“Success isn’t always about greatness. it’s about consistency. consistent hard work gains success. greatness will come.” - dwayne johnson
CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK
CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK!
SQUAT JUMPS or SQUAT CALF RAISE! I want you to start out with 10, then add 10 to each day ending the week with a total of 70 squat jumps or squat calf raises. Squat jumps include cardio and encourage your body to build muscle and tone the areas we all want to be toned in - our legs and our glutes! If you would like to avoid high impact, do a squat calf raise. You can do these anywhere. Encourage your family to join! Let’s make it a competition!! You better send me videos, and challenge other people!
TIP OF THE WEEK
TIP OF THE WEEK!
Get rid of soda! I promise you, there is no real benefit to drinking soda. One simple thing you can do to maintain a much healthier lifestyle is to just plain get rid of it. Soda is sugar calories. Sugar drinks are among the most fattening items you can put into your body. This is because your brain doesn’t measure calories from liquid sugar the same way it does for solid food. Therefore, when you drink a soda you end up eating more total calories. Sugary drinks are strongly associated with diabetes, heart disease and many other health problems. Keep in mind that fruit juices may be almost as bad as soda in this regard, as they sometimes contain just as much sugar. The small amounts of antioxidants do not negate the sugar’s harmful effects. Take a look at the article below that breaks down the science of it.
Why does sugar hit your body so hard?
The answer is simple: insulin.
Foods containing a lot of sugar but little protein or fat are said to have a high glycemic index, meaning the sugar rapidly releases into your bloodstream. Pure processed sugar (i.e. the stuff in most name-brand soda) is about as high as you can get on the ranking. A 12-ounce can of Coke contains 39 grams of sugar, according to Coca-Cola, while a can of Pepsi contains 41 grams.
When you eat or drink something with a high glycemic index, your pancreas starts cranking out insulin to help process the sugar and control your blood sugar levels. But a sugar surge like that from a soda causes a big spike in insulin, which causes your blood sugar levels to hit rock bottom, potentially leaving you shaky, weak, and, yes, hungry.
It also has debilitating long-term effects on your health: If your intake of excess sugar—in the form of sodas, candy, junk food, etc.—makes up 25% of your daily calories, you have twice the risk of dying from heart disease someone whose intake is just 7%, a study of more than 30,000 Americans found.
It’s not just soda, of course: Plenty of foods are sneaky sugar bombs, from barbeque sauce to some sports drinks.
On the other hand, natural, unprocessed sugar in fruit is accompanied with nutrients and fiber, which control the release of sugar into the bloodstream and prevent the insulin dump. But without those stabilizing factors, sugar hits the system hard.
MEAL + snack ideas
WHITE WINE AND CHERRY TOMATO COD
Ingredients for COD:
2 tblspns olive oil
1 1/2 pounds fresh cod, cut into 4 pieces
Ingredients for the sauce:
2 tblspns olive oil
1/2 tspn crushed red pepper flakes
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut into halves
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
1/2 fresh lemon juice
1/2 tspn fresh lemon zest
1/2 tspn salt
1/4 tspn black pepper
Preheat the oven to 375º
Sauce: heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add crushed red pepper & garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
Add the cherry tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and blistering but still holding their shape (about 10-12 mins).
Add the white wine, stir, and allow the mixture to simmer.
Stir in the basil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, & pepper and cook for 2 minutes.
Transfer the sauce into a bowl and set aside until needed.
Fish: season both sides of the fish with salt & pepper.
Using the same (now empty) pan, add more oil over medium heat.
Place cod in the oil and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
Flip the cod over in the pan carefully, then place the pan into the oven for another 5 minutes.
Pour the white wine tomato mix over the cod and serve immediately.
Salmon rice bowls
Ingredients:
1 cup sushi rice
1.5 pounds of salmon (I usually buy Wild Caught Sockeye salmon)
1-2 eggs per person
1 avocado, sliced
2 tspns sesame oil
2 tblspns soy sauce
drop of agave
salt + pepper
black sesame seeds
Preheat oven to 425º
Cook the rice in a cooker or on the stove as directed on the package.
Fill a small pot with water and bring to a boil.
Prep the salmon by placing it on a foil-covered tray with the skin side down. Drizzle some sesame oil and coat with salt & pepper.
Place salmon in the oven for 9-12 minutes (until flakey and cooked through).
Once the water boils, add your eggs in for 7 minutes.
While all of this cooks, combine the sesame oil, soy sauce, & agave and whisk into a sauce. Set aside until ready to serve.
In a deep / wide bowl, layer the rice, then add the salmon, cut eggs in half, & avocado. Drizzle the sauce over everything & sprinkle some sesame seeds. Serve immediately & enjoy!
israeli salad
Ingredients:
3 Tomatoes
1 Large Cucumber
1 Green Bell Pepper
2 Lemons, juiced
Olive Oil
Salt
Chop up the tomato, cucumber, & bell pepper into small pieces, place into a medium bowl.
Pour a generous amount of olive oil & mix.
Squeeze the lemon juice, starting with 1 lemon, & taste. I like mine VERY lemony so I add a second lemon.
Add some salt to taste.
INDUSTRY NEWS
5 Foods to Help Conquer Your Cravings
These foods not only satisfy, they also provide great nutritional value and may help with weight loss.
By: Katherine Brooking for U.S. News
Fighting the Urge
Ice cream or cookies? Chocolate or chardonnay? French fries or potato chips?
Nearly everyone gets that “gotta have it” feeling at some point. In fact, a survey published in the journal Appetite, found that 97% of women and 68% of men experience food cravings – often for high-calorie sweet, salty or fat-rich snacks.
The good news is that instead of caving to your cravings, you can fight back! Here are five foods that will fill you up, quell your hunger and keep you from blowing your calorie budget.
Eggs
When it comes to cravings, the simple egg may be your best friend. That’s because eggs rank high on the "satiety index," a scale that scores foods based on how full they make you feel.
A large egg has just 78 calories, but packs 6 grams of filling protein. What’s more, research shows that adding eggs to your diet may help you lose weight and feel fuller for longer. One study found that eating a turkey sausage and egg breakfast sandwich instead of a low-protein pancake breakfast helped people control their appetite and eat fewer calories at lunch.
Oats
If eggs aren’t your best friend, oats can help you battle your cravings. Oats have a type of fiber called beta-glucan that research shows can slow digestion, boost satiety and suppress appetite.
It’s not surprising that oatmeal was ranked as the most satiating breakfast food on the satiety index. Enjoy oats by keeping them simple: Skip the added sugar and instead pump up the flavor by topping with nuts and fresh fruit.
Apples
An apple a day may keep the doctor away – but one study found that three small apples a day can lead to significant weight loss. With just 75 calories and 3.5 grams of fiber, the mighty apple can keep hunger at bay. A study reported in the journal Appetite found that women who added three small apples to their diet each day lost a little more than two pounds in 10 weeks.
Apples also contain a compound called ursolic acid that may help to boost lean muscle mass. Researchers from the University of Iowa found that animals given ursolic acid supplements increased their muscle mass and burned more calories.
Pistachios
Pistachios are a powerful ally in the quest to beat cravings. They may be tiny, but they pack both fiber and protein in each shell – 49 pistachios have just 160 calories and 6 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber. Pistachios contain fewer calories and more potassium and vitamin K per serving than any other nut.
Studies show that they top many traditional snack foods such as pretzels, chips, cereal bars and chips for satiety and nutrition and can help control weight and appetite.
If you’re a vegan, there’s even more good news about pistachios. A recent study found that pistachios are one of the few vegan sources of complete protein – meaning they contain all nine essential amino acids for building protein.
Next time you feel the urge to munch, crack open some pistachio shells. You can even find seasoned nuts, if you're craving chip flavor. Pronutz, for example, offers seasoned pistachios with added probiotics.
Mangoes
Juicy and delicious, mangoes don’t just satisfy your taste for something sweet, they can also help you stay slim. Their diet-friendly power may be due to one of their bioactive compounds, mangiferin, which studies show may help control blood sugar and reduce body fat.
Mangoes are not only delicious, but they're also diet-friendly. A study in the Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences suggests that mango-eaters weighed less and had better diets than those who missed out on mangoes. This stone fruit contains many bioactive ingredients, including mangiferin.
One cup of mango has just 100 calories and 3 grams of filling fiber. For a perfect filling snack, top a half-cup of non-fat Greek yogurt with mango cubes.
HEALTH & WELLNESS
16 Simple Ways to Relieve Stress and Anxiety
BY: Kerri Anne Jennings, MS. RD. for Healthline
Stress and anxiety are common experiences for most people. In fact, 70% of adults in the United States say they feel stress or anxiety daily.
1. Exercise
Exercise is one of the most important things you can do to combat stress. It might seem contradictory, but putting physical stress on your body through exercise can relieve mental stress. The benefits are strongest when you exercise regularly. People who exercise regularly are less likely to experience anxiety than those who don’t exercise.
There are a few reasons behind this:
Stress hormones: Exercise lowers your body’s stress hormones — such as cortisol — in the long run. It also helps release endorphins, which are chemicals that improve your mood and act as natural painkillers.
Sleep: Exercise can also improve your sleep quality, which can be negatively affected by stress and anxiety.
Confidence: When you exercise regularly, you may feel more competent and confident in your body, which in turn promotes mental wellbeing.
Activities — such as walking or jogging — that involve repetitive movements of large muscle groups can be particularly stress relieving.
2. Consider supplements
Several supplements promote stress and anxiety reduction. Here is a brief overview of some of the most common ones:
Lemon balm: Lemon balm is a member of the mint family that has been studied for its anti-anxiety effects.
Omega-3 fatty acids: One study showed that medical students who received omega-3 supplements experienced a 20% reduction in anxiety symptoms.
Ashwagandha: Ashwagandha is an herb used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat stress and anxiety. Several studies suggest that it’s effective.
Green tea: Green tea contains many polyphenol antioxidants which provide health benefits. It may lower stress and anxiety by increasing serotonin levels.
Some supplements can interact with medications or have side effects, so you may want to consult with a doctor if you have a medical condition.
3. Light a candle
Using essential oils or burning a scented candle may help reduce your feelings of stress and anxiety. Some scents are especially soothing.
Here are some of the most calming scents:
Lavender
Rose
Vetiver
Bergamot
Roman chamomile
Neroli
Frankincense
Sandalwood
Ylang ylang
Orange or orange blossom
Geranium
Using scents to treat your mood is called aromatherapy. Several studies show that aromatherapy can decrease anxiety and improve sleep.
4. Reduce your caffeine intake
Caffeine is a stimulant found in coffee, tea, chocolate and energy drinks. High doses can increase anxiety. People have different thresholds for how much caffeine they can tolerate. If you notice that caffeine makes you jittery or anxious, consider cutting back. Although many studies show that coffee can be healthy in moderation, it’s not for everyone. In general, five or fewer cups per day is considered a moderate amount.
5. Write it down
One way to handle stress is to write things down. While recording what you’re stressed about is one approach, another is jotting down what you’re grateful for. Gratitude may help relieve stress and anxiety by focusing your thoughts on what’s positive in your life.
6. Chew gum
For a super easy and quick stress reliever, try chewing a stick of gum. One study showed that people who chewed gum had a greater sense of wellbeing and lower stress. One possible explanation is that chewing gum causes brain waves similar to those of relaxed people. Another is that chewing gum promotes blood flow to your brain. Additionally, one recent study found that stress relief was greatest when people chewed more strongly.
7. Spend time with friends and family
Social support from friends and family can help you get through stressful times. Being part of a friend network gives you a sense of belonging and self-worth, which can help you in tough times. One study found that for women in particular, spending time with friends and children helps release oxytocin, a natural stress reliever. This effect is called “tend and befriend,” and is the opposite of the fight-or-flight response. Keep in mind that both men and women benefit from friendship. Another study found that men and women with the fewest social connections were more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety.
8. Laugh
It’s hard to feel anxious when you’re laughing. It’s good for your health, and there are a few ways it may help relieve stress:
Relieving your stress response.
Relieving tension by relaxing your muscles.
In the long term, laughter can also help improve your immune system and mood.
A study among people with cancer found that people in the laughter intervention group experienced more stress relief than those who were simply distracted. Try watching a funny TV show or hanging out with friends who make you laugh.
9. Learn to say no
Not all stressors are within your control, but some are. Take control over the parts of your life that you can change and are causing you stress. One way to do this may be to say “no” more often. This is especially true if you find yourself taking on more than you can handle, as juggling many responsibilities can leave you feeling overwhelmed. Being selective about what you take on — and saying no to things that will unnecessarily add to your load — can reduce your stress levels.
10. Learn to avoid procrastination
Another way to take control of your stress is to stay on top of your priorities and stop procrastinating. Procrastination can lead you to act reactively, leaving you scrambling to catch up. This can cause stress, which negatively affects your health and sleep quality. Get in the habit of making a to-do list organized by priority. Give yourself realistic deadlines and work your way down the list. Work on the things that need to get done today and give yourself chunks of uninterrupted time, as switching between tasks or multitasking can be stressful itself.
11. Take a yoga class
Yoga has become a popular method of stress relief and exercise among all age groups. While yoga styles differ, most share a common goal — to join your body and mind. Yoga primarily does this by increasing body and breath awareness. Some studies have examined yoga’s effect on mental health. Overall, research has found that yoga can enhance mood and may even be as effective as antidepressant drugs at treating depression and anxiety. However, many of these studies are limited, and there are still questions about how yoga works to achieve stress reduction. In general, the benefit of yoga for stress and anxiety seems to be related to its effect on your nervous system and stress response. It may help lower cortisol levels, blood pressure and heart rate and increase gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter that is lowered in mood disorders.
12. Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness describes practices that anchor you to the present moment. It can help combat the anxiety-inducing effects of negative thinking. There are several methods for increasing mindfulness, including mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, mindfulness-based stress reduction, yoga and meditation. A recent study in college students suggested that mindfulness may help increase self-esteem, which in turn lessens symptoms of anxiety and depression.
13. Cuddle
Cuddling, kissing, hugging and sex can all help relieve stress. Positive physical contact can help release oxytocin and lower cortisol. This can help lower blood pressure and heart rate, both of which are physical symptoms of stress. Interestingly, humans aren’t the only animals who cuddle for stress relief. Chimpanzees also cuddle friends who are stressed.
14. Listen to soothing music
Listening to music can have a very relaxing effect on the body. Slow-paced instrumental music can induce the relaxation response by helping lower blood pressure and heart rate as well as stress hormones. Some types of classical, Celtic, Native American and Indian music can be particularly soothing, but simply listening to the music you enjoy is effective too. Nature sounds can also be very calming. This is why they’re often incorporated into relaxation and meditation music.
15. Deep breathing
Mental stress activates your sympathetic nervous system, signaling your body to go into “fight-or-flight” mode. During this reaction, stress hormones are released and you experience physical symptoms such as a faster heartbeat, quicker breathing and constricted blood vessels. Deep breathing exercises can help activate your parasympathetic nervous system, which controls the relaxation response. There are several types of deep breathing exercises, including diaphragmatic breathing, abdominal breathing, belly breathing and paced respiration. The goal of deep breathing is to focus your awareness on your breath, making it slower and deeper. When you breathe in deeply through your nose, your lungs fully expand and your belly rises. This helps slow your heart rate, allowing you to feel more peaceful.
16. Spend time with your pet
Having a pet may help reduce stress and improve your mood. Interacting with pets may help release oxytocin, a brain chemical that promotes a positive mood. Having a pet may also help relieve stress by giving you purpose, keeping you active and providing companionship — all qualities that help reduce anxiety.
