Happy Holidays…

I haven’t been to a lot of parties, but I worked a lot of catering Holiday parties!  I am exhausted and need to take this time to try and rest up!  I will be back January 6th!  In the meantime I am going to get in as much exercise as I can and eat as well as I can!  Good luck - stay focused and pick your battles!

Until Next Year - Keep thinking veggies and protein!

Find Balance… 

Avoid the all-or-nothing thinking!  Trying to avoid favorite holiday foods altogether will levee you feeling deprived.  Allow yourself to enjoy the holidays, including your favorite seasonal foods, but take small portions.  Balance heavy meals with better choices during other meals throughout the day, and consider increasing your activity during this time of the year to help compensate for the extra calories!

Heavy Lifting to Sculpt a Stronger, Leaner, Slimmer Body…

Tired of sweating through multiple cardio sessions a week and still feeling like you're stuffed into your skinny jeans? Start pumping more iron! This will help you add more metabolically active (i.e. fat-burning) lean muscle mass to your frame.  

Pears…

I think pears are an overlooked fruit, with so many more people grabbing apples at this time of year. One of the highest-fiber fruits, a medium pear offers about 6 grams, which can help with blood sugar control and promote weight loss. An excellent source of vitamins C and K, pears are also packed with B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and manganese.  "And A Partridge In A Pear Tree"

The Healthy Obesity Debate… 

Have you heard the term healthy obesity? It's a phrase used to describe overweight people who aren't experiencing health problems typically associated with carrying extra weight. Well, new research analysis presented in the Annals of Internal Medicine suggests that even overweight and obese people who have good cholesterol and blood pressure levels may be at risk for adverse long-term outcomes. Some health professionals have reported the contrary, but we're going to keep an eye on the scale just in case. Need another reason to shed some pounds? A high body mass and large waistline have been associated with hearing loss. Study findings suggest that obesity may affect blood flow to the ear and that moderate physical activity reduces the risk for loss of hearing. Sounds like it's time to get moving!

Myth: You Can Make Up For a Lack of Sleep During the Week by Sleeping Late on the Weekends…

With the Holiday festivities, sleep seems to be something I just don’t seem to get enough of!  I really found this myth interesting and something I have often set out to do on the weekends!

Fact: If you're grouchy and crabby from skimping on sleep all week, and then sleep a couple extra hours Saturday morning, you'll find the short-term effects of sleep deprivation vanish pretty quickly.  But the long-term impact is still likely dangerous. The problem [with counting on catching up on sleep] is thinking there's not a consequence of not getting enough sleep all week.  There are consequences of even one night of not getting enough sleep!

Plus, if you sleep in too late on the weekends, you're setting yourself up for trouble falling asleep Sunday night. Then, when the alarm goes off Monday morning, you'll find yourself starting the cycle all over again!

Until Monday - Keep thinking veggies and protein! 

Another Snack Swap….

SKIP: Candy bar
Tempting as it is, candy is obviously a no-no.  A little chocolate with its hint of caffeine can definitely perk you up, but your blood sugar will rise and fall flat soon after because candy's loaded with sugar and very low fiber.

Try instead: If it's a sweet treat you're after, get a nutty-chocolate fix from a protein-rich, low-sugar granola bar, like the KIND bar - my favorite of them all!

Baby it’s Cold Outside…

WOW!  December has hit some record lows!  I haven’t put my bike away yet, but I am not riding in this weather!  I have been at the mercy of the CTA - Chicago Transit Authority :(.  I am missing out on 40 minutes of riding to and from work.  I hope I can make up some work out time over the weekend!  At least I have some reading time on the bus!

Snack Swap…

It's 3 p.m. You're hungry again and feeling sleepy. You might be tempted to reach for one of these common - and deceptively healthy - treats to perk yourself up, but don't. Our nutrition experts offer smarter picks to avoid an afternoon crash and stay full until dinner.

SKIP: Baked potato chips
 It's true that baked chips aren't as bad as the regular variety, but they're still mainly fast-acting carbs (hello, blood sugar spike) with very small amounts of protein, fiber, and fat. Even so, there are so many better, more filling foods that provide these nutrients that won't lead to the blood sugar crash that saps your energy!

Try instead: A different kind of crunch: dry roasted edamame.  A 1/4 cup serving has a whopping 14 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber with less salt than traditional chips.  They're even a good source of iron - a nutrient that many women fall short on.  I love edamame and will try this!

Strategies to Help You Survive the Unhealthy Holidays…

Feeling more than a little discouraged in the aftermath of your latest holiday overindulgence – the Thanksgiving feast? You're not alone in feeling that way, but that's not the best news. While you can expect December to be just as, if not more challenging to your diet and fitness goals, the best news is there are easy strategies you can adopt to ensure you make it to January – and beyond – without developing a snowman-sized waistline. Here are some ways to enjoy the holidays without abandoning your healthy mission.

Stick to it:With increasing opportunities to do anything except schedule a trip to the gym, it's too easy to tell yourself, "I'll take December off and then get back on track in 2014." Tempting, but for too many people, that month-long "break" becomes a way of life that bleeds well into the new year.

Success Strategy: Scaling back is better than stopping altogether. If holiday time constraints put a dent in your fitness schedule, don't fret; going to the gym 2-3 days a week in December, instead of 4-5, is perfectly fine. And keep in mind that you can do countless toning, tightening and exercises from the comfort of your own home.

Believe in balance: When it comes to diet, stay strict ... so you can "cheat" without feeling bad about it. December provides ample opportunity to indulge, from holiday cakes, pies and other sweets to calorie-bursting meals. Maintaining a strict diet when you're not at a holiday party, dinner, etc., will remove the guilt when indulgence rears its delectable head, and help you avoid falling off the diet wagon altogether.

Success Strategy: Don't avoid the holiday treats, but don't adopt them as your sole source of nutrition, either. Eat as many nutrient-bursting veggies as possible (which will also fill you up), and limit fat and sugar intake on your "non-celebration" days. And don't starve yourself all day in advance of a holiday feast; that's just asking for trouble.

Skinny Pop…

A great new snack product for me!  All natural, cholesterol free, zero trans fat, dairy free, peanut free, tree nut free, gluten free, preservative free, non GMO, good source of fiber , 39 calories per cup and DELICIOUS!

Until Monday - Keep thinking veggies and protein!  

Come Packing Snacks…. 

Whenever you leave the house, stash a healthy snack or two in your purse or gym back,  otherwise you’ll end up grabbing something that’s convenient—rather than something that’s good for you—when you get hungry later.  Make it easy by keeping your kitchen stocked with fruit, bite-sized vegetables (think baby carrots, snap peas, cherry tomatoes, and the like), single-serving packs of hummus and peanut butter, nuts, and other foods you can pack in a sandwich bag and then toss in your bag.  I really try and do this, but sometimes I actually forget that I have a stash of baby carrots!

Runners - Muscles You Might Ignore…

Weakest link: Gluteus medius

Unless you're running uphill all the time, running builds endurance but not strength and the subsequent weak butt you can develop will cause your pelvis to tilt forward, strain your hip flexors, and tighten your IT bands.

Strength Rx: Monster walks in a square. Loop a resistance band around your ankles. Keeping chest up and knees behind toes, lower to a wide half-squat. Without letting the band go slack, walk forward 20 steps, to the left 20 steps, back 20 steps, and to the right 20 steps, forming a box.

Added Sugar…

Unlike lactose in milk and fructose in fruit, added sugars do not occur naturally. They are literally added to foods and beverages during their processing or preparation.  The sugar added can be any type, including honey, brown sugar, maple syrup, dextrose, fructose, high-fructose corn syrup, granulated sugar, raw sugar, and sucrose, just to name a few!  Sugar is my enemy!

A Few Days Late….

I had all intentions of posting our Thanksgiving Day brunch buffet, but lost track of the days!  We ended up having 40 people over on Thursday and to say the least I was exhausted and finally was able to relax and catch up over the weekend.  Bob out did himself this year and I was grateful for the healthy options!  This year our buffet consisted of the feature roasted turkey, corn mini waffles and gravy that deconstructs into the stuffing.  We did a medley of roasted Brussels sprouts, carrots and butternut squash, farro salad with mushrooms, herbs and asparagus tips and cauliflower with a jalapeño pesto and of course the cranberries infused with orange.  Bob did his famous spiced pumpkin and pecan roll up cake.  We had plenty of wine and prosecco to keep the party going!  Tis the season!