March Madness - Hilton Head Health-iest Cereal Bracket: And the Winner Is...

DRUM ROLL PLEASE......................



If you played along with us, see how your team did by viewing the complete bracket.

REAL PEOPLE, REAL STORIES: HEAVY's Stacia Kingston

Every Monday for the past six weeks, we have been watching the stories of twelve individuals and their journeys to a healthier life on A&E's series, HEAVY.  You might have even had the opportunity to meet them in person during their six month stay here at Hilton Head Health.  As many of you know, once you have been to H3, you become a part of our family.  And I think I can vouch for each saying that not only did they become our family – we became theirs.  Keeping in touch with each of them has been a real treat - watching them overcome the barriers of transitioning their lifestyle, conquering fitness goals and setting the bar even higher for their future.  Today, you will have the chance to learn more about the accomplishments and challenges HEAVY participant, Stacia Kingston, has experienced in the months after returning home. 

What has your life been like after returning home?  What things have changed?  What challenges have you faced?

While I was at H3 filming, my [job] position was eliminated. Fortunately, there was a position available for me when I returned to work, and that I am very grateful for! However, it has been quite an adjustment. I had no choice in my current position, but I have been readjusting and learning the new job, and it’s given me the opportunity to meet and work with new people.  My schedule has changed somewhat, and that has been very challenging as well. I had made my exercise and meal schedule around my old job, so obviously adjustments had to be made. This is where the “evaluating the implementation” step from Adam’s Goal Setting lecture came in! At first, I was trying to stick to my original plans that I had made prior to leaving H3…and it just wasn’t working. Had I continued on that path, I would have been destined to get off track. I cannot stress enough the importance of this step in goal setting!

You mention that work has allowed you to meet new people, yet limit your time for socializing.  How have your relationships changed since returning home?  Were you able to build a support system?

The most obvious change in my relationships since I’ve returned home is that my husband and I have separated.  As I mentioned during the filming of the show, we really enabled each other when it came to food. While I had made so many healthy changes during my time at H3, he had not. In theory, he was on board with all of my lifestyle changes and supportive, but he was still eating and living the same way as before. I began to see my new good habits start to shift toward the negative ones again, and I knew that in this environment, I would go right back to where I had been…and it scared me to death. It was at that moment that I made the most difficult and painful decision of my life, to move out. I had to create my own safe environment, and take care of me.

Relationships with friends have changed as well. My social calendar is not as full as it used to be! In many of my friendships, the bonding was always over food, mostly eating out. I’ve tried to change the dynamic of my friendships by suggesting activities not centered around food, but on exercise or more active type gatherings. My friend Andrea, who used to be my go-to when I was craving Mexican food, has now become my partner in crime in regards to fitness. We trained together and recently completed our first sprint triathlon at Parris Island! Does that mean that we never eat together? Of course not! We still occasionally go out for dinner, but it’s not the focus of our friendship. I feel like our friendship has gotten even stronger. And that is true of the friendships where I’ve been able to shift the focus from food…I feel much more connected and engaged as a friend. There are also the friends that I just can’t be around as much, not because I don’t love and care about them, but because their habits don’t support my lifestyle any longer.

There is no question that the lifestyle of one at H3 is not realistic for the everyday world.  What is your diet and fitness routine like now that you are back at home?

My diet is very simple compared to the gourmet meals that we had at H3. While I love to cook, I’m a creature of habit, and I like to keep meals and meal planning as straightforward and uncomplicated as possible. I will say that after trying so many different types of foods at H3, the variety of foods that I prepare is much bigger. Additionally, I have transitioned to a much more vegetarian lifestyle. I still do eat animal proteins, but I eat at least 2-3 vegetarian dinners a week, whereas before I would have had none. I am eating right around 1600 calories a day, which is satisfying while also allowing me to continue to lose weight, albeit at a slower pace. In terms of eating out at restaurants, I try to limit it to 2-3 times a week, and never more than once in the same day. Furthermore, I try to plan the occurrences of eating out in advance, so I don’t decide to use it “on the fly” as a coping mechanism for a bad day.

My time spent exercising has most certainly decreased since coming home. It’s just not realistic to exercise four to five hours a day! Even the training schedule I was sticking to while training for my sprint triathlon was almost too challenging to stick to in the “real world.” While training for that I was exercising about two and half hours a day, and since I exercise in the morning before work...well, let’s just say it was awfully early when that alarm clock went off every day! Now that I’m back to a more basic fitness routine, I aim for 30-45 minutes of cardio 5-6 days a week. I strength train each muscle group (alternating days) 2-3 days a week. This brings my workout in at an hour and half every day.  I also started a walking group at work, and every day at 11am and 3pm we walk around the academic quad for 15 minutes. I’m fortunate to work on a college campus, so I have lots of opportunities to walk to other buildings on campus. On the weekends (especially since it’s getting to be warmer weather) I try to do something fun…something I want to do, anything to get out of the gym and the mentality that I “have” to do it. Last Saturday, I climbed to the top of Stone Mountain for the first time, and this weekend I’m planning on taking a long bike ride on the Silver Comet Trail. I never want exercise to become a chore to me, and with these “fun days,” it keeps me excited about staying active!

Thanks for sharing Stacia - you are truly an inspiration!  Check back to H3 DAILY this weekend for PART TWO of our interview – focusing on motivation and support.

H3 Recipe: Cilantro-Lime Grilled Chicken Skewers and Coconut Rice

Ingredients:

4 4oz. Chicken breasts, each breast cut into 6 pc.

1/2 Fresh pineapple, large chunks

16 Wooden skewers, soaked in water

Marinade:

1 Cup Chicken Stock

4 Fresh limes juice and zest

1/4 Cup Fresh chopped cilantro

1 Tsp. Minced garlic

1 Tbl. Extra virgin olive oil

1/2 Tsp. Crushed red pepper

1/2 Tsp Salt

1/4 Tsp. Ground pepper

Preparation:

• Combine first 7 ingredients for the marinade, reserve.


• Prepare chicken and pineapple, skewer alternating chicken and pineapple.


• Lay skewers in a single layer cover with marinade wrap and chill, allow marinading for 30 minutes to 2 hours.


• Remove skewers from marinade, grill skewers.

Number of Servings: 4
Calories: 170
Fat: 4

Coconut Rice

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Short grain brown rice

1/3 Cup Light coconut milk

1 Cup water

1/4 Tsp. Coconut milk

1/2 Tsp. Ground pepper

Preparation:

• Add all ingredients to a pot.


• Bring to a boil.


• Reduce heat to low and cover pot.


• Cook until all of the liquid is absorbed and rice is light and fluffy.

Number of Servings: 3
Serving Size: 1/4 cup
Calories: 100
Fat: 3

Don't Miss the Series Finale of H3 on A&E's HEAVY - Sallie & Chad

Don’t miss the series finale!  Tonight you will have the opportunity to witness the transformations of Sallie and Chad! 

Sallie is the life of every party, but at age 30 and 443 pounds, she is finding she can no longer be as active as she once was. Now, as she watches her 9-year-old son Sam follow in her footsteps and gain weight, she realizes that it is time to change her life--for both her and Sam. 

Chad, at age 28 and weighing 509 pounds, has met the love of his life and is ready to start a family of his own. However, Leina isn't willing to settle down with Chad until he changes to a healthier lifestyle. She doesn't want to marry someone who could die in a year. Unwilling to lose Leina, Chad is ready to prove that he can be the man she wants him to be.

If you were here last year, you likely met one or both of these amazing individuals at some point during their stay – and now here’s your opportunity to see their entire journey!  Be sure to tune into A&E at 10/9C tonight! 

If you missed last week’s episode featuring Mark and Patty, visit www.aetv.com to watch the full episode plus additional bonus scenes!

Coaching Corner: Marking Your Motivation

Motivation is an interesting subject. We all know what it is, but at the same time motivation is unique to each and every one of us. We’re constantly asking one another, “How do you stay motivated? What can I do to be like that? How can I get more motivated?” The issue here is that there is no valid one size fits all answer.  No fitted hats, no stretchy exercise pants; motivation is something that can’t be taught, it can only be found by you.

We have to uncover it for ourselves; but the question is - how do we discover it? Why at times is it the hardest thing to pin it down? I think we have to look at motivation and believe that it is really when our dreams put on their work clothes. Motivation is truly discovered when we decide to go after our dreams passionately and with meaning from deeper emotions attached. Again marking a motivation is difficult, but once you find it becomes tough to erase. For this week’s coaching corner answer of few of these questions and pick a few tips to mark your motivation:

Who in your family drive you to be healthy?

What quote can you think of that inspires to you follow thru?

What activity can you not live without?

What is it you wake up for every single morning?

What feelings do you most dream to ignite throughout your day?

What event or race is coming up that you have to be in shape for?

What organization, faith, or cause do you believe in most?

Tips to take

1. Wear a custom Livestrong bracelet such as “Train for life” or “Unwise, Better, Best”

-          Look at this band when you wake up in the morning or when making an important decision

2.  Set your room up for success

-          Add pictures of your friends and family, upcoming races, healthy magazines and books

3.  Put your goals on your desktop

-          Place your top 3 goals as your desktop with pictures of representing all your answers above

Kickstart Your Weekend with Amber's Boot Camp

Happy Weekend!  It's gorgeous here on Hilton Head Island and today we have decided to take our exercise outdoors with Amber's Boot Camp.  The perfect excuse to get outside, sneak in your weekend workout and kickstart your Saturday.  Watch the video and follow along!

Friday Fitness: PhysioBall Stretch

Sitting at a desk all day may be ruining your posture or giving you unscrupulous low back pain.  Try these two stretches on a physioball to loosen up those chest and shoulder muscles.

Perfection is the Enemy of Progress

“I should be perfect.”  If we were playing Family Feud at Hilton Head Health, this would be the #1 answer on the board for “thoughts that interfere with your healthy eating and exercise.”  Although you, like many people, know that perfection is impossible, you may continue to strive for it.  You may wear yourself out, physically and mentally, trying to be perfect.  When you don’t meet your unrealistic expectations for your eating and physical activity, you may be very disappointed, feel like a failure, and wind up giving up. 

To challenge your perfectionism …

Give yourself permission to make mistakes.  Mistakes are a sign that you are human.  In most situations, making a mistake is not the end of the world. 

Ask yourself “what’s the worst thing that could happen if I weren’t perfect in this situation?”  Then ask “How terrible would that really be?” 

Aim for excellence, not perfection.  Performing tasks well is important.  In some cases, a task may only need to be done “well enough.”  I used to re-load the dishwasher because I could fit more dishes in than my room mate.  I wasted hours on a task that didn’t require anything near perfection.  To make time for your healthy eating and physical activity, something has to give. 

If you strove for excellence instead of perfection, and if you accepted that sometimes “good enough” really IS good enough, how would your life be better?

You've Been Asking For It...

If you had the opportunity to meet Johnny, a participant on A&E's HEAVY, you met a rap superstar!  Throughout his stay, Johnny performed and perfected this rap - summarizing his journey to a healthy lifestyle.  A performance that always drew laughs, tears and a standing ovation - we wanted no more than to share it with you all!

Check it out - and leave Johnny a few words of encouragement and motivation as he continues as a new culinary school student!

H3 Recipe: Sesame Chicken

 



Ingredients:

4 (4oz.) Boneless, skinless, trimmed chicken breast, cut into large pieces

½ cup Cornstarch

¼ cup Flour

Pinch Sea salt

½ cup Egg beaters

Sauce:

½ cup Honey

½ cup Soy sauce, low sodium

1 cup Water

2 teaspoons Ground ginger

1 teaspoon Red pepper flakes

2 Tablespoons White sesame seeds

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees


• Spray baking sheet with non-stick pan spray.


• In medium size bowl, place cornstarch, flour, and salt together.


• In another bowl, add egg beaters.


• Dip chicken breast pieces in egg beaters then in breading mixture.


• Place on baking sheet pan, and bake for about 10 minutes or until they have reached an internal temperature of at least 160 degrees and then let sit until carry over cooking brings them to 165 degrees.


• For the sauce, place all the ingredients in medium sized sauce pan.


• Simmer and reduce sauce by ½ . 


• If sauce is still thin, make a cornstarch slurry (cornstarch and cold water)
  
  
  
  • ¼ cup cornstarch and ¼ cup cold water or until slurry is formed.
  
  
  • Make sure to slowly whisk in slurry and only add as much as you need.  Add small amounts at a time and make sure sauce is lightly boiling.  This activates the cornstarch to thicken.
  
  
  
  


• Drizzle sauce over roasted, grilled, or baked chicken breast.

Number of servings:  4
Serving size: 1 breast or 4 strips with 1 oz. sauce
Calories: 216
Fat: 2

Only Two Episodes Remain - Don't Miss HEAVY Tonight on A&E at 10/9C

Tonight you will have the opportunity to witness the transformations of Mark and Patty!

Mark is only months away from being a first-time father, but at age 40 and weighing 516 pounds, Mark is afraid if something doesn't change soon, he won't live to see his daughter grow up.  Will he be able to turn his life around, or will being away from his pregnant wife be too much for him to take?

Patty has survived a lifetime of tragedy, and has used food to medicate the pain for as long as she can remember.  But now, at age 59 and weighing 312 pounds, Patty is ready to stop the cycle and start living again, not just for herself but also for her whole family.

If you were here last year, you likely met one or both of these amazing individuals at some point during their stay – and now here’s your opportunity to see their entire journey!  Be sure to tune into A&E at 10/9C tonight! 

If you missed last week’s episode featuring Stacia and Tim, visit www.aetv.com to watch the full episode plus additional bonus scenes!

Show our Earth Some Love

Earth Day 2011 is just around the corner! Earth Day is not just about recycling and climate change – it’s about better health. Low levels of pollution have been found to increase asthma risks, lead to inflammation in the blood vessels, and increase the risk of recurring heart attacks. The effects of pollution in regards to respiratory disease, heart disease, and cancer are clearly evident. My question is why has it become socially acceptable to dismiss simple changes that can ultimately improve the quality of our environment and health?

My challenge to you in preparation for Earth Day 2011 is to educate yourself. Follow the simple flow chart above as well as the useful tips below and strive to become healthier and GREENer this Earth Day!  

Water:

• Use only the water you need and reuse when possible.


• Use biodegradable and environmentally friendly cleaning products.


• Dispose of solid and liquid wastes as well as medications safely.

Air:

• Use human powered modes of transportation. (ie. Biking/Walking)


• Take public transportation or carpool.


• Keep the right house plants in your home to improve indoor air quality.


• Buy locally or grow your own food.


• Plant a tree, or many trees.

Land:

• Use environmentally friendly products.


• Learn to compost.

Energy:

• Limit your use of energy. (Be mindful)


• Choose energy-saving appliances; (ie.Energy Star).


• Go renewable! Create your own power from wind, sun, water and biofuels.

Waste:

• Reduce


• Reuse/Upcycle --- check out www.terracycle.net, very innovative!


• Recycle


• E-cycle

Resource: www.epa.gov

Running for Weight Loss

On the H3 Daily blog, you are sure to see many running related posts.  Not only do we love running for its cardiovascular benefits – but it’s also free, you can do it anywhere and at anytime.  Plus running gives you a sense of accomplishment and if you participate in local races you can gain a support of running friends.  However, the most popular draw of running is the calorie burn associated with hitting the treadmill.  (You burn about 8.5 calories a minute when moving at a comfortable pace.)  So it makes sense right – you are looking to lose weight so why not keep adding on the minutes?  This may be true at first, but just like any other form of exercise, your body will become more efficient and you may hit a plateau.  Plus, running long distances on a regular basis takes a physical toll, can cause injuries and can seriously hinder your enthusiasm. 

So how do you keep motivated to run and work towards your weight loss goals?  By learning how to make your runs more efficient at burning fat (by running with more intensity and by making your body stronger), you can get more benefits in less time. You'll still need to run three to five days a week, but rarely for more than 20 minutes at a time if you follow the three tips below. That's not so bad, right?

SPEED = INTERVALS
If you follow this blog regularly or have ever been to H3 – you have heard about, seen or participated in this type of training.  Interval training is simply short bursts of intense exercise with periods of recovery in between.  When you stick to the same comfortable pace (as most people do), your body doesn’t have to work as hard – but when you switch it up your body becomes less efficient and has to burn more calories to do the activity.  So would you rather – waste an hour at a comfortable pace OR get busy and in 20 minutes and you’re done?

Here’s a plus:  Not only do you burn calories while exercising – you increase your metabolism for hours after! 

Intervals come in a wide variety of times, sizes and pace – it’s flexible!  Mix up short, medium and long intervals to keep muscles guessing.  Devote one day a week to an interval routine – and switch it up each week.

INCLINE (Treading anyone?)
One of the most popular classes at H3 – treading – is a cardio interval workout using different variances of incline on the treadmill.  Not only does it alleviate boredom – but you have to put in extra effort to get up those hills!  Your body will thank you in the long run - stronger legs and an increase in caloric burn.  Like interval training – devote one day a week to incline (hills). 

STRENGTH TRAINING
You are probably wondering how lifting weights will help you reach your weight goals through running but studies have shown that runners who did resistance-training exercises two or three days a week, in addition to their weekly cardio regimens, increased their leg strength and enhanced their endurance. Plus, resistance exercise helps keep you injury-free.  A recent study in the journal Clinical Biomechanics found that female runners who did six weeks of lower-body exercises, like the ones that follow, improved their leg strength, particularly in the hips--a common source of pain and injury for runners. 

Aim for two to three days of strength training per week.  View our YouTube channel for a variety of strength training tips and workout routines.

Friday Fitness: Step Up Your Game

Hope everyone had a phenomenal St. Patrick’s Day!  Thankfully it doesn’t have to end yet, because for this Fitness Friday I’ve given you even more luck of the Irish with challenging box variations (see Adam's video on push-up variations here).  All you need is a step or a box to get started. Feel free to follow along with the video, and then go back and knock out a few sets of your own. Furthermore, I have written the exercises out for you, so if you’d like you can program them into your next workout! Good luck and keep it green.

Shoot for 2 to 3 sets of each 12 – 15 Repetitions

*Note, if wary of knees and other limitations please avoid the higher impact plyometric exercises. *Modify with step ups.

1.  Step Ups with Knee Raises


2. Steps Ups with Abdominal Twist


3. Lateral Shuffle Step Up with Squats


4. Lateral Shuffle Step Up with Mountain Climbers


5. Step Jump with Squats


6. High Impact Box Jumps


7. Box Jumps with Burpees

March Madness – Hilton Head Health-iest Breakfast Cereal Tournament 2011

Today marks the start of the NCAA College Basketball Tournament.  In homage to one of their favorite times of the year, Bob Wright and Adam Martin have created a tournament bracket of the top 64 breakfast cereals.  The winner will be crowned Healthiest Breakfast Cereal of 2011.  We have fast forwarded the competition to the “UnSweet 16”.  Watch the video below for some Bracketology with Bob and Adam.  After watching the video fill out the rest of this bracket and post in the comments who you think will be in the Championship match and ultimately who’ll come out on top!  Next week we will post the completed bracket on H3Daily!

Eat Your Greens!

Last week, we talked about eating the rainbow.  Today, in order to prepare for tomorrow's St. Patty's Day celebrations, we are going to focus on all things GREEN!  In addition to the festivities, consider adding a new tradition: add more GREEN foods to your diet!

• Increase fiber with broccoli. Broccoli provides many health benefits, including both soluble and insoluble fiber; vitamins A, C and E (important antioxidants for staving off cellular damage from free-radicals); vitamin K for bone health; and a special antioxidant called sulforaphane, known for its powerful anticancer properties.


• Vary your leafy greens. It’s important to remember that leafy green vegetables, such as lettuces, come in varying shades of green.  Research suggest the lighter the green the less vitamins and minerals. This could be due to excess water content, etc.  The darker the green = the higher the concentration of vitamins and minerals such as A, C and folate. Spinach contains lutein which is good for eye health.


• Choose vitamin K for increased bone health. While vitamin K isn’t a substitute for calcium, eating green vegetables high in vitamin K is beneficial for bone health.  Choose vegetables like asparagus, green/herbal teas, spinach, kale, turnip, collard and mustard greens, broccoli, cabbage, endive and Brussels sprouts.


• Improve cholesterol levels with avocado.  Avocado is a good source of monounsaturated fats (the healthy fats), which can help lower your cholesterol. It’s also a great source of vitamin E.


• Alternate oranges with kiwi fruit. If you’re always grabbing an orange to ensure you’re getting your daily dose of vitamin C, consider eating a kiwifruit instead.  Kiwi is said to contain more vitamin C than oranges, while also providing you with dietary fiber.


• Snack on green apples. While green apples relatively the same health benefits as red or yellow apples, green apples are a great source of soluble and insoluble fiber which aid in digestion and improve heart health.

Have a happy St. Patrick's Day - hope you find a wealth of good health! :)

H3 Recipe: Turkey Burgers

INGREDIENTS:

½ pound Turkey breast, ground

½ cup Onion, diced

½ teaspoon Garlic powder

½ teaspoon Onion powder

½ teaspoon Cumin

2 Tablespoon Cilantro, chopped fine

½ teaspoon Salt

¼ teaspoon Pepper

1 each Egg

¼ cup Panko (optional if mixture is too wet)

PREPARATION:

• Preheat grill, cast iron skillet, or George Foreman grill to a medium heat.


• Mix ingredients in medium-size mixing bowl.


• Spray non-stick cooking spray on the grill, or cast iron skillet.


• Patty the ground turkey breast mixture into 2- 4 ounce patties, or 4 – 2 ounce patties.


• Place patties on the grill and cook for about 5 minutes on each side.  Thickness of patty will determine cooking time.


• Serve warm with your favorite condiments such as 2% sharp cheddar cheese, pico de gallo, sautéed mushrooms and onions, or even a Dijon mayo.

Chef’s Note:  To prevent drying out your turkey burger, make sure you do not over-cook your burger.  Use a thermometer and make sure the burger reaches 160 degrees, then let the burger rest.  The burger should carry-over cook to 165 degrees - which is perfectly done poultry.  No more dry burgers!

Number of servings: 2 or 4
Serving size: 4 oz. cooked breast
Calories: 170
Fat grams: 1.5

Don't Miss HEAVY - Tonight at 10/9C on A&E - Tune in to see two more amazing stories!

Tonight you will have the opportunity to witness the transformations of Stacia and Tim! 

Stacia used to live to perform theater, but at 435 pounds, her weight proved to be too much of an obstacle to take the stage. She has tried to lose the weight before but she and her husband fall into old patterns and find they just can't give up their food. At 36 years old, Stacia realizes that time is ticking and, if she wants to change, she must do it now, even if it means making some drastic changes to her home life.

At 4'2" and 240 pounds, Tim is a little person whose health problems from his dwarfism are made worse by his excess weight. He dreams of holding down a job and finding love, but until he takes off the weight, those goals are out of reach. He has vowed to take off the weight before, but has never followed through. Will this time be different or will he once again fall back on old habits?

If you were here last year, you likely met one or both of these amazing individuals at some point during their stay – and now here’s your opportunity to see their entire journey!  Be sure to tune into A&E at 10/9C tonight! 

If you missed last week’s episode featuring Bill and Julia, visit www.aetv.com to watch the full episode plus additional bonus scenes!

Coaching Corner: Just Journal

When it comes to our lifestyle, what is the single most important act of personal accountability? A rather formidable question; however the answer is two words: Just Journal.

Wellness Coaching provides accountability, but at the same time we must also hold ourselves accountable. At the end of the day, we are the only one looking at ourselves in the mirror. Are you able to say you hit a 45 minute interval workout on the treadmill? Can you be honest with yourself and confidently say that you hit the 1500 calorie mark for the day?

and coaching function in the same exact approach; both provide honest, non-judgmental, and enlightening feedback. In a recent study by Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, participants who kept journals lost almost double the weight of non-journaling counterparts. More impressively, those who used a food journal more than 5 days a week lost twice as much as those who didn’t and the key here is that they kept the weight off (sustainability). 

According to most experts, accountability is the most important factor behind the success of any lifestyle change. Food journaling allows us to become fully aware of every single food substance we put in our bodies, increasing our awareness of cues, triggers, and foods that are contributing to weight gain. Further in the study, from ABC News, Dr. Victor Stevens stated that the power of journaling may not be enough: “some dieters may benefit further from joining an organized weight-loss program that provides social commitment and accountability.”

No matter what your next steps are - just journal. Americans spend roughly $35 Billion on weight-loss products a year when a pen and paper is more likely to do the trick.

At Hilton Head Health, we fully encourage all of our guests to record nutrition, stress, and exercise. Personally, I find that it’s most important to find a way of journaling that works BEST FOR YOU.  My way of journaling focuses on my motivators for leading a healthy lifestyle; this is where my friends and family come into play. Each year I create an updated motivational collage cover for my journal binder.  (Check out the picture below to see what I’m talking about). The motivational collage includes pictures of friends and family that were a big part of my journey for that year. Looking at the cover each evening has become a casual reminder to write down the events of the day including breakfast, lunch, dinner and all Metabo meals. In addition, I add interesting fitness and nutrition articles or notes on training for marathons in my binder. The binder has become my hub for my health and has been a huge reason to my ability to stay on track.



With that said, if you enjoy the pen and paper method, then I encourage you to make your own motivational cover sheets! If not, find out a journal technique that works for you. Check out five other journaling methods that I’ve used or heard or have worked for others due to convenience and affordability.

1. Lose It! – iPhone, iPad, iPod


2. My Food Diary – BlackBerry


3. Weight Watches – iPhone, Droid, BlackBerry


4. Fit Day – PC, Free account,


5. Body Minder – Complete Daily Journal

Spring into Better Nutrition

March is National Nutrition Month – the perfect time to reflect on your diet and focus on the benefits of eating healthy, fresh and balanced meals.  It is important to recognize that eating healthy is not just about counting calories or following crazy diets that make you eliminate one or more of the important food groups – but it is about eating a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, low fat dairy and healthy fats. 

By adding each of these into your daily meals, you will hit the nutritional jackpot – ensuring that you receive all of the daily vitamins and minerals your body needs to feel good, boost energy levels and maintain weight.  Don’t worry; we aren’t going to tell you to get rid of your favorites altogether but to focus more on eating them only 20% of the time.  As Bob Wright says  – choose your foods with ‘unwise, better, best’ in mind.



Here are a few tips:

- This year’s theme is to ‘Eat the Rainbow’.  Eating a colorful mix of fruits and vegetables daily provides the variety of vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytochemicals you need to stay healthy and fit. 

- When choosing processed foods (foods in a can or box) – make sure to read the ingredient list.  Choose foods with an ingredient list you can pronounce and try to stay within five ingredients, maximum!  Processed foods are typically high in sodium and sugars.

- Read the label.  Don’t just focus on calories – but make sure to take note of the fats (eliminate trans and lower saturated), carbohydrates, protein, fiber and sugar.

- Small substitutions make a big difference.  Instead of ground beef, try ground turkey breast, ground chicken breast or even soy crumbles.  Instead of whole milk, try 1% or skim.  You know from H3, 'the whole milk to skim transition.'

- Visit the farmer’s market!  It’s a great place to find fresh, local and inexpensive fruits and veggies in season.

- Eat your meals at home.  Not only will you have control of the quality and quantity – but you will also save money!  Eating dinner as a family gives you a chance to share information and news of the day and spend time with one another.  It has been shown that children of families who eat together perform better at school, as well as are less likely to be overweight.  Family meals (and even with friends) promote happy feelings of security and love, as well as a sense of belonging. 

Now it's time to Rate Your Plate!  Take this quiz from the American Dietetic Association to see if your plate stacks up!

Take Care of Unfinished Business

With spring on the horizon, my thoughts (but so far, only my thoughts!) have turned to spring cleaning.  My closet is overflowing with clothes and shoes I no longer wear, and I still have books and “Important Papers” in boxes, three years after moving into my house.  The organizational experts claim that a cluttered house is a sign of a cluttered mind.  If that’s really the case, I’m in trouble!  Now is the time to start tackling some of my clutter, one pile or box at a time.  If you want some help getting organized, check out www.flylady.net, recommended by an H3 guest. 

Perhaps even more disruptive than physical clutter is mental clutter—an overload of ideas, issues to consider, threats to worry about.  With mental clutter, you have too much on your mind.  Mental clutter can sap your energy and make it difficult to focus on taking care of yourself.  To reduce this clutter, take care of any unfinished business in your life.  Deal with it one way or another.  Either take care of it, or forget about it.  Make a decision. 

My house, that’s for sale, has a buckling hard wood floor.  For the past two months I’ve been trying to decide whether to repair the floor or carpet over it.  The repair quote—which I received last week--took a month, so I’ve been in limbo.  Meanwhile, I’ve had those darn floors taking up precious mental space.  Time to make a decision and take action!  Taking action usually feels better than being stuck. 

To free up your energy, deal with that project you’ve been avoiding, or make that decision you’ve been putting off.  Schedule that doctor’s appointment or take care of that little rattling noise in your car.  Or decide to let something go.  Perhaps those books can stay in boxes a little longer…

H3 Recipe: Beef and Vegetable Lasagna

INGREDIENTS:

4 cups Broccoli, cut small

4 cups Zucchini, cut small

4 cups Yellow squash, cut small

1 bag Spinach

1 pound Lean ground beef

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

2 teaspoon Oregano

2 teaspoon Basil

2 teaspoon Onion powder

2 teaspoon Garlic powder

1 cup Mozzarella cheese, part skim (reserve for top layer)

15 Lasagna sheets, Whole Wheat

3 cups Cottage cheese 1%

1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning

6-8 cups H3 Marinara sauce                             

PREPARATION:    

• Preheat oven to 350°F.


• Steam veggies and drain well


• Squeeze moisture out of spinach


• Sauté beef with garlic powder, onion powder, basil, oregano, and salt


• Then add H3 Marinara to the beef mixture, about 4 cups


• Reserve remaining marinara


• Then turn down heat and let simmer for about 5 to 10 minutes; set aside


•  Mix cottage cheese with Italian seasoning


• Spray oil a 9 X 13 inch pan


• Place one cup of marinara sauce on bottom of pan; top with lasagna sheets; top with veggies; top with a layer of cottage cheese and meat sauce; then top with lasagna sheets


• Repeat


• Top last layer of noodles with sauce


• Cover with parchment paper or plastic wrap; then cover with aluminum foil


• Preheat oven at 350˚ F, and bake lasagna primavera for 1hour 15 minutes


• Remove covering and top with mozzarella


• Bake 15 to 20 minutes longer to brown the cheese

Chef’s Note:  Cooking time can be cut down if you already cook the noodles.  Also, if pan is really full to the top with all layers, be sure to place a sheet or baking pan underneath so there is no mess in your oven.                                

Number of servings: 12 servings
Serving size: 1/12 of the pan
Calories:  380
Fat grams:  10

A New HEAVY Episode Tonight at 10/9C - You Don't Want To Miss It!

Tonight you will have the opportunity to witness the transformations of Bill and Julia!

Bill, 52 years old and 443 pounds, is a former college football star with two national championships under his belt who at one time had it all, but lost his job, his family, and his waistline because of drug addiction. He's since kicked his addiction to pain pills, but now it's time to see if he can beat his other addiction--food. 

Julia, 25 years old and 255 pounds, has spent her entire life having her weight compared to her skinnier twin sister, so when her boyfriend broke up with her because her weight made her no longer attractive to him, she reached wits end. Now Julia is ready to show everyone that, underneath all the extra layers, there is a strong confident woman ready to take on the world.

If you were here last year, you likely met one or both of these amazing individuals at some point during their stay – and now here’s your opportunity to see their entire journey!  Be sure to tune into A&E at 10/9C tonight! 

If you missed last week’s episode featuring Jill and Johnny, visit www.aetv.com to watch the full episode plus additional bonus scenes!

OM Your Way to Better Health

Because of its impact on the circulatory system, stress is linked to cardiovascular disease. Emotional stress can contribute to a wider spectrum of physical stress, i.e. muscle tension and constricted breathing. Efforts to alleviate these physical and emotional stressors will help you in reducing your risk of heart disease as well as other risky illnesses. Yoga, like many forms of physical activity, can help relieve stress. Yoga reduces stress by encouraging deep, rhythmic breathing. It physically increases the flow of blood and oxygen to each part of the body, which in return promotes decreased muscle tension, and overall relaxation.

Emotionally, obstacles with weight management can sometimes bring with them a great deal of unkind self-judgment. In conjunction with physical stress alleviation, yoga also has many psychological benefits. Through yoga we can create a safe, positive environment to reconnect with our bodies. As we connect with our bodies our minds begin to quiet those counterproductive messages. With a committed practice we can re-gain balance and serenity, thus opening our best pathways for improved health.

FYI: H3’s upcoming three-day “Yoga Retreat” workshop held March 24-26th will help immerse you into your journey to less stress and better health. So what are you waiting for? Book now and join us for this refreshing, balancing and rejuvenating retreat!

Get Off the Couch, Potato!

As you enjoy your relaxing and possibly lazy time this weekend – keep in mind that lounging too long on the couch can be hazardous to your health.  New studies have shown that regardless of the amount of exercise you get over the course of the day, sitting for long segments of time can increase your risk for heart disease, diabetes and cancer and can completely negate any exercise you may have done!  One study showed that sitting for four hours straight erased all exercise that person had done that day.  It’s not just zoning out to the TV, but those who spent four or more hours a day working or playing on a computer had the same increased risk. 

The good news is that even getting up for a few minutes can help off-set these health hazards.  So, while watching TV, get up during the commercials and move around.  Do a few jumping jacks, push-ups or crunches even.  When on the computer, set a timer so that you get up and move around.  You are working hard during your workouts – so don’t let a little relaxation time ruin all of your efforts! 

Check out our YouTube channel for a few videos that you can watch and do in your own home with all of your favorite H3 Fitness Instructors!

Friday Fitness:10 Push-Up Variations

Push-ups are hands-down the best upper body strength training exercise.  With correct form you’ll be forced to use your chest, arms, abs and low back.  The 10 variations described in the video progressively increase in difficulty.  If you’re a beginner start with counter-top push-ups or push-ups from your knees. Keep it up and before you know it, you will be progressing to the most advanced!

A Screening that Can Save Your Life

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death, what is number two?  Colorectal cancer - surprised? While other cancers, including breast and prostate, get more press; colorectal cancer is the second leading cancer killer in the US, expected to cause almost 50,000 deaths in 2011. The good news is that many of those deaths could be avoided by following a healthy lifestyle and following screening guidelines. According to the American Institute of Cancer Research (AICR), there is convincing evidence that several lifestyle factors increase the risk of colorectal cancer including obesity, inactivity, excessive alcohol consumption, and high intakes of red meat and regular consumption of processed meats - sound familiar? For detail recommendations regarding these risk factors check out AICR’s website.

What might be even more impressive is the opportunity that screening provides to prevent colorectal deaths. It is estimated that as many as 60%, yes that is 60% of colorectal deaths could be prevented if all men and women aged 50 years or older were screened routinely.  According to the Centers for Disease Control, most colorectal cancers develop from precancerous polyps in the colon or rectum. Screening tests can find these precancerous polyps so they can be removed before they turn into cancers. So in this case screening not only can catch the cancer early so it can be more effectively treated, it literally can prevent it from developing in the first place. Unfortunately many people are not getting the screening soon enough to get the full benefit. Please check out the American Cancer Society for their screening guidelines. If you are overdue for the recommended screening for colon cancer or any of the cancers listed, please do and your family a favor and make an appointment to get them done. Since March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month this is the perfect time to address this important and potentially live saving issue.

H3 Recipe: Grilled Chicken Melt

INGREDIENTS:

1 (4oz.) piece Boneless, skinless, chicken breast

2 each Rye bread

2 cup Mushrooms, sliced

1 cup White onions, julienned

1 teaspoon Garlic, chopped

Pinch Salt & pepper

(2) ½ ounce Provolone cheese, slices

1 ounce Red pepper aioli                              

PREPARATION:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


• Preheat grill, cast iron skillet, or George Foreman grill to a medium heat.


• Spray non-stick cooking spray on both the grill and one side of the chicken breast.


• Meanwhile the grill is heating up, warm a small sauté pan and sauté the mushrooms, garlic, and onions until tender.


• Set aside.


• Once grill is hot, lay breast in pan.


• Cook for about 3 minutes, then turn breast to a 90˚ angle (on its same side), and cook another 3 minutes. (This will make nice grill marks.)


• Then spray non-stick cooking spray on the top of the chicken breast and flip chicken breast over so the uncooked side is on the grill and continue cooking.


• Cook for about 3 minutes, or until golden color grill marks appear, then turn breast to a 90˚ angle (on its same side) and cook for another 3 minutes.


• Slightly warm rye bread or lightly toast bread on grill.


• Place red pepper aioli lightly over bread, then place chicken breast, tomato, mushrooms, onions, and provolone cheese over sandwich.


• Place open faced sandwich in oven to melt cheese and warm the sandwich together.


• Serve hot out of the oven!

Number of servings: 2

Serving size: 1 sandwich

Calories: 300

Fat grams: 4

Real People, Real Stories: What's Your Plan?

In case you missed it, last week we launched a new feature 'Real People, Real Stories' featuring blog posts from guests just like you!  Read Mark's last post here.

First of all WOW! Thank you everyone for the kind words and comments – especially to those that shared a story or advice! This is what I’m talking about! This is what we need to accomplish here! Thank You! Please keep the information flowing!

This week I’d like talk about planning. Specifically, contingency planning. I’ll touch on the other aspects of planning in future blogs!

As we all learned at H3, planning for carrying on your program at home is definitely a key to obtaining your goals. Listing out all your goals, organizing them, and putting a plan in place to reach them is one of the most important things you can do during your H3 stay. I have incorporated the following type of planning in my routine: Goals, Meals & Nutrition, and Support (getting help when needed).

I have done this planning during each of my stays and as I mentioned, was very successful each time. That being said, the weak link in all of my efforts was not having a contingency plan. I know we were taught to write down the potential roadblocks in our classes. But personally, I never really focused enough attention on the solutions to these roadblocks.

This time I started and focused with this part of the plan before starting any planning at all. I looked at all my previous plans and their positive and negative aspects and started with what went wrong. I identified the hurdles I found and came up with a way to get over or around each of them. I focused my planning this time on what lessons I learned from the past. This is another important reason to journal everything! I’ll talk more on journaling in upcoming posts.

For example, in my previous efforts I noticed that it seemed to be about six months after I started that I fell off track. So having learned this, when I booked my return to H3 this October, I also planned to return in 6 months. I also realized from the journaling that there were certain uncommon behaviors that surfaced and negative thoughts. I made the commitment that if I felt any of these before the 6 months was up that I’d be on the next plane to Hilton Head. Sure enough, in early February I started feeling and seeing some changes that were not helpful or mindful towards a positive direction to my progress. I immediately returned to H3 and am so happy I kept my word.  During my return here I worked on figuring out why the mind wants so bad to keep falling back into the all-or- nothing behavior. My findings are still in process and will definitely be in another post.  I do know for sure that it was so good to be able to be around and talk with others that face the same issues. Putting this part of my contingency plan into action has definitely stopped me from slipping. In fact, the return has also has served as a huge booster shot! I was at a plateau in my running and weight loss. I have been able to set a few new PR times and per mile pace. I also have lost over 12 pounds during my stay!

Another example of the need for a good contingency plan would be a conversation I had with a lady here about her plans for returning home. She was so excited about the start of her upcoming week. She was returning home on Sunday and showed me an awesome plan to keep this going at home. In my experience it is very critical to keep the behaviors learned here going at home immediately. Initially after a change, if you allow for a break in the new routine, then the old habits can return very quickly. I told her how awesome her plan looked.  She had a shopping list, meals all figured out, exercise plan and even a relaxation/meditation plan. They all started on Monday right when she got home! Perfect! It was very exciting! A great plan! But then I asked a simple question. What happens if your plane is delayed or cancelled? How would that affect the intricate and detailed plan? What would happen if you didn’t get to go shopping right away? Or were stuck unexpectedly and couldn’t be home to get to the gym on Monday?  Of course, there isn’t a perfect or single answer to my question. That’s the contingency part that you need to have in addition to the master plan! And always remember the unwise, better, and best!!!!

Well I’ll open it up to H3 Daily readers from here! Please share any stories about overcoming roadblocks, how you make you plans, or any questions that you may have with planning! We are all here to help!

 Talk to you all real soon!

~ Mark

Additional Information of Planning can be found here:  

Goal Planning

• http://www.h3daily.com/fitness/getting-started/goal-setting/


• http://www.h3daily.com/self/time-management/

Meal & Nutrition Planning

 

• http://www.h3daily.com/nutrition/meal-planning/

Support Planning

• http://www.h3daily.com/h3athome/h3athome-coaching/