Changing the World

I love reading about the lives of great leaders. I am constantly inspired by their road to success, and very often that road is filled with hardship and potholes. Their perseverance and growth through challenges offer a great example to all of us goal setters that life is not easy and that true, lasting and worthy change requires work but the reward for hanging in there can be huge.

Tomorrow is Martin Luther King, Jr Day. He was one of the greatest and most effective leaders in our nation’s history and he did it all through nonviolence and peace. He began with a dream which grew to reshape our nation. He is a great example that we should live a life of action and not reaction. We can model the great example of MLK in our daily lives. The small steps and successes in the little things can impact your life and the lives of those around you in ways that you could not even imagine. Know that you can change the world through brightening the world around you through small, thoughtful actions.

“If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”  - Martin Luther King Jr.

Here are 15 things that you can do to change the world by living a life of action.

1. Hold the door open for someone


2. Compliment or say something kind to server


3. Use a person’s name when speaking with them. As Dale Carnegie says, a person’s name is the sweetest word to them.


4. Smile. You have no idea the wide and lasting effects of this small action.


5. Pick one thing that you do not use and donate it.


6. Throw away trash that is on the ground or straighten up a shared environment such as the counter of the break room.


7. Every morning think of someone who you know well or very little and send them love and well wishes for their upcoming day.


8. Reach out to someone through email, Facebook, Twitter, anything! There are so many methods to contact people now just to say hello!


9. Forgive someone and mean it.


10. Read something inspirational. Expand your world and you will reflect that into the world around you


11. Bring own shopping bags to the grocery.


12. Call a friend


13. Really listen to someone. Practice active listening and reflect back what you are hearing to show that you are really taking in what is being said.


14. Research a cause that you value and make a donation to the effort.


15. Genuinely thank someone in your life for who they are or what you have learned from them.

As you can see these ideas are not earth shattering but they can be life changing. Isn’t true that it can be the small things in life that we value the most?

The Sweet Life

Oh, sugar… it has always been there for us. Growing up as a kid, I was always rewarded with sugar; after I left the doctor's office I was given a sucker; for Valentine's Day, I was given chocolates; if I was upset, sugar would be there to make me feel better.

Although, you probably know that too much sugar isn't good for you, there are probably some sugar facts that you did not know. And I have some tasty recommendations for you to easily avoid excess sugar intake.

1. Each teaspoon of sugar packs in 20 calories. Imagine this, each can of regular soda contains about 12 teaspoons of sugar, which is 1/4 cup of sugar per 12 ounce can! That is roughly 170 calories per can of soda.
Here is the crime: That 170 calories and 1/4 cup of sugar is wasted on just sugar. My recommendation to you is to get rid of that daily can of soda and replace it with a few tall glasses of water! Keeping your body hydrated will help maintain level energy.

2. Although sugar gives you energy, it is short lived. For example, one medium sized cookie packs in around 200 calories. Yum, that was tasty… but now what? You are probably still hungry and in about an hour, tired!
Here is the crime: Unfortunately, that delicious cookie doesn't provide anything your body needs to operate from day to day. These calories are called "empty calories". Replace that cookie with a healthy, nutrient dense snack, such as vegetables and hummus. Now, you will be full, energized and satisfied rather than crashing after about an hour after eating a cookie.

Here are my recommendations to slash your sugar intake to a minimum;
• Enhance your dishes with spices, not sugar. The H3 Eye-Opener Oatmeal does not have any added sugar; we add cinnamon instead (it will give you a sweeter taste). Think cinnamon, vanilla extract, nutmeg or all spice.
• If you are baking muffins or cake, do not add all of the sugar, add only half. This will reduce calories but will not reduce flavor.
• If you are craving something sweet, first reach for fruit. Strawberries, apples or oranges should help you tame that sweet tooth.

Friday Fitness: No Excuses Workout

Ever feel like there’s not time to get in a hard workout? Feel like you just don’t have the equipment or time available? For 2012, I challenge you to take a good hard look at not only your exercise routine, but what actually you can accomplish in a day versus what you can’t. Whether it’s exercise or whether it’s life, we tend to not always be honest with ourselves. The fact is that only an honest perspective leads to sustainable change.

With that said, Friday Fitness is back in full swing and we’re starting you off with a good one! This workout you can do anywhere and anytime because it only requires your body and a fifteen minute window. Watch the video and post the total number of rounds you complete in fifteen minutes. Ready – Set – Go … No Excuses!!


15 Minute AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) of:

• :60 Running/Jogging/Walking (pick your pace)


• 15 Squats


• 15 Pushups (Knees okay)


• :30 Plank hold (accumulated time okay)

In Response to: "Can Yoga Wreck Your Body?"

As many of you may know, I recently, as of April 2010, obtained my 200hr RYT (Registered Yoga Teacher) certification. Earlier this week I came across an article that hit rather close to home. The article was entitled “Can yoga wreck your body?” This article published recently in the New York Times, argued that it can. Essentially the article declared that the increase in yoga-related injuries, “in recent years”, has direct correlation with the heightened increase in yoga practitioners. According to Yoga Journal, about 14.3 million people in theUnited States practiced yoga in 2010, which is significantly up from 4.3 million in 2001. As yoginis’ and yoginas’ around the world begin to find daily yoga practice more and more essential, the need for yoga practioners indeed increases. However, the blame should not be wrongly placed on just the instructors. One cannot point fingers at just us. The fingers rationally should be pointed at the individuals whom are practicing yoga—those who should become more mindful. The focus must shift away from the trend and more toward individual self-care, compassion and safety.

 

How to protect yourself from injury:

Yoga students should highly consider the instructor’s training and expertise, but they must deem more important, their individual ability to listen to their own bodies. When simply stated, any type of physical activity that challenges the body should be practiced with individual awareness and caution. Therefore, I feel I am not exaggerating when I utter that body awareness is a major component in fitness, yoga, functionality and overall wellbeing.

 

I sincerely feel this article’s tag line “Can Yoga Wreck Your Body” is disheartening, misleading and will more than likely hinder the general population from trying yoga, which is such a dishonor. Realistically, it is not the yoga that wrecks the body; it’s the individual and his or her lack of understanding of one’s own limitations, capabilities, body alignment/awareness and most importantly one’s own perception of self- care and physical compassion.

 

Thus, in light of helping YOU develop YOUR safest possible yoga practice, please read the tips below:

1. Adopt a beginner's mind. You would not attend an advanced ballet class without having prior knowledge and or experience. Yoga may look comparatively simple, but it's not. Start with a series of yoga classes targeting the beginner. Beginner classes will help to introduce you to the basics. You must, MUST…MUST build a solid foundation of knowledge, of alignment, body awareness and of comfort before you leap in to a more challenging class like a Vinyasa or hot yoga class.

2. Learn to listen to your body. In any yoga class, your body, not the teacher, is the real guide for what is best for you. Listening to your body and honoring its signals are key to a safe practice. If something doesn't feel right, ease out of the posture. If something feels like a strain, you're pushing too hard. If your body feels like it needs a break, listen to it. Remember, yoga is about self-care. If you need to rest, you can always relax in child's pose.

3. Do your own pose, not your neighbor's. Yoga is not a competition. For most of us, the mind is apt to overrule the body. So if the person next to you gets her feet behind her head, “holy stretch”, you best believe you are going to do the same! NO. NO. NO. Yoga at its essence is about getting in tune with the body. The only right way to practice a pose is to practice it in the way that honors where your body is at that particular moment. Tune in, and most importantly stay present.

4. Look for gratitude. Look for gratitude and value in every pose. This is where you are challenging your body, but still staying completely within your comfort zone—all balance between letting go and bringing in. Your grateful place is that place in the posture where you are feeling a soothing stretch and your muscles are working (a certain feeling of heat, gratitude and compassion) but there is no pain, strain or extreme fatigue.

5. Pick the right teacher and approach. When it comes to practicing and teaching yoga, it is not a one size fits all. As you read above, there is a continued need for yoga teachers. Every teacher will vary in approach, style, experience and training. Know your style and/or goals and then pick the one that best suits you. In regards to injuries and/or physical limitations, the number one rule of thumb is to not be shy. Inform your teacher prior to class. Then, simply ask if the class is suitable for you. Growth does not take place without inquiry. If the teacher isn't able to offer specific feedback related to your injury and or question, that's an indication that the teacher might not be a good fit for you.

A Day On, Not Off

What may seem like a long time ago to some and not so long ago to others, the birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was signed off in legislation as a national holiday.  Having been first observed in 1986, Monday, January 16, 2011 marks the 25th anniversary of the King federal holiday. As the holiday approaches, I ask myself what I will do to honor Dr. King’s legacy.

Dr. King once said, "life's most persistent and urgent question is: 'what are you doing for others?'"

Staying true to his philosophy, MLK Day has been dubbed a Day of Service for Americans of every age and background celebrate Dr. King through service projects that strengthen communities, empower individuals, bridge barriers, and create solutions. Just as others do across the nation, in years past I have dedicated this day as a day of serving my neighbors and my community. With so much chaos going on in the world today, I feel it is important for each of us to take a moment to show one another that we love and care each other.  

Now that I am in a new city and working in the professional world, I must admit that I have thought about skipping my traditional day of service but have decided to celebrate in a different way this year. I plan to do 25 good deeds throughout the week ranging from stopping by the MLK March in Hilton Head on Monday during my lunch break to calling up a friend I haven’t spoken to in awhile. I plan to finish the week with a 25 year celebratory fitness challenge—5 rounds of 5 exercises lasting roughly 25 minutes.

If you are able, I encourage you to get out and volunteer, whether that is helping out with the local habitat for humanity, playing with the kids at your local Rec center or Boys and Girls Club, or volunteering at a soup kitchen. The point is to get the community together and to be active!

I’d love to hear how you plan to serve for the MLK day of service. Leave a comment or mention us on Twitter @HHHealth_H3! How will you celebrate your Day On, not off?

Are You Ready?

This morning I went in for my pre-natal visit, and when my doctor informed me that I would be coming in now every 2 weeks, it suddenly hit me how quickly my due date is approaching!  Because I’m a planner by nature, my mind instantly went to, “Oh, my gosh, am I ready, what needs to be done?” 

Now, a few hours later, I’m settling into my thoughts.  Life has its way of hitting us with the unexpected, doesn’t it?  In my case, the event is expected, it’s the timeline that’s out of my hands.  No matter how much we prepare, there is always something that comes up that wasn’t in the picture we envisioned.  How resilient are you when “life” hits you with a whammy – positive or negative!?  Life’s curve balls are things like an injury, illness, divorce… but it can also be a surprise birthday party, a promotion that changes your routine, or, like me, a new little member to your family.

If you can keep a clear understanding of your vision and set forth each day with the mindset to do the best you can do that day to move closer to your vision, that’s really all you can ask of yourself.  Of course we all have days when we are ineffective or hinder that progress, but the sooner we can bounce back, the greater chance we have to realize that vision.  If we can ask ourselves, before each decision we make, “Will this take me closer or farther from my goal?”, and make the choice that takes us closer at least 7 out of 10 times, resilience is ours.   

What’s your vision?  Is your path still leading to one that motivates and inspires you?  What can you do today to take one step toward that goal?  If I could wish one thing for you for 2012… it would be Resilience.  Happy 2012!

H3 Recipe: Banana Bread French Toast

 

INGREDIENTS:

Banana Bread:

1 ½ cup Flour

1 ½ cup Ground flax seed

¾ cup Sugar

1 teaspoon Baking powder

½ teaspoon Baking soda

½ teaspoon Salt

½ cup Egg Substitute

¼ cup Apple butter

2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

1 cup Mashed banana

 

French Toast Batter:

2 cups Egg substitute/ egg beaters

1 cup Skim milk

1 Tablespoon Cinnamon

2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

PREPERATION:

Banana Bread:

• Preheat oven to 350°.


• Spray one loaf pan with oil.


• Mix dry ingredients in one bowl and wet ingredients in another bowl.


• Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients in.


• Mix lightly until just combined.


• Bake 1 hour in a loaf pan.

 French Toast:

• Make batter and reserve in one bowl.


• Lightly spray sauté pan with cooking spray.


• Dip bread in batter.


• Place coated bread in sauté pan. Sear on each side until toasted.


• Sprinkle with powdered sugar and garnish with fruit.

Chef’s Note:  These French toast slices freeze very well, and can be reheated in a toaster oven or even a toaster at frozen state.  Make a whole batch and freeze the rest, it becomes a healthier convenience later.

Number of servings: 8

Serving Size: 1 slice

Calories: 140

Fat Grams: 1