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January's tips and info..................(scroll down)

"When FEAR comes knocking, let your FAITH answer the door"

Pastor John Hagee.....

"Failure only occurs when you allow it"

Unknown author.......

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What’s So Great About Whole Grains? More Than You May Think! By Nadia Rodman, RD

Okay, let’s start with a line item from our nutrition scorecard. It is estimated that Americans eat less than one serving of whole grains per day. As a result, they only get about 11 grams of fiber per day rather than the recommended 25 to 30 grams. Why does this matter? Whole grains have been shown to aid in the prevention of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity. They are a vital for our health! While fiber is important, whole grains are much more than just fiber. In nature, the grain has three parts—the germ, bran and endosperm. Advanced processing techniques allow for the removal of the bran and the germ leaving the starchy white endosperm as the base grain for most food products (think white bread, white rice). The removal of two parts of the grain results in loss of fiber, vitamins, trace minerals, healthy fats, antioxidants and about 75% of the phytochemicals! As you can see, the nutrition of whole grains goes far beyond the fiber! Do You Know a Whole Grain When You See One? It can be tricky! Read carefully: ingredients in a food label are listed by weight. So, if an ingredient is one of the first listed, it is a main ingredient in that food. If it’s farther down the list, it may not be. If you see the following words near the beginning of the food label, that food is a whole grain. Whole Grain Whole Wheat Whole Rye Whole Oats Whole Grain Corn Oatmeal Graham Flour Popcorn Brown Rice Wild Rice Amaranth Barley Bulgur Buckwheat Quinoa Just because a bread is labeled “12 Grain” or “Honey Wheat” does not make it a whole grain. Here is an example of a bread that is not a whole grain: Its name is “Stone Ground Wheat Bread.” Based on this name, you might think it is a whole grain. Then, you look at the ingredients and you see “enriched, bleached flour…” Enriched bleached flour means the manufacturers have added back some nutrients that were stripped away when the grain was disassembled. The makers of this bread may be able to add back some vitamins, but they will never be able to add back all of the phytochemicals and antioxidants that the whole grain contains. Look for whole grains in the grocery store! These foods pack much more nutrition than the refined grains ever will. They have the power to help you prevent heart disease, cancer, diabetes and assist with weight management. So, try to make at least half of your grains whole grains! *******************************************************************

Feast Season Got You Down? Let's Talk Turkey By Nadia Rodman, RD

Before you sit down to the Thanksgiving feast, before the aromas even hit your nostrils, do this: take a moment to reflect on your health goals. A single day does not have the power to spoil your motivation to change. And yet, all too often people allow one day or a series of “bad” days to destroy their confidence. Watch out for pitfalls that can get you off track during this food-focused holiday. Here are some tips to help you navigate the season. Start Off on the Right Foot Don’t throw your exercise schedule out the window just because it’s the holiday season. You can avoid most holiday-related weight gain simply by maintaining your exercise regimen. Set aside 30 minutes for yourself. Don’t Neglect the Most Important Meal of the Day When you know you will be attending a feast, start the day with a healthy breakfast. Oatmeal is an excellent breakfast choice because it is low in calories and full of soluble fiber that will fill you up. Also, eat a healthy snack before you make your way to the family gathering. That way you won’t show up ravenous. Graze Smart The holidays are often used as an excuse for everyone to gather in the kitchen and munch high-calorie goodies all day long. These calories can really add up. Instead of munching while standing around talking, commit to eating only while seated. This will eliminate a lot of the mindless eating that goes on in the kitchen. Other tricks that work include chewing on a piece of gum, drinking a glass of water before eating, and munching on low-calorie raw vegetables. Besides, your main course will taste much better if you are really hungry for it! Stuff the Turkey…Not Yourself No one likes to feel so uncomfortably full that they can’t enjoy the rest of the day. But this is a special day, so allow yourself to enjoy a little bit of all of your favorites…just stop as soon as you start to feel full. Choose a smaller plate and only put your very favorite things on it. Sit down, savor the food. Have some good laughs and conversation with loved ones. Then, decide if you want seconds or if you will wait to have your “seconds” at dinner time. Take the Focus Off Food After a short “rest and digest,” get the whole family involved in a game outside, or go for a walk with your sister and feel the cool breeze of fall. Eyes on the Prize Remember to keep your goal in sight. Is that goal to feel confident in a bathing suit on your big trip? Is your daughter’s wedding coming up? Find your motivation, use it to stay committed and be thankful for all the things you have been blessed by today. ****************************************************************

The Curves fitness and weight loss program has become a very popular means of promoting health and fitness among women. The program, designed specifically for women, involves a 30-minute circuit training and a weight management program involving periods of moderate caloric restriction, followed by short periods of higher caloric intake. The Curves program is designed to gradually reduce body fat while increasing strength and fitness. Although the program is based on sound rationale, until now the effects of following this fitness and weight loss program had not been studied. In a research project supported by the Exercise and Sport Nutrition Laboratory at Baylor University and Curves International, 160 overweight, sedentary women participated in a 14-week exercise and diet program. The purpose of this study was to examine the short term and continual effects of the Curves International fitness and diet program on muscular strength, muscular endurance, aerobic capacity and resting cardiovascular variables. The participants were randomly assigned to five groups. The women in each group followed diet and/or exercise plans. There was one control group that changed nothing about their daily lives. The women in the exercise groups participated in a supervised Curves fitness program, which consists of a 30-minutes of circuit resistance and cardiovascular training exercises three days each week. Improved Muscle Strength and Endurance After 14 weeks, the exercising participants experienced significant increases in their ability to perform bench press and leg press compared to the control group. The Curves workout improved both muscle strength and endurance. Training also significantly increased relative peak oxygen uptake. The relative peak oxygen uptake is your body’s highest rate of oxygen consumption. Our maximum oxygen uptake is determined by age, height, weight, sex and amount of daily physical activity. The larger a person’s oxygen uptake value, the greater the exercise capacity. The resting heart rate of the participants decreased in response to training with no differences observed among the groups that did not exercise. Results indicate that the Curves fitness program improves muscular strength, muscular endurance, aerobic capacity and resting heart rate. The Curves program appears to be effective in enhancing general markers of fitness and health in sedentary, overweight women. -- From the experts at Curves ******************************************************************

The Tale of Two Sisters

     THIS STORY IS AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE HIDDEN COST OF POOR
HEALTH.

Kerri and Kelly are 39-year-old twin sisters. Both also live in Statesville,
both are married, and both even have four children. As you might expect, both
also have similar IQ's and similar appearance (each are about 40 pounds
overweight). They both are also earning about the same meager wage working as
middle managers at a local retail chain store, where they have each worked for
the last ten years. But in the last year, something drastic happened that will
forever change their lives - at least for one of them.

Kerri and Kelly were tired of being chronically tired, generally overweight,
and looking and feeling unhealthy. They were delighted to learn there was a
Curves fitness location just minutes from their homes and decided to stop in
and see if joining was right for them. While both were delighted to learn of
the way Curves puts together custom workouts designed to help them accomplish
their objectives, Kelly was concerned about investing the five-hundred-dollar
annual cost for such workouts, the 30 minutes of valuable time she would lose
at least three or four times a week while working out, and how her husband
would feel if she informed him she was once again trying yet another way to
lose weight and get healthy. For these reasons, Kelly decided to pass. She
simply didn't have that kind of time and money right now, she explained.

Kerri was also financially strapped, but she decided to borrow the money and
join nonetheless. Kerri also wasn't sure where she would find the time, but she
knew something had to change in her life. When Kerri informed her husband of
her decision to join Curves, lose weight, and look and feel better, he was
cautiously supportive. When she wrote that check for the annual membership, she
was concerned about it's value - but she moved forward anyways.

AFTER ONE WEEK:

Within the first week, Kelly was convinced she made the right decision. Kelly
had enough bills to pay off and was happy she didn't have another one to
Curves. She also came home tired at the end of a hard day's work, and knew
there was no way she would have been able to schedule yet another task (going
to Curves), and would have wasted her money if she joined. She applauded
herself for not joining Curves.

That same week, Kerri was also convinced she made the right decision. Thanks to
her four workouts that week, Kerri wasn't feeling as tired as she usually felt
when she completed her day, and the two hours per week actually was recaptured
by her feeling more energetic and awake, helping her to get up a little earlier
each morning. Kerri also decided to buy fewer snacks to assist in her goals,
and that saved her about ten bucks a week, which was more than the cost of the
Curves workouts.

AFTER ONE MONTH:

A month passed and Kelly was still stuck in her same situation, both personally
and professionally.

That same month Kerri was noticeably trimmer. People at work were beginning to
notice too, and Kerri proudly told them about Curves and her personal goals.
Her husband was once again giving her the looks she remembered when they
started dating, and that built her confidence. Something else was also
happening to Kerri which she couldn't figure out. Thanks to being physically
healthy, she had more oxygen flowing to her brain, so she felt smarter and less
frustrated. That resulted in a more positive relationship with her children,
her boss, and her customers at work. That month her boss approached her and
offered her a promotion and a two dollar per hour raise. Kerri accepted, and
was now earning considerably more than her twin sister.

AFTER ONE YEAR:

About a year has passed and Kelly and Kerri are about to have a 40th birthday
party together.

To Kelly, her life is starting to change for the worse. Her family relationship
is strained, she is having more difficulty than ever putting in those long
hours required in a retail environment, and her debts have actually increased
from where they were a year ago. On top of all that, Kelly just learned she has
type two diabetes, and she'll have to undergo a lifetime of treatment and
costly medication to live with it. Kelly also knows she is in the early stages
of depression, and has started taking costly medication in an effort to
overcome these unhealthy feelings.

To Kerri, her life has changed as well. She hardly recognizes the person she
was a only one year ago. For starters, Kerri has a better relationship with her
husband and children that at any time in recent memory. They see her both
physically and intellectually in a different light, and the respect she gets at
home and at work has noticeably improved as well. In fact, she recently had the
courage to apply for her dream job and demand nearly twice what she earned at
her current retail job. Because of her high energy, high confidence, and
positive physical appearance, she landed the job and was able to pay off nearly
all of her debts except for her mortgage.  To Kerri, investing the time and
money in a Curves workout plan was literally a major life changing event.

WHAT'S IN YOUR FUTURE?

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Research Update: Diet with Exercise The Curves Approach Takes Off the Weight! The Curves fitness and weight loss program has been tested and proven to reduce body fat significantly, especially when combined with a healthy diet. In one particular study, 160 inactive women participated in a 14-week exercise and diet program. Although the Curves program has been based on sound rationale, prior to this study the effects of following this program had not been scientifically assessed. The purpose of this study was to examine the short term and long term effects of the Curves International fitness and diet program on body composition changes in inactive overweight females. The women were randomly assigned to five groups: a control group, an exercise without dieting group, an exercise with high calorie diet group, a low-calorie high-carbohydrate group, and a very high protein diet group. The control group changed nothing about their daily routine. The diets involved consuming 1,200 calories per day for two weeks and 1,600 calories per day for eight weeks. Success with the Curves Way! The women participated in a supervised Curves fitness program three days each week. This, of course, included 30 minutes of circuit resistance and cardiovascular training. The women’s body composition was measured three times during the experiment. After 10 weeks, the women who exercised and followed a healthy diet experienced greater losses than the women who simply ate sensibly and skipped exercise. The results from this study indicate that the Curves fitness and weight loss program is an effective way to promote and maintain weight loss, particularly when following a healthy diet. The Curves fitness and weight loss program has become a very popular means of promoting health and fitness among women. The program involves a 30-minute circuit training and a weight management program involving periods of moderate dieting, slowly increasing caloric intake. The program is designed to promote a gradual reduction in body fat while increasing strength and fitness. From the above-mentioned study, supported by the Exercise and Sports Nutrition Laboratory at Baylor University and sponsored by Curves International, we can conclude that the Curves fitness and weight loss program increases weight loss in all groups, especially those following a diet plan. Also, intermittent dieting following weight loss appears to be an effective way to maintain and further encourage weight loss and improvements in body composition. -- From the experts at Curves **********************************************************  Energy-Sustaining Snacks Smart Bites to Keep You on Track By Nadia Rodman, RD Print Email Whether you are trying to lose weight or just keep your energy levels up throughout the day, healthy snacks are important. Try not to let more than four hours pass without eating something. Snacks that contain carbohydrate, fiber, and protein will keep you fuller longer. Carbohydrate is the preferred energy source for your body and protein will help stabilize your blood sugar so that it won’t skyrocket and then quickly crash. Fiber delays the emptying of the food from your stomach. All of this translates into sustained energy for you. Here are some examples of energy sustaining snacks that contain carbohydrate, fiber and/or protein. string cheese and an apple celery with peanut butter yogurt peach and soy nuts slice of whole wheat bread with peanut butter popcorn and string cheese Curves® chewy granola bar cottage cheese and pineapple baby carrots and cucumbers with hummus dip grapes and Laughing Cow® Light Swiss cheese Curves® cereal with milk whole wheat crackers and cheese Curves® protein shake smoothie made with fresh fruit and low fat milk Take the Hint From Your Snacks Having carbohydrate, fiber, and protein will stabilize your energy levels and keep you fuller longer. It is important to have a balance of these nutrients at most meals for health and weight management. If your snack choices hit all three targets, you’re on track!

*********************************************************** Cholesterol 101 Practical Ways to Help Bring Down the Numbers By Nadia Rodman, RD “Cholesterol” is not necessarily a dirty word. As you know, there is good cholesterol and bad cholesterol, each with similar names and abbreviations. If you, like many, tend to confuse the two, just think the “H” in HDL—or high-density lipoprotein—stands for “healthy.” The other type, LDL—or low-density lipoprotein—is the bad cholesterol. (Think “L” as in “lowly.”) When LDL cholesterol is elevated it can stick to the arteries and form plaques that narrow and harden the arteries. This is known as atherosclerosis, or heart disease. The cholesterol content in one's body is determined by both genetics and  lifestyle. Since we can’t go back and choose different parents, let’s focus on what those with high cholesterol numbers can do. #1: Cut back on Saturated Fat You may be surprised to learn that the largest dietary determinant in one's cholesterol is NOT the actual cholesterol content of foods. Yes, cholesterol in foods contributes, but it comes nowhere close to the damage that can be done by saturated fat. Saturated fat comes from animal products, so the largest contributors in the diet are fatty meats, high fat dairy products, and fried foods. Here are some quick tips to cut saturated fat. Make a healthy change today! Choose lean protein: this includes skinless chicken breast, fish, pork loin, beef tenderloin or sirloin (when you hear “loin” that cut is lean) Trim visible fat from the meat: If you see white fat, it is saturated, so trim, trim, trim! Switch to skim or 1% milk and yogurt, and choose low-fat cheeses Trade your butter for olive oil or margarine without partially hydrogenated oils Limit fried foods #2: Shed Those Extra Pounds For someone concerned about their cholesterol count, the next best thing he or she can do to lower that number is  to lose weight if they are overweight. Excess calories over time contribute to weight gain and elevated cholesterol. The most effective way to lose weight is to combine diet and exercise. Exercise increases one's healthy cholesterol (HDL). #3: Bulk Up With Fiber There are two types of fiber—soluble and insoluble. Both have their benefits. But when it comes to cholesterol, soluble fibers are key—because they can absorb cholesterol and get it out of your body. In fact, the high content of soluble fiber in oatmeal is the reason a package of oatmeal usually displays a heart symbol. Peaches, pears, plums, oranges, apples, mangoes, blackberries, grapefruit, carrots, peas and broccoli are all excellent sources of soluble fiber. Most Americans fail to reach the recommended 25 - 35 grams of fiber per day for health. Reach that healthy mark by eating fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains each day. #4: Cinnamon That’s right…the spice in most people's kitchen cabinet at home can be a powerful cholesterol fighter. Adding 1 teaspoon of cinnamon to the diet each day can help help some individuals with high cholesterol to lower those cholesterol amounts. Cinnamon can be sprinkled into oatmeal, on toast, or added to a smoothie.  A “cobbler” for breakfast (made by slicing fresh fruit (pears are great), topping it with low-fat cottage cheese, cinnamon, and a little crunchy cereal) makes for a delicious, heart-healthy breakfast or snack.

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Why is Exercise Important? The Benefits of Exercise Go Beyond Weight Loss By Cassie Findley, MSEd and Chassati Thiele

Have you ever heard the expression "use it or lose it"? It's true! If you don't use your body, you will surely lose it. Your muscles will become weak. Your heart and lungs won't function as efficiently as they should, and your joints will be stiff and easily injured. Inactivity is as much of a health risk as smoking! Helps Prevent Diseases Our bodies are created for movement. Regular exercise is necessary for physical fitness and good health. It reduces the risk of heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes and other diseases. It can improve your appearance and delay the aging process. Improves Stamina When you exercise, your body uses energy to keep going. Aerobic exercise involves continuous and rhythmic physical motion, such as walking and bicycling. It improves your stamina by training your body to become more efficient and use less energy for the same amount of work. As your conditioning level improves, your heart rate and breathing rate return to resting levels much sooner from demanding activity. Strengthens and Tones Exercising with weights and other forms of resistance training develops your muscles, bones and ligaments for increased strength and endurance. Your posture can be improved, and your muscles become more firm and toned. You not only feel better, but you look better, too! Enhances Flexibility Stretching exercises are also important for good posture. They keep your body limber so that you can bend, reach and twist. Improving your flexibility through exercise reduces the chance of injury and improves balance and coordination. If you have stiff, tense areas, such as the upper back or neck, performing specific stretches can help relax those muscles, helping you feel more comfortable. Controls Weight Exercise is also a key to weight control because it burns body fat. Sustained target heart rate activity conditions your body to access fat for energy. During the first few minutes of exercise, your muscles will primarily burn energy in the bloodstream and glycogen stored in the muscles. As you continue to exercise, your body will begin to access more fat stores for energy. Sustained exercise will continue to burn more fat, and your body will become more proficient at accessing body fat as you exercise on a regular basis. Improves Quality of Life Once you begin to exercise regularly, you will discover many more reasons why exercise is so important to improving the quality of your life. Exercise reduces stress, lifts moods, and helps you sleep better. It can keep you looking and feeling younger throughout your entire life. ***********************************************************

Blueberries on the Brain