resolved shredheads

Always looking for yet another challenge, the Shredheads leaders, Kristen and Bill have put out a challenge for the month of December.

December can be a difficult month, with it snuggled in between two major holidays (well three, if you count the New Year), both of which are the eating-est holidays of the year.

Plus it’s cold, kids are out of school, the motivation to work out seems to leave the building. And forget trying to eat healthy.

But we’re challenging you this month, Shredheads, to take on your New Year’s Resolutions, well at least your fitness ones, early.

That’s right. Don’t use December as an excuse to gain more weight and get more behind the curve. Start 2010 with the ball already rolling.

This is why the Shredhead movement of the Blog-lands and Twitter-verse has been so successful. We are always challenging, empowering and inspiring one another. We are there holding one another accountable to our goals. We are there with advice and information that keeps our workouts fresh and effective. The holidays is a hard time to keep a fitness program going. I look at the big calendar in the kitchen with the entire circus acts’ daily activities and appointments listed and I sometimes wonder how and when am I going to get a run or a trip to the gym in. For me, calling myself a Shredhead makes me make the time. I don’t intend to slack off this month because I can’t. Bill, the Shredhead, will never let this lie if I do slack. He is just that way.

Like Bill, I have a pretty definite goal (as opposed to a resolution because I don’t make resolutions) to keep me on track this month and into the next year…the Tiarathon, better known as the Disney Princess Half Marathon. There are quite a few Shredheads signed up and running like crazy to be there…all to celebrate our strength, our power, our commitment to better health…and to celebrate my birthday. For my birthday, I will be here:

This month begins my training to get to the Tiarathon and I am committed to it. I have ran several 5K races, a 10K for Thanksgiving as well as a 10K next weekend with Kari. She is also in training for the Tiarathon. My goal this month is primarily sticking to the training regimen that I have planned out for me. It will be a challenge fitting it in with everything else that I have to juggle, but fit it in I will. It helps knowing that I am posting what training I do here as well as the fact that I have signed up for the race itself, booked the travel and will be sharing a room with Kari, whi I imagine is grateful for the fact that I don’t snore…but I am a cuddler! My eventual goal for this month is that I will not only finish the half marathon, my first, but I will finish it in at around 2½ hours. When I first signed up for this last July, I designated that I could finish it in under 3 hours. Now I know that I have the ability to finish even faster. I just have to stick to my training and my goals.

Do you have fitness-minded goals you want to commit too? Would you like toi get a jump on a New Year’s Resolution to get into shape? Get started now and join the Shredheads this month. The coolest thing about this month’s challenge is that it is different for everyone and the fabulous prize this month is available to us all…a leaner, stronger, faster and healthier you and me

[Via http://adventuresinjuggling.wordpress.com]

Pre-Thanksgiving party at Industry Humpday with Anthony "Rumble" Johnson

Jake Shields and Anthony Johnson

As you can see, Anthony Johnson doesn’t really like drinking beer

[Via http://knoxxgear.wordpress.com]

Eat Your Way to Healthier Sleep

Eat Your Way to Healthier Sleep

Workday stress plays a key role in robbing people of restful, restorative sleep, according to a study by the National Sleep Foundation last year. The survey of 1,000 people showed that most people average just 6 hours and 40 minutes of sleep a night, far below the 7 and a half to 8 hours recommended by medical experts.

The good news is that a healthy diet may help defuse the effects of stress once your head hits the pillow. Foods that boost the neurotransmitter serotonin can actually promote sleep. These include:

* Whole grains, such as whole wheat bread, brown rice and oats. Try a soothing bowl of oatmeal before bed.

* Milk with honey. Milk contains tryptophan (also found in turkey, egg whites and tuna), which converts to serotonin in the body and helps promote the deep stages of sleep.

* B Vitamins, especially B6 and B12 — found in whole grains, wheat germ, tuna, walnuts, peanuts, bananas, sunflower seeds, and blackstrap molasses — help reduce stress.

* Magnesium — found in kelp, wheat bran, almonds, cashews and blackstrap molasses — helps reduce stress and nervousness.

While some foods can improve sleep, others can make sleep difficult or even impossible. Foods to avoid at bedtime include:

* Coffee and other caffeine-containing foods, such as chocolate, cocoa, soft drinks and some over-the-counter and prescription medications.

* Spicy foods may cause gastrointestinal reflux or heartburn.

* Overly sweet or fatty foods can also cause indigestion and/or bloating.

* Alcohol disturbs sleep patterns later in the night.

Relìv nutritional supplements also offer an excellent source of B vitamins, magnesium, calcium and other health-enhancing nutrients.

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That’s the Relìv Difference.

[Via http://healthylivingtip.wordpress.com]

How To Ward Off Holiday Weight Gain, Part 1. By Dan & Jennifer Polimino.

The average American gains three to five pounds over the holidays, and to make matters worse studies show that those holiday pounds are rarely lost. In fact, most people put on an additional two to three pounds by year’s end. That’s around eight pounds in one year.

Let’s face it—holiday celebrations include seriously good food. So instead of depriving yourself, why not head into the holidays down a few pounds. Then if you gain some weight it won’t be such a big deal. Let’s say you’re comfortable at 175 pounds. Come January 180 might not feel so good, but what if you went into the holidays weighing 167 pounds? Now let’s say you gained five pounds due to a few splurges and indulgences. You might hit January at 172 pounds, but that’s still three pounds under your norm of 175!

Even though it’s already December it’s not too late to develop a good nutritional game plan for the holidays using this or any of a few other strategies we have up our sleeves. Below are the first five of 10 tips that will get you though the holidays feeling great, enjoying your favorite foods and still slipping into your favorite jeans come January.

1) Start exercising and eating right now. The average person following a good nutrition and exercise plan can lose up to two pounds per week. By Christmas, that’s six pounds.

2) Plan in advance how you’ll deal with parties and other potential pitfalls. Simply robbing yourself of your favorite foods isn’t going to work. Instead, try eating a small healthy meal before the party so you can sample your favorites without overindulging.

3) Drink adequate amounts of water before social events. Two to three glasses of water before eating will help you feel full.

4) Taste everything, but keep portions small.

5) In the buffet line fill your plate with fruits and vegetables first, leaving less space for the higher calorie foods.

Next week we’ll take a look at the final five tips to help you avoid holiday heftiness.

Book Dan Polimino to speak at your next meeting or event today. For program information contact us at info@BookDan.com, visit www.BookDan.com or call 303-683-4795.

[Via http://danpolimino.wordpress.com]

Managing Your Self-Care!

“Self-love is about self-care, making your health a priority.  Self-love is revealed in your willingness to stay focused on the things you say are important.  It’s about having the courage to set boundaries and protect them.” – Francine Ward

C.H.A.R.G.E. #024

Up to this point we have discussed the importance of self-care in the form of exercise, stress management, dietary habits, attending to your health needs, and proper amounts of water intake and sleep.  But self-care, in and of itself, is so much more.  According to WellCoaches, self-care, “… can include activities such as improving your physical surroundings, developing a practice that exercises your mind and your soul, or balancing your family, social, and work demands with time to unwind by spending time in nature, soaking in a hot bubble bath, watching a beautiful sunrise, or listening to your favorite music.”

Standing by boundaries that you set for yourself can go a long way in preserving your health.  Once you have established what is acceptable behavior and what is not, make sure those around you are aware of your boundaries.  Next, let them know what your expectations are with the boundaries you have set.  Finally, inform them of the consequences of their unacceptable behavior around you, and then follow through with those consequences.

Managing burnout is another way of taking care of yourself.  According to Herbert J. Freudenberger, PhD., “… burnout is a state of fatigue or frustration brought about by a devotion to a cause, a way of life, or a relationship that failed to produce the expected reward.” 

Several signs and symptoms include:

1. Tired, fatigued
2. Melancholy
3. Ambivalence
4. Lack of interest
5. Short term memory loss
6. Dreading the event
7. Health issues
8. Difficulty making decisions
9. Impatience
10. Not caring

Here are a few ways to prevent burnout:

1. Set and maintain boundaries
2. Follow your wellness program
3. Take time off
4. Continue learning
5. Have a support system

It may sound a bit selfish, but you can’t be a help to others when you haven’t taken care of yourself first.  What kind of motivator are you when it’s clear you are not practicing self-care?  I’m reminded of a flight attendant on an airplane when they instruct you to put the oxygen mask on yourself first, and then help your child with their mask.  You can’t help someone else if you are panicked and struggling for air.

C.H.A.R.G.E. Questions:  Where do you fall short on self-care?  What activities could you engage in to better your self-care?  What boundaries would you like to set?  Who would you like to inform of these boundaries?  What burnout symptoms do you experience?  What are some ways you could employ to prevent burnout?

* Information adapted from WellCoaches Manual, Lesson 12, 2006.

[Via http://maximumwellness.wordpress.com]

Do you have lachanophobia?

There are excuses, and there are reasons. More often than not, regarding exercise and nutrition, what people think is a ‘reason’ is actually an ‘excuse’.

For example: I don’t exercise because I don’t have time….or I don’t eat well because I don’t know how to prepare healthy meals.

But occasionally you come across something that sounds like an excuse that is actually a reason:  I don’t eat vegetables because I am afraid of them.

[Via http://kitchenpt.com]

getting muddy is good for you and could prevent allergies!

I’ve always believed that being exposed to the element’s and getting muddy is good for you and your bodily systems, it’s what our immune system has been designed to cope with over the the course of our evolution and a recent BBC article here also agrees with this.

I also believe that the reason there are so many allergy sufferer’s and a general immune system over reaction to much of the environment around us is a direct result of not being exposed to these at a young age when our body is developing it’s immune system. We know clearly for example that when we inject a small amount of a virus into the body, the immune system will respond with antibodies in sufficient amount that we can become much better at attacking the virus the next time. For this same reason I believe it is a good idea to be exposed to the environment at a young age and throughout life in order to build a good immune system and perhaps prevent the onset of allergy conditions.

Of course some of the rise in allergy’s seen across the world, especially in developed countries can be attributed to the rise in pollution, but the general more ‘pampered’ way in which people live in modern times looks like it could be a major reason for these rises.

The article goes on to say “By studying mice and human cells, they found the harmless bacteria did this by making a molecule called lipoteichoic acid or LTA, which acted on keratinocytes – the main cell types found in the outer layer of the skin.

The LTA keeps the keratinocytes in check, stopping them from mounting an aggressive inflammatory response. “

So get out in the cold, rain and dirt unless you didn’t have enough reasons to already, have a shower when you get back though because smelling of BO hasn’t yet been linked with a healthy immune system, nor helping your chances with the opposite sex!

[Via http://outofthegym.wordpress.com]