What does it really cost?

I see this all the time.  You get your nails done every 2-3 weeks, you get your hair colored and cut every 4-6 weeks, you eat out, you shop for new clothes, etc.  Then you say, “I really don’t have the money right now to invest in an exercise/nutrition program”.  Well, you are spending the money, just on other things.  When does your body get to the top of your priority list?

What will it take to get you to invest in what is below the surface, beyond the skin?  Your heart, your lungs, your muscles and yes, those bones!  Getting our hair and nails done makes us feel good about ourselves and boost our confidence.  I would say that investing in exercise and nutrition is one of the best things you can do to boost your confidence.  You feel stronger, healthier, have a better shape and much more energy to get through your day. 

What is it costing you to NOT get active and eat right?  Your health!  While it may not seem like a big deal now, continued sedentary lifestyle and poor eating habits will catch up with you and then it will hit you and your pocket book in a really big way!  Low energy, low self esteem, higher risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, cancer and heart disease will not only drain your bank account, but drain your time that you could be spending with loved ones and living a healthy active life!

The rates of obesity and chronic health problems are at an all time high in the U.S. right now, making it more important than ever to get moving!  A recent study states that being fit (even if you are overweight) reduces the risk of most diseases and premature death.  Being fit is one of the best things you can do to take care of what is on the inside!  Go beyond the surface and get to what really matters.  Taking care of yourself is the most important thing you can do for your family.  If you don’t take care of you, who is going to take care of them?

Take the first step and yes, I mean that literally!  If you are not active right now, get out and walk for at least 10 minutes twice a day.  Next week, make it 15 minutes twice a day.  Get to where you can walk for at least 30 minutes every day.  Research CONSISTENTLY reports the positive benefits of walking.  And guess what?  It is free!  

To get the most bang for your excise time – incorporate strength training.  Building lean muscle increases your resting metabolic rate (that means you burn more calories sitting on the couch!)  Building muscles also stimulates bone growth. Both women and men are at risk of osteoporosis as they age and strength training is the best thing you can do to prevent this disabling disease.

So what is the best approach for strength training for busy people who want to burn fat?  Stay tuned!

Read More

Did you know Heart Disease is still the No. 1 killer of women, causing 1 in 3 deaths each year?

This means women just like you - mothers, sisters, friends - are dying at the rate of one per minute.  Heart disease is the number one killer of all Americans, more than all cancers combined! 

Make sure YOU know the SIGNs and Symptoms – from the American Heart Association

More women die of cardiovascular disease than from all forms of cancer combined!  Eighty percent of cardiac events in women could be prevented if women made the right choices for their hearts, involving diet, exercise and abstinence from smoking.

What is a Heart Attack?  A heart attack occurs when the blood flow to a part of the heart is blocked, usually by a blood clot. If this clot cuts off the blood flow completely, the part of the heart muscle supplied by that artery begins to die.

Know the Signs of a Heart Attack so you can take action quickly.  Signs are:

1. Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of your chest. It lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back.
2. Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
3. Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
4. Other signs such as breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.
5. As with men, women’s most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting and back or jaw pain.

If you have any of these signs, don’t wait more than five minutes before calling for help.

Call 9-1-1...Get to a hospital right away.

Did you know Stroke is the No. 3 cause of death in America? Strokes are the major cause of severe, long-term disability.  Stroke and TIA (transient ischemic attack) happen when a blood vessel feeding the brain gets clogged or bursts. The signs of a TIA are like a stroke, but usually last only a few minutes. If you have any of these signs, don’t wait more than five minutes before calling for help.

Know the Signs of a Stroke so you can take action quickly.  Signs are:

1. Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
2. Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
3. Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
4. Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
5. Sudden severe headache with no known cause

Also, check the time so you’ll know when the first symptoms appeared. It’s very important to take immediate action. Research from the American Heart Association has shown that if given within three hours of the start of symptoms, a clot-busting drug can reduce long-term disability for the most common type of stroke.

Reference:  American Heart Association No-Fad Diet: A Personal Plan for Healthy Weight Loss, Copyright © 2005 by the American Heart Association.

Read More

Serving Sizes - make sure you are not victim to "portion distortion"

We are focusing on serving sizes this week as the "topic".  In the world we live where everything is super-sized, it is no wonder our waistlines are following that trend!  Did you know that Levis now is making their jeans larger for vanity reasons?  A 35 inch size of pants from Levis is now a bit bigger!

So...with all that said, what is a serving and how many should you have?  We should strive for 5 a day of fruits and veggies.  If you can eat more than 5 - GO FOR IT (especially on the veggies)!  I tell everyone, eat your greens like you get paid to do it!  New research states that more fruits and veggies increase the protection from heart disease and certain cancers. Grains should be limited to whole grains and protein should be eaten at each meal.  The serving size for protein at a meat fish and poultry is only the size of a deck of cards.  The other proteins should be a palm size or about an ounce (depending on if it cheese or nuts).  Remember to stick to low fat dairy or nuts, or boiled eggs, or a small serving of beans.

I have attached these handy serving size templates - one is for your wallet - and the other is for the refrigerator!  I hope to see it on the Western Reflections fridge next time I am there!

 Yours in health!

Read More

Exercise is Medicine!

Fitness Tip: According to fitness experts - exercising female diabetics had a 33 percent lower chance to develop cardiovascular disease after eight years than those who didn't workout. Stroke could be reduced by 50 percent with a moderate, five-day exercise program.

What better reason to exercise!  Take charge of your health today!

 

Read More