Replace your chair with a Ball?

You have all heard of this trend.  It’s not new.  It’s a question I have had fairly frequently over the last year.  Should I sit on a ball at work instead of my chair?  Would that help my core?

According to Dr. Henry Goitz, chief of sports medicine at the Medical College of Ohio, recommends 20-30 minutes of sitting on a ball instead of an office chair will certainly improve muscle tone.  He cautions against using it all day because of risk of fatigue and injury.

 

I agree!!  Common mistakes people make while using a ball:

• They fail to sit up straight
• Both feet are not firmly planted on the floor with their ankle falling directly below their knee, rather they slouch.
• 
• They sit on it too long (sitting too long in general is a problem for office workers) so their pelvis becomes fatigued as well as surrounding muscle groups.
• They have limited core awareness, so although muscles are being used to stay on the ball upright, they aren’t getting what they could out of it.
• They have a ball that isn’t the right size for their body.

A great alternative, again to be used on a minimal basis (20-30 minutes at a time) is a balance disk.  I love these for lifting the pelvis into neutral, extending the hamstrings a little, and bringing core awareness into your day.  You can find them on ebay, amazon, and Sports Authority for about $20.00 and they are easier to take with you than the large ball.

 

In addition to a prop of this nature at work, the most important thing you can do for your hamstrings, and back is to set the alarm on your iphone or computer for 30 minutes.  Every time it goes off, stand up and stretch-touch the floor, roll up your vertebrae to a standing position slowly, repeat several times.  Stretch your quads and hip flexors, by simply standing on one leg and grabbing your foot and pulling your ankle toward your bum.  The problem with jobs that chain us to a desk is our leg muscles shorten and we experience back and leg pain.  Try stretching your shoulders and neck as well to relieve that shoulder fatigue.  You only need 60-90 seconds to help refresh those muscles and get back to work.

What do you do to alleviate the pain of sitting at a desk all day?  Have you tried one of these props?  Do tell…….

A Thursday to remember, followed by Tiaras and Tacos

What a week!

First, if you haven’t checked out my friend Amy’s blog http://amypersonally.wordpress.com you are missing out!  We rarely get time together. You know those people that you pick up right where you left off, you trust even though you haven’t known them your whole life, and you secretly want to impress with your knowledge or ability?  Well, that’s Amy for me.  She flatters me too which as you know, goes along way.  It’s one of my love languages.   She came Thursday for the best dessert I have had in a long time.  Best, because it’s healthy dessert.

I was worried.  Amy is a chef.  I am a cook.  Amy is healthy.  I am healthy, but a bit neurotic with calories (with exception of course).  I like fast, Amy likes cooking with intention.  We compliment each other in the food and exercise department.  My plan was for her to try my Yonana’s machine.

Pumpkin Yonana’s with Ginger Cookies (Thanks to Shari, I had the pumpkin already frozen)

You have all heard my gush about this machine.  At first I thought, my bowls won’t be pretty like Amy’s, and do I crush the cookies or leave them whole.  I got over that quickly when she had her first bite!  Frozen pumpkin with pumpkin pie spice (approx 2 tablespoons) and 2 frozen bananas.  Amy thought that was enough for her, but I made her share.  Next time Amy will think of the combo.  Thanks Amy for forgiving my crazy schedule and taking me “as you find me”…….Delicious and Healthy.

After Thursday, the week went downhill fast.  Emma (my 12 year old) was determined to be in the first Glitz Pageant ever held in Hudson, WI.  She informed me of this a week ago.  Many Delmonico Dancers were entered in the pageant and as Miss Kim said, “they represented very well”.  She was proud!  That pageant crowd makes Dance Competitions look like a breeze.  3 trips to Joann Fabrics, borrowing a dress and shoes, 2 hours of hair and make up, a last minute trip to the tailor, re-arranging clients (thanks clients), and 10 hours later (a long day Saturday) we did it.  Somehow I was able to see my son’s basketball game in between our long hair and make up session.

I

I have two secrets to surviving these day long events because I am not long on patience.

1. A cooler.  While everyone else is getting fast food and vending machine options.  I have oranges, wraps, peanut butter, granola (thanks to Amy), trail mix and plenty of water’s, cuties, and vitamin waters.

2. The promise of good company.  Say what you will about dance moms, but we all love our kids and make sacrifices to let them pursue their dreams (I don’t think football, hockey, soccer, etc are any different).  The last couple of years, I am lucky enough to have the Penticoff family by my side and know that they will keep me sane and there is usually a promise of a yummy dinner after a long day of dance or in this case pageantry.   At 8:00 p.m. and starving, we just went for Tacos.  Fish Tacos are among my favorite foods.  It isn’t just the tacos, it’s the company, the laughter, and the reflection of how proud we are of our children and how blessed we are-the kids usually are ready for home, but we insist.  We need the nice conclusion to a very long day.

Through the insanity, I will see many women that don’t save time for themselves with both diet and exercise.  I believe that we should make sure we still have time for ourselves.  I may not always have my hair done or my house clean, but I exercise, eat right, and surround myself with people who love me for who I am. Finding time for a friend this week, being super mom, and getting through a big weekend was a blessing.   It takes time, but you are worth it!  In a few years, my house will be quiet and I will have all day to clean it and plenty of time to wash my hair.  These long days won’t last forever, so enjoy it-but don’t sacrifice yourself.

How do you stay sane?

What’s your favorite food for a crowd?

Winter can be amazing!

Where else can you bundle up, hit the pond with some old friends, all the kids and have a blast?  We spent the better part of the afternoon last Saturday on the pond behind our house.  College friends, neighbors and all the kids.  Roasting marshmallows in January and making Smores?  How awesome.  Kari’s from Wisconsin so she doesn’t even need winter clothes and Sandra, well the Californian had to borrow mine and practically sit on top of the fire to stay warm.  This wasn’t just any crowd.  This is a crowd that loves good food, good drink and loves life.  So what do you feed them that is both healthy and make ahead easy?

Taco Sopa El Frijol (or Taco Soup).  I am sure you diet gurus have heard of this one before.  Averaging 150 calories per cup, fits a crowd, a lot like chili (with less spice and less thick).  It was a good option.  Given the St. John’s crowd in attendance, I made enough for 16 adults (I count Tom/Steve as 4) and 9 kids I still have some left for this week!

First, brown a package of organic ground chicken from Trader Joe’s adding in 1/2 cup of chopped onion.  Then in either a dutch oven or your crock pot add the following:

**Make sure to rinse all your beans, it will save on the sodium when using canned items.

• One package taco season (low sodium) or feel free to just use the chili powder and cayenne pepper (we had a busy weekend, so I needed simple)
• One package Hidden Valley Ranch dry mix or Simply Organic dry rand mix (whatever your preference)
• One chopped yellow pepper (remember, the more colorful the better)
• One can of Chili Beans (Eden Organic makes a great one)
• One can Black Beans (Eden Organic)
• One can Kidney Beans (Eden Organic)
• One can Pinto Beans (Eden Organic)
• Frozen corn as desire
• 2 cans Rotelle tomatoes with chilies
• 2 cups Vegetable Broth (organic if you desire-but low sodium for sure, we are aging)
• 1 can petite diced tomatoes

I tripled this for this crowd, but my mom always told me to make sure I made extra!  At 150 per cup, you can have two and enjoy!

 

The Great Sugar Debate

Since I revealed I was going “sugar free” for 28 days I have received many, many questions!  So let’s get the hard part out of the way first.

I cheated.  

Saturday.  I went a whole week and then cheated.  I had a good reason.  I am now Lance Armstrong LiveStrong Cycle Certified.  I attended training on Saturday and after three 40 minute spin classes that kicked me to the curb, I wanted pizza and I wanted a lot of pizza.  No cheese, taco thin crust.  So I cheated.  But today is a new day and now day 2 and no more 1300 calorie workouts in my future.

When I said I was giving up sugar, I didn’t mean all sugar (I guess I should have clarified).  While I guess there is an argument to give it all up, I have a hard time including fruit in that category or items made with real sugar (that I make and can control the amount).  If you want a scientific explanation as to the history and how we got here in terms of our consumption of sugar, I recommend the following: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/17/magazine/mag-17Sugar-t.html?pagewanted=all

We know too much sugar can contribute to obesity, however, sugar also contributes to diabetes, metabolic syndrome, liver disease, insulin resistance.  The insulin/cancer debate has now been in full swing in the last decade: does sugar and insulin resistance promote growth of unhealthy or precancerous cells?  We don’t know for sure.  I am not a scientist so I focus on what I know for sure:

• 1. The more sugar I eat, the more I want-that isn’t good.
• 2. The more sugar I eat through processed foods (crackers, bread, pasta-all things over the holidays that filled my big mouth), the more weight I gain and the more sluggish I feel.
• 3. The more sugar I eat in the form of candy, cookies, and cake are all empty calories stored as fat.  Energy that your body cannot use quickly is stored as fat.
• 4. Can I eat fruit?  The sugar found in fruit is essentially fructose and can be stored as belly fat.  That doesn’t mean you give up fruit.  It means that while looking at carbohydrates-all things in moderation.  Seasonal fruit is always better (think about how our ancestors had limited access to fruit-skin on is always better when possible (even the white stuff on the orange).  Eat it.  Don’t drink it.  If you put it in a smoothly, just remember to add milk (of some sort), spinach is a good additive, avocado, yogurt, peanut butter (try PB2) wheat germ or flax.  You can make so many smoothies and don’t need very much fruit to get the flavor.  Moderation!
• 5. What about sugar substitutes?  The Mayo Clinic says don’t be fooled!  Stay way.  Artificial sweeteners can slow metabolism.  Discovery Health says these sweeteners decrease serotonin in the brain which can lead to cravings (especially carbs).
• 6. What about baking with natural sugars like Stevia?  Again, my personal opinion-the research currently indicates these are fine alternatives, but you have to like how they taste.  My kids won’t eat them (and my kids eat just about everything)!  I would rather make items with real unrefined raw sugar.  And unrefined brown sugar.  You can find these at Whole Food stores or my favorite : Amazon!  Substitute with unsweetened applesauce which can replace oils and sugar.  In muffins, for instance, first decrease the amount of sugar called for, ie. if it calls for a cup-you can reduce to 3/4 and you won’t miss it.  Then take 1/2 of the 3/4 and replace it with the applesauce.  Generally, for oil-I use coconut oil and take 3/4 of the required amount and replace for applesauce.  If you are worried about sweetness, use agave or honey.
• 

In general, check with your doctor or a dietitian if you have health concerns related to sugar.  Otherwise, everything in moderation!  No artificial sugars.  For me: this sugar cleanse is more about eating real food.  NO processed foods, no pizza, no crackers.  Just protein and vegetables, a little brown rice if I eat beans, and a little fruit.  Limit Alcohol. Clean eating.  Again, moderation is key.

I’ll post two favorite muffin recipes on my website using both Coconut Oil and applesauce.  They’ll be there this week.

What’s your thoughts on sugar?  Do you know how much sugar you eat in a day?  Try it: no refined foods, no added sugar.  The only sugar you should consume is sugar found naturally in food.

Good Morning Granola Bake. Start the New Year Right.

The time has come.  You all knew, the food frenzy couldn’t last.  I woke up this a.m. with extra kids at our house, more mouths to feed.  I wanted something easy, that all would love.  I found it!

I took a couple of different recipes and as is my style, made it gluten free, dairy free, and lower in fat/sugar.

Raspberry Granola Bake

My photography skills might need a little help.  But it’s delicious!

• One bag of Gluten Free Granola-I like Bakery on Main Fruit and Nut.
• 1/4 cup of egg beaters or egg white
• 2 Tablespoons of Brown Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon of Molasses
• 1 pint of fresh raspberries
• 1/2 cup vanilla almond milk
• 1 Tablespoon of butter
• 1 teaspoon of Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. Vanilla
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 tablespoon Agave (or honey will work)

Combine all ingredients and line 8×8 pan with wax or parchment paper (tinfoil would work too).  I sprayed mine with Pam because my baking has a habit of sticking!

Bake at 375 for one hour.  This exact recipe serves 8 and has 255 calories per serving with approx. 11 grams of fiber per bar.  Great to wrap into individual bars for a snack!

May the year be filled with healthy treats and may we say goodbye quickly to those holiday pounds.  I am going to make another batch this week for a quick breakfast and try dried cherries instead of raspberries!

Ps.  I am saying goodbye to sugar for the next 28 days (fruit doesn’t count).  Stay tuned……..

Ahhh….It’s Almost the New Year!

Which means fitness and food crazies come out!  Everyone, and I mean everyone, wants to know what they can do to be better, do better, perform better-and I love every minute of it. It should be a time to motivate ourselves into a better state of well being, but often times it can leave us feeling disappointed.

 

My goal this month is to offer several blogs about how to make small changes and use popular tools and strategies to start the New Year off right.  Your first goal: portion control and a plan for exercise after the long holiday.  Accountability is one of the biggest benefits of food journaling, even if you are only accountable to yourself. The act of writing everything down, or keeping track in an on-line food diary, is a strategy that has proven to increase your chances of weight loss.  Awareness is the first step in any change.  In a New Year, getting a new plan that allows you to stay on track can be done with journaling both food and fitness.  You better get used to being hungry, because after a large binge like the holiday season, returning to normal is HARD!  Last thing, remember the true weight gain of the season will not show up today, it will likely show up next week-so don’t be disappointed if after a week of eating well and starting off right, you step on that scale and have gained.  If it takes 5 days to put it on, plan on 3 weeks to START to get it off.

Up first:  Which fitness app is the best?  I do not believe you need to spend a great deal of money for an app.  Here I rank my top 5 and challenge you to try something new.

1. Lose it. 

Pros: Free, allows you to set your weight and your goal weight.  You can set up reminders to keep you logging your food.  You an easily use their database for tracking exercise and food.  You can scan a label with your iphone.  It’s FREE!

Cons: Every one of these types of apps require you to at some point put in some of your own food and recipes.  Putting in recipes seems like a daunting task, but done once, it’s in there forever and if you really thinking about it-it isn’t often that you are eating something new.

2. Nike Training:

Pros: This app is free on Jan. 1.  It targets women.  You have the ability to use your own music while you follow their prompts. 15, 30 and 45 minute workouts from beginner to advanced.  Interactive videos.  A great app I have been recommending to my clients who are either bored with their workout, need more strength, or travel frequently.  It’s like taking me with you   Well, not quite.  Men, check out NIKE BOOM.  No Cons!

3. Good Food

Pros: Maps out local food establishments and recommends what you should order.  You can search by distance or lowest fat food item.  No more excuses for eating on the run.

Con: It counts on being able to download a menu (which isn’t always available) and it doesn’t offer all nutritional info.  You’ll have to look it up and plug it in.  The good news is that Lose it will often have these popular choices on their database.  When the menu’s work, your calories will be available quickly.  Knowledge is power!

4. I heart rate.

Pro: If you have not yet invested in a heart rate monitor, this is a good option.  It is important to track your exercise and calories.  Are you working hard enough?  You don’t know that for sure without a heart rate monitor.

Cons: $2.99. This one isn’t free and some suggest it isn’t as accurate as some advanced heart rate monitors.

5. Favorite Fitness Bundle:  I amplify, Map My Run, and Couch to 5K.

The new year is the perfect time to set a new goal whether it’s running/walking a race, spinning, pilates, yoga, etc.  There is an app to help get you there.  These 3 are easy and will help take your workout either on the road or to a new level.  I amplify and Couch to 5k cost $$.

Tell me, which one will you try!

 

What to do when Trader Joe’s is out of Joe Joe’s

Well, complain loud and often and enough people close to you will make you treats.  I would like to say I’ll bring this to the next gathering I attend, but I won’t.  I don’t like to bake and am frankly not very good at it.  But, if I need something in a hurry or if my mom is in town, this will be my next request.

My favorite so far, Bethenny’s Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bark.  Yes, the Real Housewives star, now more famous as the Skinny Girl everything.

According to the Mayo clinic, the flavonoids in dark chocolate have been associated with a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system. One recent study showed that 6 grams of dark chocolate a day, about one square, lowered systolic and diastolic blood pressure by 2 points each.

Dark chocolate also may lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels by about 5 points.  Not much, but again, a good reason to indulge just a little.

She has a couple different varieties on her site, http://www.bethenny.com/.  This one, my friend Kara made and she reduced the mint to 1/2 tsp.  Perfection.  I managed to hide the box from my children for 5 whole days.  If you break the entire batch into 15 pieces, it’s 142 calories (approx) per piece.  If you are like me, you just need a small chunk with some tea (a half or quarter of the piece) and it will last you 5 days or until your children find it and demolish.

Melt a 12-ounce bag of dark chocolate chips in a double boiler. Remove from heat, and stir in 5 crushed candy canes and 1 teaspoon mint extract. Line a small sheet pan with wax paper; pour in dark chocolate mixture, and sprinkle 5 more crushed candy canes over the top. Refrigerate until firm, then break into 15 chunks.

Just eat responsibly.

The New Year is almost here and with the holidays over, I’ll be sure to bring back all the fitness talk!