It's Memorial Day - and whether your version of summer includes wearing white linen, grilling outside, playing football on the beach, or just enjoying some ice-cold lemonade from inside your air-conditioned office, the annual call of early summertime is beckoning - and here at bene-fit, we want to help you answer it!
Use your pre-summer days to do the necessary "prep work" you might need to start the season off on a healthy note. For example, start a hydration plan that will take you through those hotter-than-usual sunny summer days - purchase a stylish, BPA-free water bottle and make sure to fill it up with calorie-free beverages (try water, unsweetened iced tea, or homemade iced coffee with "coffee cubes") to beat fatigue and limit bloating from those salty summer foods.
Now's the time to establish another daily prevention habit: putting on SPF 50+ sunscreen. The best time to do it is before you're battling straps, clothes, and makeup - you know, directly after your shower. Mix sunscreen with an organic self-tanner for a sun-safe glow in one step!
Why not enjoy the other gifts of summer's onset by making your home a healthy haven? Open the windows, cut and display flowers, use fresh herbs in cooking and crack open the grill, and take advantage of cool mornings by working out at sunrise. Download some classic summer tunes on your iPod and update your exercise playlists, or put together some great easy listening music to play in the background at a healthy summer cookout (check out these delicious and nutritious recipes for outdoor cooking!).
Finally, use the weather as an excuse to change up your fitness and health routines. Try eating local during the season when Farmers' Markets are plentiful and enjoy more meatless meals, run on the beach or on a local trail to challenge your legs on new terrain, or move your daily prayer or meditation outdoors to a garden or under a tree for a new feeling of serenity in your life.
Remember, the changing of the seasons is a time of great promise, excitement, and warmth - bene-fit hopes you'll honor your fitness journey and the summer spirit with these great tips.
May 31, 2010
May 25, 2010
UPDATE: bene-fit has a NEW home on the web!
Need some more bene-fit in your life? Check out our NEW and IMPROVED website!
Here you'll find the latest updates from this blog as well as links to our Facebook and Twitter pages, information on our personal training, boot camp and corporate wellness services, and a heck of a lot more.
See you in (a healthier) cyberspace!
Here you'll find the latest updates from this blog as well as links to our Facebook and Twitter pages, information on our personal training, boot camp and corporate wellness services, and a heck of a lot more.
See you in (a healthier) cyberspace!
May 24, 2010
Celebrate In A Healthy Way This May
Memorial Day is nearly upon us and the time is nigh to think about our shared national legacies. You might remember commemorating events like Women's History Month or African-American History Month in elementary school - but did you ever throw a veggie-heavy party for National Salad Month? How about grilling up a lean turkey patty for your nation's revered Hamburger Month?
Check out bene-fits guide to the healthiest ways to celebrate during the last few days of May:
Take a stroll on your lunch break to clear your head during Mental Health Month. While you're out there, make sure to check in with your spring sneezes this Allergy/Asthma Awareness Month. Speed up that walk to a jog and push it a little harder since it's Physical Fitness and Sports Month, too!
All that exercise might make you hungry, so dig in to some fresh fruit for Strawberry Month, or perhaps enjoy an incredible edible - poached or hard-boiled is healthiest - during Egg Month. Make those eggs into a yummy veggie Benedict in honor of Asparagus Month, or enjoy a spicy south-of-the-border - and low-cal! - condiment this Salsa Month. Definitely make sure to grill up some healthy proteins (try a marinated chicken breast or a tofu and fruit kabob!) during this Barbecue Month.
When you're enjoying all the foods "of the month," remember in honor of High Blood Pressure Education Month to limit your sodium intake, too! Try balancing your workouts with some stretching and yoga to raise awareness and encourage prevention in joint celebration of both Arthritis Month and Correct Posture Month. Need something a bit more intense? If you have a short (10 miles or fewer) and safe commute, swap it out for a two-wheeler and do your part for Bike Month.
Finally, remember that it's never too late to commit yourself to a healthier and more robust lifestyle - the bene-fit philosophy encourages lifelong fitness this Older Americans Month and beyond!
Stay tuned for more "monthly" bene-fit tips coming soon - in June!
Check out bene-fits guide to the healthiest ways to celebrate during the last few days of May:
Take a stroll on your lunch break to clear your head during Mental Health Month. While you're out there, make sure to check in with your spring sneezes this Allergy/Asthma Awareness Month. Speed up that walk to a jog and push it a little harder since it's Physical Fitness and Sports Month, too!
All that exercise might make you hungry, so dig in to some fresh fruit for Strawberry Month, or perhaps enjoy an incredible edible - poached or hard-boiled is healthiest - during Egg Month. Make those eggs into a yummy veggie Benedict in honor of Asparagus Month, or enjoy a spicy south-of-the-border - and low-cal! - condiment this Salsa Month. Definitely make sure to grill up some healthy proteins (try a marinated chicken breast or a tofu and fruit kabob!) during this Barbecue Month.
When you're enjoying all the foods "of the month," remember in honor of High Blood Pressure Education Month to limit your sodium intake, too! Try balancing your workouts with some stretching and yoga to raise awareness and encourage prevention in joint celebration of both Arthritis Month and Correct Posture Month. Need something a bit more intense? If you have a short (10 miles or fewer) and safe commute, swap it out for a two-wheeler and do your part for Bike Month.
Finally, remember that it's never too late to commit yourself to a healthier and more robust lifestyle - the bene-fit philosophy encourages lifelong fitness this Older Americans Month and beyond!
Stay tuned for more "monthly" bene-fit tips coming soon - in June!
May 17, 2010
A Tale of Two Clients
Let me begin this week's post with a profound truth: there is no silver bullet.
Allow me to contrast two examples of what I am talking about. I received two emails from clients over the weekend; one who was just returning from her vacation, and the other who has a trip planned in two weeks.
The first client, for whom I had written a 10K training plan prior to her trip, thanked me for giving her "something to look forward to" after a vacation packed with fun, family, and yes - a bit more food than usual. She mentioned that even though she wasn't going to start the plan until she returned from the well-deserved vacation, it was enough motivation for her to keep focused on her goal and have a set way to return to fitness after the break.
The second client, a virtual trainee for whom I've written several strength and conditioning plans, informed me of her trip and asked me for ways to thin out her thighs. She wants to wear a bikini on her vacation and, "without anything too tough," wants to tone up her upper legs and hips as quickly as possible.
As you can imagine, my disappointment over the second client was only balanced out by my appreciation for the first. Here at bene-fit, we advocate realistic consistency and long-term commitments to health - not quick fixes and that persistent myth of "spot reduction." Furthermore, fitness is better understood as a feeling than a physical form; building and maintaining your health is a marathon, not a sprint.
I responded to the second client in the only way I knew how - with stark honesty. I advised her to continue her established balance of cardiovascular and strength training, monitor her diet closely to avoid excess sugars, sodium, and refined carbohydrates, and stay hydrated and well-rested in the weeks leading up to her trip (I also recommended a great organic self-tanner - the only "quick fix" I can truly recommend for an imminent beach vacation!).
So back to my first point, which bears repeating: there is no silver bullet, and there never will be. Much-heralded technological and medical advances like Alli, lap band surgery, and the now-illegal ephedra have come and gone - and new drugs, procedures, and chemicals like them will continue to thrive in a culture like ours where weight loss is the "new national pastime." If you want trim thighs, go out and get running. If you want to reduce body fat, strength train and boost your metabolism by eating a healthy breakfast. If you want to find peace and balance, find a yoga studio or teacher and begin to integrate mindful movement into your life.
bene-fit simply asks you to consider spending your time and money a bit more fruitfully - by investing in your overall health and wellness with regular exercise, a clean diet, and holistic healthy habits. It is within your power to make the changes you want, but you must be willing to do the work and stay the course. There are no shortcuts on the journey to your best self - but if you are really in pursuit, you don't need any.
Allow me to contrast two examples of what I am talking about. I received two emails from clients over the weekend; one who was just returning from her vacation, and the other who has a trip planned in two weeks.
The first client, for whom I had written a 10K training plan prior to her trip, thanked me for giving her "something to look forward to" after a vacation packed with fun, family, and yes - a bit more food than usual. She mentioned that even though she wasn't going to start the plan until she returned from the well-deserved vacation, it was enough motivation for her to keep focused on her goal and have a set way to return to fitness after the break.
The second client, a virtual trainee for whom I've written several strength and conditioning plans, informed me of her trip and asked me for ways to thin out her thighs. She wants to wear a bikini on her vacation and, "without anything too tough," wants to tone up her upper legs and hips as quickly as possible.
As you can imagine, my disappointment over the second client was only balanced out by my appreciation for the first. Here at bene-fit, we advocate realistic consistency and long-term commitments to health - not quick fixes and that persistent myth of "spot reduction." Furthermore, fitness is better understood as a feeling than a physical form; building and maintaining your health is a marathon, not a sprint.
I responded to the second client in the only way I knew how - with stark honesty. I advised her to continue her established balance of cardiovascular and strength training, monitor her diet closely to avoid excess sugars, sodium, and refined carbohydrates, and stay hydrated and well-rested in the weeks leading up to her trip (I also recommended a great organic self-tanner - the only "quick fix" I can truly recommend for an imminent beach vacation!).
So back to my first point, which bears repeating: there is no silver bullet, and there never will be. Much-heralded technological and medical advances like Alli, lap band surgery, and the now-illegal ephedra have come and gone - and new drugs, procedures, and chemicals like them will continue to thrive in a culture like ours where weight loss is the "new national pastime." If you want trim thighs, go out and get running. If you want to reduce body fat, strength train and boost your metabolism by eating a healthy breakfast. If you want to find peace and balance, find a yoga studio or teacher and begin to integrate mindful movement into your life.
bene-fit simply asks you to consider spending your time and money a bit more fruitfully - by investing in your overall health and wellness with regular exercise, a clean diet, and holistic healthy habits. It is within your power to make the changes you want, but you must be willing to do the work and stay the course. There are no shortcuts on the journey to your best self - but if you are really in pursuit, you don't need any.
May 10, 2010
An Ounce of Prevention
Eating right, sleeping well, exercising regularly...these are the tenets of "good health" that we hear so often they've almost become a dull buzz in the back of our minds. "Yeah yeah," you might think, "tell me something I don't know about health."
Okay. How about the fact that most Americans don't know their blood type, much less their triglyceride or blood glucose levels (or why those numbers are important)? Perhaps you would be shocked to know that only 50% of Americans receive regular dental exams*. Did you know that 30% of emergency room patients also report signs of untreated depression**?
President Obama has already called attention to the lack of preventive health care in the United States - the new bill covers a variety of preventive screenings and treatments in full. However, it is up to individuals to "heed the call" and start taking action to protect themselves and address preventable diseases and risk factors before they become problematic. So what do you need to know to stay safe and healthy?
For women, ask your doctor for a full checkup, TSH (thyroid) test, HIV test, blood pressure and cholesterol ("heart healthy") test, bone density screen, A1c (blood glucose) test, and mammogram.
For men, get the same sequence but replace that mammogram with a DRE (digital rectal exam), PSA (prostate specific antigen) test, testicular exam, and colonoscopy.
Don't be afraid to ask your doctor for more information on these tests and others that you might be at risk for given your family history, weight, health status, and background. It is never too soon to make a small (or free!) investment in your long-term health - inside and out. Small acts can reap great bene-fits!
As the saying goes - perhaps never truer than it is today, in an era where obesity, diabetes, and CHD rates are spiking - "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."
*source: ADHA.org
**source: WrongDiagnosis.com
Okay. How about the fact that most Americans don't know their blood type, much less their triglyceride or blood glucose levels (or why those numbers are important)? Perhaps you would be shocked to know that only 50% of Americans receive regular dental exams*. Did you know that 30% of emergency room patients also report signs of untreated depression**?
President Obama has already called attention to the lack of preventive health care in the United States - the new bill covers a variety of preventive screenings and treatments in full. However, it is up to individuals to "heed the call" and start taking action to protect themselves and address preventable diseases and risk factors before they become problematic. So what do you need to know to stay safe and healthy?
For women, ask your doctor for a full checkup, TSH (thyroid) test, HIV test, blood pressure and cholesterol ("heart healthy") test, bone density screen, A1c (blood glucose) test, and mammogram.
For men, get the same sequence but replace that mammogram with a DRE (digital rectal exam), PSA (prostate specific antigen) test, testicular exam, and colonoscopy.
Don't be afraid to ask your doctor for more information on these tests and others that you might be at risk for given your family history, weight, health status, and background. It is never too soon to make a small (or free!) investment in your long-term health - inside and out. Small acts can reap great bene-fits!
As the saying goes - perhaps never truer than it is today, in an era where obesity, diabetes, and CHD rates are spiking - "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."
*source: ADHA.org
**source: WrongDiagnosis.com
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