bene-fit Spotlight: The Power Nine

Here at bene-fit, we are constantly reading and researching to make sure we bring you the latest in health and fitness news, tips, and trends.  This week, we're spotlighting life coach Dan Buettner and his advice for achieving happiness and satisfaction in life by researching life in the "Blue Zones" - the longest-living cultures on Earth.

Check out some of his thought-provoking (and highly useful!) work, summarized in the Power 9.  The Power 9 (below) is a pyramid plan intended to help people figure out where they are falling short in reaching their maximum potential and identify the areas in which they can improve their lives:

[note: this is a great one to print and post on your refrigerator, on your mirror, or in your office cubicle!]

The base of the pyramid is the most important stuff - family, faith, and friends - and it builds upon that foundation with other healthy lifestyle features, with the peak being a bene-fit favorite - exercise!

Check out some great ways to secure each level of the Power 9 for your own well-being  - and leave us comments about how YOU incorporate these areas into your healthy lifestyle!

BASE
Tribe: Make family a priority.
Whether it's a Sunday dinner or a quick check-in at breakfast, make sure to acknowledge and communicate with your family members as often as possible. 
Beliefs: Participate in spiritual or religious activities.
Whether you attend a weekly service or a weekly yoga class, finding the time to connect with your deepest inner self and/or your higher power has been proven to increase happiness, satisfaction, and longevity.
Belong: Create a healthy social network.
You can't always choose a healthy family environment, but you can pick your friends!  Make sure to surround yourself with yea-sayers- not just "yes men" - and eliminate negative influences from your immediate circle.

LEVEL 1
80% Rule: Stop eating when you're 80% full.
A great way to do this is to simply serve yourself smaller portions - switch to a smaller dinner plate, and watch this "rule" take care of itself!  Fast eaters, slow down - serve yourself different foods in "courses" (vegetable first, then protein, then grains) to make sure each bite is mindfully taken.
Plant Slant: Eat mostly veggies and avoid processed foods.
Load up on vegetables to curb appetite and wean yourself off the processed stuff - visit a local Farmers' Market for inspiration, or start using these fun gadgets to keep your produce intake in check!
Red Wine: Drink alcohol in moderation.
If you're a teetotaler, we're not recommending that you load up on the booze - but if you enjoy one drink daily, pat yourself on the back for all the bene-fits you're bringing your body daily!

LEVEL 2
Downshift: Work less, slow down, rest, and take vacation.
Can't afford a week on the beach?  Grab a full-body massage.  Can't even splurge on a rubdown?  Try soaking in epsom salts.  Establish a serenity routine in your life and reap the bene-fit of a moment of mental peace.
Plan de Vida: Know your purpose in life.
If you don't have a life plan written down, take a half hour to an hour this week and do it - in whatever format is natural to you (a poem, a list, or a sketch all work equally well).  Sometimes believing that our dreams are worthy of our attention is enough to refocus our life course in a really positive way.

PEAK
Move: Find ways to move mindlessly.
And finally - our favorite!  Don't just associate "moving" with "exercise" - little changes like sitting on a Swiss ball instead of a chair at work, parking far away from a shopping mall entrance, or standing up while you talk on the phone can all shift your daily life from sedentary to energized in just a few short weeks.

Check out more on the Power 9 here - and visit us next week for more great health and wellness information at your fingertips!

Cheap & Chic Fitness Finds

It's no secret - we here at bene-fit have been doing this whole "health and wellness" thing for some time now, and along the way, we've picked up some great tips and tricks for making the journey a whole lot easier.  I am constantly asked about my favorite products, foods, and clothing for making a fit lifestyle even more enjoyable - and affordable.  Well, loyal readers, today is the day I share some of my top secrets with you!

The less-than-glamorous way I start each and every day is with an oatmeal combo - some mixture of plain ol' rolled oats (usually bought in bulk for cents on the dollar - a great way to save money!) and fresh fruit, nut butter, or protein powder.  This way, my morning activities are fueled up, I get "going" from the hit of fiber, and I'm not hungry until lunch!

However, because of my heavy training schedule, I get a lot of soreness in the morning, particularly in my lower body.  While I will swear by a good sports massage, sometimes it's just not in the budget.  A great alternative is to use Tiger balm on the affected area and rub over any achy muscles with The Stick.  The combination of the longer-term relief from the balm and the spot treatment from the stick is nearly as good as a legitimate massage - and costs a lot less.

As for clothing?  While I own multiple pairs of the classic Tempo short from NIKE and I adore the adidas by Stella McCartney line, I never buy these items at full price.  The Chelsea Premium Outlets chain typically features both stores - as well as Puma and Reebok - with stylish, deeply discounted workout wear.  Let's be honest - we all want to look good in the gym, but at the end of the day, these are clothes we sweat in!

Finally, if a gym membership is out of your budget, there are some great cost-effective home gym products that can mimic the strength benefits of a gym (since we all know cardio is most fun done outdoors anyway - running, biking, swimming, jump rope, walking, and rowing are all great options!) with a far lower cost.  Try a set of resistance bands, inflatable weights, or even the much-advertised but very effective Iron Gym for some versatile options.  Not very good at working out at home, or by yourself?  bene-fit Boot Camp and Happy Hour Circuit Training provide high-quality, calorie-burning group fitness - and they're still only $20/session!

Stay tuned for more money-saving tips, tricks, and tactics to help you find your bene-fit - without emptying your wallet.  And as always...we want to hear from you!  Share your favorite fitness finds with us by leaving a comment or sending an email to amanda@mybene-fit.com.

Unhealthy People 2010

Astoundingly, since the Healthy People 2010 initiative launched in 2001, still not a single U .S. state has been able to reach the goal of a 15% or lower obesity rate.  The closest is Colorado, with 18.6% of its population reporting a BMI or 30 or higher, while the state with the most work to do is Mississippi, with a 34.4% rate.  Yes, that means that more than one-third of the population of the state of Mississippi is not just overweight, but obese - the equivalent of 185 pounds or more on a 5'5" frame.

This past weekend, I spent four days in Atlanta, Georgia for an academic conference.  Ironically, I was presenting a paper on obesity and health in a state where 28.1% of the adult population is obese (the 17th highest rate among U.S. states).

One might stop and wonder - how could different states in the same nation have such wildly varied obesity rates?  While there are many answers to this question, each complex and riddled with socioeconomic, educational, and class differences, let me offer one possibility from my personal experience this weekend: food environments. 

Part of the bene-fit lifestyle includes eating a healthy diet with foods that fuel your body and treat it with kindness - we strive to limit processed foods, eat meals with lots of vegetables and lean protein, and stay conscious of portion sizes.  However, depending on the environments in which you buy, prepare, and eat your food, this may be easier said than done.

Consider an example from Friday night in Atlanta.  We were taken by our colleagues to an "authentic Southern food" restaurant for dinner.  One glance at the menu and I shuddered - there were zero healthy options (the closest being collard greens which, upon investigation, were cooked in a mixture of pork fat and salt) and nearly everything else was fried.  I was in a food environment without healthy options, in a community of people who did not mind the menu, and with no way to substitute my own food or select another restaurant.

So what did I do, you ask?  Regrettably, I ordered fried chicken and painstakingly removed the skin (not an easy thing to do once you get a whiff of that buttermilk coating!) and ate the fatty collard greens as described above.  I went to bed feeling bloated, dehydrated, and sweaty - and couldn't imagine how my dining companions felt after their combinations of fried plantains, bourbon and marshmallow-drenched sweet potatoes, and pork aplenty.  This was crazy, I thought - but now I understand why certain states have certain rates. 

At bene-fit, we understand that different regional, cultural, and familial norms make it harder or easier to adopt a healthy dietary lifestyle.  It's a lot easier to transition from nutrient-free iceberg lettuce salads (as was the case in my family) to nutrient-rich spinach salads than it is to switch from deep-fried chicken (as I saw in the South) to a boneless, skinless chicken breast.  We grow up with taste patterns and preferences that, once we know they don't always align with our health goals, are very difficult to change.  That said, it is up to you to take a stand for yourself, your family, and your health - no matter where you live.

This week, bene-fit challenges you to think about one unhealthy food environment you frequent - whether it's the break room at work when the dozen doughnuts are brought in, or the freezer at midnight where you stash that extra quart of ice cream.  How can you change your choices - or in some cases, alter the environment - so that you aren't stuck in an unhealthy situation?  What small "tweaks" can you make to an established outine to avoid tough food choices or feeling helpless around a sea of poor nutritional options?

Be mindful of what you put in your mouth and you can be one more "healthy person" in 2010 - no matter what the statistics say.  Be strong and stay healthy this week!

What Have You Done Today?

What have you done today to make you feel proud?

As I hopped on the treadmill to pound out a few "required" miles for my upcoming 1/2 marathon training program, the above lyrics (from the inspiring song "Proud" by Heather Small) popped onto my iPod. Between the strength in her voice and the challenge of the workout I was doing, it really hit home: what do we do, each and every day, to find pride in our accomplishments?  How do you find your bene-fit?

So many of those new to exercise become unmotivated when large-scale results don't happen quickly enough - for example, when they can't lose 10 pounds in a week even though they've worked out each day, or when they are still struggling to run a full mile after building up a base for nearly a month.  The problem, of course, isn't the lack of trying - it might just be the lack of pride.


Those of us who grew up in more traditional households may subconsciously regard pride as a sin - a sign of vanity or preoccupation with oneself.  However, pride in your accomplishments - real, valid efforts - is quite the opposite.  People are drawn to self-confidence and autonomy that comes without arrogance or attitude.  Realizing your worth and articulating the bene-fits of your healthy lifestyle choices should bring you joy.


I once trained for - and finished! - a marathon.  I trained hard for 20 weeks, running through rain and pushing past my comfort zone, and when I finished I felt a sense of pride that I thought would never be matched.  How could anything else compare to the feeling of overcoming a huge obstacle like running 26.2 miles?


A year later, my Mom expressed interest in running her first 5K (3.1 mile) race.  I assured her I would train her up for the distance and run it alongside her.  Lo and behold, we finished the race side-by-side in under 45 minutes - our original goal time!  The pride I felt for her - knowing she had worked so hard and come so far - was greater than any of my own accomplishments, marathon included.  Feeling as though I was a partner in her success was more important to me than any 20-mile run or early-morning bicycle ride.


As a bene-fit trainer, I am lucky enough to experience these incredible moments on a regular basis.  However, too often I find that my own enthusiasm for my clients' successes - from completing their first unassisted pull-up to finally being able to balance in the boat pose without tipping over - exceeds their own.  Many folks are remiss to celebrate the fruits of their labor and actually express pride in their growth.


Today I ask you to think about the little things that make your heart proud.  Whether honoring yourself or a loved one, sometimes offering praise in someone's accomplishments - the smaller the better, as those are the ones that seem to go overlooked most often - is a surefire way to keep them on track toward reaching their larger goals.  Compliment a coworker's healthy lunch, tell your son or daughter you're inspired by their sports participation, or look in the mirror and find a muscle you've recently worked to develop and thank your body for putting it there.  Find the bene-fit of pride and share it with others this week!

A Real Fountain of Youth

At some point in time, everyone in this country has wondered about our health care system and how exactly a nation like ours has so consistently failed to provide adequate health care for all - heck, even most - of its citizens.  Allow me to pause here - this is not a political rant.  This is a story about the power of prevention.

At bene-fit, we believe that wellness is more than a diet, a training program, or a stress-relief class.  Wellness is is a lifestyle; something to be learned, developed, and maintained throughout the entire life span.  

Last night my partner and I visited his grandfather.  He is months away from turning 87, looks about 67 (minus the tufted white hair!) and likely is in the health condition of a man ten to twenty years his junior.  After marveling at his fitness throughout our visit, I broke down and asked him his secrets.  He smiled wisely and offered up the following tips, based solely on how he has lived his life.

"I'm Indian," he explained, "and I didn't wear shoes until I was 12 years old."  He swears this was how he avoided corns, bunions, and the other foot problems that plague even younger folks who are tempted by too-tight, stylish shoes.  "We didn't have much money, so we ate a mostly vegetarian diet," noting that meat was a special-occasion food to be enjoyed in small, reasonable portions (and shared among 12 brothers and sisters - talk about automatic portion control!). 

"Every night that I can remember, I sleep for seven hours," adding with a wink that there were, of course, nights he couldn't remember, but they were few and far between.  "I keep the mind busy," describing his younger days as a missionary and student of several languages, as well as his current life of writing his memoirs, learning the keyboard, tending his garden, and singing in the church choir.  

And as for that garden?  "Talk about organic," he exclaimed, "I've got the healthiest produce you can get outside of a legitimate farm!"   We walked off with a bag of his home-grown bounty ourselves - "giving good food away feels just as good as growing it," he promised.

One of the greatest tragedies of his older years was losing his wife of over 50 years just over a year ago.  "I don't give up," he said with a sigh, "I just use the time I have to remember her best."  A profoundly simple lesson on managing grief from a man who memorizes his favorite quotes from his favorite books and movies (his recent pick was a line from Elizabeth Taylor in The Deadliest Season) to recite when he feels down.

Lest we miss out on one of the strongest bene-fit beliefs, Grandpa is a strong proponent of exercise.  Every other day, he walks 3 miles assisted with walking sticks, and on the other days, he attends his local community center to do a moderate strength-training circuit - "the rotation," as he calls it - along with a shorter walk of 1-2 miles.  "This keeps me robust," he offers, "and helps keep the belly down," he says with a laugh. 

As for diet, besides growing much of his own food, he drinks red wine in moderation ("everything in moderation," he chuckled, "even moderation!") but eschews beer and hard liquor.  He enjoys spicy foods to boost his metabolism, but abides mainly by an alkaline/acid balanced diet to "keep the gastritis down."

Add to all this a lifetime of international travel, a steady marriage and family life with three kids, a strong faith and a positive outlook and I left our visit believing that I'd seen the fountain of youth - and it was 87 years old.  I hope you are as inspired as I was to maintain - or begin, it's never too late! - a lifetime of truly healthy habits.  Now that's finding your bene-fit!