Tasty Breakfast Ideas

Don’t miss the most important meal of the day!

The ideal breakfast is based on a combination of carbohydrate & protein. Try the following tasty ideas:

• High-fiber cereal with fat-free or lowfat milk and dried or fresh fruit



• Low-fat cheese and tomato slices on a whole-wheat English muffin



• Peanut butter and fruit spread on multi-grain bread



• Hard-boiled or scrambled eggs (or egg whites) with a couple of wheat crackers



• A banana and a small handful of almonds



• Low-fat yogurt and a grain-rich cereal bar

Can Sleeping Make You Slim?

Not getting enough sleep can certainly have the opposite effect. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body goes into what medical professionals call “after-stress reaction mode” where you tend to want to eat. Not only that, but you make less wise choices when you’re tired because you are reacting with “disinhibition.” In other words, you're tired, so you lose the motivation and desire that, under well-rested conditions, you usually have to make good choices.

There’s another reason why sleep is important for our weight and our health . . . cortisol.

What is cortisol? It is known as a “stress hormone” and it is involved in response to stress and anxiety.

What does it do? It increases blood pressure and blood sugar, and it reduces immune responses.

Sleep deprivation and stress increase our cortisol levels.

So what? If your adrenal glands are producing too much cortisol, you may develop conditions such as weight gain, especially around the abdomen. It also results in depressed immune function, which increases our susceptibility to sickness and infection, and it increases the likelihood of developing stomach ulcers.

Resistance: I think the quality of my sleep could improve.

Response:
• If you can't fall asleep within 20 minutes, get up and do something boring (and in dim light) until you feel sleepy.
• Don't take naps that are longer than one hour.
• Get up and go to bed the same time every day.
• Develop sleep rituals. Give your body cues that it is time to slow down and sleep, like listening to relaxing music.
• With an obvious exception, use your bed for sleeping, not watching TV or doing work.
• Stay away from caffeine, nicotine & alcohol 4-6 hrs before bed.
• Take a hot shower 60 minutes before bedtime. Research shows that 60 minutes before bedtime is the optimal time.
• Make sure your bed and bedroom are quiet and comfortable.

Reward:
Quality sleep rejuvenates the body and mind, regulates mood, and is related to learning and memory functions. Not only will getting proper sleep help you perform on a test, learn a new skill or help you stay on task, but it may also be a critical factor in your health, weight and energy level.

"A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book.”
~Irish Proverb

Crunches NOT the Ticket to 6-Pack

So, you want to reduce the middle. Over the years the first thing I generally hear is, “I’ll start doing crunches!” Just last week I saw someone curling away, and she told me she does 300 crunches a day to give her a lean stomach. So, let’s get to the bottom of the “crunches give you a great middle myth!” Crunches/curl ups/sit ups are not your first-class ticket to a six pack.

Facts:

• Performing a crunch/curl up/sit up builds muscle.
  
• Building a muscle under fat still means you’ll see the fat.
  
• There is no such thing as “spot reduction” around the middle – yes, magazines would like you to believe this but ultimately you have to reduce the layer of fat.

The vast majority of people today find themselves perched in front of a computer – or rather hunched over a computer. Shoulders rounded, heads forward, necks strained and bellies protruding. Look at yourself right now – tighten your tummy, pull your shoulders back and sit up straight – that’s better!

Performing a crunch puts significant strain on the back at its weakest point: the section where there are the most nerves and subsequently the most potential for nerve damage – the very part that is strained when you’re flexing forward (crunching). If you keep bending forward (when injuries most often happen) the probability of disk herniation is increased. Stuart McGill is a leader in research on core training and has written extensively on flexion intolerance.

So what is your core? The core muscles extend from the pelvic area (primarily the glutes), the trunk (traditionally thought of as abdominals – transverse abdominas, rectus abdominas, internal/external obliques) and the muscles that support the spinal column. These latter can be tiny little devils – there are 31 muscles that connect all the way down from the neck to the rear – 31!! And yet far too often we’re focused on that one set of “6-packs,” which is actually more like a 10-pack!

Ok – how’s that back doing? You still sitting up straight – belly still tightened – that’s it – you’re working your core as you sit! Try this when you’re standing, shoulders back, and it will activate your TVA (Transverse abdominus) and immediately make you’ll look straighter and leaner.

So what exercise will help your core and will help you expose a lean body once you lose the fat (yep, once – not when or if – you can and should do it!)

In this weeks’ video, Marc demonstrates a plank, push-up and lunge. These are excellent full body core moves and great calorie burners. Try them, slow them down, focus on your breathing – do them 2 or 3 times a week and do 2 or 3 sets along with all the other good stuff you’re doing – cardio and good nutrition – and you’ll be taking great care of yourself from the inside out. So conquer your core without the crunches, and your back will love you for it. http://www.acefitness.org/exerciselibrary/32/front-plank

Surviving Superbowl: Help Us Pick A Winner!

Help us pick a winner of the Surviving Superbowl Tip's. Click on the link below and select your favorite (no personal information required) - one click, that's it!

The tip with the most votes will win a prize for submitting the best tip.

Click here to take survey

Super Bowl . . . of Sodium!

The Super Bowl is fast approaching, and that typically means supersalty snacks. Here are some tips for making the big day healthier, leaner and less salty!!!

Super Bowl Super Snacks
It has been said that in the United States, the Super Bowl is the second biggest day for food consumption in the United States, after Thanksgiving. Super Bowl Sunday is upon us, and for many people that means fat-laden chips, creamy dips, fried finger foods and colossal sandwiches. It also means an overload of fat, calories, and sodium. Try the following healthier alternatives:

• Reduced fat Mexican Layered Bean Dip (see recipe at end of this article).


• Baked Tostitos -- but watch your portion sizes, since calories can easily add up.


• Use plain yogurt instead of sour cream in your dip mixes.


• Serve sliced veggies like carrots, celery and even baby tomatoes with a low-cal dip like fat-free ranch dressing, hummus, salsa or low-fat cheese.


• Grill kebabs- chicken, shrimp, tomato, onion and pineapple.


• Bake Creamy Zucchini Boats http://www.fitsugar.com/1817236


• Order a fruit tray from your local grocer instead of a cheese tray.


• Make a pot of vegetarian chili instead of the regular beef based, or use low-fat ground turkey breast instead of the regular beef.


• Put out cereal mix instead of mixed nuts.


• Instead of chicken wings, make chicken fingers using skinless chicken breast strips, dipped in milk and seasoned bread crumbs, and baked at 425 for 10 minutes (cooked through, but still moist). Dip into mustard, honey or barbecue sauce.
  

So Much Sodium
Do I need to cut back on salt?
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
recently issued a report saying that 2 out of 3 of us need to seriously cut back our sodium intake.
Consider yourself part of the two-thirds group, especially if you're over 40, African-American, or have high blood pressure.

Why do I need to watch my salt intake?
Too much sodium can
 Increase the risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.
 Cause fluid retention which contributes to

-a sluggish feeling
-a puffy appearance
-extra water weight

Tips:
 Go easy on high-sodium condiments like soy sauce, mustard, and ketchup.
 Use herbs, citrus, and salt-free spices to season recipes.
 Learn the lingo: Sodium-free or salt-free = less than 5mg/serving.
 Read nutrition labels on foods you purchase to see how much sodium they contain.
 Taste before you shake. Many people salt their food before they even take a bite. Try the food first; don’t use salt out of habit.

How much sodium do I need?
The maximum recommendation is 2,300 mg (about one teaspoon of salt). The USDA estimates that most Americans get well over that: 4,000 milligrams/day.

Why are we ingesting so much salt?
 70%-80% of the sodium in U.S. diets comes not from the salt shaker but from packaged, processed, restaurant, and store-bought foods, such as

-soups,
-potato chips,
-prezels,
-cereal,
-canned veggies,
-packaged deli meats,
-teriyaki sauce,
-spaghetti sauce
 Only about 5% comes from salt added during cooking
 About 6% comes from salt added at the table.

Layered Mexican Bean Dip

16 oz fat-free canned refried beans
3 medium avocado, Hass, finely mashed
1/4 tsp table salt
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 cup(s) reduced-fat sour cream
2 Tbsp Old El Paso Fajita Seasoning Mix, or other brand
1/2 cup(s) Reduced Fat Shredded Mexican-Style Cheese
1 small tomato(es), chopped
2 m Medium scallion(s), sliced
10 medium olive(s), black, sliced or chopped
2 Tbsp cilantro, fresh, chopped

Michelle Obama on Childhood Obesity

As many of you have no doubt noticed, First Lady Michelle Obama has been all over the news the past few days with her new initiative to address childhood obesity. In a Today Show interview with Matt Lauer, she talks about the "shocking statistic" that one in three kids in the United States is obese. Also shocking, Obama said, is the fact that "our youngest generatoin is on track for being less healthy healthy, having a shorter lifespan than their parents."

Obama acknowledged the intense pressures parents face in our busy modern society, the need to juggle jobs (sometimes more than one), school and extracurricular activities. "It's not that parents don't care," Obama said. "We have got to help them." She went on to say the problem is "imminently solvable."

Obama's remarks fit right in with our earlier post about the importance of, and the challenges of, planning healthy meals for ourselves and our families. (http://wellnesswithu.blogspot.com/2010/01/planning-key-to-positive-change.html)

Those of you who are parents already know, the kids are watching--one more reason for all of us to step up the Challenge (the With-U Wellness Challenge!) and make positive changes that will both improve our health and provide positive examples to the people we love. Here's a link to the Michelle Obama Today Interview: http://www.wowowow.com/politics/michelle-obama-today-show-matt-lauer-family-life-barack-obama-gray-hair-pain-hope-video-439512

148 Total Pounds Lost and Counting!

Our STRIP Challengers are off to a roaring start--A cumulative 148.77 lbs lost, and 1,130 POGs completed!



Unbelievable – everything that you’ve done started With-U! You are making things happen. The needle is moving!

Together you’ve all lost nearly 150lbs. My challenge to you is this:Lose 1,000 lbs, and we’ll make a HEFTY donation to a foodbank! BUT, we would need 80% of the teams to be at 80% of their POGs!

We had some stellar results this week, and several individuals surpassed the 5 lb weight loss mark to spur their teams into the top rankings. The graph below tells you where your team is at – there are 6 more weeks to go, so kick it up a notch if your team is mid-pack, and you still have an excellent shot at the bi-weekly or final prizes.

This week the Butter-Loving Paula Deen Fanclub stashed their sticks of lard and lost an incredible 23 lbs together. They walk away with the first bi-weekly prize for weight loss. A check for $100 will be mailed to your team leader for distribution.

For those of you who aren't part of our exciting STRIP (Spare Tire Reduction Incentive Program) Challenge, we have three more wellness challenges planned for 2010, and the first one begins April 10! Lose weight, get healthy, and win great gifts and cash along the way! Visit http://www.with-u.us/public/wellnesschallenge/register.html to find out more!