Holiday Fitness

Holiday housework can be your ticket to strength training and cardio!

Fitness training does not have to take place in a gym. In fact, the majority of fitness training can happen easily right in the midst of the holiday madness.

House work is a given through this season. Whether you're making room for new toys, preparing for guests, or cleaning up after the guests have said their goodbyes, housework is inevitable. However, it yields an incredible workout when every muscle is properly used.

HOW??

Did you know that every time you press your hands firmly against a tub or wall to clean, you're working your triceps, your shoulders, and your chest muscles? By the time you've scrubbed firmly against the walls, and by the time you've done a few windows, and even a few baseboards, you've given those triceps and your pectorals (chest) and your deltoids (shoulders) a great winter wake up call!

You can also zone in on the sides beneath your underarms with a little cabinet reorganization. Keep the arms raised and sorting-that's the secret!! This can be added to your arm workout day.

On a different day of the week, you can turn your focus toward your lower body. When you clean, use the power of full and proper squats to tone the hips, buttocks, and thighs. Instead of staying down on the floor, try squatting each time you want to place another item on the shelf.

For things that are high above reach, place your stool beneath you. Step up each time to add or move something on the shelf. This can also be added to your upper body workout for a full body combination. Make it a challenge with speed or repetition.

So, what about abs? Oh, those infamous, burdensome abs! Did you know that if you keep the belly firm the entire time you engage in any other physical activity, you increase the chances of toning and burning fat in that area? Just pull it in while you're scrubbing, squatting, and while you're racing back and forth to complete the chores.

Getting to the gym can be a bit overrated. You can take advantage of every opportunity you have before you. Don't let the holidays hit you with extra pounds! Use the chores you have to do to create the strong body you need for great health.

Remember that the key is to have a positive attitude. How do you think Snow White kept her figure? She whistled while she worked! With the power of positive thinking, you can do anything!

Article written by Shenette Jones, Personal Training Specialist with the Center for Medical Weight Loss

Healthy Eating While Holiday Shopping

It is the time of year when we start heading back to the mall to shop for holiday presents. And of course, when at the mall, there are a lot of food choices to make. So, how do you go to the mall to shop – and eat healthy. Below are some tips for watching your waistline while you shop.

Plan Ahead

• Don’t go to the mall hungry. Try to eat a healthy meal before heading to the mall.
• Pack healthy snacks to carry in your purse or pockets. The biggest benefit of packing a snack is all of the money you will save (that you can use to shop with) and it reduces the temptation of that 350-600 calorie pretzel, scoop of ice cream or piece of cake.
• Before heading to the mall look at the restaurant and food court menu’s online and plan out what you will eat.
• Many restaurants will have their nutrition information posted.
• As you look online, you will find many meal selections that provide 350 calories, rather than the 800-1000 calorie meals.
• It is often challenging to make healthy food choices with all of the sensory overload of samples, tempting food, and familiar smells of your favorite foods. Having a plan before you go to the mall can help reduce the tematation of foods.
• If you have a smart phone, many apps are available that will list the nutrition information of chain restaurants that you can also view while at the mall

At the mall

• Drink plenty of water. Often when shopping it is easy to forget to drink fluids. On the other hand many people will drink soda and/or coffee which will make you even more thirsty. If a drink comes with your meal, choose water, unsweetened iced tea, or a diet drink. But again, be sure to carry a water bottle around and keep drinking water.
  
  Water= hydration= feeling satisfied.
  • Skip the “meal deals”. Instead choose a sandwich and a salad/fruit.
  • Skip high calorie beverages including soda, coffee drinks, high calorie smoothies, juices, etc. Instead try drinking water or calorie free beverages with your meal.
  Good meal choices
  
  • Grilled chicken sandwich and a side salad (avoid the mayonnaise and use low calorie dressing on the salad)
  • Turkey wrap (avoid the mayo and instead use mustard) with a fruit cup.
  • Small slice of pizza with vegetables and/or grilled chicken (avoid meat on your pizza) and add a side salad (use low calorie salad dressing)
  • Chilli and a side salad.
  • Vegetable based soup (avoid cream based soups)
  • Smoothie (however choose one that provides protein and is not loaded with excess calories- many will list calories)
  • A hamburger is not the healthiest choice, but you can make it healthier by choosing the smallest burger available, skipping the cheese and sauces. Instead add lettuce, tomato, and ketchup. Skip the fries and have a side salad with your burger.
  • Mexican food: many food court restaurants will offer a burrito bowl which is the fillings without the burrito. This can be a great choice with chicken and beans. But be sure to limit the amount of cheese and avoid the guacamole and sour cream. Instead load up on the salsa and vegetables.
  Good snack choices
  
  • Lowfat or nonfat yogurt
  • Fruit
  • Bag of pretzels
  Avoid these high calorie temptations:
  
  • Large Pretzel coated with butter, sugar, or icing.
  • Ice cream, muffins and pastries
  • Cookies, cakes, and cinnamon rolls (even if they come with your meal).
  • Holiday “coffee” drinks.
  • Milkshakes and high calorie smoothies.
    
  Wishing Everyone a Healthy and Happy Thanksgiving Holiday!

The Power of Positive Thinking

We have a patient that tells a great story about her very first visit at the Center for Medical Weight Loss and why she decided to start the program. When she came in for her very first visit she was feeling very down and didn't have much faith that this program would work for her. She had tried every diet imaginable and wasn't able to lose weight and keep it off. While she was being seen for her initial consultation Dr. Drabick reached over to her and said "you're worth it," and that small amount of positivity was all it took for her to get started and to now have lost over 115 lbs. and keep it off over a year later! So now I am going to pass on a little positvity to all of you in the hope that it will help you to motivate yourselves and to remember that you are all worth it too! Here is a short poem that I found very inspirational.

Positive Thinking Will Take You Wherever You Want to Go in Life

There is nothing more powerful in this world than

a positive attitude. It will see you through the best

and the worst of times, and reassure you when

nothing else seems to.

A positive outlook arms you with the confidence

you need to reach for your dreams, no matter how

high they are.

If you take chances in life, what you're really

telling yourself is that you believe in who you are.

Remember to tell yourself that you can do whatever

you set your mind to - and you'll see just how far

that kind of thinking will get you.

-T.L. Nash

I hope that all of you will take this advice and run with it! Trust in yourselves that you can do whatever you set your mind to, including losing weight! I have faith in all of you! Here is to the success you've already had and the success you can look forward to having in the future!

"I Can't Stop Thinking About Food"

We all have days (or weeks, or months) when we can't stop thinking about food. There are certain times of the day that are harder than others, and certain events that make it more challenging. Below are some tips for getting through some of these challenging times.

Challenge #1:  Watching Television (especially the commercials) makes most of us want to eat.  The food commercials look really good, we get bored, or we are just in the habit of snacking while watching TV.

Solution:

• Press the "mute" button during commercials.
• Keep a “goody box” nearby with things that you can keep you busy (nail file, hand cream, stress ball, a joke book, puzzle book), or call a friend during the commercials.
• If you have DVR with your cable service, then DVR your favorite TV show’s, and fast forward the commercials.

Challenge #2: Missing the smell and taste of your favorite foods.

Solution:

• Plant an herb garden. You can grow herbs on a window sill, outside on a deck, or in your garden. Every morning, take a deep breath and smell the herbs.
• Buy scented candles. They are available in many flavors and scents (even chocolate). When you are craving a treat, smell the candle.

Challenge #3: Being tempted to eat something that is not on your nutrition plan.

Solution:

• Before eating the food, wait 10 minutes, and keep yourself busy during that time. Often in 10 minutes, the craving will go away.
• We are often thirsty rather than hungry, so have a glass of water, wait 10 minutes and see if you are still hungry.

Challenge #4: Getting together with friends is often revolved around food, so you are finding it hard to spend time with others.

Solution:

• Plan times to be with friends that do not include a meal. Plan a shopping trip, go to see a movie, and/or enjoy a walk outdoors.
• Get to know others on the same diet plan. Spend time together doing activities that do not revolve around food.

Many of these tips were provided by a participant at the Center for Medical Weight Loss. If you have any additional ideas that have helped you when you have "food in your thoughts", it would be great to add them to this list.

Support Group Meeting on Wednesday November 10th at 6:30PM

Join the Center for Medical Weight Loss on Wednesday November 10th at 6:30PM to discuss the importance of exercise and how to keep it interesting.

This month's Support Group will be led by Monika Kraus, R.D. and Shenette Jones, Personal Fitness Trainer.

Hope to see you all there!

There is no cost for Support Group and you do not have to be a weight loss patient to attend.

Please call 919-232-9436 or email loseweight@fmaraleigh.com to sign up!

You Are What You Eat: Healthy Foods For Your Skin

We often think of lotions, creams, and soaps for bringing out the best in your skin. Did you know that what you eat also affects how your skin will look and feel? Below are some great foods to help keep your skin looking young, prevent premature aging, reduce your risk of skin cancer, and bring out the best in your skin.

 

Water: Drinking water helps to keep your skin hydrated. Hydrated skin helps move nutrients around and removes toxins. Try to drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day.

Green tea: Green tea has anti-inflammatory properties that may help reduce the health risks from ultra-violet light. It may also reduce the risk of skin cancers. Try drinking a cup of green tea every day.

Vitamin A, C, and E: All three of these vitamins provide antioxidant properties which are helpful to your skin. There are many factors that can damage your skin including the sun, air pollution, and cigarette smoke. Antioxidants help to repair the skin from these and many other irritating agents.

o Vitamin A is vital for skin health. It is necessary for the maintenance and repair of skin tissue Great sources of Vitamin A include carrots, sweet potatoes, and cantaloupe. Low-fat dairy including yogurt, low fat cheese, milk, and cottage cheese also provide a great source of Vitamin A. The healthy bacteria in yogurt also help with digestion which is beneficial for your skin.


o Vitamin C fights premature aging by reducing the damage caused by free radicals from the sun, smoke, and pollution. Some great food sources include kiwifruit, oranges, strawberries, bell peppers, broccoli, and cauliflower.


o Vitamin E also protects skin cells from ultra violet light, smoke, and pollution that produce cell damaging free radicals. It also helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Food sources include sunflower seeds, almonds, peanuts, peanut butter, wheat germ, and tomatoes.

Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids: Fatty acids act as a barrier to harmful agents and also act as a passageway for nutrients to get into your skin and waste products to get out. The healthier your cell membranes are, the better they can hold moisture. Fatty acids can be found in salmon, tuna, flaxseed and walnuts.

Healthier cell membranes → moisture in your skin → softer, younger-looking skin.

Selenium: Selenium helps to protect your skin from sun damage and delays aging by protecting skin quality and elasticity. Selenium can be found in whole wheat bread, muffins, and cereals; turkey, cottage cheese, tuna and Brazil nuts.

Enjoy a variety of healthy foods that contain the nutrients above to help your skin and overall health.

Your skin will thank you!

The challenges of staying with the plan when everyone else is eating the good food

In an ideal “dieting world”, everyone around you would be eating healthy, there would only be healthy food available to eat, and there would be plenty of time for exercise without the stresses of everyday life.

Unfortunately, this ideal world does not exist for most of us. We are faced with many challenges that make dieting hard at times.

One prominent challenge is seeing eveyone around you eating “the good food”. It is often hard to eat a salad when you see your friends and family eating the food you want. So how do you stay successful with the challenges?

• If you know you will be attending a party or going to a restaurant, choose foods wisely the rest of the day. This will allow some wiggle room for making some not so healthy choices when with friends.

• Do not tell everyone you are dieting. Some may try to tempt you with unhealthy foods, others may question everything you are eating, and some may offer unsolicited advise. If others ask, just let them know you are trying to eat healthier.

• If you are going to a restaurant, go online and look at the menu earlier in the day and make your food selection – and stick with it. This will reduce the temptation for making unhealthy food choices.

• Remember, that even though others around you may not be eating healthy food at that particular time, they may be eating very healthy at other times or just may not be motivated for a healthy lifestyle at this point of time. Don’t let their habits infuence your goals.

• If you are hosting friends at your house, plan to prepare a healthy meal. If you are going to someone elses house, offer to bring a healthy dish.

• Even though it may be challenging, keep reminding yourself why you are trying to lose weight. This can help keep you on track.

• Remember, it is ok to try a small piece of “unhealthy food”. On the other hand, if you don’t think you can stop – just skip it.

• Join an exercise class where you may meet new friends that are also focusing on health. You can motivate each other.

Don't Let the State Fair Wreak Havoc on Your Diet

The much anticipated NC State Fair begins tomorrow, Thursday, October 14, 2010 at 3:00! For many of us it is one of the most exciting times of the year. Unfortunately a lot of us think of the Fair as a place to go to binge on things like turkey legs, french fries, and deep-fried cheesecake. The scary truth....just those 3 things total up to 2,351 calories!! Pretty shocking, isn't it?! Want to know what to eat instead? Check out this link http://www.wral.com/news/local/page/3805503/ to find some better choices such as a regular corn dog, corn on the cob, and cotton candy for a total of 622 calories.

The best option would be to forgo Fair food all together. That might sound really hard but just think about all of the hard work you've been putting into your diet. A few tips on how to say no to the temptations:

1. Eat before you go.

2. Pack a few healthy snacks.

3. Instead of focusing on the food at the Fair, plan your trip based on the different things you want to experience while there. Here is the link to the NC State Fair website, http://www.ncstatefair.org/2010/. If you map out your trip and keep the focus on entertainment, exhibits, and competitions you won't even have time to think about the food!

Its Fall, so let the pounds fall off with exercise

Now that the season is changing and it is getting cooler outside, it is a great time to get some fresh air and go for a daily walk. Walking is a great source of exercise, a great way to destress, and a great way to spend time with friends and/or family. Walking also provides great benefits for your heath.  Its many benefits include; major reductions in diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure, and an increase in bone density.

Some tips for exercising

• Get a good pair of walking shoes that fit your feet well. This will make walking more comfortable and keep your feet feeling good.
• Try walking in the early morning - many studies have found that early morning exercise is the easiest exercise to maintain over the long term.
• Or, exercise with co-workers during your lunch hour at work. It is a great time to get outside if you are in an office all day.
• Or, exercise in the evening either before or after dinner. This is a great time to exercise with your family. While walking you can talk about your day or just take in the cool air. If you are walking in the evening, be sure to wear reflective clothing so that cars can easily see you.

You may also want to use a pedometer. A pedometer will record how many steps you are taking. It is a great way to track your daily distance and be sure you are getting enough daily exercise.

So get out and walk..... and watch the pounds and leaves FALL.

Healthy Recipes for September

This week I thought it would be nice to pass along some easy to prepare healthy meals. When you find you are getting bored with your diet, feel like you don't know what to make for dinner, or just need some new ideas, it is always good to try new healthy recipes.

For those of you on the meal replacement plan I have listed a recipe to add some spice to your meal replacements. For those of you on the modified plan or calorie control food based plan, I have included a meal and snack recipe. I hope you enjoy the recipes and be sure to go to Mayoclinic.com (where I got the food recipes). They have great information on nutrition, health and wellness and of course, additional recipes. And if you have any healthy recipes you would like to add to the blog, we would love to hear about them.

MWL Tomato and Herb Soup

(Recipe developed by a participant at the Center for Medical Weight Loss)

Start with the Center for Medical Weight Loss Tomato Soup.  Add fresh basil and oregano to the mix. If you do not have your own herb garden, go to the farmer's market and purchase fresh herbs. For variety, try different herbs in the mixture.


Fruit Kabobs:
From the MayoClinic website: Mayoclinic.com


Ingredients
4 ounces low-fat, sugar-free lemon yogurt
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon lime zest
4 to 6 pineapple chunks
4 to 6 strawberries
1 kiwi, peeled and diced
1/2 banana, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
4 to 6 red grapes
4 wooden skewers

Directions
In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, lime juice and lime zest. Cover and refrigerate until needed. Thread 1 of each fruit onto the skewer. Repeat with the other skewers until the fruit is gone. Serve with the lemon lime dip.

Nutritional Analysis (per serving)
Serving size: 2 fruit kebabs

Calories 160
Cholesterol 4 mg
Protein 4 g
Sodium 45 mg
Carbohydrate 36 g
Fiber 4 g
Total fat 1 g
Saturated fat < 1 g
Monounsaturated fat trace



Chicken Strips with Honey Mustard Sauce
From the MayoClinic website: Mayoclinic.com

Ingredients
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, each 4 ounces and cut into 3 strips
1/4 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup all-purpose (plain) flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil

For the dipping sauce
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup Dijon mustard

Directions
In a large bowl, add the chicken strips. Pour milk over the chicken and mix to coat well. Place in a single layer on wax paper. In a small bowl, mix together the flour, salt and pepper. Sprinkle over the chicken strips, turning the chicken to coat evenly. Shake to remove excess.In a large, nonstick frying pan, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat. Place the chicken strips in an even layer in the pan. Saute, turning once on each side until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove and place on paper towels to drain.

To make the dipping sauce, combine the honey and Dijon mustard in a small bowl. Stir to mix evenly.

Nutritional Analysis (per serving)
Serving size: 3 chicken strips and 3 tablespoons sauce
Calories 380
Cholesterol 75 mg
Protein 30 g
Sodium 210 mg
Carbohydrate 42 g
Fiber 0 g
Total fat 10 g
Saturated fat 2 g
Monounsaturated fat 4 g