Memory

We’ve all heard the saying:  “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks!!!”  Well, that’s actually not true!  You CAN learn things even into old age!  Scientists have discovered this concept known as neuroplasticity.  Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to adapt and react to the right stimulation by creating new neural pathways and altering existing ones.  In very simple terms…….the brain works a lot like a muscle.   If you don’t use it….you lose it!  So you need to work it out!  Here are few types to help boost your brain power!

1. EXERCISE – Exercising your body works out your brain, too! During exercise, oxygen goes to your brain and helps fight against diseases that cause memory issues.
2. SLEEP – When the body is tired, the brain does not work at maximum capacity. Period. You have to get sleep or else your creativity, problem-solving abilities and critical thinking skills will be compromised.
3. FRIENDS AND FUN – Relationships stimulate our brains and laughter really is the best medicine. Laughing engages multiple regions across the whole brain. 
4. REDUCE STRESS – Stress is one of the brain’s worst enemies. If left unchecked, chronic stress will actually destroy brain cells.
5. DIET – Make sure you are eating plenty of brain boosting foods. Eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids like salmon, tuna, trout, and other fatty fishes as well as walnuts, ground flaxseed, flaxseed oil, kidney and pinto beans, spinach, broccoli, pumpkin seeds, and soybeans. Also eat plenty of fruits and green leafy vegetables and foods that have low saturated fat.
6. BRAIN EXERCISE – Once you’ve reached adulthood you have some very good well established neural pathways in place. But in order to keep yourself mentally sharp, you need to give your brain some new stimulation. You can do this in little ways like taking a new way home, visiting new places or reading new books. But you can also do this by picking up a new
   brain activity! There are many different ways to do this. You can take up a new hobby or skill or there are even websites and apps that help you!  www.lumosity.com is a great website that helps train your brain and keep it young and vibrant!

Don’t forget that Fall Fun Fest starts tonight!  Grab some friends or family and enjoy the lovely weekend!!! 

Races

If you walk outside of the Rec Center today you will see lots of hustle and bustle and………….well………….MUD!  There are teams of workers and volunteers setting up for the Habitat for Humanity Mud Run!  The 3.1 mile race is tomorrow morning and sprinkled with 22 muddy, messy, sticky, icky obstacles!  And while it is too late to sign up for the Mud Run, I thought it was a good chance to point out all of the races coming up and why you should sign up for one!  It is definitely race season!  J

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• Fall Fun Fest is next weekend (September 6th and 7th).  That Saturday morning is the Fall Fun Run.  You can run the 5 or 10k.  Now here’s some GREAT news for City employees!!!  If you send in your application to the Rec Center TODAY, we will still honor the early bird price!  That means you only have to pay $30 instead of $40!  But this is just for City employees and won’t be available after today! 
• The Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure is Sunday, September 22nd  and is a 5k.  The cost is $35 and there are tons of options to join teams, volunteer and donate!
• The Walk This Way 5k for City of Cookeville and Cookeville Regional Medical Center employees is Friday, September 27th.  Don’t forget to sign up for this!  It’s only $15!!!  Let me know if you have any questions or need me to email you a registration form.
• The Haunted Half Marathon is Saturday, October 19th and is $55 to register.  This race is a bit longer than a 5k.  It’s actually 13.1 miles.  But don’t let that keep you from signing up and creating a new goal! 

These are just a few of the many, many runs and walks out there.  There is literally something for everyone!  There are color runs, zombie walks, mud runs, glow runs, runs at night, etc.  And the cool thing is that the money from most of these races goes to support a wonderful cause!  So not only are you receiving all of the many health benefits of exercising, but you are also helping out!  It’s a double whammy benefit!  And on a personal note..…..each September I make it a point to participate in the Conquer Chiari Walk Across America in Knoxville.  Being a “zipperhead” myself (you can ask me all about what this is if you’re totally confused!), I find attending the event is one of the most meaningful and uplifting times of the year.  It’s a time to get out and be with people and share my experience!  I’m sure many of you can find that same sort of camaraderie at other events and races.  Like I said there are races for almost everything (MS Walk, Alzheimer’s Walk, The American Cancer Society, etc.)!  So don’t let the mileage intimidate you!  Take the plunge!  You can do it!    

    Have a WONDEFUL weekend!  Happy Labor Day!

Core

A few weeks ago I wrote about spot reduction and how it is unfortunately just a myth.  If we want flat abs, we aren’t able to just crunch our way to a six pack.  Having said that…..having a strong CORE is very important!!!  Your core includes not only your abdominals and back, but also the deep, underlying muscles in your pelvis and hips.  Most of these muscles are hidden underneath other muscles.  The transverse abdominals are tucked away behind the rectus abdominals (those pretty six packs!) and encase your whole belly area.  And while those rectus abdominals may look nice….the transverse abdominals are the ones doing all the behind the scenes work.  They hold you upright and help protect all of those vital organs!  The same goes for other muscles like the erector spinae and pelvic floor muscles.  You can’t see them….but they are hard at work holding up your spine!  All of these core muscles work together to keep your trunk stable while the rest of your body is moving.  These muscles are the difference between a healthy and non-healthy back.  If your core muscles are weak, your body doesn’t work as effectively and other muscles have to pick up the slack.  This can result in injuries to the knees, shoulders and of course the back. 

 

So what can you do to strengthen your core?!!  Lots actually!  Do exercises that not only work your six pack muscles (like crunches) but also fire up your back, hips, pelvis and other abdominals!  Here are few simple ones to try!

 

Quadrupeds

Supermans 

Trunk Rotations

Bridges

Planks – There are TONS of plank variations and modifications!!!

So there you have it!  Work on getting that strong core!  Your body will thank you for it!  J

Have a WONDERFUL weekend!!!

Wash Your Hands

Nobody likes to be sick.  And with the cold and flu season right around the corner…..we need to arm ourselves with the best defense!  HANDWASHING!!!  It doesn’t take much time or effort but can play a huge role in disease and illness prevention!  Unfortunately, some of us still fall short of mastering this simple skill.  Follow these easy pointers to have germ free hands!

• Wet your hands with water (cold or warm).
• Apply soap.
• Lather well.  Make sure to scrub all areas of the hand including the back of the hand, in between fingers and under fingernails.
• Do this for at least 20 seconds.  That’s A LOT longer than you’re probably thinking!  Try humming the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end two times through.  That’s about 20 seconds.  You can even sing it out loud if you like!  
• Rinse well with running water.
• Use a clean towel to dry hands or let them air dry.

And that’s it!  Super easy and not very time consuming!  You should wash your hands:

• Before, during and after preparing food (especially raw meat).
• Before eating food.
• Before and after caring for someone who is sick.
• After using the toilet.
• After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet.
• After blowing our nose, coughing or sneezing into your hands.
• After touching an animal, animal food or animal waste.
• After touching garbage.

I hope everyone is having a great week and has a wonderful weekend! 

Mustard

Tomorrow is National Mustard Day!  So I thought it was fitting to learn a little bit more about this “King of Condiments!”  Yellow mustard is a great source of potassium, phosphorus, selenium, calcium and magnesium.  It also has zero calories, no added sugar, no fat and very little sodium.  Mustard seeds also have a large antioxidant quality to them.  Compare that to mustard’s red condiment cousin and  the choice is a no brainer!   Look at the ingredients:

 

Heinz Tomato Ketchup:  Tomato concentrate from red ripe tomatoes, distilled vinegar, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, salt, spice, onion powder, natural flavoring.

French’s Yellow Mustard:   vinegar, water, mustard seed, salt, turmeric, paprika and garlic powder.

Ketchup’s ingredients are just not as good as mustard’s.  Tomato concentrate is pressed tomatoes and high fructose corn syrup and corn syrup are both processed sugars.  None of mustard’s ingredients are processed and turmeric, paprika and garlic all have health benefits to them!  Plus ketchup weighs in at around 20 calories per serving.  Not a whole lot….but I use a lot more than one tablespoon when I’m having ketchup!  Now I’m not telling you to go out and eat a bowl of mustard a day!  Just be aware of what you’re eating!  And next time you’re at the condiment station…..choose yellow!!!  J

Have a great weekend everyone! 

200 Calories

People want to know how to lose weight and why they aren’t seeing more results from their workouts.  Well unfortunately what we eat makes up a HUGE part of the outcome.  Like 70-80% of it.  Yikes!  So look at what you’re eating and check the portion size.  How much are you actually eating?  Most people need around 2000-2500 calories per day.  That differs based on height, weight and activity level. 

Earlier this week Rick sent me an email that is PERFECT for this Get Fit Friday Memo!  WiseGEEK conducted a study and used pictures to show what 200 calories actually looks like in different foods.  The images are astonishing!  All of the pictures represent 200 calories.  Be sure to check out the grams and ounces for each picture.  Which foods give you more bang for your buck?!! 

Apples (385 grams / 13.5 oz)

 

 Butter (28 grams / 0.98 oz)

Broccoli (588 grams / 20.7 oz)

 Snickers Chocolate Bar (41 grams / 1.45 oz)

 Cooked Pasta (145 grams / 5.11 oz)

 Hot Dogs (66 grams / 2.33 oz)

 Kiwi Fruit (328 grams / 11.6 oz)

 McDonald’s Cheeseburger (75 grams / 2.6 oz)

 Eggs (150 grams / 5.3 oz)

 Celery (1425 grams / 50.3 oz)

 Blackberry Pie (56 grams / 1.97 oz)

 Mini Peppers (740 grams / 26.1 oz)

 Canned Black Beans (186 grams / 6.56 oz)

Werther’s Originals Candy (50 grams / 1.76 oz)

 McDonald’s Chicken Burger (from their “Healthy” range (72 grams / 2.5 oz)

Glazed Doughnut (52 grams / 1.8 oz)

 French Sandwich Roll (72 grams / 2.5 oz)

 Avocado (125 grams / 4.4 oz)

 Canned Sweet Corn (308 grams / 10.9 oz)

 Baby Carrots (570 gram / 20.1 oz)

 Canned Green Peas (357 grams / 12.6 oz)

 Canned Baked Beans (Pork and Beans flavour) (186 grams / 6.56 oz)

 Doritos (41 grams / 1.44 oz)

 Dried Apricots (83 grams / 2.9 oz)

 McDonald’s French Fries (73 grams / 2.6 oz)

 Fried Bacon (34 grams / 1.2 oz)

 Fruit Loops Cereal (51 grams / 1.8 oz)

 Grapes (290 grams / 10.2 oz)

 Splenda Artifical Sweetener (50 grams / 1.8 oz)

 Gummy Bears (51 grams / 1.8 oz)

 Hershey Kisses (36 grams / 1.27 oz)

 Honeydew Melon (553 grams / 19.5 oz)

 Jelly Belly Jelly Beans (54 grams / 1.9 oz)

 Ketchup (226 grams / 7.97 oz)

 M&M Candy (40 grams / 1.4 oz)

 Red Onions (475 grams / 16.75 oz)

 Sliced Smoked Turkey (204 grams / 7.2 oz)

 Coca Cola (496 ml / 16.77 oz)

 Canola Oil (23 grams / 0.8 oz)

 Smarties Candy (57 grams / 2 oz)

 Tootsie Pops (68 grams / 2.4 oz)

 Whole Milk (333 ml / 11.3 fl oz)

 Balsamic Vinegar (200 ml / 6.8 fl oz)

 Lowfat Strawberry Yogurt (196 grams / 6.9 oz)

 Canned Chili con Carne (189 grams / 6.7 oz)

 Canned Tuna Packed in Oil (102 grams / 3.6 oz)

 Fiber One Cereal (100 grams / 3.5 oz)

 Flax Bread (90 grams / 3.17 oz)

 Blueberry Muffin (72 grams / 2.5 oz)

 Bailey’s Irish Cream (60 ml / 2.02 fl oz)

 Cranberry Vanilla Crunch Cereal (55 grams / 1.9 oz)

 Cornmeal (55 grams / 1.94 oz)

 Wheat Flour (55 grams / 1.94 oz)

 Peanut Butter Power Bar (54 grams / 1.9 oz)

 Puffed Rice Cereal (54 grams / 1.9 oz)

 Puffed Wheat Cereal (53 grams / 1.87 oz)

 Brown Sugar (53 grams / 1.87 oz)

 Salted Pretzels (52 grams / 1.83 oz)

 Medium Cheddar Cheese (51 grams / 1.8 oz)

 Potato Chips (37 grams / 1.3oz)

 Sliced and Toasted Almonds (35 grams / 1.23 oz)

 Peanut Butter (34 grams / 1.2 oz)

 Salted Mixed Nuts (33 grams / 1.16 oz)

If you are interested in finding out how many calories you need per day, you can click here to calculate it. There are also many websites out there that can help you track your calorie intake and expenditure.  

Have a great weekend!!!