Cheers!

It's been a funny couple of days - two of my friends were diagnosed with cancer and I spent most of yesterday and today with them in different ways. Yesterday the one friend had a biopsy to determine the type of cancer, and the biopsy came back negative for any cancer at all - it was the LAST news (but the best news!!) we expected to hear - such a happy day! The only other time I got totally unexpected news in the hospital was when I had my second son and they were going to induce labor - I tell everyone he's coming on that day and I'm there that whole day getting whatever it is they give you, and then the doctor comes in late afternoon and says it's just not going to come that day. I'm like, WHAT?? I had never heard of that; I'm already FAT and by the time the day is over I feel like what that chicken inside of of a turkey feels like - except that I'm like a sausage inside a watermelon! It was a great day when he came the following week - but I was really excited I wasn't pregnant anymore!! I wasn't one of those people who loved being pregnant... Anyway, not sure how those are related, but just so surprised, and so thrilled for my friend. Hopefully my other friend will have a positive income - we went wig shopping and I was surprised and relieved for her that they don't look like wigs; the one she chose looked just like her own hair and everyone was so patient and helpful that it just wasn't the hard day I thought it was going to be. Now I think I deserve a glass of wine, so gotta go - enjoy this beautiful weekend! Melissa

What's a good night's sleep?

That slice of turkey for dinner or the glass of warm milk before bed might not be your best choice after all in your quest for a great night's sleep. The amino acid, tryptophan, which is found in all protein-rich foods, boosts your levels of seratonin - a neurotransmitter in your brain that lifts your mood, but also helps you to relax and get a restful night's sleep. However, carbohydrates are actually better at moving the tryptophan across the blood-brain barrier so that it can boost these seratonin levels; there are many amino acids that make up a protein and they all compete for attention; most of them make it into your muscles, so it leaves a higher concentration of tryptophan in your blood. When you eat carbohydrates, insulin is released - insulin is the hormone that regulates blood sugar - the boost of insulin in your blood pushes the tryptophan (which is now all alone) through the blood and into your brain, raising your seratonin levels, relaxing you and inducing sleepiness (you're probably falling asleep reading this, but I'm almost done!!). So - instead of the milk (or ice cream...) which has some protein, or the turkey (proteins can take all night to digest!) - reach for a banana or an oatmeal cookie instead. Make sure whatever you choose is lowfat, as fat slows absorption - we don't want anything keeping you awake after all this!! Melissa

Shopping for Brainberries...

Berries - all kinds - are pretty much the perfect food; they are low in calories but high in vitamins, antioxidants, fiber and minerals, and they taste great! They are at the top of any list of powerfoods because they have some of the highest levels of antioxidants that boost brain function and fight brain-related diseases. The other day when I was talking about organic foods (specifically, what foods were at the top of the list to buy organically) I said that pretty much anything that wasn't peeled should be purchased organically; however sometimes this is confusing - most of the grocery stores sell both organic and conventionally grown produce (including Whole Foods)- and even if it was grown conventionally, it doesn't mean it wasn't grown by organic methods - which have very high standards. Take a minute to do a little research if you aren't sure about something you are buying. For instance, Driscoll berries - they are in all the grocery stores, and they sell for a variety of prices. What to do? Buy them wherever they are the cheapest - even though they don't say organic on the label, Driscoll grows all of their berries in an environment that is safe, healthy, and natural. Go to their website - it is informative and educational. They aren't the only ones - they just happen to be everywhere right now so I read about them. Know what you're eating and eat what's good for you (well, most of the time!) - enjoy your short week! Melissa

Speaking of fast food...

Happy Memorial Day to everyone! We had a really full weekend - the golf tournament, a concert, some really nice dinners - lots of opportunities to overdo, and of course I did! The one thing I did NOT do, and I hope you didn't either, was eat this new honey barbecued fried chicken sandwich I've been seeing on commercials all weekend long!! Goodness (or really NOT!) - 1100 calories and 57 grams of fat - can you just imagine - I could hardly even watch the commercials; I would have almost preferred to watch all the "problem male" ads!! Not really, those are pretty bad too - anyway, I just can't believe what these fast food places are continuing to put on their menus. If they are tempting you, turn the station - and fast!! Don't let yourself get hungry enough that one of these finds itself in your stomach! A diet with enough protein and enough fiber, nicely prepared and presented, will keep you satisfied - and SO happy when you jump on the scale after the holiday - good for you!! Melissa

The Fast Food Dilemma

Almost everyone I know is trying to eat healthier - they are changing the way they cook, eating more fruits and vegetables, cutting down on portion sizes - all ways that bring positive results, and there are many more. It's so much easier to do at home - you know exactly what you are getting, it's not as tempting to switch at the last minute to the double meat, double cheeseburger, and you are not as likely to overeat. However, while I never go to fast food restaurants - well, one time I took my son when he was about 14, but that's been awhile (and I realize I'm very much in the minority!), my sister told me she was at McDonald's, ordered a small hamburger for 99 cents, and wanted a side salad instead of the fries (which were also 99 cents), for which she was charged $3.59! Added to that was the fact that it was just iceberg lettuce with some tomatoes - no chicken, cheese, or anything else. Now there is almost no nutritional value in iceberg lettuce, so pretty much paid $3.59 for a handful of chopped tomatoes - makes you want to go for the fries!! It's so frustrating to try to do the right thing sometimes, but stick with it - now that you know McDonald's doesn't have what you wanted, try Wendy's - they got this one right - and there are others. I had mentioned in one of my early blogs that Men's Health had put out a fabulous supermarket guide; now they have published an Eat This Not That version that will tell you where to go to get the healthiest fast food, AND tell you what to order when you get there. Now you can eat out whenever you want and not worry about a thing - well, not really, you still have to worry about the temptation...maybe you better do take out! Melissa

Why shop organic?

Organic foods are held to higher standards than other foods; pesticides, insectisides, and herbicides are restricted to a large degree. However, like the rest of us, they don't always live up to their standards, so unless it states that a particular product is certified 100% organic, there is some degree of toxins and pesticides. Both 100% and 95% organic are certified by the USDA (the label will say this), and have gone through approximately 85 steps to get there; a label that says 70% organic, or just plain "organic", is not USDA certified. Your local farmers market may carry foods that are grown organically, but have not been certified. All of these are more nutritious than non-organic foods, but are not totally free of antibiotics and hormones. 100% organic produce uses non-organic fertilizer, and new organic beds still have some residue of what was grown in there before, so it's important to wash it ALL before you stick it in your mouth. I NEVER eat what is set out to sample in any store; while it (hopefully) has been rinsed, all those people sticking their hands in those covered plastic domes (which is a joke) have now made that food inorganic - and after it had to work so hard to get there!! I have read a lot about organic foods, and several articles list the top foods to buy organically - in test after test, these have always been shown to have the highest amount of pesticides and toxins in their non-organic form. Milk and eggs are at the top of the list, followed by potatoes, spinach, grapes (from Chile), and bell peppers - if you can't afford to buy anything else organic, at least start with these. Pork, chicken and turkey are up there also - seafood right now is not regulated, so I just feel better when I buy it from a store like Whole Foods - they at least have their own standards, which they state openly. Peaches, strawberries, celery, green beans - pretty much anything you don't normally peel - should be bought organically if you can afford to; the store brands are usually quite a bit less, and have to live by the same rules (I normally hate rules, but in this case, I'm really, really glad there are some!) If you can buy in season and locally grown, it will have less of an impact on the environment - and now is the perfect time - fresh fruits and vegetables are at their peak! Melissa

Ice Cream - Yum!

BE SURE to look at all the new treats next time you're shopping - and some of the old ones. There are so many choices that are lowfat (or nonfat), have good nutritional value, AND taste great! Don't be afraid to grab a bar as you head out for your workout - nothing is better on a hot day than ice cream. Even if it's early in the morning - you woke up grumpy, it's already sticky outside, and you're really not in the mood for that energy bar - this will give you that boost of energy to get you out the door, and what's a better way to start your day - hmmmn! Melissa

Mondays...

Yeah, today was a typical Monday - except that it was absolutely gorgeous - yeah for that!! Anyway, I had decided I was going to start clipping coupons again; I used to do it years ago when I had kids at home, but over time just stopped. I had cut some out of the paper a few weeks ago, but never used them, and yesterday I must have clipped 100 more out of the paper - could not believe how many there were - and I was determined I was going to get started using them. Today, coupons in hand, I'm off to the grocery - it probably takes me an hour longer to shop because, of course, I have to match everything - brand, size, you know how it goes. I get to the counter and, of course, some of them are expired, so no money saved there; I get home and proceed to drop the eggs on the garage floor - nice...So, now I've spend a lot of time, some of it didn't work, and then - the eggs. But - I had saved $15 (which is a nice bottle of sauvignon blanc - hee hee), so in the end, I had a positive outcome. There are days like this for all of us - things either take too long, or they're frustrating, or something just falls through the cracks - but here is where you have to keep your focus on the big picture. One day you don't get a workout in, or you eat too much, or maybe even both; the good news is that you get to try again the next day, and the next - things get better, easier, smoother - and the next thing you know, you accomplished what you set out to do! Tomorrow is Tuesday and Monday doesn't come for another six days - have a good week! Melissa

Mudbug Trivia

Sorry I didn't blog yesterday - my nephew graduated from A&M and is now a vet - a huge accomplishment and I'm very proud of him! To celebrate, his parents (who are from Louisiana) brought 165 pounds of crawfish to boil - a LOT of burlap bags with some not very happy critters crawling all over each other inside; I'm a little squeamish (and that's an understatement) so I just stared at the awesome looking chocolate cake wishing that was dinner instead! However, everyone else seemed pretty excited - or maybe it was the beer - and so in went those little things that looked like lobsters into the boiling pots, along with some corn and potatoes. Apparently an average guy will eat six pounds of crawfish over two hours, and will wash it down with beer, so that's an average of 1 per minute with a short bathroom break. If he's not drinking beer, he'll average 1 every 30 seconds - wow...A girl, because she'll be talking, will only eat for half that amount of time, but still averages one per minute - and she'll try to get her boyfriend to peel them for her (if she's smart!). One pound of crawfish is about 2 1/2 OUNCES of meat - 100 calories, high protein (and cholesterol), and low in fat. Because it's so much work to get those little suckers apart, you would burn all your calories up peeling them - except that you had that chocolate cake!! (I made that part up...) Have a nice weekend! Melissa

Take it easy!

I typically work out hard - usually for at least 45 minutes. I've always worked out like this - if I'm going to get up before sunrise and drive down wherever to work out, I'm going to really make it worth it. It's a rare day I quit early, or even rarer, that I don't go at all. And, when I go, I'm certainly not going to be one of those people that reads while they are sitting on the bike or walking on the treadmill; I always say that if you are reading while you are working out, you are not working out hard enough. However, this way of thinking is far from the truth. While you do want some days when you really push yourself, you need to give your body time to recover - your muscles won't get stronger if you continually push them to exhaustion; they become inefficient - the more you try to push them, the harder they push back. You get frustrated, you are sore, and your muscles fatigue very quickly. This puts negative stress on your body - quite opposite from what you want. Exercise is supposed to relieve stress and improve your mood - NOT ruin your day. Light exercise helps to move lactic acid out of your muscles (this acid is what makes you feel sore and continues to build up when you don't let your body rest properly). If you want to read, go ahead - this is your free time; when you are reading, you are resting your worry cells - they'll be more energized when you need them later in the day. You'll enjoy your workout more when you are comfortable knowing that you don't have to pound it out every day. Sometimes you do need to just roll over and go back to sleep; other days, all it takes is a good book! Relax and enjoy yourself - Melissa

The Great American Buffalo

Lots of us out there think we are making the "smart" choice by going with a chicken breast, but I have uncovered some interesting facts. First, your body has to work harder to digest chicken than beef. Second, both lean beef and that chicken breast have at least 1/3 more calories and twice as much fat as lean ground buffalo - that's saying a lot! Buffalo, because it's more "gamey" than a cow, has more flavor than ground beef, so you'll be able to eat a smaller portion and still be as satisfied. According to the USDA, lean buffalo has more protein and more nutrients - a 3oz. portion (cooked) has as much calcium as a six ounces of milk, as much potassium as a banana, and a higher concentration of iron than lean ground beef. It is the best meat for cardiovascular health. Buffalo cooks faster because it is much leaner, so don't think you can watch the end of the game while they cook! Try them - they're cheap and they're good! Melissa

The Big Weiner Winner

Yesterday was Mother's Day, and it was a great day, start to finish! So, we're cooking out, and we have buffalo burgers, grilled chicken breasts and tube steaks - guess what was the first thing to go...yep, the weiners! These were turkey franks, they smelled great and they were a hit - straight off the grill, and half of them didn't make it to the bun! Funny thing, you would think a turkey hot dog was the best choice from a health standpoint - but guess what - this particular brand had TEN grams of fat per dog!! Out of 120 calories, NINETY of them were fat - geez! Thank goodness I didn't eat one, but, if you were here and ate one, you might not want to hear this - that means 75% of that dog was FAT! I'm bringing this to your attention because this is why you want to read the labels. Hebrew National light BEEF franks have 1.5 grams of fat in them and only 45 calories - this makes them 30% fat, which is well within the ball park (though I'm sure you won't see these at any ball game!). Enjoy what you are eating, but know what you're eating - often what sounds better isn't necessarily the "top dog"! Melissa

Why you're sweating so much!

Your body tries to maintain an internal temperature of 98.6 degrees, and when it gets too hot inside, it carries this heat to your skin - the largest organ in your body - and releases cool sweat. This process is controlled by your brain, and the purpose is to detox and renew - many forms of bacteria and viruses can't live above 98.6, and these are flushed out when you perspire. How much you sweat depends on how many sweat glands you have - women actually have more glands, but male glands are more active (we already knew that!!); most of the sweat glands are in your palms, forehead, and soles of your feet. Sweat contains water and salt, and in a healthy body, the salt is sent back into your blood to maintain equilibrium; your muscles will start to cramp up when you lose both water and salt. When you first begin to sweat, it is both salty and oily, but as you continue sweating, it is cleaner; sweating daily leads to not only cleaner sweat, but a more attractive smell. So, while your brain controls your sweating, and you can't really stop it, you can at least smell better by sweating often - which is pretty easy in this humidity! FYI - the opposite sex is actually more attracted to your natural (clean) body scent than to colognes and antiperspirants. See, something good comes out of everything! Melissa

The Superman Diet

What if my husband was really Superman - he'd rip off his shirt and have that tight outfit on and he could pounce on anyone that was being mean. I'm having a hard time getting a visual on this, so it's probably better that I just let him THINK he is...but seriously, everyone can feel like Superman by eating "power foods". These are foods with the highest amount of nutrients for the least amount of calories (what we call nutrient-dense foods); these have the most health benefits, satisfy your hunger, and are long-lasting. Every food group has power foods - proteins (fish especially, followed by meats, soy protein meat substitutes, eggs and peanut butter); fruits (berries in particular, but they are all excellent); vegetables (the darker, the better); last, but not least, whole grains and legumes (beans). These foods fill you up quickly and get right to work. Even ants can lift 50 times their weight, and they just eat your leftovers; just think how strong you can be! Melissa

Exercise vs. Diet

You might be surprised to know that your level of activity has more to do with controlling your weight than the amount of food you eat. While calories do count, the more efficiently and faster they are used determines how much is burned for energy (used immediately - primarily by your muscles or for body processes), or stored (which, if not used to build up your body as it needs vitamins and minerals, turns into FAT!). The speed at which calories are burned is your metabolic rate, and your goal is to increase this rate by burning calories continually, both day and night. Exercise stimulates metabolism, and insufficient calorie intake decreases metabolism (your body goes into starvation mode and slows everything down); to reduce fat stores and lose weight, you want your metabolism to do it's job - burn calories and produce energy. Now this is where your diet comes in...for your metabolism to work most efficiently, and continually, you want to feed it regularly - this is why you want to try for six small meals a day (or three meals and 3 snacks; if your body has a chance to burn up most of what you are consuming, then you store less (this is where portion control comes in - you want your body to use as much of what you eat as possible, and store as little as possible). Proteins and complex carbohydrates make your body work harder to metabolize them, and your body needs these, so these are least likely to be stored. As you exercise, you are constantly burning calories, and if you lift weights, you are burning even more - up to 10%! Depending on the intensity of your exercise and the amount of muscle you have, your metabolism can be elevated for as much as 4 hours after your workout; then, as you sleep, your body rebuilds itself (so your metabolism is still working, just at a lower rate); the more muscle you have, and the more you have used it that day, the more rebuilding the body has to do as you sleep - meaning you wake up to a lean machine! Melissa

FAT (and smart!)

Sure, the wrong kind or too much will make you chubby, but the right amount of the good kind is needed by every cell in your body. Essential fatty acids (EFA's) cannot be manufactured by your body so you have to eat them; they keep you healthy, make your hair and skin look smooth and shiny, lower your cholesterol and blood pressure, and are critical for the development and functioning of your brain - the highest concentration of EFA's are found in your brain. Just a quick lesson (and I promise I'll be brief!) - there are two basic kinds of fatty acids, Omega 3's and Omega 6's. We hear a lot about Omega 3's; these are found in high-fat fish such as salmon or sardines (yuck), and some vegetable oils. Omega 6's are found in nuts, seeds, and other oils. While all these fats start out good, what makes them bad is when they are heated up (such as when you fry foods), causing them to become trans fats - the worst kind!! EFA's rebuild and produce new cells that the body must have to perform all of it's daily processes, so you want to make sure that this good kind of fat is 10-20% of your daily intake - and higher the intake, the healthier you are! The recommended daily allowance for fat is 30%, so you still have room to sneak in that doughnut occasionally. If you don't like fish, or don't eat it regularly (or really, even if you do) there are great supplements and I would suggest you take one daily - make sure it is one that has both Omega 3's and 6's. Try cooking with grape seed oil as it has the lowest amount of saturated fat and can be heated to a higher temperature before it loses it's health benefits. Also, as a point of reference, a 4-oz. serving of salmon (a higher fat fish) has up to 3600 mg. of Omega 3's, while a serving of cod has 300 mg - so look for the chubby guys with the big brains at the fish counter!! Melissa

In case you were wondering...

I was poking around on the internet today for a friend of mine, and found the neatest website (allnutritionals.com); you plug in your information regarding age, height, weight, etc. and it will give you the recommended daily intake of grams of protein, carbohydrates and fat. While I'm not fanatical about it, I do have an idea in the back of my head (you know, my big brain...) of my overall intake for a day; by reading the labels on your food purchases, making yourself aware of a serving size, and consciously making healthy choices for most of your meals, you will find that you ARE in control of what you see on the scale. This is a great way to plan around a nice dinner out, or a party, splurge - or whatever it is that tips the scale up - so that you maintain your desirable weight. A little more of something at one meal just means a little less at the next - it's easy! Another website (mypyramid.gov) will actually build a food guide pyramid for you that shows how many servings of fruits, vegetables, meat, etc. that you should be eating per day based on your individual needs, and can help you modify them to help you reach your goal. They are simple to understand and great tools to have right at your fingertips!! Melissa

A Guide To Being Lazy

What??? From me??? Of course not! But I can give you a couple of ideas to get you up off the couch and out the front door. First, get a dog (I have some you can borrow!) - they are always first to the door, and if you don't hurry up, they might get so excited they pee on the floor - who wants that?? Second, have a cute guy (or girl) meeting you - of course you'll want to appear energetic, athletic, and eager to spend some time with whoever; and, third, get something new to work out in - pretty much nothing is more motivating than a new pair of shoes and a cute top (trust me on this!). The actual definition of laziness is not being inclined to be active despite the fact that you can be - so, the real thing you want to do is DECIDE your going put yourself in charge. You're going to to jump off the couch (and stay off!), confident that once you get going, your energy level will increase and you won't feel as tired; start by just walking slowly or doing a little yoga - get your blood flowing and your muscles warmed up - before you know it, you'll be chasing that little mutt (or whoever) down the street! Reward yourself with a cold shower and a cup of coffee, and you're good to go - YOU feel great and your little friend is happy until tomorrow! Have a nice weekend - Melissa