Nourish your body with what you eat and drink.

CategoriesBlog Live Fit. Nourish.

Take a Deep Breath to Relieve Stress

Take a Deep Breath.

The average person takes 23,000 breaths each day. Have you ever noticed how you breathe? Caught yourself holding your breath? Or found the relaxation of a deep, cleansing breath?

If you’re like most people, you use only 20% of your lung capacity, taking short, shallow breaths.  This is especially true during times of stress – which these days is seemingly quite often. Whether you know it or not, most of us live in a constant state of stress. And in the midst of stress, we have an unconscious tendency to breathe shallow and tighten the core.

This type of breathing is thoracic, or chest breathing.  Which doesn’t lead to good oxygen exchange, and can trigger the stress response in your body.  Stress is useful at times, and can help you rise to meet challenges. It can keep you on your toes at work, sharpen your concentration, or drive you to go the extra mile in preparing for that all important presentation.

However, beyond your comfort zone, stress stops being helpful and can start causing major damage to your mind and body.

Your nervous system often does a poor job of distinguishing between daily stress and life-threatening events. When you stress over the little things your body can still react as if you’re facing a life-or-death situation.  And when you repeatedly experience the fight or flight stress response in your daily life, it can raise blood pressure, suppress the immune system, increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, speed up the aging process and leave you vulnerable to a host of mental and emotional problems.

Enter the power of pause.  A deep breath buys you time – pause, if you will.

Before you yell at your child, spouse, the driver that just cut you off, the sales clerk that simply doesn’t care.  Exhale.  When you’re stuck in traffic. When the scale doesn’t read the number you want. When you’re late for that all important meeting. When you’re put on hold…again. When you’re tired and you simply can’t go one more step.

Breathe. Drop your shoulders. Exhale.

Getting oxygen to your brain is the best thing that you can do to make a mindful choice. To give you more energy. To gain clarity and improve your mood.  Hard to remember in the heat of the moment, but more important than you know.  Even better to practice when you’re not completely stressed out, so in the heat of the moment you have a fighting chance.

A few breathing techniques to try and reduce stress in your life:

– Box breathing.  This method is often used by the military and elite athletes.

– Three Breathing Exercises from Dr. Andrew Weil.

– Progressive Relaxation. A technique to release stress and tension from head to toe.

What is your favorite breathing exercise?  Please share in the comments below.

When you own your breath, nobody can steal your peace.
~ Author Unknown

CategoriesBlog Nourish.

Week Two: The Honeymoon is Over

This is a guest post by Flow Member, Caroline Zelonka, participating in The Reset.

A little over a week and I’m feeling … well .. so-so. My energy levels are all over the place. I’m finding it easier to get going in the morning, but in the afternoons and early evenings I start to drag.

I’m also getting really tired of potatoes.

On a positive note, I’m proud of myself for making it through the first weekend despite plenty of temptation – wine, pizza, chocolate cake – waved in my face. (Literally: my 11-year-old nephew playfully taunted me after I explained my eating plan. He later redeemed himself by engaging me in a competitive game of ping-pong.)

But I gained newfound resolve at Tuesday’s Reset meetup. Beth led us in some stretching exercises, and we shared some tips and tricks. Speaking of, I wanted to share some of the advice I’ve gleaned, from Reset members and elsewhere.

  1. Read labels: You’d be surprised what foods contain sugars, disguised as sucrose, dextrose, maltose, barley malt and more. (The blog Sugar Science claims there are at least 61 different names for sugar on food labels.) But just as often, you can find surprisingly-compliant foods. My favorite Kroger brand mustard, for example, is fine.
  2. Freeze treats: Ambushed by a gift of homemade cookies or birthday cake? Thank the giver profusely, then throw it into the freezer to enjoy once the Reset is over. If you think you’ll be too tempted having it in your house, throw them in your work fridge (if you have one) or ask a friend to keep them for you.
  3. Design your plate: Take some time to plate your dishes nicely, and don’t forget the garnish. “Even a sprig of parsley helps,” said one Reset member. Attractive plating can also help convince your partner or kids to eat, or at least try, your Whole 30 creations.
  4. Chia seeds: A good source of soluble fiber, these little seeds can be mixed with any fluid (I prefer coconut milk) to make a pudding-like substance or thicken a smoothie. Add some ripe banana or pear for sweetness. If you don’t like them, you can always throw them in your Chia Pet.
  5. Infused water: These cold, dry days are dehydrating enough, and if you’re like me, this diet makes you pee more than usual. One solution: try creating waters infused with cucumber, berries, citrus juice, fresh ginger, or tea. (Ginger tea also makes a yummy hot drink.) You can also sip garnished sparkling water and sorta-kinda pretend it’s a cocktail.
  6. Keep your eyes on the prize: It’s only been 10 days, likely not enough time to see much progress. But I’m trying to celebrate every healthy food choice, label read, sugary snack skipped, red wine not ordered. I put the scale away, but I can tell my belly is a little less bloated. And though my energy levels are rather unpredictable, I can feel the “tiger blood” starting to form.


I’m also thinking about rewards. I’m keeping track of the money I’m not spending on snacks, wine, and cocktails, and am putting it into an account which I will use to buy … well, I’m not sure. Any ideas? Let me and others know in the comments, and feel free to share your own Whole 30 tips.

CategoriesBlog Nourish.

The Reset Begins.

This is a guest post by Flow Member, Caroline Zelonka, participating in The Reset.

After a full month of eating, drinking, cocktailing, and ignoring my expanding waistline, I am going into this Whole 30 Reset with high hopes.

My name is Caroline. I’m a writer and Flow Fitness member (you might have seen me on the elliptical, watching Pioneer Woman), and will be blogging about the Reset experience. It’s my first time doing a Whole 30, though I’ve tried almost every diet out there, starting with The Zone in the mid 1990s.

While I’d love to drop a few pounds, my main goal for my Whole 30 is to reduce inflammation. I’d love for my eczema to clear up, and my recurrent knee pain to subside. Not convinced my diet has anything to do with these things, but it can’t hurt to try. I was one of those kids who was allergic to everything, nuts especially, so I’m thinking eliminating potentially problematic foods might be helpful.

So in preparation for this week’s start, I stocked my kitchen. Coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts, almond milk, chia seeds, eggs, raw walnuts, a bunch of frozen veggies and fruit. I live by myself, so this was pretty easy. I found good prices on a lot of these things at Trader Joe’s, but they also can be had at the South Lake Union Whole Foods if you are into convenience over cost.

I also prepped by making some chia pudding (one can coconut milk, one cup almond milk, ⅔ cups chia seeds, whipped and refrigerated overnight), and roasting some cajun-seasoned skinless chicken thighs and sweet potatoes. I also made a sweet potato Shepherd’s pie, subbing white potatoes for the sweets. (I prefer sweet potatoes, but I had picky eaters to feed that night.)

I’m going to try to go to the gym at least three days this week. Normally, I also walk to and from my house in Judkins Park to my office in SLU, but the extreme cold has made this unpleasant. (I take the bus if the weather is nasty, or if I’m late. Today it was both.)

Two days in, I feel pretty good, but I haven’t been confronted with any serious temptations yet. At my office, all we have left in terms of treats is a large bucket of candy canes. And I’ve cleared out my house pretty well, foisting off a jar of peanut butter and wedge of cheese onto my neighbor.

It was great meeting some of the Reset participants at the Kick Off at Flow. I’m collecting your tips and tricks for possible use in a future blog post. If you have anything you want to share, or ideas for a Reset blog post, please email me at czelonka@gmail.com.

CategoriesBlog Nourish.

It’s Not About Weight Loss

Losing weight is a perennial favorite New Year’s resolution. But is weight really the problem?  Most of us think we are overweight because the doctor or insurance company tells us our body-mass index (BMI) is too high.  BMI was a calculation invented in the early 1800s (seriously, we haven’t come up with anything better since then) — it is simply weight divided by height.  

Russell Wilson at 215 pounds and 5’11” has a BMI of 30 and is considered “obese.” Let’s hike up his life-insurance premium! 

The resolution: Focus on body composition, not weight.

The reality is that most of us aren’t like Russell Wilson; we have some “bad weight” we can lose.  However, is bad weight the problem? Or is the real problem our poor eating habits and lack of activity?   

At Flow, we think it’s the latter. By focusing on eating right and being more active, you’ll feel better about yourself, and those unhealthy pounds will mysteriously disappear.  

At Flow, we’re focused on getting our members healthier and stronger.  Our “Reset” program is based on the acclaimed Whole30 program, wherein you eat real food, and as much of it as you want.  No calorie counting or pre-made foods that are full of artificial ingredients to trick you into thinking it’s food. This is a program that will help you make lifestyle changes and improve your body’s energy level and health.  Our “Resolution” package offers a physical assessment and three sessions with a personal trainer to help you get on the path to rebuilding lean muscle, which will jumpstart your metabolism to help you get rid of the bad weight and keep it off.

This new year, ditch your calorie-starved diet that leaves you feeling weak and lethargic and focus on getting healthier and stronger. You will be amazed by the increase in energy and confidence and how it will permeate your entire life (personal and professional).  We will also bet that you’ll have to buy some new clothes that don’t look so baggy on you, too.

 

CategoriesBlog Live Fit. Nourish.

Tricks for Eating Healthy Over the Holiday Season

The holidays are coming and that means plenty of celebrations and gatherings of family and friends. Sitting and breaking bread, enjoying traditional dishes, and making memories are all a part of the season. But how do you participate and relish the season but not over-indulge? We are going to share some great approaches that will help you enjoy the holidays and not feel deprived, yet stay on track with your commitment to a healthy lifestyle.

  • Remind yourself that you can eat healthy most of the time: It is not a matter of all in or all out. You can make the choices for fresh, wholesome food most of the time, and save those indulgences” for the parties or special holiday events.
  • Look ahead: When you know there is an office party mid-week, and another holiday event on the weekend, “schedule” yourself some indulgences, while at the same time “schedule” the rest of the days for staying on track. This approach helps you to not be making decisions in the moment and staying in control. You are less likely to completely fall off the wagon.
  • Party ahead: That is have a pre-party at home with some healthy options such as nuts, fruit, and proteins. Arrive satisfied and your plan won’t get de-railed.
  • Plan for your workouts: You may splurge a bit on your treats, but if you enter your workout times into your calendar as appointments with yourself, you feel less defeated and getting back full on your nutrition plan after the holidays will be easier and you are less likely to throw in the towel completely
  • Avoid those empty liquid calories. While alcohol is high in calorie count, it also leaves us feeling less satisfied and with reduced self-control, which leads to over-consumption. When you first arrive, choose soda water or lemon water before the meal or even before you leave the house.
  • It’s about portion control: Don’t sweat over “banned” foods, instead keep your potions smaller and balanced with the healthier choices for most of the meal and smaller portions for those special foods. Choose the smaller dessert sized plate and decide to just take tastings of your favorites, rather than full scoops or slices.
  • Keep that fridge well stocked: Having plenty of fruits and veggies in the fridge and easy to reach for is a great strategy for beating temptation and junk food.
  • Planned Indulgences: If you are going to allow yourself those indulgences (and we suggest that you DO!), then promise yourself not to waste those calories on junk that is tasty, yet not important to you. Keep them small and plan your day or weekend to allow for those treats that are truly special and worth the “cheat”.
  • Chew gum: Seriously! Make sure to bring along some gum with the plan to pop it in your mouth once you have finished your plate. You are waaaay less likely to snack once you have a nice clean palette and fresh breath.
  • Think about your emotional triggers around food and especially around the holidays. If you have identified those, you are less likely to feel blindsided when your great aunt makes her annual comment that drives you to the dessert table. It helps to understand the issues that factor into over eating and the knowledge that your triggers: emotional eating is consuming in response to feelings instead of true hunger.

Remind yourself with notes on your mirror that you are choosing these strategies and it is a matter of your game plan and not a cause for feeling deprived. Incorporate these strategies and decide on a good mental approach that will go a long way in defining the holidays as a success, rather than a season to recover from in January.

Featured photo source: Pixabay.com

CategoriesNourish.

How to Eat Pre- and Post-Workout When You Have Dietary Restrictions

Contrary to what you might expect, the hour or so spent in the elliptical or weight room is secondary compared to how you plan your meals before and after the main event. While the health benefits of a regular exercise routine certainly cannot be overstated, a diet filled with empty calories and minimal nutrients can and will work against you when it’s time to hit the gym. Fueling your body with the right foods both pre- and post- workout will produce the most payoff, turning nutrients into energy for stamina and improving body composition to help maintain your ideal weight and overall health.

Healthy, complex carbohydrates are your body’s best friend prior to a workout, while hearty proteins should be limited until afterwards (of course, remember to have a water bottle on hand at all times!).

You’ve likely heard of “carb-loading,” a common practice used by marathon runners to supercharge muscle energy stores in time for race day. Though mass carb consumption is intended for endurance athletes and not necessary before short workouts, the energy-boosting effects of healthy carbohydrates remain just as important. After your session, reach for lean proteins to help your body recover and build muscle to give you the upper-hand in future workouts.

Mileage can vary when it comes to these general guidelines — especially for those with special dietary needs or restrictions. Fortunately, there is often a way to get your share of healthy carbs and proteins from the foods on your grocery list.

Whole grain pasta, bread and rice are surefire ways for vegetarians to eat complex carbs, while some of these (namely most pastas) may not be vegan-friendly. Whole fruits and starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes, squash and corn are healthy carb sources for both vegetarians and vegans. Beans or lentils and rice make a complete protein when eaten together, and can make a delicious pre- or post-workout snack or meal when sprinkled with dairy or vegan cheese. A scoop of natural peanut butter on an apple or whole grain toast can provide protein, carbs and healthy fats.

Lucky for those with Celiac disease or otherwise gluten-free lifestyles, pasta is not off the table with the variety of tasty gluten-free options on today’s market. Alternative carbohydrate sources include quinoa, corn tortillas and potatoes, while protein can be found in beans, healthy and gluten-free grains including brown rice, nuts and seeds, or protein-rich veggies such as asparagus, broccoli and brussels sprouts. For on-the-go energy, try a gluten-free protein bar such as Larabar and Luna bars.

Of course, there are dozens more special diets out there, and it’s always imperative to take any food allergies or preferences into account when planning snacks and meals. Whatever your approach, support your fitness goals with conscious eating to ensure you’re geared up to hit the floor at Flow!

CategoriesBlog Nourish.

Ten Practical Healthy Eating Tips

There is an endless amount of “diets” prescribed in books, online and in apps.  While many of them probably achieve results if adhered to, most people are never able to fully adhere to them because the diets are impractical.  There are too many rules and foods to avoid for most diets to be practical for the common person and most fail because people cannot stick to them.  

We believe lifestyle changes are much more impactful than short-term diets.  Below are 10 simple rules to follow when eating that are practical, sustainable and will give you significant results.  

Start Your Day with Breakfast ~ Breakfast jumpstarts your metabolism, fuels you up to start your day and helps curb cravings for the remainder of the day.   If you are going to have one “bad” meal, make it breakfast.

Eat Real Food, Not Processed ~ If you don’t recognize ingredients on the box, you shouldn’t be eating it.  It is better to have slightly more calories or fat from whole foods than fewer calories from processed food.

Listen to Your Body ~ Eat when your body tells you to.  If you’re not hungry, don’t eat.  If you’re hungry, eat; putting it off will lead to overeating and poor decisions later.

Eat More Veggies and Colors ~ This is one is obvious, but most people don’t get sufficient vegetables.  You should aim to eat two pounds of vegetables per day.  Try eating one vegan meal a day to help you meet your recommended daily intake.  In addition, try to eat vegetables of varying colors, as each color represent different antioxidant phytochemicals that help protect against chronic diseases.

Don’t Skip Meals, and Snack When Necessary. ~ Skipping meals will slow down your metabolism and cause you to be starving later on.  If it’s going to be more than five hours in between meals and your body is hungry, you should grab a snack. It’ll give you energy and help you from overeating at your next meal.  The best snacks are unprocessed plant foods, so try to eat fruits, vegetables or nuts.  Leaving yourself with an empty stomach will lead to overeating or making poor eating decisions.     

Eat Your Calories, Don’t Drink Them ~ The body burns calories when breaking down food.  So while eating an apple or drinking an apple in a smoothie may provide the same nutritional benefit, eating the apple will result in fewer net calories because of the calories needed to break down the apple.

Drink More Water and Avoid Soda ~ Water is the best drink on the planet, and it’s almost impossible to drink too much.  Soda (including diet soda) is the one of the worst drinks in the world, and is a major cause of obesity and diabetes.  Sparkling, naturally flavored water is a great alternative and will also work in your cocktails.  Tea and 100-percent pure fruit juice are other alternatives.

Ditch the Whites ~ White flour is stripped of most of its nutrition and is therefore digested rapidly and causes your blood sugar to spike. White sugar can be addictive and is added to many processed foods that don’t even taste sweet, such as bread and pasta sauce.  Steer clear of foods with sugar listed among the first three ingredients.  So skip the free bread the next time you go to a restaurant.  

Eat Healthy Fats, Not Low Fat ~ Fat is a necessary nutrition component.  It also helps keep us full and adds flavor to our food.  Focus more on what fats you are eating rather than how much fat you eat.  Avocado, nuts, seeds, fatty fishes (sardines, tuna and salmon) and extra-virgin olive oil are all healthy fats.  Also, remember that whole is better than processed, so grab that stick of butter rather than the stick of low-fat margarine.  

It’s Ok to Occasionally Cheat ~ Indulging from time to time is actually good for sticking to an overall healthy diet.  You don’t need to strive for perfection. Find something that you can stick to long term. Eating healthy 90 percent for a lifetime is far better than eating 100 percent healthy for just four weeks.  

CategoriesBlog Nourish.

Healthy Noodles

Vegetable noodles are one of the newest healthy food trends, and are a great alternative to pasta or other noodles.  Vegetable noodles are spiralized vegetables that can be used as “noodles.” They are a great option for anyone who is looking to increase their vegetable intake and reduce their consumption of carbohydrates. They are also a great for those who eat gluten-free, children who don’t like to eat vegetables or those who are sick of salads .

In order to make vegetable noodles, you will need a special “spiralizer” tool, which is available in both countertop and handheld models. Many stores now offer vegetable noodles if you don’t have a spiralizer or don’t want to take the time to make them. While you can store vegetable noodles in the refrigerator, it is best to use them immediately after spiralizing.

While you can use almost any vegetable, the most common vegetables used are zucchini, parsnip, sweet potato, turnip, carrots, squash and broccoli stems.

Vegetable noodles can be used in so many different ways!

  • Use in place of pasta in your favorite Italian dish.
  • Make your own baked curly fries with sweet potatoes.
  • Use to make pasta salad.
  • Use for soups that traditionally call for noodles.
  • Use in place of noodles for Asian stir-fried noodles.
  • Use root vegetable noodles as a hearty side dish.

Health Comparison

Pasta 1 cup cooked = 221 calories  and 43 grams of carbohydrates

Zucchini 1 cup = 25 calories and 4.6 grams of carbohydrates plus vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants not found in processed pasta.

CategoriesBlog Nourish.

Spring Healthy Eating Challenge

As we enter April, it’s time to breathe some fresh air into how you eat. With that in mind, why not challenge yourself to create a healthy new habit (or four!). Change your eating for the better, making small changes and, perhaps, invite your family and friends to join in the fun with you.

Here’s the challenge:
Pick one small healthy change to make each week (ideas below).
Put your entire focus on making that change happen. Set reminders — put visual reminders around your house.
Review at the end of each week. Did you do five-plus days of your change? Success! Tell everyone about it. If not, figure out what your obstacle is and plan to beat it.
If you were successful, pick another change to make the next week, but also continue your first change. By the end of the four weeks, you should have four solid changes if all goes well. If you weren’t successful, just continue the same change (or pick a different one if you didn’t like that one) and try again, but this time with a plan to get around the obstacle.

Small changes ideas:
Add a vegetable to lunch.
Add a vegetable to dinner.
Eat a vegetable or fruit for a snack.
Add fruit to breakfast.
Prepare a healthy snack for when you feel like snacking (carrots, grapes, nuts, banana, raisins).
Change a white grain at lunch to a whole grain.
Change a white grain at dinner to a whole grain.
Pick a healthy recipe and cook two to three days’ worth of it.
Eat a vegan meal each day.
Eat no fried foods.
Replace sweets with fruit.
Reduce alcohol to one drink.
Drink more water.
Create a daily meal plan.
Eat slowly and mindfully for one meal a day.
Eat whole food instead of prepared food for one meal a day.
Eat a salad every day.
Replace soda with tea.

Have some ideas?  We’d love to hear.
What will you do?

CategoriesBlog Live Fit. Nourish.

You Can’t Out-Exercise Bad Eating Habits

As we  begin 2016, on top of the list of goals for the year is to get healthy.  This can take many forms: losing weight, going to the gym. running a marathon, eating better, moving more, better posture, eight hours of sleep, etc.

However, many of us run into pitfalls on our way to health.  Here are three popular roadblocks and ways to combat them:

1)  The Reward.  When you reward yourself for making it to that early morning class, or holding your own at the evening bootcamp, do you immediately think of food?  Have you ever thought, “I’ve been so good today about eating and exercise, I totally deserve a brownie!“?  For many of us, food is a reward.  And that type of reward makes sense, if you’re punishing yourself with your diet or exercise routine.
However, in the long run, these rewards don’t work.  Why would you reward yourself for exercising or eating “right” with junk?  Don’t get me wrong, having a piece of chocolate or brownie isn’t going to kill you, but bribing yourself to get to the gym or eat vegetables with the promise of a sugary reward (be it food or drink) is not the way to develop healthy eating habits.
Instead of using food as a reward, find something else that motivates you:  Free time. Pampering.  A luxury item.  Adventure.  Reward yourself with something that adds to your life, and gets you closer to the person you want to be.

2)  Eliminating Fat.  Embracing a low-fat or no fat diet is something we’ve been encouraged to do by food marketing.  However, foods that are labeled No Fat or Low Fat do not mean you can eat more of them.  In fact, most of these foods are full of ingredients no one can pronounce.  Fat is good for you (go ahead and repeat that).  You need a decent amount of good fat in your diet, as all of the cells in your body are made up of two layers of fats, which will be composed of healthy fats or harmful fats, depending on what you eat.
Go ahead and eat real food.  Use real butter, or olive oil.  Eat avocados, walnuts, almonds, and salmon. Ban anything labeled low fat or no fat from your kitchen.

3)  Starting your day with carbs.  Cereal.  It’s easy right?  But not so great for your mind and body. Not only is cereal loaded with carbohydrates, it also tends to be high in sugar as well.  If you begin your day with carbs and sugar, you’ll trigger an insulin response and end up feeling a little foggy in the brain, with no energy.  Most people counter this with caffeine – which begins a vicious cycle throughout the day.
Better to begin your day with protein and a healthy fat.  This will help keep your blood sugar steady, your energy even and your brain ready to go.  An egg and avocado toast anyone?

Support your training with a well balanced eating plan.  This will ensure you’re not wasting your time at the gym.