To avoid over eating at mealtime, drink a
large glass of COLD water before each meal. This will not only help in
filling your hungry tummy but the cold water will burn extra calories!
To reach that goal of feeling 'Satisfied"
when you are finished with your meal rather than that 'Stuffed' feeling.
Watch your portion sizes and remember that it takes approximately 20
minutes for your stomach to tell your brain that there is food in there.
Eat slowly when you eat and wait 15 minutes or so before going in for
second. Chances are, your stomach is satisfied and your brain just doesn't
know it yet. Never unzip those pants again to make room for the growing
gut!
Shin Splints can sometimes be hard to get away
from no matter what you do. To help avoid them though there are a few
'steps' you can take. First, wear proper running shoes with the proper
protection and cushioning that your feet need. Second, avoid running on
concrete, try the beach for a change or a trail. Don't worry about the
gravel, when you run on uneven ground it helps strengthen those little
muscles you didn't even know you had!
If you are one of those unfortunate people
(come on, we know you are) that get those late night cravings. Try to
follow this rule when reaching for the munchies. NO CARBS! That's right
you munchers, it's those carbohydrates that pack those extra pounds and
inches on you at night. So if you must pig out, grab something that
doesn't turn to fat if you don't burn it off right away and sleep tight!
Let's face it. Good food is
everywhere and sometimes it's just way too hard to run from it. What to do
when your will power wanes? Remember two important things and recite then
to yourself when you are feeling powerless over food.
First: Greater is HE, (Jesus), that is in you, then he,
(evil food), that is in the world. Plus, God will never let you be tempted
more than you can bear paraphrased from 1 Corinthians 10:13 (that's a
bonus!).
Second: We are to eat in order to live, not live in
order to eat. Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of these things when you
are being tempted with yummies!
Why do you say, “O Jeez,” and complain, “I’m fat!”
“My weight must be hidden from my Lord; my need to fit into my skinny
clothes is disregarded by my God”?
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth and
of YOU.
He will not grow tired or weary of going on your power walks with you and
his understanding of the issues that burden you, no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary dieter and increases the power in her weak
muscles.
Even your kids will grow tired and weary and your husbands will stumble
and fall.
But YOU are God’s daughter!
Your hope in the Lord will renew your strength.
You will soar to victory on wings like eagles; you will run off the
calories and not grow weary; you will walk right through your hunger pains
and not be faint.
This may seem like a minor concern but a bad sunburn can
make you ill and even land you into the care of a doctor, not to mention they
can be very painful and even blister. A few tips to help avoid them are:
1. Using a sunscreen with a good SPR (Sun Protection
Factor) to protect your skin. You want it to glow, not burn.
2. Limit your time in the hot sun. Just like a tanning
bed, you must limit your time in the sun outside as well. Not only to prevent
burns but skin cancer too.
3. Wear a lightweight covering that reflects the heat of
the sun-light or pastels-rather than blues, blacks, and other dark colors that
draw in the heat.
4. Don't forget to protect your eyes as well with a good
pair of sunglasses.
It is important to remember that too much heat
and not enough circulation can cause heat exhaustion or even heat stroke.
Sweating is how your body cools itself and sometimes when it is not able to cool
itself adequately, heat exhaustion can occur. Heat exhaustion does not require a
911 call but it does require treatment. The symptoms for heat exhaustion are:
Nausea, vomiting, severe headaches, lightheadedness, decreased coordination and
hypertension. If these symptoms are present you need to:
1. Hydrate (drink water) immediately.
2. Get to a cooler place that has good air circulation and
3. Watch for the signs of possible heat stroke.
Since your body is not able to cool itself, you need to help.
9. Heat Stroke:Heat stroke is more severe and even life threatening.
The symptoms of heat stroke can present the same as heat exhaustion but they
also include: Very high temperature, A lack of sweating (the easiest one to
watch for) and unconsciousness. If you notice someone or yourself as having the
signs/symptoms of heat stroke then you need to call 911 immediately! When you
are in doubt it is always better to be safe than sorry. After you have called
911 or even just for sunburn, handle these and every illness or emergency with
prayer.
By
his stripes, we were healed. Praise the Lord and Drink Your Water!
I wanted to really impress on you the importance of water
and I feel that gem is probably the biggest tip I can offer you since it can be
a lifesaving one as well. Remember when drinking your water, the colder the
better. Ice water is best when hydrating yourself if you are trying to shed some
extra pounds. The reason? Your body burns more energy (calories) when it
metabolizes ice-cold water because it needs to heat the water to the temperature
of your body. So cold water does in fact burn more calories then water fresh
from the tap.
Another fluid tip (no pun intended) is that not only when you are exercising for
more than twenty minutes do you need to drink your water, as stated in the
featured article, but did you know that if you are exercising past that time,
say for 30-40 minutes or more that your body needs more than just water? That is
where a good sport drink comes in. One that will replace not only the water your
body is expelling but one that replenishes lost carbohydrates and most
importantly, electrolytes as well.
And of course for safe exercising, whether it is summer or not, not only do you
need to drink your water and other fluids but you need to stretch each major
muscle for 15-30 seconds each in a good static stretch-no bouncing. Do this not
only before but after your workout as well. And when working out with weights
you need to do a good warm-up set before you start your work-out. A warm-up set
consists of a regular set you would normally do in your routine but with using
very light weights. If you are not doing warm-up sets already in your work-out
routines, then you are not letting your muscles work to their full potential.
When people think of fitness tips, they think of advice on losing fat, gaining
muscle, increasing endurance, and what protein shakes actually taste good. But
one of the best tips anyone can give you is how to eat right for your body.
Whether you have a fast, slow, or normal metabolism, diabetes I or II, or just
want to get fit. You already know, but don't necessarily listen to, what your
body needs. Although I like to encourage everyone to seek out their own RD or
Nutritionist, here's some tips to get you started on eating better for your
body...
1. Clean out your cupboards: Yeah you read right. Get rid of the junk. You have
those Cheetoes calling to you every night from the cupboard or those yummy
raspberry filled donuts. Time to send those puppies packing! Dump all the stuff
from your cupboards or fridge that is unhealthy and start from scratch. Think of
those dollars that you spent on that junk as toxins instead, going right out the
door instead of into your body. It is a wise investment and your body will love
you for it (and hopefully it will last longer too).
2. Change your grocery shopping list: A hint on getting this one going easy.
Don't buy the Cheetoes and the donuts in the first place! This is hard to do
with kids, believe me I know, but they need to get in the healthy habit too.
When I was a little girl, and my mom would take me with her to go grocery
shopping I always ran to the produce section to grab an orange. She got me
thinking of fruit, not candy, at a young age. One day a week I was allowed to
have a soda and a candy bar if I wanted. But you know what, I usually just
wanted that orange (geez, what happened!) and rarely shoved junk in my mouth.
Today at the grocery store, I saw those cool new Twisted Cheetoes and picked up
a bag. I looked at it, put it down, and went to the produce section. I am so
glad I did, you can too!
3. Give yourself authority over the foods you eat: You are not powerless over
food, it's all in your head-REALLY! If you actually feel powerless over food
every time it's in front of you, then it's time to ask the Holy Spirit to
intervene. Pray for the strength you need and he will give it to you. Then say,
I am more powerful than those Cheetoes and donuts! And trash 'em!
Setting goals is important in life, not just in your training programs,
but her we are talking about setting goals that will help you reach the level of
fitness you desire. Set short-term goals, like walking five miles in the next
week, as well as long term goals, such as running a marathon next year. Plan
your goals so that they are realistic and achievable in the time frames you are
putting them into. Write them down and make them visible and be sure to chart
your progress so you can see what it has taken to reach each one and reward
yourself for each goal met.
Part of your goal setting should include goals of beating your own times.
If you can walk three miles in one hour then set a goal to walk four. Keep
setting these goals of beating your own times, but stay within reason and be
safe. Injury will only make your future goals harder to reach. So push yourself
safely!
One method of safety and preventing injuries such as shin splints is by
treating your feet to a good pair of shoes. Don’t go stingy on your foot gear
or your feet (and more) will pay for it. Jogging and even just walking on
concrete without proper shoes is sure way to risk an injury like shin splints.
If you are a runner, or plan to start, plan as well on buying a new pair of
running shoes about every three months or so. Get good sturdy and well cushioned
shoes to help you in your fitness routine. Be kind to your feet, they help you
reach your goals!
With school starting up again, I have to add some kid-friendly fitness
tips. You can help get your kids in shape for school so their little bodies don’t
go into ‘shock’ when they get back into PE class. Here are a few ways your
kids can get into shape and you can do them as well-Jumping Jacks-these are a
great all around-get your body moving-cardiovascular exercise and are enjoyed by
most; Jumping Rope-is also a great cardio-vascular exercise and you can be very
creative with a jump-rope so you can have fun and get fit at the same time;
Sit-ups and/or Crunches of course are always a good way to help strengthen your
core; Pushups as well is something your child is already familiar with or will
be as soon as they hit the gym at school; and of course get them out walking
and/or jogging for a full body benefit and to prepare them for PE as well as
after school sports activities. Encourage them to join sports and other
activities and to stay active in their young lives. It will help to promote a
lifetime of health and fitness in your children.
1) Hiking Footwear: When planning a hike be sure to care for your feet and
your ankles. Last month we discussed preventing injury by wearing the right
shoes, this goes not only for runners, but hikers as well. You need a pair of
good solid hiking shoes that have a wide base (like cross-trainer’s as opposed
to walking shoes), they need to be well cushioned and comfortable to help
prevent blisters and other discomforts, water proof or water repellent, and they
need to be able to fully support your ankles. So many people go for a hike in
their day-to-day shoes and unfortunately end up with twisted ankles, blisters,
and even wet feet. Treat your feet right so they can take you wherever you need
to go.
2) Dress In Layers: I can’t emphasize this one enough. Layers are important
when going out in the weather, away from shelter, for an extended period of
time. It’s not only a safety precaution in case you get stuck in the rain, but
it helps your body regulate temperature. Take off a layer when you are getting
hot and put one on when you get chilly. I went for a hike last month and
accidentally left one of my warmer layers in my room. When I got to the
top-which was literally in the rain clouds-I was wishing I hadn’t forgotten
it, and so was my body. I got a cold and a lesson that day, the cold lasted me a
week and prevented me from my next planned hiking adventure. The lesson, I hope
to never forget.
3) Bring Water and Healthy Snacks: In the article, "Why Water," it
explained the importance of drinking plenty of water when out in the sun. Well
this same rule applies even if you are out on a crisp Fall day, hiking up the
mountain and sweating! Sweating is your body’s way of cooling down and thirst
is a signal your body sends to your brain informing it that without
fluids-de-hydration is inevitable. So drink your water and make sure you have
plenty for the trip down the mountain as well. Along with your water, an ‘energy’
snack is important as well. Something light, that will give your body the needed
boost-your burning fuel (calories) on that hike, make sure bring some extra.
Candy bars are out-sorry-it will zap the energy from you almost as quick as you
get it. Bring something without refined sugars, with carbs and some
proteins-like a trail mix (recipe below), fruit-fresh or dried fruit (natural),
or even some beef, salmon, or turkey jerky.
4) Be a Responsible Hiker: Carry out more than you bring in (as in
trash)-Preserve nature. Be mindful of flowers and vegetation as well as the
wildlife around you. And if you are trail hiking, stay on the trail. This will
help preserve nature and keep you from getting lost. Also, be smart. Let someone
know where you are going and when you expect to be back, you never know what may
happen, expect the unexpected and play it smart and safe.
Have a tip or trick of your own? Submit them in our
Comments form and we will post them here along with your name, state of
residence and email address (this will be omitted at your request).
meal rather than that 'Stuffed' feeling.
Watch your portion sizes and remember that it takes approximately 20
minutes for your stomach to tell your brain that there is food in there.
Eat slowly when you eat and wait 15 minutes or so before going in for
second. Chances are, your stomach is satisfied and your brain just doesn't
know it yet. Never unzip those pants again to make room for the growing
gut!
do. To help avoid them though there are a few
'steps' you can take. First, wear proper running shoes with the proper
protection and cushioning that your feet need. Second, avoid running on
concrete, try the beach for a change or a trail. Don't worry about the
gravel, when you run on uneven ground it helps strengthen those little
muscles you didn't even know you had!
hard to run from it. What to do
when your will power wanes? Remember two important things and recite then
to yourself when you are feeling powerless over food.
