Exercise

February 24, 2014

Week In Review

I cannot believe the end of February is already here! No complaints from me because that means warm weather is that much closer. I had a glimpse of spring weather this last week, but it’s supposed to hang around freezing temperatures this coming week. The puppy and I took full advantage of the sunshine and warmer temps though!

Last week flew by, so I want to share some of the things I did:

1) Purchased these produce items on a big sale for snacks

Snacks

2) Walked our puppy, Sabo, nearly every day! Sabo caught me snapping a pic of our walk 🙂

Walking Sabo

3) Fit in 9 hours of dance between hip-hop fitness dancing at Phlex Fitness and Just Dance 2014!

Just Dance 2014

(Image Source)

I’ll wrap up with meal planning and prepping, house work, light exercise and watching the Walking Dead today.

What were you up to this week? 

How did you stay active this last week?

February 7, 2014

National Go Red for Women Day

If you haven’t already heard, today is National Wear Red Day to raise awareness of heart disease in women. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women, mostly because it is known as the silent killer and thought of as a “man’s disease”. There are no symptoms of heart disease, so it is very important to understand your cholesterol and blood pressure numbers! I’ll be posting what I did at work later, but listed below are five steps you can take today for your heart’s health:

1. Be Physically Active– The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes total weekly of moderate exercise. Choose your favorite activity to get your heart pumping! Think of creative ways to add more bursts of activity throughout your day, such as taking the stairs, cleaning your house more often or doing yard work.

2. Eat More Fruits and Vegetables- These yummy foods are rich in vitamins and minerals, high in fiber and low in calories. Fill half your plate at meals to get the recommended 5 servings of each daily! 

3. Fat Matters- Not all fats are created equal in terms of heart-health. Saturated and trans fats are linked to raise your cholesterol, particularly your LDL- (“bad”) cholesterol. Choose foods with polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats to keep your heart happy and healthy. 

4. Be Picky About Your Proteins- Animal products (meat, poultry and dairy) contain saturated fat. Choose fish, low-fat dairy, loin cuts of beef or pork, at least 90% lean ground meat, egg whites and boneless, skinless poultry to reduce your saturated fat intake. Meatless options like beans, soy and lentils are also excellent protein choices your heart will thank you for. 

5. Call Your Doctor- If you are over 20 years of age, the American Heart Association recommends that you should begin to have both your cholesterol and blood pressure reviewed by a doctor. It is important to know and understand your different cholesterol levels. 

How did you celebrate National Go Red for Women Day?
What steps do you take to care for your heart?

(Image from http://www.GoRedForWomen.org)

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February 6, 2014

Defining “Healthy”

I do not closely follow NBC’s The Biggest Loser, but I have heard negative and positive ideas about this past winner. The morning news praised the winner for her hard to work to lose weight. She was able to lose 60% of her original body weight! Later, I flipped through Instagram and saw many comments saying along the lines that she appeared “unhealthy”, that she was “too thin”. There was even a dramatic stitch of Jillian Michael’s face in shock and a picture of the contestant’s weigh-in results with a title along the lines they thought Jillian thought the weight loss was too much. Despite what anyone perceives from her results, the contestant’s goal was to lose the most weight, and she was successful with her goal.

Would I consider her weight loss “healthy”? Possibly. Dietitian’s define healthy weight loss as losing 1/2 to 2 pounds weekly. The Biggest Loser encourages significant weight loss though. Do I believe she appeared to be healthy? From the 3 pictures I saw of her at the finale she appeared to now have lean muscle. Why was it so easy for some to ridicule her appearance when she was working to win the television show? There have been a few campaigns to help change the way we (particularly women) talk about each other’s appearance, like Dove’s campaign. I am a big fan of the idea of loving your own body, mind and spirit. 

It seems we all get caught up in our own definition of healthy. There are people told they are told they are unhealthy because their body mass index (BMI) is overweight or obese. Some people say they are not healthy because they eat potato chips, pizza and ice cream. A trendy term some people use is “skinny-fat” to define a person who has a healthy appearance but not enough muscle. On paper, medical staff define someone’s health using a person’s anthropometrics, laboratory data and past medical history. Models, celebrities and others are told they are unhealthy for being thin or too thin. Some research shows marathoners have heart problems just like inactive people.

I can’t provide an official definition of “healthy” but I can share my opinion.  My definition includes staying physically active, keeping my mind active, maintaining a positive spirit, and eating wholesome foods a majority of the time. A little how I work to stay healthy: I believe it is important to consume food in moderation by trying to choose empty calories less often. Fruits and vegetables are important for my health- I aim for at least 5 servings of each daily. It is also important to me to choose lean proteins often because my grandmother passed from a stroke. I choose foods because they fit into my health goals and because I enjoy them! My favorite form of exercise is dance, so I go to hip-hop fitness for at least 4 hours weekly. Prayer and worship are very important to me. Spending time with my family and friends is another priority. These are just snipits how I try to find balance. 

Overall, I think it is important to try to stop judging another for what you believe their health is. Find your moderation and help encourage those around you to find theirs. 

How do you define healthy?

 What do you do to be healthy?