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What’s the biggest health hazard for teenagers? There are a few candidates, but the clear winner is . . . the automobile.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, about 5,500 teenagers are killed each year in auto crashes, and about 450,000 are injured. Looking at the statistics another way, the crash rate among 16-year-old drivers is a whopping nine times the rate of the general population.

While drugs and alcohol are a problem, the biggest single cause of accidents seems to be inexperience. (Of course, drugs and alcohol exacerbate the problem of inexperience.) Inexperienced drivers tend to look away from the road for longer periods of time when distracted, especially by what’s going on inside the car. According to the Academy, eating, drinking and adjusting the radio or climate control actually can cause more accidents than cell phone use.

Many states have enacted laws to target the problem, such as graduated licensing programs and restrictions on nighttime driving. But the biggest influence on teenage drivers is their parents.

So, if you’re a parent of a teenager, what can you do? The Academy suggests a driving contract with your teenager when he or she first begins to drive. For example, the Academy suggests the contract include a promise to obey traffic and speed laws; drive only when not under the influence of alcohol and drugs; wear seat belts and insist that passengers do the same; and never eat, drink or use a cell phone while driving.

The driving contract should also include stiff penalties for violations – such as no driving for a specified number of weeks or months.

Starting out strict, then gradually giving your teenager more freedom as he or she demonstrates proficiency and good habits, gives your teenager something to work toward . . . and gives you some peace of mind.

Dr Mike

 

I had some challenges this week staying on my exercise plan, due to an out of town trip over the holiday weekend.  I left Friday and returned Monday, but knowing this in advance, I made the effort to get my workouts in before Friday, then picked right back up Monday evening after I returned home.  While I was away the only excercise I got was walking around a mall (which wasn't much, but hey it all adds up) because it was cold at the beach where I was staying, and there were no exercise facilities, and I just didn't feel like working out in my room.  One of my friends there, who is a die hard exerciser and about a size 4, went jogging at 6am in 20 degree weather, which was impressive. I really couldn't see even walking that early in such cold weather.

Even though I pretty much stayed on track with excercise, I definitely went off track with the food !  I ate my normal breakfast and had brought several healthy snacks, and ordered grilled seafood when we ate out, but the crab dip, hushpuppies, cheesecake, movie popcorn and dark chocolate in front of me were just a bit too tempting.  I tried to just have a taste and not over indulge, but I am sure all of the treats, on top of the extra wine, added up to a pound or two.  But, I had fun and enjoyed myself, felt in control but still had special treats I wouldn't normally have.  All in all, it was a great weekend spent with friends and I didn't feel overly guilty, and was eager to get back into my routine after it was over.

I also tried something last week I've never done before.  One morning I woke up at 5:30am for some reason and couldn't get back to sleep.  After tossing and turning wide awake, I decided to get up and go to Curves early since they open at 6am.  So I went that cold dark morning and was shocked to see about 8 ladies there at 6am, already working out.  I was done by 6:45, home by 7am and then got ready for work.  I felt so proud and self-righteous for having already done my workout by 9am ! I had more energy that day and wasn't rushing to get it done after work.  Nevermind that I was ready for a nap by 3pm...but had I gone to bed earlier, it would have been a great way to structure my day.  I may just have to give this new schedule a try for a couple of times a week and see if I can get used to it.  

What challenges are you all facing in keeping up with your excercise ?  What new things have you tried recently to make it easier to get your exercise in ?



Dell- a Lumen

As a physician, I believe strongly that the doctor-patient relationship is the foundation of good health care. In fact, it will become more important as health consumers begin to have more knowledge and control of their health (with Lumenos plan consumers being in the forefront of this movement).

 

However, if you’re like many health consumers, you may have felt that you don’t always get to spend enough time with your doctor. If so, you’re not alone, according to a new report.

 

A study led by Dr. Ming Tai-Seale of the Texas A&M Health Science Center found that patients often don’t have time to get sufficient answers to their questions when they visit their physicians.

 

The report, published in Health Services Research, reviewed videotapes of 400 doctor visits by patients age 65 and older. The median time for the visits was 16 minutes and during that time the patients brought up an average of six topics to discuss. Typically, the physician spent several minutes on the most complex topic, with as little as one minute on the others.

 

Why? Because doctors are often under tremendous time pressure to get to as many patients as possible. They can either take time away from the next patient, or limit their discussions with each patient to only the most pressing issue. Clearly, most physicians choose the latter course of action.

 

What can you do as a health care consumer to make the most of your visit? Take advantage of tools like those on the Lumenos online health site to prepare for each visit ahead of time. Know which key questions you really need answered. You’ll be helping yourself and your physician.

 

Dr.Mike

 

As I mentioned in my previous blog, the NY Times magazine published a provocative article entitled "Unhappy Meals".  The author asked the question, "If we know so much about 'nutrition' why is it that our weights and our health are getting worse not better over the past 20 years?”

 

His 3 basic rules, which we've stressed in DocTalks to all health care consumers ring true more than ever:

       

Rule #1:  Eat food that is real food that your grandmother would recognize (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meat, not processed products)

 

Rule #2:  Not too much; we ALL eat too much, too frequently compared to 20 years ago.

 

Rule #3:  Mostly plants; we eat too much animal fat, protein and need to eat like earlier cultures (Asian, Mediterranean) with plant-based diets.

 

In this week's letters to the editor, Dr. Mark Goldstein of Naples, Florida coins a new term which I love:  "McLipitor Syndrome".  His comments are particularly timely as I prepare to deliver DocTalk #6 devoted to the top 10 prescription drug classes - their lifestyle causes, their alternatives and optimal use when indicated. 

 

He states: "I call it the McLipitor Syndrome.  Patients feel they can eat whatever they want as long as they take a statin drug to lower cholesterol.  Because of time constraints, physicians may spend little time counseling lifestyle change, which can work as well as or better than the best drugs for heart disease, obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure."

 

Dr Mark says it all.  Eat right (or at least better), move everyday (shoot for 30 minutes), quit or don't start using tobacco, modest (if any alcohol use) and learn healthy responses to stress and pressures of everyday living.  Still the "best medicine"!

 

Have a great week.

 

Dr Mike

 

Many years ago, before we knew as much about nutrition and all the components of diet (i.e. what’s ‘good’ and ‘bad’ for us), most people were healthier than we are today. Lower rates of cancer, heart disease, diabetes. So what’s wrong?

 

Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma and other books, believes science is part of the problem. In a recent New York Times essay titled “Unhappy Meals,” he describes how nutritionists have depended too much on the accepted scientific technique of reductionism: reducing what we eat into component parts and studying them one by one, rather than the relationships between all the components in a particular food – or the relationships between foods and the people who eat them.

 

The result is that we get a continuous – and often contradictory – stream of recommendations about various components in our diet, like saturated fat, cholesterol, antioxidants, vitamins, omega-3 oils, and so on. Food makers have complied with a vast array of products that are fortified with vitamins, or are lowfat or low-carb, or contain sugar substitutes. But what they add in or take out may actually be disturbing a complex relationship between the different components of a particular food.

 

And in the meantime, the diet of Americans has kept making us less healthy, because it contains too much of just about everything except fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Mr. Pollan recommends that if we want to eat right, we need to get back to basics. Here are a few of his suggestions:

 

• Eat food, and stay away from items that have been heavily processed or refined. Mr. Pollan recommends this simple guideline: eat foods your great-grandmother would have recognized.
• Avoid foods with health claims. This means they’ve been heavily processed, and their health claims are likely to be overturned with the next study.
• Avoid products with ingredients that are unfamiliar or unpronounceable.
• Be willing to pay more for better food, and eat less of it.
• Eat mostly plants, especially leaves. (You don’t have to give up meat entirely; vegetarians tend to be healthier than meat-eaters, but near-vegetarians are just as healthy as vegetarians.)
• Cook your own food as much as possible.
• Eat a diverse diet. The more variety in what you eat, the more likely you are to be obtaining all the nutrients you need.

 

Sometimes the simplest advice is the most difficult to follow. But when it comes to what we eat, most of us would probably be better off if we stopped trying to keep up with the latest nutritional studies and instead followed the simple advice above.

 

Dr.Mike

This is the first winter I've ever exercised regularly since I can remember, and I've noticed this past week that I'm starting to actually look forward to it, on some days.  Now this is a huge change for me, and I don't know if it's because I'm stuck in the house more and just bored, or that I like the way I feel after I exercise, or both, but last week I noticed this change in attitude.  My thoughts have shifted from trying to find excuses or talk myself out of it, to not really debating it and just going, to now actually thinking, "Hmmm I don't mind this and I feel better once it's done".  I wonder if I'll feel the same way when the days get longer and the weather gets warmer!

One thing I plan to do more of this Spring is more walking.  So I came across this article about the proper way to walk and found some interesting tips.  Here's what the experts say are the top 10 mistakes people make when they walk for exercise:

1.  Overstriding- use shorter quicker steps instead, rolling through each step with your back foot to push off to the next step.

2.  Wearing the wrong shoes- Walking shoes should be light weight, flexible, not over 1 year old and the right size (not too small).  See my previous post about finding the right excercise shoes.

3.  Flapping or slapping your feet to the ground- Again, the right shoe helps alleviate this problem, also strengthening your shines and ankles by doing toe raises.

4.  Not using your arms-  Your arms should be bent at 90 degrees and move naturally back and forth as you walk.

5.  "Chicken Winging"- Swinging your elbows too far away from your body.  They should be close.

6.  Keeping your head down- You should look up as you walk, with your chin parallel to the ground, eyes focused about 10-20 feet ahead.

7.  Leaning- You shouldn't lean forward or backward too far when walking. Kep your body straight but relaxed.  Think "suck in your gut, tuck in your butt".

8.  The wrong clothing- You should wear reflective clothing if you walk at night, dress in layers of loose clothing.  Wear a hat to keep you warm or protected from the sun.

9.  Not drinking enough- Besides drinking water throughout the day ten minutes before your walk, drink a glass of water.  Drink another glass or two after you finish.  For longer walks, carry water with you and drink every 20 minutes.

10.  Over training- Don't walk so long and so often that you burn out.  Take a day off now and then to let your body repair.  

Here is the full article.

I'm looking forward to walking more when the weather is warmer.  Only a few more weeks for most of us !  What other tips or advice do you all have about walking ? 

Have a great week, everyone and keep up the exercise !



Dell- a Lumen

We know that U.S. children are increasingly becoming overweight and obese. And, as LuAnn Heinen notes in a recent message to the National Business Group on Health, the problem has been identified: adults.

 

It’s tempting to make kids happy with the foods they love. But as parents, grandparents and mentors, we have a responsibility to make them healthy with the foods they need. And one of the biggest problems is school lunches.

 

A recent New York Times article spotlighted the fact that many school don’t have the resources to provide consistently healthy meals. Ms. Heinen suggests that parents find out what types of lunches their kids are receiving at school and, if those lunches don’t make the grade, pack a lunch instead.

 

If you do pack a lunch, the National Business Group on Health offers some tips, adapted from a tipsheet developed by the Clinton Foundation’s Alliance for a Healthier Generation. You can download the tipsheet yourself at http://www.businessgrouphealth.org/docs/lunchforkids_childhoodobesity.doc

 

It offers practical ways to create lunches your kids will actually enjoy – without the extra fat, sugar and calories they don’t need.

 

It may take a little more of your time to ensure your kids are eating right at school, but isn’t a lifetime of better health worth it?

 

Dr Mike

This week I couldn't think of much to write about regarding fitness- other than to encourage everyone to stick with your fitness plans! I know I have been very tempted to skip my workouts this past week, but I managed to get 3 in.  With the weather being cold, it's certainly not as easy to get any extra walking in, but at least I'm getting in 30 minutes three times per week as a minimum.  I'm going to really try to do some indoor in-front-of-the-tv stuff this week to keep my metabolism going. 

So this week, inspired by the Healthy Recipe challenge for this contest, I found some healthier versions of some great looking Superbowl party food- a couple I'm going to try.  Whether you are hosting the big game or going to watch it elsewhere, these recipes from WeightWatchers.com looked tasty and EASY to make.  Hope you will try them!

Spicy BBQ Meatballs
POINTS® Value: 1
Servings:  30

• 1 1/2 pound lean ground turkey
• 1 cup uncooked quick oats
• 2 medium egg white(s)
• 1 large onion(s), finely chopped
• 1 medium garlic clove(s), chopped
• 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 1/2 tsp beef bouillon granules
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 1/4 cup barbecue sauce

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Combine all ingredients, except barbecue sauce, in a medium-size bowl; mix well.

Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Shape meatball mixture into sixty 1-inch balls; place on baking sheet.

Bake at 350ºF until cooked through, about 25 minutes. Transfer meatballs to a chafing dish or crockpot to keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat barbecue sauce over medium-high heat until hot. Pour sauce over cooked meatballs, toss gently and serve. Yields 2 meatballs per serving.


Layered Mexican Bean Dip
POINTS® Value: 2
Servings:  16

• 16 oz fat-free canned refried beans
• 3 medium avocado, Haas, finely mashed
• 1/4 tsp table salt
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup fat-free sour cream
• 2 Tbsp Old El Paso Fajita Seasoning Mix, or other brand
• 1/2 cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese
• 1 small tomato(es), chopped
• 2 medium scallion(s), sliced
• 10 medium olive(s), black, sliced or chopped
• 2 Tbsp cilantro, fresh, chopped

Spread beans evenly over bottom of a 9 X 13-inch glass baking dish or a medium-size glass bowl.

Combine avocado, salt and lemon juice in a small bowl. Spread avocado mixture over beans; top with sour cream.

Sprinkle fajita seasoning over sour cream layer. Next, layer remaining ingredients on top in order listed.

Serve immediately with jicama slices and other fresh vegetables for dipping, or chill until ready to use. Yields about 1/4 cup per serving.

Jalapeño Poppers
Now POINTS® Value: 3
Servings:  8

• 2 sprays olive oil cooking spray, divided
• 2 oz light cream cheese
• 1/2 cup low-fat shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 Tbsp fat-free mayonnaise
• 8 small jalapeno pepper(s)
• 1/4 cup fat-free egg substitute
• 3/4 cup cornflake crumbs

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, cheddar cheese and mayonnaise; mix well and set aside. Halve jalapenos lengthwise and remove seeds. (Oil and seeds from the peppers can be irritating — wear gloves or put plastic bags over your hands. And don’t rub your eyes.) Stuff jalapeno halves with cream cheese mixture.

Place egg substitute in a shallow dish. Place cornflake crumbs in a separate shallow dish. Dip stuffed jalapeno halves into egg substitute and then roll in cornflake crumbs to coat.

Transfer jalapenos to prepared baking sheet and coat with cooking spray.

Bake until filling is bubbly, about 30 minutes. Serve hot. Yields 2 poppers per serving.

 

Dell- a Lumen

I’ve been hearing so much about organic, ‘good karma’ foods these days that I feel like adding my two cents into this debate. One side of the argument is more scientific in nature. This one focuses on how the lack of harsh chemicals and fertilizers allows vegetation to grow in natural surroundings and this improves the quality of the produce. The other argument is more spiritual in nature. One that focuses on the idea of food going beyond simple sustenance – one that determines, to a degree, the kind of energy that is produced within the person who consumes this food.

 

I buy both arguments, in moderation. I think the food that we eat is a multidimensional aspect of our lives. We get energy from food to be able to grow and prosper but food can be an experience in itself too. I’ve personally found that when I eat a fresh fruit or an organic soup, I feel lighter, healthier and energized. On the other hand, when I indulge in fries or ice-cream, the feeling of contentment is quickly lost as the food begins to settle down like a rock in my tummy. The same is also true when I eat foods that are cooked or picked recently versus food that has been lying around in my refrigerator for weeks.

 

The ‘karma’ argument for fresh food comes from the idea that food contains its own life force and that when we eat these foods, the life force is transferred to the person who eats the food.  Whatever the argument, both science and spirituality, brings us to the same conclusion – when provided with a choice opt for fresh foods in their most natural form and avoid canned, processed, ‘dead’ foods.

 

So now, whenever I can, I try to keep my meals healthy and organic, I try to avoid eating distractedly, enjoy my meals a little more and say a little ‘thank you’ to mother nature for all these wonderful gifts.

 

So is there a healthy recipe that you enjoy and would like to share with everyone on Ignite? If yes, then maybe the next ‘Bonus Activity’ for the Get Fit Through the Holidays Challenge is just the place to do so. Stay tuned and keep a look out on the Channels for more information on this.

 

 

Reena (A Lumen)

 

This week I again met my goal of working out 3 times at Curves, however my scale has crept up a few pounds in the past 2 weeks.  I think that even though I am eating "nutritious" foods, I'm still taking in more calories than I'm using or else the scale wouldn't be moving up!  For example, this weekend I made some healthy lentil, spinach and tomato soup with turkey kielbasa-style sausage.  While everything in it was "heatlhy" I never added up the calories and my portions were probably too large and hence, I had more calories than I burned.  I also made a "healthy" lasagna, with whole wheat pasta, fat free cheeses and vegetables, but again I probably ate too much of it and the calories added up.  Plus that bag of baked pita chips and fat free bean dip probably didn't help!  So while I'm on track with the exercise, my weight loss is stalling so I'm going to have to find a way to cut more calories if I want to see the number on the scale go down.

I'm still noticing a lot more folks working out in the past 3 weeks, so much that it's downright crowded!  While I'm glad to see the higher attendance, it just makes me wonder how long it will continue.  How many of us will continue our routines throughout the year?  I plan to be one of them and I hope you all will be too.  One thing that has kept me motivated, strangely enough, is my workout shoes.  I got them for Christmas and absolutely LOVE them.  When I picked them out, I really didn't know what I was doing other than finding some that felt comfortable, but they feel so good they almost seem to boost my energy level when I'm working out.  So I was curious to see what the experts had to say about selecting a good athletic shoe for anyone who is looking, and here's the advice I found on WebMD:


Don't make shoes multitask- get one pair for walking, one for running
Know your foot- check to see if you have high or low arches by making a wet footprint on brown paper
Measure your foot frequently- feet do change sizes
Shop toward the end of the day- feet tend to swell as the day goes on
Bring your own socks
Don't believe in breaking in- they should feel great on day one
Use the rule of thumb- leave 1 thumb's width between your big toe and the shoe
Understand the bells and whistles- some gels, shock absorbers, air, etc. in the shoe are helpful for people who need more support
Don't over- or underpay- big difference between a $15 and $80 pair of shoes
Know when to replace them- 350-400 miles and it's time for new shoes

Here's the full article:

Do your workout shoes fit the bill ?  What other tips would you recommend when looking at shoes or other athletic wear ?



Dell- a Lumen

Wall Street Journal reported on a survey of "top doctors" - "How do you get your exercise into your busy schedule?"

 

1.  Exercise early - means getting up earlier.  "Provides me with an energy boost throughout the day"

 

2.  Stay close to home - walk/jog around your neighborhood and use simple home equipment such as weights.  "Takes me too much time to get to 'gym'".

 

3.  Combine work, family and exercise time - "I would accompany my kids to their practices and walked when they were there" and "I use the treadmill during long phone conference calls"

 

4. Do a weekend workout - " two 3 mile walks each day" or "one or two tennis games" or "practice my Pilates each Saturday".

 

5.  Mix exercise into your day - "I skip email and walk to co-workers desks" . . . "bicycle to work each day".

 

6.  Be committed - "All the doctors saw firsthand the perils of not exercising.  'You can always tell when you're examining someone who exercises.  You feel their muscle tone or they have a slower pulse.  If I don't exercise, I feel like I've done something wrong with my week."

 

Hope there's some inspiration for you here. 

 

Have a great day.

 

Dr. Mike 

 

A thread in the Get Fit Through the Holidays Challenge peaked my interest this week – “Work out while you work.” For the most part the thread discusses how some of us take advantage of our employer’s on-site fitness facility. Cleary, not all employers offer this benefit, although it would be nice if they did.

 

So, what drew me to this thread? To be honest with you I thought (and hoped) it would contain healthy tips for what you can do at the office or during the normal course of the day. And here’s the reason I had hoped for this dialog. In a blog I did a little over six weeks ago, I talked about having to move from my normal cardio-based workouts to more strength training due to a sprained ankle. Well, that sprained ankle turned out to be a little more severe than I had initially thought. For the next four weeks, I have to wear a walking boot that immobilizes my ankle. As you can imagine, this makes working out a bit tougher and doesn’t’ do much for my overall demeanor. Although one added benefit (in a twisted sort of way) of the boot is that walking takes more effort, so I’ve been trying to walk as much as I can – in the hope of burning a few extra calories.

 

So, how can you burn more calories when you can’t find the time to workout?  Walking is one obvious way – take the stairs, walk to lunch, park further away from the building, etc. I also read that people who fidget burn more calories (makes sense), so I’ve taken to listening to my iPod when I work - I tend to tap my foot or fingers to the music. During conference calls I try to get up and walk around the room (as long as it doesn’t bother anyone) or I stand at my desk. And instead of e-mailing or phoning someone if I have question I try to walk to their desk. If anyone has any other tips I’d love to hear them.

 

None of these activities are going to make up for the running that I’m missing, but trying to be active in my daily routine and eating right should at least keep me from gaining weight over the next month.

Jason - a Lumen

Another topic that has been discussed recently is the urge to eat when bored. Of course, many of us occasionally engage in eating that has nothing to do with physical hunger, but is prompted by emotions or situations.

 

Emotional eating is defined as the use of food to manage mood. For example, on your best friend's birthday you might eat a piece of cake to be sociable even if you are not hungry. Or when you’re feeling bored, you might treat yourself to a couple of your favorite cookies. This occasional use of food to celebrate for comfort is okay. Ice cream is first on the comfort food list.

 

What you reach for when eating to satisfy an emotion depends on the emotion. According to an article by Wansink, published in the July 2000 American Demographics, "The type of comfort foods a person is drawn toward varies depending on their mood. People in happy moods tended to prefer ... foods such as pizza or steak (32%). Sad people reached for ice cream and cookies 39% of the time, and 36% of bored people opened up a bag of potato chips."

 

However, if you frequently eat when stressed, bored, or upset, then the emotional eating can be problematic and a hard habit to break. Here are a few tips to help you deal with emotional eating:

 

• Recognize emotional eating and learn what triggers this behavior in you.

• Make a list of things to do when you get the urge to eat and you're not hungry, and carry it with you, according to the Tufts Nutrition web site. When you feel overwhelmed, you can put off that desire by doing another enjoyable activity.

• Try taking a walk, calling a friend, playing cards, cleaning your room, doing laundry, or something productive to take your mind off the craving -- even taking a nap, according to the Tufts Nutrition web site.

• When you do get the urge to eat when you're not hungry, find a comfort food that's healthy instead of junk food. .

• Work in comfort foods occasionally so you don’t feel deprived just try and buy those foods in smaller quantities.

• Avoid activities that may trigger eating such as watching TV. Instead try doing activities to keep your mind off eating such as reading, knitting, giving yourself a manicure.

 

Lastly, remember emotional eating can be triggered by a variety of emotions and learning how to control it and using moderation are key.

 

 

Rebecca Mohning

 

I had another good week and stayed on track with my workouts at Curves.  In fact, they took my measurements last Friday and I'm happy to report that after 85 workouts over 8 months time, I've lost a total of 19 inches overall!  It's not been quick, but as a yo-yo dieter my whole life, I'm trying to really get it right this time and find a routine I can stick with for good. Remember, I am a recovering couch potato.

A couple of weeks ago, I talked about writing down my reasons for commiting to an exercise routine and losing weight.  I had a chance to come up with 26 - an A to Z list- of reasons why I am commiting to staying fit.  So, here they are:


Asthma is gone
Blood Pressure, Back pain and BMI going down
Confidence is back
Derierre is smaller
Energy is up
Finally can wear those jeans
Generous compliments from people
Heart is healthier
I like shopping for clothes again
Jiggle less in arms
Knees hurt less
Less depressed about my weight
Mirrors aren't as awful
New clothes that look great on me
Old clothes that are too big
Pretty sleeveless dresses
Queen size pantyhose a thing of the past
Resting better at night
Shorts and Swimsuits!
Thinner thighs
Understanding my body better
Vegetables taste good now
Waist- having one again
X-mas was more fun
Youthful appearance
Zeal for life is back


So on those days when I can think of reasons to skip my workout or order that pizza, I will remember there are 26 reasons not to !

I challenge you guys to come up with as many reasons as you can for staying fit and eating healthy, and write them down.. even post them here if you would like to share !  Have a great week.




Dell- a Lumen

This week I was able to stay on track with my exercise routine and it feels great!  I saw a lot of new faces and a much larger crowd of ladies at Curves.  The first couple of workouts were a little tiring but it wasn't long before I was back to where I was before my little break.  It seems the New Year brings out the motivation in most of us to start excercising.  The challenge of course is keeping it up!

First thing I did was clean out my refridgerator and pantry of all the holiday junk food that somehow accumulated (how does that happen?) and replaced it with fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats and other healthy snacks.  I planned out a few recipes to cook for the week- I chose a lentil and spinach concoction that I made in the crock pot and a chicken salad with whole wheat pasta, water chestnuts and low fat mayo.   I'm back to drinking my water and am limiting my consumption of diet soda- another habit I had picked up over last week. So far, I've seen a pound or two disappear on the scale, which is encouraging.

I was thinking about all these people who are now back on their health kicks with the start of the new year, and found some info about easing back into the exercise routine.  For those who are re-starting, here are some tips from About.com

Admit where you went wrong.
Stop kicking yourself
Figure out your weak areas.

Know Your Schedule
Plan your workouts
Get prepared

Ease Into It- the article says the mistake most people make is starting up too fast with too much intensity, getting sore, then dreading working out.

Listen to Your Body- make sure you're not doing too much at first. Watch your target heart rate and take breaks in between workouts.

Here's the full article.

For those of you starting back, keep it up!  Even if you took a few weeks off (or never really started) you can get back on track and keep up your routine if you ease into it.

Let me know how your efforts to get fit in the new year are going !



Dell- a Lumen