Stay Thirsty, My Friends!

Unless you live under a rock--and if so, we don't judge!--then you know that's a quote from a beer commercial.  And not meaning any disrespect for the most interesting man in the world, please ignore that statement.

It's a new year and, of course, New Year's resolutions are coming at us from all directions.  Ignore them.  Yep.  Let's start a trend: NO MORE RESOLUTIONS!  Actually, resolutions are good--goals are better, but the point is that we don't need a new year to start over.  But since we're here at the start of a brand new year, I thought now would be a great time to go back and start again...with...water!

If you're like me, water's probably one of the first things you stop drinking during the holidays.  Oh sure, a glass here or there, but now we have options that are only around during the colder months--hot chocolate, eggnog, pumpkin spice lattes--and they create a sense of urgency around opting for that instead of the good ol' stand by of water.

If you need a reminder or you're new here [WELCOME!], you can always go back and read H2OMG!

Or if you want to immediately catch up on all water related posts, I've very nicely compiled a list [okay, blogger very nicely compiled a list]!

The point is that regardless of what you are or are not eating and drinking, your body needs water.  And I think you'll find [I did!  EUREKA!] that if you'll just provide about 64 oz of actual water for your body to utilize you will find yourself eating and craving less.  Give it a shot, what have you got to lose?  Except perhaps a bit of weight....and tiredness....and toxic waste...

~a little salt for your margarita, which of course will be preceded and followed by a big ol' glass of water!

Getting By With Help of Friends

Ha!  I bet after reading the title you thought this would be about enlisting your friends and family to help you.  While that is also a very important part of your journey [and a great topic for another post--thankyouverymuch!], this post is about vitamins.

In an ideal world we would be getting all of the nutrients we need from our diets and wouldn't need to take supplements, but...in an ideal word, we'd all be perfect and I wouldn't be blogging about this.

Did you know nearly 75% of Americans are Vitamin D deficient [17]?  I've always known that it was a high number, but until I was actually diagnosed, I didn't realize it was that high!  Yep.  A sunshine lover and dairy fiend like me is deficient in Vitamin D!  I was shocked.  But it does go to show that just because you think you're getting all the nutrients you need, you might not be.  Plus, short of having a degree in pharmacology or medicine, you might not realize that vitamins A, D, E, and K require fat to probably be absorbed [thus why milk & yogurt are great sources of both A & D] or that too much vitamin C can decrease the amount of calcium absorbed by your body.

The best place to start?  A daily multi-vitamin.  And if you're getting older or have a history of osteoporosis in your family, then also take a Calcium supplement.  If you wanna be really fancy, schmancy you can go here and let Dr. Weil be your vitamin advisor!  At your next annual physical, ask your doctor to run tests checking your vitamin and mineral levels--you just might be surprised at what you find!

Whichever way you choose--just get the ball rolling!  The sooner you do, the sooner you'll have more energy and feel better overall.  Once that happens, you'll then be able to exercise more and make better choices when it comes to food [remember, the snowball effect???]

~a grain of salt to keep your electrolytes in balance

Post Holiday Babble...

Okay, so technically we still have another week to go in "the holiday season."  However, a thought struck me tonight as I felt a bit peckish after a particularly gluttonous day: ultimately, what our bodies crave is healthy food--sometimes we just have to listen really hard to hear the message.

For example, I decided that a cup of tea with milk and a few chocolate covered cherries would be the ultimate Christmas bedtime snack.  But as I was waiting for the tea to boil I realized that what I was craving was a black tea without milk or sugar and an orange.

HARK!  [well, it is Christmas!]

I think too often we get wrapped up in what we should or should not eat or when we should or should not eat that we often ignore the best authority on what our body needs most: our own body.  With the new year on the horizon and thoughts turn to ways to make you healthier, spend some time creating self-awareness about you and your needs.  Interestingly enough, one of the main attributes of why those who practice yoga are healthier is that they are more in-tune with what their body needs.  Hate yoga?  Fine, but find another way to quiet the world around you and tune-in to you.

Happy Holidays!

~a grain of salt for one last holiday margarita

Dammit, Janet!

Okay, not really dammit.  Janet is the nutritionist at my doctor's office.  And in an effort to help me get back on track and be a little more accountable for my [food & exercise] actions, I've decided to pay Janet a visit [and of course, the entire time Rocky Horror is running through my head!]

But Janet offered some great advice:

1.  Eat a fruit and/or vegetable at every meal.
2.  Eat often.  Not eating enough during the day makes you crave heavy, fatty foods in the evening.
3.  Eating healthy takes planning.  Don't get caught out or fall into eating something just because you didn't have healthy options.
4.  There's nothing wrong with splurging.  Don't beat yourself up--just choose to eat healthier the next time.
5.  Keep track of what you're eating and when [yes, it's our hellthy habit of the week!].
6.  Work in a bit of exercise in a day--even if it's just walking the dog 15 more minutes.

So that's it.  That's what Janet wants me to work on--so I thought I'd share for your own travels.

~a bit of salt for your margarita [it's Sunday, after all, why don't splurge while planning your healthy meals for the week?]

Getting Back on Track, Part 2

Okay, so you're looking for a place to begin (again)?

Try revisiting this prior posting: Snowball Effect! in which Dr. Oz runs down 10 reasons to lose 10 pounds.  The reason we're revisiting the post is because I just want to remind you how important losing just 10 pounds can be!  So, if you're stuck on your goals and can't figure out where or how to begin--it's a good starting point and a great reminder not to be so overwhelmed if you think you have a lot more to lose than 10 pounds!  After all, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step (Lao-tzu).  While I'm sure you've heard it a lot in your life, really contemplate what it means and remember: No matter how slow you go, you're still lapping everyone on the couch!!

~a bit of salt for your next shot of courage

Getting Back on Track...

wow.  ever feel like life has just taken over and the next thing you know it's the end of July and you could've sworn it's April???

It happens to me.  A lot.  I recently reconnected with one of my very first friends that I made here in NYC and when asked how things were I answered "crazy busy."  His response was "when are you not crazy busy?"  It made me realize that I've always joked about being crazy busy, but I really am and 97% is completely my fault.

Balance is probably the hardest thing for me to achieve.  Moderation, in my opinion is a four-letter word.  Focus is impossible when it comes to me & my personal life.  And I think these are three of THE most important things to remember and work on while on the road to hellthy.

I recently started reading the book This Year I Will... and it offers some great insight on why you might be struggling with getting healthy and how changing your attitude can change your life.  The author, MJ Ryan, offers up some really amazing advice.  I'm not going to outline it all here--because I feel like if you have a hard time committing to or following through with something, you really need to read this book!--but she reminds us that life is precious and short and we should only be committing to things that we truly want to do.

Changing is hard.  It requires work and persistence and patience.  Chances are, if you're struggling then one of these links are missing.  Mine is patience.  I ain't even gonna front!

It's time to take back your life.  Move on, forgive your past mistakes, but learn from them.  Things won't always be perfect or easy or sane, but I don't call it hellthy for nothing!

~a little salt for your courage in a shot.

Ready, Set, Goal!

The good folks at Livestrong.com have a good article [15] about how to set goals for weight loss.  As mentioned in my last post, I feel your goals should be focused on Hellthy habits that are going to that are not only going to help you look better, but feel better as well.  Of course, if you have a lot of weight to lose, long term goals and rewards are just as important as the short-term ones.  Ultimately, it's your journey--figure out what's the best way to motivate you and go for it!

Here are the 6 steps mentioned in the article (the article is a quick read, if you wanna check it out!):

1. Set your long term goals--keeping two very important things in mind so that you are not setting yourself up for failure:
• Your goals should be realistic--obviously you're not going to lose 50 pounds in 2 weeks, regardless of what the latest fad diet claims.  Experts say that 1-2 pounds a week is a realistic and healthy amount to loose weekly.  Use that as your guideline.
• You need to give yourself enough time to achieve them--to go from couch potato to running the NYC marathon in less than a month IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!  If you want to run a marathon--great, but plan & set goals that are going to allow you to be successful!
2. Set your short term goals.  These should be easily & quickly obtained (and I don't mean snap your fingers and poof! you're done).  These are the goals you're going to be hitting more often to keep you motivated and striving for your long term goals!
3. WRITE both down on your calendar!  This is a HUGE step!!  And quite honestly something I've never thought about doing.  Sure I'd always have tentative goals (I wanna lost 50 pounds by the end of the year), but seeing it on the calendar (I recommend writing it in a colored SHARPIE!) holds you more accountable and makes it more likely to go the distance!
4. Set your rewards for each of your goals.  Again, NOT food related rewards!  Also, the reward should match the goal.  Longer goals should get bigger rewards--think trips or spa days or new wardrobes!--and shorter goals get smaller rewards--a new book, a mani/pedi, a new album to download on your ipod.  The world (sans food!) is your oyster!
5. Post reminders of what you're trying to achieve--be it a photograph of a younger, healthier you or that weekend vacation spot that you're going to when you've run a marathon.
6. Reward often, but ONLY when you've met a goal.  Make sure that your rewards are always within reach and always building towards your long term goals.  Make sure that you never reward yourself if you haven't met a goal (no sneaking in a quick mani/pedi just because!) and don't hesitate to adjust your goals, if you find that you are never rewarding yourself.  It is possible that you need smaller steps--and honey, there ain't nothing wrong with admitting that!  On the flip side, you do need to earn them, so don't make your goals so easy you're always getting something (sorry, but drinking 64oz of water for one day does not a good goal make!)

Once you start reaching your goals and rewarding yourself, you'll work harder and harder to get to your goals.  It all starts with great planning--and a big SHARPIE!

~a little salt for the rim of your planning margarita--but only one! because you want to remain focused and realistic in your goals!!

Cookies Are For Pupcicles!

As many of you have realized (or not, depending on the craziness of your life), I have not been posting much--okay, ANYTHING in awhile.

 This got me to thinking about motivation. What is it that motivates you? Lately, it seems nothing motivates me. But of course, that's not entirely true. A paycheck and an amazing cup of coffee motivates me to get up, get dressed, and go to work 5--and sometimes 6--days a week. Big brown sad puppy eyes motivates me to take the darling princess out for a walk at least once a day--even if it's just down the block.

 I don't think there's anything wrong with a little motivation for practicing healthy behaviors--in fact, I think anything that will help give you the proverbial kick in the ass is a good thing. Everyone has different motivators. Now's the time to explore what truly motivates you and figure out how you can channel that energy into becoming healthier. There are a lot of things that can serve as motivator, but there is one thing that cannot: food. If you want to splurge and have a piece of cheesecake, go ahead--but it should be a splurge not a reward for good behavior! You are not a dog and don't "deserve" cookies for behaving or performing a trick--so save the cookies for the pupcicles! 

Find a couple of non-food treats to help entice you into regularly performing your hellthy habits. Your rewards shouldn't just be about how much weight you've lost--focus on what will get you healthy--and you can reward yourself with a new SMALLER wardrobe for the weight loss!

For example, I love getting mani/pedi's--so rather than just getting one, I've decided to start earning them. How? NOT by deciding to get one every time I've lost 10 pounds, but by walking Addy! I now have to log at least 15 hours of Addy walking time before I can get a mani/pedi. This way we both get exercise & I get cute toes & fingers to boot!! Movies, clothes, facials, books, traveling...anything that you enjoy doing or buying can easily be converted into a motivating factor.  By the way, myfitnesspal is a great--and FREE!--place online to keep track of your food & exercise (and you can log in with your Facebook or Twitter account).

 The best part? Down the road, you'll realize how good you're starting to feel and you'll want to walk the dog, drink your water, eat your veggies, etc. simply because either you like how it makes you feel when you do it or you don't like how it makes you feel when you don't do it (and I'm not talking about GUILT either!).  Shocking, right?!?!?  But just you wait & see...

Oh, and the next time you want to buy cookies, just make sure they are for pupcicles!

 ~a little salt for your foot scrub while you get your pedicure as a reward for walking the pupcicle!

Me Time!

I can't stress enough the importance of Me Time! I know, I know...we're all busy. We have work, we have school, we have 14 things on our plates and 12 more on the waiting list. But recharging is essential. Find time every day--even if it's 5 minutes--to unplug, disconnect, & recharge you! Linger over a cup of coffee, take a bath, mediate, go to a spinning class, or even lock yourself in the closet. It doesn't matter how or even how much, just make sure it's enough so that you can remind yourself that YOU ARE IMPORTANT! When you remember that you are important, you are more likely to make healthy choices. And while having a great support system makes the entire journey easier, these choices are something that only you can make. So take a few minutes or a day or even a week, but make sure your Me Time is all about Y-O-U! :)

~a little salt for the rim of margarita while I indulge in a bit of "Me Time"!

Roughing It!

To quote Havard University's School of Public Health [14]: it's time to start roughing it!

Here are some recommendations they make for increasing fiber

1. Eat whole fruits instead of drinking fruit juices.
2. Replace white rice, bread, and pasta with brown rice and whole grain products.
3. Choose whole grain cereals for breakfast.
4. Snack on raw vegetables instead of chips, crackers, or chocolate bars.
5. Substitute legumes for meat two to three times per week in chili and soups.
6. Experiment with international dishes (such as Indian or Middle Eastern) that use whole grains and legumes as part of the main meal (as in Indian dahls) or in salads (for example, tabbouleh). 

Okay, so how?  Well, again, the good folks at Harvard (all on the same website link above), nicely provide us a list of foods that you can add to your diet to increase both types of fiber (because they are both equally important!)

Soluble fiber is that which dissolves in water and is responsible for helping lower your cholesterol and regulating your blood sugar.

• Oatmeal, oatbran
• Nuts and seeds
• Legumes
• Beans
• Dried peas
• Lentils
• Apples
• Pears
• Strawberries
• Blueberries

Insoluble fiber is that which does not dissolve in water, and thus, really good at cleaning you out!

• Whole wheat bread
• Barley
• Couscous
• Brown rice
• Bulgur
• Whole grain breakfast cereals
• Wheat bran
• Seeds
• Carrots
• Cucumbers
• Zucchini
• Celery
• Tomatoes

Also, another great source of information on fiber is www.dietaryfiber.com which will provide you will all the information--and much more--you could ever want or need to know about fiber!

And again (yes, you're getting this on ever fiber post!) remember to drink your water and take it slow on increasing your fiber to avoid any unfortunate, um, side effects!

~a grain of salt for your bloody mary (because it has tomatoes and a celery stick, both of which help boost your insoluble fiber!)

An "F" for FABULOUS!

There are 2 types of fiber: soluble and insoluble.  WebMD defines them as:

"Soluble fibers bind with fatty acids and slow digestion so blood sugars are released more slowly into the body. These fibers help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and help regulate blood sugar levels for people with diabetes. Insoluble fibers help move waste through the intestines and control the pH levels in the intestines. These fibers help prevent constipation and keep you regular." [13]

Basically one lowers your cholesterol and regulates blood sugar and the other makes you poop!  Either way, they are both very important to your overall health.

You'll feel better, you're blood sugars will even out, you'll lower your risk for developing cardiovascular disease, not to mention strokes and diabetes, and of course, you'll poop better and regularly.  All of this will make you a much happier person (just ask anyone who doesn't poop regularly!!) And, of course, one more reminder about increasing your intake slowly!

~a grain of salt for your bloody mary (for extra fiber, of course!)

Beans, Beans The Magical Fruit...

This week's Hellthy Habit is upping your fiber intake.  The recommended daily [12] intake is 38 grams for men and 25 grams for women (which drops to 30 & 21 grams respectively for everyone over 51 years).

JUST A WORD OF WARNING: fiber is not the thing you on which to go overboard!!  You definitely want to work your way up slowly, otherwise, your stomach, intestines, and anyone living, working, or within a 10 feet radius won't be thanking you very much!!!


The first thing you need to do is figure out how much fiber your getting already and then set about to increase it several grams a day until you've reached your goal.  So, how to up your fiber intake?


Fruits
Veggies
Whole Grains
Beans


Of course you can use supplements (think Metamucil or FiberOne), but in the long run getting fiber from food is better, as foods that have the most fiber, like fruits & veggies, have other benefits (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, etc, etc.).


So what's the point of bulking up your diet?


Not only does the fiber make you more regular (good pooping is important!), but it lowers your risk for heart disease by lowering your cholesterol and regulating your blood sugars (which also reduces your risk of developing diabetes), and it helps you feel fuller longer, which of course helps curb your appetite.  No matter how you look at it, you can't go wrong with more fiber!


~a little salt for your bloody mary & celery, for the fiber of course!


PS--don't forget to drink water, it helps the fiber work better!

Small Changes

The good folks at WebMD [11] put together a collection of ways to "slim down without dieting."  Sounds great to me, since D-I-E-T is a nasty, nasty four letter word in my humble opinion!  They've found easy to tweak things that will help you modify how you eat in manageable, um, bites--thus increasing your odds of success and lowering your odds of failure. 

1. Eating slower & making your meals last longer than 20 minutes (they suggest using a timer!)
2. Sleeping more (although not too much, which we'll learn when we tackle sleeping.  While different studies suggest different amounts--7-9 hours/night seem to be the most ideal)
3. Eat more veggies (hmmm...where have we heard this before?!?!?)
4. Adding soup (broth-based that is) to your meal(s)
5. Eating whole grains (make sure whole is in the ingredients, like whole wheat) and avoid refined grains like the plague (well, they didn't say it, but I'm sure it's what they mean!!)
6. Eyeball your skinny clothes!  By keeping something that's a bit too snug in eye range, you're more likely to stick to your guns!
7. Skip the bacon (i resisted the urge to scream and throw a tantrum like a 5 year old diva told she can't have a new pair of shoes to match her new backpack)...sigh.  okay fine, but I'm still saving it for an occasional treat, thankyouverymuch!
8. Build a better slice of pizza by chosing more veggies and less (or no) meat and going easy on the cheese.
9. Cut back on the sugar--particularly in sugary drinks (switch to water or seltzer and save your calories for delicious indulgences, like CHEESECAKE...hopefully there's not a "never eat cheesecake again" suggestion or I will have to act like the aforementioned 5 year old diva!)
10. Use tall thin glasses rather than short wide ones--you'll trick your brain into serving yourself less (works for using smaller plates, bowls, forks, spoons, etc...as you already know if you've been keeping up!)
11. Limit alcohol intake...a little is good, but too much has too many calories and also loosens your inhibitions making it more likely to select the burger & fries rather than the grilled salmon and salad.
12. Sip green tea, as some studies are showing that it might temporarily boost metabolism (no sweatin' required!).  
13. YOGA! Not just for the exercise component, but also because it forces you to focus and tune-in to your body, which can help you resist overeating and indulging in less-than-healthy foods less frequently.
14. Eat at home, where you can control portions, ingredients, cooking methods, etc.  While some places, such as NYC, are taking initiatives to make the consumer more informed (much to their shock!) by posting caloric content--not everywhere is doing this yet nor is every restaurant, so save your splurges and dine out less frequently.
15. Catch the "eating pause"--that moment when you momentarily drop your fork--it's your body signalling you're done!  so listen up, put your fork down, and box the rest up for leftovers!
16. Chew strong mint (sugarless) gum.  Or brush your teeth.  Anything to make you not want to put anything else in your mouth!
17. Shrink your dishes (apparently I was jumping ahead of myself earlier!  yes, I'm reading and typing at the same time..that way you're experiencing it as I'm experiencing it!) even though you're eating less, you'll be cleaning your plate and so you won't feel like you're missing a thing!
18. Get your portions right (REMEMBER MY CEREAL BOWL?!?!?! that's all I have to say about that!)
19. Try to aim for 80% fullness, rather than 100%, or as the Japanese call it hara hachi bu. Smaller plates, smaller utensils, and stopping at "the pause" all help!
20. Eat out YOUR way!  Going out is fun and inevitable, so make the most out of it.  Order appetizers as meals.  Start with a broth based soup or a house salad (NOT drowning in dressing!).  Split entrees with your friends, BF, spouse or yourself the next day (i.e. have half boxed up immediately rather than waiting until you're done eating).  Ask for steamed veggies or grilled meats.  Most restaurants are happy to comply, if not, find a new favorite restaurant!
21. Reach for the red sauce!  Since they're tomato based, they're chokkers with lycopene and have much less calories than the creme based sauces.
22. Go meatless more often.  While lean meats are a great source of protein, going veg or vegan more often will help you shave calories (presuming of course, you're not replacing lean meat with fettuccine alfredo!)
23. Burn an extra 100 calories a day.  Take a walk, hike, jog, clean the house more vigorously--the little stuff adds up!
24. CELEBRATE!  Be it meeting an exercise goal or even making it through the day without any soda--treat yourself to reward your positive behaviors--trust me, you'll want to be doing more!  Personally, I like using mani/pedi or spa treatments, but whatever floats your boat.

Challenge yourself to start working down this list--it's a sure fire way to get in the express lane on the road to hellthy!  Now, let the tweaking--and losing--begin!


~a grain of salt, taken preferably with a shot of tequila and a wedge of lime (to prevent scurvy, of course!)

Snowball Effect!

Think you have to lose a lot to see hellthy results?  Think again! 

Dr. Oz [10], in promoting his new program, Just 10, gives us 10 reasons to lose just 10 pounds!  Yep, just dropping 10 pounds can significantly improve the following:

1. Lowers your cholesterol by 10%.
   
2. Lowers your blood pressure, which lowers your risk of heart disease, kidney failure, and dementia.
   
3. Reduces your risk of heart attack by half...HALF!
   
4. Reduces your risk of dementia.
   
5. Reduces your risk of developing sleep apnea.
   
6. Reduces your joint pain, as 10 pounds equals 30 pounds of pressure on your knees!
   
7. Reduces your risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes by up to 60%!
   
8. Reduces your risk of cancer, in fact studies are showing that an 8 pound loss shows a reduction in breast and uterine cancers.
   
9. Improves your sex life, as nearly 80% of overweight men experience erectile dysfunction and diabetes and high blood pressure both decrease your sexual drive.
   
10. Reduces your reliance on medications, specifically those to lower cholesterol and blood pressure and alleviate joint pain.
    

All that and your jeans fit better, how can you argue with that?  Thanks Dr. Oz!!


~a grain of salt, with a shot of tequila and lime (to prevent scurvy, of course!)

New Year, New Resolutions...New You!

Okay, so I admit it--I like to read success stories.  It makes me feel that this is all actually possible.  So every January I indulge in buying People's issue of "They Lost Half Their Size!"  I mean we're talking about people who have literally lost an ENTIRE person worth of weight.  That's impressive--I don't care who you are!

There are several commonalities amongst all the people they interview and a great starting point for us all: they cut down on their portion size, they upped their servings of veggies, they started exercising, and--the focus of our next Hellthy Habit--they set realistic and small goals.

One person summed it up best when she said "it's overwhelming to think about losing 200 pounds, but 5 or 10 pounds? That's much easier to think about reaching."

Think about it.  Let's say you need to lose 100 pounds--if you're safely losing 1-2 lbs a week, it will realistically take you at least a year to achieve.  A WHOLE YEAR!  That's a long time.  And what happens when you hit a plateau and your weight is refusing to budge?  My guess (if you tend to think anything like me) is that you're still focused on the gap to your goal, not what you've already lost.  A year is a very long to go without any recognition.  It is more than enough time to let the doubt and fear take hold and make you think about...and make it easier to give up.  However, if you break it up into smaller goals of, let's say 10 pounds, it will only take you 6 weeks to achieve.  Only 6 weeks and you can celebrate a success!  Then 57 pounds down the road when you've hit a plateau, it will be frustrating--yes!--but you ONLY need 3 more pounds to reach your next goal of 60 pounds.  I don't know about you, but 3 pounds sounds A LOT reachable than 43 pounds--making it a lot harder--in my humble opinion--to give up and get off the road to hellthy.

Just a bit of food for thought...

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

~a little salt for your bloody mary (trust me, after NYE celebrations, you'll need it!)

Time Flies When You're in Retail!

Oh the holidays!  My apologies, to you dear readers, for the impromptu hiatus.  Changing retail jobs right before the holiday season is, well, nuts.  But as they say change is inevitable, except from vending machines, and in the spirit of taking over a new store on Thanksgiving day, things got a little hectic (to say the very least!).  Now that the holidays are almost over, things are slowing down and it will give me a chance to catch my breath and get into a routine other than "fly by the seat of my pants"!! 

I last left you with exercising and reasons to exercise.  How are you doing?  Are you doing? I've actually been rather faithful in my increasing the pupcicle walk time.  And right now I'm doing double dog walking duty for the next week while my housemate is in California.  Exercise is a great way to deal with stress and stressful times, so hopefully this hectic holiday you logged quite a bit of exercise to help counter the stress!

~a grain of salt for the rim of your margarita (it's the holidays--splurge a little after your workout!)

I Like to Move It! Move It!

According to the great folks at the CDC [9], one should be aiming for 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of intense exercise and 2 days of full body muscle strengthening exercises weekly.

Say what?  Okay, first off, what is exercise?  Anything that (according to CDC) gets your body moving.  Moderate exercises include things like walking, water aerobics, riding a bike leisurely/flat terrain, or pushing a lawn mower.  Intense exercise includes running, biking through hills, basketball, tennis--things that are going to make you (at least they make me) sweat and quickly! Aside from weight-lifting, other muscle strengthening exercises include yoga, resistance bands, sit-ups/push-ups, and even hard core gardening that requires a lot of movement, like digging, planting, etc.

The grrrreat news is that you can break exercise up into much smaller sessions (and for the sake of your body, you probably should!).  Even small 10 minute brisk walks several times a day adds up!  So for example, every day I walk the pupcicle twice day for at least 10 minutes each walk, except on Sundays when I take her for a longer walk--usually in the 45-60 minute realm.  Even if I'm walking the absolute minimum and not a second more, I'm accruing 165 minutes a week.  Throw in a couple of strengthening days and viola!

Of course, YES! I completely realize that's a lot easier said than done, but the point is--you need to start somewhere...ANYWHERE and then build up to where you need to be. TRUST ME when I tell you that if you're a certified couch potato, going out and trying to run 3 miles is not the wisest course of action!  Your body will not thank you--at all!--and will be further resistant to exercise in general.  Start slowly and remember that something is better than nothing. 

A couple of quick pointers (and any you'd like to add would be greatly appreciated!):

1. Schedule it in to your daily planner & treat it like you would a meeting at work.  
2. Try something new & exciting--be it a class or joining a sports league.
3. Make it fun--you're more likely to say yes! rather than no.
4. Reach out to your inner child and games--like jumping rope and hula hooping--that you used to play. There are lots of exercise gaming programs (like for the Wii), which allows you to play in the comfort of your own home.
5. Really tight schedule?  Give up a bit of your lunch hour to take a walk around the building or block.  Also if you travel via public transportation, get on and off a stop or two away from yours.  It might add 10-15 minutes on to your commute, but you'll quickly notice the benefits!
6. Don't let bad weather stop your progress.  Can't afford to invest in bad weather gear built for exercising? Invest in some DVDs you can pop in (or as previously mentioned, utilize that Wii gathering dust under the tv)--you can even get them from Netflix!
7. Invest in a pedometer and work your way up to 10,000 steps a day.

I feel like there are a few more I'm forgetting, but in the meantime, get out there and move it! move it!

~a bit of salt for your tequila and lime (to prevent scurvy and of course only after your workout!)

Motivations to Move!

Sorry, I'm not talking about relocating--except to move your bum off the couch!  This post is all thanks to the Mayo Clinic [5], who has very kindly put together 7 great reasons to exercise on a regular basis. 

1. It helps with weight control by burning calories.  It also, depending on the exercise, can be a great outlet for stress and a great alternative to eating your troubles away! Many moons ago, I used to take a kickboxing class and let me tell you, NOTHING was better than standing in front of a punching bag working out all your frustrations.  I hear roller derby is also great for that!!
2. Did you know that exercising regularly can help raise your HDL's?  That would be High Density Lipoprotein--aka "good" cholesterol--not Hot Dashing Lover, but while I'm thinking about it, the second definition would be a GREAT way to get some regular exercise!  hubba!hubba!  Anyway, yep--raises your HDLs AND it lowers your triglycerides!  By doing so, it helps lower your risk of developing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases (that's just a fancy, schmancy way to say heart disease and strokes).  Plus regular exercise has been linked to managing Type 2 Diabetes, depression, arthritis, and even some types of cancer!
3. Exercise--regardless of regularity--is a mood booster!  As previously mentioned, it's a great way to relieve a bit of stress and can help give you a bit of focus for your problems.  Will walking save the world or solve all your problems?  No, but if something is weighing heavily on your mind or you're not sure which road to take, exercise has been shown to release the chemicals in your brain that help you relax and feel happier.  Next time you're a bit stressed, give it a go--what do you have to lose (other than a bit of weight, some triglycerides, and a bit of tension)?
4. It's also an energy booster.  I know it seems crazy, but exercising regularly gives you more energy.  It seems like an oxymoron and certainly the last thing you want to do when you're exhausted, but exercising (even a little) will help give your dragging booty a pick up!  Do you tend to get sleepy after lunch or mid-afternoon?  Try a quick walk--even if it's just around the block or up and down the hall a couple of times--it's amazing effective!
5. Regular exercise is also a key component to sleeping better and more soundly.  Of course, don't run 3 miles right before bed, otherwise you'll be too energized to sleep!  I certainly notice that when I'm being good and exercising regularly, I get much more meaningful sleep--and I fall asleep much quicke---zzzz...  ;-)
6. Getting your mojo back!  Yep, exercise (I knew I'd find a way to use a Hot Dashing Lover!!) can help improve your sex life. Aside from making you feel better about yourself, giving you more energy, and putting you in a better mood, regular exercise can lead to enhanced arousal for women and less erectile dysfunction in men.  So put down the Viagra and take up a spinning class!
7. It's fun!  Okay, so you have to make it fun.  No one says that you have to be a slave to cheesy 80s fitness videos or being saddled with an Arnold Schwarzenegger-look alike in the weight room. Get out your hula-hoop (alright, go buy one), join a roller derby team (Go Bonita Apple Bomb!), or grab some friends and create your own Pilates session.  If you make it fun, you're a lot less likely to back out or find excuses not to go!

So, that's it!  7 great reasons to strap on a helmet, dust off your bike and go for a ride!

~a bit of salt for your lime and tequila (to prevent scurvy and post workout, of course!)

Just A Spoonful of Sugar...

...helps the medicine go down!

I have no doubt you now have Mary Poppins running through your head (as well you should!).  I'm also realizing that this would have also been a great title during our "limit sugar" time, but c'est la vie!

The medicine to which I refer is taking my own advice.  If you've been checking in regularly or have signed up as a follower, first of all: THANKS!  and secondly: sorry the posts have been a bit bare this week.  It was a crazy week and I definitely did NOT take my own advice about finding "Me Time" and do a little blogging (because, yes, it relaxes me!).

This week's Hellthy Habit is....EXERCISE!  This by far is THE hardest thing for me to do on a consistent basis, even though I know...KNOW!...how amazing exercise can be for your overall health!  It is more amazing when you realize that just a little bit every day can add up to some big results.

I have some friends who do this amazingly well, like my friend Lil, who leads her own BodyPump class or Candice, who's a Roller Derby Queen, or even Hunter, who thinks all veggies are out to kill her, but loves exercise, I think, in any form.

But not me.  I'm very slovenly in this respect.  I do enjoy my long walks with the pupcicle, but not enough to get up an hour early to do so and it's hard when I get home to motivate myself, even though I know that I'll feel much better afterwards.

I had an ah-ha! moment on the scale this morning (not sure if you're paying attention, but I did update my Numbers Don't Lie section--yay me!)  I have been making it a point to walk the Darling Princess Adelaide at least 10 minutes a day.  [I know it should be more, but save you're breath--nothing you could write in and tell me about what an evil dog mom I am will be harder than what I tell myself!] Anyway, when I got on the scale, I had dropped 3 pounds from two weeks ago!  And let me tell you, that aside from eating veggies, drinking lots of water, and the increase in walking, I have been not to diligent with any of my Hellthy Habits!

I'm not so naive to think that it's ALL the exercise, but I think the increase in exercise--we've logged over 75 minutes thus far this week--has helped!

My other ah-ha! moment came last night when I realized that while I do enjoy long walks with Addy and should give her more walking time overall, it doesn't have to be the only exercise I do.  For the longest time, I've been feeling guilty about all exercise that didn't include Addy.  But then I realized that if pilates & yoga and swimming will help give me more energy, in the long run that will help Addy get longer walks!

So...I'm joining a gym.  Shocking, but true.  Something I haven't done in a very, verrry long time, but I'm actually kind of excited to get started.  Again, shocking, but true!

Let's The Games Begin!

~a little salt for your tequila & lime (to prevent scurvy of course!)

The Soup Du Jour

Forget cabbage soup, the best soup on the [diet] market is veggie soup.  Well, I guess technically, cabbage soup is a veggie soup, but rather than follow diet that only allows you to eat that for days on end, try adding a small bowl of veggie soup a couple of times a day as a way to increase your veggies for the day, as well as help you fill up and keep you from overeating on everything else.
The good news is that there's no wrong way to make the soup.  The great news is that every cup you have is a serving of vegetables.  The best news is that you don't lose any of the nutrients in cooking because you're eating the broth as well!  Add what you like, leave out what you don't.  It's easy as pie.  Easier, in fact.

I start out with what I like to call the Holy Trinity: olive oil, diced onions, and minced garlic...then just start adding vegetables!  Here's what I like to add to mine: celery, carrots, tomatoes, corn, and cabbage or spinach (depending on what I have on hand).  It's also a great time to clean out the veggie bin and use anything that might have seen better days.  In that spirit, I've often added green beans, potatoes and okra.  Personally, I don't like it to get too mushy, so I stay away from things like squash or zucchini, which after a bit of cooking tends to mush, but if you like them, throw them in.  Another great thing is that you can mix fresh with canned (but drain it first) with frozen.  Nothing is really off-limits in the veggie department.  Add salt, pepper, and a few fresh herbs and viola! a tasty, healthy meal, appetizer or snack.

Experiment every time you make it, that way your taste buds aren't getting bored and you'll soon find that you rather enjoy making a big pot of soup that will sustain you (rather inexpensively, at that!) throughout the week!

~a dash of salt for your celery & bloody mary to help increase your daily veggie intake!