What do Dr Hyman and Pastor Rick Warren have in Common?

As I have been writing my blog I find myself asking, why is healthy living such a hard sell for so many people? As my mom reminded me in so many words this week, it's largely because for so long people have been trying to do exactly that, sell it. Charlatans and those looking to make a quick buck with their "must buy now" weight loss gimmicks have made a lot of people feel that when someone starts taking about health, the sales pitch ain't far behind. But I understand where the hesitation comes from; if you've invested your time, your money, and your hopes in gimmick after gimmick, diet after diet, and found nothing but failure and disappointment, why subject yourself to further agony? I could understand that not only would you not want to hear a spiel about health...you'll likely run in the opposite direction! Going one further, I blame the diet for profit industry for a lot of the obesity problems we experience today. They have turned the word "diet" into a four letter word in more way than one, if you know what I mean.

I started this blog, in part, to combat those who advise you in the direction that best lines their pocket. When I told you in my first post that I was not here to sell you anything, I meant it. I have no ulterior motive in passing on my experiences or recipes. I just want you to live a healthy life and not go through some of the things I had to before I had my healthy living epiphany. The only profit I have realized is in the ten pounds I have lost since I made myself accountable to you :) I don't tell you this to solicit praise from you. I am telling you this because I want you to know that my intentions are good and I am not selling you a gimmick... I am not selling anything at all. The truth is, reaching your health and fitness goals doesn't have to cost you any additional money at all.

My goal is to just motivate you and provide you with some tools and information to get you there. I learned that correct information was the key to weight loss success and that we don't need infomercials or gimmicks to get healthy. We just need each other. We need to share information with each other and support each other.

As it turns out, I am not the only one that feels this way. I receive a lot of information every morning via email from different sources about fitness and nutrition. One person I have been following for a little while is Dr. Mark Hyman, the author of the book, "The Blood Sugar Solution". This morning, as if on cue, I received an email about a collaborative effort between Dr. Hyman and Pastor Rick Warren, to find out if social media is the cure for unhealthy living.

If you are unfamiliar with Pastor Warren, he is the founder of Saddleback Church with over 30,000 members that meet in groups of 5,000 weekly. He is also the author of "The Purpose Driven Life". A lot of what Saddleback does, it does in small study groups. Warren had reached out to Hyman to find out how he can effect the waistline and overall health of his increasingly rotund congregation.

Warren and Hyman decided to try the small group approach to weight loss and healthy living. Over 15,000 church members signed up to take part! It cost them nothing but their time and commitment to participate. They shared healthy living information with each other, recipes, DVD's, written material, etc. They also made each other accountable to one another, sharing their successes and setbacks. They employed some "positive peer pressure" to each other. They taught each other self care and took care of each other.

The result of this experiment was astounding. The 15,000 participants lost over 250,000 lbs!!! What they learned was that those who participated in groups lost twice as much as those who did it alone! Some of the diabetics in the group reported no longer needing insulin and some were even able to stop taking their blood pressure medication! The members reported better sleep, more energy, better mood, better blood pressure, better skin, and better sex drive (yippee)!

This is exactly the kind of thing I set out to encourage through my blog, and I think it's time to take it to the next level. In the next few days I am going to finally post photos of myself before my quest began...and now. I am going to set some new goals for myself and bring you along on my quest to attain them.

Then I'm going to ask you to join me! I want you to consider doing the same as me. In the spirit of accountability as mentioned above, let's form a cyber group of people that are accountable to each other as we help each other meet our fitness goals....much as Pastor Warren and Dr. Hyman did. I'll provide more information about how exactly we will do this in a future post. Just start thinking about if this appeals to you.

If you are interested in the Warren/ Hyman article, you can find it at www.drhyman.com. Under UltraWellness Blog, article titled, "Can Social Networks Cure Disease?"

Thanks for letting me share my experiences with you and I hope you will start this exciting new quest with me!

Always consult with your doctor before changing your nutrition and fitness regimen.

Thanks on my One Month Blog Anniversary... Changes are Coming

Thank you for reading my blog about healthy living. I have had a really nice reception with over 400 views in about a month since I started writing. Perhaps these numbers are small compared to others, but it makes me feel good that anyone is reading what I write and perhaps is on their own health quest.

My blog will hopefully evolve a little as I finally acquired an IPad and am no longer tied to a desk. I'm kinda excited about being a little more Mobil with the ability to take and post photos. Perhaps you will soon accompany me to the gym or someplace else health related.

As always, I welcome your comments on my topics and would love to hear about your journey to be healthy. Perhaps you are just getting started and would like to share your goals with me to give yourself some accountability. Heck, I've lost ten pounds since I started blogging just being accountable to you...so it works...lol!

It is my sincerest hope that you have the happiest, and healthiest, life!

Yours in Health,

Becky

Why Having Muscle is Necessary to your Long Term Health

I have always loved toned muscle, not that I always had it. There were times in my life that not even a single bump of toned muscle appeared on my body, but I knew I always wanted it. A lot of my desire came from being a Police Officer, knowing that my appearance had a lot to do with my survivability as a cop. It is well known that bad guys were less likely to attack officers they perceived as being in shape and certainly being in shape meant I had better strength and endurance to survive a fight. A few troublesome injuries drove the point home for me. But for most women, muscle is still perceived as unattractive and in some cases, vain. I totally understand that perception because I think that we woman fear that if we lift weights we will turn into those man looking bodybuilders you see on TV. The truth is that obtaining that male-looking body is impossible unless you are trying to (8 hrs a day in the gym and with some chemical help).

What is true about weight training is that is the most effective way to lose or manage your weight, along with healthy eating habits. Study after study have affirmed that strength training (either with weights or using body weight) increases your metabolism and keeps your body burning calories throughout the day even after your training session ends.

Maintaining muscle tone decreases your chances of gaining weight as you age. It's important to not be overweight as you age because the extra weight puts a lot of strain on your aging joints. Without adequate muscle mass you are far more likely to experience injuries requiring reparative and replacement surgery making it less likely you will be "able" and independent into your golden years. I don't know about you but I want to enjoy being able to do what I want, when I want, right up until the day I die.

So, why should you worry about any of this if you are still in your twenties and thirties? You will lose about fifty percent of your muscle mass during your lifetime as a part of the natural aging process. Sedentary individuals can begin losing muscle mass as early as in their twenties! Most others begin losing muscle mass in their thirties. Again, without adequate muscle mass you are far more likely to experience injuries, such as back and joint injuries from strains, sprains, or falls, at any age.

The good news is that you can slow down muscle loss or even reverse muscle loss. The even better news is that it's never too late to start fighting this process. A study out of the University of Nottingham showed a group of subjects over the age of 60 were able to reverse muscle loss as effectively as twenty-something year olds just by exercising three times a week for 20 weeks.

Add weight training to your exercise routine, not only because it will make you toned and looking fabulous, but because it will help you maintain a good quality of life well into your old age.

Thanks for letting me share my experiences with you. Please consult your doctor before beginning a new diet or exercise regimen.


Sources:
http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2012/04/23/strength-training-may-give-boost-to-seniors-brains?

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/on-fitness/2008/09/04/how-to-avoid-losing-muscle-as-you-age

http://voices.yahoo.com/the-importance-starting-strength-training-after-566897.html

Quick and Healthy Snack you can Feel Great About!

If you haven’t heard, Kale is a “Superfood”. Its nutritional values are off the chart and should be a part of your healthy lifestyle. Kale is a great source of vitamins A,C, and K, B6, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and fiber. I’m a “snacker”, so the fact that you can make this super healthy food into a chip intrigued me. Here’s how:

Kale Chips

One bunch of Kale (usually made up of 5 or 6 leaves)

Garlic powder to taste

Sea salt to taste

2 tsp of olive oil

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place rectangular glass baking dish in oven to preheat with the oven.

-Wash Kale and remove leaves from stems. Tear leaves up into about 3-4 inch pieces and place into a large bowl.

-Drizzle olive oil over leaves, stirring to coat.

Sprinkle garlic powder and salt over mixture, stirring to coat.

-Make a single layer of leaves on the bottom of pre-heated baking dish. Bake, stirring at least once, for 20 minutes or until leaves are crispy.

Remove to a paper towel lined bowl and eat when cool enough J

I’m not perfect…I’m just trying to figure out this whole health thing, just like you. Thanks for letting me share my experiences with you J   

Please consult your doctor before beginning or changing your diet and exercise regimen. Kale is high in vitamin K and should be avoided by those on blood thinners. 

Options Improve your Chances for Success

When we think of getting in shape, we often chose our preferred method, whether it be getting a gym membership, running, or signing up for Zumba classes, to name a few. It seems we tend to put all our eggs into one basket.

 I advocate treating our health like we do our financial investments…diversify, diversify, and diversify. We know that our financial health depends on our money being allocated in a diverse portfolio, so that when one investment stops producing (or worse, takes a hit) we have other investments that are growing and hopefully covering our losses. Your health is a lot like that. If you invest in one place, for example a gym membership, as your only option for getting fit, you are setting yourself up for failure. Why? Something will happen that will keep you from going as much as you need to. It’s not a “maybe something will happen”, something WILL happen because life happens… (Car breaks down, can’t afford it anymore, can’t find child care, don’t feel like driving, or you run out of time). The same happens if you just chose running and a rainy month gets you off track. Maybe you’ve chosen those Zumba classes and will experience the same pitfalls as trying to get to the gym. I find that I can get my workout in everyday I’m scheduled for it if I have multiple options. Here are the “tools in my tool belt (aka options)” and how by themselves I can be set up for failure and how by having all of them I am successful. 

-        Gym membership- I love going to the gym. I get at the Gym what I can’t get any place else; personal attention from someone with fitness expertise and access to variety of quality equipment. Sometimes I learn something new just by watching another member perform an exercise. The drawback is that I have to drive there and I have to factor in travel time, childcare, and gas. It’s easy to talk myself out of making the trip some days so it’s good that I have other options. Like…

-        A Home Gym- I am lucky to have a home gym, complete with treadmill, recumbent bike, weight bench and dumbbells, DVD player and mats. You don’t need all of this though. A simple set of light, medium, and heavier weight dumbbells (or exercise bands) and a little bit of space in your living room or bedroom are all you really need. Home gyms are great when you are pressed for time and can’t get to the gym. Sometimes I forget to wash my workout clothes or just don’t feel like being presentable so it’s great to be able to work out where no one is watching (except my yellow lab). However, sometimes working out at home doesn’t “work out” lol. As a stay at home mom, I just need to get out of the house sometimes. When the kids are home, they want to be where Mommy is. If I’m in my home gym, so are they. It can be difficult to concentrate on the workout or do a fitness DVD without tripping over them. I have mitigated this a little by making a “kid friendly” area in my home gym, complete with two kids sized cushy armchairs and TV, but if hubby is home, off to Planet Fitness I go or to:

-        Boot Camp/ fitness class/ or sport: Sometimes I can talk myself out of going to the gym because I get bored…you know like the commercial “I lift things up…I put them down…” lol. I may not actually feel like exercising at all, but know once I get into an exercise class or boot camp with other people, I will have fun! The social aspect of this kind of training is so rewarding and FUN. It can bring me out of my shell! I also like tennis or going someplace to hike, when I have time for a change of scenery. I go when I can but let’s face it, we are usually talking about something that requires time and travel. So when I want a change of scenery, but don’t want to drive to get there, it’s time to:

-        Run/ Bicycle: I can strap on a pair of sneakers and an Ipod and head out my front door or hop on my bike to enjoy an energetic workout. But, then it rains sometimes so I’m back on the treadmill at the gym or in my home gym. Then sometimes I can’t get any kind of workout in so it’s good that I:

-        Eat Healthy- this is the most important tool in your tool belt. You can win 80% of your weight loss/ weight control battle just by eating clean and controlling your portions. It gives you a lot of wiggle room when you can’t get a workout in.  

Not only can having several workout options keep you from missing an exercise day, it keeps it fun. Variety is the “spice of life”. Variety in your workouts keeps it interesting and keeps you going. By the way, your body likes it too and your results will be even greater J

I’d love to hear about your diverse portfolio of workout options J

I’m not perfect…I’m just trying to figure out this whole health thing, just like you. Thanks for letting me share my experiences with you J   

Please consult your doctor before beginning or changing your diet and exercise regimen.

Treat Yourself to this Healthy Chocolate Desert

Got your attention with that title, I bet! I know that it can be hard adjusting to a healthy eating lifestyle, especially if you like your sweets. I personally believe life without chocolate is one I don’t want to imagine. The good news is that dark chocolate is actually good for you. Dark chocolate is a great source of antioxidants and has been found in studies to reduce high blood pressure. I know my blood pressure immediately decreases upon biting into anything chocolate J yummmmmm… This simple desert is packed with the healthy benefits of dark chocolate and another super food, the banana. Enjoy this and leave the guilt at the doorJ, it’s about 85 calories for the entire chocolate dipped banana (I usually only eat a couple of pieces).

Banana chocolate bon-bons

-Melt about 1 oz (1/3 bar) of 75% or higher cocoa content organic dark chocolate in a double boiler on stovetop with one tbsp 1% milk (stir often).

-Peel one large banana and cut into 2” round slices

-Dip each banana slice into warm melted chocolate and place on plate lined with wax paper.

-Place plate of dipped bananas into freezer for about half an hour or until chocolate is hard

(if you prefer, you can also dip the banana and chocolate in crushed walnuts before placing it in freezer as well)

I’m not perfect…I’m just trying to figure out this whole health thing, just like you. Thanks for letting me share my experiences with you J   

Please consult your doctor before beginning or changing your diet and exercise regimen.

Happy Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day everybody! A healthy Earth equals and healthy you :) What a great day to commit to doing something good for mother Earth. This is a great day for a "New Years" style resolution to our planet and to our health. Today I am starting my compost pile to help keep my garden organic and free of harmful fertilizers. What else can we do to celebrate Earth day? Here's a few ideas:


- Plant a tree
- start an organic veggy garden
- commit to supporting local agriculture
- commit to using your recycling bin 
- Enjoy the outdoors with your family
- teach your kids the important of keeping our planet healthy
- commit to using green cleaners and products
- commit to consolidating trips with your car and car pooling when possible
- find a creative way to re-use something your would otherwise throw away today




What other ideas do you have? I'd love to hear what you did today to take care of our planet :)

I’m not perfect…I’m just trying to figure out this whole health thing, just like you. Thanks for letting me share my experiences with you J   

Please consult your doctor before beginning or changing your diet and exercise regimen.