The Caterpillar Challenge

To be beautiful means to accept yourself… To be beautiful means to love yourself… To be beautiful means to respect yourself. 

The Caterpillar Challenge

 “Gosh, I hate my nose!” , “Why do I have acne?!!”, “If only I looked like Jennifer Aniston…”. Do these comments sound familiar to you? These few examples represent the mental battle of negative body image. Most can agree they wish to change something about their image… If only our fairy godmother would grant this wish or we would come across a genie in a bottle. Sadly, life is no Disney movie…. We run into some negative feelings that lower our potentials. A healthy lifestyle includes physical and emotional well-being. For instance, you may have quit smoking, stopped drinking sodas, and started working out every day but continue to produce negative energy. We all must become conscious about living a positive existence! So I am posing a challenge to all my readers… The Caterpillar Challenge. Yes you heard me.. The Caterpillar Challenge. The caterpillar is a symbol of potential and transformation. You may see yourself as an ugly, dull caterpillar but let us journey into beautiful, positive butterflies.     

The metamorphic steps of the Caterpillar Challenge:

1) Never compare yourself to others!

Everyone is different. We have different body types and require different amount of exercise and calories. It is like comparing apples and oranges.. both fruit but different at the same time!

2) Smile in the mirror

Take the time to smile at yourself. You are your best friend.. he or she will always be there for you… No matter what! So acknowledge yourself.! 

3) Compliment yourself!

Always say something positive about your appearance or give yourself a pat on the back. Be proud of your accomplishments in life, school, or work. Maybe even start up a journal about your positive remarks. Try to also compliment your neighbor! Bring happiness to someone else.  

4) Do things that make you happy!

Live an existence full of happiness. Stay away from negative forces and people. Do not let someone bring you down! Life is too short to please everyone. The only person worth pleasing is you. 

5) Never Judge

Everyone has his or her own battles to fight. Never judge a person’s path through life. You never know where they have been or where they are going. Ignore anyone passing judgement upon you. What they say or do is a reflection upon their own negative emotions. 

Always remember.....

You Are Beautiful 

Your biggest critic is you. Always remember progress takes time... it takes roughly 12 weeks to see noticeable changes from a workout program. Keep trying and reach for your goals. Remember to not only add days to your life but add life to your days. Prioritize your emotional and physical well-being because you are worth it. If you still feel trapped behind the doors of negativity and find yourself fighting a losing battle please seek professional help. Eating disorders and depression are serious disorders and I highly encourage guidance. 

My final request for the Caterpillar Challenge is to capture a picture of the beauty upon your face with no filters! Maybe even post on social media!!! Our world is so saturated with editing and Photoshop we forget about the natural beauty around us. Let your natural beauty shine!    



Finley and me in a natural light

 

Please enjoy this video about body image!

Comment below if any questions or concerns arise!

Break Free: Bone Health

Break Free: A Guide for Bone Health

We all know working out aids in forming muscles and depleting certain amounts of fat mass. However, did you know that staying active also promotes bone health and that throughout your life, you constantly lose old bone while you make new bone?!! Many of you may think that bones are hard and lifeless, but they are actually living, growing tissue! The skeletal system is the framework for movement and structure, so it is crucial to take strides to prevent any bone damage. Osteoporosis is a disease of the bones where the rate of bone loss is greater than bone formation. As individuals, we have this sense of invincibility to the world around us and especially to health conditions. Sadly, osteoporosis is a very common disease resulting in 54 million Americans diagnosed! This adds up to 1 in 2 women and 1 in 4 men diagnosed over the age of 50. The optimal time periods to greatly increase bone density and health is during the adolescent years. However, do not fret! There is still time to make a change and move those bones!

Exercise works on bones much like it works on muscles — by making them stronger. Because bone is a living tissue, it changes in response to the forces placed upon it. When you exercise regularly, your bone adapts by building more cells and becoming denser.There are two types of exercises that are important for building and maintaining bone density: Weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening exercises

Weight-bearing Exercises:

These exercises include activities that make you move against gravity. The categories of weight –bearing exercises include high-impact or low-impact. High-impact exercises help build strong bones while low-impact can also build up bone and are a safe alternative if you are unable to perform high-impact exercises. Examples of each include: 

High-Impact: 

Dancing, Jogging/running, Jump roping, High-Impact aerobics, Stair climbing,Tennis 

Low-Impact: 

Using elliptical training machines, Doing low-impact aerobics, Using stair-step machines, Fast walking on a treadmill or outside

Muscle-Strengthening Exercises:

These exercises move your body, a weight or any other resistance against gravity. Examples include:

Lifting weights, using elastic bands, machine weights, and lifting your own body weight. 

Check out this link for some exercise ideas. Remember to always consult a physician before starting a new exercise routine especially if you are diagnosed with Osteoporosis. http://nof.org/articles/543

Calcium and Vitamin D to the Rescue! 

Calcium is the most abundant major mineral in the body and combines with phosphorous to form healthy bones and teeth. These two major minerals make up 75% of the bodies total mineral content. Calcium also plays a role in muscle action, blood clotting, nerve transmission, activation of enzymes, and transports fluid across cell membranes. More than 75% of adults consume less than the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of calcium. The inadequate calcium intake forces the body to draw from its bone's calcium reserves to restore the deficit. The deficiency may cause osteoporosis in adults and rickets or the weakening of bones in children. Americans now drink far less milk than soft drinks roughly estimating 23 gallons of milk versus 49 gallons of soft drinks. Foods high in calcium are dairy products such as milk, yogurt, and cheese. Green vegetables and other foods contain calcium in smaller amounts. This website from the International Osteoporosis Foundation calculates your personal calcium intake and measures out any deviancy. Plus it gives some wonderful calcium rich food options especially if you are lactose intolerant.  http://www.iofbonehealth.org/calcium-calculator

  

Vitamin D plays an important role in protecting bone and is required for your body to absorb calcium. The best source of vitamin D is through sunlight. Keep in mind that sun exposure causes skin damage and while sunblock helps prevent UV damage it blocks vitamin D uptake. Vitamin D is naturally available in only a few foods, including fatty fish like wild-caught mackerel, salmon and tuna. Vitamin D is also added to milk and to some brands of other dairy products, orange juice, soy milk and cereals. If still low in vitamin D, speak to your health care provider about other options to boost your vitamin D uptake such as vitamins. 

The Silent Disease:

Osteoporosis is often considered the silent disease. People are unable to feel bones getting weaker until a fracture occurs. Osteoporosis is a serious disease that results in a lowered quality of life. Daily activities become strenuous and many patients reside in long-term nursing home care. Both men and women are at risk for osteoporosis but women are at a higher risk.  In the five – seven years following menopause, a woman can lose up to 20% of her bone density. A woman’s risk of breaking a hip due to osteoporosis is equal to her risk of breast, ovarian and uterine cancer combined. In addition, a man age 50 or older is more likely to break a bone due to osteoporosis than he is to get prostate cancer. The National Osteoporosis Foundation lists both controllable and uncontrollable risk factors for osteoporosis.

Uncontrollable Risk Factors:

Being over age 50.

Being female.

Menopause.

Family history of osteoporosis.

Low body weight/being small and thin.

Broken bones or height loss.

Controllable Risk Factors:

Not getting enough calcium and vitamin D.

Not eating enough fruits and vegetables.

Getting too much protein, sodium and caffeine.

Having an inactive lifestyle.

Smoking.

Drinking too much alcohol.

Losing weight.

I hope this blog provided ample information and gave you insight on the issues about Osteoporosis. Feel free to leave a comment below if any questions arise! 

Love Your Heart!

Love Your Heart

Valentine’s Day is around the corner folks! Some of you may spend this time with a significant other or dare to go see the Fifty Shades of Grey movie. I personally will be buying discounted chocolates and flowers on the days following this holiday!! However, did you know that February is also the American Heart Month? American Heart Month raises awareness about cardiovascular diseases (CVD) which includes heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States of America for both men and women. This baffling fact may prompt you to ask, “how do I prevent heart disease?” The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the Center of Disease Control (CDC), and the American Heart Association (AHA) reinforces scientific evidence linking physical activity to cardiovascular health! Getting active is one of the best ways to lower your chances of heart disease (Benefits are also seen in healthy food choices but that is for another discussion )! Based on research, an active individual is less likely to develop heart disease compared to their sedentary counterpart, or an individual engaged in minimal physical activity. If heart disease develops in an active or healthy individual, it usually occurs later in life and tends to be less severe. Now on to the questions!

"Do I fall into the sedentary lifestyle category? What are the general recommendations for physical activity?"

A sedentary lifestyle is a type of lifestyle with limited physical activity. A sedentary lifestyle is one of the 5 major risk factors (along with high blood pressure, abnormal values for blood lipids, smoking, and obesity) for cardiovascular disease, as outlined by the American Heart Association. To break out of a sedentary routine, a person must engage in physical activity spanning over a three-month period with a minimum of 30 minutes a day at 3 times a week. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends that every adult should participate in 30 minutes or more of moderate intensity activity 5 days a week to total 150 minutes of physical activity a week. Moderate activities include walking briskly or a light jog, swimming, cycling, or participating in recreational or occupational activities. Remember these are general guidelines so increasing your physical activity is encouraged in a safe and progressive manner. 

"What are the benefits of regular physically activity on cardiovascular risk factors ?" 

Many scientific studies support the benefits of regular exercise in reducing the risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Exercise promotes weight reduction and aids in lowering blood pressure. The "bad" cholesterol (LDL, low-density lipoprotein ) and total cholesterol levels decline with exercise while the "good" cholesterol (HDL, high-density lipoprotein) increases. In diabetic patients, regular activity favorably affects the body’s ability to use insulin to control glucose levels in the blood. Newly diagnosed patients with heart disease who participate in an exercise program report an earlier return to work and improved quality of life benefits with lowered stress and anxiety levels.

We've Got the Beat:
Two Tips for Heart Health

Love to Exercise! 

The best way to exercise is to do the things you love! Discover your exercise preferences and get your body moving. For instance, I loathe the idea of running for my cardio and conditioning exercise segment. The boredom I experienced with jogging led me to completely skip my cardiorespiratory exercise. I was still incorporating weights and stretching but my heart was not being worked at the optimal heart rate zone. So I became creative and found workout routines I thoroughly enjoy. This included picking up the recreational sport of tennis, joining a step class, and interval training (check link below for interval training ideas). Other ideas for cardio and conditioning exercises may include: Biking, Hiking, Dancing, Swimming, Rock Climbing, Karate etc. Get creative and find what YOU enjoy!


Love Yourself!
The heart is a symbol of love and life. It is the place where we personify feelings and hold our loved ones close. As a muscle, the heart may be small but do not be fooled on its strength. At rest, the heart pumps roughly 5 liters of blood throughout the ENTIRE body in one minute. In essence, one is unable to live without their heart (Yes hearts can be replaced but it is not a guaranteed option). We must take a pledge to love ourselves and care for our beating hearts. Find the time in the day to move around. Break up workout sessions into ten minute segments through your busy day. Any type of exercise at any duration is better than none! 

Notes:
*Always consult your physician before starting an exercise program and participate in regular blood pressure and cholesterol checks. Remember family history of heart disease, smoking, obesity, and poor nutrition may also increase the risks of heart disease. 

My dog Finley exercising for her heart health!

*If you are interested in interval training as an alternative workout routine check out this beginner interval training link!
http://www.fitnessblender.com/videos/body-firming-hiit-workout-for-beginners-beginner-hiit-home-workout-routine

*Also here is some more interval training information from the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
http://www.nsca.com/education/articles/change-up-the-pace-interval-training/

  
*Here is a link to the American Heart Association for more heart health information
http://my.americanheart.org/professional/index.jsp

I hope this blog provided ample information and gave you insight on the issues about Heart Health. Feel free to leave a comment below if any questions arise! 

  

Hangry? Cause Darling, Skipped Meals are a Nightmare Dressed Like a Day Dream.

Most everyone knows that feeling of regret when skipping a meal... either it be the embarrassing stomach growl (mine always occur during tests!!!), the day dreams and fantasies of food, or the constant mental and emotional battle to keep your Hulk alter ego within your sweet human outer shell < #hulksmash #hangry >. Whatever the personal experience may be, skipping a meal turns out to be a nightmare! 

Many of you may ask, "Why does it matter if I skip meals? Less food equals less calories, which means losing weight! Right?" But on the contrary, food is the fuel that the body craves! The body depends on these crucial nutrients and calories to properly function. So let's dive in and see what really happens when you decide to forgo an entire meal:

*Blood Sugar Levels Drop*

Sugar (or glucose) is the fuel that your body runs on. Food is broken down into sugar, so it may be utilized for energy expenditure. If this sugar or fuel is not circulating in the right amounts, the whole body system is affected. The fuel of food allows for us to take on daily activities and meet the demands of external and internal stresses. The dramatic drop in blood sugar may leave you feeling sluggish, tired, and overall unwell.  

T-Swift skipped breakfast 
(Figure 1)

*Brain Drain*

The optimal brain functions occur when food is present to fuel the intellectual and emotional operations. When a steady supply of nutrients is scarce the brain becomes foggy, and your blood may boil with unexplained mood swings (figure 1). Food allows the brain to put its thinking cap to work and break the zombie brain drain effect.

*Lowered Metabolism* 

Skipping meals are considered a type of "yo-yo" dieting or unpredictable food schedule that leaves your body questioning its next meal. To conserve any precious calories the body lowers its metabolism as a way to ration out any scarce fuel sources. This survival technique keeps the body functioning, but consequences surface when muscle tissue is broken down for an alternative fuel source. A low metabolism or fuel conservation is seen in inactive, hibernating mammals (Bears, Bats, Rats, Oh My!). Unless you are Yogi bear ready to settle down for a long winters nap, a lowered metabolism is not beneficial for an active human. 

*Overeating*

Keeping in mind that food is fuel, skipping meals may make a person ravenous.When food is obtained after a long fasting period, overeating or poor food decisions are made. These poor nutritional decisions may cause unwanted weight gain or that uncomfortable stuffed feeling.

As you can see, skipping meals is not a healthy option to maintain daily activities or even lose weight! To help prevent prolonged fasting I listed some tips below. Try and take the time to properly fuel your body!

Tips On Adding Fuel to Your Tank!

1. Try to pack a lunch the night before work or school.
• Limit your morning rush and those lunch-less days.
2. Plan your meals
• Brainstorm meal ideas and get creative!
3. EAT breakfast!
• Many nutritionists agree that breakfast improves the quality of the diet, prevents the need for sugar fixes, and enhances performance!
4. Snacks and Smart Eating
• Bring healthy snacks to eat between meals. Constantly fuel the body with healthy options (Fruits, Veggies, Whole Grains, Lean Meats). 

For My Calorie Counter Fanatics:

Use these simple links to discover a Rough estimate of calories your body needs to stay properly fueled. Keep in mind that a calorie is the energy source your body craves!

Step 1: Calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) or in other words the amount of calories your body needs at rest. Click on the hyperlink and fill in the blanks.

http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/

Step 2: Take your BMR number and factor in your daily activity level to determine your total daily energy expenditure or calories needed to exercise. Use the hyperlink below to plug in your numbers.

http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/harris-benedict-equation/  

  

I hope this blog provided ample information and gave you insight on the issues about skipping meals. Feel free to leave a comment below if any questions arise!