Oils

Have you thought about your cooking oils recently?  Take a peek in your cabinet.  What all do you have?  Vegetable Oil?  Canola Oil?  Olive Oil?  Most of us would have similar things.  But did you know that there are BIG differences in oils?  Some are processed in a factory (no good).  Some are good for high heat, others for lower heat.  Some oils are actually healthy for you!!!  Did you hear that?!!  OILS CAN BE GOOD!!!  It just depends on what kind you use……….  Take a good look at this graphic:   

Things to notice are whether or not the oil is refined, bleached or deodorized.  You want oils that have natural or no processing.  Also take a look at the effects of each oil.  Notice that some of the oils actually have health benefits!  That’s GREAT news!  Coconut oil in particular has a giant list of health benefits.  But some people worry about the fact that it has over 90% saturated fat.  It really just depends on who you talk to on whether this type of saturated fat is a concern.  Some swear that any saturated fat is bad for your heart while others argue that saturated fat from coconuts is harmless and actually helps lower risk of heart disease.  These people believe it’s more due to the over processed oils like corn, canola and safflower oils.  So the jury is still out!

So do your research!  See what’s out there!  There are tons of different kinds of healthy oils out there.  Grapeseed, avocado, sesame seed…………Get crazy!!!  I’ve been cooking more with coconut oil recently and my kids seem to LOVE it!  They think I’ve been cooking with honey it’s so good!   

I hope everyone has a GREAT weekend!

Allergies

After a LOOOONG winter, I noticed this past week that things are starting to bloom!  YAY!   I’ve missed color!  J Spring brings us a bunch of blooming plants, trees and flowers and makes the world all bright and sparkly again!  But with all of these cheerful blossoms come pollen.  And lots of it.  So if you have seasonal allergies……BEWARE!  We could spends day talking about allergies and how to cope.  I’m sure many of you have your own home remedies or medical regimen to help during this time.  But here’s a quick infographic that I came across that I thought would be helpful! 

Have a WONDERFUL week!!!

Triceps

Spring is right around the corner and with it will come short sleeve shirts and tank tops!  Unfortunately, this reveals a big problem area for most of us women!  Our triceps!!!  Who likes feeling the back of your arm flap when you wave?!  Not me!  I always say it looks like I’m waving a flag!  Yuck!  And while most people think working out the biceps alone is the most important thing for a shapely arm, the triceps actually make up more area than your biceps!  Triceps are also crucial in many of our movements.  Whenever something is being pushed or requires the arm to extend, the triceps muscle is heading the movement!  So it’s obvious we need to work our triceps, right?!  Well…..I’ve said it before.  There is no such thing as spot reduction.  That means that I can’t just exercise my triceps and expect the fat to melt away.  Remember that the main reason we carry fat where we do is genetics!  But exercising this area and gaining muscle there WILL make it appear leaner and more shapely.  Triceps exercises are easy to do and many of them require no equipment!  That means you can do them ANYWHERE!!!  Here are a few of the top triceps exercises to get your muscles strong and lean!!!

DIPS

 

  
PUSH-UPS

TRICEP PUSH-UPS

UPWARD FACING DOG

CHATURANGA

OVERHEAD TRICEP EXTENSION

TRICEP KICKBACK

SKULLCRUSHERS

There are many, many more but this should get you started!  And when choosing your weight remember that even though the triceps are bigger than the biceps, they are more underdeveloped and weaker.  Don’t let that scare you!  They have the ability to build very quickly! 

 

Have a WONDERFUL weekend!!!

Food for Thought

It should come as no surprise to anyone when I say that America is suffering from an obesity epidemic.  Over the past year or so I’ve read, watched and soaked in lots of information about food and nutrition.  I am by no means an expert but this is a topic that thoroughly interests me. 
 

Some of the information I stumble across can be quite shocking.  This week alone there have been two eye-opening articles released.  On Tuesday an article came out that discussed what would happen if everyone in America lost 20 pounds and how that would affect the nation.  Just 20 pounds would bring most people down to around their normal BMI.  Pretty interesting stuff if you ask me!

On the same day (Fat Tuesday, by the way!), Gallup released it’s annual poll on the Fattest States in America.  Tennessee is 7th on the list of the most obese.  Almost all of the top 10 states were in the south.  One in three Tennesseans are considered obese.  Obesity in this study means they have a BMI greater than 30.  “Normal” is 18-24.  Here’s how it looks: 

Another thing that has stuck with me lately is about what Americans are eating.  Why do we keep getting larger?  Why does the obesity trend keep increasing and increasing?  Here’s part of it:  We have stopped eating real food and are eating food-like products.  What does that even mean?!  It means that most of the foods that we love and enjoy and taste SOOO delicious are made in a lab.  Created to stimulate your brain and taste buds so you want more.  It’s not there to nourish your body.  It’s designed to trick you into eating more.  If you really want a wake-up call, watch the documentary Hungry for Change.  It goes into lots of details about this very topic!  

So what can you do?!  The biggest thing is to stay informed!!!  Be knowledgeable!  Take control of what goes in your body.  Read your nutrition labels.  If there is a big ole laundry list of unrecognizable items…..it probably isn’t too good for you!  Start changing the way you think about food.  Think of it as fuel for your body.  What can you fuel your body with to keep it in working tip top condition?  If you don’t know where to start or feel overwhelmed…..give me a call or shoot me an email!  I would LOVE to help!  I’m working on making better choices just like everybody else and I know how hard it is to start.  Change doesn’t happen overnight.  It’s a slow, slow process.  But I promise…….YOU CAN DO IT!!!   

 

Gum

Chewing gum………..some people think it’s an annoying habit and some folks are addicted to it.  So we’re going to weigh the pros and cons!  

PROS
Heartburn Relief:  The excess saliva created by chewing gum actually helps to neutralize stomach acid that washes up the esophagus causing heartburn.  Chewing sugar free gum for 30 minutes can ward off any heartburn or indigestion.
Dental Health:  As long as the gum is sugar free…chewing gum after meals help to wash away any bacteria or food residue left by eating. 
Curbs the Appetite:  People who chew gum report fewer feelings of hunger and sugar cravings. 
Increased Concentration and Focus:  Chewing gum increases cerebral blood flow.  It can actually increase concentration and focus by 10%.  That is why so many people tend to chew gum during tests or situations that require intense concentration.

 

CONS
Excess Gas:  All of the extra chewing can lead to burping and bloating.  More chewing means you swallow more air.
Jaw Problems:  Too much chewing can hurt the jaws.  Especially people with preexisting conditions like TMJ.
Sugar and Artificial Sweeteners:  Unfortunately a lot of gums have excess sugars in them.  This is NOT good for the teeth!  And in an effort to avoid this situation, many gum manufacturers use artificial sweeteners such as aspartame.  Aspartame has it’s own laundry list of health risks.   

 

So what are your thoughts?!!  Do you love gum?  Does it annoy you when people chew gum?  I personally love it!  My favorite gum is Extra Dessert Delights Mint Chocolate Chip Gum.  Oh my…..it’s like scooping a big bowl of ice cream!    PUR makes a gum that is sugar-free, aspartame-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan.  It’s made with xylitol which is good for your teeth, stabilizes insulin and hormone levels, promotes good health and has none of the negative side effects of white sugar or artificial sweeteners!  How cool is that?! 

 

So there you have it!  The good, the bad and the chewy!  Have a wonderful weekend!!!

Time

The number one response when people talk about why they don’t work out is that they don’t have time.  We get busier and busier every day!  From sun up to sun down, our days are filled with the hustle and bustle of life!  But no matter how you look at it……we all have the same 24 hours each day.  It’s just a matter of how you use those hours!  If something is important to you…...you make time to do it.  We have hobbies, chores, routines, etc. that we make time to do.  Day after day, week after week, month after month.  We all make time for these things!  So how do we not have time to exercise?!!  

The answer is simple.  It all comes down to priorities.  If exercise is a priority, than you make time for it.  Period.  And that priority may come and go during different seasons of your life and that’s okay!  But the bottom line is that we are ALL short on time!  Very few people I know have oodles of time to burn!  We are all struggling to get stuff done and burning the midnight oil to finish things.  But there are 1,440 minutes in a day.  You only need to use 30 of them to exercise.  And it doesn’t even have to be 30 minutes straight.  It can be broken up.  Ten minutes here……ten minutes there….. Go for a quick walk at lunch.  And then again after dinner.  And if walking isn’t your thing, play basketball.  Stretch.  Whatever!  There are TONS of programs that cater to the people pressed for time!  That’s why they created things like T25!  Get it done quicker!  HIIT and tabata type workouts are all about making the most of your time!  There are also tons of videos on youtube that give you a quick workout. 

 

So now is a GREAT opportunity to do a little time evaluation.  Go through your day to day life and see where you can clear the clutter.  See how much time you could add to your day by cutting out some of your time suckers.  Could you gain back enough time to exercise?  I bet you could.  We all could.  Because I can’t think of a more important priority than your health and well-being!!!  J      

 

Have a WONDERFUL weekend!

Heart Health

Valentine’s Day is all about hearts!  So what a great chance to tell you some ways to make that heart as healthy as possible! 

• Move!  That means exercise!  It helps circulation and improves cholesterol levels.  Just 30 minutes 3-5 times per week will do wonders for your heart!
• Stop Smoking!  You’ve heard it a million times……smoking is horrible for your ole ticker!
• Control High Blood Pressure!  All that pressure on your blood vessels is rough on your heart!  Monitor and regularly check your blood pressure and take steps to lower it!
• Eat a Healthy Diet!  Cut out fried food and foods high in saturated fat and make sure to eat your fruits and veggies!  Also make sure to eat lots of good fats (fish, nuts and seeds)!
• De-stress!  Make sure you are getting adequate amounts of rest and taking time to tune out!
• Know Your History!  Even if you score a 100 in all of the above….genetics is a major risk factor!  Know your history and talk with your doctor about a plan to avoid cardiovascular disease! 

I hope your hearts are filled with lots of love and health today!