Get H3 Inspired: Jeni Hayes and Cheryl Haze, A Mother/Daughter Journey

Jeni Hayes (Daughter), Charleston, SC

As an NCAA athlete in college and group fitness instructor afterward, I have always been blessed with the motivation and ability to exercise often and make healthy food choices.  I managed to maintain my weight throughout college and pharmacy school, but residency was a different story.  Stress eating is no joke… although I was still going to the gym 7 – 8 times each week, the pounds started to creep on and suddenly my clothes didn’t fit as well as they used to.

After finishing my 2-year residency, I had a few weeks before starting my new job.  When my mom, Cheryl, and I decided to take a trip together, I started looking for places that had two of my favorite activities – fitness and good food.  One of the places my mom found was Hilton Head Health (H3), and as I read more about their program on the website, the more intrigued I became.  Honestly, I couldn’t think of any better vacation than taking group fitness classes and having someone else cook for you while in a beautiful location.  Since my mom has been struggling with her weight over the last few years, it seemed like the perfect place.  I had 3 goals for my trip to H3: Get my mom inspired to lose weight again, spend some quality time with her, and to get myself back on track.

Resilience

In these days following the close watch and preparation for Hurricane Irene, we are now in the mode of reviewing the after effects, and are of course analyzing if we were as prepared as we could have been. 

Life is full of hurricanes, isn’t it?  Sometimes we prepare for a Category 1 but get hit with a Category 4, and look back and say “What the heck just happened?!”  Other times it goes the other way – we prepare for that Category 4, when a tropical storm breezes by, and we think, “Now what was I so worried about?!”

Managing life circumstances, whatever they are – hurricanes, relationships, grief, disease – is all about gaining resilience.  Resilience in psychology is the positive capacity of people to cope with stress and adversity.  It’s important to understand that Resilience is a process, not a trait of an individual.  (You’re probably thinking, “Yeah, okay, so what does that mean?”)  Resilience is something that we can acquire.  We can build it.  It is not something that we either have or we don’t.  And you know what??  It’s vital to our well being.  It trains us to deal with the unexpected or the unthinkable – and even the storms that we see coming from miles away.  I must say, I am thankful for this ability.  I am thankful for this tool that I can acquire and train; that can help me through the rough times that lie ahead. 

H3 Recipe: Asparagus Salad

INGREDIENTS:
1 pint Sweet grape tomatoes, sliced in half
1 bunch Asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 each Red onion, sliced thin
1 teaspoon Olive oil
1 teaspoon Garlic, fresh, minced
¼ teaspoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoon Balsamic vinegar reduction
2 Tablespoon Feta cheese, crumbled

Coaching Corner: Finding your "-ness"

You are unique. There is no one else out there like you. Think about that for a minute. There is no one else who has your experience, opportunities, resources, background or future.  We may be similar, we may share a lot with family, spouses, and friends but we are all on our own journey.

One of my favorite movies is called You, Me, and Dupree. It stars Owen Wilson, a not quite grown up adult who goes to live with his recently married friends. It is a very silly movie but there is one element that always stands out and inspires me. Dupree (Wilson) talks about finding your “-ness”. What is “-ness”? It is your name with a “-ness” on the end. Example: Amy-ness. It is that thing that sets us apart and makes us unique. It is in essence what we have to bring to the table of life.

As we are setting about adopting new healthy habits and establishing a new healthier self, let us not forget what makes you “you”. Do not focus too much on things to be changed but on those things that are alive within you. Seek out those things that you are doing well and things that you enjoy doing. Build on those strengths and everything else will follow.

We are all on our own health journey, we all have our own unique “-ness”. Sit down today in the quiet and make a list of those things that make you who you are. Think about:

• What values do I strive to live by?


• What excites me?


• What part of my life is most important to me?


• What would I like to accomplish?


• What are the main motivators in my life?


• How can I use these assets on my health and wellness journey?


• How can I build upon these things to become the best version of myself?

Remember you are unique and special. We are whole people, not broken needing to be fixed. Celebrate your “-ness” and everything else will fall into place.

Step-by-Step: How to Seed a Tomato

Roma tomatoes are my preference when cooking. I find that a roma tomato is sweet, while an heirloom tomato (the tomato most people buy at the grocery store) is tart.  Seeding a tomato will create a consistent texture in your recipes.   





1. Quarter your tomato.



2. Slice the seeds/innerds off.



3. Dice the tomato to make many recipes such as our Black Bean and Corn Salsa!

Friday Fitness: 10-Minute Fitness

You recognize you should exercise more. You would like to exercise more, however, sometimes it's hard to fulfill the recommended 45-60 minutes a day. Anxiety creeps in and you begin to shove working out aside all together. Your adherence techniques quickly begin to stream down the drain. It’s back to the “all or nothing” mentality that landed you on the couch in the first place. BUT…fear no more. The couch will NOT consume you- open your ears and digest what I am about to tell you. As I always say…“every minute of purposeful exercise counts!”

Did you know that a number of published studies show you can actually burn enough calories to maintain and/or lose weight by engaging in short bouts of exercise throughout the day? In fact, research has shown that as few as three 10-minute sessions are just as effective, provided the total cumulative workout time and intensity level are comparable.

With that being said, this Fitness Friday-break it up, follow the “H3 10-minute Fitness Routine” below:

Fad Diets: The HCG Diet

Diets have a way of resurfacing, in fact low carb, high protein diets have been around since the 1800’s. Another diet has made a comeback. In the 1950’s a British physician combined injections of the human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) hormone with a very restrictive 500 calorie diet. The “Shot”, as it was dubbed, is back. The proponents of today’s version, claim that HCG, a hormone produced in small amounts by both men and women and  in larger amounts when a women are pregnant, produces fast and hunger free weight loss. If you have been considering trying this plan, there are three important questions to ask yourself, is it safe, does it work, and if so, is it the HCG that is responsible. Here are the answers to those questions according to a recent article in the University of California Berkley Wellness Letter:

• The caloric level of the diet is dangerously low, near starvation levels, and can’t be sustained. It can cause weakness, fatigue, protein malnutrition and loss of bone minerals over time.


• There is no good evidence that the diet works. Controlled studies show that people lose the same amount of weight on a 500 calorie diet, with or without the injections. The weight loss is simply and not surprisingly a result of the aggressive, restrictive diet. In 1995, the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology summarized the findings of 24 studies involving HCG. It was concluded that HCG “does not bring about weight loss or fat redistribution, nor does it reduce hunger or induce a feeling of wellbeing”. The Wellness letter adds that there hasn’t been much research on HCG since then. 


• Over the counter HCG products have not been tested in studies and, therefore, provide no reason to believe that they would work.


• Like other fad diets, it doesn’t work in the long term. Once you get off the 500 calorie diet, chances are you will return to your previous lifestyle and gain any weight lost, back.


• The bottom line, according to Dr. John Swartzberg, is that “the HCG diet is complete quackery.”

What's Your Milestone?

For Huntley, it was not only knowing several healthy recipes to prepare at home, but actually being able to cook them for his wife and son. –Huntley Galleher, Cooking Healthy Workshop Participant

For Dale, it was being able to complete a 17 mile bike ride “as if it were just another spin around the parking lot.” –Dale Bornstein, H3 Guest

For Karen, it was gaining better quality sleep and no longer being dependent on her CPAP machine.” –Karen Clark, H3 @ Home Participant

For Bridget, it wasn’t losing 70 pounds, but gaining self confidence and determination. –Bridget Donnelly, H3 Guest

This year we are celebrating milestones here at Hilton Head Health. While we celebrate 35 years of healthy choices, 30 years of education with Bob Wright, and 15 years of ownership under John Schmitz, we couldn't celebrate our success without honoring yours! Submit your milestone and we will acknowledge you during this year's Reunion Week (November 13th - 19th). No matter how large or small your milestone, you should be proud of all your hard work and we are too! E-mail Alicea Glover at aglover@hhhealth.com, to share your milestone.

For more information on this year's Reunion Week, a specialty week dedicated to thanking previous H3 Guests, please call (800) 531-2498.

Scheduling Break Time

You’ve heard it before: taking short breaks throughout your workday can improve productivity. Yes, this is true but have you ever done it? Many Guests of Hilton Head Health live very hectic, work-driven lives and their time spent here is the short break they get to actually focus on themselves. In our society we tend to think of being a workaholic as a positive characteristic because it shows you have dedication and are a hard worker. Well, I beg to differ. Often times “workaholics” are run-down, sleep deprived, and have suffering social relationships. It’s important to keep yourself from getting overwhelmed with deadlines and other responsibilities that keep you from you and one way to do that is to put everything on pause for just a few minutes a day.

Taking short breaks throughout the day helps rest your mind and body, keeps you from overexertion and could even help you cut back on all those cups of coffee. If you have a busy schedule, try penciling in your break time. It can be as easy as using your Metabo Time to unwind as you walk outside to enjoy your snack under a shady tree, journaling or even fitting in a quick office workout. These few minutes alone could be just what you need to re-energize and bring peace back to your chaotic day. Not only will you feel better, but you’re boss will be happy to see you motivated, re-invigorated and ready to take on the tasks at hand.

H3 Recipe: Tomato Bruschetta

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups Roma tomato, chopped                      

1/4 cup Fresh basil, cut thin

1 teaspoon Garlic, minced

1 teaspoon Olive oil

1/4 teaspoon Salt

1/8 teaspoon Black pepper, ground

1/2 each Whole grain baguette, cut thinly

Coaching Corner: You Deserve a Break Today

I know. You had a hard day. You need a little pick-me-up. Yes, you “deserve” that bowl of ice cream, hunk of cheesecake, plate of nachos or whatever food conjures up comfort for you. Suddenly, your weight loss goal is out the window. You begin rationalizing: “I can skip lunch or exercise more tomorrow…” But when tomorrow comes, what are you left with? Usually guilt, shame, regret and maybe a few new fat cells.

Like many other people, I learned the culinary comfort/reward system as a child. My mother would pay me to eat my butterbeans—a penny per bean—and bribe me with dessert to clean my plate. I would stop crying for a cookie and go to church for the promise of a Dairy Queen ice cream afterward. I got the message: When I’m good, I get the goodies.

As a teen, I was further brainwashed by the McDonald’s slogan: “You Deserve a Break Today.” We all deserve a break, but can we get it at a drive through window? I don’t think so.

Orange vs. Orange Juice

Oranges are that great fruit that everyone knows are high in vitamin C but usually most oranges are consumed in their juice form which can take away from some the natural benefits of oranges.  Although vitamin C is important to our health, oranges can offer even more when you actually eat them.  First, keep in mind that we recommend you eat your calories and not drink them.  By eating the actual orange, you gain fiber, potassium, folate and thiamin.  Think of it this way, you can feel an orange that you ate in your stomach, but drinking an 8 ounce glass of orange juice isn't really going to fill your stomach.  

A great tip to get more fresh oranges in your diet is to peel them all right away and put them in zip lock bags or air tight containers right after purchasing them.  By doing this, you have just made that quick snack even more convenient to eat. Many people would over look an orange and go with a banana or an apple because it's easier and quicker to eat. Remember, it's important to incorporate not only a variety of fruits in your diet, but also a variety of colors.  

Oranges are great for you metabo meals, great on salads, as a fruit cup, or even cooked as a salsa.  

Eat those oranges, and feel the benefits!

Friday Fitness: Strength Training for Runners

Hi everyone! For today’s Fitness Friday post we are talking about strength training for runners. It is week 1 of the Devin’s Dash 5K training program! Now is the best time to start incorporating strength as you are getting into your routine! Check out this video of exercises below—they are not just for runners, anyone can benefit from adding some strength to your life!

Need a little convincing?? According to a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, runners who added 3 days of strength training to their workout plan had a marked increase in leg strength and endurance. What does this mean for us… faster 5K times and less muscle fatigue! Also your body becomes more efficient with recovery.

Strength training is also vital with injury prevention. Exercises that build up the muscles around the knees and hip are important to protect these sites, which are often at risk of injury in runners.

Strength training should be done 2-3x a week working every major muscle group in the body. The lower body as well as the upper body needs to be a part of a strength training program. The upper body is where good posture and core strength are derived from. Weight training during a 5k training plan is working towards muscular endurance. This means more reps and less weight. Perform 2-3 sets of these exercises doing 12-15 reps of each and you are on your way to running a faster and injury free 5K!

Practicing What I Preach

I am writing this, my last H3 blog post, with a mixture of sadness and excitement.  For years I have preached the importance of work/life balance, while my own life has lacked that balance.  I have loved helping Hilton Head Health guests change their behavior and lives, and I derived great satisfaction during my 15 months as Rescue Coordinator for Darlington County Humane Society.  However, my personal life has suffered. 

Hilton Head Island, with its 34,000 residents, has extremely limited social options for single women of a certain age—my age, as I soon discovered.  I tried to tell myself that having a great job and living in a beautiful place were enough; I would be satisfied if I were alone for the rest of my life.  Some days, that seemed like a reasonable decision.  Yet other times, like recently when I was sitting at an outdoor restaurant enjoying a gorgeous, sunset ocean view by myself, I realized I was missing out on companionship. 

Therefore, I recently decided to return to Dallas, where I will have more social and recreational opportunities.  I will be the Employee Health Coach for two hospitals in the Methodist Health System.  I’m looking forward to the big-city culture I enjoyed while living in Dallas for 10 years:  Jazz Under the Stars, offbeat plays (Great American Trailer Park Musical), the North Texas Jazz Festival, Shakespeare in the Park, and of course the Texas State Fair.  My dogs will have a blast at two upcoming water-park events:  K-9 Kerplunk and Wags and Waves.  And hopefully, I will renew old friendships and form new ones.    

Thank you, to all of the Hilton Head Health guests who have touched my heart during the past 3 ½ years.  Thank you for your honesty, openness, courage, and willingness to take a risk.  You have inspired me more than you know.  I will miss you.  Best wishes for a life filled with health, happiness, and balance.  You deserve it!

H3 Spotlight - Johanna Smith-Ellis, H3 Guest Presenter

If you’ve been to H3 in the past few years, you’ve likely heard of – or even possibly had the pleasure of meeting Johanna Smith-Ellis, facilitator of two of our most popular H3 workshops – Healthy Transitions: Overcoming Emotional Eating and Personal Responsibility: Taking Charge of Your Health. Both workshops have proven to be a success, selling out each session – and why wouldn’t they? Both workshops address the underlying issues that surround how and why we behave and eat the way we do. Her unique ability to create an open and safe environment is one of the keys to the success behind the workshop. SO – for those of you who haven’t met or heard of Johanna, you might be wondering – how does one have such an ability to relate and present such hard-hitting topics? Well today, we’re sharing with you the inside scoop on the lady behind the workshops.

Johanna is a Certified School Psychologist and Counselor in private practice and has taught a wide range of psychology courses at the college level for 15 years. Johanna has practiced in a variety of settings including schools, mental health facilities, residential treatment programs and outpatient addiction services. Her special interests include anxiety, depression, attention and binge eating disorders, as well as bereavement counseling.

Originally from New York (and 30+ year resident of the area), Johanna first heard about an open part-time position at H3 in 2007 while on vacation in Hilton Head visiting her mother-in-law. After learning more about the opportunity, she was invited to participate in the program. It was during that visit that she was hooked. She knew she wanted to be a part of H3’s supportive environment – from camaraderie among the guests to the encouraging staff.

“I visited H3 with the purpose of deciding whether or not I wanted to work here - I had no idea I would get so much out of the program. One thing most people don’t know about me is in the past, I’ve been known to eat a box of Girl Scout thin mints in one sitting, BUT now – thanks to H3, I am making progress (not perfection) towards treating myself with greater respect.”

The Claim: For Better Hydration, Drink Coconut Water

Prior to this past year, few health savvy Americans had heard of coconut water. However, as the year gently unfolds, coconut water sales have skyrocketed; this largely due to the athletic community and its reputation as a healthful natural source of electrolytes. Pure coconut water contains many electrolytes and sodium. As we know dehydration is the loss of water and salts essential for normal body function. Consequently high intensity exercise and excessive sweating eliminates some essential sodium, hence coconut water to the rescue.

The New York Times brought to our attention that many commercial varieties of coconut water contain less sodium than that of which is found in the juice straight from the actual coconut. But in our world of “convenience first” the commercial varieties are the accessible and easier option. Times also stated that an 8.5 ounce serving of Vita Coco 100% Pure Coconut Water contains 30 milligrams of sodium and 15 grams of carbohydrates. An eight-ounce serving of Gatorade Pro 02 Perform is comparable in carbohydrates, measuring in at 14 grams, however contains 200 milligrams of sodium. So now shall we conclude that Gatorade is the better option?

H3 Recipe: Lemon Raspberry Torte

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups Sugar

2 cups Cottage cheese, 1% pureed

4 each Eggs

1/3 cup Lemon zest

3 cups Flour, white, unbleached

½ teaspoon Baking powder

½ teaspoon Baking soda

1 teaspoon Salt

¾ cup Lemon juice, fresh squeezed

¾ cup Fat free buttermilk

1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

3 cups Raspberries, fresh, washed, patted dry

¼ cup Sugar

2 cups Nonfat whipped topping

16 each Mint leaves for garnish (optional)

 

Coaching Corner - Sharing Success: Karen Clark

When Karen Clark sets out to win, look out. Fiercely competitive and intrinsically driven, she’s up for a challenge and often creates her own. So, when Karen decided to lose some weight and improve her health, it came as no surprise to anyone that she went after it with a vengeance.

Karen discovered Hilton Head Health through a brochure that was sent to her by a friend. But it was the A&E show Heavy that inspired her to act on the information. While she could not participate as a guest at Hilton Head Health at that time, she signed up for the at home coaching program.

Karen began working with Coach Linda Hopkins in April 2011, identifying her family as her primary motivator. “I gain strength from my family, who are the most important people and priorities in my life,” she said. Close family members include her adoring and supportive husband, two lovely daughters, her elderly dad and a precious new grandbaby. One of her long-term goals is to whittle down to a size eight dress by spring 2012, when her oldest daughter gets married.

Go Bananas for Bananas!

Did you know… the banana is not actually a tree but, the world's largest herb? Not only are bananas delicious, they are loaded with nutrients! They are naturally “prepackaged” making them the perfect grab and go snack.  These yellow-skinned treats are ideal for health because they have a sweet and creamy taste most people enjoy. Have a banana for your afternoon snack to help peel away the pounds.

Bananas are an awesome source of potassium, packing in about 300mg-400mg per medium banana. The Banana’s high potassium content may help reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke.  With only 110 calories, 3g fiber, and 2g protein for a medium banana they are a great addition to your daily diet. Bananas also contain electrolytes, which are essential for maintaining fluid levels and preventing dehydration. This makes bananas an excellent pre or post workout snack.  Due to the abundance of vitamins and minerals, bananas are a great source of natural energy.  Next time you begin to feel sluggish midday, grab yourself a banana and skip that second cup of coffee.

Friday Fitness: Balancing Act

Watch this video to learn how to use different pieces of fitness equipment to help improve balance. If you are interested in purchasing the equipment featured in the video, visit the Power Systems website.

The Weight of Sleep Deprivation

If you are one of the estimated 50 – 70 million Americans that suffer from chronic sleep deprivation, it’s time to WAKE UP and start taking sleep seriously.

Sleep deprivation makes you feel lousy, reduces productivity, increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, cognitive decline, motor vehicle accidents and of course obesity. In fact, mounting evidence suggests that for many lack of sleep maybe their greatest risk factor for gaining weight.

We have known for a long time that sleep deprivation disturbs the production and release of hormones that influence appetite regulation. One of those hormones, ghrelin, is an appetite stimulant. Previous studies have confirmed that those who are sleep deprived have higher levels of ghrelin, leading to increased cravings for highly refined carbohydrates. New evidence suggests the consequences of higher levels of ghrelin are not only limited to increased appetite. A study conducted at the University of Chicago, one of the top sleep research centers in the world, found that higher levels of ghrelin not only stimulate hunger, it reduces energy expenditure and promotes the retention of fat. Study director, Plamen Penev, MD, PhD, said if your goal is to lose fat, “skipping sleep is like poking sticks in your bicycle wheels. Cutting back on sleep, a behavior that is ubiquitous in modern society, appears to compromise efforts to lose weight through dieting. In our study it reduced fat lose by 55%.” So even if through shear motivation and determination you are able to fight through the exhaustion and cravings sleep loss has caused and stick to your exercise and nutrition plan, you still don’t experience the success you deserve.

5K Training - We'll help you every step of the way

Do you want to run in a 5K but don’t know where to start? Have you run in a 5K and would now like to improve your time? Well, you’re in luck! This year, Hilton Head Health is offering a free 5K Training Program to anyone who is planning to participate in an upcoming 5K!

We are a little more than eight weeks away from celebrating the life of beloved H3 staff member Devin Sheaffer through one of his favorite activities: running! Last year you helped up raise over $10,000 for the American Cancer Society at the Devin’s Dash Memorial 5K and this year, we’re hoping the race will be even bigger and better.

As we prepare for Devin’s Dash 2011, we’d like to invite you to join our first ever 5K Training Program! Like similar training programs such as Couch to 5K, this program provides you with a all the tools you’ll need to get physically and mentally ready for your 5K! Whether you’ll be in Hilton Head for Devin’s Dash on October 8^th, or are planning to participate in a 5K near you, by the end of this program you’ll feel prepared for your race.

The Devin's Dashers training program includes:

• A Running Coach available to answer your questions and guide you every step of the way via e-mail and Facebook.


• Weekly lessons to help enhance your performance by learning important components of training.


• Daily training tips, motivational quotes, and stories from previous H3 Guests and H3 staff members who have participated in a 5K in the past.


• Invitation to join a private Facebook Group where you and other members of the training program can openly encourage and learn from one another. Who knows, you may even find a training buddy!

There are three different plans available: a beginners plan for those who would like to only walk or walk/jog during their training, an intermediate plan for semi-regular runners who would like to improve their 5K running time through track workouts and tempo runs, and an advanced plan for regular runners that incorporates even more track workouts, tempo runs and distance runs than the intermediate plan.

Training begins Monday, August 15^th ! The last day to join the program will be this Friday, August 12^th so gather your friends and sign up today! E-mail your Training Coach, Amy Kelderhouse, at akelderhouse@hhhealth.com, (subject: I want to be a Devin’s Dasher) if you would like to sign up to be a Devin’s Dasher, or have any questions about the training program.

We look forward to training with you!

A Reflection on Milestones

2011 has been a very special year for Hilton Head Health.  In business now for 35 years, we have an opportunity to reflect on our history and how much our program has grown.  For 30 of those 35 years, our very own Bob Wright has played an integral role in the development and delivery of our Healthy Lifestyle™ program.  He is synonymous with H3 and the information we provide on personal health.  Our owner, John Schmitz, has owned Hilton Head Health now for 15 years, playing an integral role in the physical development of our property and marketing plans to spread the word about our unique program and environment.  

As proud as we are of our history in this health and wellness industry, we also take great pride in the new strides we are making as leaders in the industry.  In a couple of months we will be celebrating the grand opening of our Culinary Arts Center (CAC)!  This state of the art cooking school will allow a unique learning environment for healthy cooking.  A combination of observation and hands-on classes will be offered, in addition to private lessons.  Learning to prepare healthy food with great flavor is an invaluable experience, and we are so excited to improve on our delivery of this portion of our healthy lifestyle program. 

2011 is also our first annual year for our H3 @ Home Coaching program.  Developed in an effort to provide consistent support to our Guests when they return home, this program has already reached out and helped so many people.  This milestone for us is only significant if we are also helping you reach your milestones!  As we acknowledge the milestones of H3, we’d encourage you to also think about what milestones you’ve achieved.  What successes have you experienced??  (Don’t be surprised if you see this topic come up again in the near future, wink wink!)

H3 Recipe: Steak Fajita Wrap

INGREDIENTS:

8 ounces Filet mignon tips, roasted and sliced thin                 

1 cups Yellow onion, sliced thin

1 cup Yellow pepper, sliced thin

1 cup Roma tomato, chopped

4 cups Romaine lettuce, sliced thin

2 each Whole wheat tortilla, 14 inch

8 tablespoons Chipotle ranch

1 spray Pam non-stick cooking spray

Chipotle Ranch:

1/2 cup H3 Ranch dressing

1 each Chipotle in adobo, canned

1/2 teaspoon Chipotle powder

Coaching Corner: Account for Accountability in your workout partner

2:10:01 … Any significance? To Kenya’s, Nicholas Manza Kamyaka a whole bunch. In this year’s Australia Gold Coast Marathon, race organizers offered a $27,000 dollar bonus for any runner who broke a 2 hours and 10 minute finish time. Kamayaka happened to miss this time by a mere second; seems as though he had a decent amount of motivation involved with that race finish.
Next to motivation, I can’t think of a more important attribute to making lifestyle changes stick than accountability. In order to ensure success in the early stages we have to have some sort of accountability. When I first got back from my running certification, I was given a 6 week training course to “Better Run Technique.” In the first week, I did great and still had the motivation, but then it slowly faded. When week three rolled around, I was still doing the drills; however, the seriousness of the routine had taken a downfall.
Eventually, I decided we should implement a run technique class here at H3. I quickly got back on program and completed the 6 week program with success. I even reached out to my local CrossFit coach to check in on the drills and make sure he was practicing as I had. The fact is, I found some accountability along with the motivation. Even in prime training season as stay accountable to my roommate as we continual check up on how many times we’re getting out to run.

Blueberry Craze

For good reason there is a craze about the benefits of eating blueberries, not only are they delicious but they are good for you too.  Now we are not talking lots of blueberry muffins to get your healthy fill on blueberries.  We are talking about eating a cup of blueberries a day or several times a week; or even throwing a cup of fresh blueberries in a blender with skim milk and nonfat plain yogurt.  Now you might be thinking, let’s get to the facts, what are the benefits to eating all these blueberries.

Many benefits are related to cognitive functions improving such as improving your memory and postponing the effects of aging that usually attack the cognitive functions.  We enjoy being able to remember the little things in life and of course the big things in life so memory is an important part to your health.

Fitness Friday: At Home Bootcamp & Triathalon Routine

Grab your goggles, swim cap, bike and athletic shoes. Get ready to participate in Hilton Head’s Annual Beach Bum Triathlon (#2).  This Saturday, August 6^th marks yet another wet, sticky, sandy, heart pumping, athletic challenge and guess who will be there?… YOU WILL TOO- or at least in your efforts and spirit!

Alongside H3 staff and adventuresome guests who will be partaking in this event, Fitness Friday will inspire a “TRI” challenge of your own to complete at home. Although many of you do not have a beach, this FF “bootcamp-esque” workout will mimic a “TRI” accomplishment upon completion. Read below for details.

 

H3 “Beachless”  Bum Triathlon Bootcamp:

 

Round 1:     50 Swims (see image below)

                   50 Bikes (see image below)

                   50 m Dash/Sprint x 5 (5 times)

 

Round 2:     40 Swims

                   40 Bikes

                   40 m Dash/Sprint x 4 (4 times)

 

Round 3:     30 Swims

                   30 Bikes

                   30 m Dash/Sprint x 3 (3 times)

 

Round 2:     20 Swims

                   20 Bikes

                   20 m Dash/Sprint x 2 (2 times)

 

Round 1:     10 Swims

                   10 Bikes

                   10 m Dash/Sprint x 1 (1 time)

 

Click here to view PDF of alternates for swimming and cycling.

Focus on the Positives - Not the Setback

I recently received very disappointing news about a dog that I rescued two years ago from a kill shelter. Dakota was adopted 1 1/2 years ago and was living the good life with her new family until last week when she apparently threatened to fight with her canine sibling. She was taking steroids, which can trigger aggressive behavior in some dogs, at the time. The adopter wanted to have Dakota put to sleep because of this one episode of aggression, which didn’t even turn into an attack. Dakota’s family discounted the fact that she got along well with their other dog for 18 months. Luckily the adopter agreed to return Dakota to the boarding-kennel-based rescue group, where she will have another chance to find a loving home.

I’ve been thinking about how quickly Dakota’s family gave up on her without making any effort to evaluate the situation and/or solve the problem. I realized that many people who struggle with their weight are also tempted to give up when they experience a setback. They may decide to throw in the towel after a binge, even if that single episode followed weeks (or months) of healthy eating. We tend to focus on the negative and ignore or downplay the positive.

Battling Out of Control Serving Sizes with Portion Control

Portion Control. Yes, I cringe when I hear it too. The fact is we all have a hard time controlling our portions; and who wouldn’t with the way food items are served to us these days. If you’ve visited H3 and attended Bob Wright’s Portion Control class, then you’ve seen firsthand how servings have grown out of proportion!

Bob Wright gave us some tips on how to eat healthy while dining out a few days ago, but I would like to help you with controlling portions when in your own home.

We say it over and over again, but environment definitely plays a huge role. Keep your pantry stocked with healthy snack and know the serving size before you start eating. Better yet, separate snacks and meals into baggies or containers to make things easy! We don’t always have the time to prepare food before running out the door, so planning for the unforeseen ahead of time can save you from undoing your whole day.

Pay attention to the serving size and nutrition label on each item you purchase while in the store. It’s not always easy to tell if you’re making the best decision with the way foods are marketed today, so read carefully. (Just because it says ‘less fat,’ it still may not be the best option.) Reading labels while in the store also gives you time to really think to yourself if the serving size is right for you. Don’t set yourself up. If the serving size is too small or unrealistic, choose something else.

It's In The Bag: How to Avoid Gaining Weight while Traveling

Worried about gaining weight when you travel?  Try packing your luggage a bit differently.

 

We’d all deem it a whopping success if we could return from travel weighing the same amount we did before we left.  But when you’re on the road, you’re under more stress than other times.  So much so that we lose sight of our plan and give ourselves an excuse to go wild.  Could keeping the pounds off be as simple as how we pack our luggage?  I think so…

One of my favorite authors Malcolm Gladwell, author of the Tipping Point, coined a phrase called “The Power of Context.”  It simply states that human behavior is sensitive to and strongly influenced by its environment.  If you can create an atmosphere while traveling that reverberates your passion for health and fitness you’d be more likely to succeed. 

So, here’s what I suggest.  Create a checklist of items you’ll pack into your luggage (or use mine from below).  From now on when you pack your luggage start by packing all your leisure and/or business items and toiletries.  Finally, you’ll use your checklist to pack all the health and fitness items at the top. 

H3 Recipe: Black Bean and Corn Salsa

INGREDIENTS:

2 each Roma tomatoes, seeded, and diced

1/4 cup Black beans, cooked

1/2 each Red onion, chopped

1/4 cup Red bell peppers, chopped

1/4 cup Corn Kernels (frozen) thawed

1/2 teaspoon Cumin, ground

1 Tablespoon Garlic, fresh, minced

¼ teaspoon Salt

1 Tablespoon Cilantro, fresh, chopped

1 Tablespoon Lime juice