Fitness

Angelina Jolie, deservedly, topped Reuters’ 2007 Humanitarian poll for both her work as a U.N. goodwill ambassador and for raising awareness of suffering in Africa.

What exactly does that have to do with anything?

Just this:  Several years ago (when she was in the news for vials of blood, kissing her brother, etc…) the sentence above would have made a pretty good joke in Jay Leno’s monologue.  Angelina Jolie…humanitarian?  Ha ha ha. 

But, she turned her life so completely around that, now, when you hear the name, your first thoughts are of her being a wonderful mother and a serious actress. You also think of her as being very active in the causes she believes in.  You think of her generosity overseas as well as at home in the aftermath of Katrina.  You also, of course, think of her dinner companion, breakfast companian, and lunch companian - Mr. Pitt.

If Self Help Daily gave “Person of the Year” awards, she would also top its list. I have nothing but respect for anyone who looks out their window, sees suffering and injustice, and goes outside to do something about it.  It’s so much easier to just close the blinds.

I’m in awe of the work both Angelina and Brad do, but I’m even more in awe of the way she turned her life around and pulled her name up out of the gutter.  Amazing.

It’s proof to all of us that anything’s possible.  One of my favorite sayings has always been, You aren’t known for what you did - you’re known for what you do.  You can erase yesterday’s mistakes with tomorrow, but you have to make your mind up today to do so.

Once you have a firm determination to do so - encourage yourself with the mantra Make It Happen.  It’ll serve as a reminder that:

1. You CAN make it happen.
2. Only YOU can make it happen.

It does, of course, take more than a strong resolve to get there from here. We have to set ourselves up to succeed rather than to fail.  The key factor in the success or failure of most New Year’s resolutions lies, not between January  to December, but on New Year’s Eve.  You can pretty much tell THEN if your resolutions will be a failure or a success.

How?  By answering one question - “What am I doing to make my resolutions happen?“  If your answer is, “I’m writing them down,” you’ve set yourself up to….more likely than not…have to write the same resolution again next year.  And the next.  And the next.  (I’ve been there!)

So, what is the secret to making the Resolutions actually stick?  Glue! Writing resolutions down isn’t glue - it’s just words.  The only way to turn the words into reality is to provide yourself with the tools to make it happen.  Think about it, the reason we keep writing the same resolutions down year after year is we never set ourselves up for success.

For example…

• If one of our resolutions is to be more organized, yet the only thing we ever do to make it happen is to write the words, “Be more organized” - we aren’t making it happen, we’re wishing it would happen.  But if we invest in a file cabinet, more shelves, a desk calendar, and maybe even a day planner - we’ve given ourselves the tools we’ll need to make it happen.
• How about losing weight? If we don’t do something proactive to make it happen, it’ll never be anything but a lovely dream with a trim waist and firm arms.  But if we invest in a gym membership, an exercise machine, a subscription to Prevention, or some great exercise DVDs, we’ve given ourselves the tools we need to make it happen.
• If we want to eat more healthy foods, we have to outsmart ourselves at the grocery store.  If we go when we’re fairly full, we’ll be more apt to buy healthy foods - to the tune of fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains…  Also, falling in love with Subway is another great tool. I promise, a healthy sub and a bag of apple slices will give you more energy for the rest of the day than any other lunch could ever hope to.  Sometimes, doing a little research (not only finding what foods are good and what foods are bad, but finding WHY their good or bad) can be a perfect motivator.
• For the infamous resolution to keep your home or closet neater, investing in special crates, shelves, and closet organizers can turn the words into reality.  Also, we should all go through our things and haul off anything and everything we don’t absolutely love.  We’ll be doing a good deed and tidying up at the same time.
• Speaking of good deeds, if becomming more active is a goal - and I give you a cyber pat on the back if it is - doing a little research into various charities and causes will help steer you in the right direction.  Going through and writing reminders to ”support” your cause on your desk calendar (you know the one that’ll organize your 2008) on certain days of the month will help keep you honest.
• If you have a tendency to speed, begin getting ready and leaving at least 10 minutes earlier.  Then, there’ll be no need to hurry.  In fact, you’ll probably end up driving slower to kill more time. 
• If you’re one of the many who want to start reading more, place books (whether it’s the Bible, historical non-fiction, or novels) in strategic positions:  Near your favorite seat in the living room or den, in the bathroom, by your bedside.  If they’re on the shelf all day, that’s probably where they’ll stay until the next day.
• If you want to learn a new language - go out and buy cassettes and cds that’ll help you.

Basically, whatever it is you want to accomplish, make it easier on yourself.  Give yourself the tools you need to make it happen!

I mean this from the bottom of my heart - I hope that every day of 2008 is more than you dreamed it would be.  I hope that you live well, love much, and laugh often.  You can do anything you set your mind to and you can be anyone you want.  Peace, happiness, and joy! - Joi

Experts recommend that kids get no more than two hours per day of “screen time” (tv, computer, and/or video games).  Most kids, however, average more than 4 hours a day.

Below are tips from the American Heart Association to get your kid(s) up and moving.  Couch tots grow up to be couch potatoes, and neither are particularly healthy as a result.

1. Suggest and Offer alternative activities.  Have a “Family Game Night,” shoot some hoops, go for walks, or visit a nearby park.
2. Become active with your kids.  Play with them rather than just watch them!
3. Don’t position your furniture so that the TV is the main focus of the room.
4. Remove TVs from bedrooms.
5. Plan TV watching in advance. Go through the TV guide ahead of time and pick the shows you’ll watch. When the show’s off, turn the TV off.

I love the one about playing with your kids.  I’ve had some of my best times in trees, on swings, and inside blanket tents.   One thing I would suggest is this:  If your child already has a certain number of shows that he/she watches faithfully - it may not be what the experts suggest, but I’d suggest not rocking the boat. Instead, how about buying a stationary bike or treadmill and tell them that (in an effort to make the family healthier) you want everyone to exercise at least 30 minutes everyday. Place it right in front of the television!  Then you can suggest that they do it during a favorite show.  Before you know it, they’ll be hopping on and working out throughout the day - and getting more and more all important exercise.  If you try to take a show away from someone who watches it and enjoys it, I think you’d just be asking for a battle.  For one thing, you’ll look like a meanie!  For another, it’ll give them a negative opinion at what you’re trying to accomplish, which is more activity.  You want the activity to be fun and positive, you don’t want it (or yourself!) to be the enemy.  Just think how you’d feel if someone told you, even if it were for your own good, that you couldn’t watch Ace Of Cakes, Sportscenter, or Survivor ever again. 

If a treadmill or stationary bike is out of reach (I understand the whole out of reach thing as much as anyone.) - an exercise mat, a few dumbbells, and/or an exercise ball can also do wonders. 

Zoos are another fun way to get your kids, and yourself, out and about.  If you’re lucky enough to live near one, you should become a familiar face to the monkeys, tigers, lions, bears, and even the reptiles. 

After reading the last post,  I hope you’ve started to think of ways to protect yourself from diabetes. 

The ugliness that’s known as Type 2 diabetes is a condition defined by high blood sugar levels and abnormal insulin action.  Poor control of type 2 diabetes affects the heart, nerves, eyes, and kidneys. My mom, who had Type 2 diabetes died from heart problems.  I’m certain (to the point of willing to bet all future Starbucks trips on it) that she had diabetes long before she was actually diagnosed.  If she had been treated properly during prediabetes, she might be here, right now, calling me to get all the Thanksgiving menu details just right.

Prediabetes, as you might guess, is characterized by blood sugar levels that are above what’s considered normal but not as high as those that occur with diabetes. People with prediabetes also tend to have high blood pressure, high triglycerides (fats that circulate in the blood), low HDL, or good, cholesterol levels, and significant belly fat — a cluster of symptoms that raise their risk for heart disease.

Most people with prediabetes develop type 2 diabetes within ten years unless they make certain lifestyle changes.  Get this:  these changes have been found to be more effective for reversing prediabetes than medications, according to the National Institutes of Health!  ”The most frustrating part about prediabetes and diabetes is that they are largely preventable, and in circumstances where diabetes can’t be prevented, the onset can usually be postponed,” says Dr. Arthur Agatston, preventive cardiologist and author of The South Beach Diet.

“These conditions are brought on by a Western lifestyle — eating refined carbohydrates and unhealthy fats like trans fats and saturated fats, and inactivity,” he explains. But a straightforward South Beach Diet approach to eating (an emphasis on lean proteins and good fats and carbs) and exercise can reverse prediabetes and diabetes. “Many of my patients actually started the South Beach Diet because they were diagnosed with prediabetes or diabetes, and I’ve witnessed their blood glucose levels revert back to the normal range,” adds Dr. Agatston.

The ADA recommends diabetes screenings every three years beginning at age 45. If you have symptoms of diabetes (excessive thirst and hunger, frequent urination, unexplained weight loss or fatigue, and irritability) see your doctor as soon as possible.

Also See:

 Revised South Beach Diet Good Fats/Good Carbs Guide

The South Beach Diet Parties And Holidays Cookbook  

South Beach Diet Dining Guide  

The South Beach Diet Healthy Heart Program  

You probably already know that November is National Diabete’s Month. Every November the American Diabetes Association encourages the public to learn more about this horrible disease. If you, yourself, are directly affected by the disease - either from being a diabetic, yourself, or from loving a diabetic - you know, firsthand, how blatantly unkind Diabetes is.  I really don’t think most people realize just how much suffering goes along with this disease. Through various family members, I’ve been up close and personal with many ailments, diseases, and medical problems.  I can say, without hesitation, that Diabetes is one of the ones that I try to hide from the most.  I pray that it never gets my number.

 The monster known as Type 2 diabetes can be prevented for many by making smart lifestyle decisions. You guessed it, doing the things we know we SHOULD do but never seem to master.

1. If we’re ovreweight, we need to lose the weight and keep it off. When diabetes is on the hunt for new victims, it seems to favor those with extra padding.
2. We should all eat a lot more fruits and vegetables. Number 2 would actually take care of Number 1 if we went about it the right way. With the right seasonings, herbs, and spices, vegetables can actually become the highlight of the meal. [Yellow squash and zucchini cut into chunks, boiled and spritzed lightly with butter, then sprinkled with chopped fresh rosemary is amazing. Another of my favorite ways to cook vegetables is to combine okra and tomatoes, with just a little salt to coax the flavors out. No herbs are even needed.] Experts recommend diets such as the South Beach Diet, which emphasize lean proteins and the right fats and carbs. 
3. I know. You know. We all know. We’ve got to get these bodies moving and keep them movint! My husband and I were pricing treadmills recently (Sam’s Club seems the most interested in making a sale. Check their website for Online Only deals.) Exercise machines are an ideal way to get moving. The one Michael liked even had a place to sit your iPod so you could listen to music as you marched along. Pretty sweet. I’m pretty sure I’d do my own walking while watching something on Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, or my regular Food TV lineup - Alton Brown and Ace of Cakes.  You know, something I’m going to be watching anyway. My body might as well benefit as much as my mind does!

I guess - and I say “I guess” because I’m generally looking for the answers just as much as anyone - that the trick is to make a healthy lifestyle a habit. When we routinely step on the treadmill, exercise mat, or stationary mat each time a certain show comes on, whether it’s One Life to Live or Sportscenter, it’ll become such a habit that sitting on the couch while Lindsay and Nora fight over Bo or while the Booya’s fly out of Stuart Scott’s mouth just won’t seem right.  By the same token, if we were to start filling up with vegetables and fruit, we wouldn’t even miss the foods that are essentially wasted calories.

We have to start using our heads and make intelligent, healthy changes in our lifestyle - choosing Subway’s healthy subs over McDonald’s Big Macs, grabbing an apple as we head out the door rather than a cookie, watching tv while exercising rather than becoming one with the sofa, etc.

Exercise and Eating Right are the best bodyguards we could ever have…if we’d just employ them.

* Speaking of eating right, click HERE to see how carrots can help your brain!

By Dr. Tim Reynolds

I love birthdays. People call you and you realize how blessed you are. At the same time, you start to think about your own mortality and your health.

I don’t get nearly as concerned about how long I am going to live as I do about my quality of life until I die. As I talk to patients, I get the sense that I am not alone in this. It seems most of us just want to be as healthy as possible while we are alive.

Let me share with you some things we can all do to keep ourselves healthy as we age.

1. Decrease the amount of calories that you eat. Increase the amount of lean protein and decrease or eliminate the simple carbohydrates.

2. Increase the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables. You need at least four servings per day of fresh fruits and vegetables, more if possible.

3. Get the appropriate exercise. You don’t have to become a gym rat, but you do need at least four days a week of resistance training and four days a week of cardio training. The exercise should be interval type training. And don’t forget flexibility exercises.

4. Take a multivitamin supplement once a day.

5. Get some occasional sun. Most Americans are vitamin D-deficient. The best source of vitamin D is the sun. This is not to say you should ever get a sunburn. But healthy amounts of sun have multiple benefits to your health and psychological well-being.

6. Consider hormone replacement. As we age our hormonal balance often changes. It is wise to have your hormone levels checked at least once a year and make changes accordingly.

Put an anti-aging plan in place. If you need help with one, find a good anti-aging physician to guide you.

[Ed. Note: Tim Reynolds, M.D., is a practicing physician and a health and lifestyle expert. For more information, click here.]

The article above was written by Dr. Tim Reynolds - it’s being reprinted, with permission, on Self Help Daily.  I spent the morning reading an archive of articles on Dr. Reynolds’ website. (You can see it for yourself by clicking his name at the top or the click here just above.)  I recommend reading the articles he has written - very educational stuff!

Some Interesting Things I Carried Away From My Reading:

 1. We often will have a fish or chicken sandwich at fast foods, thinking that we’re waxing healthy, when, in fact, both fish and chicken sandwiches from McDonald’s, Burger King and the other fast food restaurants are higher in fat than the cheeseburgers!

2. Dr. Reynolds shares his approach to eating, an approach he calls The Caveman Diet. 

“If you can’t grow it or kill it, you shouldn’t be eating it!  Fruits, vegetables, grains, poultry, beef, pork, fish … that sums up the cave man diet.  These foods are, for the most part, natural.  Nature never intended for our bodies to deal with processed foods.  No wonder why so many people suffer from heart disease!“

 3.  The salt most of us use today is “processed to the point of being harmful.” When the salt is processed, the good minerals are taken out and chemicals are put in.  Doesn’t sound good, does it?!  Processed salt has concentrated sodium and no potassium - potentially leading to high blood pressure and other health problems.  Dr. Reynolds recommends replacing the salt you’re using with Sea Salt.  He also points out that we should pay more attention to food labels, especially on processed foods (anything that wouldn’t find itself on “The Caveman Diet!”), which he says are “swimming” in sodium.  He also recommends getting plenty of potassium to balance the effects of sodium.

 4.  Whenever possible (which, if we’re honest, is almost always), prepare your lunch at home and take it with you.  A lunch made up of, you guessed it, natural foods.  It’s not just better for your waistline, it’s better for your heart.

 5.  If you find yourself out without a lunch, Dr. Reynolds suggests running into a Supermarket instead of a fast food restaurant.  A lot of them have salad bars in their produce section - a Cave Man’s delight. He recommends roasted chicken, fresh sushi or sashimi, a whole raw tomato, milk, and some fresh fruit for dessert.  I’m going to have to balk at the milk, sushi, and sashimi, but the rest sounds deliciously within reason.  I’d rather have water or tea to drink and sushi and sashimi aren’t my dearest culinary friends.

 6.  There’s also some really good information in a link given on his website (a website which, by the way, is nowhere near as good as the information!). The link is on the “Products” page - but it doesn’t work whatsoever. You have to take the link and do the whole copy/paste routine.  It was worth it, though, I found more great info! Here’s the link, you can see for yourself: http://fitdocmd.4idiots.hop.clickbank.net/?tid=12345678

A show that has achieved Can’t Miss in my world is The Biggest Loser.  I’m a sucker for success stories of any kind.  I love to see individuals, through passion and sheer determination, knock down obstacles that stand between them and their castle in the sky.  I admit, I cry along with them when their heart breaks and I cry for them when they put the heart back together.

Human triumph - what a rush!

I’ve gotten inspired to really amp up my family’s diet with healthy foods and cut out those that are unhealthy to the point of dangerous.  If we started looking at things like fried foods and fast food burgers as “dangerous” instead of just “fattening,” I think we’d all do a better job of avoiding them.

A few small steps we’ve made:

1. If we’re going to be out running around (very, very often) and we’re certain a drive thru is in our future, we’ve started taking our own drinks, as in water or tea. This way, we won’t be tempted by the soft drinks.  After all, there’s only room in the drink holder for the drinks that are already there.
2. We’ve switched from red meat sandwiches to either fish or chicken - and always grilled instead of fried.  McD’s has an amazing grilled chicken sandwich.
3. When possible, we choose Subway over the others.  A vegetarian subway with the sweet onion sauce is as good as anything you could get anywhere.
4. Fries are totally off limits. When we get hit by fry cravings, we have a baked potato, instead.  Perfect? No, but better than fries.

The health factor isn’t the only thing you can take away from The Biggest Loser. There’s an amazingly inspiring undercurrent to each show.  People who are up against seemingly impossible odds fight and then fight some more to get past those odds.  These are classic examples of individuals who are up against the biggest and most able-bodied enemy we’ll ever face - ourselves.

Something that one of the ladies said on the first episode this season has stuck with me.  She said that she was through whining and complaining about what she didn’t like about herself and was, now, ready to do something about it. You go, girl…then keep on going!

Whether it’s a weight-y matter we’re up against, money matters, or something else - we have two choices: 

• A.  We can continue to let it sit in the driver’s seat, yielding total control of the steering wheel, even though we HATE where it keeps taking us….while we ball up in the backseat in a fetal position, crying.  Or..
• B.  We can say, “Screw this!” as we climb over the seat and take the wheel.  The minute we do that, our own personal, evil “matter” has no choice but to retreat to the backseat. 

Just like there’s only room enough for one drink in a drink holder, there’s only room enough in our life’s driver seat for one driver.  It’s either us or it isn’t.  Oh so much can be accomplished on the good side of a “Screw this!” moment.

I’ll see you there!

I caught some words speeding out of my mouth the other day and had to pull them over for questioning.  It wasn’t the speed limit they were breaking (Sure, I talk fast, but I’m used to that - people around me listen fast.), it was the “Whatinthebloodyhell” are you talking about rule they were abusing.  And when I say abusing, I mean bludgeoning.

I was in the supermarket with daughters 2 and 3, also known as Brittany and Stephany.  We were in the produce aisle when the words broke the law of reason.  With a cart carrying potato chips, Halloween Candy (Yes a month early, what of it?), and ingredients for my favorite Brownie with a Walnut in every bite recipe I tell my girls, “I’m really tryin’ to eat healthy these days.”  As soon as the words came out, I pulled them aside.  Sure, they were embarassed, but they know the laws of reason and broke them anyway.

I’m sure it’s not the first time I’ve ever claimed to be “trying” something when, in effect, I was only thinking of it.  There’s a world of difference between TRYING and THINKING and two worlds of difference between THINKING and DOING.

I should have said “I’ve been thinking about eating more healthy foods and cutting out the junk.”  Then I would have, at least, been in the right lane!

If we really, really want to improve in any area of our life, we need to hold ourselves accountable.  When we say, I’m trying to eat more healthily (Or I’m trying to quit smoking, I’m trying to work on my temper, I’m trying to make more money, I’m trying to lose weight……), we’d do well to ask ourselves, What are you actually doing?  After all, try is a verb - so when we use it, we should be taking some sort of action, right?  Unless, of course, your trying (like mine in this instance) is more thought than action.

Next time you say, “I’m trying….,” police yourself by asking, “How?”  You’ll probably stop yourself in your tracks.  While stalled, come up with an action plan - one that’ll carry you from trying to doing (like replacing potato chips with air popped popcorn). 

Living within the laws of reason is a much more peaceful place - as long as you smuggle in the ocassional brownie with a walnut in every bite.

Could I, perhaps, interest you in 10 awesome sounding weight loss tips?  Even if, like me,you’re so flawlessly perfect you scare yourself - it still makes a good read.  We’ll humor the author and read along like we need it, right?

Click here to do just that.

DISCLAIMER:  Where the author says something nonesensical to the effect of skipping Starbucks….ignore that one.  He didn’t actually mean it, it’s just the water talking.  He meant Skip everything else you’re doing and get TO Starbucks.

Can do!

When’s the last time you took up a new hobby?  If you’re like most people, it’s been too long and it’s way past time for a new one!

Give it some thought tonight and come up with a hobby that you’d like to introduce yourself to - one that you’ll be as new to as it will be to you.  Not only will it be great for your brain (brain cells love to learn new things and have fresh experiences), you’ll have a lot of fun, too. 

Some ideas to get your thought processes going:

• Photography - There are lots of photography magazines and books to guide you in this artsy hobby, and even more people, places, and things to inspire you.  You could also start with the very thorough and well-done website, “TakeGreatPictures.com” - they cover all the bases, and the outfield, too.
• Yoga - This falls under one of those “I did it before and want to pick it back up” categories for me.  Injuries from a fight with a lawn chair (it won) and a wrestling match with a pit bull who wanted to eat my cats (I won) knocked me off my game, so I pretty much have to start all over again.  But I know it’s worth it.  Yoga’s as good for you as it is enjoyable. If you’re a newbie, you should grab a great dvd like Yoga For Beginners.  If you aren’t completely new to yoga, I’d recommend Sara Ivanhoe’s 20 Min Yoga Makeover - 5 Volume Gift Set (Power Beauty Sweat, Total Body Tone with Weights, Flat Abs, Weight Loss, Sculpted Buns & Thighs).
• Running -  I’ll leave this to those of you who could last longer than my all-time record of 5 feet  (slight exaggeration) - I’ll be striking a yoga pose if you need me…just please don’t need me if you’re too far out.
• Sewing - I remember when I had a sewing machine and was teaching myself to sew…it was so much fun and so rewarding.  I actually made myself a skirt, a cool pillow, and quite a few things for my daughters.  Then my machine broke, and since I was even more broke than it was, that was that.  Sewing’s something else I’d very much like to take back up!
• Golf - Grab yourself some killer wedges, some killer information, and go get ‘em!  I, personally, will stick with the miniature courses - out of consideration for the safety of others.
• Tennis - About as much fun as you can have with your clothes on.  It’s a total body workout and, let’s face it, everyone wants to be able to say they have a killer serve.
• Learn to Play the Piano - Supposedly, The Only Basic Piano Instruction Book You’ll Ever Need is, indeed, the only piano instruction book you’ll ever need.  Playing the piano is one of those things that most of wish we knew how to do but don’t want to put the time and effort into making it happen.
• Become a Collector - Antiques, coins, stamps, books, Pez dispensers… Not only is it incredibly enjoyable, it can be profitable. You’d be amazed what collectors are willing to pay for missing pieces.

The trick is to pick an area that interests you, then learn all you can about it and go as far as you can with it.  A year from now (with a year’s worth of skill under your belt) you’ll be so glad you did that you’ll want to hug yourself.

That’s when the yoga would really come in handy.

Okay, this is cute.  No, I mean really cute!  Lipton Tea has a Fight Indooritis website up and it’s a total hoot.  It’s all in fun, of course, but there’s a great deal of truth lurking behind the smiles.

We do spend too much time indoors, don’t we?  Have you ever noticed how much complaining kids now days do about the weather?  The same weather that you and I used to spend all day in - playing hide and seek, softball, tennis, riding bikes, or just going from porch to porch and pooch to pooch…  If it was hot, we’d just turn the sprinkler on for a little bit, or spray one another off.  Then, off we’d go again.

Now, if kids get a little hot, they run for the house and their techlicious toys and tv. 

Adults are, of course, spending too much time indoors, too. We’re blogging, networking, and playing with our own techlicious toys.  Inactivity and a lack of fresh air isn’t exactly doing us a world of good, is it?  It’s a beautiful world out there and we need to enjoy it without a window between us.

Here’s the link to the cool little site: http://www.fightindooritis.com/

Enjoy - but not for too long.  The world’s waiting for you!

Joi

Thanks, Aditya, for bringing this one to my attention!

P.S.  By the way, if you’ve never tried the bottled teas Lipton makes - the Green Tea with citrus or the White Tea with Raspberry, you should check them out asap.  My family is addicted to them.  We’re all trying to kick the soda habit and Lipton’s making it a cinch.  I get the diet varieties and, I promise, they’re absolutely delicious.