Wednesday, November 28, 2012

It is Chilly

Its just so easy to skip your morning run or after dinner walk when its chilly. It requires a lot of motivation to exercise when its cold though exercise prevents stress and anxiety. New research suggests that exercise reduces the severity of cold or flu symptoms by 40% in adults over 50. How can we keep up with exercises when its chilly?

Cover your Head 50% of body heat is lost from the head alone. A warm hat will protect your head. Feet and hands needs protection too. When its cold, blood flows to the centre of the body to keep internal organs warm, leaving extremities vulnerable to frostbite. Wear warm socks to feet and two pairs of gloves to protect hands.

Plan Indoor Activities Rain, snow and wind chills should not stop you from workouts. You could skip the rope, kickbox, work exercise video or walk in the mall.

Stay Hydrated Drink plenty of fluids before, during and after workout even if you are not thirsty. You can become dehydrated in the cold season just like you can during summer workout. The difference is that its harder to notice during cold season.

Dress in Layers Layering helps control body temperature so you can remove or wear the clothes as you need them. Start with a thin bottom made of a synthetic material that draws sweat away from your body (cotton stays wet against your body) then add a layer of fleece and top with a windproof outer layer.

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Want to bounce back?

Two people could be facing the same tough situation but have two very different responses to the situation. Anyone can learn to be resilient. Most people are resilient than they think. You just don't know it until you are put to the test.

Factors contributing to bouncing back:

1. optimism
2. social support
3. cognitive strength
4. core value system
5. faith
6. physical fitness
7. facing fears
8. positive role models
9. finding meaning in struggles
10.flexibility

Monday, November 19, 2012

Commitment

The just concluded Presidential elections in the US had me actively glued to the TV and on the electrol college votes maps twice a day for a couple to weeks prior to the elections. That is commitment.  I also realised that my commitment to writing had eroded me so here I return.

The most important single factor in individual success is commitment. Commitment ignites action.  To commit is to pledge yourself to a certain purpose or line of conduct. eg. commitment to school,  paying bills on time, friendships, marriage, religion, cause and we could go on and on. It means practising your beliefs consistently. Two conditions go alongside commitment:  1. a set of beliefs 2. persistence with a purpose.

The saying "stand for something or you will fall for anything" is a fundamental for commitment. Demonstrating commitment is hard work.  It requires determination and persistence.  It requires supporting and improving.  Commitment stands the test of time.

Commitment is proven during tough times. "A captain earns is reputation during the storms". When the finances are low, when competition scores big against you, when the glamour of success wears off, it is easy to compromise your commitment.

Lets stay commited to causes we believe in no matter what!

Monday, August 20, 2012

Meet my new hairdresser

Eureka! I have finally found a hairstyle that I can settle for.  Short hair.  This is after having done braids, perm, twists, natural hair and spending enough money, time, inconvenience, frustration,  uncertainty of looks and of course mistreatment of the scalp. I walk to the hair shop for the hair cut.  My new hairdresser goes "I have never never cut a black woman's hair.  Its abomination.  Its unacceptable".  She speaks at 200 words a minute and keeps her voice high as though she is addressing someone who is hard of hearing.  I can hardly understand what she is saying but I politely act like I do. She keeps piles and piles of books on hairstyles.  She makes me go through them and choose an alternative hair do than the hair cut. "How about my rights as a customer" I wonder as I go through the books. I finally look up and like her hairdo.  I ask her to do mine like hers.  I however do not know that it takes four hours to fix it.  Oh no! I have only two hours before I take off on a trip with a group of friends.  When the hair is half-way done, I have to go. I really like the hairdo!

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Emotions


 Emotions are our partners in weight loss management. Emotions are indicators of how things are going on in our lives.  They control our thinking, behaviour and actions.  Ignoring emotions may lead to physical illness.  Negative emotions like fear, anxiety, frustration cause different chemicals released than when you feel happy, content, loved accepted.

When we eat to satisfy our emotions more than hunger, that is emotional eating. In emotional eating we eat to obtain or maintain a feeling.  When eating becomes the main strategy a person uses to manage emotions, then there is a probability of weight gain.

To avoid emotional eating: know your emotions and control them.  Suppressing them or denying that they exist is entirely different. Consider your options - think of two different ways to respond as there is different ways to act. 

Change your perspective.  Learn to be optimistic and laid back.  Nobody is perfect in everything but  if you believe that you are a failure unless you are perfect in every way; you are setting yourself up for a lifetime of unhappiness.

Thursday, June 28, 2012

metabolism

Metabolism is the process which the body converts food and drinks into energy.  When resting, the body needs energy for breathing, adjusting hormone levels and blood circulation.  The number of calories the body uses to carry out these functions is basal metabolic rate.  Basal metabolic rate is determined by age, sex, activity level, hormones, height, body fat levels, genetics. body size and composition among other factors.

People dont become overweight overnight.  The pounds creep slowly, unnoticed until one day nothing in the closet fits.  Weight gain is most commonly as a result of eating more calories than you burn.  To lose weight, you need an energy deficit by eating fewer calories or increasing the number of calories you burn through physical activity.

Calorie is a unit of energy supplied by food.  Calorie is a calorie regardless of its source.  Calorie balance is like a scale.  Calories consumed from foods and drinks must be balanced by the calories used.

Calorie counting has a number of challenges.  The first one is that the brain regulates body fat levels and it will increase hunger and decrease your activity levels to try and resist any changes. Metabolic rate changes over time and it will drop during long periods of calorie restrictions.  Having to weigh foods you eat means that you wont be able to eat out at restaurants and friends houses.

Insulin hormone is the gatekeeper to the fat cells.  When insulin levels go up, fat cells store fat and ensure that whatever fat in the body does not get out.

Saturday, June 23, 2012

What is fibre


Dietary fiber is the name of certain carbohydrates from vegetables, plants and grains that the body can't fully digest.  Fiber binds with cholestrol in the intestines.  Its believed that fiber is converted into a gluey paste in the digestive tract preventing it from being absorbed into the body where it could have gone to clog arteries.

Controlling or maintaining weight is easier with a diet rich in fiber. Fiber alone can't peel the pounds off. We need a healthy, calorie controlled diet and get regular physical activity.  Foods rich in fibre includes oatmeal, whole wheat bread, brown rice, black beans , legumes, nuts, lentils, almonds etc.  Simple substitutions would enrich your diet. e.g eating one orange instead of drinking a glass of orange juice or one cup of beans instead of one cup of mashed potatoes.

Dietary fiber has benefits of weight control, lowering cholestrol, reducing constipation and diabetes. Food high in fiber which comes from plants have no cholestrol and is low in calories and have less fat.  Foods like oatmeal, apples, strawberries, beans have soluble fibre meaning they turn to a gel in the intestines and slows down digestion.  Insoluble fiber found in whole grains, carrots, tomatoes, wheat cereals does not really break down.

Fiber helps to control blood sugar.  It slows the absorption of sugar which for people with diabetes can help improve blood sugar levels.

To increase fiber in your diet, switch to whole grains, whole wheat, whole wheat flour or another whole grain.  Instead of white bread eat whole grain bread.  Substitute whole grain flour for half or all of the white flour when baking.  In yeast breads, use a bit more yeast or let the dough rise longer.  When using baking powder, increase it by one teaspoon for every 3 cups of whole grain flour.

Some tips to increase fibre in your diet may  include snacking on vegetables, make vegetables the main course, eat more beans, have high fibre cereal with fruit and low fat dairy for breakfast, vegetable based soup, nuts and seeds in small portions as they are high in fibre and calories.

Be sure to drink 6-8 glasses of water daily when adding fiber to your diet.  Fiber without adequate fluids causes causes constipation instead of helping to eliminate it.

Friday, June 22, 2012

Healthy Health

Staying healthy:

Stay hydrated.  Drink before every meal and between meals especially when hungry. Avoid sugar-sweetened beverage and drink water instead.  Water has no calories and fills up the stomach, making you less hungry.  The liver converts stored fat to energy.  It also picks up the slack for the kidneys which needs a lot of water to work properly.  If the kidneys are water deprived, the liver has to do their work along with its own, lowering total productivity.  It then can't metabolize fat as efficiently as it could when the kidneys were pulling their own weight.  This is unfair to the liver and also helps body to store fat.  As you continue to give your body all the water it asks for, it gets rid of what it doesnt need trusting that the water will keep coming.  Water flushes out impurities in your skin, leaving a glowing complexion making the skin look younger.  Water consumption should be spread throughout the day.  Dont drink too much water at one time.  Pick three or four times a day when you can have a big glass and then sips in between.  Water flavor in your water? Add a slice of lemon or lime to your glass of water and avoid artificial sweeteners.  How cold should the water be? Do whatever suits you here. Just drink it!

Eat more proteins.  High protein foods take more work to digest, metabolise and use, which means you burn more calories processing them.  They take longer to leave the stomach so you feel full sooner and for a longer amount of time.  The body uses the amino acids in protein to build lean muscles.  Consuming between 0.8 grams and 1.1 grams of protein per pound of your weight is adviseable aiming at least 30 grams of proteins at breakfast.

When is it healthy to eat dinner?  Eating and sleeping bear an important relationship to one another. Eating dinner too close to bedtime makes your sleep uncomfortable or to skip breakfast (most important meal of the day).  Sleep deprivation causes one to eat more.  When the stomach is too full and you lie down you may experience heartburn.  Giving yourself 2-3 hours after dinner before bed allows for digestion time. If you enjoy eating a large evening meal, introduce low calorie, low fat foods e.g salmon with vegetables

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

SAVING MONEY

Live within your means.  Aim to save at least 10% of what you earn after taxes. If you cant
save 10%, start by saving something. Take pride it it, and that will inspire you to set aside more.

People who make specific financial plans save more than people who don't.  Financial plans dont fail: people fail to plan. Unless you have a road map that tells you where you are going, it is very hard to get there.

Put money away in plans that  penalise early withdrawl so that you wont withdrawl. If you cant see it and cant touch it, you cant spend it.


Friday, June 1, 2012

DIETS

Spent the last seven days putting in your best effort to lose a pound or two but the scale revals otherwise?  Lets look at the diet:

1.  rewarding yourself with food after exercise - you will overestimate how much workout burned and underestimate how much you ate.

2. diet drinks - they lower blood sugar stimulating hunger

3.  no carb or fat-free - cutting on any one food group leaves you short of nutrients you need for energy

4.  not keeping track of all the food you eat in a day

5.  exercise with friends to increase fun and calorie burn

6.  not eating enough - bump up calories to stoke metabolism and dont skip meals

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

What is blood sugar?

Starch and refined sugars enter the bloodstream quickly, causing a sugar spike. Body produces insulin to drive that sugar from bloodsteam into cells. Over time, cells lose sensitivity to insulin leading to HIGH BLOOD SUGAR and HEART DISEASE.

RISKS FOR HIGH BLOOD SUGAR

* Waist measuring 35 or more inches for women or 40 plus for men

*Blood pressure of 130/85 or higher

*  Fasting (before meals) blood sugar more than 100mg/dl

* Blood triglyceride of 150mg/dl or greater

* HDL level <50mg/dl for women or <40 for men

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Team Players


Team Players

1.  think twice before asking for favors

2.  accept and give constructive criticism

3.  respect other people's space and time

4.  avoid personal questions

5.  pay attention

6.  accept and give praise

7.  listen

8.  apologise earnestly

9.  respect others opinions

10. think the best

11. refrain from idle complaints

12. are agreeable

13. don't shift blame and responsibility

14. assert yourself

15. don't speak ill

16.  respect even a subtle "no"

17. care for your guests



Stress

You may feel like there is nothing you can do about stress.  Family, business and career responsibilities won't stop from being demanding.  Bills keep coming.  Managing stress is taking charge of your emotions, thoughts, schedule, attitude and the way to deal with the problems. Some helpful tips:

Tip#1
Identify the source of stress.  Look closely at your habits, attitudes and excuses; eg is it your procrastination not the actual job demand that is stressful.

Tip#2
Avoid unnecessary stress by learning how to say "no".  Avoid people who stress you out.  Priotize your to-do list and daily tasks.  If you can take control of your environment, do so.

Tip#3
If you cant avoid stressful environment, alter it.  Express your feelings instead of bottling them up.  Be willing to compromise.  Be more assertive and manage your time better.

Tip#4
If you cant alter your environment, focus on the positive.  Adjust your standards and look at the big picture.

Tip#5
Accept the things that you can't change.  Don't try to control the uncontrollable.  When facing challenges, try to look at them as opportunities for personal growth.  Learn to forgive.  Free yourself from negative energy by forgiving and moving on.

Tip#6
Make time for fun and relaxation.

Tip#7
Adopt a healty lifestyle.  Exercise regularly, eat healthy diet and get enough sleep.

How do you manage stress? Please share with us and have a stress free day.

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Top Seven Tips to Being an Excellent Public Speaker

Every public speaker would like to be captivating,  have excellent speaking skills and be able to demand the audience attention to the end.  This mindset is good, however, may lead you to making quick decisions that  are not really worth it.  Public speaking is a skill that requires hard work and dedication. Please comment and add tips helpful to a  polished public speaker.

Tip#1 -   Keep it Simple
Speaking in a simple way helps to keep your audience pinged for a long time.

Tip#2 -  Speak with Conviction
Learn not to be boring when you speak.  Dont just give facts; speak from a place of passion and honesty.  Speak your soul not just your head.  Create a 'wow experience' for your audience.

Tip#3 - Do Your Research
People who constantly research stay ahead of the game.  The reason why you love to listen to a particular speaker is that they do thorough research to improve the subject contents.  Know your niche, know what your audience want, develop an insatiable curiosity for learning.  It will obviously show in your speaking and your audience will love it.

Tip#4 - Speak with Humor
Humor comes from being honest.  It is not faked at all.  Look at your topic and describe how it makes you feel, how it makes your audience feel and be descriptive.  You may unlock some humor you never thought you had.

Tip#5 - Create Headlines
If your headline is not attractive, it will cause your audience to switch off.  Capture the audience imagination using the headline.

Tip#6 - Be Generous with Other Peoples Contents
As you speak, refer to other peoples' articles that you read and liked.  The audience finds you kind this way.

Tip#7 - Connect with Influencers
Expose yourself to excellent pulic speakers.  Read their works. Listen as they talk.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

How To Keep Your Drive Alive

I thought of these ways to reach ultimate goals and to push through any  motivation plateau:

1.  Setting the bar too low. "I will do my best" sounds like vow.  This can actually suck out of you all the motivation as it is vague leading to procrastination. To step up your game, set clear attainable, challenging goals and give yourself a deadline.  Specific goals helps you to focus your attention and increase your effort.

2.  Concentrate on three to five goals at a time. The more goals you work at simultaneously, the sooner you burn out and loose focus.

3.  Willpower can be exhausted from overuse. Shy away from complicated decision making when your willpower is depleted.  To sustain willpower, clock in enough sleep, eat well and get physically active.

4.  Do things to please yourself first before attempting to please others.  However, have a friend or family member who can help you problem-solve when you struggle.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Weight Loss Challenges; blame the doctor


This has been my dinner for the last two days.  My doctor would be so impressed if this information got to his desk. Since my numbers at the weighing scale has taken an upright motion, he has addressed with me the same during my previous several visits to his office.  If  he got this information, he would pull my chart and mark patient education effective.  He would cancel my consultation with the dietitian. 

He has advised me that cutting back on carbohydrates would reduce my numbers on the scale.  Culturally, my food is mainly starchy.  On a typical morning, breakfast is usually 'ugali' leftovers from the previous night. 'Ugali' is prepared by putting water to boil, adding corn flour, stirring to a soft consistency but slightly thicker than porridge.  Ugali for breakfast is  accompanied by hot tea. The hot tea is well sweetened.  Lunch would be green bananas and potatoes shallow fried together.  Dinner would be ugali with some greens at the ration of 3:1; 3 being the former.  Most of the meals has at least two energy giving foods.  Food is not just the physical food; its cultural; part of ones identity.  Is the doctor advising me to move from my culture? my identity? Can he please key in my cultural foods preferences in regards to health and weight?  Until then, there goes my upward curve on the scale.

Shouldn't my doctor practice holistic health approach thus considering my psychological, physical, social and emotional needs.  Has he explored my emotional state that prompts me to put food in my mouth even when the stomach does not need it? He has dwelt more on my physical needs as my curve on the scale is spinning out of control.


Saturday, May 5, 2012

Hair, hair, hair!

Watched the movie Good Hair by Chris Rock? He is alarmed when his six year old daughter is crying because she did not have 'good hair'.  'Good hair' is defined as 'straight hair'. This has political, economical, cultural and social implications.  No wonder hair business is a billion dollar industry.  Women of all social and economic classes spend a lot of money, even going into debt and time on hair.  Hair beauty shops, barber shops and saloons are crowded for hair cuts, shaving, trimming, colour, treatment, straightening, braiding, washing and the list is endless. 

Hair can be a tool for legal identity.  DNA can be obtained from hair strands.  'Nappy Hair' is also black.  Women with nappy hair straighten their hair to fit in the picture the media has created of  beautiful or good hair.  They use wigs, weaves, colour and other expensive equipment to achieve 'good hair'

As much as hair produces warmth to the head, protects body parts like eyes and provides touch sense, it does have social implications.  White hair may indicate age; hairstyles may indicate age groups; balding may indicate old age especially in men.

Hair possesses powerful symbolic and evocative properties.  Hair can be cut as a form of punishment or to follow cultural or religious rules.  It can also indicate refusal to comply with one.

It is not therefore by chance that hair takes such an important place in our everyday language.