Brrr. Full Body Workout – at home for $15

February 17, 2010 in Speed Up | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

Brrr.  It’s hard to get outside and exercise in this cold weather. Good news – you don’t have to step outside to get a workout – and you don’t have to join a gym or pay $1000 for at-home exercise equipment.
 
“Dr. Jo’s Hotel Room Workout” is a dynamo full-body 30 minute workout that you can do in your living room. And it comes free with my $15 exercise bands (with padded handles). What a bargain! Why don’t you get in the routine of fitting in your 30 minute routine during the morning or evening news? http://www.drjo.com/books.htm

iiwii – this new mantra may keep you sane

February 4, 2010 in Focus On | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

This post was contributed by Suzanne L. Trout, Director of Catering and Convention Services, Reunion Resort, Reunion, FL. She had told me this story about how she manages the stresses she is under now. Read on…

“To be quite honest, iiwii (“it is what it is) is what it is is not something I would have every conceded to in my prior work and home life. I’m a firm believer that people can control and change situations if they put enough effort towards it, but just this past year found myself overwhelmed with the volume of change here at work as well as in my personal life (I had an 18 month and was expecting my second child – now 22 months and 4 months!).

We had a new management company who was implementing major changes (people were relieved of their duties without explanation in most situations, or notice for that matter) resort-wide without soliciting input from those of us who have lived here the past 4 years. We had members YELLING at us for changes we had no control over  and we had employees acting like they were in pre-school forcing us to play the Boss role. In addition, there were no raises, no reviews, and there was an immediate change in insurance policies (not something a 8 month pregnant person wants to hear or deal with at the time).  Budget were slashed - having to sell our vehicles to make ends meet (carpooling with Dad in the meantime – how about that… 40 years old and now carpooling with Dad J) and trying to be happy with the anticipated birth of my second miracle child.

“Life” became too much and I had to “give.” Enter iiwii (the expression literally means, “it is what it is). Out of sheer frustration, exhaustion, and genuine Devine intervention, I believe,…. iiwii entered our lives. It became ok to say it because there were so many of us feeling like we were about to snap, which was very new for most. We really didnt know how else to handle the volume of feelings and stress!

We’ve had a lot of fun with it. Maybe it will help someone else who finds themselves struggling with being that super person in charge of home life as well as in the outside work force. As much as I want to do it all (and I still believe I will again one day), right now “iiwii” (it is what it is).

Slim, Yet Fat?

January 27, 2010 in Focus On | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

Seems that weight (or BMI) alone is not an indicator for health. According to a recent report from the Mayo Clinic, the body fat percentage of normal weight can vary greatly (from below 28.9% to more than 33.3% for women). And, as one’s body fat percentage increases, so does high blood pressure, high cholesterol, metabolic syndrome, heart disease, and diabetes. For example, only 4.2% of normal weight individuals with the least amount of body fat developed Metabolic Syndrom over the nine year period, but that percentage increased to 16.6% when body fat was over 33.3%. This is no small study; they looked at data from 6171 Americans with normal body size! Want to read more? Go to the Wall Street Journal.

Processed Foods May Make You Depressed

January 27, 2010 in Focus On | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

This was an interesting study. Just published in The British Journal of Psychiatry, there’s some evidence that eating processed foods may trigger or contribute to depression – and eating whole and more healthful foods may be protective.

Epidemiologists analyzed food and mood data from 3,486 men and women, who’s average age was 55. Each participant completed a food frequency questionnaire - they were asked how often they had eaten a designated portion size of a food during the previous year (the answers ranged from ”never” to “6+ times per day”).

That data revealed two dietary patterns: the “whole food pattern” (defined by a high daily intake of vegetables, fruits, and fish) and the “processed food pattern” (characterized by high consumption of sweetened desserts, chocolates, fried food, processed meat, pies, refined grains, high-fat dairy products, and condiments).

Five years later, all the participants answered a short questionnaire designed to measure symptoms of depression in the general population. After adjusting for variables such as age and sex, the scientists found that high consumption of processed food was associated with increased likelihood of depression. And, those who had the highest consumption of whole foods were least likely to be depressed.

 

Want to Lose Weight? Pick New Friends

January 21, 2010 in Eat Out | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

The other day, a writer with Health magazine, interviewed me about how to prevent the weekends from derailing our “diet.” She asked, “What do you do when you go out to dinner with your girlfriends and everyone is ordering high calorie drinks, dinners, and desserts – and you are tempted to do that, too? My answer was, “Find new friends.”

I know…sounds callous, doesn’t it? But, research shows that friends can influence how we eat. So, it’s best to dine out with those that eat healthfully, than with friends that choose high fat restaurants and chow down more, in one sitting, than you need in a whole day! Turns out, it’s not just your friends that can influence your weight. A recent 10 year study of Australian women (published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine) found that women who get married, or live with a man, gain more weight than their un-hitched friends.

Does that mean you have to dine alone – or live alone? No! But, if you choose to eat healthy and exercise on a regular basis, it’s a good idea to hang around with people who do the same. And, you’ll find yourself encouraging each other to continue with the healthy habits.

Wise Women Wear…Pink

January 6, 2010 in Focus On | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

This Christmas, my good friend, Simone, sent me pink earrings. I opened them and said, “These are pretty, but I don’t wear pink.” The next gift was from John – and it was a set of pink hat and gloves for running. I repeated, “These are pretty, but I don’t wear pink.”

My daughter inquisitively asked, “Why don’t you wear pink? You’d look good in pink.” Hmmm. Why don’t I wear pink? Then, I remembered… and responded, “Because pink clashes with red hair.” She said, “Who says?” That was a good question.. who says? Though I can’t remember who… I do know it was about 40+ years ago!

Later that morning, I put on the gorgeous pink earrings and the pink hat and gloves and went running. I felt beautiful. Maybe I really should wear more pink!

Are you holding on to any out-dated (or just plain wrong) beliefs? Has anyone ever told you that you couldn’t do something? Be someone? Is it really true? And, why would you trust them more than yourself? Today might be a good day to reevaluate your beliefs – who you really are, based not on out-dated beliefs and comments from others…but from your inner beauty and unique talents.

“Wise Women Wear…Pink” is my new Women’s program for 2010. If you know of conventions, companies, and associations looking for a dynamite speaker (that would be ME), please give me a call or drop me an email. Remember…

wise women wear pink!　

Butter or Margarine – which is healthier?

December 15, 2009 in Eat In | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

I get this question a lot - which is healthier: butter or margarine. It’s not quite so simple. Let me explain with these facts…  
  • All fats have the same number of calories – about 100-120 calories a tablespoon. (“Light” margarines post fewer calories on their label because it’s diluted with water).
  • It’s recommended that total fat intake be kept to 30-35% of your calories. That’s what the American Heart Association recommends (most people eat more than this). Keep in mind that even a very lightly buttered piece of toast falls in this range.
  • Not all fats are bad. Health authorities agree that unsaturated fats (specifically, monounsaturated fats) are healthier than saturated fats and trans fats.
  • Trans fats might be twice as bad as saturated fats. Most trans fats are formed when liquid oil is changed to a hardened shortening or margarine.
  • Butter is high in saturated fats (and cholesterol), but people started to switch back to butter when they heard that margarines have added trans fats.
  • Most “tub” margarines are now trans-fat-free. Manufacturers have changed the way margarines are processed – and have removed most of the trans fats (government guidelines allow manufactures to list levels below 0.5g as “0″.)
  • Most of us are getting plenty of saturated fats from meat, milk, cheese, and eggs - we can’t “afford” the additional saturated fat content of butter.
 Therefore, I recommend using healthy oils (canola and olive) more than butter or margarine. Select these for salad dressing, baking, sauteing, and stir-frying. Drizzle it on your vegetables for flavor, too. Then, use a soft tub margarine for spreading on toast.

Stop “Should-ing” on Yourself!

December 7, 2009 in Focus On | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Listen to yourself. Do you ever scold yourself by saying you “should” be doing something? Perhaps:
  • “I know I SHOULD have the salad, but I’m going to get a burger instead.”
  • “I know I SHOULD exercise, but I’m just too tired.”
  • “I SHOULD have had already put up the Christmas decorations, but I just don’t feel like it.”

Please…stop “shoulding” on yourself.  Each time you scold yourself with “I should…”, you’re really beating yourself up, telling you that you’re wrong or weak or fat or lazy or fill-in-the-blank with another negative.  Putting down others never helps to motivate them to change – and putting down yourself isn’t motivating, either!

What are some things that you think YOU “should” do? Now, ask yourself, WHY you think you SHOULD…? Often the answers have to do with the fact that someone else thinks you should (could even be someone that’s no longer in your life) or that you believe that if you don’t, then you must be…(lazy, fat, selfish, worthless…).
 
Change your lingo to “COULD” instead. This gives you choices, instead of shame. So, you could say:
  • I could order the salad, but I’m really in the mood for a burger. I could just eat half – that’s about the same number of calories.
  • I could exercise, but I’m tired. I think I’ll make a plan to go for a walk during my lunch break…before I get too tired.
  • I could put up the Christmas decorations, but I really don’t feel like it. I think I’ll just put up the tree. That’s what really means the most to me. 

There now…doesn’t that feel better?

Dr. Jo motivates audiences to make healthy changes in both body and mind. Call her today to plan your upcoming conference or meeting at 407-852-9171 or visit www.drjo.com.

Post-Thanksgiving Detox Diet

November 30, 2009 in Focus On | Tags: , , , , | 1 comment

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving holiday….filled with friends, family, and fun. Not to mention turkey, potatoes, stuffing, rolls, and pie. Ugh. Just thinking about it makes me feel stuffed!
Right-click here to download pictures. To help protect your privacy, Outlook prevented automatic download of this picture from the Internet. 2009 ADA 5K run
 
Did you overeat on Thanksgiving? Ah, that’s ok. It’s just one day out of the year. No worries!
 
Oh, wait…did you overeat all through the long weekend? Not so good.
 
Some people find that if they don’t make an effort to stop, that Thanksgiving Day feast can be the start of more than a month of non-stop eating – all the way through New Years Day!
 
If you want to get your eating back in control…so you can survive those holiday parties, gift baskets, and cookie swaps, I’ve got some tips for you. I call it ”Dr. Jo’s post-Thanksgiving detox diet. ”

  • Break the fast. Skipping breakfast sounds like a good idea when you’ve overeaten the night before…but this only sets you up to continue this pattern of night snacking. Plus, breaking the night fast with breakfast helps to increase your metabolism! 
  • Power Up. Too many carbs (such as breads, pasta, sweets) during the day can cause a roller coaster reaction with your blood sugar – high, then low. That will make you feel sleepy. Add protein to your breakfast and lunch with soy protein, nuts, lean meats and cheese, eggs, and nonfat yogurt and milk. 
  • Assist Mother Nature’s help. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains help to fill you up (with fewer calories than refined foods) – and help to keep you regular. Reach for 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day, plus 3 servings of whole grains. Try a breakfast of oatmeal, non-fat milk, nuts – and a fresh orange. Add grilled chicken or salmon to your lunch salad. Then, snack on fruit between meals.
  • What’s in your mouth? If you find yourself tempted to keep eating past that comfortable feeling, pop some gum in your mouth. It may also help if you brush your teeth or sip on a cup of tea. Any of these can be a signal to STOP eating. See what works for you. 
  • Make it easy for you. It’s hard to resist temptation when food is everywhere! Now’s the time to empty your cupboards from anything that’s tempting. That food gift basket? Give it to the homeless. That half a pie? If you’ve already had plenty and it’s still “calling your name”, trash it! And, if the break room at work is full of food…well, take a walk outside instead.  
  • “Waste” it or “Waist” it. Stop worrying about those starving kids in China or Africa or wherever Mom said they were! Overeating isn’t going to help them! And, stop worrying about “wasting” food…if you eat it, it goes to your “waist.” That extra food really does look better in the trash can than on your waist, doesn’t it?
  • Improve your mood – and your willpower. The holidays are supposed to be happy, but oftentimes it stirs up negative emotions instead. Exercise (even walking) has been shown to help people feel better. And, it’s also a good way to make you feel strong – in body - and with temptations all around.

Movie Popcorn Calorie Counts

November 25, 2009 in Eat Out | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

I love going to the movies this time of year (just went to see Blind Spot). And, well, movies just aren’t movies (for me, anyway) without popcorn. But, have you seen the latest calorie counts from CSPI? They’re pretty scary (read below)…then again, so are the prices for popcorn. So, if I stop eating popcorn at the theatre, will it be because the calories or the price? Hmmm.

CSPI (Centers for Science in the Public Interest) just released their analysis of popcorn at the three top movie theatre chains. Regal and AMC both use coconut oil, a highly saturated (unhealthy) fat. Cinemark is now using a much healthier oil – canola.

 According to CSPI:
  • Regal’s medium and large popcorn has 1,200 calories and 60 grams of saturated fat. Ya, I know…I was shocked, too, but supposedly they are the same size…it’s just that the large comes with a free refill. Its small size popcorn has 670 calories and 34 grams of saturated fat.
  • AMC’s large popcorn has 1,030 calories and 57 grams of saturated fat. The medium has 590 calories and 33 grams of saturated fat. A small has 370 calories and 20 grams of saturated fat
  • Cinemark’s large has 910 calories and 4 grams of saturated fat. the medium contains 760 calories and 3 grams of saturated fat. A small has 420 calories and 2 grams of saturated fat. 
  • Just one tablespoon of “buttery” oil topping adds 130 calories.

To read more on their website, click here.

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