Moderate to Elevate, M2E

Moderation is the key to elevation. What do you want to elevate in your life? Elevate your nutrition, elevate your fitness, elevate your mood, elevate your work, elevate your training, elevate your relationships, elevate your well-being, elevate your finances, and the list goes on.

 

I’ve been talking about moderation for most of my 30+ year fitness/wellness career. It’s not sexy or exciting, but it works. Every year a new diet, a new work out, a new self-help tip is going catch your eye and sell itself as “the way” to meet your goals. There is no magic plan that works for everyone. We are all completely unique complicated human beings with different genetics, lifestyles and goals. But universally, our habits define our success. You can moderate your habits to elevate your goals.

 

We need to moderate many things especially all or nothing thinking and the belief that you must “do this one thing to get that result”. Everyone has different ideas and needs for this and that. We need to tune into ourselves and shut out some of the external noise. Moderate outside opinions to elevate your own thinking.

 

Moderation is a universal answer, but what to moderate must be uniquely defined to elevate your personal goals. Perhaps you need to moderate alcohol consumption, moderate your intake of sweets, moderate fast food, moderate screen time, moderate sugary beverages, moderate news or media, moderate portion size... If your goal is to elevate your well-being you may need to moderate one or more of those or other things, but let’s start with one.

 

Start with one habit to moderate and leave space for another to be elevated. Here are a few examples.

• Moderate intake of sugar sweetened beverages to elevate your water intake.
• Moderate alcohol intake to elevate sleep quality.
• Moderate screen time to elevate time for activity.
• Moderate convenience food intake to elevate intake of whole foods.
• Moderate online shopping to elevate savings.
• Moderate negativity to elevate your mood.

 

Moderate to elevate and repeat until the new habit is routine. Notice how good it feels to accomplish this thing for yourself. Think about a next step and repeat the process. You are on your way to success. Keep building step by step. 

Time for Action – Just do… something!

We have a habit in America of looking for the “best” program, diet, workout plan, supplement, etc. We read books, look at the lives of celebrities we wish to emulate and watch TV shows, DVDs or U-Tube videos to find the "best" way. Too often that leads to confusion or is disheartening because it feels too hard. A little research is fine, but too much can be overwhelming. Now it’s time to put research into action and move forward with your goals. Action is motivating. Action means forward motion. Action gets you closer to your goal.

Success in anything is built step by step, day after day, week after week, over time – not overnight. Today let’s look at some simple steps to eat better, more healthful, nutrient dense foods. Choose My Plate has some great resources to get you started.

Start with one action – not ten. You don’t have to revamp your entire eating style to meet your goals. Start with one healthy action, and repeat it, again and again and again until this is the new normal, then add another action and repeat. Here are some healthy actions that may be a good starting point:

• Evaluate with SuperTracker
• Use Daily Checklist to balance your eating or plan meals
•  Add more veggies to your day

What idea stood out to you? What sounds like the best fit or something you want to try for yourself? Pick that one – that is the right step for you. If nothing sounded like the right step yet, then keep thinking. Sometimes thinking is the step you need to do first. Keep focusing on what you want and stay tuned to this blog as I will be writing more simple steps to well being. #HealthyLifestyle #EatWell #FruitsandVeggiesMoreMatters #goalsetting #motivation

Sugar by any other name is just as sweet

Sugar vs. High Fructose Corn Syrup

A client recently asked me if they should avoid high fructose corn syrup. I did a little research and here latest thinking on the topic. 

Experts agree that the typical American diet is too high in sugar. Where they disagree is whether one form of sugar is more of a health threat than another. High-fructose corn syrup has long been suspected as a contributor to the obesity epidemic but others say it’s not any worse than other types of sugar. Researchers have recently reported “any added sugar is bad sugar” and contend that even honey is just as unhealthy as high-fructose corn syrup.

Despite the recent challenge to the dangers of high-fructose corn syrup, some researchers still believe high-fructose corn syrup is a health threat and suspect the body does not process it the same as regular sugar. The glucose and fructose in high-fructose corn syrup aren’t chemically bonded, therefore more easily absorbed than table sugar is the thinking.

Other experts disagree and say the human body responds pretty much the same. Currently, there is not enough evidence to conclude that high-fructose corn syrup is more dangerous than other forms of sugar. Researchers agree that excess sugar contributes to obesity and diabetes and some feel the attention on high-fructose corn syrup may distract consumers from the real health threat from all forms of added sugar. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 6 teaspoons (100 calories) of added sugar per day for women and 9 (150 calories) for men.

Learn more:

“What is high-fructose corn syrup? What are the risks?” MayoClinic

“Any added sugar is bad sugar, some experts contend.” MedlinePlus

In Search of Time...

The rumors of my disappearance have been greatly exaggerated. Yes, I’ve been AWOL from this blog for over a year, but it’s time for a comeback! And now time is what is on my mind...

Are you beyond busy, overwhelmed by your schedule or your life?

Do you feel like Wellness is just one more thing you can't fit in?

Read on to see how five minutes can change your life!

FACT: In 1999, the American Institute of Stress indicated that Americans were spending more time at work, in fact workers in the United States were putting in more hours on the job than any other industrialized nation. On the average, Americans worked a month more than the Japanese and three months more than the Germans. The average workweek was 47 hours per week. I’m still searching for the updated report because we all know a lot has changed since 1999...

IMPACT: According to a 2009 report from the American Psychological Association, 75% of adults said they had experience high levels of stress in the past month and 42% indicated they had higher stress levels than the previous year. Stress is linked to headaches, back pain and chronic illness including cancer and heart disease. In fact, stress has been linked to all of the leading causes of death...

TIME TO ACT! “All work and no play is no good at all.” I agree whole-heartedly with this quote printed on the stem of my Gary Fischer mountain bike. But, with longer work weeks and higher stress levels we often perceive there is no time for Wellness. Most people have a long list of things that they “should” do, including exercising and eating right – but who’s got the time? The inherent stress of more work and less play is now compounded by guilt. Guilt is NOT a dimensions of Wellness!

BABY STEPS: Give yourself a break and start with something simple. Wellness is a process, not a product. You can improve your personal Wellness in as little as 5 minutes per day. Pick just one of the seven activities listed below and try it today, then try a different one tomorrow or next week.

Social – Call or visit a friend, neighbor or colleague whose company you enjoy, and take a few moments to catch up with each other’s lives.

Environmental – Go outside and watch the sunset (or sunrise). Just watch, don’t do anything else. No cell phone, no blackberry. Take the whole 5 minutes and relax. Enjoy the beauty of the sky and live in the moment.

Occupational – Close your door and forward your phone for 5 minutes. If you can’t close your door, find a place where you can sit undisturbed for this exercise. Take a deep breath and attempt to clear your mind of all of those nagging “to do’s”. On a blank sheet of paper brainstorm and write down things you like about your job. Once you get a list then prioritize it and number the top 5. On a new sheet of paper write down your top 5 and keep it somewhere handy to help motivate you at stressful moments.

Intellectual – Discover something new and share it with someone. For example, check out the Real Age web site where you can discover your true biological age (based on your lifestyle not the calendar). Read the “Real Age” tip of the day, or request to have it e-mailed to you daily.

Physical – Move. Somehow, some way just move your body. Stand up and stretch, or take a short walk. You don’t have to get on a treadmill and sweat for 20 minutes to improve your activity level. The addition of any movement above and beyond what you did yesterday will improve your physical well being today. Five minutes counts!

Emotional – Laugh. Talk to a friend who makes you laugh. If you are alone, think of the last thing that made you laugh really hard. Don’t be afraid to laugh out loud, or share with someone who will laugh with you. Learn more about humor and health from the HelpGuide.org website.

Spiritual – Do something today that soothes your soul, brings you peace and creates joy in your life. If you can’t think of anything, think harder. It can be as simple as feeling the warmth of the sun on your face, seeing the smiling face of a child or doing a favor for a friend. You could also spend the 5 minutes today by making a list of simple things that make you happy, and make a promise to yourself that you will do one in the next seven days.

Congratulations. If you read this far you have already taken a step towards enhancing your Wellness. We can’t get more hours out of our day, but we can improve the quality of those hours if we invest a little time to BE WELL.

Wellness in Luxury Living - Priceless!

Today I appeared on the ABC Channel 15 show, "Sonoran Living Live". The following is the video and the text from my interview.



As the Wellness Services Coordinator for La Siena Senior Living, I have a unique position. I am not a nurse; I am a prevention specialist who promotes the total well being of La Siena's residents. My job is not about assessing and evaluating, it's about enhancing and building. It's my job to get people connected to and participating in things that make them feel alive, happy and fully engaged in life.

The wellness philosophy of Leisure Care and La Siena is best expressed as whole person wellness. It is one thing to take care of a person's basic physical needs. It is quite another to look after and nurture the whole person. La Siena's wellness programs are designed to provide expert guidance in physical fitness, dining and nutrition, intellectual and artistic pursuits, social and travel adventure, and relaxation.

Wellness reaches beyond physical health and includes seven dimensions that are reflective of our whole lives as social, emotional, spiritual, intellectual, physical beings. Our wellness also includes our vocation and our environment - because all of these things affect our day to day lives. Wellness is not about living the "perfect" life and never eating a donut or missing a day of exercise. Wellness is about finding a balanced approach to life.

One of the unique wellness programs at La Siena is our Brain Fitness Program by Posit Science. "Brain Fit" was designed by top scientists to provide the brain with the precise exercise it needs to grow stronger and sharper. Scientific research studies have shown that Brain Fit can significantly improve memory. After taking the program, people report feeling sharper or more "on the ball," happier, more confident, and excited about things. Brain Fit has also helped some people feel that they have improved their hearing, listening and communication skills.

La Siena also has monthly wellness education lectures called LivWell Series. These sessions are not the typical "heart health" or "diabetes prevention" seminars you might expect. At La Siena or motto is "1 percent Retirement, 99 percent Fun!" and our LivWell Series is reflective of that with sessions like "Common Exercise Myths - Busted!", Vickie Mullins' "Leaving a Legacy is Easy: Let Your Grandkids Know Their Unibrows Came from Grandpa's Side of the Family!", and "Laugh for the Health of It" with Elaine Lundburg which is coming up on Wednesday, February 18th, at La Siena from 11:00 - 12:30 PM. La Siena is located at 909 E. Northen Avenue, Phoenix, AZ. Call 602-870-5500 to RSVP for events.

Weight Loss Short-Cuts

... May lead to a bad trip down the wrong road!

I have never advocated any weight loss product or drug; “natural” or otherwise and today I found yet another case to illustrate my point.

One of my professional news alerts directed me to the following blog. The article is reflective of the FDA warning, but I want to caution readers that the blog is surrounded by bogus weight loss ads! Since I’m a blogging rookie, I’m not sure what that is about… it seems a bit contradictory to me. Perhaps the author will write me and let me know what is going on there. Anyway, if you would like to take a look at the original article that caught my attention, here it is:

“FDA Warns Consumers About Tainted Weight Loss Pills


Agency seeks recall of products that pose serious health risks


The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is alerting consumers nationwide not to purchase or consume more than 25 different products marketed for weight loss because they contain undeclared, active pharmaceutical ingredients that may put consumers’ health at risk.”

You can also check out the FDA’s website directly. Here’s an excerpt from the FDA site:

“Consumer Directed Questions and Answers about FDA’s Initiative Against Contaminated Weight Loss Products

FDA has developed these questions and answers (Q & A’s) to help consumers, health care practitioners, and the general public understand FDA’s actions regarding weight loss products contaminated with various prescription drugs and chemicals. Many of these products are marketed as dietary supplements. Unfortunately, FDA cannot test and identify all weight loss products on the market that have potentially harmful contaminants in order to assure their safety. Enforcement actions and consumer advisories for unapproved products only cover a small fraction of the potentially hazardous weight loss products marketed to consumers on the internet and at some retail establishments.


1. What undeclared drugs and/or chemicals are contained in the weight loss products associated with this action?


Laboratory tests revealed the presence of sibutramine, rimonabant, phenytoin, and phenolphthalein. A summary of our findings are below:


Product(s) Name

• 2 Day Diet 

• 3 Day Diet
• 
3x Slimming Power 

• 5x Imelda Perfect Slimming 

• 7 Diet Day/Night Formula

• 7 Day Herbal Slim 

• 8 Factor Diet 

• 24 Hours Diet
• 999 Fitness Essence

• Extrim Plus 

• Fatloss Slimming

• GMP

• Imelda Perfect Slim
• Lida DaiDaihua 

• Miaozi Slim Capsules

• Perfect Slim

• Perfect Slim 5x

• ProSlim Plus

• Royal Slimming Formula 

• Slim 3 in 1 

• Slim Express 360

• Slim Tech 

• Somotrim

• Superslim

• Triple Slim
• 
Venom Hyperdrive 3.0 

• Zhen de Shou
• Phyto Shape
• 3x Slimming Power
Extrim Plus
• 8 Factor Diet

• 24 Hours Diet
• 
Fatloss Slimming

• Imelda Perfect Slim

• Perfect Slim 5x

• Royal Slimming Formula

• Superslim
• 
Zhen de Shou

2. What action is FDA taking regarding these tainted weight loss products?


FDA is taking action to help ensure that these products and other products containing undeclared prescription ingredients are removed from the marketplace. FDA has inspected a number of firms associated with the sale of these products and is currently seeking recalls of the products. Based on these inspections and the firms’ responses to recall requests, FDA may take additional enforcement steps to include warning letters, seizure, injunction, or criminal charges.”

And on a final note, as I read this list of tainted weight loss products, it makes me sad. Sad that consumers are in danger and sad that we are willing to spend so much money on unproven products when eating less and moving more are readily available to all. In the meantime I will continue my quest for the truth and continue to try to find a way to make sensible eating and increased activity more exciting so maybe people will learn once and for all that this is the only road to effective weight loss.

Firming up the Flab

The truth about fat loss and exercise -

“The fabulous flab-o-later 5000 can firm your thighs, flatten your abdominals and have you feeling fit in no time flat. This limited time offer is not available in stores so act NOW!”

Ah, the info-mercial! It’s hard to go anywhere these days without seeing the latest and greatest wonder-gadget to help us get a “better” body. Whether it is saggy saddlebags, flabby abs, or a drooping derrière – those pesky “problem areas” are clearly the root of all evil. The promise is that you can: tone it, tighten it, lift it, firm it, shape it, or sculpt it with this machine or that exercise… But, these are promises that no single exercise can deliver. To find out why, we need to take a look at what “it” is and how “it” works.

What is it? We name it, specifically love handles or beer belly and in general terms flab. Is it a muscle issue? No, it is a fat issue. Adipose tissue. Fat, not muscle is the problem. Physiologically, fat and muscle are two totally separate systems in the body. They have different jobs. Muscle, helps us move around or even just sit upright. Muscle is like the engine in a car, it works to get from one place to another. Fat is an essential part of our bodies, some is located just under the skin and helps to insulate our bodies and some helps to cushion our vital organs. When we repeatedly consume more calories than our bodies can burn, we store those excess calories as - you guessed it – FAT. The distribution of that excess fat around our bodies is genetically predetermined. We don’t get to decide where to store it or where to lose it. Bummer!

How does it work? Fat doesn’t work like muscle does, it just hangs out. Using the car analogy, if muscle is the engine – then fat is the baggage in the trunk. Generally speaking, fat is a storage unit. Muscle can contract to help us run, jump or lift a weight – fat can’t. Muscle can be trained (through exercise) and get bigger and stronger – fat can’t. In essence, fat is lazy – it will not work no matter how hard your try. There is no “target” exercise for fat so it cannot be toned, tightened, lifted, firmed, shaped or sculpted. Fat is not a muscle group. You can’t train fat – it refuses to do work. Fat is totally, utterly and completely disobedient!

The brutal truth is you can’t firm up the flab. You can train the muscle under the flab, but the flab will remain flab. To get rid of flab we need to burn the excess calories that we have stored in the trunk. Calories are burned in the greatest amounts when we do whole body, cardiovascular exercise. Reducing the amount of calories we consume will also help us lose the excess body fat. We don’t lose fat from pieces and parts of our bodies; we lose it from the whole system. And when we train our muscles, we should train the whole system (all major muscle groups) not just pieces and parts. Reduced calorie consumption + increased calorie burning (whole body exercise) = body fat reduction - aka flab loss. So, step away from the flab-o-later 5000 and back on the bike, the treadmill or whatever gets your heart rate up and makes you sweat for about 30 minutes, 5 or more days a week.