Posts Tagged ‘health’
Holiday Recovery 101
How many of you are suffering through the ‘January Blahs’? It’s no wonder for many of us this month seems to go on forever. We women hold it together through the hectic holiday season, running the show, with not a minute to even think about getting sick or slowing down. Then, along comes January and we look forward to a little down-time only to be slammed by a nasty cold/sinus infection/cough/insert other annoying bug or virus here. This year, we want to help you make the transition from the December crazies to the dreary or monotonous months of January in good health and good spirits. Here’s the plan: GET SOME EXERCISE: Be kind to your body and do not punish it with extra trips to the gym and grueling pain-inducing workouts just because you managed to eat too much shortbread over the holidays. Focus on feeling healthy, not guilty. Get some cardio to keep your spirits up, plus some strength exercises to make sure you’re staying toned for when the winter clothes are shed again. Rome wasn’t built in a day and that holiday flab isn’t leaving you that soon either. Resolve to be kind to your body and keep it strong and healthy, to improve your blood circulation, boost your energy levels, and to get some alone time to concentrate on yourself. And if you can’t get to the gym, promise yourself you will get in a small walk, some stretching, or just some hopping around to music a few times a week while cooking dinner or doing housework. COOK FROM SCRATCH: Okay, we do realize that not everybody is adept in the kitchen but after a month of fatty foods, sweets, and culinary indulgences, there is something very appealing about a big bowl of homemade vegetable soup and some warm bread, or a nice baked chicken breast with garlic mashed potatoes and wilted spinach. Maybe now is that time to take that slow cooker your great-aunt gave you three Christmases ago out of the box and give it a whirl. The internet is your friend when it comes to simple, healthy recipes in a flash. KEEP UP WITH HOBBIES AND FRIENDS: Kids go back to school in January (hallelujah) but so can we grown-ups! Adult classes are starting a new semester in January as well, so why not sign up for some pottery, carpentry, creative writing, or salsa dance lessons? Having somewhere to go one evening a week helps to fend off the winter blahs, and meeting new friends is just a wonderful bonus. Keeping up with old friends is another promise you should make yourself this winter. Once the enforced ‘togetherness’ of the holidays is over and we’ve all had time to catch our breath, it’s nice to get together and share a quiet glass of wine with some of your nearest and dearest. When it’s cold and blowy outside, and nobody really wants to brave the noise and clamour of a pub, converge at each other’s houses for some quality time. It’s a great way to stave off the isolation and melancholy that can set in after the holidays are over and winter sets in. LIMIT CAFFEINE AND SUGAR INTAKE: When it’s freezing outside or you’re stressed by playing catch-up after taking time away from the office, a nice hot drink could be just what the doctor ordered. Yet by mid-February many of us often find ourselves on a caffeine induced rollercoaster of fatigue and then sleeplessness. Make it a mission to find non-caffeinated substitutes for your favourite orange pekoes and lattes. There have never been so many varieties of herbal teas or decaffeinated coffees on the market, so dive in and see what you like. You may find that the ritual of sipping from a steaming mug is just as satisfying whether it’s rocket fuel coffee or lemon and honey. And if you simply can’t imagine cutting out caffeine altogether, make sure you don’t consume any after 4pm so that it will have worn off by bedtime. Similarly, the sugary sweets we indulged in over the holidays actually drain our energy. The high we first experience is actually a spike in our blood sugar level which then causes our body to release insulin. That means a subsequent crash. And if you’re having your sugar with a dose of caffeine, you’ve got yourself a vicious cycle. Take those leftover cookies and treats, and pop them in the freezer (if you just can’t bear to toss them). Not only will you have a small occasional treat for yourself for a few months to come, but freezing them means you have to actually defrost them before you indulge, giving you the chance to reconsider your choice. GET LOTS OF SLEEP: Getting enough sleep means you will have a stronger ability to fight off those nasty winter bugs, it will make you more patient with your loved ones, it will make you better able to focus at work, and studies have shown that people who get less sleep are more likely to put on weight (oh, those late-night munchies)! We women always feel like there is never enough time in the day, so throw caution to the wind and head to bed an hour early for a week and see how you feel. The universe will not come crashing to an end and you may even find yourself waking up more refreshed, less groggy, and capable of being more productive during the day. Most importantly, begin the year as you mean to go on. Do you plan on 12 months of fatigue, sore muscles, and take-out food? Sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? Forget all the endless articles, commercials, and television shows about diets, resolutions,and food fads. The biggest and most important resolution you can possibly make is to be kind to your body and soul… and in turn they will be kind to you.Enjoy the Feast Without Getting Fat: A Guide to Conscious Choice this Holiday Season
Ready or not the holidays are full steam ahead!
During this time of year there is an abundance of delicious food and treats available almost everywhere we go: gigantic family dinners, tasting events at local restaurants, and of course personally wrapped fresh baked goodies from neighbors delivered right to your front door. I love to go to festive social events and enjoy delicious foods during the holidays—but, I especially love maintaining my health practices throughout this season of indulgence. There is a way to “have it all,” – the freedom to enjoy the holidays, without having to pay the price of gaining those extra pounds. Here are three key principles that will allow you the freedom to enjoy the holidays, surrounded by abundant food, while still maintaining your waistline. Principle 1: Abundance vs. Scarcity: Changing the way we view holiday food A mindset of scarcity can make it easy to overindulge during the holidays. If we view eating certain foods as an expiring opportunity, our tendency will be to overeat. Yes, the pumpkin cheesecake is amazing, and the homemade rolls are to die for….but this isn’t the only season of the year when fine dining can be enjoyed. Take an honest assessment of the diversity of opportunities you have to eat calorie laden desserts and rich foods. You may be surprised to note just how many pieces of fudge and other delicacies are presented to you throughout the year. Being honest and accurate in assessing the abundant opportunity to enjoy good food empowers us to partake of smaller portions, savoring the bites we choose to enjoy, and perhaps passing altogether on foods we don’t truly love.Principle 2: Everything is a choice: Say “Yes” to yourself
Have you ever been told that something you wanted was “off-limits,” and found yourself wanting that thing even more? There is something very alluring and enticing about things that are placed in the “off-limits” category in life. It is human nature. So, get in the habit of saying “yes” to yourself, and realize you are in control of your choices. Several years ago my uncle told me how frustrated he was that his three year old daughter wasn’t interested in playing with the multitude of toys he had purchased for her. What she did want to play with were all the breakable items that she had been told “no” to time after time. Naturally, she wanted most what she couldn’t have, and her tantrums let everyone know that. Consider the foods that may be in your “off limits” category. The psychology of human nature is similar to that of my young niece—our desires are often magnified by the “forbidden fruit.” Saying no to ourselves over and over again can allow a residue of pent-up emotions to build within us, perhaps eventually manifesting as an all out binge session. Choose instead to say “yes” to yourself. On one occasion saying “yes” may mean ordering a chocolate molten cake. On another occasion you may choose to say “yes” to your healthy lifestyle and refrain from eating dessert altogether.Principle 3: Keep moving forward: Indulge and move on
Quite easily, the holiday season can morph from being a few great meals to an all out stuff-fest for several months. After indulging on one occasion it may be tempting to just twirl a white handkerchief in the air and “give up” and just choose to eat anything and everything for the entire holiday season in an unconscious blur. To feel better you may even tell yourself that you will “start” a diet at a popular future date……the New Year! Realize that when you choose to indulge at an event or feast, you can also choose to do so moderately, and then move on. Having a few good meals during the holiday season is not going to destroy all of your hard work and good daily habits. If you have a few occasions that you consciously give yourself permission to indulge, your health goals can still be maintained. Don’t give up the war simply because you may have lost one battle.With these simple ways of changing the way holiday food and events are viewed, you can have it all this holiday season. Focus on what you want most for yourself in health, wellness, and enjoying life. Through doing this, your food choices will be more balanced and fulfilling this holiday season and for the entire year!
Are You Pre-Diabetic? Every Woman’s Wake Up Call: You Could Be ‘Fat on the Inside’
“But diabetes is a fat person’s disease!” you gasp. “How can a successful, professional woman like myself possibly develop diabetes? I’m not overweight at all!” Well, we have news for you, sister. Woman to woman: it’s time to start re-thinking what we know about type 2 diabetes and how it can affect women just like you (and me!). The fact is that more and more women are becoming diabetic and lifestyle still has a lot to do with it, but not in the way you think. Here’s how it may play out:- You’re a successful 30, 40, or 50-something professional, but you have a lot of stress in your work and home life, so you can’t find the time to exercise like you used to when you were in your 20s.
- You’ve manage to keep your weight down because there isn’t a diet that you haven’t tried over the years. You are the yo-yo queen but that’s okay, because it helps to keep you slim even when you overindulge in sweets or wine.
- And yes, you might still smoke (you’ve been meaning to quit) but you need some kind of stress relief in your crazy day and it’s a way to get away from being chained to your desk. And those cocktails after work are just another way to unwind (although sometimes the nights out with the girls do get out of hand).
- Maintaining your weight through dieting alone: 15% of new cases are not overweight on the outside (National Institutes of Health statistics), but something much more scary instead. These people are called ‘Fat on the Inside,’ which means that dangerous fat stores internally surrounding key organs instead of showing outwardly around the middle as a paunch. Dr. Jimmy Bell coined the term when he made his recent discovery. He determined that these internal fat deposits cause inflammatory substances to affect your liver and pancreas, and lower your insulin sensitivity, putting you on the road to Diabetes.
- Yo-Yo dieting: Every time we drop weight, we lose muscle, but when we gain the weight again, we don’t get that muscle back. Your body clings to that extra fat because it is afraid of being starved again and this kind of fat produces more hormones and proteins, which affects your glucose levels and triggers the start of type 2 diabetes.
- Eating processed ‘diet’ foods or bingeing on fatty, sugary foods: Let’s face it; many diet foods are a minefield of bad choices. Sugar-free foods often add fat, and fat-free foods often add sugar. If you live on anything marked ‘low-cal’ or ‘diet’ you could be doing more harm than good. Add to that the tendency for women to ‘comfort eat’ by indulging in fatty or sugary foods and you elevate the real risk of becoming ‘fat on the inside’.
- Being stressed out all the time: Whenever we experience stress, our body produces the hormone cortisol which gives you that jolt of energy but it also elevates your blood sugar levels. If you are stressed all the time, it is going to take a toll on your body and its ability to handle sugars and fats over the long-term.
- You are smoking and/or drinking: Whether your vice is cosmos or Corona, if you drink more than the recommended amount of alcohol on a regular basis (1 drink a day for women) you will have more of that dangerous internal fat. You also run the risk of chronic inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), which can impair its ability to secrete insulin and ultimately lead to diabetes. Tobacco can increase blood sugar levels as well and lead to insulin resistance.
1) Get Moving: Statistics show that overweight people who exercise regularly are at lower risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes than thin people who are sedentary. Get off your couch, push away from your desk and get moving. Your life might depend on it.
2) Eat ‘real’ foods high in fibre: Legumes, oats, brown rice, fruits, and berries high in fibre all help to regulate blood sugar levels. You get the added bonus of lowering your cholesterol as well.
3) Cut out processed ‘diet’ foods: Don’t believe what the label tells you. A cookie is still a cookie. Think twice about what you put in your mouth.
4) Slow and steady wins the race: Yo-yo dieting is called that for a reason. Get off the yo-you and embrace the slow and steady approach to weight loss. Crash diets will only harm you in the long run and they just aren’t worth it.
5) Take vitamin D: There is some evidence that a lack of this vitamin in your diet can hinder insulin function and glycemic control so make sure you get in those fatty fish, tinned tuna, fortified milk products, and supplements
6) Find a way to fight stress: Exercise is already a great stress reliever, but find other ways to relax and decompress, whether it’s through yoga, meditation, or a lunchtime walk.
Most importantly though, speak with your doctor. It is recommended that women over 40 are to be tested for diabetes every 3 years. Make sure you bring up your concerns with your physician. Diabetes is a very old disease but it is developing a new face because of the stressed, desk-strapped, diet obsessed lifestyles that we women are leading today. Be aware, be informed, and be healthy. We need you rocking your life in the world!Better Than Barefoot!
For many of us, the new fad of running barefoot isn’t all that the experts crack it up to be and most of us aren’t going to be jumping off the couch to try it. Here is something better… I love – LOVE – my Vibram Five Fingers though – the new “better than barefoot” toe shoes… Sure they look goofy but they feel divine. REALLY. Although the young man at the sports store said ” you won’t wear anything else”, he hasn’t met a 5’3″ redhead fireball who loves her CFM shoes!! I let him know that I plan to wear them as often as possible so that I can continue to wear my stilettos into my 70’s. He looked aghast. I recently took them around the Greek Isles and got so many comments that I wish I have the European distribution rights. They allow me to feel a medicine ball with my toes when I am doing a yoga plank (NOT something I can do when I have runners on). The other plus, they spread my toes open again after I have had a night of dancing in 4+ inch stilettos. You know me, always the Engineer, my arches felt like they wanted a bit more support so I customized my ‘better than barefoot experience’ and inserted 3/4 length arch support inserts – now they are even more divine! I am more grounded and stable and have better mobility in my feet/toes. this translates to I am willing to walk more and move more. Confession: I haven’t tried the new ‘barefoot” runners (in fact other than a recent sprint to the subway, you aren’t going to get me to run) but I will advocate for the new fangled five-finger toe shoes anytime!INSPIRATION FOR BUSY WOMEN : WOMEN WHO RUN IT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF FIONA FINE’S EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH MRS. UTAH AND FITNESS EXPERT, ELIZABETH ANDERSON
INSPIRATION FOR BUSY WOMEN : WOMEN WHO RUN IT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF FIONA FINE’S EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH MRS. UTAH AND FITNESS EXPERT, ELIZABETH ANDERSON TORONTO, Nov. 8, 2012 – Fiona Fine, Editor-In-Chief of the e-magazine for strong, successful,super-achieving women, Women Who Run It: Your Life – Your Love – Your Terms!, is thrilled to announce her exclusive interview with Elizabeth Anderson, current Mrs. Utah, fitness expert, entrepreneur, and mother of 4. Fiona was able to chat with Elizabeth for an extensive one-on-one interview where they spoke about diet, exercise, and Elizabeth’s techniques for even the busiest woman to make time to eat healthy and exercise. And now, Fiona is sharing the entire audio interview online with the subscribers of www.womenwhorunit.com “This is just the kind of information our women are seeking,” says Fiona. “Our readers are driven, they are busy, they have families and careers, and are running the show on all fronts. Elizabeth is giving them ways to take control of what they are eating and how they are exercising that will fit in with their ‘alpha’ woman lifestyles.” The podcast will include Elizabeth’s tips on:- How to stop overeating with a great new trick.
- Cooking for your week in an hour (all healthy meals!)
- Great snacks in a hurry – perfect for the office!
- When FAT is actually GOOD for you!!
- Killer smoothies that are sure to satisfy
- How to fit in a great workout into JUST 10 minutes!
- A 5 minute de-STRESS method.
Get Your Health Off the Back Burner! An Interview with Elizabeth Anderson
Our Editor-In-Chief, Fiona Fine has scored an interview with Mrs. Utah 2012 and Fitness Expert, Elizabeth Anderson. Listen in to find out how to go from Frustrated and Hungry to Fit, Fabulous and Healthy!
Elizabeth dishes on:- Tips to stop overeating.
- Healthy cooking for your week in an hour
- Great snacks in a hurry – perfect for the office!
- What FAT is GOOD FAT?
- Killer smoothies recipes.
- How to fit in a great workout into JUST 10 minutes!
- A 5 minute de-STRESS method.