Guilty Pleasures....Aerobic Exercise??

I consider this blog to be one of my guilty pleasures. How do I define that? In my mind, it is something I am always thinking about (there is SO much to write about), something I do on the sly (I feel like in my real life there are more pressing matters to deal with), and something I absolutely love doing (it's nice to get some of my MANY thoughts in writing). It's even nicer when people comment, can relate, etc. Thank you for that all who have done so.

One of my other guilty pleasures of late is ZUMBA. I label it as such because I am always wanting to work on a routine and for the above reasons. The good news is I FOUND IT. I found something that I love doing, that is good for me, AND that I can make money at. (i love eating chocolate chips cookies and drinking wine but that won't get me very far.) At this stage of the game, it is a good feeling to having something in my life that inspires (besides my family of course).

THE REALLY GOOD NEWS ABOUT MY ZUMBA (AKA AEROBIC EXERCISE) HABIT: Everyone knows that aerobic exercise significantly improves your cardiovascular health but did you know that it also helps to slow the aging process: (pay attention ZUMBA clients)

* It makes skin look younger because of improved circulation
*Reduces lenght of hot flashes (not there yet, but good to know :)
*Cuts your odds of getting ill (studies suggest that regular exercisers have higher levels of immune cells that can fight off certain cancers. Plus (knock on wood) I haven't been sick all winter!
*Sharpens your mind (jury still out on this one for me..:) helps to maintain the size of the hippocampus where memory resides
*Improves mood and staves off depression (TRUE). That will keep you thinking younger and more optimistic.
*Helps control weight
*Improves digestion (try to have not eaten at least 2-3 hours before you exercise though, or your food in your system will interfere with your workout, if you know what i mean :)
*May raise HDL, good cholesterol and improve other heart disease risk factors
*Keeps the body young: lowers the rate of telomeres (sites at the end of chromosomes on all cells) erode, which means overall body wear and tear happens at a reduced speed.
*Lowers Blood Pressure
*Normalized fasting insulin levels (reducing risk of diabetes).

IS THIS ENOUGH FOR YOU? Are you ready to commit to REGULAR exercise. I exercises on and off for years, but now that i found my exercise GUILTY PLEASURE I will never go back.

AS IF YOU NEEDED A FEW MORE REASONS: My facialist says my pores are very clean thus requiring very few extractions (if you have ever had these, you KNOW they are painful). She and I attribute it to sweating it out (the toxins, pollution) through regular exercise. The aerobic kind makes you sweat the most. IN MY OPINION, EXERCISE IS THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH. MY SKIN HAS NEVER LOOKED BETTER NOR HAVE I FELT BETTER, SO GET MOVING!

Beauty Lab!

Okay, People! Don't say I never did anything for you! For the good of this blog, I conducted a risky experiment. I am a big label reader, not only when it comes to food but also to beauty products. I've done enough reading to know some key ingredients, in what order on the label, etc. Many of the key ingredients these days are natural including many foods, herbs, etc. Why, i ask myself, can't i make my own beauty products out of these materials? I know why. Because it is easier and less messy to buy a pre-made lotion containing avacado oil, caffeine, grapefruit, whatever the ingredient is. The drawbacks of buying these products are the expense and the fact that you cannot control the other ingredients they add, most of which we can't pronounce. Well, I happened to have some
organic coconut oil around and I was dying to try a home remedy. If you recall, a while back I got an espresso body scrub which was supposed to help detox and tighten my skin. I really wanted another one, but didn't want to shell out the $100 plus for it. SO, here is what I did and the results:

Mix: 2 Tablespoons coffee grounds (yes, already brewed, good way to recycle them. Also, they are supposed to be good for the soil you plant in, why not your skin?) plus 2 Tbs unbrewed coffee (I was afraid I brewed most of the caffeine out of the coffee, and that is the major point of using the coffee in the first place) To this add 1/2 cup Coconut Oil or Olive Oil, and 2 Tablespoons Sugar.

PROBLEM: WHERE THE HECK WAS I GOING TO APPLY THIS WITHOUT MAKING A COMPLETE MESS? While I do live in a private setting, the idea of doing this outside and hosing off DID NOT appeal to me. So, I opted for in the shower. PROBLEM: HOW MESSY WAS THIS GOING TO GET, AND ARE YOU REALLY SUPPOSED TO LET COFFEE GROUNDS GO DOWN THE DRAIN? In the interest of science, I had to proceed (without letting my husband know of course) Does anyone know if I irreperably damaged by septic system. Does the water from the shower go to the septic system?

THE ACT: I APPLIED THE WARM MIXTURE (i HAD TO NUKE THE COCONUT OIL, IT WAS SOLID IN THE FRIDGE), AND EXFOLIATED everywhere...it felt really good even if i was the one applying (i don't know why i like the idea of a total stranger rubbing it on even better...it just feels good when someone else is doing the rubbing!)

THE MESS: NOT AS MUCH AS i thought. The shower did get slippery from the oil, so make sure to do this before you have to wash the shower anyway because you will have to afterwards.

THE RESULTS: I THOUGHT IT WORKED GREAT. My skin looked and felt smoother, even my husband noticed. (I fessed up to him telling that i did this treatment, but he never asked how, why or where, so i left it ALONE!) At first my skin was a bit greasy, but I used a little bodywash, and I felf fantastic afterwards. I figure this treatment would be beneficial about once a month!

SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE: In the mood for ice cream but not the calories? Try this: Freeze a whipped yogurt. It tastes just like Ice Cream with only about 70 calories.

NEXT TIME: TWELVE BENEFITS OF AEROBIC EXERCISE!!!!

Wendy's Story and More...

Here it is, the long awaited Wendy's story...Well, when i am running around all day, I usually stop at Wendy's fast food place for a spicy chicken sandwich. With a sugar free lemonade, it comes out to about $5.50 more or less and about 470 calories and 16 G of fat. I think that is a reasonable amount of calories for lunch. I truly enjoy the sandwich, and with the drink, I feel full afterwards...Well, being cheap as i tend to be, I said to myself, Hey, I can get the dollar menu spicy chicken to go wrap and a drink and spend about $2 something...Well, i have had the snack wraps over at McDonalds, and they are very small, so I thought by getting two I would still save some money and be happy...I was looking around for the nutritional info while I was ordering but i was driving up and they only have it displayed in a corner inside the restaurant (NOT FOR LONG, more later on this!) The Spicy Chicken Go Wraps were delicious! But, I knew as soon as I saw them they were bigger than McDonalds. Of course, I would have been satiated with one of them, but of course, i had to eat both because they were so good. when i got home, i looked up the nutritional values online...NOT SO GOOD. The snack wraps were 320 EACH, with 15 grams of fat. Do the math and you come out with me eating 640 calories and 30 grams of fat vs my usual sandwich at 470 calories and 16 G of fat. HAD THE NUTRITIONAL INFO BEEN AVAILABLE THROUGH THE DRIVEIN, I COULD HAVE MADE AN INFORMED CHOICE. I wouldn't have chosen the cheaper option, but the healthier one! THE GOOD NEWS: STARTING FEBRUARY 2011, ALL RESTAURANTS in Maine WILL BE REQUIRED TO HAVE NUTRITIONAL INFO CONSPICIOUSLY DISPLAYED (ON MENUS, MENU BOARDS, ETC). I went seeking this info of WHY it wasn't there and found out it had been recently passed as a law. HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY There is a happy ending to this story! Lesson learned: Stop being so cheap :)

PRODUCTS I LOVE: My husband recently bought one of those new zero calorie, naturally sweetened SOBE waters enhanced with vitamins, etc. The difference between these and the other is that this is naturally sweetened. It is very good! You don't get that funny aftertaste like most low calorie drinks, especially if you drink it ice cold. I have been putting them in my freezer for a few hours, and drink them slushy! SO good and satisfying..I really liked the Yumberry Pomegranate.

SIMPLIFY: Here's a great, healthy dessert that you can whip up in literally 10 minutes. Melt 1 cup dark chocolate chips in the microwave. Stir in Craisins, Sliced Almonds (you can use dried blueberries, pecans, walnuts, whatever you like). By the tablespoon drop them on some wax paper. Chill for 5 minutes. DONE. They are so good but also addictive. Just because they are good for you (antioxidants) doesn't mean the calories won't add up. Great for when you get called upon to make cookies for a special event, cookie walk, etc!

Important Information!

Did you know the world was coming to an end? That' right, and the food supply will be greatly affected, so you must eat all you can right now, as much as you can and as fast as you can...

OKAY, it's not true, but if you had been watching me on a handful of days the past few weeks (especially this last one), you would have had to beleive that is what I was thinking. Last time I wrote I mentioned several reasons why I hadn't been writing so much. Feeling a lack of control was one of them. It is hard for me to try to give advice on health when i am not practing what i preach. I am like a child. Every time I try to set limits for myself, I rebel or act out, and throw caution to the wind. I go for the things that I know are the worst for me in terms of my goals (like carbs-my number one goal is to feel comfortable and confident in my own body!) Or if i manage to stay with healthy foods, i eat way too much of them. I am sharing this with you because that is what this blog is about: I hope through my struggles and perspectives I will help other people see they are not alone (as several of you have told me, thank you). Maybe together we can figure something out. It's me, WRINKLES AND ALL (luckily not too many yet!:)

I blame SOME of this on the visit of my monthly "friend". Yes, the cravings are much stronger a week or so before. I am armed with many weapons, strategies, etc. to combat these (take a walk, know the witching hour that you tend to eat too much-for me it's while preparing dinner). You have to understand that to me, these days, eating too much is eating past the point of a normal person being full. OKAY, I caught myself. I always though i was special (hopefully we all do!). But when it comes to eating too much, i have to remind myself that MANY of us have issues. THAT IS NORMAL. I am working to change that, especially in myself. The REAL ISSUE THAT BOTHERS ME IS THE LACK OF CONTROL. I LIKE BEING IN CONTROL AND CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHY THE ONE THING I CAN CONTROL 100%, I CAN'T CONTROL!!!!!

ONE OF MY SAVING GRACES IS EXERCISE. I know when I get off track, even a short work out or walk will boost my spirits and motivate me to be healthy. Of course, my children and family are right up there with motivators!!!

A friend mentioned maybe artificial sweetners had something to do with my wild cravings, but I just don't use them enough to think that. I use real sugar in my coffee, and honey in my tea. Yes, it could be sweetners in general...I can't help but feel it's more psycological than physiological. Actually, I have to beleive it's both..the cravings are generated by something...MY advice to you if you are going through this: Find a physical activity you love to do and can fall back on in times of trouble. It won't let you down...

OKAY, ENOUGH OF THAT FOR TODAY. ON TO FUN STUFF: BEAUTY PRODUCTS I HAVE DISCOVERED. There are several:

FOR HAIR: As most of us age, our hair get's coarser. I have always had THICK, wavy hair, but now after kids even more so. I had heard about Keratin, a plant protein in some shampoos that can really help smooth and relax hair. There is an expensive salon treatment you can get ($200). There is also a pricey shampoo called Liquid Keratin you can get on drugstore.com for about $25. I found a great product in Rite Aid (yes on clearance) called Naked Naturals Citrus and Keratin Conditoner. It really relaxed my hair after the first shampoo. It just seemed to take the bulk out. I got it for $3.49, but I think the regular price wasn't too steep, maybe $9.99...

MAKE UP/FOUNDATION: I am forever in search of the perfect one (do i go liquid, mineral powder/ SO many choices. One i really like is called Beyond Natural. It came with this fantastic silky primer lotion that kind of helped to prepare the canvas (aka your face) so the foundation went on smoother. The foundation is WHITE in the tube, but adjusts the color needed to match your face. Light weight, and light to medium coverage, good for summer.

NEXT TIME: I know I promised the Wendy's story, but it will have to wait! I got into other things! Please know that today is a great day for me. I made healthy choices yesterday and feel good. I feel in control. Hope you ALL have a good day today!!! Looking forward to the week!

On My Mind

It has been a while since my last post. There are a few reasons for this, all of which I think are relatable to the premise of this blog. One of the reasons that I will discuss today is that I have been researching much interesting material for this blog, and I have kind of gotten overwhelmed. I will try to break it down and share it all with you if not now, then over time!
One of the problems is that the books I have been reading have some conflicting information, and I guess I do not have a strong enough background in it all to tell you what is correct. I can only give my opinion. Out of my bookshelves, I dug out Fit for Life, by Harvey and Marilyn Diamond. I like this book because it emphasizes a natural approach to being fit. It stresses the importance of Natural Hygiene, which is described as the body's regulatory process for staying healthy. Basically is states the body is a very efficient machine which is constantly striving for optimal health. Give it the right fuel (HEALTHY FOODS) and it will take care of you, and cleanse and maintain itself. The book downplays the role of supplements in one's diet, stating that they really don't work. That you need all the chemical componets of food and the digestion to get your nutritional needs met. There is MUCH to the book
but the major points are EAT ONLY FRUIT or Fresh Fruit Juice in the morning. FOOD COMBINING IS KEY. You can eat what you want but it has to be in the right combinations. The book debunks the theory of the food groups, especially the dairy and meat portions. (The book talks about how poeple say we need to eat protein to keep up our strenght and to build muscle, yet in fact, many of the strongest animals on the planet are vegetarians!)

Food Combining brings me to another book that I have mentioned before: Marilu Henner's Total Health Makeover. I really like this book. It adopts many of the principles of Fit for Life. She stresses the food combining, no dairy and no meat. I do agree with this. I am sure they are right: eating foods in proper combinations and in the proper order will certainly have a positive impact on one's health, well being, and weight. THE PROBLEM IS I AM NOT THAT DISCIPLINED!

Which brings me to a television program I recenly viewed. It was kind of an infomercial for PBS televison, part of their fundraising efforts. But because it was PBS, I listened. It was called Change Your Brain, Change Your Body by Daniel G. Amen. Mr. Amen take scans of people's brains to find out where the activity or lack of it is. He has a list of several different types of brains based on the scans. If there is more activity in one part of the brain, and less in another, he states there are certain supplements that can help bring you to an even level and help you stop overeating. It is highly fascinating, and a must read. I have yet to try his theory, but I plan on it. One thing that we can all do right now is wean ourselves off the sugar habit. Eating sugar and sugary foods only increases our cravings for those foods. And artificial sweetners and diet sodas are the worst! They make you crave sugar even more. I am not innocent when it comes to this. If you've read my previous blogs, I struggle with making the right nutritional choices versus eating lower calorie, artificially sweetned food and drinks to save calories. I do indulge in diet sodas occasionally if i get an urge for something worse calorically. The lesser of two evils? YUP.. One thing Dr. Amen said really made me think: He was describing his healthy daily diet and he mentioned he always had "dessert" which consisted of plain yogurt and blueberries. He asked the audience if that sounded boring. They said yes, and then he said something profound: NO, WHAT'S BORING IS CONSTANTLY FINDING YOURSELF BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD BECAUSE YOU'VE GIVEN INTO YOUR FOOD CRAVINGS AND UNHEALTHY HABITS. That actually is boring me to tears. Don't you wish you could make the right choices as if on autopilot? Without the stuggle? YOU CAN, but it takes just a bit of training. Dr. Amen says it takes about 2 weeks to stop craving sweet stuff after you stop indulging. Interesting...

The last book that I will discuss briefly is one I am very interested in. It is called The Perricone Weight Loss Diet by Dr. Nicolas Perricone. I picked it up after reading The Perricone Prescription which has all kind of information for maintaining weight, health, and what foods and supplements are best for health, beauty, anti wrinkle, etc. I love this book and it's wealth of info. There is just one problem: If I listen to Fit for Life, then the supplements Dr. Perricone suggests would be useless considering Fit for Life says supplements have no value. I think I have come to a conclusion on this: If prescription pills work for curing conditions, then supplements which are a form of a drug, can work to help boost healthy conditions. I do absolutley go by the fact that THE BEST REMEDIES ARE IN THE FOODS YOU EAT. The Perricone books go deeply into anti-inflammatory foods which keep your body balanced and reduce free-radicals. MUCH MORE ON THIS NEXT TIME, BUT THESE BOOKS ARE WORTH A READ.

I encourage you to check out these books. Then you'll be as confused as I am. I do have a bit of a clue. Going back to common sense: The less processed, the better (make your own salad dressing instead of bottled. You just don't know what is in there!). Listen to your body, and eat only until you don't feel hungry anymore, not until you are full (I have to work on that one).

Next Time: My lunch stop at Wendy's and what I learned....

All or Nothing: Not for Me!

I have a book called Jane Brody's Personal Health issued by the New York Times. A friend gave me this book in 1988!!! (I know this because he graciously signed the book to me with the date). I tell you this because a friend asked me recently when I got "into all this" meaning health and fitness. It surprised me to see the date on this book because I only date my involvement in fitness back to my step-aerobic days in NYC in the 90's. The funny thing about this book is that is has a lot of relevant information even today. There is SO much good information in this book, but to stick to today's topic, all or nothing, I will only quote a few passages. She states: "40% (back in 1982 when the last update to the book was written)of the population are overweight by 20 lbs or more. Instead of adopting a long lasting, nutritionally sound solution to their weight problem, most grasp at health-damaging straws including fad diets and reducing drugs that nearly always fail in the long run..." "Most of us have moved away from the simple menus of yore based on ...grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy, and animal and vegetable protein. More than half the food we eat today is PROCESSED...We have also moved far away from the menu HOMO SAPIENS evolved on: a diet rich in complex carbohydrates and fiber (from starchy vegetable, fruits and foods) and low in animal protein. The high meat, high sweet, low fiber diet we currently eat is overtaxing our metabolic abilities and undermining our health." In the intro to the book, she mentions how she lives, which pretty much mirrors my own philosophy: "My guiding principle is moderation. ...I eat three reasonable meals a day with snacks and a preselected "no no food" like 2 small cookies or a 1/2 cup of ice cream...And lo and behold, I lost weight...no more binges, whole bags of potato chips, whole pints of ice cream...I never skip a meal. I consume most of my calories at breakfast and lunch."

She goes on with her wisdom, but for now I will discuss what she has said thus far. What amazes me is that this came out in the early 80's . There are plenty of authors today that reintroduce this information and most of us think it is something new or that they discovered. For example, there is a book that has been on my must read list for a couple of weeks now. It is called The Primal Blueprint, and basically discusses the HOMO SAPIEN diet as Ms. Brody mentions. It does go a step farther than she does, saying we should not eat grains at all and only get our complex carbs from potatoes and vegetables. THAT KIND OF ALL OR NOTHING MENTALITY IS WHAT GETS MOST OF US INTO TROUBLE IN THE FIRST PLACE. Some other books that I really like are Skinny Bitch and Total Health Makeover, by Marilu Henner. I do like to read these books for general information, and I will even go a step further to say most likely their philosophies work for weight loss and health. However, they definitely promote the all or nothing theory, and I just can't do it. Skinny Bitch wants us all to be vegans. The authors also don't like anything processed and ALOT of other things. I would not be long for this world mentally if I followed their advice to the letter. Marilu has some great tips, but she believes in NO DAIRY and food combining, meaning at each meal you only eat 1 type of food at a time (only protein or starches). CAN WE PLEASE LIVE IN THE REAL WORLD. I DO!!! So do most of us as far as I know.

SO much information to DIGEST (sorry for the pun, could not resist). So, I leave you with 3 tips for your week: SPREAD OUT YOUR MEALS. I have mentioned this before, but it's worth repeating. When you make your meal plate up, place half of it on another plate, and wrap it up and put it in the fridge, knowing you can have it anytime you want. Finish slowly what you have portioned. If you still are hungry, eat the portion you wrapped. Most likely, if you are like me, you will realize that your half portion was enough for now. Maybe you will want the rest of the portion in an hour or two as your snack. Same amount of calories doing double duty-serving as a meal and a snack. Can't beat that. Tip number two: Have one (maybe two) meals a week where you have what you want (like pepperoni pizza or something you know perhaps isn't the best choice). Just do it in a portion controlled way so you don't do too much. Have it, enjoy it, and move on. Lastly, be mindful of your posture this week. When you find yourself slouching, sit up straight, and tighten up your stomach. You will be amazed how this feels. And it works your muscles to sit like this, so this is a good habit to adopt.

AHH Warmer Weather...How do you feel about it?

Most people seem really happy about the warmer weather arriving. Even I suggest often how happy I am about it. Lately, I have been truly happy about it. But there was a time when I dreaded it. Sometimes I still do if I haven't made the right choices the day before or even that day. Warmer weather means less clothes. Less clothes makes some uncomfortable, especially if they are not feeling confident about themselves. I used to fantasize that if I lived in a warmer climate I would be more active, and because of the warmer temps, be in less clothes more often, which would mean I would be more fit in general. WELL, it is a well know fact that overweight people live everywhere, warm and cold climates. My point is that it is up to you to live mindfully and responsibly when it comes to your eating, no matter what season. The problem is it is way too easy to overeat in the winter because you know you can rely on those extra layers. There are a few problems with this theory. One is that you are fooling no one, especially yourself. The other is the yo-yo weight is just not healthy, physically or mentally. The past few years I have made a concious decision to stay active in the winter. I am not saying I don't slip up with my food consumption, but staying active really helps you stay honest with yourself. In a recent article I read about "Shorts Shock". How when you go to put them on either they are a bit too snug in the waist, or you just feel awful in them. Don't let this happen to you. If it is happening, now is the time to get into motion. The truth of the matter is exercise will help you look and feel better, but if you eat too much, no matter how much you exercise, you won't look as good as you want or feel as good as you want. Advice: Have some houmous or some low fat dip or peanut butter around that you can just dive into when the hunger strikes. Pre-portion a decent amount, eat it, then walk away. Literally go for a walk to do something, but don't stay in the kitchen! QUICK FIX: When I need something sweet, I make some hot chocolate (they have a women't health one from Nestle now) and I add light whipped cream. Very satisfying.