My New Home

Hello Friends,
I am excited to tell you that I have given my website a facelift and am now able to house my blog within my website.  From now on, I will be posting all blogs there.  Please join me at my home and share the information with your friends.  Together we can make a difference in the health of this world.

Here's to Whole Life Wellness!

Aimee

Break The "CHAIR" Addition

We all know how important it is to be physically active - in fact, we need to get at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week for health and fitness benefits, but new research indicates that getting up out of our chair more often may be just as important to our health as the exercise.  Here is an article from the American College of Sports Medicine - I hope it motivates you to "Step away from the chair"...

Sit Less and Stand and Move More
By Brad A. Roy, Ph.D., FACSM, FACHE

Addiction such as drug, alcohol, and tobacco abuse are widely recognized as significant health issues that lead to increased medical costs.  Recent research indicates that America's addition to the "chair" may be even more costly in terms of chronic health conditions and associated morbidity and mortality.  Occupational, technological, and environmental advances during the past 30 years have resulted in a workforce that is "chair based."  Continued progression in computer technology and the Internet provides even more opportunities to sit during our waking hours.  People shop, bank, surf the Internet, email, socialize, and enjoy entertainment... all done while sitting by their computer, tablets, and remotely controlled televisions.

Prolonged Sitting Has Adverse Health Consequences
There is solid evidence that moderate-to-vigorous exercise results in health and fitness benefits and should be undertaken for a minimum of 30 minutes 5 days per week.  However, growing evidence suggests that prolonged daily sedentary behaviors, such as sitting, are associated with all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease, independent of the time spent in fitness activities.  Thus, time spent sitting may negate somewhat the positive influence of the daily exercise session.  Most Americans (69%) do not meet the recommended guidelines for physical activity, and of those who do, many spend most of their day in sedentary activities, especially sitting.  People eat meals, drive to and from work, spend hours at work on computers, talk on the telephone, read and participate in meetings, all in the seated position; and then go home to an evening of television, computer/video games, and/or reading.

Throughout the growing-up years, children frequently are counseled to "sit still," "stop wiggling," and are told to "sit down" when standing.  Interestingly, this tendency to fidget may be exectly what people should be doing.  Research indicates that nonexercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT), or the energy expenditure related to all physical activities outside of purposeful exercise, plays a significant role in fostering healthy.  NEAT activities, as simple as standing while talking on the telephone, cause muscles to contract, positively impacting fat metabolism, increase caloric expenditure, and minimizing long-term weight gain.

A number of negative metobolic changes are associated with low levels of NEAT.  For example, lipoprotein lipase, an enzyme that plays an important role in the body's processing of fats, has been shown to be reduced significantly by sedentary activities such as prolonged sitting.  Reduced lipoprotein lipase levels also are associated with increased cardiovascular mortality and contribute to the development of lipid disorders, insulin resistance, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and obesity.  Muscle contraction associated with NEAT, such as standing erect, increase skeletal muscle lipoprotein lipase levels, positively affecting metabolism and energy expenditure.

Fidget More

Finding ways throughout the day to get out of the chair and increase NEAT is essential to everyone's health.  Consider taking periodic standing/movement breaks; stand and pace while talking on the phone; arrange the home or work office so you have to get up at various intervals to retreive items or complete a task; install a standing desk for computer/office work; walk to deliver messages instead of emailing; in other words, be creative and look for ways to move throughout the day.

Summary
It is well recognized that physical activity is vitally important in promoting and maintaining good health, and all Americans are encouraged to participate in a minimum of 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity.  Recently, increased attention has been given to the health risks associated with prolonged sitting as well, independent of aerobic conditioning and leisure time activity.  All people should look for opportunities to reduce daily sitting time, both at home and at work, by standing, taking frequent movement breaks, and implementing other strategies to promote muscle contraction and energy expenditure.

What NOW?
So now that you know how important it is to get moving throughout the day, share this important message with everyone you care about.  Get up out of your chair and walk to the office, cubicle, neighbors house next door and tell them about it...  I challenge you to find 3 ways that you can move more and sit less during your day today.  Everyone that responds with their 3 ideas in a comment to this blog will be entered into a drawing for Quick Healthy and Delicious Weeknight Meal Cookbook.  Drawing will be next Wednesday, April 4th.

Here's to fresh, fast, and fantastic food!

Aimee 

Get MORE in 2012

We are just 13 short days away from 2012, so my question is “What do you want more of in 2012?”  MORE energy, MORE time, MORE patience, MORE love, MORE health?  It is tough to say no to any of those, but how do you get MORE in 2012.  I believe that you get MORE in 2012 by clearing away the clutter and focusing your efforts on things that can really make a difference.  How many times a month, a week, a day do you say “I should not eat this”, “I should really start eating healthier”, or quite possibly “I should really start working out”.  Getting MORE in 2012 could be yours if you stop talking about what you should do and start doing it.  There is no better time than right now to start focusing on your health and the health of your family.  Being too busy or tired cannot be your excuse because you are not going to be any less busy in a week, a month, a year, and you certainly are not going to feel less tired unless you focus on your health.

Scientific studies continue to demonstrate that among all lifestyle factors, no single factor is more important to our health than the food we eat.  The World Health Organization recently noted that by 2020, and for the first time in history, non-communicable chronic preventable diseases such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer will constitute more than half of all diseases on a worldwide basis.  This means that over half of the diseases are preventable through lifestyle changes such as the food we eat and exercise.  If this is not motivation enough for you to make a change, then maybe some facts about the cost of an unhealthy lifestyle will motivate you.  Healthcare costs have risen from $3,468 per person in 1993 to $8,160 in 2008, and costs continue to rise.  It is estimated that in the next 5 years healthcare costs will rise 50% to $13,100.  These costs would make sense if we were actually getting healthier, but sadly, we are just treating diseases with all of this money and are far less healthy.  To lower your own healthcare cost, you must focus on health promotion and disease prevention.

We have become a nation addicted to foods high in sugar, salt, and fat, to foods of convenience rather than health.  Each year, the average American consumes 600 cans (56 gallons) of soda, 150 hamburgers, 200 orders of French-fries, 175 pounds of sugar, and 180 pounds of meat.  We purchase, on average, 125 take-out meals each year.  Even more concerning, 90% of foods Americans purchase every year are processed foods lacking in essential vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants;  In 1940, this statistic was only 10%.  The number of people eating five servings of fruits and vegetables declined in the last 18 years from 42% to 26%, even as fruits and vegetables are more readily available year-around.

Nutrient-poor processed foods are overly refined, overly stimulating foods, which are not satisfying because they are lacking in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and the plethora of phytonutrients found in unprocessed foods.  These “foods” are rich in sugar, salt, fat, and often cause us to unknowingly consume more calories than our bodies require.  Because these products contain so little of the nutrients our bodies’ need, these unhealthy foods are not only addictive but harmful, causing undernourishment and nutrient deficiencies that, over time, damage our bodies and impair our health.  They are the primary cause of low energy, insomnia, fatigue, and poor memory, shortly followed by insulin resistance and unwanted weight gain, leading to obesity and all the chronic preventable diseases that plague us, including type 2-diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers.

The good news is that healthy foods do not necessarily have to cost more than their unhealthy counterparts; in fact, a review of data by the USDA published in 2008 found that refined grains, added sugars, added fats, and processed foods were not the way to go in developing a low-cost, yet still nourishing food plan.  The only way for the meal to remain both nourishing and low-cost was to emphasize nutrient-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains.  The USDA found that the strategy used to keep food costs down at the level of 10% of earnings was none other than nutrient-richness (determined by comparing the number and amount of nutrients a food contains in relationship to its caloric content).  The USDA researchers concluded that “For many American households, achieving an affordable healthy diet will require moving nutrient-dense foods, such as fruits and vegetables, to the center of their plates and budgets.”  My grocery store tour is the best way to learn how to get the most for your dollar in any market.  Contact me to set-up a grocery store tour by yourself of with a group of friends.

If the cost of healthy food is not your main concern, then I would bet that it is TIME.  You may say, “I barely have time to get food on the table, I certainly cannot spend time making food that starts with whole, fresh ingredients like vegetables, grains, etc.”  I can assure you that healthy and delicious food does not have to be complicated and you CAN get fresh nourishing food on the table just as quickly as you can go pick-up dinner or toss together a processed pre-packaged meal.  The very best way to start your transition to a healthier lifestyle is by allowing me to come into your home and share techniques such as meal planning, having the right ingredients, and quick and healthy cooking methods.  You do not have to love to cook; you just have to have the right information and the desire that you and your family live a healthier lifestyle.

Is your MORE in 2012 that you want your kids to eat MORE healthy foods?  I hear multiple times a week that people would be happy to cook more often if my family would eat it.  I specialize in getting kids to eat more healthy foods, such as fruits, veggies, and whole grains.  By addressing the food aversions you are not going to create food issues, in fact by NOT addressing the problem you are allowing food issues to grow.  I can walk your family through every step of the process, from introducing the change to your kids, the right words to use, what foods to prepare, as well as educating the entire family on health and fitness.  For the first time in history, our children will have a shorter lifespan than we do, which of course is caused primarily by “kid food” diet that so many children are now consuming as well as a significant decrease in levels of physical activity.  Your children do not have to be victims of the epidemic – let me help you make a change and get MORE in 2012.

We have talked in great deal about the food part of the equations, but let us not forget two other very important pieces to a healthy lifestyle – exercise and plenty of sleep.  Are you getting the minimum level of physical activity required for your health?  For an adult, you should be getting at least 150 minutes of physical activity at a moderate intensity every week.  If you want to lose weight, increase muscle strength, improve your cardiovascular function, you should work toward 250 minutes per week.  The key to exercise is that you get out of it what you put into it.  If you do the same old workout at the same old intensity just to check the box, you are going to continue to get the same old results.  If you want MORE RESULTS in 2012, let me come into your home for a FREE Personal Training Trial session.  In one session your will experience cardio, strength, flexibility and burn more calories during and after your workout.  Since I come to you, time, motivation, how you look, etc. can no longer be the excuse.  My personal training clients continue to tell me that they not only look and feel great and have tons of energy, but they have achieved an unexpected benefit from the workouts – extreme mental clarity.  Do you want MORE energy, MORE health, and MORE mental clarity in 2012?  Contact me so you can stop saying “I should” and say “I DID”!

2012 is your year to achieve the health and fitness that you and your family deserve.  In the New Year be a little selfish and put your health and that of your family’s on top of the priority list!

Here’s to MORE in 2012!

Aimee

References:
DeVol R and Bedroussian A. An unhealthy America: the economic burden of chronic disease. Executive summary and research findings. 2007, The Milken Institute, Santa Monica, California.
WHFoods Website by George Mateljan
Golan E, Steward H, Kuchler F et al. Can Low-Income Americans Afford a Healthy Diet? Amber Waves. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 2008, 6(5): 26-34
King, DE, Mainous, AG, Carnemolla, M, et al. Adherence to Healthy Lifestyle Habits in USA Habits,Am. J. Medicine (2009) June 122(6),528-534.
Wang Y, Beydoun MA, Liang L, et al. Will All Americans Become Overweight or Obese? Estimating the Progression and Cost of the US Obesity Epidemic. Obesity (2008) 16 10, 2323-2330.
Willett WC, Koplan JP, Nugent R, et al. Prevention of Chronic Disease by Means of Diet and Lifestyle Changes. Chapter 44 in: Disease Control Priorities in Developing Countries (2nd Edition). Jamison DT, Breman LG, Measham AR et al, Eds. Disease Control Priorities Project, Washington, D.C., April 2006.
World Health Organization. Diet, nutrition and the prevention of chronic diseases. Report of a Joint WHO/FAO Expert Consultation, 2003 WHO Technical Report Series 916, WHO Geneva.

WHAT'S FOR DINNER?
Here is a fantastic quick and easy dinner for any night of the week.  A big warm bowl of chili topped with some delicious avocado, cheese, and baked chips will make the whole family happy.

Healthy Buffalo Chili

Servings:  8-12

Ingredients:
1 T olive oil
1 lb. 96% lean ground buffalo
1 medium sweet onion, sliced
2 t garlic, chopped
1 14.5 oz. can tomato sauce
1 14.5 oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 14.5 oz. can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 15 oz. can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
5 T chili powder
2 T ground cumin
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Baked tortilla chips
Optional toppings:  grated cheddar cheese, chopped onions, light sour cream or greek yogurt, sliced avocado

Directions:
Heat a large chef pan or stock pot over medium high heat.  Add olive oil and raw buffalo, stir to break meat apart and cook until no longer pink.  Add the diced onion and cook about a minute.  add the garlic and cook an additional minute.  Add the remaining ingredients, stir together, and simmer about 20 minutes.  Taste and adjust seasoning.  Top each bowl of chili with optional toppings and serve with baked tortilla chips.

Tips:
This chili gets even more flavorful in the 2nd and 3rd day after cooking, making it perfect for an additional meal later int he week.  You could make a burrito, nachos, or top a baked potato for a delicious healthy meal.  It also freezes beautifully, so make a double batch and freeze it for one of the crazy nights when there is no time to cook.

Here's to fresh, fast, and fantastic food!

Habits of the Fit and Healthy

Every day I get asked very specific questions about should I eat this, is this bad for me, is there a better option for this type of food, etc. but usually all those questions are getting at one point - "How do I/my family get fitter and healthier and maintain it?"  Which got me thinking about the habits of fit and healthy people.  Here are some key habits of fit and healthy people - maybe you can print the list and just work toward one or two at a time.  After all, making small changes over a period of time is much more effective in the long-run than trying to make a major change all at once.

Keep a water bottle with you at all times and drink from it often

Water should be your drink of choice and what you are consuming the majority of the time, by a large margin.  If you need to perk it up a little so you will drink enough to make it a habit, add a little lemon, lime, cucumber, or fresh berries to give it more flavor without adding significant calories.

Look at exercise as a pleasure and privilege, not a burden or chore
Just by having a positive outlook on exercise and the change that it will produce can turn one more chore into a treat each day.  Rather than obsessing about your next meal, get excited about your next workout!

Eat a well-balanced meal and remember that excess calories, even if they are from foods that are fat-free or high in protein, will turn to excess weight.  No matter what the latest fad diet says, extra calories equal extra weight!

Limit caffeine
Research has shown a little caffeine to be safe and actually boosts your metabolism, however if you over due it your body will really start to feel it.  Too much and you will start to have a difficult time concentrating and you may also find yourself eating extra calories to get rid of that jittery feeling.

Focus on short-term fitness goals with an emphasis on completing daily exercise

Keep a daily log of what you are actually eating
This includes every time you grab a handful of chips here or eat the crust of your kid's sandwich there,  and ALL of your snacking.  You don't have to keep a log for the rest of your life, but it is good to do it for a while to get a real reading on your consumption.  Mindless eating can creep in over time and this is a great way to realize and eliminate it.

Enjoy the occasional (once a week) "unhealthy" treat, but never an unhealthy week or unhealthy vacation

Enjoy contributing to the health of others by having a partner or friend to exercise with, as well as recruiting others who want to feel better and have more energy

Avoid monotony by taking up new forms of exercising, or using things that keep you motivated and inspired, like 5K's for a great cause, adventure races, new shoes, or great music

Invest in the right tools
Buy good shoes that fit really well, a portable MP3 player, fitness equipment, a personal trainer to keep it interesting and keep you challenged, etc.

Make it a goal to do some form of exercise 6 or 7 days a week
If you are eating right, exercise will fuel your energy level!

Don't compare your body to others' - work to be your personal best!

Work to take your exercise to new levels of intensity
If you don't know how, find a personal trainer that can teach you.

Create an exercise schedule the day before instead of leaving it to chance or waiting to "find" the time.  Exercise should be on your calendar or to do list and should be just as important as any other meeting on the list.  Remember - it is your treat to yourself!

Move beyond the boundaries of weight loss and into total fitness
Measure success by the way your clothes fit, not just by some number on the scale.

Stick with eating plans you can maintain indefinitely
Remember that no matter how hard you are working out, if you are consuming too many calories, you will never see the muscles that lie beneath the layers of fatty tissue.

Get enough sleep

Beyond the importance of sleep in every function of your body, people that exercise regularly fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly.


Limit alcohol intake to special occasions





Resource:  Chalene Johnson, creator of TurboFire


WHAT'S FOR DINNER?
By now you have probably searched the grocery shelves and found one or two fantastic bottled marinara sauces that can help you make a quick and healthy pasta dinner any night of the week.  I like to keep a bottle or two on hand, however I have also found tomato sauce that is very easy to make at home, makes plenty to store in the freezer, and easy to defrost later to use in any type of dish.  This sauce is not specifically Italian, so you can substitute it for the tomato sauce in any dish.  Add fresh herbs to give it more of an Italian flavor if you prefer.  Maybe you can whip this up over the weekend and have plenty of sauce ready over the next couple of months.

Tomato Sauce
Makes 10 cups

3 T olive oil
1/2 large onion, finely diced
8 cloves of garlic, minced
112 oz. fire roasted tomatoes, crushed
1 -2 cups Cabernet

Heat a 5-6 quart dutch oven over medium heat and add the olive oil and onion.  Cook a couple of minutes until onion is translucent.  Add the garlic and stir constantly until garlic is golden and fragrant.  Pour in the wine and the tomatoes.  Increase the heat to high to bring it to a boil, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.  Lower the heat, partially cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick and reduced by about 1/3.  This should take about 2 hours and 15 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and let sauce cool completely in the fridge.  Place the sauce in zip-lock bags in one and two cup portions, and place those bags inside of a one to two gallon storage bag and place in freezer.  Remove the appropriate amount of sauce from the freezer and thaw in the fridge over night.  If you need it too thaw more quickly, you can place the frozen bag of sauce in a bowl and run cool water over the bag to thaw.

Here's to fresh, fast, and fantastic food!

Fan the Flames - Burn More Calories in Less Time

Do you want to burn more calories and do it in less time?  Stupid question, right?  Well, there is no gimmick, there is no pill, no cream, no crazy exercise machine - the magic is in the INTERVAL.  Interval training has been around since the 30's when it was developed in Sweden.  You probably heard it called "fartlek" if you did high school track, it means "fast play" in Swedish for its bursts of speed in various lengths and duration.  Intervals are an athletic training system that combines short bursts of high intensity activity, called intervals, with rest periods or periods of low intensity activity.  By alternating the two throughout your workout, your body is forced to exert more energy than it would if you did a steady, continuous activity at moderate intensity.

Short on Time?
Who is not short on time these days?  The best part of interval training is that it does not require the same length of workout to get the same outcome.  Instead of hopping on the elliptical machine and exercising while you read a magazine for 45 minutes, do 15 to 20 minutes of interval work.  It will be more challenging, but it will go much faster, and you will like the results that you see.  These workouts are very fun and a great way to shake up your routine and at the same time burn extra calories.

Interval training requires your body to use different types of fuel for energy.  It stresses your body in a positive way and forces it to adapt.

Losing Weight

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, short, high-intensity activities burn more calories than longer, low-intensity aerobic workouts.  Which is why it is of course one of the best ways to lose weight.

Interval training is accomplished by adjusting several things in the workout:  the length or duration of the intervals, the length or duration of the rest period, and what activity you are doing during the rest period.  An increase or decrease in activity level corresponds to and increase or decrease in heart rate, and that is where the extra calorie burn comes in.  However, it is not really how fast your heart beats that makes the difference, it is how quickly it slows or "recovers".

How to Apply It
You can add interval training to your normal activity such as running or walking.  Begin running at a moderate pace for a few minutes, then increase your speed for 30 seconds to a minute.  After each interval, allow your heart rate to decrease.  Of course, you are aiming to lengthen your intervals and increase the intensity of the intervals, and shorten your recovery periods over the long-term.  This can be done similarly on a treadmill  using speed and incline for your intervals, on the rowing machine, elliptical machine, or in the swimming pool.

Super Burn - Intervals with Strength Training

As a American College of Sports Medicine certified personal trainer, interval training is a critical part of my approach with clients.  However, most of the time I add one more important part of fitness to my sessions  which is building strength while burning maximum calories through interval training.  By getting off the treadmill, elliptical, etc. and getting moving with me, you can double the effectiveness of your workout and continue to burn more calories long after you have stopped sweating.  Even better, I will give you a max-calorie burning cardio/strength workout without leaving your home.  No more hitting the snooze - I will be at your front door in five minutes.  If you do hit the snooze, I will be calling you on the phone from your front porch.  After all, have you ever regretted a workout?  No way, it is just getting yourself to do it that is usually the problem.  Need even more motivation?  I will be right beside you doing every move with you, dripping with sweat, and breathing hard just like you.  I offer 30-minute and one-hour sessions for individuals and groups up to 4.  Make working out fun again, contact me for your FREE TRIAL SESSION IN YOUR HOME TODAY!


WHAT'S FOR DINNER?
Spinach is one of my families favorites, especially raw or mixed into dishes like pasta, pizza, lasagna, etc.  However, if you have ever eaten at a nice steak place, you probably tried and fell in love with creamed spinach.  You may have even convinced yourself that it was ok that it was drowning in cream, butter and cheese because it was spinach.  Well, it definitely does taste good, but unfortunately it has so much saturated fat and calories that I cannot enjoy it.  So, we were having some beautiful grass-fed beef tenderloin filets on Sunday evening along with sweet potatoes (it is not a steak dinner without sweet potatoes to me) and I really wanted to have spinach.  So, I created this very decadent tasting, but very light version of creamed spinach.  The kids gobbled it up, and Greg, who can guiltlessly enjoy steakhouse creamed spinach, loved every bite.  I hope your family loves it too!

"Creamed" Spinach
Servings:  4

Ingredients
1/2 cup fat-free evaporated milk
1/2 t garlic, finely chopped
1/2 t flour
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/8 t nutmeg, grated
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
10-12 oz. fresh baby spinach leaves

Directions
Heat a medium-sized saute pan over medium-high heat.  Add the milk and garlic and stir to combine as the milk heats.  Add the flour to the milk and whisk vigorously and continuously as the mixture comes to a gentle boil.  Reduce heat to low and continue to stir as sauce thickens.  Remove from the heat to add nutmeg, salt, and pepper.  Return to low heat and add the cheese.  Add 1/3 to 1/2 of the spinach, depending on the size of your pan and stir spinach into sauce as it wilts.  When there is more room in the pan, add more spinach and continue process until all spinach is wilted into the sauce.  If sauce seems too think after all spinach is wilted, add a couple of tablespoons of evaporated milk and stir.  You can keep spinach warm on a very low burner until the rest of the meal is ready to serve.  If you prefer, you could pour the spinach mixture into a casserole and top with a small amount of Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs.  If serving immediately, place under a broiler for a few minutes to crisp the bread/cheese topping.  If serving later, remove from fridge and place in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes to heat spinach and crisp topping.

Here's to fresh, fast, and fantastic food.

Liquid Assets

It is hard to walk through the market or convenience store, or any retail store for that matter without being bombarded by mini-cooler cases filled with beverages promising everything from boosting your immune system, to giving you energy and now helping you relax.  All of these beverages seem to have two important things in common, they are not regulated from an effectiveness standpoint and they are almost always filled with empty calories, i.e. added sugar.  Are there really any beverages out there providing real benefits other than hydration and can they do it without loads of empty calories?

Sports drinks don’t make you run faster or jump higher – it merely replenishes fluids and nutrients you lose while sweating.  But there are beverages that really do have a training effect.  Sip water as you workout (dehydration can slow you down), and try these other drinks for real results:

Cherry Juice

Endurance athletes who drank cherry juice before running a marathon felt less pain afterward than those who did not.  Phytochemicals in the drink appear to ease inflammation.  You might even give cherry juice a try the next time you are fighting a headache or any inflammation for that matter.  It is best to sip the juice every day for a week leading up to (as well as the day of) any athletic event like a race.  The recommended amount is 2 ½ cups (20 oz.)

Fat-Free Milk

The protein in the milk helps repair muscles you have exerted.  The calcium and vitamin D strengthen bones and may help you lose more fat.  It is best to sip right after strength-training.  The recommended amount is 2 – 4 cups (16 – 32 oz.)

Green Tea

The caffeine in green tea will help you work out longer.  You will also shed more fat, thanks to compounds called catechins, which increase fat burn, especially during aerobic exercise.  It is best to sip green tea daily, including right before a workout.  The recommended amount is 3 – 4 cups (24 – 32 oz.)

Ginger Lemonade

Ginger, which contains anti-inflammatory compounds, has been found to ease postworkout muscle soreness by up to 25%.  It is best to sip it daily.  Add ½ teaspoon grated ginger to 8 oz. of lemonade.

Resource:  Prevention Magazine July 2011

WHAT’S FOR DINNER

This combination of ingredients might catch you a little off-guard, however it turned out to be one of my favorite pasta dishes ever (and it was super quick and easy). 

Penne with Kale, Cauliflower, and Chicken Sausage

Servings:  8

1 lb. whole grain penne pasta

1 24 oz. jar good marinara sauce (I like Muir Glen or Newman’s Own Cabernet Marinara)

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets

½ bunch of kale, chopped into bite-size pieces

5 links chicken sausage ( I used some made with chicken thigh meat, spinach and asiago cheese)

1 T fresh basil leaves, chopped (optional)

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Sauté chicken sausage in a medium sauté pan, browning both sides.  Add a glug of white wine or chicken stock to the pan, cover loosely, and let cook on low until fully cooked.  Remove from pan.  In the same pan, drizzle a little olive oil and sauté kale until wilted.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Remove kale from pan.  Add marinara sauce to same pan and warm.  Cook penne pasta according to package directions in a large stock pot.  In the last 4 minutes of the pasta cooking time, add the cauliflower florets.  Drain pasta and cauliflower and return to pan.  Add sausage and kale to penne and cauliflower, pour sauce over the pasta mixture, add fresh basil, and toss gently.  Top each serving with a little grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Here's to fresh, fast, and fantastic food!

Raising Fit ad Healthy Kids

First of all, I apoligize for going so long without a blog post.  We just returned from a week of vacation in beautiful New England and I definitely took a break from my computer.  It was a nice break and I am of course back and excited to share more information on healthy family living. 

As I was hiking up the side of a mountain in the Mount Washington area of New Hampshire with three generations of Taylors (yes, we had Grandma and Grandpa, the three Taylor boys and their wives and seven kids between the ages of 7 months and 8 years old), it made me think about what makes fit and healthy kids.  Aside from sweet Eden who is only 7 months old, the other children, including Grayson and Brett who are only two, all trekked some if not all of this 3 mile round trip adventure up and down a mountain.  At times, I was walking at a very quick pace to keep up with the older kiddos as they practically bound down the mountain.

So what is the key to fit and healthy kids?  While it is not out of reach for anyone, it definitely takes some effort given the current state of health.  Today's kids are the first in history who will live less time than their parents.  Not surprising, the primary reason for this is obesity which is linked to all sorts of health issues.  Childhood and teenage obesity rates have been rising at an unbelievable pace over that past three decades, and the fatter you are, the sicker you are more likely to become.  According to a study conducted by Weight Watchers International, Inc. and the American Health Foundation, 25 percent of American children are now officially overweight.  This is more than double what it was 30 years ago and the numbers have risen with each successive study.

While fast food is a big part of this problem,  according to Ken Reed, Director of the Center for the Advancement of Physical Education, lack of exercise is the main offender.  "Over the last 25 years, caloric intake in toddlers and young kids has gone up three to four percent, but the level of physical activity has dropped nearly 20 to 25 percent."  While we must stay focused on getting our families to eat healthier, we have to at the same time find ways to get more activity and exercise.

Kids need about 90 minutes of daily exercise to avoid most heart disease risk factors, according to a study published in The Lancet in 2006.  Since kids should sleep 10 hours, spend most of their day in school, and according to the Academy of Pediatrics, spend an average of five and one half hours a day in front of the tv, game, or computer, we probably don't need a study to tell us that we have an up hill battle fitting more activity into a day and beating obesity.

While this sounds like quite a gloomy outlook, instead of discouraging, it actually gets me excited.  To think that such a major health issue has a "cure" within our reach.  We don't need some scientist somewhere to find a cure for us, it is completely in our control.  Here are some important steps to building fit and healthy kids:

No bottles before bed.  A large number of recent studies show infant obesity rates as high as 44 percent in some demographics, which have been linked in part to sending infants to bed with a bottle.  Not only is the child getting more calories, it is creating a learned response to eat before bed.  A very difficult habit to reverse.  Infants of course should have some body fat, but an obese infant is more than twice as likely to grow into an obese adolescent, who is more than twice as likely to become an obese adult.

Make your toddler toddle.  The 90 minute guideline is for school-aged children, but it is recommended that younger children get even more.  Infants should be encouraged to move as much as possible because it develops motor skills that will help them throughout their life.  Toddlers should have at least 30 minutes of planned activity per day and 60 minutes of free play, where they are allowed to move and roam as they like.  Preschool-age kids should get at least 60 minutes of planned activity and 60 minutes of free play. 

Fight for recess.  As school budgets dwindle and because results are based on test scores, "optional" classes like recess are being cut.  I would argue that recess is one of the most important classes your child has.  According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), it's not just how much children exercise that counts but how long they exercise for that is important.  Kids should not exercise for prolonged periods of time.  They benefit far more from short bursts of exercise throughout the day.

Juice is not for breakfast anymore.  The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that many children get most of their calories from beverages, when they would be better off getting them from whole fruit and other healthful solid foods.  Most come from soda, but juice can fly under the radar, masquarading as a health food.  Take a look at an orange juice label.  A former icon of a nutritious breakfast, and still praised in some less-enlightened cultures, is mainly sugar.  The refining process has leeched most of its useful ingredients and all of the fiber, turning a wonderfully healthful food, an orange, into little more than a morning sugar rush.

Say NO to the Cafeteria, unless your cafeteria is run by Revolution Foods or another healthful in-school lunch program.  Having your children bring their lunch to school can ensure that they are eating well.  School cafeterias have been getting progressively worse.  Did you know that the average cost of the lunch that they are serving your child in school is about $1, aside from the fact that it is mostly processed food and meets the minimum requirements where the minimum requirements are far too minimal.  Parents have banded together in many communities to change their school's nutritional structure.  Let your school know that minimum standards are not ok when we are trying to build fit and healthy kids.

Enforce TV and game limits.  Do you remember reading earlier that the average kids spends 5 1/2 hours in front of TV, games and computer screens?  UGH!  We could probably surmise that this time increases in relation to body mass index.  That is a lot of hours not moving!  Even if you monitor your child's content so that it is 100% education (if that is even possible), it is important that you enforce time limits for sitting still.  Not only is sitting still for long periods of time bad for you, but it more importantly creates a habit. 

Make a habit of exercise.  While we are discussing habitual behavior, exercise is one habit you want to develop in your children.  While you are structuring their day, add an exercise period.  No, I don't mean that you need to write an exercise program for them, however you do need to make sure that the time to get moving is on the schedule.  We want them to get use to the feeling that this is something they should be doing daily.

Assign chores.  Children should learn to do the same work around the house that they see you doing for them.  Weeding, sweeping, raking leaves, and doing laundry are all calorie-burning activities that add up little by little.  In fact, by getting them involved at a young age when they love helping out and being a contributing member of the family, may just decrease or eliminate the complaining when they get older.

Stop drinking soda.  Perhaps you have not heard this enough, but soda accounts for more calories consumed than any other food.  Teenagers in America get an estimated 13% of their calories from soda, making it nearly impossible to eat a balanced diet.

Try some sports.  Not all kids are great at sports, but almost everyone has an aptitude at some physical activity.  Start your child young by allowing them to experiment with different sports.  The more sports that they try, the easier it will be for you to see which ones they excel at and which they don't.  They get exposed to different things and people, they get some exercise, and, in the end, you will probably find something they will be good at - or at least decent - which will help their self-esteem as they develop.  Keep in mind that sports don't just mean team or traditional sports.  Martial arts, snowboarding, swimming, dance, and rock climbing are all just as effective as football and soccer for building healthy bodies.

Get outside!  When we grow up some of us will be inside people and some of us will be outside people.  As kids, however, we should all get some exposure to the great outdoors.  There are endless number of outdoor activities you can choose from, but the simples, hiking, is one of the best activities you can do with your kids.  It is great exercise, especially if you live around hills or mountains, which will ensure that your intensity will be high.  It builds motor skills because you walk on rocks and trees, etc.  It is also a learning tool because you will encounter the natural world and, most likely, develop an interest in the way it works.  It does not take having Yosemite or Mount Washington in your backyard, just get out there and enjoy the physical activity as well as the time with your family.

Growing fit and healthy kids is a combination of eating healthy, getting plenty of sleep and get enough physical activity.  If you are having difficulty in achieving success in any or all of these areas, contact me or visit my website.  I specialize in building healthy families on any schedule.  Having an insane schedule does not have to keep your family from being healthy and fit anymore. 

Are you looking for a keynote speaker for a back-to-school event, PTO meeting, etc?  Anytime is the right time to make the transition to a healthier lifestyle, but back-to-school time is a common time for families to make the committment.  Please contact me for more information on speaking engagements.

Resources:  "12 Steps to Having Fit and Healthy Kids" by Steve Edwards

WHAT'S FOR DINNER
It's a friday night during the summer, we want fun, quick, and easy!!!  Tonight we are making a very healthy and delicious pizza.  Your options for crust, sauce, and toppings are endless.  You can get whole wheat crust from many local pizzerias or the market such as Whole Foods.  You can also get pre-cooked whole wheat crusts at the market, but any whole grain pita bread, tortilla or even English muffins will make a great crust.  A good bottled or fresh marinara or pesto are my favorite choices, but let your imagination run wild.  There are very few veggies out their that would not work great on a pizza, especially if they are grilled or sauteed.  Try to steer clear of all of the processed and high-fat, high-sodium meat toppings, but a little bit for flavor might be just what your crew needs.  Sweet Italian turkey or pork sausage, canadian bacon or even a little prociutto add tons of flavor.  To really up the nutritional punch of your pizza, start with a good low-sugar, low-fat marinara sauce, make a layer of baby spinach leaves, a layer of thinly sliced tomatoes before adding a little of your favorite meat or other toppings.  Top the pizza with a little part-skim mozzarella and maybe even a small amount of feta or other highly-flavored cheese for an extra boost of flavor.  If you add all these veggies to your pizza then you might not need to serve it with a salad, but certainly the salad tastes great with pizza and adds bulk so you won't need to eat quite so much pizza.

Losing Weight with Morning Exercise

Walk the dog, join a health club, get into running. Whatever you do, you've got to move your body as much as possible if you want to lose weight.

We all know that we need to get going, but often the challenge is keeping it going.  Here is an article by Jeanie Lerche Davis, a WebMD Feature writer, that may help you start a really good habit...

There's no getting around it: To lose weight and keep it off, you need to exercise. But some days that hardly seems possible. Our days are overbooked already! Yet experts agree - exercise must become part of your overall daily lifestyle. And starting the morning with exercise is the best habit of all.

"The key is getting exercise whenever you can - whether it's morning, afternoon, or evening," says Cedric X. Bryant, PhD, chief exercise physiologist of the American Council on Exercise. "Your goal is to move your body as much as possible."

But by starting your morning with physical activity, you set the day's pace, Bryant says. "Morning exercisers tend to stick with their exercise habit," he says. "By doing the bulk of exercise first thing in the morning, you get your exercise in before other distractions can intrude. We can all relate to that -- because once the day gets going, it's hard to get off the treadmill called life."

The Case for Morning Exercise

Research suggests that morning exercise improves sleep, a benefit that could also promote weight loss, Bryant tells WebMD. One study of overweight women between the ages of 50 to 75 showed that those who engaged in consistent morning exercise (about four hours a week) slept better than those who exercised less. The evening exercisers had more trouble falling asleep - even if they fit in the four hours a week.

Bryant explains the connection of sleep and weight loss: "We know that if you have poor quality sleep, it influences certain hormones that control appetite. It is possible that by exercising in the morning -- instead of evening - the exercise affects the body's circadian rhythm (your internal body clock) so you get better-quality sleep. Good sleep helps control the hormonal balance that helps control appetite."

Brisk exercise (an hour or more daily) has helped more than 4,000 "successful losers" in The National Weight Control Registry -- they've all lost 30 pounds or more and kept it off for a year or longer. Many of them break up their exercise into shorter spurts throughout the day instead of doing a single, marathon workout session.

"Think of your morning exercise like a business appointment - one you can't easily cancel," says Gary Foster, PhD, clinical director of the weight and eating disorders program at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. "It takes discipline. But if you're overweight, you're at risk for a heart attack. If you don't do something about your weight, it's indirect self-destructive behavior. It's the same as smoking a pack of cigarettes daily. This has got to be the highest priority because it's your health."

Working Exercise Into Your Life

One way to make exercise a daily habit is to integrate your workout into your regular life, says Walter Thompson, PhD, professor of exercise physiology at Georgia State University in Atlanta. Physical activity - not just exercise per se -- can become part of your daily routine, Thompson tells WebMD. "People think they have to strap on running shoes and run a marathon to call it exercise. I talk more about integrating physical activity into your daily lifestyle."

His advice: "When you go to the mall, the grocery store, the office, park your car as far away from the front door as you can. Take the stairs rather than the elevator. These are habits you can get used to. They will become common practice."

Structured physical activity is also important. Walking, yoga, lifting weights, biking, running, and swimming - could all be a morning exercise choice. Here's an estimate of the average calorie-burn potential from 30 minutes of exercise:

Vigorous Exercise
Running or jogging (5 mph) = 295 calories
Bicycling (10 mph or more) = 195 calories
Swimming (slow freestyle laps) = 255 calories
Aerobics = 240 calories
Basketball = 220 calories

Moderate Exercise
Walking (3.5 miles mph) = 140 calories
Weight training (light workout) = 110 calories
Stretching = 90 calories
Biking (less than 10 mph) = 145 calories
Dancing = 165 calories

One recent study noted that yoga - a popular morning activity - can help prevent the dreaded middle-age spread and even help shed unwanted pounds. Researchers looked at normal and overweight men and women who practiced yoga regularly (at least one session of 30 minutes or more per week) for four years or more. It compared their weight with the weight of people who didn't do yoga.

Normal-weight people who practiced yoga gained less than those who didn't practice yoga. Overweight people who practiced yoga lost an average of 5 pounds; those who didn't practice gained about 14 pounds.

Yoga's effect may have more to do with body awareness than the actual calories burned during the average session, researchers say. During yoga practice, you are more aware of your body - which can prompt you to quit eating when you're full.

Getting Started on Your Exercise Routine

If you're really trying to lose weight and keep it off, work toward a goal of 60 to 90 minutes of exercise most days of the week. But that's a lot to ask someone who's just starting out, says Thompson. If that's you, try it in 10-minute chunks of time at first -- several times a day, several days a week.

To get your morning exercise ritual going, here are some tips.

Talk to a doctor first. If you are overweight and if you have risk factors for heart disease - high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or family history of heart disease - get your doctor's OK before starting an exercise program, Thompson says.

Start with walking. Set short-term goals - 10 minutes, 15 minutes, etc. Gradually increase the number of days. Walking a dog is great because it gets you out for 20 minutes in the morning, and then 20 more at night. "If I can get someone up to 45 minutes or an hour of exercise during the day, I consider that a major success," Thompson notes. "You can't ask anyone to immediately start exercising for 90 minutes. You have to start with lifestyle changes and increase from there."

Consider a health club and/or a Personal Trainer. "Some people need a lot of variety to stay interested in exercise," says Thompson. "That's where health clubs and personal trainers are great. They always keep people's interest piqued on exercise. And if you're paying for it, you're likely to go."  If you are interested in the variety and doing your workout at your home, contact me to discuss personal training.  I am probably a little different than your average trainer.  I focus on using your own body weight and the world around you to achieve your fitness goals.  My goal is for you to learn to get a great workout in your home and neighborhood, so you don't have to make the trip to a gym to get your much needed exercise. 

Buy or rent workout tapes or DVDs. If you prefer a quiet start to the day, try tapes and DVDs that feature yoga, weight training, and aerobic workout programs. Be sure to check who created them, however. "Some programs marketed by celebrities don't have good science behind them," he advises. "Look at the advisory board or advisor on the label. The good ones have an exercise physiologist as an advisor."

Don't forget weekends. If you make exercise part of your everyday lifestyle, stick with it on weekends, too. Keep treating it as an appointment. Don't let anything interfere. "It's your protected time and nothing else intrudes," says Foster. "You are keeping this commitment to yourself. This is something good that you're doing for yourself."

WHAT'S FOR DINNER?
Tonight we are having a very fresh and simple dinner.  Fresh corn is in season right now, and it is of course delicious and my kids absolutely love the taste and the fun of eating it from the cob.  So, I am picking up a freshly prepared roasted chicken from Whole Foods (no hormones, no antibiotics, vegetarian diet) on the way home from school.  I am pairing it with roasted sweet potatoes and fresh corn on the cob.  A bright beautiful plate that just feels like spring.  Have a great weekend!

Roast the sweet potatoes in the oven at 350 degrees for about an hour.  If you are short on time, you can cook them in the micowave wrapped loosely in a dish towel.  Depending on the size, the cooking time will vary.  Start with 5 to 7 minutes, and cook until tender to touch.

You can either boil the corn on the cob briefly or toss it on a hot grill for a little more flavor.  On the grill, you can place the corn directly or you can wrap the corn in foil with a little seasoning and even a little butter if you wish, and then grill until tender.

Here's to fresh, fast, and fantastic food!