasing blood pressure, while increasing cardiac output. This facilitates the transportation of nutrients and oxygen to our cells.
4. Natural Detox: Sunshine exposure helps to increase liver function, which is responsible for filtering and removing wastes from the body. Further, as a result of increased circulation from the sun, we are able to more efficiently eliminate the waste through our blood.
5. Skin Health: Although too much exposure can increase risk of skin cancer, exposure to the sun can increase the healing of skin diseases and conditions such as eczema, skin ulcers, skin fungal infections, and acne.
6. Immune System: Sunshine increases production of both red and white blood cells, strengthening the immune system.
7. Boosted Metabolism: Sunshine can help with weight loss. This is due to the fact that it helps to boost metabolism and maintain blood sugar levels.
8. Natural Disinfectant and Antibiotic: Sunshine kills harmful viruses and bacteria, making it a natural antibiotic and disinfectant. Many disease microbes are killed by sunshine. /p>
9. Cancer Prevention: Yep, you heard me right. Turns out, that sunshine can actually help prevent some cancers (breast, ovarian and colo-rectal). This is a direct result of the synthesis of Vitamin D, which is important in warding off these types of cancers.
10. Improved Sleep Patterns: Melatonin production is enhanced by sun exposure. Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland, that encourages sleep.

So how much exposure gives you these benefits? Depending on your skin type, you probably need 5 to 30 minutes of sun exposure to the face, arms, back or legs (without sunscreen) twice every week. Since exposure to sunlight is a risk for skin cancer, you should use sunscreen after a few minutes in the sun and even in the winter and on hazy, cloudy days.

So, as you can see, if you have been missing and yearning for the sun recently, there is good reason. Where do you live? Do you get a lot of sunshine exposure? Have you witnessed these benefits?

Related Topics:

Sources:

http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/

http://www.uvfoundation.org/

http://www.sunarc.org/

Truth be told, the FDA doesn’t approve beauty products.  And, many beauty products contain ingredients that are less than healthy for you.  Many ingredients used by the beauty industry are manufactured, are synthesized in a laboratory or are toxic…none of which are great for your skin.

Here is a chart of ingredients worth avoiding:

Your skin, just like your heart, is an organ…it is your largest organ, as a matter of fact.  It is living, it is breathing and its primary function is to protect your body against infection and excessive water loss.  Your skin is also instrumental in insulating your body, as well as synthesizing and protecting the vitamins you  absorb.  So, just like you wouldn’t want to put chemicals or preservatives directly into your heart, you don’t want to put them on your skin.

When in doubt, if you can’t pronounce the ingredient or if it looks ‘chemically’ or manufactured, there is a good chance it might not be the best.  Although the FDA does not regulate these companies and their products, do look for labels that state that they don’t contain these chemicals and opt for those that claim that they are ‘all-natural‘.  You can also use EWG’s Cosmetic Database to check up on the products you buy to be sure.

Have you found products containing these chemicals bother you?  Do you have any stories of bad reactions to these ingredients?

Related Topics:

• When All Natural Products Aren’t: Kiss My Face
• Skin Care Products:  Worth the Price?
• All Natural, Organic and Toxic?
• Sheer Balance Beauty Guide

Sources: Environmental Working Group, Care2.com

Today, women (and men too), constantly battle with the media’s output of retouched, highly manipulated photographs, and struggle with what ‘real beauty’ really is.  In a world where botox, plastic surgery, and fillers are the norm, fake beauty seems to be what people want.  Personally, I don’t get it and applaud Dove’s attempt to battle the fake beauty movement.

What do you think about the video?  What do you think about fake beauty?

Related Topics:

• 5 Reasons to Stop Comparing Yourself to Celebrities
• Botox and the Freedom of Expression
• ‘Less Invasive,’ Invasive Cosmetic Procedures
• What Parts do You Love the Most about Yourself?
• 10 Ways to Not Look Old

Fact is, even those dishes that ‘appear’ healthy on the menu, often come with hidden ingredients like butter and oils that can take a seemingly healthy dish and turn it into a calorie and fat intensive meal.

So how can you ensure your choices while eating out are healthy?  Here is a quick guide of foods you should stick with when you navigate the restaurant menu:

1. Salads: Salads can be very healthy…and they can also be devastatingly unhealthy.  Here’s how to ensure that they are the healthful meal you are looking for:

BEST:

- Salads with fruit, veggies, beans and lean protein, such as grilled chicken or fish.
- Dressings that are vinaigrette based. Always have the waiter or waitress bring the dressing on the side.  When you get the dressing, use it sparingly.

WORST:

- Salads containing cheese, sour cream, nuts, tortilla chips or strips, croutons, meats, fried chicken or fried fish.  However, if most of the salad doesn’t contain these ingredients, there is nothing wrong with asking the waiter/waitress to exclude the ingredient that isn’t so healthy.
- Cream or mayo based dressings. (E.g., Ranch, Blue Cheese, Thousand Island, French)

2. Soups: Soups can be a healthy option, but often, they are loaded with butter, oil and highly saturated creams or dairy (cheese).

BEST: Broth or stock based soups that contain fish or chicken, veggies and beans. (E.g., Manhattan Clam Chowder, Gazpacho, Minestrone, Chicken Noodle))
WORST: Those with cream, cheese or milk. (E.g., Bisques, New England Clam Chowder, Broccoli Cheese)

3. Other Appetizers: Appetizers are a great way of eating light.  You can order two appetizers (such as a salad and a protein based appetizer) to keep your portion under control, and get a couple of things you like.  That said, a lot of appetizers are fried or greasy, so beware.

BEST:

- Vegetable based appetizers (E.g., salads, grilled vegetables, veggie spring rolls)
- Those with grilled, boiled or seared lean meats (E.g., Chicken skewers)
- Fish appetizers that are cooked or sushi style (E.g., Shrimp Cocktail, tuna sushi roll)

WORST:

- Those that are fried (E.g., fried shrimp, chicken fingers, dumplings, etc.)
- Those with cheese (E.g., artichoke/spinach dip, cheese fritters, etc.)
- Those that come with chips

4. Side Dishes: Many side dishes are vegetable based, which is great for getting in fiber and needed nutrients.

Potatoes:
BEST: Opt for whole boiled or baked potatoes or sweet potatoes.
WORST: Stay away from mashed or fried potatoes.

Veggies:
BEST: Opt for steamed or grilled veggies.  Be careful though, grilled vegetables can be very oily.
WORST:
- Those mixed with milk, cream or cheese (E.g., creamed spinach, broccoli and cheese)
- Sauteed vegetables.  They are cooked with a lot of oil and if they are cooked too much, they may not be as nutrient dense as their steamed counterparts.

5. Entrees:

Meats, Chicken and Fish:
BEST: Grilled chicken or fish.  Grilled meats are okay if they are very lean.
WORST:
- Breaded Fish or Chicken (E.g., Chicken Francese, Chicken Parmigiana)
- Stuffed Meats (E.g., Chicken Cordon Bleu, Stuffed Lobster)
- Avoid meats and fish that are fried (E.g., Fried Shrimp, Fried Chicken)
- Fatty meats or fatty pork (E.g., sausage)

Pastas:
BEST:
- Those with tomato or broth based sauces (E.g., marinara, puttanesca, olive oil and garlic)
- Those with vegetables and grilled or lightly sauteed chicken or fish

WORST: Those with cream, cheese or meat based sauces (E.g., a la vodka, pesto, alfredo, bolognese)

What do you eat when you go out to stay healthy?  Do you have an automatic go-to?

Related Topics:

• Tips for Eating in Flight
• 10 Salad Saboteurs
• 7 Ways to Keep Your Diet Healthy on the Road
• 6 Reasons to Forgo Eating Out
• Sheer Balance Nutrition Guide
  

Lisa Drayer, M.A., R.D. addresses all of these issues in her book Strong, Slim, and 30! As a Registered Dietitian, she has encountered hundreds of women who struggle with weight loss, reduced energy and other health issues as a result of hitting the big 3-0.  In Strong, Slim, and 30!, she provides a targeted plan to address slowing metabolism, beauty, aging and even pregnancy in your 30s.  Here is what I love about Strong, Slim, and 30!

1. Quick and Easy, Yet Informative Read: The book is an easy read and is easy to follow. Although Lisa will get technical about some of her points, they are important in helping the reader understand the science behind the theory.  There are solid explanations for her recommendations and points.
2. Actionable: Not only does Lisa tell you what to do, but she tells you how to do it.  She gives you a plan that is easy to implement.
3. Long-Term Appropriate: Yes, the book is about your 30s, but in reality, the information can be applied to your life past 30, as well.  The book is a great long-term nutrition solution.   Further, it applies good nutrition principles to every day situations, such as eating out and busy days.
4. Prevention Based: Instead of advocating a ‘Fad Diet,’  Strong, Slim, and 30! promotes lifestyle.  Lifestyle choices are key to sticking with a healthy nutrition plan, but even more importantly, they are key to preventing disease and other health problems.
5. Protein and Strength Building Advocate: Personally, I am a big believer in protein and strength training.  Protein is the foundation for muscle building and maintenance…which directly impacts our bone density, metabolisms and ability to keep off unwanted weight.  Lisa advocates for both.

Strong, Slim, and 30! is a must read for any woman in her 30s or older.  Not only will you learn the basics of good nutrition, but you will learn how to stay young and feel great well throughout your life.

Buy Strong, Slim, and 30! here.

Related Topics:

• The Secret Weapon of Weight Loss
• Why Losing Weight is so Hard and Gaining Weight is so Easy
• Your Strength Training Guide
• Diet vs. Lifestyle?
• 10 Ways to Not Look Old
  

Hmmm…did you notice the ever so tiny missing part of this cycle?  You guessed it, there was no step between ‘achieving it’ and ‘then moving on.’  Recently, it has become clear to me that I have never spent much time celebrating my accomplishments.  Sure, there is always a little ‘Woohoo!’ expressed or a dinner with a toast, but once the next day arrives, I move on as if nothing special ever happened.

Recently, this pattern repeated itself when I received my architecture license.  You aren’t officially considered ‘an architect’ until you get your license, which requires that you first complete a 3 year apprenticeship and then pass all nine torturous registration exams.  It took me 14 years.  This lengthy, drawn out process wasn’t a result of failing and having to retake the tests, it was more a reflection on the fact that I HATED studying for them, let alone taking them; my career path was extremely non-linear; my schedule was always hectic; and I wasn’t really sure I wanted it enough.   Yet, after those 14 long years, I received my license, said a little ‘Woohoo!’ and moved on to set my next goal.

I have to believe I am not alone in this pattern of behavior.  Many of us, especially Type-As, have a difficult time acknowledging, let alone celebrating, our accomplishments.  I look at my mom, who I admire so much for all that she has done in her life, and I know she doesn’t view her own accomplishments nearly as highly as I do.  And, vice-a-versa.  Well, I’m ready to stop the vicious, non-celebratory cycle…and if you are in the same boat…so should you.  Here is how you can start adding ‘celebration’ into your achievements.

1. Journal the Process: As you work towards your goal, journal the process.  This will give you something to look back on and to remember how hard you worked to reach your goal.
2. Acknowledgment: When you achieve your goal, stop and acknowledge it. Soak it in and feel good about it.
3. Look Back at What You Did: Bring out your journal and read through what you had to do to accomplish what you set out to achieve.  Take some time to remember the struggles, the ups, the downs, the setbacks…all of it.
4. Reward Yourself: Find a way to privately and independently reward yourself for your accomplishment.  Buy yourself a present.  Splurge on a day at the spa.  Take time for yourself.
5. Celebrate with Friends and Family: Find a way to include others in celebrating your accomplishments.  This will help you to accept and legitimize your success.  It will also allow you to share your success, which will heighten your own self-awareness of what you have done.
6. Take Time: If you are naturally a goal setter, resist the urge to leap into a new goal immediately.  Give yourself a week or so to enjoy, relax and bask in the glory of your accomplishment!

Do you have the same problem or have you learned to celebrate your accomplishments?  Why do we struggle with acknowledging or feeling good about our achievements?  Why can’t we celebrate our own accomplishments but can easily celebrate others’?

Related Topics:

• 5 Reasons We Love Success Stories
• Organize Your Life to Reach Your Goals
• Do You Push Yourself for Success
• Living the Life You Imagined
• The Price of Not Saying No

As a frequent traveler, I’m a bit picky about where I crash for the night.  I’ve racked up millions of points on various hotel brands, and as a result, have developed the ‘perfect night sleep‘ checklist:

1. Location, Location, Location: The location of your room is one of the most important aspects to getting a good night sleep.  Why?  Because certain locations will most definitely be noisier than others, easily disturbing you from a deep sleep slumber.
   • Which Floor: When possible, choose the highest floor.  If you can’t get the highest, then try to get on a floor that is a ‘concierge’ or ’suite’ level.  Higher floor levels often have more suites, so the ceiling heights may be taller.  This is good for ‘air-cushioning’ the noise that may come through the ceiling from an above room.  I’ve had my fair share of nights when I was woken up at 2am from loud people getting in from a late night of partying.  Also, avoid the first floor, as it will be the loudest and if you are a female, the least safe.  You always want to be sure that you are at least on the second floor for safety.
   • Where on the Floor: The middle of a guest floor is often the best location, away from the elevators, ice and vending machines, exit stairs and service closets (linens, housekeeping and janitor).  In particular, guest and service elevator machinery is loud and can be heard through the walls of your room.  Further, the ‘Ding’ that lets you know the elevator is arriving on your floor is enough to drive you batty.
2. Renovations: Hotels go through periodic renovations.  When they do, however, they do their renovations in stages.  They usually renovate one floor at a time, which means that the hotel may have newly renovated rooms, as well as old, stinky, worn-out rooms.  Always ask for the most newly renovated, as they will be cleaner, less smelly, and have newer linens, all helping you to feel more comfortable during your stay.
3. No-Smoking Rooms and Hotels: If you are sensitive to smoke, look for hotels that are smoke-free.  Although some hotels have non-smoking floors, there are many smokers who do not abide by these policies, leaving ‘non-smoking’ rooms and floors smokey.  Further, housekeeping staff will do their best to cover up the smell, by over-air-freshening the room, which can often make the smell worse.  Smoke-free hotels, however, see less of this and are often sought after by non-smokers who share your preference.
4. Curtains: Most hotel rooms come with two or three sets of curtains.  ‘Black-out’ curtains, sheers and decorative curtains.  The ‘black-out’ curtains are your sleep time friend.  As their name implies, they black-out your room so that light from outside of the hotel can not infiltrate and disturb your sleep.  Use them.  This will ensure that you won’t be woken up by police car lights, billboards, parking lot lights or an earlier than optimal sunrise time.
5. Do Not Disturb: Unless you get a thrill out of the housekeeper staff finding you in your skivvies, always remember to put out your ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign before you go to bed.  This is especially important when you are on vacation.  More often than not, the housekeeping schedule starts much earlier than your vacation schedule.
6. Alarm Clock & Wake Up Call: Unfortunately, I’ve had both wake up calls and the alarm clock fail.  Both of which can be very unsettling.  Not only does this cause you to over-sleep, but you may very well miss an important meeting or sightseeing tour, all while having an adrenaline hangover that plagues you for the rest of the day.  To ensure your schedule remains on…schedule, call down for a wake up call AND set the alarm.  One of these may fail, but rarely will both.

Do you have any tricks of the trade to ensure a good night sleep while traveling?  Have you had any bad experiences when you couldn’t sleep or were woken up, only to not be able to go back to sleep?

Related Topic:

• Your Healthy Sleep Guide
• Is the Sleep Diet Just a Fad
• 6 Ways to Overcome Jet Lag
• 7 Ways to Keep Your Diet Healthy on the Road
• Precious Sleep…When You Don’t Get It
  

There are two things that come into play here…cost and quality of life:

1. The Cost Factor:

Not long ago, I wrote an entry asking the question, ‘Is Medicine the Culprit of Unhealthy Lifestyle Choices? There was great commentary, some of which started a separate discussion around health care costs.  The following was posed: Are unhealthy decisions really that much more costly when those who are healthier, are living twice as long?  Doesn’t the healthier individual end up needing the same amount of health care as a result of living longer?  Hmmm…

2. The Quality of Life Factor:

Once again, I will make the argument that medicine gives us many tremendous things.  We have a lot to be thankful for when we think of curing disease, mending and repairing organs and broken bones, and the like.  However, does medicine also prolong our life too far past our own intended expiration date?

For instance, medicine is so powerful, that we are able to keep a person alive purely by feeding them oxygen and keeping their heart pumping, even though the rest of their body is failing.  We can drug people to levels of oblivion to kill pain and symptoms of life-threatening disease so we can keep them physically alive, but mentally dead.  And, law prohibits those who are terminally ill from choosing death over life, even though they are unhappy and living in an undignified and painful state without any hope for change.

Medicine has successfully removed people’s ability to die with dignity.  Instead, medicine forces people to live like vegetables, sometimes not having any idea of what is going on around them.  And, although there are the rare 99+ year olds who have a sharp and alert mind, more often than not, they are extremely limited in their ability to really LIVE life.

Frankly, I’d much rather die suddenly than live to be 100 without very much physical capacity or for that matter, mental capacity.  Living a life that has very little ‘living’ in it seems pointless.  If we could live to 100 and actually partake in what life has to offer, I’d be all for it, but I’m not convinced this is really the case.  Until medicine can extend our quantity of years AND ensure a quality of life that is worth living, I will continue to ask:  Are we living too long?

As our population gets older, quality of life will continue to be an issue. Do you want to live to 100?  Do you think medicine keeps us living past our expiration date?

Related Topics:

• Is Medicine the Culprit of Unhealthy Lifestyle Choices?
• 10 Ways to Not Look Old
• 9 Ways to Live Longer
• How do You Measure Your Health?
• Are You Old?
  

Although all of us enjoyed each others’ guilty pleasures, each of us had our personal favorites.  If you were to ask my mom, her weakness was Lay’s Potato Chips.  By nature, she always craved savory foods over sweet foods.  If you were to ask my dad, he probably would have said chocolate ice cream, as he craved sweets.  And although I loved chocolate ice cream and potato chips (especially dipped in ketchup – don’t ask), I had a terrible weakness for Double Stuf Oreos and Chips Ahoy cookies with a big glass of milk.

Back then, I could down a whole sleeve of Chips Ahoy cookies (that was 6 1/2 servings of the little devils!) or 1/2 a package of Double Stuf, without much thought.  Today, however, those moments of eating a few of these cookies, let alone a half a package, comes few and far between.  Here’s why:

1. Metabolism and Calories Burned: My metabolism was cranking and my activity levels were much higher when I was younger.  Unfortunately, this holds true for all of us.  Is a matter of fact the average adult sees a 2% – 5% reduction in metabolic rate every 10 years.  This means that we metabolize the calories we ingest at a slower rate.  A sleeve of cookies might look great on a 12 year old, but not so much on a 50 year old!
2. New Perspective: Just the idea of eating these cookies isn’t really that appealing.  The less you eat junk food, the less you crave it.  The more healthy you eat, the easier it is to avoid these types of foods.  And frankly, when you DO indulge in crappy food, you often end up feeling like crap.  It just isn’t worth it.
3. Quality of Ingredients: As I’ve become more aware of the ingredients I eat, it is absolutely clear to me that Nabisco, for all intents and purposes, doesn’t really use ingredients of which I’m a huge fan.  Both Double Stuf and Chips Ahoy contain tons of refined sugar and flour, high fructose corn syrup, and artificial flavors, while Chips Ahoy can additionally contain partially hydrogenated oils.  If I’m going to indulge in something tasty, I’d much rather have higher quality ingredients that are less processed.  Not only will the treat taste better, but it won’t be nearly as bad for you, AND you won’t need as much to feel satisfied.

Now, you may think I’m a health freak, but in reality, I LOVE to indulge.  I just rather indulge in things that are REALLY satisfying.

What junk food did you over indulge in as a kid?  Do you still eat it?  How have you changed as you’ve gotten older?

Related Topics:

• 5 Ingredients to Avoid
• Your Solution Guide to HFCS
• Counting Calories is Overrated
• 8 Shocking Facts about Sugar
• Eat Like Crap = Feel Like Crap
• What Makes a Healthy Diet?
• Who’s to blame for Childhood Obesity?
  
• Join Sheer Balance
  

Body Pump went beyond body sculpting and incorporated strength training with REAL weights (we actually used barbells, not dumbbells).  It would involve a circuit of exercises that would target all major muscle groups for a full hour.  This was when my love affair with weight training began.  After teaching the class for a couple of months, I started to see my body transform into a leaner, more sculpted one.  I fell in love with the muscles I developed and felt sexier and stronger.  Today, although I’m not teaching anymore, weight training is core to my exercise regimen.

When I see women and men running endlessly on the treadmill and then complain that they don’t look the way they want, the first thing I tell them is that they are overdoing the cardio and should stop running so much!  It is a myth that cardio is the best way to lose weight and to maintain a healthy weight.  Here is why strength training is the secret weapon to weight loss and overall health:

1. Increases Lean Body Mass: Strength training helps to keep our body fat to lean body mass ratio lower.  This means we look better and feel stronger.  But even more importantly, it impacts our metabolism…the speed at which we burn calories.
2. Increases Your Metabolism: Average adults see a 2% – 5% reduction in metabolic rate every 10 years.  This makes it more and more difficult to keep unwanted weight off.  As we mentioned above, however, strength training increases muscle mass which makes your muscles stronger.  Stronger muscles, in turn, take up and burn blood sugar more efficiently and for a longer period of time than does cardio.
3. Reduces Risk of Injury: Strength training increases muscular and bone strength, and also improves function of tendons, joints and ligaments.  All of this increased strength in your musculoskeletal system enhances your balance, flexibility and functional ability.  This leads to a decreased chance of sustaining an injury that can be painful, debilitating and costly.
4. A Healthy Heart: Running isn’t the only form of exercise that will enhance your cardio strength.  Believe it or not, strength training can have as much of a positive impact on your cardiovascular strength and your blood pressure, as does cardio.  Be sure that you are working intensely, however, as just as it is important to work hard when you are doing cardio, you should be challenging yourself when you are doing strength training.
5. Wards off Disease: Adults lose 5 – 7 lbs. of muscle every 10 years, which directly impacts bone loss.  This can lead to osteoporosis.  Further, we become more susceptible to arthritis, back pain and high blood pressure.  Strength training can do wonders in warding off these bad boys.  Further, strength training can help to improve good cholesterol levels, glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in your body, warding off diseases such as Diabetes.
6. Emotional Wellbeing: Just like any type of exercise, strength training does wonders when it comes to improving mood and outlook, and maintaining healthy sleep patterns…all of which improves our overall wellbeing.

So next time you get on the treadmill or elliptical trainer to burn off 300 calories, stop.  Try incorporating some weights into your fitness plan.  Some great resources include:

• The 90-Second Fitness Solution
• The Body Sculpting Bible for Women
• Sheer Balance Exercise Videos

Do you do strength training?  What do you like about it?  Do you think it makes a big difference in your health?

Related Topics:

• How Much Do You Really Have to Workout?
• Functional Training
• 6 Reasons You Aren’t Losing Weight from Exercise
• Do You Exercise Too Much?
• Sheer Balance Strength Training 101
• Calculate Your Body Fat

My friend Eric has Crohn’s Disease…a gastrointestinal (GI) disorder that often results in a lack of absorption of proteins, calories, and vitamins. These deficiencies or malabsorption of nutrients means that diet is really important, because without the right amount and balance of nutrients, a person like Eric will find it difficult to gain weight and won’t get the nutrients he needs for proper growth and bodily function.

For years, Eric wouldn’t pay much attention to what he ate.  He would eat whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted, never thinking about his caloric intake.  For the most part,  he would eat twice a day, mostly consuming fast food (Taco Bell is his favorite) and highly processed foods.  Exercise wasn’t in his vocabulary and he would often feel sluggish and tired. And when it came to his mental outlook, Eric suffered from depression, tended to be moody and felt less than positive.  At 5′ 4″, Eric was a mere 114 pounds…significantly underweight for his height and frame.

This last year, however, Eric started to make some changes.  He started going to the gym on a regular basis, doing light cardio and strength training.  He eats 3 meals a day and has protein shakes to ensure he is balancing his need for protein with his carbs.  He eats less processed foods and has a more varied diet of fish, pasta and steak.   The result?  He has much more energy, feels great and has a positive outlook on life.  He is now 140 pounds, and still has the same lean body mass as he did when he was 114 pounds.  His weight gain has been solid muscle (Before and after pictures above)!

When I speak to Eric, he tells me that he has a whole new perspective on health.  He LOVES feeling this way and would never want to go back.  It has done so much for him beyond enhance his physique…he also feels great mentally.

Eric’s story, and others like his, make me want to shout from the mountain tops.  I love hearing about success stories, because I think they are one of the most powerful tools in motivating people to live healthy.  Here’s why:

1. Feeling is Believing: It is one thing to tell people that living healthy is going to make them feel and look great, it is another for them to actually feel it.
2. It Eliminates Excuses: Anyone who thinks they ‘can’t’ be healthy or do something because they are sick, are weak or don’t have time, will question their own excuses when they read success stories.  It is all about a person’s mindset.  Positivity always out wins negativity.
3. Just Like Everyone Else: Success stories give people hope and inspiration in an approachable way.  People who are afraid to take the first step or think they will fail may be intimidated or feel unsure of embarking on a new lifestyle.  Success stories give people someone who they can identify with and the encouragement they need to take the first step.
4. More Compelling than Doctor Advice: Everyone knows what they are supposed to do.  But it is always easier said than done.  If a Doctor tells you that you need to lose weight or exercise, you may recoil, become defensive or ignore their “prescription”.  However, when you hear of someone overcoming the same challenges you face, it is much easier to sit up and take notice.  “Supposed to” turns into “Really?  You were just like me and now you feel better? I want to feel better!  Sign me up!”
5. Warm Fuzzies for the Underdog: Call me a sap, but I tend to root for the underdog.  I love to see people conquer their obstacles and challenges to ultimately be successful and overcome the impossible.

Have you had a success story?  What was it?  How did it make you feel?

• Gina’s Success Story: Overcoming Disease through Exercise and Diet
• Calculate Your Caloric and Nutrition Requirements
• Top 5 Excuses for Not Exercising
• Organize Your Life to Reach Your Goals
• Do You Push Yourself
• Calculate Your Lean Body Mass
  

1. It Makes Shopping Easier and More Cost Predictable: Eating the same foods every week allows you to budget properly for groceries and in the end, makes shopping faster and easier.  Every Sunday when I food shop, it takes about 20 minutes, because at this point, it has become very systematic.  I know what I want and I don’t even need to make a list.  I get in and get out and always spend within $5 – $10 from week to week.
2. It Makes Weight Loss or Maintenance a Lot Easier: Whether you want to maintain weight or lose weight, eating consistently the same things can make reaching your goals a lot easier.  Finding healthy foods that you enjoy and entering them into tools like FitDay.com can help you learn what will give you an optimal breakdown of calories, Fat, Protein, Carbs, fiber, and vitamins and minerals.  This gives you a successful eating ‘formula’, which means you will never have to count calories or nutritional recommended daily allowances again.  You know what works and repeating the formula most days will help you to reach your goal without a lot of time and thought.
3. Knowing Your Body: Eating the same foods helps you understand your body and how it reacts to foods.  When you eat new or atypical foods, you will be able to hone in on what foods make you feel too full, gassy, not full enough, etc.  Further, it will also give you insights into how your body reacts to chemicals, preservatives and spices.  If you eat healthy most of the time, your body will expect that, and so, if you throw it a curve ball, it will let you know whether or not it likes it.  For instance, if you don’t usually have caffeine or drinks with a lot of sugar, you may find that when you do, you get jitters.  I know personally, if on a rare occasion I eat fried foods, my body will feel like crap within an hour and sometimes into the next day.
4. It Makes Cooking a Lot Easier: I use whole foods or ingredients and don’t try to get overly complicated.  Breakfast usually consists of a half or a whole grapefruit, a whey protein shake and a cup of coffee.  Lunch always includes a huge salad and some sort of protein, usually an egg-white omelet.  On Sunday nights, I tend to whip up a big batch of baked or grilled chicken (changing up the spices or sauces from week to week), which I can reheat the rest of the week and pair off with another big salad for dinner.  Lastly, I’ll have a couple of well-balanced snacks (nutrition bars or a Greek yogurt parfait) in between meals.  All of this is pretty much routine and as a result, it is very easy and saves time.
5. Greater Appreciation for Off-Days: Having a routine for meals makes dining out or those times you do get creative in the kitchen all the more meaningful.  New dishes and flavors have much more significance and tend to taste extra scrumptious.
6. Healthy Behavior on Off-Days: If you find the optimal ‘formula’ from #1 above, you will have a good baseline for when you don’t eat the same foods.  You will become very accustomed to how much of what kinds of foods you need and will be able to use that as a guide for the days you digress.

Trust me, I’m not implying that this is the only way to eat, but it sure can simplify things and make navigating healthy eating a lot easier.  If you have kids, this way of eating, I understand, is challenging. But remember, spices, seasonings and sauces can make a simple food like chicken, seem quite different from night to night.

Do you eat the same foods often?  Have you found any other benefits to doing so?

Related Topics:

• How Many Calories, Fat, Protein and Carbs Should You Eat?
• Learn What Makes Up a Healthy Diet
• Eat Like Crap = Feel Like Crap
• Weight Loss: Which Tools are Best?
• 6 Reasons to Forgo Eating Out
• Healthy Food on a Budget: Protein with a Punch
  

Based on Ayurvedic tradition and practice, many of the tea blends contain the five traditional spices of cardamom seed, cinnamon bark, clove bud, ginger root and black pepper. I’ve fallen hook line and sinker for a few different flavors, but all in all, Yogi Tea is a great supplement to your daily routine.  Here are the things I love about Yogi Tea:

1. Taste: There are 60 available blends of tea.  Personally, I’m a huge fan of their DeTox, Egyptian Licorice and BedtimeTeas.  They use creative combinations of spices that are unique, interesting and highly flavorful…definitely not your ordinary tea!  Some flavors are not my favorite (Berry Detox), but overall, they have a wonderful product and the disliked flavors are few and far between.
2. Health Benefits: Tea in itself offers many healthful benefits, but Yogi Teas promise to provide a solution to anyone’s health needs, everything from giving you a boost in the day to calming your mind to reviving the spirit to even promoting healthy liver and kidney function.
3. A Little Fortune in Your Tea: I love fortune cookies.  Maybe that is why I am head over heels for Yogi Tea’s ‘inspirations’ that come on every tea bag label.  These inspirations provide wisdom and guidance that encourages perseverance, community, kindness, inner strength, joy and personal growth.  Although each one is inspiring, one of my favorites is: “It’s important to find your identity and your legacy.”
4. Quality of Ingredients: They use only whole ingredients that are natural and when possible, organic.  They don’t have labs, they have kitchens.  They work from nature.
5. Caffeine: Many tea flavors are caffeine free, keeping you from becoming dependent.
6. Responsibility: The company is committed to sustainable practices, including: packaging and shipping product in 100% recycled paperboard, tea packaging has a 55% post-consumer waste content, and printing with environmentally-friendly, vegetable-based inks.

These teas can be a wonderful part of your day.  Have you tried them?  What were your thoughts?

Interested in trying Yogi Tea?   Buy Yogi Teas here!

Related Topics:

• Green Tea and Weight Management
• Tea and Your Health
  
• 8 Interesting Facts about Caffeine
• Other Product Reviews
  

When I first started SheerBalance.com, my goal was to help people…to help people find balance in their every day hectic lives.  Nothing more, nothing less.  When I started my blog, however, this changed the dynamic.  I put myself out there, gave the brand a voice and started to provide opinions on things that I thought were either relevant or thought provoking.  Not only did this increase traffic exponentially to the main site (which is obviously a good thing), but it also gave people a person  with whom to identify.  For the most part, I’ve been really fortunate.  I’ve gotten great feedback, heard some interesting perspectives and have had thought provoking dialogue with many individuals.  I have had people agree with me, disagree with me, debate with me, etc.  All good in my mind, for without questioning or debate, we rarely have progress.  But with all of this good-stuff also comes the seedier side of the internet.

As a result of my blog, I have seen individuals who are rude, inappropriate and disrespectful.  Unfortunately, the anonymity of the internet brings out the worst in a lot of people.  The irony of it all is that those who are most rude and obnoxious, never put themselves out there to actually say anything on their own.   They RARELY, if ever, have any blogs themselves.  They only criticize and degrade others.  Thank goodness for comment filters!

In short, having an anonymous outlet with which people can state their minds, enables abusive and disrespectful behavior.  It is truly pathetic.  Over the last year these are some of the delightful things that I have had the pleasure of putting up with:

1. Pet Names: Warm fuzzy names, including: Bigot, B_tch, f_ckin idiot, and more.
2. Sex Changes: Perceptive individuals who think I’m a man, calling me a ‘chode’ (which I actually had to look up in the internet dictionary), a gay pr_ck, a d_ck, and other colorful terms.
3. Legal Counseling: “Legal assistance” from anonymous individuals who spend lots of time finding remotely similar articles and topics and have been kind enough to accuse me of plagiarism.
4. Private Investigation: “FBI wannabes” checking out my credentials and telling me that I could never go beyond an undergraduate degree and will never make more than 40K.
5. Expert Opinions: Individuals pointing out that I have no relevant experience or knowledge to discuss any of the topics that I do.
6. Open-Mindedness: Individuals telling me that I have no right to my opinion.
7. Constructive Critics: Written paragraphs upon paragraphs complimenting me on how useless my articles are and that I’m stupid; and sometimes will even be so kind to correct my grammar and spelling.
8. Pen Pals: I’ve been emailed directly and verbally abused via individual’s rants.
9. Crushes: I’ve been stalked on Facebook.
10. Strategic Partnerships: And, although I would never say that this is email abuse, I once received a HUGE package from the President of the Corn Refiners Association, containing every lab result, every piece of data, and every piece of positive press coverage that they ever had, asking me to have an “open mind” about High Fructose Corn Syrup.

Going into this business, I never really thought I’d have to develop a thick skin, but I guess I was overdo.  In all honesty, I probably benefited greatly.  So on behalf of all bloggers and internet media companies, I’d like to thank all of the anonymous internet bullies.  You really brighten our days!  Keep up the good work!

Have you ever been subjected to mean and inappropriate behavior over the internet?  How have you dealt with it, if at all?

Related Topics:

• Join the Sheer Balance Community
• I Hate Social-Networking
• Dealing with Bullies
• Turning Challenges into Opportunities
• Thank God I Wasn’t THAT Person

Without even thinking, my daily wake-me-up cup quickly became a daily fix.  And what once was a ‘nice to have’ became a ‘need to have.’  And when I got to the bottom of the pot, I often wished there was more.  My curiosity and dependence peaked, I decided to get to the bottom of the world’s most popular drug:

1. Color: Although most caffeinated beverages have a dark color, caffeine is actually a white, bitter-tasting, crystalline substance (much like the description of cocaine).  Further, darkly roasted coffee has less caffeine than lightly roasted.
2. History and Popularity: Caffeine can be found in 60 different plants and many anthropologists believe its use may date back to the Stone Age.  Coffee, specifically, appeared in Africa in 6th century A.D. and was later introduced to Arabia and the rest of the east.  While the Chinese drank tea at least as far back as 2700 BC. In 1573 coffee was introduced to the Europeans and tea was introduced later in 1657.  Caffeine was first isolated from coffee, however, in 1820 and from tea in 1827.  Today, it’s the most popular drug in the world with 90% of Americans consuming it in some form.  Specifically, Americans consume 450,000,000 cups of coffee a day.
3. How it Works: Caffeine causes your brain to have a higher sense of alertness and an increased level of dopamine, improving your feeling of well-being and your mood. Consumed in liquid form, caffeine reaches all tissues of the body within five minutes, while peak blood levels are reached in about 30 minutes.  Normally, almost all ingested caffeine is metabolized.
4. Side-Effects: 1 – 2 cups of coffee causes increased metabolism, increased rate of breathing, increased urination, increased fatty acids in the bloodstream and increased gastric acid in the stomach.  It may increase blood pressure and if taken before bedtime disrupts sleep patterns.  Larger doses can cause headaches, jitters, abnormally rapid heartbeat, convulsions, and delirium.  Consumption above 650 mg a day (about 8 or 9 average cups of coffee) can cause longer term effects, including: chronic insomnia, persistent anxiety and depression, and stomach ulcers.
5. Effects on Reproduction: Caffeine can effect reproductive processes, including congenital abnormalities and reproductive failures, reduced fertility, prematurity, and low birth weight.
6. Most Common Medicinal Usage: Caffeine is most widely used in headache medication and other pain relievers; and is the main ingredient of non-prescription “Anti-Sleep” pills.   Caffeine stimulates breathing in the treatment of apnea (cessation of breathing) in newborn babies, and is used as an antidote against the slowing of breathing caused by overdoses of heroin and other opiate drugs.
7. Dependence/Addiction: Regular use of upwards of 350 mg of caffeine a day causes physical dependence on the drug, meaning an interruption of regular use will produce withdrawal symptoms, including severe headaches, irritability and tiredness.
8. Dosage in Products: 10g of caffeine is considered a lethal dose.  The lowest known fatal dose to an adult has been 3,200 mg – administered intravenously by accident. The fatal oral dose is in excess of 5,000 mg – the equivalent of 40 strong cups of coffee taken in a very short space of time.  The following is a breakdown of caffeine in various products:

Have you ever been dependent on caffeine? When did it start? How does caffeine affect you?

Related Topics:

• Know When to Give into Your Cravings
• Can You Trust Your Latte?
• 8 Shocking Facts about Sugar
• Do You have an Addictive Personality?
• The Ill Effects of Soft Drinks

Sources:

As you probably already know, I’m a huge fiber fanatic. I’ve made my case before about how important it is to a healthy diet, and to a healthy lifestyle.  With the average American consuming only 5 of the recommended 25 – 35 grams a day, however, it is obvious that getting enough fiber in your diet is relatively challenging.

Gnu Bar – Flavor and Fiber makes this challenge virtually nonexistent.  Flavor & Fiber, Gnu Foods’ first product, is a nutrition bar; and after having tried them recently, I’m addicted.  On a scale of 5, they get a 5.  Here’s why:

1. Nutrition Quality: At a mere 130 – 140 calories a bar (depending on the flavor), these flavorful snacks pack a whopping 12 grams of fiber (including both soluble and insoluble) into your day.  That is practically 50% of the recommended daily intake, within approximately 5 – 10% of your caloric intake.  Compared to other products on the market, Gnu Foods is a much higher quality product.
2. Taste: Gnu Bars currently come in 5 tasty flavors: Banana Walnut, Cinnamon Raisin, Peanut Butter, Chocolate Brownie and Orange Cranberry – satisfying almost any taste buds out there.  Personally, I’m a big fan of the Orange Cranberry and Chocolate Brownie.  If you are an Oatmeal Raisin cookie fan, however, you will find the Cinnamon Raisin Bar a delicious healthier version.
3. Texture: Soft. moist and chewy, these bars are far from their high fiber cardboard counterparts.
4. Quality of Ingredients: Quality does not get much better than these bars.  Any and all sweetness comes from fruit juice and the flour is pure organic whole wheat flour.  Further, Gnu Bars don’t contain any of the following: High Fructose Corn Syrup, Refined Sugars (except chips in Chocolate Brownie), Cholesterol, Trans Fat, Soy, Hydrogenated Oils, Preservatives, Artificial Flavors or Colorings, Yeast, Dairy or Whey, Sugar Alcohols, Maltodextrin or Methylcellulose.  These bars are pure, natural goodness.
5. Price: I’m not going to lie.  These puppies aren’t cheap.  That said, if you buy them in bulk (16 per pack), they come in at a reasonable $1.50 – $1.75 a bar.  Click here to buy!

These bars can be a great daily snack to help ensure you are getting your prescribed dosage of fiber.  Have you tried them?  What were your thoughts?

Related Topics:

• Is Fiber Just a Fad?
• Fiber Facts and Sources
• What Nutrition Bar is Best for You?
• Your Solution Guide to HFCS
• Purchase Gnu Bars

Some of us fall into this category, and a lot of us don’t.  But, for those of us who do, the idea of “You can never have too much of a good thing” rings true.  If I really love something, I want more of it.  This pertains to chocolate of the deepest and darkest varieties, it pertains to a great performance at karaoke, it pertains to eating a good cheese, it pertains to fine champagne, and it even applies to time spent with people who make me feel great.  Pure and simple, I can’t get enough.

I think there is a fine line between having an addictive personality and being an addict. That fine line is called ‘awareness’.  Here is how awareness is vital to not crossing the line:

1. Having a sense of awareness that I have the potential to be addicted to something allows me to make the conscious decision to stop the addiction before it becomes a problem.  In other words, awareness gives you willpower.
2. Without awareness, the good always outweighs the bad of over-succumbing to your object of desire. With awareness, you can see the negatives of overdoing it and the possible repercussions.
3. Awareness allows you to enjoy your guilty pleasures in a healthy way so that you don’t have to completely cut them out of your life.

Do you think you have an addictive personality? Have you ever become fully addicted? What did you do to stop the addiction?

Related Topics:

• Is Willpower Biased?
• Can You Influence What You Crave?
• Chocolate – A True Love Affair
• Know When to Give into Your Cravings
• Do You Exercise Too Much?
• Are You a Carbaholic?
  
• Common Traits of an Addictive Personality
  

Unfortunately, many of these summer-time libations come with a lot of calories.  And although one drink might not be so detrimental, two or three can really start to add up.  So what is a summer happy-hour lover to do?  The chart below provides a breakdown of the good, bad and ugly of favorite summer cocktails (at standard serving size for the drink) to give you a sense of what to choose when the bartender asks you what your poison of choice is.

Those drinks that are rated 5 stars are the best for you, when looking at both calorie and carbohydrate intake (sugars).  Those that are rated with 1 star are the worst for you.  As you can see, unfortunately, most of the most yummy drinks of summer are riddled with sugar and empty calories.  In short, those drinks that are made with hard alcohol and mixers are the most caloric, while those drinks that are mostly wine based are the best.

If you are in full happy hour mode, here are a few options to still enjoy while ensuring you don’t overdo it on your sugar or calorie intake:

Option 1: Have one summer favorite that falls under the 3 stars or less category, and if you have any more drinks thereafter, fall back to a 5 star drink moving forward.

Option 2: If you enjoy any drink that uses juices, sodas (7-Up or Tonic) or simple syrups, try substituting seltzer water for the soda portion and asking for ’splashes’ of juice.  For instance, I love Cape Codders, but have switched to Vodka, Soda and a splash of cranberry.  See on the left how that changes the rating from 2 stars to 4 stars!

Option 3: Try wine spritzers with a splash of juice.  As you can see, wine spritzers are the best of the bunch.  Further, they are festive (with the sparkling water) and if you add a splash of juice, you’ll get a bit more flavor than a typical spritzer without a ton of extra calories.

Option 4: Try adding a little all natural soda, such as Izze Sparkling Juice, to wine for a little bit of a sparkle in your spritzer.  These don’t have HFCS or loads of added sugars.  They are purely sparkling water and juice.

Option 5: I’m NOT an advocate for this option, but I wanted to put it out there.  If you use soda in your summer cocktail, you can opt for the diet version to cut some of the calories out.  That said, I don’t subscribe to diet sodas, as they are full of chemicals that you probably don’t want to ingest.

What is your favorite summer cocktail?  Have you learned any tricks to keep the calories to a low roar?

Related Topics:

• More How Healthy are…?
• How Do You Release Stress?
• Ways to Make Superbowl Sunday Healthier
• Track What You Eat
• Rules of Thumb for Good Nutrition
  

Nutrition data sources: www.fitday.com, www.calorieking.com, www.dailyplate.com

With the ceremony of graduation comes commencement speeches, when often, a well-known public figure imparts wisdom to the new graduating class. Although every speaker is different and has different perspectives, many address topics that they often feel are especially poignant and relevant to the time of graduation. Speakers may discuss the political, economic or social landscapes of the nation or world, or give a motivational pep-talk for new graduates to go out and make a real difference, or provide life lessons the speaker has learned in his or her lifetime.

To be honest, I can’t say I remember a lot of what was said at either of my undergraduate or graduate graduation ceremonies. But if I were to personally deliver a commencement speech or convocation address, there would be certain things that I would want to tell graduates. And if I were graduating today, I know I would have appreciated hearing these things myself:

1. Believe in Yourself. If you believe in yourself, others will believe in you as well.  Believe in all that you are, all that you can be and all that you stand for.
2. Never Stop Dreaming. Dreamers have the ability to change the world.  They envision the impossible and make it happen.  Follow your dreams and you will achieve the unachievable.
3. Do What you Love. Life is too short to not enjoy what you do.  Don’t do what you think you should do, or what everyone else wants you to do, or for that matter, what you think everyone wants you to do.  Find your own passion, and do what you love.
4. Stay True to Who You Are. Don’t forget where you came from or what you believe in.  Remembering this will help you to make the best decisions in life and will help you to live a life without regret.
5. Don’t Settle for Mediocrity. In Jim Collin’s first sentence of his book “Good to Great”, he states,  “Good is the enemy of great.”  Good is often sufficient.  Greatness, however, never settles.  Greatness expects more…always.  Expect the best from yourself and from others, and always look for the opportunities to make things better.  Don’t accept things as they are, for positive change comes from improving what is.
6. Don’t Burn Bridges. There will be times in your life when you may not care what other people think, but you never know when those people may pop up in your life again.  Always do the right thing and maintain your relationships, for they may prove to be invaluable when you least expect it.
7. Live Honestly and with Integrity. At the end of the day, you only have to answer to yourself.  Keep the promises that you make and stay true to your word.  Live in a way that makes you proud and in a way that enables you to look in the mirror every morning and like what you see.
8. Live with Humility. We all are imperfect and it is important to acknowledge our flaws just as much as our positive traits.  Be thankful for your talents, for your successes and for the good fortune that comes your way.  Don’t ever expect things just because you think you deserve them.   You have to earn them.
9. Love, Respect and Forgive Yourself. Self-love is most important when it comes to finding and experiencing love with others.  Always treat yourself with kindness and forgive yourself for the times that you make mistakes.
10. Love Others Openly. When you love, love openly and unconditionally.  This will allow you to experience a deeper love that can celebrate the best of times, as well as get you through the worst of times.

Some of these may seem cheesy to some, but I believe that all of these are important to living a full, meaningful life on which you can look back and smile.

If you were to impart your own knowledge and wisdom to new graduates, what would you tell them?  What lessons would you want them to learn?

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For the better part of my career, my ability to work from home would only come once in awhile when I would finagle a reason to do so.  I was lucky enough to have a work laptop, which made it easier for me than for most.  But, I never really got the full-throttle ‘work from home’ experience until recently.  And I’ll tell you, now that I have, working from home is underrated…pure and simple.  I’ve fallen in love with it and I hope that I can find a way to keep this gig going.

Here are my favorite things about working from home:

1. No more 9 to 5: I’m not restricted to the conventional work day.  I get to set my own schedule.  More often than not, I tend to work normal hours, but if I feel like working half a day, then working out and then working a few more hours, I can.  Further, I get to schedule the beginning of my day when I want instead of when the ‘man’ wants me to.
2. Less Chores on the Weekend: When I used to come home after work, straightening up the house or doing the dishes were the last things I felt like doing.  As a result, the weekend became ‘clean up time’ and ‘chore and errand time’.  Now, I’m able to stay more on top of things throughout the week, which makes cleaning less daunting and I can run an occasional errand or do a chore during  weekdays, leaving the weekend for more play time.
3. Higher Productivity: There are times that you can be distracted, but having the ability to work when you are most inspired, and take a break when you most need it, maximizes your productivity when it feels right for you, instead of when you are expected to.
4. Eat Better for Less: I make my own lunch and dinner right at home, which means I’m eating healthier and spending a lot less money.
5. I Don’t Work for the Weekend: Working for a company made the week drag on.  Working for myself and at home feels like the week and weekend blend together.  I don’t dread Mondays, I don’t hate Sundays and I don’t work for the weekends.
6. Increased Concentration Levels: I can easily get distracted.  Working in an office environment made it difficult at times to focus and do my work without interruptions.  Now, my level of concentration is deeper and more focused.
7. Greater Privacy: Any time I had to make a personal phone call at work, I had to go into a special room or leave the building to do so.  Now, I can make business calls AND personal calls from the same space.  Further, I don’t have any office mates who are inconsiderate with loud decibel levels.
8. No Attitude or Political Drama: Although I could say that I miss some of the human interaction I had when I worked in an office, I definitely do NOT miss those individuals who were patronizing, disrespectful or bullying; or possessed any other endearing qualities. Further, I’m happy to be far away from the political bull__it that is bred in many office environments.
9. No Commute: Working from home allows me to start my day without the extra headache of traffic, jammed subways or exposure to the cold elements.
10. Low Maintenance Wardrobe: I admit, I’ve worked a whole day in my workout clothes or my pajamas.  Not that this happens every day, but it sure is nice not to have to look all put together every day of the week.  Further, not working in an office allows you to spend less money on expensive work clothes.

Do you work from home?  What do you love about it?

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Every person, obviously, has different interests.  But, regardless of what you personally like to do, here are some good ways to spend time with yourself:

1. Go for a Walk: This isn’t necessarily a workout type of walk.  Walking alone, even at a leisurely pace, helps you clear your mind, clear your thoughts and think through problems, issues or concerns you may be facing.
2. Go to the Beach/Park/Lake: Being in nature, gives you a multi-sensory way to decompress and relax.  You smell the beautiful, fresh air.  You are visually inspired by the natural beauty with which you surround yourself.  And, you become hypnotized by sounds of the ocean waves crashing, seagulls squawking or a distant waterfall.
3. Read a Book: Reading provides you with a way to get away from your hectic life and learn something new, fall in love or laugh.  It is like a vacation away from life.
4. Take a Class: Taking classes on something you want to learn, whether it be cooking, a new language, dancing or rock-climbing, is highly rewarding.  First, it expands your horizons and gives you knowledge about interesting things.  Second, it allows you to discover new things about yourself.
5. Take a Drive: Taking a drive allows you to explore new places, discover new things and meet new people.  You can listen to your favorite tunes, and stop along the journey whenever you are inspired to do so.

Obviously, there are a lot of other things you can do.  The point is, do whatever you enjoy and have fun.  What do you like to do when you get in your alone time?

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I asked her what she had been doing to lose the weight.  She enthusiastically whipped out her iPhone and proceeded to demonstrate her new found heartthrob – ‘Lose It!’ – a full weight management App.  She started to walk me through all of its features and how she can add in recipes and ‘budget’ her calories, etc.  As a Business School Grad, this was the most perfect, Type-A tool one could get.  Moreover, it was mobile…meaning no need to be glued to your desktop computer or worrying about forgetting the intimate details of every morsel you ingested five hours previously.  I have to admit, I was impressed.

We went onto discuss all of the different tools that we have both come across and what we liked and what we didn’t like.  And although I am not the hugest advocate of calorie counting (I’m much more quality versus quantity focused), this system works great for Lindsay, and that was what was important.

If you are trying to lose weight and you are struggling to do it on your own, there is a lot to be said for using tools to help.  How do you know what tool is going to work best?  Here are four important factors to consider when choosing a virtual weight loss buddy:

1. Does it Match Your Personality?: If you are a list maker, chances are, you probably would appreciate a tool that lets you keep track of what you eat throughout the day.  However, if you don’t like counting calories or grams of food, you might be better off with general guidelines of foods you can eat and what you should avoid.  If the tool you are using doesn’t match your personality, you will most likely give up on your goals and get frustrated.
2. Does it Match Your Lifestyle?: If you are always on the go, you will probably benefit from a tool that is mobile.  However, if you are often planted in front of a computer or don’t move all that often, you might be fine with something that isn’t as mobile.  Make sure the tool adapts to your lifestyle instead of adapting your lifestyle to the tool.
3. Does it Match Your Goals?: If you are specifically trying to lose a certain amount of weight or a certain number of inches, you should opt for a tool that is going to help you track that.  On the other hand, if you care about the breakdown of fats, carbohydrates and proteins, make sure your tool gives you that information.  Whatever tool you choose should directly support you in achieving your goals.
4. Does it Match Your Technological Comfort: If you are ultra savvy technologically, then an iPhone App might be great for you.  However, if you are a bit of a dinosaur in the technology department, look for a tool that is going to be easy for you to use without a lot of frustration.

Some tools you can look into include: Fitday, NutriDiary, SparkPeople, Weight Watchers, iPhone Apps and of course, the good ol’ fashion Hand Written Food Diary.  What tools have you tried?  What do you like about the tools you have used?

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