To Bean or not to Bean

If you're like most people, you started off your day with a cup of coffee. I admit, I sometimes start my morning off with organic coffee with steamed almond milk topped with cinnamon. I love the smell of coffee but I love the emotions that I associate with having my occasional morning coffee.  The sun has not yet come up, it's peaceful and very quiet. I sit with my coffee and reflect on my intention set for that day and visualize how I want my day to be. Then I dive right in with purpose and meaning. 

Coincidently, I read one of my favourite blogs this morning and her topic was about "how much is too much caffeine?"  It gives a wonderful breakdown of the make up of caffeine and it's effects on the body and mind.  I hope you'll find it helpful and that it will inspire you to make a choice to reduce your intake or maybe even eliminate it entirely!


http://kriscarr.com/blog-video/caffeine-addiction/

Stay active and anything is possible!

Tips for eating out

The holidays may well be over but somehow other social events sneak up on you and before you know it, you're eating out again. i.e. birthdays, family or work events, baby showers, etc. So how do you enjoy these events without over indulging, feeling bloated, tired, and possibly hung over? By making smart and healthier choices.

Here are some tips to help you enjoy eating out without feeling guilty.

1. Eat something healthy before you go out such as small bowl of low fat plain yogurt with fresh fruit, a small bowl high-fibre cereal with almond milk and topped with cinnamon. Think high fibre foods to help
reduce hunger and keep you full longer

2. On arrival, drink a glass of water. This will also help you feel fuller and help you from reaching for that
glass of wine too soon! Speaking of wine, if you do order a cocktail, be sure to drink water as well. This will help you from dehydrating and it will help you feel more full. (not to mention decrease the effects of alcohol)

3. When the bread basket comes around the table, (which you should ignore) after everyone has their
share, don't hesitate to ask the waiter to remove it from the table. The longer it's there the more
tempted you may be to have one! (or two, or three)

4. Start with a soup or salad before your main meal. Be sure to choose soups that are vegetable or
bean based. This will help you to feel full which will decrease the likelihood of having dessert later on.

For salads, always ask for dressing on the side. Restaurants tend to be too generous with the amount
they put on their salads, especially Caesar salads.

5. Skip the baked/mashed potatoes (even sweet potatoes) and rice. (unless the restaurant has brown or
wild rice and maybe even quinoa) Instead, ask the waiter for two other vegetables instead with no butter or at least ask for butter on the side.

6. Choose low fat cuts of meat or skinless poultry (or poultry that you can easily remove the skin).
Fish and shellfish are also excellent choices but chose options that are grilled or baked. Stay away from breaded, battered and definitely fried for any kind of meat or poultry!

7. For your main dish, ask for sauces on the side.

8. Desserts. This is a challenge for me and I'm sure I'm not alone! If available, fresh fruits are your best
option and I don't mean fresh fruits accompanied with cheese cake, pie or ice cream!  But, if you have to
try that specialty dessert, ask for extra forks and share it.

9. If you are a coffee drinker and like to end a meal with nice fresh cup of joe or espresso, ask for
decaffeinated. Or, why not try an herbal tea? Restaurants are offering much more varieties these days and some herbal teas even help with digestion and curb sugar cravings.

10. Last but not least, make sure you eat and chew your food SLOWLY.  Often I'll try and chew my food
at least 20 times before swallowing. But who has time to count when you're engaged in a conversation?
Instead, try putting your fork down between every mouthful. This will not only help your digestion system
work better, you'll have more time to savour and taste your meal.


Now that you have some tips for eating out at restaurants, why not apply them to dinner parties? You can even apply them when eating in the comforts of your own home.


Stay active and anything is possible!
Donna

High Intensity Interval Training and Yoga

HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) is all the rage right now and for good reason. It pushes you to work harder and to get out of your comfort zone. But for most people, one of the best benefits of HIIT training is that it saves you time as you burn off more calories, improve your cardiovascular level and lose more fat. I love HIIT and I often use this method for my clients who are capable of performing this type of training and who enjoy it. Well, enjoy is relative of course. But I also encourage my clients to balance their fitness programs with yoga and finding a style of yoga that works for them. As a HIIT advocate, when I began practicing yoga as part of my Ironman training last summer, I found it challenging to go from high impact workouts into a space of stillness and quietness. But after a few months, I discovered that my yoga practice was not just physical, it taped into my emotional and mental state of mind.

Here`s an article that explores the benefits of yoga from a weight loss perspective. However, I found that this article goes way beyond weight loss. Have a read and discover for yourself what yoga can do for you.

http://www.sparkpeople.com/blog/blog.asp?post=you_asked_can_yoga_help_me_lose_weight

Coffee Alternatives

Coffee. It's shocking how that 6 letter word has millions of us addicted to it's aroma, it's taste and it's stimulating effect of waking us up in the morning or getting us through that afternoon slump.  I was one of those individuals until I made a conscious decision 3 years ago to reduce the amount of coffee I drank.

I used to start my day off with a large Vanilla Bean coffee from Second Cup and after 2pm, depending on how tired or foggy I felt, I would have another large Vanilla Bean coffee.  But once I realized how much sugar was in those cups of coffee, I made a commitment to stop drinking them. It was not easy! I had no idea how much buying those 2 cups of coffee (sometimes 3!) was part of my daily ritual. Not to mention how irritable I felt (and was) for not having my regular coffees and the agonizing headaches I experienced.  So I decided to slowly switch to drinking black coffee. But this was not any easier. I was addicted to sugar coffees and I craved them even more when I gave them up! 

As a personal trainer, this was truly a dilemma for me.  So I decided to look for alternatives to coffee. Here are some of those alternatives. I've tried them all except for the hot Maca. But I just bought some yesterday and plan on trying it this week!

Hot Maca

A few tablespoons of maca blended in a cup of warm almond milk, (if you have an espresso machine, use that to warm the almond milk) with a splash of raw honey and ground cinnamon is a delicious way to start the morning. Maca has adrenal boosting properties and will give you that boost without the crash of coffee.

Dandelion Herbal Coffee Blend

This is the closest to coffee flavor that you’ll get. Roasted dandelion, chicory root and maca.  I created my own version and for me, it's the next best thing to a Starbucks coffee moca!

One tea bag of Organic Roasted Dandelion Root from Traditional Medicinals steeped for 3-5 minutes with 1 tablespoon of cacoa powder. 

Matcha Green Tea

Matcha green tea has been labeled as a  superior antioxidant, detoxifier and energy booster. "Because you ingest the high-quality powder, rather than the herb infusion, the health benefits are higher than those of green tea"

Organic, Single-Origin Coffee

If you really just can't or just don't want to give up your cup of java, you can always try organic coffee.  "Poorly sourced coffee contains mycotoxins (mold) that make your coffee less healthy."  So why not experiment and visit you local coffee shops (mom and pop style) and ask your local coffee roasters about the source and quality of their beans. When you find the right coffee bean for you, limit your regular coffee to special occasions or better yet, stick with your new organic coffee! 

Lemon Water

I know this isn't coffee, but I couldn't resist adding it. The benefits of drinking hot water with fresh squeezed lemon are limitless! It's a great way to start off your day and wake up your metabolism!  More about this topic shortly! 

Stay active and anything is possible! 

* References from Mind, Body, Spirit website. 

High Intensity Interval Training

Winter provides challenges when it comes to training outdoors. But it doesn't have to stop you from training all together. There are many options you can choose from if old man winter prevents you from training outdoors and you don't even have to leave the comforts of your own home! A few weeks ago I was itching to go outside for my normal run. But due to the severe weather conditions, I chose to train indoors and perform a HIIT workout. (High Intensity Interval Training)

Here's the program I did and let me tell you. By the time I finished I felt as though I had run a fast 5km! (3 miles).

FYI: If you don't have a jump rope, that's okay. Just move your arms as if you are actually using one.

Jump rope (lifting both feet) 1 minute
High knees: 30 seconds
(This means running in place while lifting your knees up toward
your chest making sure the knees are at least the height of
your hips)
Jump rope (alternating lifting your feet just like you are running
in place) 1 minute
High knees: 30 seconds
Jump rope (jumping side to side) 1 minute
High knees: 30 seconds
Jump rope (jumping forward and backward) 1 minute
High knees: 30 seconds
Jump rope: (hopping on one foot) 1 minute
High knees: 30 seconds
Jump rope: (hopping on opposite foot) 1 minute
High knees: 30 seconds
Jump rope: (scissor kicks: alternating moving legs forward and
backwards) 1 minute
High knees: 30 seconds

(Total time for one set is 10 minute 30 seconds)

Rest 2 minutes and repeat for 3-5 sets with a 2 minute rest in between each set

Stay active and anything is possible!

Healthy Practice Tip #6

I don't know about you, but during the holidays, I definitely find myself eating more sweets and other delicious foods. Therefore, taking care of my teeth becomes an even higher priority! Which leads to healthy tip #6! 

6. Brush and floss.

Your teeth (and gums) reflect your overall health, so take care of them! You probably have the brushing down, but get that flossing going too, every time! See your dentist every six months, and brush and floss after every meal! 

My comments: During one of my annual visits to my dentist, I informed my dentist that one of new health goals was to  brush my teeth after every meal (including snacks) rather than my usual morning and evening routine. I was surprised when she said that if I was rushed for time, she'd rather me floss my teeth rather than brush! Of course I asked her why and her response made sense. Flossing helps remove food bits and plaque from the tight spaces between the teeth and under the gums whereas brushing simply cleans the tops and outer surfaces of the teeth and gums.  By removing plaque when it is in it's early form (soft and pliable) you hinder plaque from hardening and turning into tartar.  But what I learned next was even more interesting. Flossing not only prohibits discolored teeth and bad breath it can prevent other diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and respiratory illness!  I was so intrigued by this information that I dug around for some other benefits of flossing and was astonished at how such a simple activity that takes a few minutes can make such an impact on your overall health! Here are a few links that I came across that list even more benefits of flossing! 

http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/oral-care/products/5-reasons-flossing-is-important.htm

http://www.activebeat.co/your-health/8-ways-flossing-benefits-more-than-oral-health/?utm_source=google&utm_campaign=adwords&utm_medium=cpc&utm_keyword=benefits%20of%20flossing%20teeth

So why not start today and pull out that dental floss sitting in the back of your medicine cabinet and start flossing! 

Stay active and anything is possible! 

Healthy Tip #5 That You Already Know-But Probably Aren't Doing!

It's been a few days since my last post. Are you ready for Healthy Tip number 5?  Here it is!  (from www.mindbodygreen.com) 

5. Wear sunscreen

You’ll like the crow’s feet you have from all the smiles, but the scars from the “suspicious moles” removed? Not so much. Save yourself the trouble and slop on that sunscreen.

My comments: We all know that wearing sunscreen is very important, but must of us never apply it, especially in the winter! I will be the first to admit that I hardly ever apply sunscreen as soon as the weather gets cold.  It's hard to think of  the possibility of getting a sun burn when old man winter comes for a visit and the sun sets by 4:30 pm! But regardless of the temperature or the season, the sun still emits ultraviolet or UV rays, which is a type of radiation that can damage our skin and lead to premature aging, ie. the infamous crow's eyes, or even more devastating, cancer.    

Here are some interesting facts for you regarding UV rays in the winter and why wearing sunscreen is important! 

a. Snow can reflect up to 80% of UV rays 
b. Altitude can also increase the UV strength by 10-12%
c. Even on a cloudy winter day, up to 80% of UV rays reach the ground 
d. Sunscreen has been proven to protect us from the sun's UV rays and therefore, help prevent premature aging! 
e. Sunscreen can also reduce the likelihood of developing skin cancer! 

So whether or not you are a winter sports enthusiasts, wearing sunscreen in the winter is worth it! But choosing the right products is also very important. Here is a link that provides a quick guide to effective,  year round, sun protection products: 

http://www.dermalinstitute.com/us/news/?p=690

Oh, one more thing. Don't forget to protect your lips! They need protection from the sun just as much as your skin does! 


Stay active and anything is possible! 
Donna