I hate running. OK I said it. I have a lot of friends who are runners, so don't hate me. I used to run when I was in my 20s; I grew up dancing (ballet) but after college, I knew I had to keep physically fit especially after securing the dreaded "desk" job. So I ran. And never liked it.

So what makes me think I'll like it now? Hmm, nothing. Except this: My aerobics class isn't enough cardio, walking is great, but maybe not quite enough. And I really want to lose weight.

So....I started running mailbox to mailbox. Even for 5 or 10 minutes at a time, with walking in-between. And I started eating kale and spinach salads.

So far, it's helping. Adding just 2 extra days to my weekly 3 day a week aerobics class  (which is actually 20 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes of strength training) I have noticed it's easier to lose weight. So while you may not see me sign up for the 5K races, I am always trying to improve my own performance! (and someday look like the lady above???)

Here's a great salad dressing for your spinach salad:

1/3 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar

1 1/2 teas sugar (no, I use stevia)

1 1/2 teaspoons of mustard

1 clove garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

pepper to taste

Mix together and pour over fresh organic spinach mixed with cut up apple and walnuts. Yum!

Eggs, Bacon,Spinach and Cheese...

The other morning, I made breakfast for my husband and me. It consisted of: organic eggs from a New Hampshire farm, organic spinach from a Durham, Maine farm, bacon from a farm in Northern Maine and cheese from Pineland, which is a farm just down the road. Everything we ate (at that meal) was from within a 150 mile radius of home. It got me thinking about how we get so busy with our lives, that sometimes we don't bother to take the extra step (to go to the farmer's market) or spend an extra dollar on a local product. Did you know here in Maine, we have farmer's markets through the winter? Our spinach grower has a green house and he grows it all winter long.
WHY is this so important? Support your local farmers? Sounds pretty, well, kind of "duh", right? But it does take an extra effort on our part to support them.
 One of our grocery store chains here in Maine (Hannaford) is pretty good about offering local produce. The other one, well, not so much. And Walmart? forget it. I like it best when they label where everything comes from. I will choose California strawberries over ones from Mexico any day. I look for "product of USA" If I'm really on my toes, I will pick my own strawberries and freeze a bunch to get through the winter.
Whole Foods? Be careful...they are not necessarily doing their part. The frozen "California Blend" of vegetables? Look on the back. Last time I checked it said (in small letters) product of China. Same with organic spinach from WoodStock Farms; -- you guessed it, product of China! Why are we importing food from China? We have plenty of our own right here. I don't know about you, but I'd rather put food in my body that was grown down the road. I know it will be fresher, and I know that means it will have more of the nutrients still intact.
So support your local economy any time you have a chance to do that. And our farmers and economy will thank you.

The Truth Behind 7 Cholesterol Myths

13 days ago by Erin Willmann in ( · Healthy Living Tips )

Everyone should understand how cholesterol factors into a healthy lifestyle, no matter what your age, body type or family history. Have you been tricked into believing a cholesterol myth?

1.    MYTH: Cholesterol is bad. Your body needs cholesterol to keep cell membranes stable and aids in the production of certain hormones. Cholesterol only becomes a problem when too much of it circulates in the blood and builds up inside arteries. If too much cholesterol builds up, an artery can become blocked, and a heart attack or stroke can occur.

2.    MYTH: Everyone should shoot for the ‘right’ number. There’s no ideal number for everyone. It depends entirely on your risk factors. Unless you have a risk factor — such as smoking, diabetes, or high blood pressure — you should try to get your levels of LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, under 160 mg/dL.

3.    MYTH: High total cholesterol is caused by a poor diet. While the consumption of saturated fats and trans fats does drive LDL cholesterol up, over 80% of cholesterol is produced in the liver. Along with a healthy diet, the most effective way to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol is to control the liver’s internal cholesterol production.

4.   MYTH: Foods labeled “cholesterol free” are better for your heart. Don’t let the label fool you. The cholesterol portion of the nutritional label refers to dietary cholesterol, which is only one thing that can cause your cholesterol to go sky-high. Saturated fat (found in animal foods and dairy products) and trans fats (found in packaged foods) have major impact on LDL cholesterol.

5.  MYTH: High cholesterol is only a problem as you age. Most people think high cholesterol is a problem for the middle-aged. But guess what? Research has shown that atherosclerosis — the narrowing of the arteries that leads to heart attacks — can start as early as age eight!

6.  MYTH: If your cholesterol is normal, you won’t get heart disease. Cholesterol levels are just one of several risk factors for heart disease. Other risks include high triglycerides, insulin resistance and high blood pressure. Smoking and living a sedentary lifestyle are also big risk factors for heart disease.

7.  MYTH: You always need medicine to bring cholesterol down. Some people do need to take prescription medications, such as statins, to help lower cholesterol. However, a nutritional regimen, healthier diet, weight loss and exercise can go a long way to whip cholesterol levels into shape, even with a family history.

Sugar, Dominoes and Temptation

EVERYWHERE I go, there are temptations: the discount store chocolate, checkout… candy, the craft store…candy! I am a recovering sugar-aholic. I had  so much fun at Christmas, eating everything I wanted; pies, cookies, candy, you  name it. Now, I am back to my usual way of eating which includes lean protein, vegetables, whole grains and fruits. Oh, I know that sounds boring, but I really do know how to make some very tasty dishes. However, I sure miss the twizzlers, m&ms, jelly beans and chocolate kisses. Seriously, I wish I could eat them with reckless abandon. Even if watching my weight were not an issue, I know that too much sugar is not good for me. Sugar is necessary for our bodies to function, as is fat and protein. However, too much simple sugar can cause a domino effect in your body. I’m not talking about the piece of birthday cake you had at your son’s party; but what if this is a normal everyday occurrence? Your body goes into fight or flight mode because it is under stress. Your immune system is compromised, making you more susceptible to colds, (and possibly other diseases). You produce more insulin than necessary. Which will cause 2 things: your body will store the extra glucose (sugar) as fat, and you may become insulin resistant. Dominoes…insulin resistance can lead to diabetes. Yikes.

SO…as hard as it is for me to pass up that candy, I figure it would be even worse to deal with the other consequences. Hence, as I sigh and walk past all the pretty packages, I am reminded that I am feeling much better now than I did in December. And I’m 5 pounds thinner.

Winter Blues

Ah...the winter blues. The time of the year that I could really dig into some movies, popcorn, pizza, wine, football junk food (even though I can do without the football)... I continue to teach my exercise class. (Thank goodness for all you great women out there that join me 3 times a week. I know you think I'm doing it for you, but I need you as much as you need me). And I'm loving the Zumba type dances we are doing. I thought this picture says it all....Hang in there, spring is around the corner (somewhere).

Well, if we can't laugh at ourselves, then life has gotten too serious!

The Truth about Flat Abs

 

Over the years, I have had students come to me with that one problem spot: How do I get rid of the belly pooch? I eat right, I do all the ab exercises and I still don't have the flat abs that I want. (Well, I'm right there with you! I got more in my belly than I like too!)

But....what to do? Well, let's dispel some myths: It is still showing up on the magazine covers: "Blast that belly fat with 5 exercises a day!" or "Eat this one vegetable and watch your belly fat melt!" etc. You cannot work on one area in your body and make it thinner. It's called the "spot reduction" myth and it has been around forever. Having said that, what can you do to obtain the best abs possible? You probably already know the answer:

Cardio Exercise Regularly (5-6 times a week)
Strength Training (for the whole body)
Eat Healthy (unprocessed, nutrient dense foods)

There is nothing wrong with body sculpting (or strength training) to get well defined muscles. However, in order to see those muscles, you must reduce that fat around them. Cardio exercise and strength training will help reduce the fat by revving up your metabolism. Cardio (running, swimming,dancing, biking, etc) helps you burn more calories, even hours after you are done working out. Strength training (that is lifting weights) builds muscle  - and guess what? The more muscle you have, the more calories your body needs to maintain that muscle. So it just makes sense that you will be able to burn fat.
Reducing your calorie intake is the third element. Keep track of what you eat by writing it down or use one of the online fitness trackers, like www.myfitnesspal.com. Make sure as you reduce your intake that you pick nutrient dense, whole foods.

So one more thing about those abs. Most of us will never see those six-pack abs. Chances are you would have to be unhealthy thin in order to come close. Genetics play a role in what shape our body is. I, for one, have always been curvy - even when I was in my 20s. Be healthy, but embrace the fact that (and to quote Lady GaGa)...Baby, You Were Born this Way!!

5 Things that happy people have in common

  Are you Happy? I used to wake up every morning with this question - is there anything I need to worry about today? Isn't that just the silliest thing you've heard? But that's what I would do...
Until I realized that this wasn't doing me any good...
So here are 5 things that happy people have in common:

1.Instead of worries and distractions, they find something that makes their heart grow. Start out the day being grateful. Forget the newspaper or TV. Take a moment to reflect on the good things in your life.

2 They have inner happiness: Inner happiness cannot be taken away; find uplifting material to read, find your core of peace and calm.

3.Instead of accumulating things, they work on relationships. If you define yourself by what you own, trouble lies ahead.

4.Happy people take care of their bodies. Wellness can make your body healthy. Oh yes, the mind and the body are intimately connected.

5 Their life has a purpose - Find this, and you'll find inner happiness. Here are the standards for purpose. Not one, but many things are a part of the cloth of life woven together.
Work
Family
Love
Service
Giving
Personal growth
Hobbies, recreation
Education, study
Creativity
Friendship