Female Hormones

Pesky little things, yet so necessary…Those of us over 40 want to blame them for the little “pouch” between the belly button and the hips…and there is a good chance that the body’s natural slowdown of progesterone production does have something to do with it…

According to Dr. C.W. Randolph and Genie James, authors of From Belly Fat to Belly Flat, there is a strong relationship between progesterone decline and ab flab, which is often just one symptom in a cluster of others: hot flashes, mood swings, loss of sex drive and bloating.  Adequate levels of progesterone are needed to maintain bones, regulate sleep, sustain libido, and prevent depression. Progesterone also helps temper estrogen – the hormone responsible for puberty and reproductive function. This causes the body to store fat around the abdomen, but it makes it harder to burn off extra pounds and lower the metabolism in general.

But the answer doesn’t automatically lay in medication against depression or any of the other symptoms…  A natural plan can do so much for us.  Belly Flat outlines a three-part plan to stop estrogen from locking in those extra pounds and causing other bodily mischief. Here are the basics:

 1. Eat Foods that Reduce ‘Bad’ Estrogen

Load up on healthful vegetables. Brussels sprouts, broccoli, radishes, turnips, parsley, asparagus, and spinach top the list of plants that contain indole-3-carbinol. This substance helps decrease the “bad” estrogens estrone and estradiol, both of which can accelerate excessive cell growth. “Good” estrogen, called estriol, is produced in large amounts during pregnancy and may reduce the threat of breast cancer. The only other way to get estriol is through compounding pharmacies. However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved any estriol-containing compounds.
Next on the menu come citrus fruits, which contain d-Limonene, a substance that detoxifies bad estrogen. Insoluble fiber – found in barley, couscous, brown rice, carrots, celery and zucchini – is also important because it attaches to extra estrogen in the digestive tract, making it easier to excrete the pesky hormone. To weaken estrogen activity in the body’s cells, Belly Flat recommends lignans, naturally occurring chemicals found in sesame seeds and ground or milled flaxseed, which can be added to salads, yogurt and smoothies. Lignans put the brakes on estrogen activity by blocking the body’s estrogen receptors.

Include non-fatty proteins, such as fish, in your diet to promote lean muscle tissue, another vital link in the dietary equation.

Avoid foods high in saturated fat, such as lard, cream, sausage and pork, which are associated with higher levels of estrogen circulating in the blood. Cut back on caffeinated beverages such as colas and coffee – also linked to elevated estrogen levels – as well as alcohol, which weakens the liver’s ability to break down estrogen. And eliminate refined foods, such as white bread and white rice because they trigger a release of insulin that throws hormones off balance.  Doesn’t that sound like NEWAY?

2. Boost Progesterone with Bio-Identical Hormones

As the ovaries age, they produce less progesterone – the hormone that prevents estrogen from storing too many fat cells, acts as a diuretic to quell bloating and moderates the release of insulin, which lessens food cravings. Many doctors prescribe synthetic-hormone therapy to meet women’s need for supplemental progesterone. The problem, say Randolph and James, is synthetic hormones don’t interact properly with the body’s hormone receptors.  Bio-identical hormones, on the other hand, are made only from plant material, which means they create progesterone identical to what the body produces naturally. In scientific terms, bio-identical hormones offer 100% “relative binding affinity” (RBA). They come as pills, drops, lotions and creams.

3. Supplement Balance Hormones

There is a select group of nutritional supplements that work well to help defeat estrogen dominance. Among them are vitamins E and B (including folate), which reduce estrogen levels in the blood; chitosan, a substance made from crustacean shells that suppresses the appetite and inhibits absorption of fat molecules; and calcium D-glucarate, which banishes estrogen-like toxins from the bloodstream. Be sure to talk to you doctor before adding supplements to your diet, and stick closely to the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of each supplement.

On the other hand, be aware of xenoestrogen, a chemical form of estrogen that enters the human body from the outside environment: pesticides, plastics and petrochemicals found in hairspray and nail polish removers are sources of xenoestrogen, as are meat and dairy products that come from farm animals injected with steroids.

So, we can’t blame it all on hormones, but they do play a part in that little layer of fat around the tummy.  We can work against the trend by what we eat and the supplements we take, and continue to work with the lifestyle change offered in NEWAY, and we will be on our way for a great “old age!”  By the way, this simple plan seems to also reduce extra fat on women’s thighs and hips—all our “problem” areas!

You!

We are wives, husbands, fathers, mothers, friends, sisters, brothers, co-workers, bosses, taxi drivers, cheerleaders, house cleaners, little league coaches, confidantes, entertainers, and the list goes on endlessly…  But first of all, you are YOU, a person worthy of acceptance, love and respect, a person who must learn to have his/her priorities straight if she means to succeed in all of life’s challenges.  So today, I am simply going to focus on YOU, and remind you how important it is to not neglect the very chore of who you are!   You will reach all of your goals much more effectively as you learn to listen to what matters to you.

By choosing to take care of ourselves, we actually are ensuring that we will be useful to others.  Why do you think that they tell us that in a case of emergency in an airplane we need to put our own oxygen mask on first?  Your own basic needs must be met before you can attend to the needs of others.

If you still can’t agree with the need to “put yourself first,” because that feels selfish, can you just agree to put yourself on an equal footing with those you tend to?

~If you insist they sleep enough, insist you sleep enough as well!

~Do you allow your kids down-time?  Well, allow yourself down-time as well.

These simple rules are the MUSTs in order to preserve your sanity:

~Refuse to eat nonfoods (nutrient empty foods) and refined foods, and limit seriously your sugar intake, even raw sugar—this will cause your thyroid to function better and give you more energy, make your body work at its optimum state.

~Drink lots of water; remember that every cell in your body is surrounded by liquid!  When you become even slightly dehydrated, your metabolism slows down, your energy level drops and you are not “at your best,” feeling off somehow.

~Don’t neglect exercise, even if you are ridiculously busy.  Even if just a few jumping jacks here and there, or an extra set of steps.  Aerobic exercise boots oxygen in the brain, releases endorphins (Happy Hormones, I call them) and gives you a clearer focus.

~Never skip eating because you are too busy!  A car doesn’t run too well on empty, does it?

~Fill your fridg with colorful, yummy fruits and vegetables so that they are always there when you need to grab something on the run; even better, try to prepackage some!

~Me-time ought to be non-negotiable.  This will allow you to be there for others later, to think clearer, to sleep better, to perform at your peak at work.  Me- time will release stress and enable you to handle life’s issues that come at you.  Me time is yours alone! Schedule it into the family planner if necessary, and stick to it!  Your family will thank you in the long run.

~Surround yourself with a support system, find friends who will encourage you and make time to be with them!  This is worth more than most things, and will cause you to be more effective and positive for everything in life.

~Identify “busy behavior” that drain your time and energy without bearing much fruit, and eliminate or minimize them.

~Learn to say “NO” to others and yourself if it will hurt you.  The momentary pressure is worth it in the long run; we have to learn to look at the whole picture, not just what is right in front of our noses.

~Remember that what concerns you is NOT unimportant!  You are an individual with great potentials, but these can only be reached as you take care of yourself first!

 

 

Sleep

How long do you sleep?  How deep do you sleep?  Do you wake up refreshed and ready to go?

Nightly sleep for the average American has dropped from 10 hours before the invention of the lightbulb to 6.9 hours, with a third of adults now getting even less than that! In fact, nearly half of all adults admit they sleep less so they can work (or play) more.  Sleeping seems like such a waste of time when there is so much going on in our lives.

Well, I hate to burst your bubble, but sleep is a very necessary part of a healthy lifestyle.  Sleep deprivation affects us in  more ways than we realize; actually, getting less than 6 hours of sleep can have serious repercussions on our our heath and even our weight–yikes!

Here are the major ways it messes with us:

~Sleep deprivation screws up our body’s normal ability to process and control blood sugar; it becomes hindered as the body’s sensitivity to insulin gets weaker; it makes it difficult for every cell of the body to properly absorb blood sugar.

~Our bodies need to find ways to compensate for neurons not secreting the normal amounts of serotonin and dopamine.

~Lack of sleep upsets the balance of two other hormones that control appetite: ghrelin (hormone that makes us feel hungry) and leptin (hormone signaling the brain that we are full).  Less than 8 hours sleep causes ghrelin levels to go up and leptin levels to go down which means that, when sleep deprived, we are set up to feel always hungry and never full no matter how much we eat…  You can blame it on sleepless nights from now on!

~Cortisol (weight-related hormone) is not processed as well when you do not sleep enough. Carbohydrate cravings increase as the leptin hormone is negatively affected by sleep deprivation.

~ Deprsssion, decreased ability to focus and irritability are all directly related to lack of sleep!  let alone poor productivity!

So, what should we do to get off this “sleep deficit” merry-go-round? Easier said than done for most of us…  It’s easy to say, “get more sleep” but what if we’re simply spending frustrating hours tossing and turning, and having trouble finding deep slumber?
For those of us with major sleep issues, a visit with a doctor might be necessary.  For all others who just need to get into a habit, here are some basic tips for getting a good night’s sleep:

~Follow a regular schedule and a bedtime routine

~Try to get some natural light in the afternoon each day

~No caffeine later in the day

~Try not to worry about your sleep!

For most of us who are having trouble sleeping, there’s a simple cure: exercise!  Working out regularly has been shown to reduce episodes of insomnia. What’s more, it promotes improved sleep quality by producing smoother, more regular transitions between the cycles and phases of sleep. Moderate exercise lasting 20 to 30 minutes three or four times a week generally results in better sleep and more energy. You may have to find your own exercise rhythm-– some people can exercise any time, while others do better if they work out in the morning or afternoon, not near bedtime. But, vigorous exercise during the day and mild exercise before bedtime will not only help you fall asleep and stay asleep more easily, but will increase the amount of time you spend in deepest sleep phase (Stage 4 sleep).  In fact, in a study on sleep patterns of adults aged 55 to 75 who were sedentary and troubled by insomnia, exercise was shown to play a key role. Researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine asked these adults to exercise 20 to 30 minutes every other day in the afternoon by walking, engaging in low-impact aerobics, and riding a stationary bicycle. The result? Time required to fall asleep was reduced by half, and total sleep time increased by almost one hour.

By the way, if you need more convincing, here are other mental benefits of  exercise: it reduces stress by helping to dissipate the lactic acid that accumulates in your blood , sharpens your brain by increasing the amount of oxygen available, eases built-up muscular tension, strengthens and stimulates your heart and lungs, stimulates your nervous system, increases your production of endorphins— those little substances which create a sense of well-being and increase your body’s resistance to pain (“happy hormones”), stimulates release of epinephrine, a hormone that creates a sense of happiness and excitement  and increases deep sleep, as the brain compensates for physical stress.

Chickpea Chocolate Cake

After I made chickpea stew, I had lots of leftover chickpeas to use.  So, what better use that chocolate cake?  My friend Rebekah gave me this recipe, and it’s become one of my favorites!

1 1/2 c. chocolate chips ( I use the darkest ones I can find, 70% cocoa or more)

19 oz. chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained  (I cooked my own and used a generous 1 1/2 cups)

4 eggs (or  flax or banana, which makes it gooey-er)

a couple pinches of salt, bigger grains are best

1/4 c. raw sugar

1/2 t. baking powder

1 t. vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease and coat bottom of 9″round cake pan gently with cocoa powder.  Place the chocolate chips into a microwave-safe bowl. Cook in the microwave for about 2 minutes, stirring every 20 seconds after the first minute, until chocolate is melted and smooth.

Combine the beans and eggs in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Process until smooth. Add the salt, sugar baking powder, and vanilla, and pulse to blend. Pour in the melted chocolate and blend until smooth, scraping down the corners to make sure chocolate is completely mixed. Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan.

Bake for 40 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate.

To serve, top with fruit or make chocolate glaze with 3/4 c. semisweet chocolate chips, 3 T butter, 1 T honey and 1/4 t. vanilla: In a microwavable bowl, combine chocolate chips, butter, and sweetener and heat at 20% power for 2-4 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. Stir until chips are melted and mixture is smooth, then add vanilla. Spread warm glaze over top of cake, letting it drizzle down the sides.

I simply whipped some heavy cream and enjoyed it that way!

SUGAR–isn’t it natural?

What is sugar and why all the talk about how bad it is for us? Isn’t it natural, after all?

Here is the scoop, Barb’s Fit U style:

1. Sugar is a simple carbohydrate. There are two types of sugars – monosaccharides, which include glucose, fructose and galactose, are made of one sugar molecule, and disaccharides are made of two sugar molecules linked together. Disaccharides are formed when monosaccharides combine – for example, when glucose and fructose are combined, they form sucrose, also known as table sugar. Other disaccharides include maltose (the sugar in beer), dextrose and lactose. When many sugar molecules are linked together, they form a complex carbohydrate, also known as a starch.

2. Trying to save money, food companies introduced High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) into the food market in the 1970s.  Sweetening manufactured foods this way is profitable, because it is less expensive and much sweeter than sugar, yet easy to transport because of its liquid state. Today HFCS is found in a variety of foods from soda pop to ketchup, fruit drinks to salad dressings, cereals, breads, flavored yogurt, and sauces. Fructose is sometimes called “fruit sugar” because it is naturally found in fruits. Fructose is also found in honey, and is a component of table sugar (sucrose), which is a disaccharide composed of fructose and glucose.

3. When we eat most carbohydrate foods, the blood sugar level increases and insulin is secreted to transport the sugar into the body’s cells. Besides helping to transport blood sugar, insulin also triggers the release of a hormone called leptin. Leptin helps control hunger by signaling the brain that the body is full and therefore to stop eating.  The interesting fact about fructose and HFCS is that they are metabolized in a totally different way than other carbohydrates. They do not stimulate or require insulin for transportation to the cells. Since there is no need for insulin release, there is also no secretion of leptin. Therefore the feeling of satiety is altered—you continue to eat and possible overeat.

4. Fructose should not be eliminated from your diet. It is primarily found in fruits, which provide a wealth of nutritional benefits to the body. Fructose found in fruits is fine! However, are we setting up our bodies for damage by constantly feeding it foods that have been filled with sucrose (fructose and glucose) and heavily loaded with HFCS, which is approximately one-half fructose?  A few studies have demonstrated that participants who consumed soda sweetened with HFCS did not reduce their total caloric intake to compensate for excess calories consumed as HFCS, suggesting that HFCS does not provide the body with a sense of fullness. Another recent study conducted by the University of Cincinnati provided additional information: mice freely consumed either water, fructose-sweetened water, or soft drinks. The researchers found increased body fat in the mice that drank the fructose-sweetened water and soft drinks—even though these animals decreased the amount of calories they ate from solid foods.

BOTTOM LINE: Sugar is not the enemy, but it is important to choose your sugar wisely.  Stay completely away from high fructose corn syrup, and replace all refined sugar with its less refined option, like raw or brown sugar.  Try to stay away from artificial sweetener as much as you can.

Healthy Lifestyle

There is an epidemic in America of overwork, over-scheduling and time famine!

And this overwork, over-schedule, not-enough-time epidemic winds up hurting us spirit, soul and body.  It robs us from moments with our families and friends, or even time spent on self-development in every way, or just plain fun.

Here are some simple ideas of how to begin to take back some of your life:

1. Set aside a certain amount of time each day just to do what you want to do. I know, I know, you think you can’t, and at this point, you might be right.  But if it was “prescribed”by a doctor as a life-or-death medication, you would carve out some time for it, wouldn’t you?  How about 15 minutes each day? If that’s not “possible,” start with smaller increments of time, say 3 minutes, and work your way up.

2. Learn to say “No.” This is a really tough one for most of us.  But it might be necessary.  And it will make a world of difference.  Even if you don’t want to/can’t say “No” completely, try to set limits around how much you will do and when.

3. Doing part of something is better than doing nothing. Even if you can’t complete a task or a project, it is better to take a small “chunk” out of it rather than letting the whole thing slide until later and getting frustrated about it.

4. Bundle your tasks. Save up non-urgent errands so that you can do those that are logistically close to one another.  You might actually find a few extra minutes in your day that way.

5. Delegate. It’s more than okay to ask for help. How much is your time worth? It may be worth the cost of hiring someone to do things like mow your lawn or clean your house… you will be purchasing the precious commodity of time.

6. Do the yucky stuff first. Take care of the tasks that you dislike so that you don’t waste precious mental time ruminating about not having done them!

7. Are the things you feel you “have” to do really necessary? It can be easy to get caught up in the details to the detriment of the big picture.  Relax a bit, will you?

8. Take an honest look at the activities and people in your life that are “energy drainers.” Do they need to be part of your life? What would happen if you eliminated or reduced your time spent on/with them?

9. And, most importantly, set aside time each week to do something special. Make sure that, no matter how busy you are, you take time to play. Spending time with friends, outdoors, at the movies, whatever makes you happy, is essential in helping you be the most focused and effective you can be with your time.

One thing I am sure of: if you do some of these, you will be healthier from the inside out!

 

Whole Grains

Whole grains are far from boring or tasteless.  They supply bitamins, minerals, protein and fiber.  They are easy to cook (stove top, electric steamer, pressure cooker, rice cooker, crockpot and microwave) and supply vitamins, protein and fiber besides the good, complex carbohydrates.

Here are some that you may not be familiar with:

Amaranth gives a delicious nut-like flavor to foods and contains more protein, lysine, calcium, iron, potassium, phosphorus and magnesium than any other grain. It is also a good source of vitamin C and beta carotene. Amaranth is commonly made into flour for use in breads, noodles, pancakes, cereals and cookies. To prepare, add 1 cup of amaranth to 2 cups of boiling water for a rice-like texture or 2.5 to 3 times more water for cereal. Cook until tender, about 18-20 minutes.

Barley is used in main dishes and soups and can be ground into flour for baked goods. The flavor is sweet and nutty. High in protein, niacin, folic acid, thiamin, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous, it is a good substitute for rice and millet in recipes and rolled barley may be used in place of rolled oats. To prepare, boil 4 cups of water and add 1 cup of barley; reduce heat, cover, and cook 1 hour. Serve with dried fruit, raisins, honey, or grated orange rind.

Brown rice is a good source of B vitamins and Vitamin E and may be ground into flour for baking cakes, cookies, pancakes, waffles and breads. To prepare, boil twice as much water as you have rice. Stir in rice, return to boil, reduce heat and cover. Simmer about 35-40 minutes. Remove from heat and allow the rice to steam for another 15 minutes or more. Fluff with a fork to separate grains. To make you own cream of rice cereal, grind enough toasted rice to equal 1 cup. Bring 3 cups water to boil and add ground rice. Return to boil, reduce heat, cover and cook 1 hour. Top with honey, fruit or nuts. You can also bake your brown rice in the oven in a glass baking dish. Gather your ingredients as usual (1.5 cups rice and 2.5 cups water), butter and salt. Boil the water, salt and butter together and then pour the mixture over the rice, cover with foil and bake at 375° for one hour.

Buckwheat is sometimes referred to as “groats” (hulled, crushed kernels) or “kasha” (roasted buckwheat groats). Whole grain buckwheat may be used as a main or dish, added to casseroles or soups or ground into flour for pancakes, waffles, muffins, and breads. The flour is dark, robust, and slightly sweet and is best used in combination with blander flours when baking. It contributes bioflavanoids, protein, folic acid, vitamin B6, calcium, and iron to your diet. To prepare, use about 2 cups water per cup of buckwheat. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 20-30 minutes or until tender, not crunchy (add extra water, if needed). For a main dish or side dish, cook onions with the buckwheat and add some herbs and sea salt during the last 10 minutes of cooking time. For kasha, use slightly less water and reduce cooking time to 15-20 minutes.

 

 

Kamut is a type of wheat. It is a good source of protein, pantothenic acid, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium and zinc. To prepare, use kamut flour in place of wheat flour in most recipes, especially pasta. Rolled kamut is available in some natural foods stores and can be used in place of rolled oats.

Millet may be prepared like rice and used for hot cereal and pilaf or cooked with spices and served as a side dish, in soups and in casseroles. Ground millet “meal” and millet flour are used to make puddings, breads, cakes, and cookies. Millet is bland tasting, so it is best used in combination with stronger flavors. In addition to protein, millet provides calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium and phosphorous. To prepare hot cereal, roast uncooked millet in a dry pan for a few minutes, then bring 2 cups water to a boil, add 1/2 cup millet, and return to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer about 20-30 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons raisins or chopped dates during last 10 minutes of cooking time for extra flavor. Thin to desired consistency with soy, rice, oat, or nut milk, and sweeten with honey or pure maple syrup, cinnamon, raisins, bananas, or chopped apples. If you are using it as a main dish or adding it to breads, reduce the amount of water to 1.5 cups.

 

Oat groats can be cooked and served as hot cereal or prepared like rice and used as a side dish or added to stuffing. When steamed and flattened, oat groats become rolled oats (old-fashioned oats or oatmeal), which may be prepared as hot oatmeal or added to breads and cookies. Oats are rich in antioxidants, so breads, cookies, and other items made with oats don’t spoil as quickly. Oats are a good source of protein, calcium, iron, potassium, vitamin A, thiamin and pantothenic acid. To prepare, pour 1/2 cup oats into 1 cup of boiling water or milk. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, adding more water if necessary. Serve with soy, rice, oat, or nut milk, and sweeten with honey or pure maple syrup or add cinnamon, raisins or chopped apples.

Quinoa, pronounced “keen-wa,” is higher in unsaturated fat and lower in carbohydrates than most grains (technically, it’s a seed), and it’s also a complete protein, since it contains every essential amino acid. It is an excellent replacement for rice or millet in cereals, main dishes, soups, side dishes, salads, and desserts and it cooks in half the time as rice. Quinoa may be ground into flour for use in breads, cakes, cookies and used in making pasta, and it also provides protein, calcium, iron, phosphorous, vitamin E, and lysine. To prepare, rinse thoroughly by rubbing grains together in water in order to remove the bitter outer coating (saponin), which may irritate digestion or allergies. Bring 2-3 cups water to boil and add 1 cup quinoa, reduce heat and simmer 25-30 minutes or until tender.

Spelt is an excellent high-gluten substitute for those allergic to wheat and it can be substituted for wheat in almost every recipe, including pasta. Spelt is easier to digest than most grains and is full of B vitamins, such as riboflavin, niacin, and thiamin, as well as iron and potassium. To prepare, pre-soak 1 cup spelt in 2.5 cups water several hours or overnight. Change the water, bring to boil and then simmer for 45-60 minutes until tender but chewy.

Triticale may be found in whole berries, rolled like oats or ground into flour. Triticale flour must be combined with wheat, barley or spelt flour in order to produce a light, fluffy end product. Berries or rolled triticale can be used as cereal, in casseroles, or in side dishes such as pilaf. To prepare a delicious, hot cereal, add 1 cup triticale to 3 cups boiling water; reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour or until tender.

Wheat berries provide protein, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, and potassium, as well as B vitamins and vitamin E. To prepare, soak 2 cups of berries in water overnight and drain. Add the wheat berries to 6 cups boiling water or broth in a pot, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1-2 hours. Serve with butter, honey or soy sauce. Add leftovers to soups, salads or knead into bread dough. For a crispy snack, place 4 cups wheat berries and 12 cups boiling water in a container, cover and allow them to soak overnight. Drain off the water and spread berries evenly onto a cookie sheet. Bake at 300° F until brown and crispy (about 10-15 minutes). To make your own cream of wheat from scratch, toast wheat berries and then grind enough to produce1 cup. Bring 3 cups water to a boil and add the ground wheat berries. Return to boil, reduce heat, cover and cook about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Top with honey, fruit or nuts.

Do you have any recipe(s) that use these grains to share with all of us? 

Metabolism as we age…

Our metabolism slows down with age—not a very fun fact, but one we must content with.  By the time we hit our forties, we probably burn 100 to 300 less calories than we did in our thirties, which can easily translate in yearly weight gain if we don’t change the way we eat or move. In order to counteract the metabolism slow-down and boost our body’s fat-burning abilities, we need to make changes in our daily routine.

So here are some ideas for you:  

1. Eat Breakfast:

That should be easy for most of you by now.  Regular breakfast eaters are leaner than breakfast skippers.  Metabolism slows down at night, and we can jumpstart it by eating early in the day.

2. Exercise Early:

Try at least five minutes of exercise first thing in the morning.  Your metastat (metabolic thermostat) is waiting for signals to rev up in the morning, so the more signals you send it, the better!  How about a brisk walk, or 16 push-ups?

3. Protein:

If you are following the NEWAY lifestyle, you are probably eating a small amount of protein three times a day at your main “eating events.”   Protein requires more energy for digestion, so it speeds up the metabolism.  Also, protein helps in the building of muscle tissue, which is more metabolically active than fat.  Just keep it lean, and don’t overdo it, because too much of it will slow down your energy and your weight loss.

4. Build Muscle:

Like I just said, muscles burn more calories than fat, and decreased muscle mass is one of the main reason that metabolism slows down with age—you could lose as much as 10 pounds of muscle between the ages of 30 and 50, which means you would burn up to 500 less calories a day!  So plan on at least two to three strength workouts a week (to add up to 90 minutes).  You don’t need to belong to a gym—use your imagination, buy workout DVDs, do the “weekly challenges.”  And remember to make it fun!

5. Whole Grains:

Whole grains such as brown rice, wheat germ, dark bread, whole-grain cereal, oatmeal and bran leave you feeling full because they take longer to digest than simple carbohydrates.  In a study from The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School evaluated the dietary intake of more than 74,000 women for 12 years. Overall, women who regularly ate the most whole-grain foods — about 1.5 servings a day — gained less weight than women who ate the least.

6. Be Intense:

Don’t just work out to work out, without putting your heart in it—your physical heart, that is.  Make sure your heart rate goes up and your workouts are challenging.  Interval training is great as well to rev up the metabolism.

7. After Dinner Movement:

Your body’s metabolic rate increases 10 percent after eating, and just a few minutes of activity could double that boost for up to three hours. Within 15 to 30 minutes of eating a snack or meal, do five or 10 minutes of light activity. Take the dog for a walk, climb stairs in your house or do some basic strength exercises.

8. Green Tea, anyone?

You might love your lattes, but if you switch to green tea, not only will you get a healthy dose of disease-fighting compounds, you’ll also cut body fat. In a study from The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, people who drank a bottle of tea fortified with green tea extract every day for three months lost more body fat than people who drank black tea. Researchers at a health care lab in Tokyo believe disease-fighting antioxidants called catechins in green tea may help decrease body fat.

 And don’t forget to drink water!

8 Tips for Success

I love success.  I’ll do most anything to succeed at my goals.  I find it so sad when I fall short of what I wanted to accomplish, and so rewarding than getting there.  So I thought I’d share some of my tips to help you meet your goals.

1. One of the biggest mistakes I have done in the past is to make my goals too big and unattainable.  No, I won’t lose 10 pounds in one week or train for a marathon in 6 weeks; that’s just not going to happen.  But as I break down my dream with a date on it (my definition of a goal) in small chunks and get going on them, I become successful and I actually get there—a bit like the tortoise and the hare.

2. Goals are more tangible when I write them down.  Somehow, the writing of it makes it more official, and helps me to organize my thoughts and to track my progress.  I love to scratch lines on my “to do” list!

3. Practice doesn’t make perfect, but it surely make permanent.  Actions that I take every week, every day, a few times a day become as natural as brushing my teeth—good or bad!  So success is very much linked to every day little actions.  Consistency has more power than we realize; it brings about momentum and you will wind up being pulled forward by your very own consistency!

4. Talk about your goal, dream about your goal, sing about your goal!  You need to make it real in every way you know how.  Surround yourself with as many reminders as possible.

5. Surround yourself with people who encourage and support you; limit your contacts with those who put you down!

6. Be kind to yourself when you mess up.   Be your own fan, being supportive rather than critical with yourself.  Savour your victories, and learn from your mistakes.

7. Trust your plan!  Sometimes, we have bad days, or bad weeks.  But you know that your plan works, so trust it and stick to it.  It is just a matter of time…

 8. Never forget to enjoy the journey.  It is very much about today—seize the day, my friend!  Don’t let yourself think of your fitness/health goal as a chore or a burden to be endured.  This is an adventure of self-discovery and of building a meaningful life.  Enjoy the ride!

Alcohol

If you know me, you know that I love a glass of wine a few times a week, sitting outside and enjoying the evening, or having a relaxing time out with friends.  Some say alcohol is good for you, others say we ought to stay away from alcohol. I thought I’d give you the scoop today.

First of all, alcohol is metabolized differently than other foods and beverages. Under normal conditions, the body gets its energy from the calories in carbohydrates, fats and proteins that need to be slowly digested in the stomach—but not when alcohol is present. When alcohol is consumed, it gets special privileges and needs no digestion. The alcohol molecules diffuse through the stomach wall as soon as they arrive and can reach the brain and liver in minutes. This reaction is slightly slowed when there is food in your system, but as soon as the mixed contents enter the small intestine, the alcohol grabs first place and is absorbed quickly. The alcohol then arrives at the liver for processing. The liver places all of its attention on it and as a result, the carbohydrates (glucose) and dietary fats are just changed into body fat, waiting to be carried away for permanent fat storage in the body…OUCH!

Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning that it causes water loss and dehydration. Along with this water loss we lose important minerals, such as magnesium, potassium, calcium and zinc. These minerals are vital to the maintenance of fluid balance, chemical reactions, and muscle contraction and relaxation… DOUBLE OUCH!

Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram and no nutritional value. OUCH AGAIN…

Alcohol affects your body in other ways, increasing the amount of acid that the stomach produces, lowering our inhibitions and producing a lot of other nasty side effects.

The list below breaks down the number of calories in typical alcoholic drinks. 

Drink	Serving Size	Calories
Red wine	5 oz.	100
White wine	5 oz.	100
Champagne	5 oz.	130
Light beer	12 oz.	105
Regular beer	12 oz.	140
Dark beer	12 oz.	170
Cosmopolitan	3 oz.	165
Martini	3 oz.	205
Long Island iced tea	8 oz.	400
Gin & Tonic	8 oz.	175
Rum & Soda	8 oz.	180
Margarita	8 oz.	200
Whiskey Sour	4 oz.	200

Now, having said all of that, I still love my glass of wine, and I really have no desire to give it up.  So if you are like me, here are six little sipping tips to help you stay healthy while drinking responibly-this last word being operative here!

1. Never come to happy hour hungry.

“Skipping lunch to compensate for the calories you plan to drink is not a good idea,” says Molly Gee, RD, weight-loss counselor and researcher at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. “Alcohol does not satisfy hunger.”   Arrive with a growling belly and you may find yourself downing a few handfuls of bar nuts (about 600 calories), or worse, falling prey to the cheese-covered nachos—all yucky nonfoods.  Besides, drinking on an empty stomach enhances the negative effects of alcohol. Eat how you normally would during the day, work in some extra exercise, and munch a piece of fruit before you go to take the edge off.

2. Be mindful of mixers.
Hard liquor runs 100-200 calories per shot, but add a sugary or creamy mixer (nonfood filled with High Fructose Corn Syrup) and you’ll double or triple the calories.  If you are going to mix liquor with anything, opt for club soda, instead of fruit juice or regular soda.  Or, skip mixers altogether and sip a light beer (one-third the calories of regular) or a glass of red wine (just over 100 calories). Incidentally, light beers have always been low in carbs.  And red wine has a lower glycemic index than white wine.

3. Make the cocktail your dessert.
If you can’t resist a piña colada or daiquiri, drink seltzer during your cocktail hour and savor the mega-calorie libation instead of dessert.

4. Enjoy alcohol every other round.
Alternate each alcoholic beverage with seltzer or water. It’ll cut down on calories and help you keep count of how much you’re drinking. And because alcohol has a diuretic effect, the water will hydrate you. Or order a glass of water along with your cocktail. You’ll sip the hard stuff more slowly.

 

5. Focus on the conversation, not the cocktails.
When you find yourself alone at a fête, you may swig more swiftly out of anxiety or a need to look occupied. “Food and drink become substitutes for conversation; don’t fall into that trap,” says Gee. “If you don’t want to look like you’re standing there doing nothing, drink seltzer.”

6. Go for volume.
A platter of healthy food can satiate you more than a couple of high-fat morsels; it’s the same way with cocktails—remember the volumetrics principle? The taller the drink, the longer you’ll have it in your hand and hopefully drink a little less… Make it last by adding lots of ice!

Do you have any other tip to share?