Wednesday, March 31, 2010

TANNING IS NOT WORTH IT!!!

I was listening to a discussion on the radio about what people would do differently if they could go back to their youth, knowing what they know now. One woman was saying how "hair products" could have changed the course of her life. I had good hair but was constantly trying to force my fair skin to be something it wasn't.....tan! There were many, many sunburns that I suffered with during my teens (I always smelled like vinegar which I don't think really helped!). Yes I am sure that those years of irresponsible outdoor sunbathing ("I always burn first" mentality) contributed to my skin problems later in life.

In my mid 20's I did become more responsible with sunscreen, especially after having a redheaded baby, and only burned a few times a season, with limited sun exposure.

In my early 30's is where the real problems started....with an indoor tanning bed. We were all convinced that it was the "safe" way to tan and although you can gradually build up a tan without burning, we were clueless to how powerful and harmful those UV rays really are. The first Trim Up had its own tanning bed and I used it pretty much year round for about 7 years. It is very addicting...feeling the warmth as you doze off for a nice 20 minute cat nap....and the body actually releases endorphins during the tanning sessions that can get you hooked.

My first basal cell skin cancer was removed in my late 30's but I continued to tan
(I'm telling you, its addicting!) however I did begin using some of the self-tanning
creams that had just come out to supplement and only tanned in the spring/summer.

My 40's were spent in and out of the dermatologist's office with probably a dozen more skin cancer surgeries and several non-surgical treatments that were not very pleasant. The cancers have been expensive to treat and have left noticeable scarring. I was fortunate that my skin cancer was treatable but there are more and more cases of melanoma being reported and at younger ages. My sister-in-law died from melanoma a few years ago which was heartbreaking. Not everyone will develop cancer from tanning but one thing is certain - tanning is risky business and at the very least will cause premature aging of skin (thankfully I had enough sense to always cover my face while tanning).

My 50's have started with regular preventative light treatments that stop abnormal cancer cells from forming and that seems to be working. I always find shade when outdoors for more than an hour, wear sunscreen EVERY DAY but have the best tan I've ever had.....thanks to Mystic Spray Tanning!

We should all be aware of the dangers of indoor tanning (it has been proven that UV tanning can cause skin cancer)but it is amazing to me that children are allowed to tan and even more amazing that parents let their kids tan! I hope that one day soon this issue will receive as much recognition as cigarette smoking for being a health risk and that kids under 18 will be protected. Responsible parents would never buy their child cigarettes and let them smoke and I don't see how UV tanning is any different.

Sunbathing and indoor UV tanning is NOT WORTH IT.....pass it on!!!

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Fat to Chew On

It is an on-going learning process in my journey of healthy eating, as I am always
picking up information from publications, new studies and research on nutrition. What we know as consumers about good/bad foods and products in general usually comes from media and advertising, which can sometimes be misleading.

We have all heard that saturated fat is "bad" and unsaturated fat is "good" as far as raising cholesterol and risk of heart disease. For years I have read everywhere that Canola oil is the best mono/poly-unsaturated fat to use for cooking, with Olive oil a close second. And that coconut and palm oil were big No-Nos.

However, I have recently come across some articles promoting Coconut oil as the healthiest fat and did some research. It seems that ORGANIC, UNREFINED coconut oil actually PROMOTES heart health and helps LOWER cholesterol, helps with weight loss, helps prevent osteoporosis, fights disease, supports immune system,and raises metabolism by burning more fat and providing more energy!! WHAT???!!!!

It seems that the good coconut oil got caught up in the bad press on the refined,
hydrogenated coconut oil, which like all hydrogenated oils, raise cholesterol whether they are saturated or not. Organic, unrefined coconut oil, although high in saturated fat, is made up of fatty acids that are healthy and have not been altered by the oil refining process like trans fats. Coconut oil is the most concentrated natural source of those medium chain fatty acids (MCFA) that are easily absorbed, burned and used as energy for metabolism as they are sent straight to the liver and converted into energy, just like carbohydrates.

For cooking, coconut oil is highly heat resistant and more stable than all other
vegetable and olive oils. Since it is solid at room temperature and liquid at body temperature, it is shelf stable for months, even years. It is not available in grocery stores but can be found at Earth Fare and other health food stores.

Here is the run-down on healthiest fats & oils:
BEST: Organic unrefined coconut oil, Organic extra virgin olive oil
BETTER: Butter from grass-fed cows, Unrefined coconut oil, Extra virgin olive oil
GOOD: Organic butter, Refined coconut oil, Olive oil
AVOID: Canola oil, Margarine, Soybean oil, Vegetable oils (excluding coconut oil,
palm oil, cocoa butter, olive oil,flaxseed oil), Shortening

I found some Coconut oil at the Health Store on Independence Blvd at Idlewild (formerly Home Economist) and am starting to take the recommended daily dose of 3 tablespoons. It is so easy to add it to protein smoothies. Adding coconut oil to my diet is such a simple way to get leaner and healthier - yahoo!!

If only Almond Joys were so healthy!!

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Eating Clean

It is a myth that a calorie is a calorie, no matter what you eat. While counting calories is important for weight control, what you eat will have a huge effect on
your metabolism, energy level, health, mood, fitness level - really everything is
related to nutrition.

Here at Trim Up, I often hear women say that they typically skip breakfast or always
eat a Lean Cuisine meal at lunch or drink wine every night or rarely cook from scratch or drink several sodas daily. They are here to get or stay fit and to lose or maintain weight. However, their diet is not supporting their fitness goals.

Basically, "Eating Clean" is the practice of eating whole, natural foods and avoiding
processed, packaged foods that contain preservatives, additives, chemicals and
hydrogenated, trans-fats.

A person that eats clean generally practices the following:

Eliminates refined sugar
Cooks healthy meals
Packs healthy meals
Makes healthy choices when dining out
Drinks a lot of water
Eats small snacks between(lighter)meals
Eliminates alcoholic beverages & sodas (or significantly limits)
Always eats breakfast

It does take discipline to change bad eating patterns, especially for people who actually become addicted to sugar, carbs and fast food. I usually suggest gradually eliminating unhealthy items and replacing with more nutritious options. Once you feel the benefits of a better diet it is easier to make it a way of life.

Combining effective exercise with the practice of eating clean will transform your
body into becoming lean and strong while feeling GREAT! Definitely worth the effort!

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Variety = Results!

We are creatures of habit, even more so I've noticed, as we get older. We tend to create routines that have a guaranteed outcome with no surprises. That may be ok when dining out but can be counterproductive when working out.

Performing the same activity repeatedly at the same level makes the body more efficient, which eventually results in lower caloric expenditure during the exercise.
This is also known as "adaptation syndrome" and has been shown to decrease calories
burned as much as 25%.

A way to avoid these plateaus in fitness level and fat/weight loss is with CROSS TRAINING, which is a term that refers to a fitness routine that involves several different forms of exercise. By mixing up your routine with a new form of exercise, you are surprising your body, which responds by burning more calories in an effort to "adjust" to the new movement (this is also known as "muscle confusion"). Cross training will also help prevent muscle strength imbalances that can develop and reduce the risk of injury from repetitive strain or overuse.

For Valentines Day, I made a video for Greg with 3 different exercise intervals that combined cardio and strength. (Blaire had a good time laughing at me while behind the camera!) He works out at home but had gotten into a rut of the same workout so now I can tell him what to do even while I'm away! heehee

It is great to get out and walk the neighborhood for some cardiovascular exercise but if you are not changing the route, pace or intensity, you will not get the same results after 6-8 weeks.

If you get most of your workouts on a treadmill or eliptical, it is important to vary the settings each time. Walking on an incline will engage more leg muscles for a harder workout. Doing 30 second bursts of sprinting in intervals will really shock your mucles!

As a group fitness instructor, I am always looking for ways to vary the aerobic segments in class. If we do the same low impact moves every week without adding something different, our bodies will become too conditioned and limit progress. New methods of exercise are needed in order to boost metabolism and get better results.
Or just increase the intensity by pushing yourself a little more during class.
The same is true for strength training, by keeping a variety of resistance with machines, free weights, bands, pilates and yoga.

Greg and I got bicycles for Christmas and now that I have replaced the skinny painful seat with a comfy saddle seat, I can't wait to get outside this weekend and enjoy the -hopefully- spring-type weather. My leg muscles will really be confused!!

So try doing some form of cross training for more gains in fitness, weight loss and less boredom. Variety is the spice of life!