Do you want to lose 10, 20, 30 pounds in 1 year?

 Wellness Wednesday

Did you know that 3,500 calories is equal to one pound?  Did you know that if you just cut 500 calories per day from your daily food intake that you could lose 1 pound in a week? That equals 52 pounds in one year! Cutting 500 calories from your daily diet is SO simple and you won’t even miss it!

According to Fitbie, there are several ways to cut calories from your meals throughout the course of the day. 

*Make a trade.  By simply swapping a bagel for an English muffin, you can cut 220 calories.  Swapping a glass of whole milk for skim milk cuts about 125 calories.

*Measuring.  Susan Kleiner, RD, PhD says, “Simply measuring out one serving (of cereal) can save you up to 200 calories.”

*Move on your lunch hour.  “A brisk 15-minute walk burns about 100 calories, and it gives you less time to eat,” says Majorie Nolan, RD, CND, CPT.  Walking during your lunch break for 5 days then, would burn 500 calories. 

*Chew your food.  Another easy way to cut your calories is to slow down when you eat.  According to the American journal of Clinical Nutrition, women who chewed at least 20 times before swallowing ate up to 70 calories less at mealtime.  It takes your body 20 to 30 minutes to recognize that you are full, so it only makes since that if you eat slower, you are less likely to over eat. 

*Downsize your plate.  If you simply shrink your dish from a 12-inch plate to a 9-inch plate, you’ll cut 500 calories without feeling deprived. 

*Skip the oil.  Did you know that you can replace oil with applesauce!  “Two tablespoons of oil is about 200 calories, while 4 tablespoons of applesauce is only 40,” says Majorie Nolan,RD, PhD  (You have to double the applesauce to oil ratio in recipes).

 

*Have a ball.  Majorie Nolan says, “Trading your desk chair for a stability ball helps you burn extra calories because you’re forced to use your core muscles to stay stable.”  By putting this technique into practice, you can burn up to 350 extra calories over an eight hour workday, while also toning your stomach. 

http://fitbie.msn.com/lose-weight/tips/simple-ways-cut-500-calories/tip/1

Nancy Larson, Human Resources Director, County Government

DCWellnessWednesday@blogspot.com

Exercise and Muscle Soreness

Wellness Wednesday

There's nothing like a few rounds of golf, a hike in the woods, an intense workout at the gym, or a bike ride down the Cardinal Greenway to reinvigorate you. After my husband and I took an 18.3 bike ride last week, we decided to take the rest of the day off…being lazy.  We soon realized you have to keep moving even when those muscles are aching.  We work hard all week, so when the weekend finally rolls around we are ready to play just as hard. But all of that activity can result in soreness and stiffness that shows up a day or two later… I usually feel it on day 2!  Don’t be sidelined by muscle pain. Find out the causes and proper treatments so you can stay on your game

You did do any unusual exercises, in which you lengthened instead of shortened your muscle (like walking downhill or extending your arm during a bicep curl). According to WebMD, these changes to your exercise routine can lead to tiny injuries in the muscle fibers and connective tissue. About a day or so later, you'll start to feel sore.

"We call that delayed onset muscle soreness," says Ethel Frese, PT, DPT, CCS, associate professor of Physical Therapy at St. Louis University. "It peaks within about 48 hours, and then it will gradually get better." The good news is that when you do the same activity again, your muscles will start to get used to it and you’ll actually have no soreness or less soreness because now you've strengthened the muscle or connective tissue."

Don’t forget to stay HYDRATED. Water is very important to the human body in innumerable ways, and drinking plenty of water is a very good answer to how to get rid of sore muscles. Water facilitates the quick passage of lactic acid from the body and also provides the minerals necessary to prevent cramps and soreness. To be sure you’re drinking enough water, take your body weight and divide by 2. That is how many ounces of water you must drink per day in order to stay hydrated.

Want to “Get lean in 2013?”

 

Wellness Wednesday

July 17, 2013

Have you ever committed to your health and fitness goals only to give up within a month? Or did you even get started? Don’t wait for another minute. Kristine Rustand is a Certified Trainer and Nutrition Specialist suggest following these simple 10 steps to get you going in the right direction:

1. Take a Before Photo. This is essential to achieving your goals. You likely have a mental image of yourself that isn't reality. You need a starting point and a before photo gives you a crystal clear picture of where you're at.

2. Clearly define your goals. Focus on what you want to create and on what you're willing to do to achieve that result. For example you may be someone who wants to lose 25 lbs this year. Creating that as a goal is a good starting point. Beyond that it's necessary to outline what changes you're prepared to make to lose those 25 lbs. How many times will you exercise? Within that exercise, how many strength training days will you do and how many cardio days? What will you eat to promote weight loss? How much water will you drink? Keep these goals somewhere visible such as on the mirror in your bathroom.

3. Set Yourself Up for Success by stocking your house with healthy food. Most of us do not have time to prepare every meal and snack and need some 'on the go' options. Be sure to cut up all your produce before it goes in the fridge so that fresh vegetables are as easy to grab in place of a granola bar. Have pre-cooked lean meats available. This allows chicken and veggies to be a quick lunch option.

4. Hire a trainer, or join group fitness classes. We all need support to keep us accountable. Working with a trainer or in a class will do exactly that and increase the intensity of your workouts. Group fitness is a lot more affordable than having a trainer if finances are tighter. Another option if needed is to have a workout buddy. You must be an honest buddy who is committed to your partner's success. No excuses, and do not let each other off easy.

5. Join a Nutrition or Weight Loss Support Group. Get accountable with your nutrition. According to Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Diet nutrition is responsible for 80% of the weight loss formula. Exercise is still imperative as it allows us to achieve sleek and defined muscle tone. If we focused only on our nutrition then we simply become a slimmer version of our previous heavier selves.

6. Practice Self-Affirmations and Visualization. Professional athletes harness the power of visualization all the time. Visualize yourself enjoying your new healthy and fit lifestyle and it will happen. It will take practice and you will get there when you're committed.

7. Adjust your Attitude. If you're someone who isn't excited about nutritious foods and exercise adjust your attitude from "I Have To" to "I Get To". Nutrition and exercise are both privileges. If you're not so sure, consider those in 3rd world countries who only have a small handful of gummy rice to eat every day. What if you were contained to a wheel chair? How bad would you want the ability to walk and run?

8. Be patient with the process. It takes work, and likely a lot of it. It also takes time, and likely a lot of that too. We live in a culture that wants everything right now and when we don't get it we give up. You want to achieve your weight loss goals now, yet it's going to take 30-60 days to see visible results. Results will come with perseverance and are persistence.

9. Focus on persistence, not perfection. Persistence means 90% of the time you are right on while the other 10% of the time you allow yourself a small cheat. To earn that 10% it means being bang on the other 90% of the time.

10. Remember that what we measure gets improved. Set a date for achievement and take before, mid way and after measurements. We've seen many people lose more than 20 inches within 12 weeks and you can too.

Please let me know how you are doing and what goals you’re trying to achieve.

Nancy Larson @ my.healthisweatlh@comcast.net or DCWellnessWednesday@blogspot.com

Tame thoses sugar cravings~

July 10, 2013

The average American consumed 151 pounds of sugar a year in 1999. At least half of the sugar we consume comes from soft drinks, fruit drinks, and sports drinks. The rest sneaks into our diets in the form of ketchup, teriyaki sauce, chocolate milk and the obvious sweets like cookies, cakes, ice cream and even breakfast cereal.

According to Wendy C. Fries, a featured contributor in WebMd, the problem comes not when we indulge in a sweet treat now and then, but when we over-consume, something that’s easy to do when sugar is added to many processed foods, including breads, yogurt, juices, and sauces. And Americans do over consume, averaging about 22 teaspoons of added sugars per day, according to the American Heart Association, which recommends limiting added sugars to about 6 teaspoons per day for women and 9 for men.

Although sweet foods are tempting and delicious to most people, the more sugar you eat, the higher your tolerance becomes. So if you have a strong sweet tooth or intense cravings for sugar, chances are not that you were born that way, but that your dietary habits and food choices created the sugar monster you may have become.

If you're craving sugar, here are some ways to tame those cravings.

·         Give in a little. Eat a bit of what you’re craving, maybe a small cookie or a fun-size candy bar, suggests Kerry Neville, MS, RD, a registered dietitian

·         Combine foods.  If you love chocolate, for example, try dipping a banana in chocolate sauce or mix some almonds with chocolate chips.

·         Go cold turkey. Cutting out all simple sugars works for some people, although "the initial 48 to 72 hours are tough, just like with any detoxing. Some people find that going cold turkey helps their cravings diminish after a few days; others find they may still crave sugar but over time are able to train their taste buds to be satisfied with less.

·         Grab some gum. If you want to avoid giving in to a sugar craving completely, try chewing a stick of gum, says nutrition advisor Dave Grotto, RD, LDN. Research has shown that chewing gum can reduce food cravings.

·         Reach for fruit. Grab for a fruit when sugar cravings hit. You'll get fiber and nutrients along with some sweetness. r them instead of reaching for the old [sugary] something."

·         Get up and go. When a sugar craving hits, walk away, take your mind off the food you’re craving by taking a walk around the block or drink sugar free flavored water.

·         Choose quality over quantity. For example, choose a dark chocolate truffle instead of a king-sized candy bar, and then savor every bite – slowly. Learn to incorporate small amounts in the diet but concentrate on filling your stomach healthier options.

·         Eat regularly. Waiting too long between meals may set you up to choose sugary, fatty foods that cut your hunger, Eating every three to five hours can help keep blood sugar stable and help you avoid irrational eating behavior.

All fats are not equal~

Wellness Wednesday

Fats are an important part of a healthy diet: They provide essential fatty acids, keep our skin soft, deliver fat-soluble vitamins, and are a great source of energizing fuel. But it's easy to get confused about good fats vs. bad.  “Choosing the right types of dietary fats to consume is one of the most important factors in reducing the risk of developing heart disease," says Tufts University researcher Alice Lichtenstein. DSc. Your body will certainly thank you for providing it with the right source of energy and nutrition! Cutting the total fat in your diet not only helps you shed pounds, it can also help you live longer and healthier. 

Here are some Myths and facts about fats from helpguide.org;

 Myth:

 All fats are equal—and equally bad for you.

Fact: Saturated fats and trans fats are bad for you because they raise your cholesterol and increase your risk for heart disease. But monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats are good for you, lowering cholesterol and reducing your risk of heart disease.

Myth: Lowering the amount of fat you eat is what matters the most.

Fact: The mix of fats that you eat, rather than the total amount in your diet, is what matters most when it comes to your cholesterol and health. The key is to eat more good fats and less bad fats.

Myth: Fat-free means healthy.

Fact: A “fat-free” label doesn’t mean you can eat all you want without consequences to your waistline. Many fat-free foods are high in sugar, refined carbohydrates, and calories.

Myth: Eating a low-fat diet is the key to weight loss.

Fact: The obesity rates for Americans have doubled in the last 20 years, coinciding with the low-fat revolution. Cutting calories is the key to weight loss, and since fats are filling, they can help curb overeating.
Myth: All body fat is the same.

Fact: Where you carry your fat matters. The health risks are greater if you tend to carry your weight around your abdomen, as opposed to your hips and thighs. A lot of belly fat is stored deep below the skin surrounding the abdominal organs and liver, and is closely linked to insulin resistance and diabetes.

Remember, fat is only part of the problem. Obesity is much more complicated than just over eating a single nutrient. Eating more calories -- from fats, carbohydrates, protein, and alcohol -- than you burn off leads to weight gain. Simply put, people who get little physical activity and eat a diet high in calories are going to gain weight. Genetics, age, sex, and lifestyle also weigh into the weight-gain formula.

 

FACT~ 5 lbs of muscle is 1/2 the size of 5 pounds of fat!

Contact Nancy Larson @ my.healthiswealth@comcast.net