Be the Tortoise

You know the story, the tortoise wins the race. Being the Hare doesn't typically pay off. I saw this theory hold true during the last two weeks of the Olympic games. Many would start out strong and take the lead during the majority of the race but in the end the people trailing would often keep their steady pace and have enough gas in the end to pull through for a medal.

I think the same can be said for the race of life, losing weight and working to live healthy. While the Hare is flashy and fast at first, later he normally loses gas. This can be paralleled to the energy and enthusiasm that starting a new exercise routine and/or new diet. After the new has worn off it typically becomes more "work" to live healthy and suddenly gets very easy to be defeated. Keeping things steady and constant will aid in staying the course.

I've been thinking a lot lately about the entire race, not just the finish line. It's way too easy to look ahead and plan for the future but what about right now? Sometimes it seems, good intentions aren't enough. For some silly reason the, "what I'm going to do" and what actually happens tends to be two different stories. I'm not trying to be cynical here it's just what I've found to be true from my experience.

So what's the secret ingredient? How can we all become tortoises? Why do some succeed and others give up? Here's a list of ways to help get us there:

1. Believe.
2. Don't be afraid to go after something you really want to do even if there is a chance you could fail.
3. Perservere through hard times and try to learn from them.
4. Control what you can control.
5. Make no excuses. Figure out a way to finish through with something no matter how hard it is-get and stay determined.
6. Be realistic in what changes you are making. Don't go crazy all in one week trying to lose 5 pounds but rather tackle what you can in a timely manner.
7. Create accountability. Find someone that will hold you accountable for your life (this has worked extremely well for me as I have a group of 3 friends that hold me accountable each week).

Tips from a Client

This is from a wonderful client, she sent it to me today wanting my thoughts. Well, I love everything about these tips and decided to share-enjoy!

• Pick up produce. Have at least one fruit and veggie at every meal. On busy days when I know my lunch won't have a smidge of green in it, I have two fruits at breakfast; I toss berries or peaches into my nonfat Greek yogurt and sprinkle it with granola. I love asparagus, green pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, sprouts, endive and more. Fruits and veggies are high in fiber, which staves off hunger. Shoot for nine servings daily. It sounds like a lot, but if you don't have to be a rabbit to reach that goal. Eat a salad at lunch or dinner, and you're there.

• Snack smart. Add protein (such as a stick of lowfat string cheese or Parmesan) to your between-meal bites. Research suggests protein may enhance the effect of leptin, a hormone that reins in appetite. I love hummus and dip veggies into it instead of pita bread or crackers. Protein is also filling and can help curb cravings for chips, cookies and the like.

• Sip more water. Dieters who swapped sugary drinks for water lose weight, but those who gulped the most H20 peeled off the most pounds, according to a study at the meeting of Obesity Society in Boston. Don’t love agua? Try the flavored kind but check the label for sugar content (it should be below 8 grams per serving).

• Map out your meals. A little attention to portions can help you eat less and still stay satisfied. Start by using a salad dish (8 inches in diameter) and divide it into quarters to help keep helpings healthy. Half the plate should get veggies, top another quarter with lean protein (3 to 6 ounces of fish, chicken or tofu) and the last quarter with whole grains (1/2 to 1 cup of brown rice, sweet potatoes or whole wheat pasta).

• Eat every meal. When you wait longer than five hours between bites, your body may release extra cortisol, a hormone that can increase appetite. I call it "hangry." I get hungry and angry: My stomach starts to burn and my brain gets annoyed at every little thing. Then I eat whatever is in front of me, usually a cookie or other sweet, empty-calorie treat. I realize I'm putting out the "hangry" fires, but it is better not to get there in the first place!

Check this out as well.

Client of the Month: Jodi

The August "Client of the Month," is Jodi. Jodi is just wonderful. I began working with Jodi about a year an a half ago. It's been so much fun getting to know her and watching her journey of health and fitness develop. Here's some reasons Jodi is so deserving of this award:

1. She has SIX kids and still makes time for exercise!
2. Never has she used her kids as an excuse for not exercising-I LOVE that about her! As she could very well give me that reason.
3. She's lost 39 pounds-halfway to her goal!
4. Jodi's a very kind person as she always has such a positive attitude.
5. She loves it when I bring new exercises her way-she truly loves working out and finding new muscles.
6. I think it's so wonderful that she wants to be healthy for her kids as she's already told me many instances where she has participated in activities that she used to forgo. She lives a very active lifestyle with her family.
7. She really makes a conscious effort to exercise and eat right on her own-the key to her weight loss success.
8. She sets goals. Jodi's always making goals for herself and really goes for them.
9. She's flexible. She sets goals and makes plans to obtain them but sometimes life intervenes and changes need to be made. I love that she's always looking for ways to make them work for her.
10. Jodi is a great display of what a woman can be these days; a healthy mom, wife and friend to many. Keep up the great work Jodi!

August Race: Race for the Cure

This month I participated (along with 22,000 other people) in the race for the cure. What an amazing event! I could not believe how many people walked or ran in this event. It was such a rush to be around that many people. Only 4 more races left....2008 is just flying by!

Today's Random Thoughts

I think I've mentioned before I get most of my random thoughts when exercising or more specifically running. I really enjoy this time because it gives me a chance to clear my head and sort out thoughts and ideas. Here's the latest of my thoughts during this afternoon's run:

1. Boy it feels great to run-I truly love exercise and the feeling it gives me when I'm all done.

2. Work for it-get crazy passionate about your goals. I so want to get this point across (as if I haven't already), that if you want something (like weight loss) you have to really immerse yourself in it. It's something you've got to dive into, strive through and finish strong. It's not easy but what good challenge is? If it's not hard the success of finishing isn't nearly as sweet.

3. Insanity: doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Why do we sometimes get into crazy cycles like these? We want to lose weight but hang onto the things that keep us from ultimately losing, why? Are we afraid of what might happen if we change course? As change is a huge stressor for many.

4. Insanity then leads me to my biggest frustration-the almighty, ever insistence excuse. We all have them. AHHHH! I even have them and I get so mad at myself when I have them. I can't do this because of this. I hate that! If I really want to do something I'll make it happen. Make it happen-just make it happen....no excuses. That should be my new mantra...has a good ring to it!

5. I feel good about this one. As these points are in no particular order, I've felt a need to share my weekly exercise routine as I've really been enjoying myself with this balanced yet realistic-to-my-world routine. Yikes, self disclosure! So...here goes!

a. Get it done: Monday and/or Tuesday
1. Short run but high intensity
2. Strength Training
3. Yoga Class
b. Get it done: Wednesday and/or Thursday
1. Strength Training
c. Get it done: Saturday
1. Long run medium intensity
d. Get it done: Sunday
1. Short run

So in all my plan is for:
*2 strength training sessions
*2 short runs = 3-4 miles a piece
*1 long run = 10+ miles
*1 yoga class

Organic?

I try to buy organic whenever possible, however, since prices of practically everything are going up these days its nice to feel okay when not buying organic.

Here's 12 food items that had the lowest pesticide load when conventionally grown.

Broccoli
Eggplant
Cabbage
Banana
Kiwi
Asparagus
Sweet peas (frozen)
Mango
Pineapple
Sweet corn (frozen)
Avocado
Onion

Source: DrWeil.com July 30, 2008
FoodNews.org Printable Shopper’s Guide

16 Reasons to Quit

I just can't seem to understand why so many people drink pop. In trying to better understand my clients, friends and family members with this habit, I came across some interesting information. The article states 8 reasons why we drink pop but I decided to leave that out as all the reasons were very lame. There is a link at the bottom of the page if you wish to read it in it's entirety. Note: After reading the article, I decided I'm more confused as to why anyone could rationalize putting this "crap" in their body.

16 Reasons to Kick the Habit
1. Soda Is Useless.

There are no nutritionally beneficial components in soft drinks. Yet the average American drinks about 57 gallons of soft drinks each year.

2. Weight Gain & Obesity

Many people either forget or don't realize how many extra calories they consume in what they drink. Drinking a single 330 ml can a day of sugary drinks translates to more than 1lb of weight gain every month. Several scientific studies have provided experimental evidence that soft drinks are directly related to weight gain.

3. Diabetes

This is a consequence of #2. Anything that promotes weight gain increases the risk of diabetes. Drinking soda not only contributes to making people fat, but it also stresses the body's ability to process sugar5. Some scientists now suspect that the sweet stuff may help explain why the number of Americans with type 2 diabetes has tripled from 6.6 million in 1980 to 20.8 million today.

4. Weakened Bones And Risk Of Osteoporosis

Frequent consumption of soft drinks may also increase the risk of osteoporosis.. High soda consumption (particularly cola) in children poses a significant risk factor for impaired calcification of growing bones. In the 1950s, children drank 3 cups of milk for every 1 cup of sugary drinks. Today that ratio is reversed: 3 cups of sugary drinks for every cup of milk. Tellingly, osteoporosis is a major health threat for 44 million Americans.

5. Dental Caries And Erosion

Soda eats up and dissolves the tooth ename. Researches say that soft drinks are responsible for doubling or tripling the incidence of tooth decay.


6. Kidney Damage

People who down sugary drinks don't feel as full as those who consume the same amount of calories in solid food.
This theory was born out by researchers at Purdue University who, in 2000, gave 15 volunteers 450 calories a day of either soda or jelly beans for a month and then switched them for the next month, while monitoring their total calories. The candy eaters compensated for the extra calories by eating less food and maintained their weight; during the soda phase, the volunteers ate more and gained (MSN Health)
There is good evidence that cola beverages can increase the risk of kidney problems, more so than non-cola sodas. Researches clearly demonstrated that large quantities of cola result in enhanced kidney stone formation. If you're wondering exactly how soft drinks cause kidney stones, it's because of their acidity and radical mineral imbalances. Your body must buffer the acidity of soft drinks with calcium from your own bones. As this calcium is eliminated through your urine, it slowly forms kidney stones.


7. Increased Blood Pressure

Experts have reasons to believe that overconsumption of fructose, particularly in the form of soft drinks, leads to an increase in blood pressure.

8. Likely To Cause Heartburn


9. Metabolic Syndrome Risk Factor

Soft drink consumption is a significant risk factor for developing of metabolic syndrome, which is a combination of the symptoms such as high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol, and insulin resistance.

10. Harmful Effects On Liver

There is evidence that consumption of too many soft drinks puts you under increased risk for liver cirrhosis similar to what chronic alcoholics have.

11. Impaired Digestive System

Soda, no matter who makes it, is the most acidic beverage you can buy, with a pH of about 2.51, about the same as vinegar, but the sugar content disguises the acidity. To put that into perspective, consider that battery acid has a pH of 1 and pure water has a pH level of 7.

Interesting fact: A pH below 4 or above 10 will kill most fish and very few animals can tolerate waters with a pH below 3 or above 11.
Why does that matter? Throughout the digestive system, that starts from the mouth and ends up at the anus only the stomach can resist an acidic environment up to pH 2.0. But before the acidity of soft drink reaches the stomach it passes through all the other organs involved in the digestive system thus causing an abnormal acidic environment. The linings of the mouth, pharynx and esophagus are highly sensitive to acids.

12. Dehydration

Another problem with sodas is that they act as dehydrating diuretics. Both caffeine and sugar cause dehydration. Caffeine is a diuretic and causes an increase in urine volume. High concentration of sugar is drawing off water because your kidneys try to expel the excess sugar out of the blood. When you drink a caffeinated soda to quench your thirst, you will actually become thirstier.

13. High Caffeine Content

High doses of caffeine can cause irritability, restlessness, tension, insomnia, high blood pressure, gastrointestinal disturbance, excessive urination, irregular heartbeat and other side effects.

14. Toxins - Aspartame

If you think diet soda is better think again. The poison in diet soda is an artificial sweetener aspartame. Aspartame is made up of three chemicals: aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol. It is used because it's about 200 times sweeter than table sugar.

Despite US FDA approval as a "safe" food additive, aspartame is one of the most dangerous substances added to foods. After you drink an aspartame-sweetened product, aspartame breaks down into its starting components: phenylalanine, aspartic acid, and methanol (that further converts to formaldehyde and formic acid, which are known carcinogens.). There are over 92 different health side effects associated with aspartame consumption.

15. Possible Cell Damage Ability

A new health scare erupted over soft drinks recently amid evidence that they may cause serious cell damage. Research from a British university suggests a common preservative E211, known as sodium benzoate, found in drinks such as Fanta and Pepsi Max has the ability to switch off vital parts of DNA.


16. There Are So Many Healthy Alternatives!

Soda replaces healthier drinks. By drinking soda, you cut the intake of fresh juices, milk, and even water and deprive yourself from essential vitamins and minerals.


Source: http://www.emedexpert.com/tips/soft-drinks.shtml