Health Outside of the City

Do you sometimes forget what grass smells like, or how birds sound?

I just got back from my martial arts school's annual weekend retreat, somewhere upstate, in the mountains. I screeched when a chipmunk crossed my path because I thought it was a rat and I woke up to the sounds of a woodpecker, thinking that it was noise from a construction site. I guess I was overdue for a vacation from the city.

We trained outdoors and started the mornings with meditation by a lake. It was definitely a far cry from Chinatown, where I live. No awful odors of decaying fish and sewage from the grates. No crowds of tourists and no salespeople harassing you every ten feet to buy their fake Prada, Gucci and Louie handbags.

Wherever you may live, it is always great to get away, explore new territory or towns. Breathe in fresh oxygen and reconnect with nature. So take time to get away and be yourself. Your work and your worries will be home waiting for you, if you want them to be.

A Great Beach Read!

At the beach, or wherever you are this summer, this book is an amazing experience! Personally, I haven't read a book that wasn't related to either physical or emotional health in ages, until now. I am so glad that I picked this up.

It is the story of a young woman's post-divorce, travel to Italy, India, and Indonesia to find herself and God along the way. Elizabeth Gilbert goes on a spiritual journey that reaches beyond any religious borders and structure.

So what does this have to do with health and the city? Well, for one, it is important to put our lives into perspective. There are also times in our life when we start to ask ourselves deeper questions instead of letting the inner voice run the show and nag you about those 5 or 10 pounds it thinks you need to lose. So, for now, let go, and enjoy the read!

Let me know if you have read it and what you think.

Jenn's Favorite Things: Suzanne's Ricemellow Creme

Ok, I have to take a break from the Weight Loss Tips to tell you about this amazing substitute "Fluff" that I found in the health food store. Suzanne's Ricemellow Creme is vegan, gluten-free, and heavenly. It brings me back to my childhood days of making fluffernutters and not feeling guilty about it.

So, I made a present-day version of my old favorite treat. I put natural peanutbutter and a dollop of Ricemellow on top of a ricecake like a little cloud of bliss.

Granted, this treat is pure natural sugars (like brown rice syrup), but it is mmm, mmm good and better than it's forefather, the FLUFF made from bad sugars and gelatin!

Weight Loss Tip #5: Start a Journal

This is a really valuable tool to start using. What it does is get you back into reality. When I do initial consultations with clients it is so common for people to tell me all of the healthy habits they have and conveniently forget the other ones. Like, "oh yeah, I drink about 6 diet Cokes a day." or "I forgot, I eat a handful of chocolate covered nuts after every meal."

Writing everything down that passes your lips throughout the day (well maybe not everything), will get you conscious around certain habits, behaviors, that may have been causing your body to slowly pack on pounds.

Do this for at least one week.

Feet in the City

Flip flops, cute or a pain in the foot?
Well, yes, they are definitely cute, especially since they come in enough colors and styles that you could have a different pair to match every outfit. Even guys love the fact that they can have the ease of slipping their “shoes” on and off without having to wear socks. (Guys, please make sure that your feet are in order before you grace us with their presence.) But are they functional? Besides the fact that your feet get dirty from the city streets, flip flops can have some detrimental effects if worn too much.

I asked my favorite podiatrist Dr. Jacqueline Sutera what she thought of this plastic warm weather trend. She said that excessive wear can lead to foot conditions such as tendonitis, stress fractures, heel pain and even hammertoes. Yuck! Dr. Jackie suggests limiting your use and wearing sneakers during your commute. She also says that, “flip flops shouldn’t be worn when doing a lot of walking or standing. They are intended for the beach, not the city!”

Agreed – from a former flip flop addict.

Weight Loss Tip #4: Designing your Exercise Program

Ok. Again, designing any diet or fitness program should be customized to the individual. However, some general guidelines to consider when creating your fitness plan are:

Make sure that you are covering all 3 parts of fitness. Cardiovascular, Strength Training and Flexibility. Most people leave at least one of these out and sometimes two. For example, if you only run, you are missing out on the flexibility and strength aspects. If you only do yoga, while I'm sure you are very mellow, you are missing out on your cardio, and perhaps some strength training.

You can split up these components and divide them into your week. For example: yoga on Monday, Elliptical on Tuesday and Thursday and weights on Friday.

Or find an activity that incorporates all three into one, like martial arts. Yes, I am a HUGE proponent of martial arts because of this fact. It is the most balanced workout, in my humble opinion.

For more info on martial arts you can check out my school called World Martial Arts Center. www.happykicks.com The link is above.

Weight Loss Tip #3: Have a plan

Ok, now that you know where you are and where you want to be you need a plan to get you there. Exercise, diet and lifestyle changes must all be included in your plan. So to help you get started:

Are you currently exercising and if so how much? I think it's hard to give a general suggestion considering everyone is in a different place in their health journey. But a couple of guidelines to keep in mind are:

1. If you are currently not exercising then start now. It is an absolute must. Aim for at least 2 to 3 days to start with so it doesn't seem overwhelming to a beginner.

2. If you currently exercise 2 to 3 times a week, then you can increase it to 4 to 5 times per week. Varying your exercise routines. Which I will talk more about later.

3. Start with at least 30 minutes of exercise per session and increase to 45 and eventually 60 minutes.

Recipe of the month: Beet Salad

Recipe of the Month: Beet Salad

4 cups of greens (arugula, baby spinach or mixed greens will do)
4 medium red or golden beets, stems and root ends removed
1/3 cup of walnuts, chopped
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
2 oz. goat cheese

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Wrap each beet in foil. Roast until soft, about 1 hour. Cool slightly; remove foil. Rub off skins; cut into wedges. Toss with nuts and vinegar and serve over a bed of greens. Season with salt and pepper. Add oil, toss and add crumbled goat cheese on top. Enjoy!

Weight Loss Tip #2: Have a goal

I know this sounds simple but there are so many people who have come to me that want to lose weight. When I ask them what their goal weight is they have a hard time coming up with a solid number.

"Oh, it's just a number, I don't really care." - Yeah right.
"Well, somewhere between 120 and 130?". - That's a range not a number.
"hmmmm, I don't want to say a number because if I don't reach it I will be disappointed." - Scared to commit.

No more excuses. Get a number and write it down. Paste it on your bathroom mirror, refrigerator and your kitchen cabinets. Marry your number.

What's your number?

Weight Loss Tip #1: Have a Starting Point

In order to move towards a goal, you need to first know where you are.

Invest in a digital scale for your home. Strip down and get that number no matter how scary it may be. Write it down at the start of your journal.

A recent study showed that people who weigh themselves daily have the most success at weight management.

For people who refuse to weigh themselves, other ways to track your results can be clothes size or actual measurements (waist, hips, or wherever your problem areas are).

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