exercise

Family Health: A New Normal

2020 has been quite the surprise! We’ve spent what seems like half the year inside due to the COVID-19 pandemic. What has not been a surprise is the need to update the Healthy People Initiative. Every ten years the US government develops objectives to move the country towards better health which is collectively called the Health People Initiative. Some of the objectives are related to nutrition and physical activity. The Healthy People Initiative 2030 also includes new objectives for Health-Related Quality of Life & Well-Being which includes physical, mental, emotional, and social functioning which highlights a focus on optimal health or what I like to call whole-person health.

According to the latest results and supporting data, although adults are moving more and reporting a better quality of life, none of the objectives were met towards healthful diets and healthy weight. In addition, the objectives for adolescents participating in physical activity were not met. As the country seeks out a new normal, there is no better time to focus on family health. Below are some habits you can incorporate into your family routine as a new normal.

Get creative and have at home gym class where everyone gets involved. Inquire about access to physical activity in childcare settings and ensure access to physical activity for children at home.
Reduce television viewing and computer usage to improve cognitive skills and the ability to concentrate and pay attention.
Craft most of your meals at home. Foods eaten away from home often have more calories and lower nutritional quality than foods prepared at home.

Family and Health: It’s Not Complicated

Spending time with family and friends is an even greater victory when you can combine it with a healthy habit.

Get Active: A nature walk is a fun activity that can get you outside and spending time with family and friends. Select an area that has lots of trees and birds. Kids can explore the differences between trees and talk about the different animals and maybe insects they see throughout the walk.

Get Cooking: Another fun group activity is making a meal (breakfast, lunch, snacks or dinner). You can engage children by asking them to complete several tasks. If the children are very young, you can ask them what they would like to cook and find a recipe together. If they are a bit older, you can ask them to find a recipe on their own that you can make together Kids can also help with shopping for and prepping the ingredients. You can go with something as simple as a salad or pizza or as complicated as homemade pasta sauce or cookies. The point is for everyone to play a role in making the meal.

These are just two activities that can keep you committed to your health goals and enjoy time with your loved ones.

Breathing and Body Scan Exercise for Stress Reduction

Breathing and body scanning are exercises that can be considered meditation, relaxation exercises, or stress reduction exercises. The exercise does not take more than 10 minutes. It can be done anywhere you are able to sit and can be modified if you stand. Essentially it can be done anywhere! Let’s begin.

For each exercise focus on the stretch and your breaths (at least one to two for each stretch) in and out.

Raise your eyebrows
Squint your eyes
Clench your teeth and pull the corners of your mouth to your ears
Bring your chin to your chest
Bring your ears to your shoulder (right, then left, left, then right)
Pull your arms back and bring your elbows to your side
Make a fist and pull up your wrist
Pull your shoulder blades together
Pull your belly button toward your spine
Squeeze your knees together
Point your toes toward your face
Turn your feet inward and outward

Whatever it was that had you stressed, let it go. If you still feel the stress you can repeat the exercise or increase the number of breaths, you give to each stretch.

The S.W.A.G. Challenge

I’m calling all women that are looking to get stronger to join the Strong Women Accountability Group Challenge (S.W.A.G.). You can have the desire to be physically stronger or stronger in adhering to the goals you set for yourself at the beginning of the year. This is a virtual challenge but you will be provided with the tools to succeed. These tools include

-an initial assessment
-weekly encouragement
-weekly workouts
-nutritional guidance
-private webinar
-private virtual team connection
-a prize for the challenge winners

Check it out!

The New Way to Have Oatmeal

If you are like me, you enjoy sweet oatmeal and good oatmeal cookies. But there’s something else you can do with that oatmeal, try savory oatmeal. It’s still cold outside; there is nothing like warming your belly before going out or after coming in. Try the savory oatmeal recipe below and tell me what you think!

Ingredients

1/4 cup of steel cut oats

3/4 cups of water

1-2 tablespoons of grated cheese

1 cooked egg

sautéed onions

salt and pepper to taste

Place ¾ cup water and pinch of salt in saucepan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add in steel cut oats and allow to boil for about 1 minute then reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed and the oats are soft but chewy. Remove from heat.
While your oats are cooking, cook your egg however you like, poached or fried.
Once both the egg and oats are finished cooking, grab a bowl add oats and top with cooked egg, cheese, cooked onions, avocado, fresh herbs, hot sauce, or whatever your heart’s desire.
Enjoy your savory warm oatmeal.

The Heart Health Secret

The number one cause of death for Americans is heart disease, but it’s preventable. You may already know this, but come closer… the heart health secret is…diet and exercise! Yes, lifestyle changes such as a good diet and some good old exercise could save your heart and your life!

So, what do I mean by good exercise? If you like vigorous activity that’s 90 minutes a week (e.g. 15 minutes for 6 days) of activities such as running at least 5 miles per hour or jumping rope. For those who like more moderate level exercise such as brisk walking or dancing, you need to complete 120 minutes of exercise a week (e.g. 20 minutes for 6 days). Don’t forget to include strength training at least two days a week!

For a lot of people, the real challenge may be a good diet or eating patterns. The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines provide some good suggestions for healthy eating patterns such as:

– Choose foods to make up most of your nutrition instead of supplements/substitutes

– Choose the appropriate calorie intake for your body

– Keep variety in your meals

– Limit calories from added sugars and fats

– Limit sodium intake

– Choose healthier options for food items and beverages

– Make healthy eating a lifestyle

As Heart Health month continues, I encourage you to grab a friend and challenge each other to make some changes for your heart. If you struggle with making these changes, there is no shame in seeking help through a health coach. I think I know where you can find a good one!

Matters of the Heart

It’s month two into your new year, new you plan. Some may have jump started their efforts, but it’s quite possible that others have not for various reasons. Whatever position you’re in you are not alone! If you’re well on your way that is great! If you’re not remember changing behavior is hard to do. This is particularly true when you’re trying to make lifestyle changes. When trying to make those types of changes you should have a will and a way. An article in Psychology Today indicated that the will is your why and the way is defined as the how. Sometimes people lose focus on why they are trying to change. It’s also possible that the “why” isn’t strong enough for one to commit to the change. You may have had a plan that didn’t quite work out once you got started. If you have fallen off the new year, new you wagon, you can get back on. Assess your will and your way and ensure your goals are SMART goals.

Baby It’s Cold Outside!

Yes, winter has arrived! It’s cold outside but that is not a reason to be inactive. The holiday rush is over, and all those extra calories have settled in. If you don’t want those settled calories to become settled pounds, you need to move. The good news is exercise does not require a gym or even equipment. Try this simple routine to keep you moving even when you don’t feel like it. Just start and you will have at least a 20-minute workout before you know it.

Jumping jacks for 45 secs, rest 15 secs
Squats for 45 secs, rest 15 secs
Mountain climbers for 45 secs, rest 15 secs
Lunges for 45 secs, rest 15 secs
Alternating fast feet for 45 secs, rest 15 secs
Plank with alternating shoulder taps for 45 secs, rest 15 secs
Rest for 1 minute and repeat 1-2 times