Liquid Nourishment: Wine, Beer and Alcohol

We're still on the topic of liquid nourishment and we need to discuss wine, beer and alcohol, probably the second hardest "thing to give up".  I've said it;  "thing".  It's a thing, it's not a vitamin, a mineral or an essential nutrient.  You CAN live without it.  It's not essential for your health.  Since nourishment is defined as essential for growth, health and good condition, we need to look further in order to make an educated decision.  Do wine, beer and alcohol promote growth?  NO.  Do wine, beer and alcohol promote health?  MAYBE.  Do wine, beer and alcohol promote good condition, NO.  Let's take a look at the health benefits of wine.

Again, I won't tell you what you can and cannot drink.  You are going to make that decision based upon the facts and what's right for you.

I will merely inform you what is considered nourishment for the body.  There are only trace "nutrients" in beer and wine, despite being mostly water.  Look at the pictures (source nutritiondata.self.com) which clearly show nutrients.  I used this picture to show how very little nutrients are in alcohol compared to eating quality food such as kale, for example.

On one hand, a glass of wine, red wine especially, has been touted for it's health benefits, including it's antioxidant qualities, it's ability to help reduce heart disease, and even fight certain cancers.  Beer has even been proven to help lower LDL cholesterol and may help prevent some heart disease.  But, again, we're not talking about the disease fighting benefits of alcohol.  We're talking about nourishment.

On the other seven hands, we can count the negative "virtues" of alcohols, especially, the fact that alcohols are a sugar, which, when in excess is stored as fat.  These sugars wreck havoc with insulin levels and diabetics.  These sugars lead to belly fat.  Then, we can also talk about "when one is not enough"...which leads to two or even three drinks.  But, that's another discussion on addiction and the emotional attachment associated with a "buzz", "relaxation" and/or social or binge drinking.

So, for the purposes of the 365fitt Nourishment 30 Day Challenge, beer, wine will be considered non-nutritive.  However, they do provide some health benefits.  If you choose to drink wine (because I don't think you can make a persuasive argument for beer being nourishment) for the health benefits that's fine.  I would make sure that you are not getting those same benefits from other sources.  

"I would never suggest anyone start drinking just to get some perceived health benefits, many of which are contradicted by certain studies, because it is just such a slippery slope. Any health benefits of wine can quickly turn into health risks with over consumption. Red wine is essentially made from the entire red grape, and the resveratrol in the wine comes from the skin of the grape, so I would start by including more grapes of all colors into your diet. It'd be better to hedge your bets and consume a diet rich in many fruits and veggies instead of turning just to one source." Roger Lawson

If you eat grapes, which are high in antioxidants, are you are getting all the health benefits of wine, without the alcohol? This article might indicate that the alcohol is partially responsible for production of interleukin-10, an anti-inflammatory.  Then again, you can eat foods that provide the same benefits.  Here's a list (link).
 
Again, whether you choose to consume alcohol as part of the 365fitt Nourishment 30 Day Challenge is up to you.  I believe that alcohol is NOT necessary for nourishment, but, rather, it's something that you enjoy in social situations, to relax, and/or for the "buzz".  

Soberly,
Coach Kathy

Direction for Life While in College

Here's a question from a family friend:

Hi Mrs. Kent! (wow - makes me feel old!!!)  Hope you're doing well. I was hoping you could answer a quick question for me. Due to a busy semester, I haven't been able to work out as much as I normally like too. I'm now trying to get back into shape, but my eating habits always hold me back. What foods would you recommend incorporating into a diet and/or what foods would you recommend staying away from? - just in general. And do you recommend equal focus on cardio/weights? Or emphasize one over the other? I'm not trying to bulk up. I just am working to get "fit". If anything, I normally do more cardio. In my prime I was doing 15-25 miles a week. I would like to focus on being a good runner, with an emphasis also on strength. 

Here's my answer:

Change your diet if you want to change your weight.  Change your exercise routine if you want to change your body.

It's easier to say, than execute however, but there is a way...here are some suggestions.

You say, "my eating habits always hold me back".  So, I propose to you...why?  Of course, your response is going to be, "I'm weak.  I eat poorly. I like pizza.  I eat out a lot."  etc...  And I say to you that it's your choice.  YOU are the only one responsible for what you put into your body.  You are what you eat, so a great extent.  OK, enough of the lecture.  You want a list of things to do:

Nutrition

1. Eat more lean protein.  Hard boiled eggs (skip every other yolk) and chicken top my list.  Both are lean.  You're in college, so cook up a 1/2 dozen eggs and a 1/2 dozen chicken breasts on Sunday.  Dice and slice the chicken and put in baggies in the freezer for a ready source for sandwiches, salads and main dishes throughout the week.  Eat an egg or two for breakfast every day.
2. Eat vegetables.  You may not have liked them as a kid and may not like them much now, but give them another try.  Vegetables are the mainstay of livelong wellness.  They are chock full of vitamins and minerals and are low in calories.  Vegetables fight cancer and other disease, provide antioxidants and fiber to fill you up without the calories.
3. Eat fruit.  In fact, fruit is a great snack.  Bananas are great for athletes because of the potassium.  Choose fruits that are easy to eat on the go:  apples, grapes, bananas and oranges.  
4. Smoothies are a great snack...go with frozen and fresh fruit and greek yogurt (for added protein at a low fat/low calorie option).
5. Stay away from processed foods...these are white flours, white sugars and fast foods.  They will be the death of you.  They convert readily to sugar and eventually fat and offer NO or VERY LITTLE nutritional value.  This list includes:  breads, pizzas, most frozen snack foods, cookies, crackers, chips, sodas.
6. Recognize your "pitfalls".  Know what they are.  Avoid situations where you encounter them.  If you can't avoid those situations, know mentally that you have a choice...you don't have to partake of late night pizza parties, video games and munchies and more.  Armed with knowledge and resolution, you can enter situations socially and avoid the extra calories.  That's called eating to live, not living to eat:  an important lesson to learn.

Exercise

1. Be active wherever you can.  Walk or ride your bike to classes...it all adds up.
2. Workouts don't have to be 60 minute grunt sessions in the gym.  Sometimes a 30 minute workout will do the trick.
3. Maintain your strength...muscle strength is harder to get back than cardiovascular strength.
4. When in a pinch, do a 30 minute routine that is moderate to hard. Try something like this:

• 5 minute cardio (uptempo/interval)
• 5 minute core (plank, side plank, back plank)
• 5 minute cardio (uptempo/interval)
• 5 minute legs (squats/lunges/plyometric squats/lunges)
• 5 minute cardio (uptempo/interval)
• 5 minute arms (pushups, chinups, bench press)

If you need a more specific plan - just let me know.  We will all "cycle" through periods of fitness and "not so fitness" throughout our lives.  We have exams in college, work obligations and family obligations later in life.  They key point is that you want to live 365fitt:  healthy and active 365 days a year so that you can LIVE the event that we call LIFE!  We have short term goals that include playing soccer, running a 10K or marathon, or doing a triathlon and those are exceptional short term goals.  But, in the long run...if you don't have the fitness to (in your case) participate in a pickup game of soccer or basketball...you're not 365fitt.  Make the time for it.  It's that important.

Let me know if you want a more specific plan.  Glad to help you out.

Living 365fitt throughout the years,
Coach Kathy

Free Workout Friday

I'm making Free Workout Friday a whole lot easier for everyone.  Now, all workouts will be saved as a .jpg, so you can view it, print it, use it!  I'll post to my Blog, facebook, twitter and Pinterest.

Today's workout is so easy...and pretty self explanatory.  Just get moving!  

For those of you who are doing ZONING Fitness...just put on your Blink heart rate monitor, warmup in blue...and progress so that all your walk/jog time is in yellow.  When you get to the 30 second "Go Hard", try to get your Blink to flash red just once.

As always...share it and pass it along!

Why You Should Consider A Personal Trainer

You may have never considered hiring a personal trainer, but I'll tell you why it's a great idea:

Top Reasons to Hire a Personal Trainer

Exercise has changed 

You may have been exposed to exercise "old school", maybe even dating back to the days of YOUR primary school education, when you were made to do chin-ups, push ups and climb a rope as part of your state's Physical Education program.  You had to run, jump rope and dodge the ball. Today, exercise has evolved into a well rounded program that's all about what YOU like. 

The ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) has revised their guidelines for exercise to include components of cardiovascular, strength, flexibility and balance.  A good Personal Trainer can help you find the right balance to fit your needs, which brings me to the next point...

YOU have changed

You are not the same person you were 30 years ago, let alone 5 years ago.  Your needs have changed, your life has changed, your body has changed.  A knowlegable Personal Trainer should be able to help you through all stages of your life, through thick and thin, in sickness and in health.  The Personal Trainer is there to help you and adapt to your ever changing needs and can develop a program that fits you today and can grow with you.  As part of hiring a Personal Trainer, he or she should have you fill out a Health History Form, a Goals Worksheet and a Physical Activities Questionnaire, which will give him or her a good idea about your background and what you're looking for. 

Personal Trainers have changed

Gone are the days where the Personal Trainer stands above you and watches and counts while you lift weights.  Today's Personal Trainer spends time at the computer writing programs, checking heart rate graphs, watching Youtube for videos that explain technique or exercises.  Today's trainer is involved in a way with their client like never before, going on bike rides, long runs, or taking them to new places to do motivating workouts.  (I sometimes took a client to my secret hill to run hill repeats with them.)

Today's trainer is knowlegable about special populations:  pregnancy, senior citizens, individuals rehabbing an injury, and athletes seeking performance.  Some Personal Trainers have received additional qualifications in specific areas and are able to market themselves as such.  So, if you're looking to run a marathon, you might be wise to seek a trainer with knowledge of running marathons, not a trainer who specializes in pregnancy. 

Why Hire Me and 365fitt?

• I will check your Health History
• I will review your Physical Activity Questionnaire
• I will help you with your Goals Worksheet
• I will be compassionate and caring
• I will be vested in your success
• I will hold you accountable to yourself, and to me
• I will monitor your progress, when we're together and while you're on your own
• I will forward you articles that may interest you, not distract you
• I will write workouts for you to keep your interest
• I will provide opportunities for learning
• I will teach you "why" I have you do something, so you learn
• I will listen to your needs, your problems
• I will motivate you to be good to yourself
• I will help you over obstacles and roadblocks
• I will refer you to someone qualified when you need special help
• I will not accept your excuses
• I will always tell you the truth
• YOU will always be able to trust me

Hire me!
Kathy