Happy Birthday...

to ME!

I celebrate me today and with it a blog-free week of fun in the sun!

Celebrate you today too and here's to a great day for us all :) See you next week!

Exercise of the day

Thank you to the Amercian Council on Exercise (ACE) for our exercise of the day:
Mountain Climbers

Simply click the link for a step by step instruction on how to complete this exercise.  I'm a fan of Mountain Climbers because you can do them anywhere, and at any time.  No equipment is needed and you can layer this to a cardio, abdominal, or leg workout.  You can even take it outdoors while holding onto a park bench or being on the grass or track.  It increases heart rate, engages the core, and for women especially -- alerts the shoulder and back muscles to stabilize the body.   

Give it a try!

Say cheese!

Seeing as how I will not be giving up cheese for Lent this year, let's check out the top five healthiest cheeses.  Loaded with calcium and lean protein, cheese can be delicious and nutritious. 

1. Feta -- lower in calories and fat that most cheeses, one ounce has 4 grams of protein and only 74 calories. Packed with a salty flavor, feta is great on soups and salads.
2. String cheese (part skim mozzarella) -- quick and easy for kids and grown-ups, already portioned for on the go use. 
3. Parmesan -- relatively low in calories but high in sodium so use small amounts.  Try with apples or pears.

4. Swiss -- filled with phosphorus, as it's a hard cheese, which helps form bone and maintain bone density (along with calcium found in cheese.)
5. Cottage cheese -- high in protein (check out low-fat and no sodium added versions) and versatile for various flavors.  

Hmm, cottage cheese is one I've never tried. Will have to add that to my "need to have" list.  The article recommends adding veggies for one taste, or fruit and cinnamon for a sweet flavor.  Sounds like a great breakfast to me!

40 days and....

40 nights of the Lenten season begins today.  Alongside my fellow Catholics, I ventured to mass this morning to receive my ashes as part of our Ash Wednesday practice, and I began to ponder what I will give up for Lent this year.  It seems many people have decided to give up things like Facebook, chocolate, coffee, their favorite TV show.... last year I even gave up CHEESE!  It's incredibly challenging to sacrifice something you love or feel like you need, but 40 days is a perfect amount of time to make a new habit - or to break a bad one. 

Lent is a time for spiritual growth, and whether you are a religious person or not, I think we can all benefit from a little growth: spiritual, mental, and even physical. 

Take 40 days and make a new habit:

• Do push-ups or sit-ups each day in honor of someone or something
• Strengthen your yoga practice and include reflective meditation about your personal faith
• Limit the amount of not so great things that are in your diet (no french fries during the week, or no sweets after 6pm, etc)
• Replace something you do regularly (drinking soda) with something else (every time you want to drink a soda have a glass of water instead)
• Try something new! (cycling, swimming, flag football, etc)
• Set health and fitness goals and STICK TO THEM (workout every morning or specific days during the week)

Whatever you decide to do, you have to be accountable to yourself -- I know I will!  Good luck with your new habit making or habit breaking and let the season begin!

Happy Birthday George!

Yesterday we celebrated the birthday of our first president, and today I would like to celebrate his health..... or did I?  I began to do a little research to see if I could find some successful health tips from the olden days -- I was shocked to find out how ill George Washington had been for most of his life.  Diphtheria, malaria, smallpox, tuberculosis, dysentery..... the list goes on!  From the age of 17 and on he was often sick, and along with his sicknesses came a severe sense of depression. 

I was, however, pleseantly surprised to find out that he was a magnificent athlete, towering over 6 feet tall -- quite impressive for the time period.  His face, hands and feet were tremendous and one author wrote that his, "masculine power frightened young women." 

How did such an athlete succumb to such illness?  My search pretty much ended there, so I figured I'd get a little more current -- I headed back to Washington to take a look at President Obama and his family. 

The Obama's personal trainer says that for this family, it's clearly a lifestyle.  They workout everyday, make healthy food choices, and keep up with things even when no one is looking (no sneaking cookies!)  He recommends:

1. Workout first thing in the morning, get it done and out of the way - no chance you'll change your mind
2. Drink water before eating to fill up ahead of time
3. Put food on a small plate - control your portions 
4. Have 90% of what you need, and 10% of what you want

So get fit like the Obama family and make your health a priority.  Get your ENTIRE family involved and support one another in the process. 

Happy Birthday George - you fantastic athlete with some bad luck! 

What's hot and what's not... in fitness

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recently conducted a survey of 2,600 fitness professionals to find out what the current trends in fitness are and how they shape the health and wellness industry.  I was surprised to see that things like pilates and stability (physio) balls are OFF the list for 2012.  Check out what's hot:

• Wellness Coaches help make serious behavioral changes that will last
• Perks for employees who take care of themselves (corporate incentive programs)
• Taking a workout to the outdoors 
• Yoga  
• Zumba (have STILL never tried this) 
• Focus on the core (my favorite area of focus to help stabilize and strengthen the spine and pelvis while preventing back pain)
• Programs for youth, elderly, and first timers 
• Strength training!

I'm glad to see that I've already been weaving content about these into my posts as well as my own personal fitness.  But remember.... it's important to recognize fitness fads (like the South Beach diet, or whole body cleanses) and the fitness facts that are here to stay. 

Happy Valentine's to all...

And to all a good night!

I was too busy spending my day with the people that make me happy, while doing the things that I love, to worry about my fitness (though I did start the day off with a 7:15am workout!)

Hope you had a wonderful time on this beautiful day to celebrate love!!!

Grapefruits are...

great for you!

In addition to the appearance of a groundhog, the remembering of a couple of our fore fathers, and of course tomorrow's celebration of love, February is National Grapefruit Month.  So let's see why this fruit gets a month all to itself.

• Packed with Vitamin C to fight off the common cold as well as protect against free radicals to prevent cancer, stroke, or cardiovascular disease  
• Low in sodium and high in fat burning enzymes
• Loaded with water and various enzymes to act as a jump start to your metabolism
• Lowers cholesterol

Start your day off right with this powerful fruit!

Staying healthy while traveling

Tomorrow morning I'll be on a bus headed to Providence, RI where I'll spend the weekend in retreat with the American Dance Legacy Initiative designing methodology and rehearsing repertory works.  This huge project is the LEAST of my concerns.  My biggest concern: getting sick while traveling. 

When crammed into a windowless bus for 3 hours and 40 minutes, as I will be tomorrow, face to face with strangers and their strange germs, during the height of cold and flu season, I want to be prepared.  Work travel also brings anxiety, lengthy days, and the pattern of eating out at restaurants - sometimes all three meals per day. So how can you combat these abnormal shifts to your life? 

Travel To-Dos:

• Rest prior to the trip (hmmm, as it's 11:55am as I write this, not sure I'll get enough rest tonight) and eat healthy and filling meals the night before and morning of travel
• Pack snacks! You don't have to tell me twice.  I'll pack a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on some 12 grain bread, pack an orange, and some cheese and crackers to be sure I have enough to snack on for the long morning and into the afternoon.
• Vitamins and water: while traveling you may not be eating enough of your normal daily nutrients so plan ahead for the chance of deficiency
• Wash hands, wash hands, wash hands!
• Did I mention, wash hands?

Stay calm and relaxed and plan ahead with extra time for those "might happen" moments.  Find time for yourself and relish in any alone space you may have.  Reflect on your trip as it's happening (enjoy!) and don't be afraid to step away from the group early if you need to. Staying out to have cocktails before an 8am meeting isn't always the best idea ;)  

Rhode Island.... here I come!

February is American Heart Month

Not only is the month of February filled with spending time with the ones we love, but it's about reminding those ones we love to stay healthy, in particular - heart healthy. 

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the US - that's one in three deaths related to heart attack or stroke.  Most of us know someone who has suffered from a related illness -- my dad had a heart attack when I was in high school and it was one of the most difficult things I've ever had to go through.  He was not a healthy eater, not the most active dad in our neighborhood, and he was a smoker. I think that "Dads", in particular, are often the people we hear of related to issues with heart health.  How can we keep them, and all of the people we love, healthy and in our lives for the long run?

The Center for Disease Control recommends the ABCS:

1. Asprin for people at risk
2. Blood pressure control
3. Cholesterol management
4. Smoking cessation

Preventative health education is the key while we remind ourselves and others to make healthy choices.  By taking small steps like eating right, keeping active, and scheduling regular check-ups with our doctors, we can do our part to stay healthy.  Know your family history and ask questions to the people around you.

Have a heart and save a life of someone you love this month :) 

I've got a scratchy throat :(

My first scratchy throat of the New Year.... could it be because I'm surrounded daily by young people coughing and sneezing on me?  Could it be because the weather doesn't know if it's the dead of winter or if we're headed toward spring?  Could it be because I'm unlucky?  Nope -- the common cold is, completely common.

I'm going to try some home remedies:

• salt water gargle (have NEVER liked this one, but doesn't hurt to try again!)
• ice pops (sounds delicious and will definitely make these tomorrow)
• hot beverages like tea

In addition the Mayo Clinic recommends:

• water, juice, clear broth or warm lemon water with honey to loosen congestion and prevent dehydration -- avoid alcohol, coffee and caffeinated sodas, which make dehydration worse
• salt water gargle (guess I should really try it with TWO recommendations)
• zinc -- doctors are not sure quite why and there are a few questionable side effects, but it is highly recommended for colds
• chicken soup -- it's not only good for the teenage soul.... but has anti-inflammatory and mucus-thinning effects

Keep it healthy NYC!  Wash those hands, cough into your elbow, and try not to share too much. 

I know Valentine's Day is fast approaching.... but beware if you're gonna share ;)

Are you a material girl?

The verdict is still out on whether last night's half time show was a success or not, but the truth is, people cannot stop talking about Madonna.  I have overheard conversations and seen tweets and status updates related to the ridiculousness of the show last night.... but the only thing it seems people are agreeing on is that yes, Madonna is 53 and looking good.

How does she do it? 

Obviously blessed with some good genetics, she keeps up with great habits:

• popularizing the vigorous Ashtanga style of yoga
• strong devotion to Pilates
• macrobiotic diet (with dinners consisting of fish, some kind of grain, cooked vegetable, salad)
• intense workouts (3-one hour sessions per day!) consisting of yoga, pilates, swimming, horseback riding, cycling, running, weigth lifting, karate
• uses a stair stepper while taking calls (45 minutes at a crack!)

Now, I'm completely aware that women, in particular, have a major balancing act to do with their lives, and having an endless supply of money and time is not typically the case.  But there is something we can learn here from this Material Girl.....

• devote yourself to a healthy lifestyle
• change up your workout so it fits with your life and it's fun and enjoyable
• eat healthy natural foods (grown from the earth, not processed)
• multi-task: when chatting with a girl friend take the phone and your body for a walk outside

One family in the article even mentions keeping workout equipment downstairs where the kids have their larger active play toys, so parents and children can "workout" together. 

Be your own "ray of light" while you "strike a pose" and stay healthy into old age :)

I heart the Giants!

NYC is going crazy for the big game this weekend.... but as we are coming down from the holiday hype (Thanksgiving to New Year's!) and are headed toward Valentine's Day (chocolate!), November to February is a season filled with so many excuses to party, celebrate and overload our appetites with unhealthy options.  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the Super Bowl -- a family tradition of four in a row Buffalo Bills loses, I know you're shaking your head -- but the food is one of the best parts: pizzas shaped like footballs, the wings(!), dips galore.... but here are a few healthy options to consider:   

A few major switch-a-roos for simple yet effective substitutes:

• choose baked, not fried
• choose a bean base, not cream base for dips
• use lean turkey breast for burgers or chili
• use unsweetened chocolate or cocoa for desserts

If all else fails and you find yourself surrounded by the delicious, unhealthy stuff -- decide it's a splurge day and get back to your healthy living on Monday!

Go Giants!!

 

Knock, knock. Who's there?

You are, and you are laughing your way to a healthy life!

Have you had one of those moments lately, when you are doubled over from laughter and you can barely breathe?  Those are some of my favorite moments and while those happy memories are being created, you can get healthy at the same time.  A study by Vanderbilt University states that 10-15 minutes of sustained giggling can burn up to 50 calories! Laughter gets you through those stressful moments and busy work days, but it can also speed up your metabolism while using more energy. 

So perhaps laughter really is the best medicine! Grab a friend, a joke book, an old episode of Seinfeld and get to giggling :)