Happy Birthday!

This is your very own post to both wish you well and to let you know that your sister has given you an amazing gift this year…

ME.

Okay, depending on who you ask, “amazing” could turn into “crazy” or even “scary.” Just kidding.

I’m excited to let you know that thanks to Jayme, you and I get to work together for a one-on-one assessment/goal setting workshop and three one-hour to 1:15 personal training sessions.

It’s all about YOU, and I can’t wait to meet you!

Have a wonderful birthday, and again Happy-Healthy!!

Cindy

Studies have shown that self-monitoring by journaling has a positive influence on both exercise and dietary adherence. With statistics like only 50% of people who begin an exercise program are still with it after six months, it’s worth a whirl. I’m not talking about just until you get into the workout groove, either – the more you advance in your program, the more you need your log. Having sufficient data will help you track why you are or aren’t losing weight, help you communicate with your trainer, prevent and treat injuries, and give you a wealth of new knowledge about the way your body and mind interact with the eating and exercise patterns you institute, so you can stay on track, make changes and keep progressing toward your goals (and set new ones).

How: whether via pen and paper, computer spread sheet or web site log-in, keep detailed notes of both your daily caloric intake and your daily caloric expenditure – workouts and job and life-related activity (ex: one hour-long game of soccer in the park with you kids, taking three flights of stairs to your office). A sample dietary log could include date, time/place, food, calories and mood, while the workout portion can track date, time, workout, comments and weekly running subtotal of minutes exercised (catuion: keep weigh-ins to once a week). For hi-tech tracking, try the free diet and exercise logs at FitDay and MapMyFitness.com. Tip: don’t have your log handy? Send yourself a text or make a voice note of your workout or meal on your phone until you can log it in. Also, watch here for an upcoming post on the best mobile health tracking apps for smartphones. Just remember: you’ve got to know where you’ve been if you want to get where you’re going.

Stay strong!

Carrots, apples, brussel sprouts…oh, my.

Fruits and veggies hold a holy grail-like place in our diets. We mean to get them, we know we should, but we largely don’t (and no, iceberg lettuce and potato chips don’t count). The USDA says we need at least five servings each day, preferably between five and nine servings. Why? Truth is, our bodies really need the antioxidants fruits and veggies pack to combat those darned free radicals that are ever-present in the environment – even in our bodies – that destroy cell walls and even our DNA. Increased risk of cancer, higher cholesterol and damage to joint cartilage are just a few nasty manfestations of free radical damage to our bodies.

How:

Eat more meals at home (or FROM home). Recent studies show that women who eat out more than five times a week consume an average of 300 calories more per day, and less-healthy foods than those who gnoshed more often at/from home. Take a look at the produce section of local grocery stores – I’ve seen a plentitude of fabulous fruits/veggies already cut, washed and bagged for no-prep cooking and easy salad assembly.

Go for color. Fruits/veggies with rich hues are not only beauties to behold, they’re even prettier once inside you: antioxidants abound in the natural deep greens of spinach, reds and oranges of peppers and beautiful blues/reds/purples of berries and grapes.

Try one new fruit or veggie each week. If you resolve to branch out, it’s another goal reached every week! Check out fruitsveggiesmorematters.org for great prep and storage tips, what’s-in-season lists and tons of cool recipes. While you’re at it, re-acquaint yourself with the USDA’s new food pyramid so you’ll know your stuff for healthy – and frugal – shopping when you hit the produce section.

Stay strong!

I want to do this.

I hope I can do this…

Setting goals that can change your life is easy. Accomplishing them…not so much.

Are you setting the right goals to advance your health this year, and are you on track to reach those goals? If you can’t get started or are already seeing those big new year’s health and fitness plans slip away, take some action now. First, check your list and make sure that your goals are SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Reasonable and Track-able (more on this in an upcoming post). Next: this week, I’m sharing six SMART, high-impact goals to add to your list that can equal big health benefits. Stop by each day for the skinny, add them, then attack that list. You CAN do this!

1.) Snooze to Lose: Sleep – we make it the most negotiable thing in our lives – there’s always a reason to chunk into it. You may not be a teenager anymore, but it’s time to stop short-changing yourself and make sleep a priority again.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, the average woman gets just six hours a night. Recent studies have reported that women who slept five hours or less a night were 32% more likely to experience significant weight gain and 15% more likely to become obese than those who slept seven hours. Also, studies have suggested that sleeping less may negatively affect basal metabolic rate (BMR), the body’s rate of calorie burn while at rest. This is a monkey wrench you don’t need thrown into your weight-loss plans. Also important is that lack of sleep can cause increased release of cortisol, the stress hormone that raises blood pressure and blood sugar (which may harm those with diabetes).

How: Aim for seven, preferably eight hours, and get into a routine. Establish a new bedtime and stick to it. If you have to be up at 6 a.m., iron-clad lights out is 10 p.m.. To get into the habit, count back another hour (9:00) and start relaxing your mind and body, then hit the sack with that relaxed body a half-hour before sleep time (9:30). This way, your body “comes down” from the day gradually, and uninterrupted sleep is more likely to be yours at the time you need. Rinse and repeat for two, preferably three weeks (21 days) and it should become a habit.

Stay strong!