Trick or Treat

Can You Pick Something Good to Eat?

 

Holiday merchandise hits the shelves earlier and earlier every year. Halloween is no exception. The specially packaged candy has been in the supermarkets since September. It silently screams at you, “pick me, pick me.” And whether you have kids or not, you probably want some candy in your house in the likely event of ghosts and goblins knocking on your door. So how do you make sure you don’t ravage all that sugary goodness up yourself? Well, just like anything in life, it’s good to have a plan. If you can’t say no, at least arm yourself with some tips to help keep the damage to a minimum. Liz Vaccariello, author and editor-in-chief of Reader’s Digest, has seven to help you navigate the scary waters of Halloween.1

1.     Buy candy the day before Halloween

Minimize the number of days the candy is in your house before October 31. Research shows just looking at food triggers the brain circuitry that makes us imagine eating it, says Susan Albers, PsyD, a psychologist and author of the book Eating Mindfully. If you’ve already bought candy, keep it out of sight in the back of your pantry until your doorbell starts ringing.

2.     Look at sugar grams, not just calories and fat

Many of us avoid fat-laden candies thinking it’s healthier to stick to fat-free choices, but those tend to be loaded with sugar, which isn’t exactly a diet free pass. (Your liver converts some sugar into fat, which your fat cells then store).  A serving of Gummy Bears, for example, has 30 grams of sugar, according to Hollywood fitness and nutrition expert David Kirsch (source: HuffingtonPost.com). Compare that with the 9 grams of sugar in two or three red licorice strips.

3.     Act like a kid

Remember when you’d get home, dump out your entire loot, and sift through it creating multiple piles: candy you love, candy you sorta like, and candy you hate/want to trade? Apply that same filter when you’re about to dig into the office candy bowl. If it’s not on the “candy you love” list, don’t eat it.

4.     Ditch the pillowcase

The smaller the bag your kids trick or treat with, the less candy they’ll tote home, and the fewer sweets lying around you’ll be tempted to eat.

5.     Turn trick-or-treating into a workout

Walking around for an hour or so does burn calories! So as long as you have a good, safe place to do it, don’t drive your kids around to satisfy their sweet tooth. Take advantage of the many health benefits you’ll reap from a leisurely neighborhood stroll.

6.     Know what 150 calories of candy looks like

This is a relatively harmless amount to enjoy. But it’s easy to overdo it with those fun size treats. Keep this list in mind: 150 calories is approximately three mini York Peppermint Patties, or two fun-size packages of milk chocolate M&Ms, or six mini Musketeers, or six rolls of Smarties, or seven Hershey’s Kisses, or five snack-size Twizzler twists (from Shape.com).

7.     In a candy coma? Give yourself a clean slate.

If, despite your best efforts, you still wake up in with a candy hangover, don’t beat yourself up over it. Have a filling breakfast with fiber and protein to help steady your blood sugar (try oatmeal with some berries and nuts) and go for a nice, normal, healthy workout at your usual time. Don’t use exercise as a punishment, but rather as a way to recharge your energy levels and confidence after a not-the-best eating day. Bring healthy snacks from home so you can avoid temptation at the office candy bowl.

 

When all else fails, sweat it out. So you overdid it. Halloween candy happens. Pick yourself up and hit the gym or the pavement the very next day. And definitely get rid of the extras lying around…temptation is the mother of all evil!

 

 

 

Resources:

1 http://health.yahoo.net/experts/losingitwithliz/7-diet-tricks-skinny-not-scary-halloween

 

8-week Challenge #2

Fitness Challenge update:

Can you believe it, we are almost to the half-way point. There have been 3 weigh ins and the 2%weight loss range is still a good number. Next week I’ll get body comp measurements as well as your weight to see where the percentage body fat is at.

There is still a plenty of time left to make some significant changes. I’ve seen many of you personally do some pretty outstanding things with your body in 4 weeks. So stay strong and persevere, there are only 4-weeks left and you will have anchored in some positive new patterns.

Don't give up

Keys to success:

  1. Stay the course
  2. Build on each week
  3. Focus on the success’s
  4. “You’re doing this for your health”

Stay Strong!!

Baby Boomer Blast

It’s never too late to get started

I often hear that “I’d like to get started with a fitness program but I’m too old” or “I have too many medical issues to workout”.  That’s not entirely true. The 50-70yrs age group is just as able to work-out as any other generation. Just with any generation, start off light and don’t push it to begin with. In today’s fitness age the options are almost endless and that is what excites me about my job right now. With the proper fitness assessment, Baby Boomers can find their starting point and progress their fitness as well as any other. I have found that the assessment is critical in training any individual to include the Baby Boomer. WebMD also says to start off slow and do not progress to quick; they also give some good ideas about starting your fitness program and just how important a well-planned fitness program is for the Baby Boomer[1].

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[1] http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/baby-boomer-heart-healing-fitness?page=3

It’s National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Statistics state that 1 in 8 women in the United States will get breast cancer at some point in her life. After skin cancer, it is the most common cancer among women. But that’s not to say this disease only affects the ladies – although rare, “in 2013, more than 2,200 American men will learn they have breast cancer.”1 

This month is all about bringing awareness to the disease, which also means knowing how to reduce your risk and detecting the early stages. It’s also important to talk to your doctor about your risk factors, especially if a close family member has had breast or ovarian cancer.

So what can you do to reduce your risk right now? Here are five healthy habits to get you started: 2

  1. Maintain a healthy weight
  2. Stay physically active
  3. Eat fruits and vegetables
  4. Do not smoke or quit smoking
  5. Limit alcohol consumption

Detecting the early signs of breast cancer is also one of the best ways to fight the disease. According to the National Cancer Institute, “when breast cancer is detected early, in the localized stage, the five-year survival rate is 98%.” Every person should know the symptoms and signs. It’s also important to perform monthly self-breast exams. The more familiar you are with your breasts, the more likely you are to detect any abnormalities.

Here are the three signs to be aware of and talk to your doctor about:

  1. A change in how the breast or nipple feels
  2. A change in the breast or nipple appearance
  3. Any nipple discharge – particularly clear discharge or bloody discharge 

For more information about these symptoms and signs or to learn how to perform a self-breast exam, please visit nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-cancer-symptoms-and-signs. Remember, the best way to fight breast cancer or any cancer for that matter, is to have a plan that helps you reduce your risk factors and detect the early stages of the disease. If you need help creating your plan, sign up here. You’ll receive reminders to do breast self-exams, and schedule appointments and mammograms based on your age and health history. 

Resources:

1http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/breast

2http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/healthy-habits