Dec
31
The 10 Healthiest Diets
Filed Under Diets | 5 Comments
CNN Health just ran an article called The 10 Healthiest Diets In America. I’m not usually a big fan of CNN Health, they tend to focus a bit too much on celebrity weightloss for me, but I thought this article was really good. Basically, they got a panel of experts together and rated various diets. The results are in the article I linked to above.
Notice Anything?
Look at all of these diets and you’ll start seeing some trends:
- Exercise is a vital component - Many diets focus too much on eating and not enough on exercise. Yes, a healthy diet matters more than exercise when it comes to weightloss, but exercise still helps. Plus, if your goal is weightloss AND overall health, then exercise is a vital part which cannot be left out.
- Long term - None of these diets is a two week miracle cure. You’re not going to start these and then see 20lbs lost in the first week. These are all long term solutions where you gradually change your habits and lose weight.
- Not overly restrictive - Most of these diets aren’t overly restrictive in terms of what you can eat or how much of it. You’re not forced to consume just cabbage or told to restrict your calorie intake to 500 a day. These are realistic plan meant to be sustainable for a lifetime.
- Many of these plans have a motivational component - Motivation is key, always! Without motivation you will never stick to something which you have to maintain the rest of your life.
- Education as well as instructions - Several of these diets try to educate you about food as well as tell you what to eat or not eat. It’s not enough to just tell someone “eat this” or “don’t eat that”. It’s also important to tell them why.
Personally, I think anyone can benefit from reading more about these plans. Most of them are available in book form and I’ve reviewed a few of them on 60 in 3 already. You may not implement any of these plans 100% but you’ll learn a lot just by reading up on them.
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Dec
29
Injured Thumbs
Filed Under Injuries | 2 Comments
Last week I talked about some new research on exercising while sick. Seems like the standard wisdom about resting when you have a cold may be changing a bit. However, I don’t want anyone to think that this applies to injuries as well.
Injuries are very different from an illness. An injury is something broken or damaged in your body and can easily be made worse without proper care and rest. if you’re injured, don’t exercise until you’ve spoken to a doctor. And no, personal trainers don’t count as a doctor, nor do health and fitness bloggers. If it’s a minor injury like a scratch, you may be fine, but if you’re not sure, see a doctor or play it safe by taking it easy.
For example, I seem to have done some damage to my thumb recently and it’s now very painful to move. So today I’m going to make a dr’s appointment and see what’s wrong with it. I’m also going to take it easy with the workout and avoid any exercise where I have to grip weights.
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Ignore “no pain, no gain”. Pain is your body’s way of telling you something is wrong, and you should listen.
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Dec
26
Should We Exercise When Sick?
Filed Under Exercise, Health, Illness and Injury | 4 Comments
I’ve always thought that exercising when sick was a bad idea. The sickness decreased my performance and, at the same time, I thought the exercise was weakening my immune system, making me stay sick longer. Well, it appears as though I might be wrong.
In this article from the New York Times, researchers from the Mayo Clinic discuss their findings about exercising while having a cold. Turns out that the cold does not reduce performance, nor does the exercise prolong the cold.
There are several experiments described in the article but here are some of the interesting results:
The researchers reported that having a cold had no effect on either lung function or exercise capacity.
That’s right, having a cold does not have a real effect on your exercise ability. You may feel sick but your body is still capable of doing what it usually does. And:
The investigators found no difference in symptoms between the group that exercised and the one that rested. And there was no difference in the time it took to recover from the colds. But when the exercisers assessed their symptoms, Dr. Kaminsky said, “people said they felt O.K. and, in some cases, they actually felt better.”
Yep, exercise does not cause you to remain sick longer.
Now keep in mind that all of this was tested with the common cold. Please don’t assume that this means exercise is a good thing regardless of how sick you are. I don’t want to see people at gym killing themselves on the treadmill while sick with the flu. However, I do think this is pretty neat information and I’m going to keep it in mind for the next time I have a cold.
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By the way, you may need to register in order to read that article at the New York Times. Registration is free but a bit annoying.
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Dec
24
6 Ways to Resist Temptation
Filed Under Healthy Habits, Motivation | 5 Comments
Temptation is everywhere. It’s cold this morning and I’m tempted to stay in bed and not go to the gym. I have friends over and I’m tempted to order a lot of pizza instead of eating the healthy food I have at home. I’m feeling a bit depressed tonight and I’m tempted to eat all that chocolate I have in the pantry instead of sticking to my healthy way of eating. Sound familiar?
This kind of flawed decision making is a normal part of human existence. All of us, regardless of our intelligence, are tempted to think of the short term rather than the long term. That warm bed is here NOW and the benefits of the workout will only come much later. That chocolate will taste great NOW and the harmful side effects will be hard to detect. It’s not hard to see why people succumb to temptation when the benefits are so immediate and obvious while the damage is so subtle and long term.
So here are a few ways to make it easier on yourself to resist temptation:
Give In
Yes, you heard me, you can resist temptation by giving in occasionally. Let’s take me as an example, I love chocolate. If I tried to completely eliminate chocolate from diet, I would fail and really, why would I want to eliminate it completely? In small amounts, it can be a fine part of a healthy diet. So rather than try to avoid it completely, I treat myself to an occasional piece of chocolate. This keeps the eating under control and it also eliminates temptation by reducing my craving. The same applies to staying in bed or the occasional pizza instead of a green salad. Remember, a healthy life is meant to be enjoyed, not endured and the more you enjoy it, the less likely you are to make a bad decision.
Remove the Temptation
If you’re a recovering alcoholic, do you keep beer in the fridge? If you’re trying to quit smoking, do you keep cigarettes in your pocket? So if you’re trying to eat healthy, why are you keeping 2lbs of bacon and 3 bags and candy in your house? Remember, temptation is a lot harder to fall prey to if it’s less convenient. If I’m craving chocolate right now it would be much worse if I actually had some here within immediate reach. That’s why I don’t keep any in the house. When I want to eat a bit, I go out and get exactly the right amount and I don’t bring any back home. Make it so you have to work a bit to succumb to your temptation and you’ll see how less frequently you do it.
Make A Public Commitment
Yep, peer pressure works so why not use it for us? Make a promise and make it public that you will be at the gym every morning this month. By telling your friends and family about it, you’re less likely to break that promise. I know it sounds a bit shallow, but promises made to others are less likely to be broken than promises made to yourself.
Make It A Group Effort
Similar to the public commitment idea, make it harder on yourself to give in by working with your friends. For example, if it’s just you that’s supposed to be at the gym in the morning then it’s easy to give in to that warm bed. However, if you’re supposed to meet a friend there then it’s much harder to not show up. Same applies to that pizza. If it’s just you that’s trying to eat healthy then it’s easy to give in when your friends want pizza. If you’ve gotten all your friends involved and they’re trying to eat healthy then it’s much harder to order that pizza.
Remind Yourself
Keep a reminder of why you want to live a healthy life with you. Could be a picture of your kids, a picture of that mountain you hope to climb or even a picture of you from a year ago when you weight 60lbs more. Whatever it is, keep it on you and take a look at it when you’re tempted to do something dumb. That item will remind you of the actual benefits of a healthy life.
20 Minute Rule
Remember this one? Yah, it works. If you’re tempted to do something stupid, wait 20 minutes and see what you think then. In most cases, you’ll see that the temptation was momentary and you can now make a good decision. Yes, this even works for staying in bed. If you’re tempted to stay in that warm bed, tell yourself “ok, I’m getting up for just 20 minutes. I’m going to shower and do whatever, and if I feel like diving back into bed in 20 minutes, I will.” Most times, you’ll find yourself wide awake and well into your day 20 minutes later and that bed won’t look as tempting.
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On and unrelated note to temptation, I would like to thank Positive and Successful Lifestyle Tips for including a 60 in 3 article in their blog carnival. The carnival can be found HERE.
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Dec
22
In the past, I’ve spoken several times about early morning workouts. I’ve usually discussed a variety of slow, controlled exercises to do as you roll out of bed. Today, I’m going to suggest something different. As usual, some of you may like this and some of you may not. That’s perfectly fine, we all have our preferences, but I’ve been experimenting with this type of a morning routine for a few weeks now and it seems to be working great. I’d also like to add a disclaimer that the following workout should NOT be attempt by anyone with health issues. As usual, consult your doctor before making any radical changes to your physical routine. That said…
Overall Theme
The idea behind this morning routine is to set the tone for the rest of your day and that this tone should be “high energy, let’s get things done!” I’ve found that it works great for me on a workday but less so on a weekend when I want to be a bit lazier.
Here We Go…
Did the alarm go off? Don’t wack it into submission and then roll over back into bed. Don’t shut it off and then lie there for a minute or two contemplating the ceiling. Don’t turn it off and then slowly get up to make your first cup of coffee. All of these options feel good but they’re going to set the wrong tone for the rest of the day. Instead, as soon as the alarm goes off, explode out of bed and start your morning.
Yes, this is difficult, and if you have a wife, husband or other partner sleeping with you, you may want to take them into consideration, but when I say “explode”, I mean it. Get out of that bed RIGHT NOW with as much energy as you can and immediately put that energy to use.
Workout
Don’t even bother standing up. Instead, as you get out of bed, get on that floor and start with 20 push ups. If you can’t do a full push up, do the assisted ones where your knees are touching the ground. Done with the pushups? Great! Roll over and do 20 crunches. By the way, all of these exercises are meant to be done at high speed. That means no more than 1.5 seconds for each rep. Yes, that’s fast, but you should still be able to use good form.
Done with your 20 crunches? Good, stand up and do 20 squats with no weights. As soon as you’re done with those, do bicep curls, preferably with a light weight but no weight is fine too. After the curls, get right back on that ground and do 20 more pushups. That’s it, you’re done with the workout portion of this morning. At 1.5 seconds per rep and with no breaks between exercises, this should take you about 3 minutes total but you may find yourself breathing hard at the end.
But You’re Not Done Yet
That’s right, this morning routine isn’t just about the workout. Find something you need to do, it could be something simple like washing the dishes or it could be something more complex like writing a post on your blog. Whatever it is, it should be reasonably doable within 15 minutes. Now sit down and do it. No interruptions, no checking email, no making coffee. Sit down and accomplish one task. As soon as you’re done with that task, repeat the 3 minute workout above.
Why am I telling you to do this? What the heck does washing dishes or writing a blog entry have to do with fitness? Well, the way you start your morning sets the tone for the rest of your day. If you follow my instructions above, you’ll spend about 20 to 25 minutes total starting your day right. At the end of those 25 minutes, you’ll feel amazingly full of energy and you’ll feel productive. Your body will feel good from the quick exertion and your mind will also feel good from having accomplished something. If you’re like me, you’ll find yourself with much more energy and at a higher productivity level for the rest of the day.
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One thing to remember is that fitness and health isn’t just about what you do, it’s also about what you don’t do. For most people, stress about work and all the things they need to accomplish can be a major force against good health. Stress elevates blood pressure, it causes binge eating, it causes indigestion, it can even cause irregular heart beats and other health issues. By starting your morning right, your body feels better and so does your mind. That increases physical health and decreases stress, which is something all of us could use.
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Dec
19
Roy Cohen is the owner of Emerge Fit, a personal fitness website. He’s a personal trainer, and when he approached me about writing a guest post on 60 in 3, I thought it would be another standard “10 ways to tone your butt” or “5 newest machines you should work out on.” Instead, what he sent me was a beautiful and thought provoking article discussing the relationship of life and exercise.
For those of you who think exercise is pointless, I recommend that you read this and think about all those illnesses and diseases that studies show a healthy life wards off. For those of you who think exercise makes you immune to disease and is the defining part of you life, you should read this too. For a personal trainer, Roy sure does have a way with words.
Longevity Is A Crap-Shoot; Each Day A Gift
by Roy Cohen
Life is but a text book; full of questions, and loaded with answers. The questions we are confronted with are blindingly obvious, but the answers are stealthy, need be sought, discerned, and hopefully applied correctly, but there are no guarantees. In school, the answers to questions are always in the back of the book. The process of going through the book is how we learn, and how we confirm what we have learned. Unfortunately, to learn these answers of life, one has to die to get to the back of the book — there is no true confirmation here, just speculation that we have done it, and are doing it right
Somewhere in the mid-west there is a man – he is 97 years old and despite his age, he is more active than the average American though he never considers this. This man wakes up daily at 4:30am and walks on his treadmill for 30 minutes, followed by another 20 minutes of stretching and bending. He eats nothing but whole foods – and he eats modestly at that. The man reads more books than he watches TV, he still drives his car, loves gardening – takes care of his own lawn, and he has a charming woman in his life whom he has adored for 60+ years. When asked about his secret to living long and living well, he refers mostly to his healthy eating habits, his daily exercise, and points the woman beside him as his primary mechanisms for his longevity.
Somewhere in the deep south there is a woman – she is nearly 102 years old, and might be the oldest person in her county though she never considers this. This woman wakes up daily at 4:30am and immediately clicks on the TV to CNN and moves from her bed to a tattered recliner chair in her livingroom. She consumes a hot buttered sticky-bun and a Dr. Pepper for breakfast followed by a small glass of whiskey, as she has each morning for nearly 50 years. She never married, doesn’t talk much, she spends 13 of her 17 waking hours stagnating in that recliner watching shows such as Jerry Springer, The View, but mostly CNN and Fox News. Her lunch? It consists of hush puppies, fried fish sticks, and a belt of Jim Beam. When asked about her secret to longevity, she refers mostly to the Dr. Pepper, the Jim Beam, as well as her hatred of the Republican party.
These of course are fictitious characters, but they likely represent somebody you know, or have known of. Jim Fixx, author of the famous book, The Complete Book Of Running, died of heart failure in his 50’s. America thought he was in great shape when he died. As a point of fact, he was in great shape. It was not his lack of conditioning which killed him. Tedy Bruschi, a Pro-Bowl linebacker for the New England Patriots had a stroke – in his early 30’s. America thought this was impossible – for such an athlete to have a stroke. Again, this stroke was not for a lack of physical fitness. These are real characters who you probably do know of. You no doubt know of other “fit” people, like them, who have suffered medical traumas or early death despite their high fitness level.
My friend and workout partner Rich Thompson died in his mid-30s – of cancer. He was as active as any man I have known. He ate modestly, and well. He exercised daily, played baseball regularly, loved life, and had many good friends around him all the time. Most of all, he was a great and engaging father. I know of nearly a two dozen people who have battled cancer and other life threatening illnesses in past couple of years – many of them under 40 years of age. Some have succumb to these afflictions while others have survived. Some of these people took good care of themselves physically, others not so much. The only thing they have in common is that they never saw it coming. Clearly there are no guarantees, despite what fitness precautions one might take in staving off a cancer-toting grim reaper.
It is a crap shoot. Genetics, environment, circumstances, as well as those all-important choices, contribute to when we go. Many great minds dedicate their lives to finding how to avoid disease, illness, and minimize the affects of aging. Despite this, there are many more unknowns than there are knowns when it comes to wellness-science. We live, and we go — on no timetable. We go when we are told to go – be it at 43 or 101 years of age. We confront questions, seek answers, and hope they are there — in the back of the book.
I exercise first, because I enjoy it. Daily exercise is the methadone of my consciousness. I also exercise because I do believe it will help me function at a higher level longer, but I know there are no guarantees. I think it should also be considered that should any of us face life threatening illness or events, being a better conditioned person may enable us to recover from said affliction in a more timely, more complete fashion; a stronger body will thwart resist any attack.
There are increasing medical studies which relate regular exercise to a higher level of brain activity, memory, and reaction time. Also there is evidence that suggests daily exercise can help stave off certain diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and other potential aliments. Not eliminate them – just minimize the risk. I say so often that exercise really does matter in life; that to fulfill our time as the bipedal stewards of this Earth, we must be in control of our hominid machines. I say nearly as often that exercise really doesn’t matter in life; that in the end we are judged by who we are and what we give, not by the shape of our abs, the speed of our run, or the ability to tie our own shoes. It’s a crap shoot – exercising with the expectations of longevity and a higher quality of life.
Yes, I believe my daily workout does put me in a much better field position than most to live a longer, more active life. Still, I know not were my cancer hides, for it has not exposed itself — yet. I feel no tiny holes in my heart, but they could be there. Aneurysm? Aneur-maybe, and when I am least expecting it I’m sure. If a stroke is right around the corner in my day today, I am no more aware of it that I am of that little piece of space junk aiming for my forehead right now. Each day is a gift. And yes, I believe my daily workout will help keep me from being just another wagging tongue of drool, seated in a wheel chair and haphazardly shoveling Salisbury steak into my trembling mouth at Shady Acres when I’m 83 years old. But I know each day is just a throw of the dice; and these answers, to these questions of fitness, will not be confirmed until after I’m gone. Be well. rc
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Dec
17
A Day In The Life
Filed Under Editorial, Healthy Habits, Motivation | 2 Comments
Thinking back to the post I made on Monday, I think too many people see health and fitness as something to endured rather than enjoyed. They go running in the rain or biking in the snow because they feel guilty if they don’t. They MUST exercise, they MUST eat well, they MUST workout. Well, I’m here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be that way. A healthy life is something to be enjoyed, not tolerated.
Do you know what my day looks like today? I woke up early, walked and played with Daisy, my puppy. I then ran errands. I missed breakfast because I was hurrying to a vet appointment. I then ran some errands, made a few calls and worked. For lunch, I had a can of vegetarian chili and a fresh orange I picked in the backyard. After lunch I’m going to a doctor’s appointment, do more work, rearrange a lot of furniture, do some schoolwork and finally go out to dinner with a friend.
That’s a full day, with a lot of very fun things. It’s also a day where I missed breakfast and my workout. Oh no, that sounds awful! No wait, no it doesn’t. I’m still eating healthy and not binging out on candy and cake. I’m still being physically active through walking the dog, walking to the store and moving furniture. My lunch was not in fact a fresh green salad, but so what? It was tasty and, other than slightly high sodium, it was very healthy.
I used to motivate myself through guilt. I would tell myself, “oh no Gal, what have you done? You can’t miss that workout! You MUST have fresh vegetables with every meal! What kind of a person are you? You’re a disappointment!” Sound familiar? Lots of people make this mistake. Instead of rewarding ourselves and enjoying our lives, we tell ourselves to do this or else. Well, I refuse to live that way.
Was my day today perfect? I suppose not, I could have eaten three green salads, ran 6 miles and worked out for an hour. However, I simply did not have the time. Was my day today unhealthy? Not at all. I ate within reason and I moved around a lot. Am I going to do this again tomorrow? Nope, tomorrow I have less to do so I’m going back to the gym. Therefore, I don’t feel guilty at all. I feel great. I feel like I’ve accomplished a lot today and that matters.
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Stop motivating yourself with guilt and negativity. Start having fun, even if you’re not 100% perfect. Life is meant to be enjoyed, not endured.
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