Sweet, Tempting and American?

Oh Sugar! This week at a local coffee shop, I ordered a healthy breakfast sandwich of thinly sliced whole grain bread, spinach, a slice of ham and 1 egg. The server got my order wrong and it came as a sammy with thick slices of bacon and cheddar cheese. While delicious this was not my go-to choice. After returning it and asking for the original order, the young lady brought me not only the right sandwich but a gonking piece of coffee cake as a friendly offering. It was huge and it literally seemed like it was staring at me!

Just the day before, I committed myself to pay attention to the amount of sugar and caffeine that I consume on a daily basis. When I ordered my breakfast sandwich, I specifically did not order coffee to go with it, but normally I would. Although cake and desserts are not really a temptation for me, because I decided to check out how much sugar I was consuming daily, this piece of coffee cake suddenly became alluring.

The incident got me thinking a bit about:

1) How many people really pay attention to what they eat (especially out) and what the caloric repercussions of such choices are.

So if this scenario was you, you would now have your cake, but would you eat it too?

What if I told you that this particular slice of cake (the one pictured that I was served) is listed online via the company's website at 770 calories, 34g fat and over 100g carbs. Is it worth it? Absolutely not!

In the USA, there are more than 25,000 fast food restaurants which spend $294 per year in marketing directed toward children (source). Unless we teach kids (and this means we have to know what's right too!) what the right choices are, how can we expect them to make healthy choices at school, at their friends houses, or as they get older. I remember growing up, we traveled a lot, and ate fast food alot. As a kid (and somewhat into adulthood), I loved happy meals, which have over 500 calories and 20g of fat! Yikes; glad I learned what healthy means as I got older.

2) How often are we presented with temptations like this on a daily/weekly basis?

Do birthday parties, office parties, take-out after a long day, dinner out, lunch out, lattes and cappuchinos from coffee shops, snacks, drinks, fast food...need I go on...ring a bell? How much do we consume throughout the week that we don't even think about?

Ok, so what's the point? This is not to give you yet another piece of health advice to think about. It's more to help increase awareness about seemingly insignificant scenarios that can add up to high calorie choices and potentially weight gain over time. When you are out and about, be sure to pay attention to how many times you are presented with (and give into) food temptations that you would not normally eat, if you were preparing your own food 100% of the time.

From Reader's Digest: Make healthier choices at coffee shops

3) Even if calories are listed, do we really know what is in the foods we are eating when we are on the go?

A recent study published in the July 2011 edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association compared laboratory measurements of calories in 269 food items with the restaurants' stated calories. Researchers found that 19% of food items had at least 100 calories more than listed and only 7% of the 269 foods tested were within 10 calories of what the restaurants stated (source)

If you're like me, you are on the go and overbooked, constantly. Cooking for yourself and planning your meals everyday is near impossible. It's important to know what your goals are and how to best fuel yourself during the day. Sometimes keeping a bar or nutrition shake or a piece of fruit and a serving of almonds in your bag can save you from overeating at a quick joint or getting to a point where your blood sugar is too low.

The message today is simple. Find out what works for you so that you are prepared for your own schedule. Decide in advance where you will resist temptations and where you will allow yourself to indulge a little bit. Life is meant to be enjoyed and we shouldn't be bogged down by the foods around us!

Fit to Call Yourself Fit

We tend to compare ourselves to others. Usually its our worst to their best. What is your best and how does it fit into "fit"?

To discover this, I think it's important to define what "fit" really means in the broad sense and also in your own personal sense. For example, if you previously hadn't exercised for three years, but have been working out 3-4 times per week; find that you are gaining lean muscle and losing body fat, and that you have more energy and can do more than you have in the last 3 years...are you fit? If you are naturally a thin person, but have never really exercised, would you define yourself as fit? If you go to the gym most days of the week for a general workout, does this mean you are fit?

Appearances can be deceiving; don't be fooled.

The naturally thin person may secretly desire to become more fit, even if she/he is constantly told how awesome they look. The 'working towards fit' individual may look at the naturally thin person, and not know that and get jealous. I've seen this, so many times. In all cases (yes, I am speaking in absolutes here), I think it's vitally important to avoid comparing our worst to another's best.

This short blog post from Stop Chasing Skinny shows how we can do this, from the perspective of a "skinny" person.

So, are you fit? I've been thinking about this quite a bit lately, about how to define, or describe fitness. The truth is, there are so many aspects to get into. As a society, we could say, "to be fit, you must be able to run a 5k without stopping." Well, that's great for some, but for others, it may not be realistic. For example, a gentleman in his 50's may have had knee replacement surgery from an old football injury. He swims 2,500 meters every other day and is in great health. But, because we defined "fit" in one way, he wouldn't qualify.

This is my opinion, but here is a way that you can define general fitness:

Can you perform 1 or more of these activities:

Cardiovascular

1. Running for 30-minutes at any pace without stopping

2. Walking briskly for 60-90 minutes while holding a conversation

3. Biking at an above leisurely pace for 60-minutes

4. Swimming for 30-minutes with minimal rest

5. Dancing, Zumba, rowing, hiking, incline walking, rollerblading, or any other moderate movement exercise for 30-60 minutes without getting super out of breath

6. Playing a recreational sport like football, basketball, volleyball for an afternoon

Strength

1. Being able to do 10 to 20 pushups in a row

2. Being able to perform basic strength movements in good form and for at least 20-minutes (examples: squats, lunges, rows, pullups, bench press, deadlifts, shoulder press, core exercises)

3. Being able to perform above ordinary tasks like moving heavy furniture, loading boxes, etc.

We could go into balance, agility, and many other measures of fitness, but the point is this... "fit" is all relative....to you. You may read this list and know that you can do it all, or you may look at it and think the opposite. Here's the key, there are 9+ examples here. Did you read the list and pick out 1-2 that you couldn't do or did you pick the 5-6 that you can. Focus on your strengths and build on it. I can do most of these things, but swimming for 30-minutes consistently? No thank you, there is no desire there; and that's ok.

This year, I have chosen to run a marathon. Why? Two reasons: 1) often, when someone finds out I'm a trainer, the first question that comes out is, "oh, do you run marathons?" Now, I am not sure what one has to do with the other, but I figured, I might as well do one, so I could answer 'yes' to that question (for those of you wondering, yes, this is 90% of my motivation for doing the marathon!); 2) I like to compete against myself and see what I am made of.

I love CrossFit. It's one of the influences that helped me develop my passion for fitness. I am training for a marathon, and for my body, find that the 2 do not mix as I'd like. Because my goal is the marathon, I have to dissociate myself from the CrossFit world, even though I am constantly surrounded by friends/colleagues who are participating and competing in the sport. Sometimes it's hard, because I feel like I am not as fit as they are, because I am running versus doing CrossFit workouts. In my head, I know this is nutso talk, but in my gut, I am jealous of their workouts. The point here is...whatever your goals are, stick with them. Don't let the sway or enticement of someone else's goal sway yours. Become the fit that you want to become in that moment. Define it for yourself and then stand proud of your progression.

If you go from playing recreational basketball, to training and completing a triathlon, I'm proud of you. If you go from getting winded walking up a flight of stairs to being able to walk up 4 flights of stairs easily, I'm equally proud of you. If you go from not exercising to walking 10-minutes a day, I am ecstatic for you. (Please, insert your own goals here and then get excited about them).

Go after your goals, and define what fitness means for you.

By the way, I'd love to hear your definitions and accomplishments!

Welcome!

Monica Niska here, excited to present to you www.thewellwithall.com, a blog dedicated to spreading the health word in a fun, down to earth, and useful way! My passion is fitness, food and helping friends figure out their goals and get after it. You may already know me or you may not; you may think you know me, and you may not :)

As an ambitious chick, with lots of dreams and goals, I thrive and find reward with helping others reach their goals. I am proud to say I get to do this everyday. What you will find on this blog is up-to-date info on various health topics, post about personal development, and links to cool people, resources, and blogs that you can use to better yourself. You will not find negative material, complaints or woes! I believe & operate with a simple mantra: believe in better, inspire & empower.

My professional background is personal training and lifestyle consulting. Even though I'm good at this; I think I'm an even better cook. Creating food and recipes is a skill and passion that I could pursue everyday. I love to travel, move/exercise, cook, inspire, discover, explore and get inspired from other leaders and successful people in life. I believe we should get outside and enjoy life everyday. By nature, I am a bit disorganized and very spontaneous, but have found that in order to get what I want in life and make the impact I desire too, this has to change. The blog gives me a chance to place much of my creative energy in one place, to hopefully benefit you and your friends!

The goal of this blog is to launch a resource that inspires others to find balance and health in life; and provides encouragement/ammunition to reach goals, find happiness and move closer to passion, quicker! "The Well With All" is a play off the term 'wherewithal' which describes "the means or supplies for the purpose or need." In our case, the purpose is finding fun and encouragement in health.

Please let me know about your businesses, your websites, blogs you follow, resources you find encouraging and beneficial, and I will post about them. Share with your friends and let's build a healthy empire together!

Best,

Monica

Out of Routine: What You Want

Healthy living is more than just diet and exercise. While I won't overwhelm you with all the factors that contribute to health; finding balance in daily living is one of the keys find health universally. In my opinion, healthy living can be summed up to one or two action steps:

1. Progressively (yes this is a double meaning!) develop a positive mental attitude

2. Take the time to stop and think about what you need and what you are willing to maintain or improve your health

Perspective, either forced or sought out can move us to change. Maintaining a healthy perspective is sometimes as simple as getting out of your routine, admitting you need guidance, or experiencing something impactful or unexpected.

Henrik Edberg, posts on The Positivity Blog a title called "How to Get the Boring Tasks Done."This caught my attention, because I consider ALL household tasks boring (aside from cooking or rearranging furniture). The tips are awesome; even more impressive is that they can be changed over to refer to any area of your health that you find boring or mundane!

Recently, I have been trying to get out of my routine/out of my comfort zone to gain a new perspective. Yesterday, I was done with training, a little earlier than expected. My instinct was to go home, make dinner and then do some work on the computer. Instead I went to Barnes and Noble and sat up in one of their window seats, to get my work done. Simply being in a different location than usual helped me to think differently about a couple of things. What does this have to do with health? EVERYTHING (for me!) As a worker bee, I find it challenging to "turn it off." By setting myself up to finish my work, before heading home, it allowed me the freedom to go home, cook dinner, and just chill out. Don't you know, I got more sleep than normal too. Changing your perspective or your routine can have a ripple effect on your health, that you may not recognize at first. My above example is just a tiny one.

Laura Yochelson, budding author of "I Only Had Anorexia: Could I Ever Have Something More" is a sweet example of one who identifies changes needed, then seeks out answers, and then teaches others about her experiences. Stay tuned for her book launch, coming soon!

Getting out of our routine (or sometimes getting into a different, more productive routine), can help you gain a new perspective when it comes to your health. We can get up so close in our own business, that we lose our goals. Or we can just go-go-go without relishing in on on the most vital activities...thinking.

Get out of your own way, stop and think, then take action. Do this regularly and watch your life change over time!

Running Reflections from a Marathon Rookie

For those of you interested in running or participating in distance events, the best advice I can give you is to start. As you start, don't get discouraged about where you are at. Instead, think about where you are going.

The Marine Corps Marathon on October 30, 2011, will be my first marathon. Up until last month, I declared that this will also be my only one. However, I can already tell that I am going to want to do a second one to improve my time, based on some lessons learned. One of the biggest changes in routine I have made as of late, is to repeat routes. Prior, I would just go, just run as long as I could, without much direction. What I found is that knowing the end point, helps me run faster, harder, and longer. After doing the same 10k training route three times, I improved my original time by 15-minutes, because I had "been there." Sometimes, experience pays.

Historically, running has been my fitness nemesis; I would prefer to do anything else for exercise (except dance in public!). Now, as I have practiced and improved, I have found it to be, not only a great escape from work, stress, and other stuff, but an activity that I actually look forward too. Maybe for you, running leaves little to desire. If so, apply your sport of choice and get going (even if it's just 5-min). We all must start somewhere!

Yesterday, I found myself in deep thought on the trail during a 14-mile training run. With longer distances, it's all about perspective and expectation. This distance was about twice the length of my average training run. Because I knew that this was part of the process to hit the end goal (increasing my mileage), I wasn't intimidated. Reflecting on the past, I remember when I couldn't run for 14-minutes...ok, let's be honest, probably not even for 4-minutes; let alone over 14-miles.

The body is amazing when you progress properly and give yourself room to improve. You can be hard on yourself for where you aren't (this applies to a non-active individual, as much as it does to the athlete). Or, you can recognize where you are at, and resolve to get better. A little bit. Most days of the week.

The best way to get where you want is to know where you are going!

Indulge AND Avoid the Bulge?!

Life is meant to be enjoyed. We are meant to live abundantly and in good health, so why live with such large restrictions when it comes to food. I am a huge fan of food. Actually more so, a huge fan of food that tastes amazing and is good for the body. Yes, it is possible!

Today, I now consider a homemade smoothie with simple ingredients like greek yogurt, strawberries, peaches and pineapple, an indulgence. It's healthy, and tastes like ice cream (winner!). The reason I consider it an indulgence is because to take the time for myself to make it, is not always a luxury I allow in the morning. I vow today, to make this more of a habit. What are your healthy indulgences? Do good for your body on a daily basis and it will do good for you!

Indulging will mean something different for everyone. Maybe you love chocolate and choose to indulge in a small amount daily or just occasionally. Maybe you enjoy butter on your bread or potato. By the way, a surprisingly flavorful way to dress a baked potato with with a few drops of soy sauce, fresh horseradish and chives. Maybe you love ice cream or potato chips or just an old fashioned American cheeseburger. Whatever it is for you, decide to indulge sometimes, and be good most of the time. You can be good with moderation (not overeating) or by only enjoying your indulgences occasionally (I promise it will taste even better this way!)

So what does indulging have to do with "avoiding the bulge." Discovery Health blogger and fitness expert, Jonathon Ross, posts Mind Over Milkshakes: Do We Eat Less if We Indulge? Interesting comparison of how labels and perception can potentially affect your metabolism!

Indulging (or allowing yourself to eat tasteful foods) in moderation is one of the keys to controlling your weight and enjoying food and the experiences that go along with it. Learn what this means for you and your lifestyle; discover what to indulge in often (and what to save for special occasions); and enjoy!

The Proof is in the Beans

Or something like that! Do you know how much caffeine is in your favorite morning drink?

Any brand coffee-decaf = 2-12 mg per 8 ozInstant coffee = 27 - 173 mg for 8 oz

Dunkin' Donuts, 16oz coffee = 143-206mg caffeine

Starbucks Espresso (1 oz) = 58-75mg

Starbucks Vanilla Latte, 16oz = 150mg

Starbucks Skinny Carmel Macchiato = 150mg

Starbucks Grande Brewed Coffee = 330mg

Check the caffeine content of your favorite drink from Starbucks.

12 oz sodas

Coke Zero = 35 mg

Mountain Dew = 54mg

Pepsi (reg or diet) - 37mg

Black Tea = 20-120mg (8 oz)

Green Tea = 26 mg (6 oz)

Good to know: "The actual caffeine content of the same coffee drink can vary from day to day — even at the same coffee shop — because of factors such as roasting and grinding, as well as brewing time" (Mayo Clinic, 2009).

Jitters

Moderate caffeine consumption is considered to be around 200mg per day. If you consume more than 500-600mg per day, you may want to consider cutting it back. But how do you know? Coffee drinks can be tricky, and you could be consuming more than you think you are (or you could be fine!).Signs of too much caff include: headaches, restlessness, anxiety, jittery behavior, irregular heart beat, difficulty sleeping, frequent urination, etc.

Perks

Coffee and it's buddies can sometimes get a bad rap. But there are benefits to coffee/caffeine. Recent research has led to the thought that the antioxidants in caffeine could help fight against free radicals. Check out a recent article from CBS news for more details. There are also many studies being done about how caffeine can postively affect the endurance athlete, when consumed in small amounts throughout a race or training event. Some studies also show that consumed in moderate amounts, coffee/caffeine could have a positive influence on disease prevention. As always, talk to your doc, if you have questions about how much you should consume!

Story Time!

When I was about 14, Starbucks launched its empire and I was well on my way to thinking that I was a professional adult. Almost daily, I went to Starbucks and got a coffee or frappachino; and became addicted! Post college, I was drinking 5-6 home cups a day and often another cup from a coffee shop. I was definitely jittery all the time; and eventually cut back to 1 cup of coffee per day or a B12 energy drink, designed for active people. It wasn't easy, but it was necessary to cut back!

Please sir, I want some more (for 400 calories or less)

When it comes to dining out, you can enjoy your food and eat a healthy meal! Most restaurants today, have nutrition information online, so that you can check out your dishes before you go out. Many times, dishes can be tricky, and what may appear as a healthy choice, may in fact, be a calorie trap. Check out some of these local, healthy, franchise finds:

Seasons 52 at White Flint & Tysons Corner

Fish, Black Bean & Jimaca Piperade

380 cal, 9g fat, 708mg sodium, 33g carbs (10g fiber), 42g protein

Blackened Grouper with Sweet Potato

390 cal, 6g fat, 1559mg sodium, 34g carbs (7g fiber), 50g protein

All Seasons 52 dishes are under 475 calories, so you really can't go wrong! Pick out your favorite dish online, before you go out

Sweet Green, in DC, MD, VA & PA

Make Your Own Salad or Wrap

Monica's Modest Mesclun Salad: Mesclun, shredded carrots, grape tomatoes, raw peppers, hearts of palm, cucumbers, edamame, roasted shrimp & honey dijon dressing

325 cal, 9g fat (1 g saturated), 1107mg sodium, 34g carbs (4g fiber), 24g protein

Make your own & check your calories

Mongolian Grill, check your zip code for the closest one!

Charred Tomato Pasta: Whole wheat pasta, onions, basil, tomatoes and bd's Mongo Marinara sauce.

370 cal, 7g fat (1.5g saturated), 520mg sodium, 66g carbs (11g fiber), 11g protein, 2 servings of fruits/veggies

Spicy Tiger Chicken: Chicken breast, bean sprouts, mushrooms, onions and pea pods with Mongolian ginger sauce and tiger sauce.

250 cal, 8g fat (0.5g saturated), 1100mg sodium, 23g carbs (2g fiber), 23g protein, 1 serving fruits/veggies

Create your own bowl & find out what you are eating!

The Olive Garden--found in your favorite town or city!

Chicken and Gnocchi Soup

250 calories, 8g fat (3g saturated), 1180mg sodium, 29g carbs (2g fiber), 16g protein, 1 serving fruits/veggies

Venetian Apricot Chicken Dinner: grilled chicken breasts with apricot sauce & served with veggies

380 calories, 4g fat (1.5g saturated), 1420mg sodium, 32g carbs (8g fiber), 53g protein, 1.5 servings fruit/veggies

Look up your favorite dish.

Sources: www.healthydiningfinder.com & restaurant sites