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!

Potato, Potahto...

Did you know the average American eats about 120lbs of potatoes a year --which averages out to about one potato a day (thanks USDA for that information!)!!  But our beloved potato gets such a bad rap because some of the most delicious ways to enjoy potatoes include topping it with cheese, sour cream, & bacon or deep fat frying it! 

Potatoes are actually quite nutritious.  They are high in carbs, so don't go binging on them!  But did you know that a large baked potato will provide you with nearly half of your daily requirement for vitamin C, over a quarter of your fiber requirements, and 7 grams of protein?  Of course this is sans anything, so if you wanna add toppings, do so in moderation or add healthier toppings, such as salsa (and up your lycopene as well!).

Do some experimenting with potatoes...there are several varieties out there to enjoy and grow to love!  For example, I used to hate...HATE...HATE!...sweet potatoes, but then I tried them without all the traditional brown sugar & marshmallow (what I like to call Thanksgiving-style) crap and I realize that I actually LOVE them (Momma was shocked, but proud!).  They're now quite popular as fries (although, they still are FRIED, so don't go overboard!).  When you compare 1 cup of sweet potatoes to 1 cup of bake potato above, they have about the same number of calories and little less protein, but provide a bit more fiber and a lot more vitamins, particularly vitamins A & C.  I like to roast them with olive oil, salt, and pepper and then mash'em with a bit of olive oil and a couple of dollops of plain Greek yogurt...mmmm!

The smaller (aka waxy) varieties (think red or fingerlings) have a slightly lower glycemic index and the colorful ones are packed with vitamins.  Regardless of the variety you pick, keep the skin on, the added fats to a minimum, enjoy them in moderation & within the recommended SERVING size and there's no reason to exclude them from your diet altogether!

~a dash of salt for your bloody mary & celery stick (to up your veggie intake!)

Tomato, Tomahto...

Canned tomatoes are GREAT for keeping on hand to add to soups, stews, and chili.  But they're great to keep on hand for a couple of other very important reasons.

1. They immediately bump up your veggie intake to whatever you add them.
2. They are full of Lycopene, "[which] is the pigment that gives certain fruits their red coloring. This carotenoid is believed to have strong antioxidant powers, with some studies showing a reduced risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease and macular degeneration. There is no established Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for lycopene, but there's evidence that phytonutrients like lycopene are an important part of disease prevention" [8].

So that brings me to one of my favorite foods: spaghetti!  I grew up, as many do, eating spaghetti sauce from a jar...until as chance would have it, I met my best friend Christi, who's mom (Cindy, aka one of THE best cooks/bakers on the planet!) made her own spaghetti sauce.  What?  WHAT?  OMG!  AHH-MAZING!! It changed my life.  Laugh, call me a drama queen, whatever. But it did.  Why?  It's amazingly simple and so much healthier & cheaper than the stuff you get in the jar.  Why?  Because you get to control what goes into it and it's fun to play around with different spices.  Over the years, I've modified her original recipe--a lot of it had to do with the lack of all the delicious herbs & spices Cindy adds...but the most important ingredient is LOVE.  Once you add that, you really can't go wrong and will never buy your sauce again!  Here is an uber-simple, but oh-so-delicious recipe for spaghetti sauce, that was thrown together last minute (and with a wonderful addition by Ann with the roasted garlic! so I'm completely stealing that idea!).  Add it to the whole wheat pasta of your choice and--if you have some--sprinkle a bit of parmesan cheese on top--if you don't have it, I promise you won't miss it!

Before I begin though, a quick word about herbs. Do yourself a HUGE favor and invest in an herb garden.  It doesn't take a lot of effort or space (mine is in the windowsills of my kitchen) or even that much money, but it is a fabulous way to add a freshness to all of your dishes, like my spaghetti!  Btw, a BIG, HUGE THANK YOU TO CINDY, who spoiled me from ever eating spaghetti from a jar again!!  xoxo

Sherry's Quick Spaghetti Sauce:

1 onion
1 head of garlice plus 2 cloves (don't panic...it won't be over garlicky i promise!)
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
1/2 handful of dried oregano
1/2 a cup or a large handful of fresh basil
1 large can of crushed or diced tomatoes
small package of whole wheat pasta

Preheat oven to 450F.  Slice of the very top of the head of garlic (so that the cloves are exposed).  Place on a baking sheet and drizzle a healthy amount of olive oil and add a pinch of salt and pepper.  Place in oven for about 10 minutes or until garlic is lightly browned and smelling delicious! 

Start the water for your pasta (making sure it's adequately salted) and then dice your onion, mince your 2 cloves of garlic, and give your basil a rough chop.  Once the water is boiling add your pasta.  The sauce takes like 5 minutes to make, so you don't want to start it until your pasta is actually cooking.  Once you've added the pasta, add a few tablespoons of olive oil to a large saute pan (I actually use a wok!) and saute' onions and minced garlic on medium high heat until translucent. Add tomatoes and a bit of water used to rinse out can.  Stir in oregano, as well as a pinch of salt and pepper. Grab a quick taste and adjust spices as needed.

Once pasta is al dente, drain and set aside.  Check the garlic, it should nearly be done.  If so, take it out of the oven and set aside. Add basil to the sauce and mix in really well.  Grab a bowl, add some pasta and a large ladle of sauce and a few of the roasted garlic cloves and then top with some parmesan if you'd like.  Ta-da!  That's it.  The great part is that for every large ladle-full of sauce you eat, you're getting nearly a full serving of vegetables!  Not bad for spaghetti night!

~a dash of salt for your bloody mary, as the tomato juice & celery up your veggie count (and is full of lycopene!)

The Veggies Are Coming!

Oh c'mon I did give you a head's up that Veggies would be our Hellthy Habit this week!

So, how did you do on lowering your portion size?  Any tips you found useful in helping curb your portion sizes?  Did smaller plates & bowls help?  Hopefully you're well on your way to smaller portion sizes!

So, now we're going to switch gears and I'm going to open it back up again with eating your vegetables.  Eat, eat, eat (and how often are you going to see that when you're trying to lose weight?)  As mentioned in the last post, they are a great way to add fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants to your diet.  They are low in calories: one cup of raw spinach is 7--THAT's RIGHT, SEVEN--calories!  But watch out how you serve them--a 1/2 cup of creamed spinach is 70 calories!!  And if you over cook them--particularly if you're boiling them--you can cook out a lot of the nutrients!

Well then, what's a girl (or guy) to do?  Grill'em, roast'em, , eat'em raw, add'em to soups & casseroles...possibilities are endless!  Over the next week or so, I'm going to be sharing not just why you should eat them, but also some of my favorite recipes to dramatically increase your vegetable servings!

Aim for at least 5 1-cup servings a day and when you've reached that goal, try to for more.  Your body will thank you for it!

~a little salt for your tequila and lime, served with a small side salad--dressing on the side!