Coaching Corner: Interdependence

 

One of the most empowering feelings in life is the feeling of being independent; the feeling of having control of your life, the feeling of being able to take care of yourself, the feeling of not having to report to anybody when making a decision for yourself. I know this feeling very well as it is so fresh in my system. As of last week, I am no longer under the financial umbrella of my parents. I am paying for my own car insurance, rent, utilities, phone bill, etc.. you name it. Even though I am not as financially stable as my parents, it has been such a freeing feeling to be on my own. It is nice to know that everything I do from here on out is because I chose to. Not only that, it just feels good knowing that I have the ability to take care of myself financially. That being said, I obviously did not become financially independent over-night. It’s not like two weeks ago I was paying for nothing and the next week I was all of a sudden paying for everything. There was a period of time where I had to be very interdependent with my parents.

What do I mean when I say interdependent? Interdependence is a relationship in which each member is mutually dependent on the other. After I graduated college, I was dependent on my parents to continue financially supporting me as I began to get on my feet. On the flip side, my parents were dependent on me to use their support as effectively as possible so that I could continue to move up at work, save up money, and take on more responsibilities when it made sense to. This continued all the way until I no longer needed their financial support. Had my parents not supported me in this way, it would have taken much longer and much more effort on my end to get to where I am today. Had I not been as driven as I was, it would have cost my parents a lot more money and inner turmoil to continue supporting me (assuming they did not cut me off before that happened).

I think this same “interdependent” strategy could be used when trying to achieve a healthy lifestyle. When it comes to weight loss or living a healthy lifestyle, obviously there is no one person who can make that happen besides YOU. But at the same time, don’t try to reinvent the wheel. Take advantage of the resources around you and what others are willing to offer you. In my case, I wanted to be financially independent, but when help was offered to me, I utilized it. When you chose to come to Hilton Head Health, it was because (for whatever reason) you were ready to take control of your health. You were ready for a change. In order for you to see the best results you could, you were dependent on us to offer you the best program we possibly could and we were dependent on you to embrace that program. You attended the lectures, participated in the fitness classes, followed the meal plan, and then you took those concepts home with you and applied them. Now, you are a successful independently healthy individual who is enjoying those new healthy habits back home. Without Hilton Head Health you would perhaps not have been as successful as quickly as you were with your weight loss endeavors. Also, Hilton Head Health would not be the successful company that we are without you embracing the program to its fullest potential. When one of us succeeds, we all succeed. Keep up the great work everyone! =D

Healthy Recipe: Pineapple Ice Cream

 

Whip up this healthy and simple summer time treat in under 30 minutes!

INGREDIENTS:

1 c.                  Fat free half and half or half and half

2 c.                  Skim milk

¾ c.                 Sugar

4 c.                  Pineapple, fresh, chopped

4 each             Egg yolks

PREPARTAION:

• Plan ahead and freeze ice cream bowl.


• Place chopped pineapple in a food processor, process until smooth.


• In medium sauce pot, mix milk, pineapple puree, and half the amount of sugar (1/3 cup).


• Warm milk mixture until about 120 degrees.


• In a separate bowl mix the egg yolks with the remaining sugar. Then add to the pot and whisk constantly until well mixed and cream has thickened.  Do not let boil.


• Pull off of heat and remain whisking or stirring for about five minutes.  This avoids an opportunity for the egg yolks to scramble.


• Let milk mixture cool for at least 30 minutes.


• Then place in ice cream freezer bowl, until fairly stiff.


• Enjoy with your favorite fruit or by itself.

 

Number of Servings:            12

Serving Size:                         ¼ cup

Calories:                                100

Fat:                                         2.5

Fitness Friday: Just Dance

An exercise class with no pushups , squats or crunches? No sets or reps? It's hard to believe.

Instead, there is hip shakes, shoulder shimmies, bodies twirls and foot work to the beat of great music.

Dance based fitness classes are a great way to keep your body and mind healthy. Though dancing has been around a long time, structured dancing fitness classes are relatively new, and many gyms and community centers now offer a wide variety of dance fitness classes that allow you to have fun and learn a dance style while working out.

Whether it's ballet or ballroom, clogging or jazz, dancing is a great way for people of all ages and physical abilities to get and stay in shape.

Dancing is a great cardiovascular activity that helps with stress management, improving your overall health and well-being. Its benefits are far reaching; it improves muscle tone and coordination, improves circulation and helps to build endurance and stamina. Additionally, the effects of the aerobic activity have been proven to lower the risk of heart disease and reduce blood pressure and cholesterol.

Trying to find the right dance workout class for your age and lifestyle?

Here are some of the most popular options:

Barre: Ballet-inspired barre workouts use the ballet barre as a prop for bodyweight isometric moves, holding positions like pliés and squats for a minute or more to work both major and minor stabilizing muscles.

Zumba: Zumba matches moves from Latin, Creole, and African dance traditions to top  tunes in fun, loose, and laughter-filled groups of all ages and fitness levels.

Hip Hop: If loud music and full-out dancing is your thing, hip-hop dance classes are sure to get your heart pumping. Hip-hop involves a lot of jumping and quick body isolations, which can pose injury risk for newbies, so start with a beginner’s class if you’re new to the moves.

Nia: If you combine dance, martial arts, and yoga, you’ve got Neuromuscular Integrative Action, or Nia.  The program encourages each participant to move across the entire room, and discourages the use of mirrors, all to help seal the mind-body bond.

Cardio Funk: An accessible high-energy aerobic fusion of jazz and hip-hop. Each class incorporates cardio dance movement, and stretch & strength exercises.

H3's Meal Plan from a Guest's Perspective

Not only does today mark our 237^th year as an independent country, but today marks the 4 month anniversary of one of our beloved guests, Brian G.  This makes for a special 4^th of July, especially after numerous guests (including Brian) completed and conquered the local Firecracker 5k on the island this morning.  Four months ago today, Brian weighed in at 349 pounds.  Today, he is 85 lbs. lighter!!  His commitment to the meal plan and making the most out of his stay is something I admire as well as being a great model for any guests that gets an opportunity to talk with him.  I decided to ask Brian a few questions about H3’s meal plan and how it has helped him get to 261 lbs.  Enjoy reading J

Q1:   What 3 main things about H3’s meal plan make it so special?

1.  “The variety, flavor and portion control.  All the food is so fresh and filling.  For the calories, you get more than what you think you would get.  What they can do with the vegetables and minimal salt is amazing.  They turn something boring into flavorful masterpieces.”

Q2:  What is your favorite breakfast, lunch and dinner at H3?

1.  “For breakfast, the apple muesli… lunch is a tough one to answer…either the turkey burger or pita pizza.  For dinner, hands down the chicken cordon bleu.”

Q3:  How have the Chef’s Tables enhanced our dining experience?

1. “I have lost 85 lbs. and have managed to attend every Chef’s Table offered.  It is great to see first-hand how gourmet meals can be healthy.  It shows I can enjoy a little cheese, wine and the finest ingredients—all in moderation.”


2. b.      The picture above is from our Red, White and Blue sorbet—a mix of our strawberry, coconut and blackberry sorbets featured in our America By Three’s Chef’s Table. 

Q4:  Would you rather have the fresh salad bar (Wednesday’s lunch) with the peanut butter mousse as dessert or have our short ribs for Friday’s gourmet meal?

1. He definitely struggled answering this one, but he made his final decision with “short ribs at gourmet night…I’d have it every night if I could.”

Q5:  What one piece of advice would you tell an incoming guest?

1.  “Keep an open mind.  If you didn’t think you liked a particular food, such as fish, then leave that at the door.  You actually don’t need all the unnecessary fat and salt to have flavorful food.”

Q6:  What are 3 recipes you would make once you go home?

“Chicken parmesan, peanut butter hummus and the apple muesli.”

Research Shows Self-Discipline Leads to Happiness

It’s very easy to think that living an overly self-disciplined life translates into less fun and diminished happiness. However, recent research by Wilhelm Hofmann at the University of Chicago reveals just the opposite. It turns out that self-control correlates highly with life satisfaction and happiness. In other words, exerting self-control can make you happier in both the moment and the long run.

The research, which was published in the Journal of Personality, indicates that participants showing the greatest self-control report being in a good mood more frequently than being in a bad one. What is even more fascinating about the finding is that it doesn’t seem to be linked to a greater capacity to resist temptation. Instead, the study points to the idea that the practice of self-discipline exposes individuals to fewer situations that might evoke craving in the first place. “People who have good self-control do a number of things that bring them happiness — namely, they avoid problematic desires and conflict,” says the study’s co-author Kathleen Vohs, Professor of Marketing at the University of Minnesota.

Instead of constantly denying themselves, people high in self-control are simply less likely to find themselves in situations where that’s even an issue. One interpretation of the findings is that people use self-control to set up their lives so as to avoid problems. This concept points to the usefulness of my frequent saying, “Failing to plan is planning to fail.”

Instead of approaching your efforts towards a healthy lifestyle as confining, or a less pleasurable version of life, consider how the self-control can actually enhance your happiness. Self-discipline is empowering. It wards off the negative emotions inherent in chaos and feelings of being out of control. Self-discipline fortifies your life, making it less susceptible to inner conflicts involving temptations and willpower.

Coaching Corner: Feeling Young

As a young male fresh out of college I often hear people tell me, “do it while you still can, do it while you’re young” I always seem to be told this when talking about something really adventurous and spectacular. Something like; running a marathon (do it while you’re body is still strong healthy) something like traveling the world (while you still have the time and fewer responsibilities) or something like working a job that is super cool that you can brag to your friends about and that makes you happy (eventually you will need something more realistic to provide for your family). While I do agree that I should do those things while I’m young, I think it is important that I continue doing adventurous and spectacular things as I get older. I do not think that this is an unrealistic idea either. Older, to me, means two things; 1) you’ve existed for another year on this planet, and 2) you FEEL more limited than you used to. Obviously there is no way to change the amount of years we have existed on this planet so far, however, there is a way to control the years that have yet to come and prolong the “older” feeling. Nowadays, I think most people understand, or have at least heard about, some of the benefits of living a healthier lifestyle. Just to name a few;

1)      Increased energy

2)      Improved cardiovascular health

3)      Stronger joints

4)      Stronger immune system

5)      Increased release of “feel good” hormones

6)      Increased quality of life

To me, all of these benefits sound like qualities of the ideal “young” person who FEELS less limited. Someone with more energy and stronger joints might be more inclined to train for a race; such as a 5k or a marathon. Someone with a stronger immune system who feels good more frequently throughout the day might not have to take as many sick days from work. Because they do not have to take sick days as often, they might be able to afford some time to schedule more days in the year to travel somewhere exotic and exciting.  They might even enjoy their work more because they have the energy to be great at it. Because they are great at their job, they may be more likely to get a raise or promotion.

Next time you hear the phrase or say to someone “do it while you’re still young” I challenge you to look at things from a new perspective. Adopting healthier habits is the closest thing in today’s world to the fountain of youth. If it is your dream to continue doing adventurous and spectacular things in your life, it is never too late to get started. But don’t take my word for it. Watch this video below about the world’s oldest Marathon runner (101 years old). He didn’t start running until he was 89 years old! Wow!

Healthy Recipes: PROSCIUTTO WRAPPED PEACHES

It's peach season in South Carolina and Georgia.  Buy some fresh local peaches for this decadent treat!

INGREDIENTS:

2 each            Peaches, fresh, ripe

4 slices           Prosciutto, sliced thin about ¼ ounce each

¼ tsp.              Salt and pepper mixed

¼ cup             Sherry wine reduction

¼ tsp               Cumin

1 T.                  Sugar

 

PREPARATION:

• Wash peaches and cut each half into 3 wedges, place in a bowl.


• Toss peaches with salt, pepper, sherry wine reduction, cumin, and sugar


• Then cut prosciutto into three strips the long way.


• Wrap each peach wedge with one strip of prosciutto.

 

Number of Servings:           4

Servings Size:                      ½ peach w 1 slice prosciutto

Calories:                                70

Fat:                                         4