Thirsty Tuesday

 Last week Eat This Not That published an article on "Five Sports Drinks That Actually Work".  Since we consume quite a few calories from beverages, I thought this would be a great article to share with you.  And it's no surprise (spoiler alert) that the number one drink is, ready?  WATER!  So enjoy reading below, and you can find this article online at: http://eatthis.menshealth.com/slideshow/5-sports-drinks-actually-work 

5. #5 Best Drink for Hydration: Coconut Water: Vita Coco 100% Pure Coconut Water (1 bottle, 17 fl oz) 
90 calories , 0 g fat, 22 g sugars
A 2012 study in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found that compared to a commercial sports drink, coconut water—a natural source of electrolytes—was equally as effective in hydrating participants after an intense workout. So why choose the coconut water over the sports drink? For one, coconut water is low on the glycemic index, so it won't dramatically affect your blood sugar, while fluid-replacement beverages like Powerade are sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup, a high-glycemic-index sweetener that can spike blood sugar levels and promote body-fat storage. Second, a 2010 study in the Journal of Cell & Tissue Research found that coconut water helped reduce blood pressure and cholesterol in rats, suggesting that the drink may also promote heart health.

4. #4 Best Drink for Enhanced Performance: Coffee: Coffee (8 fl oz)
2 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g sugars
A 2008 study published in the International Journal of Sports Physiology & Performance found that during a 1-hour time trial, cyclists who took a caffeine supplement were able to ride about a mile farther than those who took a placebo. What's more, other scientific research has linked caffeine consumption with increased endurance and reaction times. The problem is, most caffeine-enhanced energy drinks are loaded with added sugars (what's the point of an exercise-boosting drink that makes you fat?). The Starbucks Doubleshot can below, for example, has more sugar than a Twix bar! A much more waistline-friendly way to reap the benefits of caffeine: black coffee. It's sugar-free, packed with antioxidants, and has a negligable 2 calories per cup.

3. #3 Best Drink for Weight Loss: EBoost: EBoost Natural Orange (1 packet)
5 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g sugars
Green tea is another smart source of energy-enhancing caffeine. Like coffee, it's packed with antioxidants, and a 2011 research review published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that the herbal drink may also promote weight loss. A great way to get green tea on the go: EBoost. Unlike most green-tea based energy beverages, it's sweetened with natural, zero-calorie Stevia, and it boasts an impressive antioxidant profile. Compare it to the SoBe sugar concoction below—which packs nearly as much sugar as three whole Kit Kat bars!—and the winner is clear.

 2. #2 Best Drink for Recovery: Chocolate Milk: Low-Fat Chocolate Milk (8 fl oz)
158 calories, 2.5 g fat (1.5 g saturated), 25 g sugars, 8 g protein
Drinking a combination of carbohydrates and protein after a hard workout can help restore your energy and aid in building lean, metabolism-boosting muscle, but it turns out that you don't need a fancy recovery beverage to reap these benefits. A 2009 article in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism found that after participating in a vigorous cyclying session, cyclists who drank chocolate milk were able to ride 51 percent longer in a subsequent workout than those who drank a standard recovery beverage. Plus, chocolate milk is cheaper (and tastier) than anything you'll find in a sports nutrition store.

 1. #1 Best Drink in America: Water: Water
0 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g sugars
You may feel trendy with a bottle of vitamin-enhanced water in your hand, but that brightly hued liquid probably isn't improving your health. Most vitamin-infused H20 is just colored sugar water with some vitamins tossed in—bad news when you consider that Americans take in about 355 calories of added sugar every day. If you want vitamins, get them from vitamin supplements or, better yet, from whole foods (salmon, for example, is loaded with energy-boosting vitamin B-12). And if you want water, get it from, well, water. Nature's beverage is calorie-free, cost-free, and unless you're an elite athlete who does high-intensity exercise for more than an hour at a time, it'll take care of all your workout hydration needs.

Meals & Movements Monday

Most of us use Mondays as a jump-off point to begin a healthier eating plan, or plan a new workout routine.  It’s my favorite, and that’s what I’m doing personally this week.  With Spring closer (thank God), I want to be sure I’m toned up and in good shape as those sleeveless tops and shorts get pulled out.  Too many times in my life I’ve gotten my Spring/Summer clothes out and wondered how in the world they shrunk so much in storage over the winter!!!  It’s a good time to revisit our eating habits and just tweak here and there to ensure we’re fueling our bodies with the best food and drink possible to be our personal best!

So… each Monday I will be offering you a recipe and/or food tip, and one exercise.  Please note – you are fully responsible for any food or exercise regime you choose for yourself, and ALWAYS CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR before beginning!!!

Please feel free to email or post any of your favorite healthy recipes and exercises as well!  Additionally, while many of you already know this, I am a certified Pilates Reformer instructor at the RWJ Hamilton Center for Health & Wellness in Hamilton, NJ, and I teach privately as well.  If you’re interested in training with me, please get in touch by email, text or phone!  Enjoy today’s recipe and exercise, and here’s to a terrific new start for your wellness journey to YOUR BEST YOU EVER!

Blessings,

Coach Linda Bush
www.coachlindabush.com
609-331-9833

TODAY’S RECIPE: (from Food Network’s Trisha Yearwood’s show “Trisha’s Southern Kitchen” -- (adapted from her cookbook “Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen")

WINTER VEGETABLE SOUP (click here for link)
Total Time:  45 minutes (Prep:  15 min., cook 30 minutes)
Servings:  6

Ingredients
Two 14-ounce cans chicken broth
3 red potatoes (about 4 ounces each), peeled and diced into 3/4-inch pieces
One 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
One 10-ounce package frozen lima beans
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
Salt and pepper
One 12-ounce can cream-style corn

Directions
In a medium saucepan, combine the broth with the potatoes, tomatoes, beans and onions, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to medium. Cook the soup until the potatoes are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the corn and serve. Adjust seasoning as needed.

Nutrition:
Per Serving: Calories: 170; Total Fat: 1 gram; Saturated Fat: 0 grams; Protein: 7 grams; Total carbohydrates: 34 grams; Sugar: 6 grams; Fiber: 5 grams; Cholesterol: 0 milligrams; Sodium: 1162 milligrams

MOVEMENTS:
The plank is an isometric core strength exercise that strengthens your abdominals, back and shoulders.  It can be done anywhere without any additional equipment.  The most common plank is a front plank (also called a hover), where you hold yourself up in a push-up position with the body’s weight borne on forearms, elbows and toes.  You can begin by holding it for 5 seconds, then work your way up to 2-3 minutes.  Remember, check with your doctor first before beginning any exercise program!!!  

Hold your body straight and rigid with your body in a straight line (think of a board, hence, “the plank”).  No sagging – keep your body straight!  Relax your head, look about 5-6” in front of your hands.  You can find a video demonstration at:  http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/plank

I got a kick out of finding out that the current world record for a plank is 1 hour, 20 minutes and 5.01 seconds set by 54 year old George Hood!  Go Boomers!

Copyright 2013, "Coach Linda Bush" All Rights Reserved. The materials contained on this website are provided for general information only and do not constitute any form of medical or health care advice. We assume no responsibility for the accuracy of any particular statement and accept no liability for any loss or damage that may arise from reliance on the information contained on this site. Links to other websites from these pages are for information only and we accept no responsibility or liability for access to or the material on any website which is linked from or to this website. 

Find Yourself Friday

Oops - there I am!  No, I don't mean look in the mirror.  And clearly, answering all your life's questions today won't necessarily happen as you find yourself in one little 24-hour period.  However...

Today, I'd like you to take an hour for yourself.  Find a place that's quiet (and I know, for some of you out there, that may mean locking yourself in the bathroom), grab some paper and pen, a cuppa whatever or glass of whatever.  Be comfy.  Put on some soothing instrumental music if you wish  (nothing with words to distract your thoughts).

Now... take a few minutes to relax and wind down.  Breath in deeply through your nose, slowly to the count of five.  Hold that breath for the count of five.  Now slowly release that breath for the count of five, blowing the air from your mouth as if you were blowing out birthday candles.  

Once you're feeling a little more relaxed, just begin thinking about your life.  Start with childhood, into the teen years, young adult, adult, etc.  Just think of you, and think about what you dreamed about in those years, what you loved to do, the things you thought you'd be when you grow up. See the beauty and positive scenes of your life, hear the laughter and the sounds of the places you loved best, feel the happy emotions of the good times.  Embrace yourself with a hug as you think about these things.  I want you to focus on the positive parts of your life, the things/places/people/experiences that were empowering, educational, fun, inspirational -- everything that jazzed you and made you stay awake at night because you were happy, anticipating the excitement or basking in the joy of that day.  No blaming, no what ifs, no I coulda/shoulda moments.

Begin to write down all these empowering and positive memories.  You can write any way you want - chronologically, stream of consciousness... however it flows easiest for you.  Enjoy each moment as you relive some of the most pleasurable and wonderful times you've been blessed with in the journey so far.

After you've exhausted your memories, begin to reread it.  Take a step back and away from yourself/the moment and look at it as if you were reading information about someone else, and see it from the perspective of wanting to learn about that person, what makes them tick, and what their passions/dreams/goals may be. By looking at it as an "outsider", you may be able to discover clues about what really makes you happy, where you find your true joy and perhaps uncover some things about yourself that have been hidden for awhile.  Write those things down as well.

Now... take your journaling entries and gently, preciously put them away for a few days.  Make a date with yourself for another one-hour find yourself time.  Reread your notes with fresh eyes.  Perhaps share them with your beloved or a trusted friend.  This is your springboard, your starting point to discovering the rest of your life.  

We'll talk more about your findings/breakthrough/discoveries next week as we take the next step to YOU!  Stay tuned!

Blessings for a joyous weekend of bliss,
Coach Linda

Thrifty Thursday

$AVING$ MAKE$ CENT$

Do you have a written budget?  Do you know where your money goes?  Do you know where your cash goes?  

This Thrifty Thursday I’d like you to TAKE THE $AVING$ CENT$ challenge this weekend.  

For just two days, 48 little hours, Saturday and Sunday, commit to:

1) Spend as little as possible – the goal is to spend zero nadda zippo NO MONEY at all!  This means NONE.  No credit card charges, no debit card uses and no cash.  Try to make meals from what is already in your pantry, frig and freezer.  Find things to do that are free.  Get together with friends and watch a movie that someone already owns.  Spend an evening with friends and do a pot luck where everyone brings something for a shared meal.  Scour the local internet sites and local papers to see what may be available to do for free.

2) Look at your budget and calendar for the upcoming week from Monday, March 4th through Friday, March 8th.  Try to figure out how LITTLE money you can spend this week.  Pack your lunches, walk when possible, make your own coffee at home, carpool… you get the idea.  Be creative, make it a family challenge/goal.  For every penny you don’t spend, keep track of it and put the equivalent in a big change jar or at least list it somewhere.  At the end of the week, you will be amazed at how much $$$ you have $aved!
  
3) Look through papers and internet sites to see what coupons you can use (not just because there’s a savings involve, either – buy the product because you use it!).  Get your friends involved and have a coupon club for the week and trade off coupons.

4) Look at your clothes and weed out what you don’t wear anymore.  Either do a clothes swap with your friends (including accessories), or donate the gently used items to Good Will or the Salvation Army or the charity of your choice.  If you trade with friends, you can really freshen up your attire and have some “nearly new” outfits!  In fact, while you're gathering your friends together, have a "$aving$ Make$ Cent$" party -- get together and brainstorm on ways to save money!

5) If you don’t already have a budget, create one!  Look at everything you’ve spent in the last year and divide it by 12 to get a monthly average.  If you’re not sure how to do a budget, go to a place like www.daveramsey.com or http://www.crown.org/ and use their free tools.  Could you refinance your mortgage to a lower rate?  Call your credit card companies and ask for a lower rate?  Then begin asking the hard questions about what you’re spending your money on, and why, and how could you live BELOW your means so you’ll have things like a savings account, an emergency savings and cash fund, retirement, etc.  Think about your hourly wage, and whenever you get ready to make a purchase (especially those instant gratification purchases), think how many hours you’ll have to work (yes, how many hours of your LIFE) to pay for what you think at the moment that you must have.  Oh yes, and do distinguish between want you WANT and what you NEED – big difference most of the time!

You need to be financially fit as much as you need to be physically fit.  So begin to exercise those restraint and “cents savvy” muscles and TAKE THE CHALLENGE!  

Be sure to post your results here – I’d love to find out how much we can collective save in one weekend!!!!!  And stay tuned for next Thursday as we share results, recipes, ideas and lots of thrifty Thursday thoughts!

Blessings,

Coach Linda

Wild Woman Wednesday

What’s your dream?  What one thing would you do if time, circumstances, finances, etc. didn’t have to be factored into the success equation?

Okay, right this minute, write down EXACTLY what immediately popped into your mind – because that was an uncensored, unfettered cry of your heart.

Are you surprised?  Is it something you’ve identified and are actively pursuing right now?  Is it (as the poet Langston Hughes named one of his amazing pieces) a “dream deferred”?  Here is that powerful poem:

A DREAM DEFERRED

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up 

like a raisin in the sun? 

Or fester like a sore-- 

And then run? 

Does it stink like rotten meat? 

Or crust and sugar over-- 

like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags 

like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

Wild women dream.  Wild women have hopes, ambitions, and plans.  But sometimes we don’t always know how to reach our goals.  We see the forest, but not the trees, branches and leaves.  We know what we want the end result/goal/bucket list item to be, but we can’t put feet to our dream, we can’t find the map to take us on that journey.

As a life coach, that’s where I come in – I partner with you to help you identify those heart cries, those unrealized desires that right now are just a castle in the sky, a fantasy… a pipe dream.  Then together we’ll discover ways to put feet to those dreams to get you on the path to achievement and fulfillment.  

Each year we put something off, we grow another year older and it’s left undone, sagging, a heavy load.  If not now… when?

Unlease your wild woman -- start TODAY.  Consider letting me come alongside you and be your coach and cheerleader.  It’s a phone call/text/email away… it’s time you gave yourself the gift of your dreams and changed your life, isn’t it?  

Blessings,

Coach Linda Bush

Wellness & Life Transformation Coaching Worldwide

www.coachlindabush.com

linda@coachlindabush.com

609-331-9833

…for such a time as this…

Taste Not Tuesday

This Tuesday I'd like to point you to a very eye-opening article discussing ingredients that you want to avoid putting into your body (or anyone else's, for that matter).  Oddly enough, the Food and Drug Administration has approved these ingredients; however, not surprisingly that doesn't mean you should ingest them.  Thanks to the folks at "Eat This Not That" for identifying and alerting us to these nasty ingredients, some of which have been known to cause cancer in lab research.  Read below or go to the original article at http://eatthis.womenshealthmag.com/slideshow/8-ingredients-you-never-want-see-your-nutrition-label?cm_mmc=ETNTNL-_-1195682-_-02192013-_-BadIngredientLabel-body

Blessings,

Coach Linda

8 INGREDIENTS YOU NEVER WANT TO SEE ON YOUR NUTRITION LABEL

8. BHA:

This preservative is used to prevent rancidity in foods that contain oils. Unfortunately, BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) has been shown to cause cancer in rats, mice, and hamsters. The reason the FDA hasn’t banned it is largely technical—the cancers all occurred in the rodents’ forestomachs, an organ that humans don’t have. Nevertheless, the study, published in the Japanese Journal of Cancer Research, concluded that BHA was “reasonably anticipated to be a carcinogen,” and as far as I’m concerned, that’s reason enough to eliminate it from your diet. 

 You’ll find it in: Fruity Pebbles, Cocoa Pebbles

7. Parabens:

These synthetic preservatives are used to inhibit mold and yeast in food. The problem is parabens may also disrupt your body’s hormonal balance. A study in Food Chemical Toxicology found that daily ingestion decreased sperm and testosterone production in rats, and parabens have been found present in breast cancer tissues. 

 You’ll find it in: Baskin-Robbins sundaes

6. Partially Hydrogenated Oil:

I’ve harped on this before, but it bears repeating: Don’t confuse “0 g trans fat” with being trans fat-free. The FDA allows products to claim zero grams of trans fat as long as they have less than half a gram per serving. That means they can have 0.49 grams per serving and still be labeled a no-trans-fat food. Considering that two grams is the absolute most you ought to consume in a day, those fractions can quickly add up. The telltale sign that your snack is soiled with the stuff? Look for partially hydrogenated oil on the ingredient statement. If it’s anywhere on there, then you’re ingesting artery-clogging trans fat. 

 You’ll find it in: Long John Silver’s Popcorn Shrimp, Celeste frozen pizzas

5. Sodium Nitrite:

Nitrites and nitrates are used to inhibit botulism-causing bacteria and to maintain processed meats’ pink hues, which is why the FDA allows their use. Unfortunately, once ingested, nitrite can fuse with amino acids (of which meat is a prime source) to form nitrosamines, powerful carcinogenic compounds. Ascorbic and erythorbic acids—essentially vitamin C—have been shown to decrease the risk, and most manufacturers now add one or both to their products, which has helped. Still, the best way to reduce risk is to limit your intake. 

 You’ll find it in: Oscar Mayer hot dogs, Hormel bacon

4. Caramel Coloring:

This additive wouldn't be dangerous if you made it the old-fashioned way—with water and sugar, on top of a stove. But the food industry follows a different recipe: They treat sugar with ammonia, which can produce some nasty carcinogens. How carcinogenic are these compounds? A Center for Science in the Public Interest report asserted that the high levels of caramel color found in soda account for roughly 15,000 cancers in the U.S. annually. 

 You’ll find it in: Coke/Diet Coke, Pepsi/Diet Pepsi

3. Castoreum:

Castoreum is one of the many nebulous “natural ingredients” used to flavor food. Though it isn’t harmful, it is unsettling. Castoreum is a substance made from beavers’ castor sacs, or anal scent glands. These glands produce potent secretions that help the animals mark their territory in the wild. In the food industry, however, 1,000 pounds of the unsavory ingredient are used annually to imbue foods—usually vanilla or raspberry flavored—with a distinctive, musky flavor.  

 You’ll find it in: Potentially any food containing “natural ingredients”

2. Food Dyes:

Plenty of fruit-flavored candies and sugary cereals don’t contain a single gram of produce, but instead rely on artificial dyes and flavorings to suggest a relationship with nature. Not only do these dyes allow manufacturers to mask the drab colors of heavily processed foods, but certain hues have been linked to more serious ailments. A Journal of Pediatrics study linked Yellow 5 to hyperactivity in children, Canadian researchers found Yellow 6 and Red 40 to be contaminated with known carcinogens, and Red 3 is known to cause tumors. The bottom line? Avoid artificial dyes as much as possible. 

 You’ll find it in: Lucky Charms, Skittles, Jell-O

1. Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein:

Hydrolyzed vegetable protein, used as a flavor enhancer, is plant protein that has been chemically broken down into amino acids. One of these acids, glutamic acid, can release free glutamate. When this glutamate joins with free sodium in your body, they form monosodium glutamate (MSG), an additive known to cause adverse reactions—headaches, nausea, and weakness, among others—in sensitive individuals. When MSG is added to products directly, the FDA requires manufacturers to disclose its inclusion on the ingredient statement. But when it occurs as a byproduct of hydrolyzed protein, the FDA allows it to go unrecognized. 

 You’ll find it in: Knorr Noodle Sides, Funyuns

Free It Friday

What do you need to release?  What are you holding onto tightly that is cluttering your home?  Your heart?  Your life? Your future? 

There’s a television show about people who are known as hoarders.  These people may have started as innocent savers/collectors, but something went terribly wrong and now they are so cluttered, surrounded and paralyzed by their own stuff that they can barely move within their own homes.  It’s tragic to watch.  But I’ll tell you what – if you're anything like me, you jump up as soon as the episode is done, take a deep breath start tossing things out because you’re horrified at even the small portion of clutter you may have somewhere!!!  All I need to motivate me to clean is 10 minutes of this show, believe me!

There’s a great cleaning/organizing web called www.flylady.net that teaches you how to clean room-by-room and one of the exercises they use is called “27 fling boogie”.  Basically, you set your kitchen alarm for 15 minutes and toss 27 things away.  I began reading this web years ago, and it’s a great site that I recommend to help you begin what can be the arduous and often overwhelming task of cleaning.

Just as importantly as releasing items from your purse, your home, your closet/wardrobe and shelves, however, is the need to release things from your heart.  What old memories are you holding onto that are cluttering the path to your growth today?  What old belief systems are chained to your soul and holding you back from your future?  What past negative life experiences are you still grasping that keep you from embracing the blessings before you today?  What people do you need to forgive and release in order to liberate your own soul and allow you to breath deep into the miracles that await you?  What bitterness, anger and sorrow are paralyzing you and keeping you in their prison? 

It’s time to open those clenched fists… that hard spirit… that bruised/battered and aching heart…

I’m not saying this flippantly or casually, dear reader.  Releasing is one of the hardest muscles in life to exercise, whether it is something tangible or from within.  But until you clear the clutter you won’t have space to breath or live or move into the moment, let alone take the next step on the path of your beautiful journey. 

Today, this is your exercise – begin the process of letting go whatever is holding you captive.  Take that breath, say a prayer, and set it in motion.  Like the old quote says, “It’s the first day of the rest of your life.”  Take that step toward freedom!

Blessings,
Coach Linda 

Think About It Thursday

Today I want to point you to two blogs that exercised my mind and my heart. I read/enjoy/appreciate the blog writings of Jeremy Statton, a writer and orthopedic surgeon (yeah, there’s a combo!). His blog site is appropriately www.jeremystatton.com.

He wrote two blogs about a hero of my own life, Mother Teresa. His writings prompt you to think about living a better story. I really like that idea and my hope is that perhaps my blog and those words from others I point you to here will inspire you to do that as well.  Here are the links:

http://www.jeremystatton.com/mother-teresa-ingredients

http://www.jeremystatton.com/empty-an-ocean

Blessings,

Coach Linda

Photo Credit:  Elevation Church www.elevationchurch.com

Wild Woman Wednesday

RATED P

I could only relate this to all of you on a Wild Woman Wednesday.

This blog posting is rated “P” which means if you need to potty, please do so before reading because I’m not responsible for the results…

My beloved, wonderful and absolutely amazing hero of a Mom turns 77 today. I tell you this to brag on her, of course. But I have to confess, I think she is aging much better than I am. The other night I was going downstairs to the kitchen, and by the time I reached my destination (we’re talking all of three minutes tops… my house is seriously not a McMansion… it’s more like a cottage on the dollar value menu). But I digress…

So anyway, as I was saying, I’m at the kitchen counter, and as I stand there quietly, I begin shaking my head slowly, because yes, yet again, I have completely and utterly forgotten why I have taken this little trek. Sigh.. After a moment, I notice my crazy adorable little grey-haired bird legs and no butt Mamma standing in the kitchen with me. Being the ever concerned person she is, especially when it comes to her only daughter, she asks what’s wrong. I sigh again, and admit I cannot for the life of me remember why I was there. “Oh! “ she says with glee, “you were looking for the aspirin!” Yes, wild women, my 77-year-old mother had to remind me why I was there. At that point, I REALLY needed the aspirin, because I was giving myself a headache straining to recall my mission. When did I become able to remember the lyrics to a Herman’s Hermits song from the 60’s, but can’t remember what I had for lunch yesterday?

But it gets better. I have committed the unthinkable. I have done what is the quintessential seal of becoming older… its worse than when you find the first gray hair on your head. It’s worse than finding the first gray hair in your eyebrow. It’s worse than the first gray hair… ummm.. well, never mind…. It’s even worse than looking at your knees, thinking you need to buy new stockings because these are baggy, and realizing you’re not even wearing stockings.

I (choke, hang my head) have … dare I say it? Dare I admit it? I have….

Yes, I have taken my cell phone and put it in my bra. There, I’ve said it. I admit it. It has come to this… my brassiere has now become my second purse. Is there anyone out there under 50 who has ever done this? Probably not… I have come to the boomer generation stage when, while standing in line at the grocery store, my left boobala will begin to ring and vibrate and someone will ask me to please answer my bra. I’ve confessed it to the world and spoken it out into the universe… I have a ringing boobala. What’s next? Half of a leftover prune Danish? And I’ll probably reach into my bra and forget what I went there for and look even MORE ridiculous as I give myself a strip search!

So there you go, wild women, this is my plight, my future….my…. hmmm… what was I talking about? Oh yes, where did I put that ginkgo biloba?????

Blessings,

Coach Linda

Tuesday Tox

Okay, the holidays are over and you may be feeling the after-effects of falling off the healthy eating wagon. You’ve probably seen diet ads, body cleanses and detox recipes and ideas coming out of the woodwork. Lose 20 lbs in 2 weeks by consuming only hot lemon-cayenne pepper water! Eat only the magical elixir of cabbage soup 24/7… and on… and on… and on.

How about something that is simply, gentle and do-able for all of us? Let’s say you had a bit too much food, sugar, alcohol and overall overindulgences in those days between Thanksgiving and New Years. How about just doing a realistic run through your pantry and frig and tossing those products that you know are bad for you? Get rid of the salty/fat-laden chips and snacks and cookies. Toss the triple-dipper “I need to be alone with this” gallon of ice cream that whispers your name so sweetly in the middle of the night. Deep six the leftover candy (okay, like wine, who has leftovers?). Dump ALL the soda! Take those things which you KNOW trip you up and make you feel lousy and toss them! Because the only waste they’re going to is your waist!

Now… today is a new day. Just begin adding lots of fresh veggies, fruit and water to your daily food intake. It doesn’t have to be overnight – simply include a little more each day, and less of the high-carb, high-fat, and high-sugar foods. I’m not a doctor or nutritionist, but I like to take half my plate portion for veggies, a quarter for my carb, and a quarter for my protein. I also try to use a smaller plate which helps with portion control.

Eat more fish and chicken and less red meat. Try more plant-based menus (i.e., vegetarian), mix rice and beans for a good protein source. Instead of going crazy with a carrots and celery and water only diet, begin managing your meals with easy breezy planning. Be gentle with yourself, start out slow – make January your month to learn better eating behaviors and wiser food choices. Read nutrition labels, experiment with new recipes… have fun with discovering all the ways healthy eating will reward your taste buds and your body.

Oh yes, and I’m not saying NEVER have comfort foods or treats. Just choose them infrequently and in moderation. I’m all for having a brownie, slice of pizza or glass of wine. But do it in moderation – feel free to enjoy… but in small portions and only once in awhile. You can have it all (unless there is a medical or religious reason you can’t consume something)… just not all at once in the same day! Choose wisely, and you’ll begin to feel the GOOD after-effects like weight loss and more energy.

Eat mindfully, intentionally and healthfully this year… make it your day-at-a-time January goal. Slow but sure, that’s the way to do it, modifying your menu and behavior towards the goal of being your personal best in 2013. You can do it!

Blessings -- to your health!!

Coach Linda Bush

Monday Motivation

I’m sure in the last week you’ve been reading all kinds of articles and blogs on new year’s resolutions and goals and new beginnings.  It is a great time to think on all these things, an opportunity to start fresh.  I like to think of it as a time to reflect on the last year a bit (but not get bogged down or pulled backward).  And usually I’m the first one out of the gate to start planning new goals, reaching higher, packing in more… fixing… changing… adding. I'm known as a frantic frenetic flitter!

But this year I opted to put on the breaks and see what I can do to simplify, declutter, slow down and build margin and balance into my life.  That’s actually one of the reasons I haven’t begun blogging here right as soon as the clock struck 12:01am on January 1st, but instead waited until I was truly ready to write something.  I needed breathing time, time to sort out my life and kick it down a notch.  My dear daughter gave me a devotional book for Christmas that was (ouch) right on target:  “Meditations for Women Who Do Too Much” by Ann Wilson Schaef.  On day one’s entry it read:  “There is the temptation to set up an elaborate set of resolutions for the coming year so that we can at last, get it right."  Uh-oh... sounds like a page out of my new year's days past!

This year for me it’s going to be a time of balance and taking care of my schedule and time as much as my physical self.  It’s all about holistic, whole self/whole health living in all areas.  Our lives are physical, spiritual, emotional, mental… filled with relationships, careers, creativity, dreams, and goals and many other areas as well.  As women we take care of others daily… let’s make 2013 a year of learning to also take care of ourselves.  It’s not selfish or sinful – as we take care of ourselves, we become better wives, mothers, sisters, daughters, aunts, friends, employees, employers, students, volunteers… and on and on.  As Schaef wrote in the end of the January 1^st entry, “live this year in a way that will be gentle… one day at a time.”  I like that.  Let’s be wild women... let's live juice, but in a loving and gentle way for ourselves.  

Blessings,

Coach Linda

P.S.  I also saw a beautiful video clip yesterday in church that was very inspirational to me and I’d like to share it with you.  Please go to this link:  http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=090J9CNU

I hope you’ll enjoy it as well!

Take a Minute Thursday

Well, we’re full throttle into the holi-daze… shopping madness, added events to an already crowded calendar, more chores and cleaning and cooking responsibilities, to say nothing of the added stress to look and be perfect and have that Hallmark Christmas that EVERYONE ELSE seems to have… or NOT?

Take a minute today to be thankful for what you have and what is happening in your life. I love the phrase “take a minute today” because life can so easily overwhelm as everything rains down upon us in (as my Grandmom used to say), one fell swoop. You may not be able to control everything that’s going on, but take a minute to sit down and think about and focus upon the good things you do have happening in your life. For example, I ran out of the house this morning with my ever-so-mandatory two-bag 20 oz. teacup, aka caffeine for life. I didn’t even realize it till I got to my destination. But thankfully, I was able to get a strong cup of tea and my friend Collette (God bless you, dear) even shared her soy milk with me. So as I sit here writing this, I am sipping a cup of tea for which I am EXTREMELY thankful!

Right now I’m in a time poverty situation where I’m juggling far too much and facing a looming deadline and scrambling to finish a paper while I try to figure out how to get the house holiday-ready for friends who are coming by Friday night (since at this writing I still have yet to take down the pumpkins and wheat shafts and hay bales from the autumn décor). Yes, part of me is completely verklempt and a mental madwoman over this. Part of me is chiding me for yet again biting off more than I can chew and not building margin into my life. But… I am taking a minute today to be thankful for my work, for the opportunity to be going back to school, for owning my own home and for my amazing friends who will visit and frankly couldn’t care what my house looks like because they love me. Trust me, girls, THOSE are TRUE friends!

And while we’re at it, let’s remember to be thankful for things like clean, hot water, a flushing toilet, food in our bellies, shoes on our feet, clothes on our backs, and a home of our own. How many out there can’t say this?

Look, I’m not trying to be a syrupy sweet Pollyanna with her head in the clouds when it comes to the reality of life. We all have heartaches and problems and overwhelming situations that crush us on a daily basis.. I’m in no way trying to minimize your life, your pain or your problems. I wish I could wrap my arms around each of you and let you cry until you feel better and then help you work things out. I know some days we’re so tired we can barely lift our heads up or take one more step… I do understand. What I’m asking is that you take a moment today to escape the reality, and look at one or two things that are good, and for which you feel blessed. I do believe it will give you a welcome break, if only for a minute or two… and give you a chance to catch your breath. Reality will soon be tugging at you and come back in your face with a rude awakening… but perhaps that momentary break will be just enough to give you a bit more energy, a bit more hope to face the rest of your day. I’m praying will help… just a little. Remember you are a very special and strong woman, and give yourself the gift of taking a moment today… for the blessings of which you are one to so many.

Blessings and encouragement,

Coach Linda

Monday MOVE IT!!!

Monday – grey, rainy... the one-two “rainy days and Mondays always get me down” punch that they wrote the song about by the Carpenters (Google it if you’re too young to remember… sigh…) Okay, let’s break out and CHOOSE JOY TODAY! Sometimes you just gotta get outta your own way, outta your comfort zone and break free from the limitations you put on yourself. Ohhh… it’s Monday… poor me, I’m tired, work stinks, I gained two pounds… yada yada yada.

STOP IT! Why keep convincing yourself that today will be AWFUL? Howza ‘bout today, just for a few minutes RIGHT NOW… you opt to LIVE JUICY and do something fun and spontaneous?

I can never ever stay grouchy/grumpy/whiney/miserable if I dance. Just won’t happen! When I blast the music and start movin’ and a groovin’ shaking my dance thang, I always wind up feeling better. My endorphins start doin' the funky salsa through my bloodstream and before I know it, I have a big smile on my face and I just plain feel better.

So at some point (maybe even right now…), put on your earphones, turn up that music that rocks you to the point where nothing short of an act of God can keep you still – and let the music shake your body and spirit free. I don’t care if you think you look like you’re doing the Elaine dance, just do it. Think of the parade dance scene in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off when he gets everybody on the street dancing to the Beatles’ Twist and Shout! Or go to YouTube and watch Ben Aaron get people to Dance Walk – hysterical!!!

Seat dance in the car – who cares what the guy in the other lane is thinking? Really, will you EVER see him again? Start dancing and invite him to join in! Imagine a flash mob seat-dancing scene at your next traffic jam! Talk about making the most of a bad situation!! Blast the music in your car, sing at the top of your lungs and burn some serious calories at that red light.

Go ahead – I double dog DARE YOU to DANCE today! Ain’t too many folks lying on their deathbed taking their last breath who would regret going for the gusto when they had the chance!

DANCE!

Blessings,

Linda

Monitor Meals Monday

Welcome to a new week and new opportunities to make healthy choices for your life!  Today I'm pointing you to a VERY eye-opening article brought to you by our friends at the Eat This!  Not That! website.  It lists the fattiest foods in America, and let me tell you, the biggest offenders are amazingly high on fat and calories.  Buckle your seat belt (which might be hard to do if you eat any of these offenders regularly), but the number one calorie criminal (no surprise for the place who has cheesecake in it's name) has... are you ready... 103 grams of SATURATED FATS (and this isn't the total fat count), 1,517 mg of sodium, and 2,300 CALORIES!!!!  Holy cow - I think my cholesterol rose and I gained weight just reading about this horrific dish.

So, read below and you can also go to their website at http://eatthis.menshealth.com/slideshow/fattiest-foods-america?cm_mmc=ETNTNL-_-1094702-_-11112012-_-FattiestFoods-body

Monitor your meals by exercising your eye muscles by reading nutritional information on labels, and be sure to always try to find a restaurant's website before you go out to eat, as many now offer their nutritional information in the meals they offer.  Ignorance may be bliss, but it's also very dangerous... and FATTENING!

Blessings,
Coach Linda

The Fattiest Foods in America

6. FAT OFFENDER #6: A BURGER : Ruby Tuesday Triple Prime Bacon Cheddar Burger

1,333 calories, 101 g fat, 1,892 mg sodium
New rule: The more syllables in a menu item's name, the more fat there's likely to be in the dish. Less than 3 percent of the beef produced in this country earns the USDA's "prime" rating, and that's not a bad thing. Prime beef, as it turns out, is the fattiest beef you can sink your teeth into. If you really want a burger, you're better off heading elsewhere. Not one of Ruby's has fewer than 700 calories. Go with the Plain Grilled Top Sirloin and earn all the beefy protein without the superfluous calories.

Eat This Instead!

Plain Grilled Top Sirloin

290 calories, 12 g fat, 420 mg sodium

5. FAT OFFENDER #5: A STEAK: Chili’s Flame-Grilled Ribeye with broccoli and mashed potatoes

1,460 calories, 106 g fat (44 g saturated), 3,700 mg sodium
For a healthy diet, the USDA recommends you cap your daily saturated fat intake at 20 grams. This meal more than doubles that, and it's only 12 ounces of meat. Sure, ribeye is a notoriously fatty cut, but it's primarily the bath of butter that pushes this steak's fat count to such unhealthy heights. Switch to the Guiltless Grill Classic Sirloin and save an astounding 1,090 calories.

Eat This Instead!

Guiltless Grill Classic Sirloin with steamed veggies

370 calories, 9 g fat (4 g saturated), 3,680 mg sodium

4. FAT OFFENDER #4: MEXICAN FOOD: Chili’s Bacon Ranch Chicken Quesadilla

1,650 calories, 107 g fat (39 g saturated), 3,450 mg sodium
Traditional Mexican food is big on seasoning and light on cheese, but with this quesadilla, Chili's takes a different approach. Trying to appease palates primed for indulgence, the restaurant layers on the fat in four ways: cheese, ranch, bacon, and sour cream. Go with the Margarita Grilled Chicken and you'll cut the overall fat content by more than 80 percent.

Eat This Instead!

Margarita Grilled Chicken

550 calories, 14 g fat (4 g saturated), 1,870 mg sodium

3. FAT OFFENDER #3: A 'HEALTHY' SALAD: IHOP Chicken and Spinach Salad

1,600 calories, 118 g fat (32 g saturated), 2,340 mg sodium
Chicken? Good. Spinach? Good. IHOP’s Chicken and Spinach Salad—downright deplorable. You'll need to i-hop for four hours to burn it off. This salad is exactly what makes restaurant food so questionable and potentially unhealthy. The name makes it sound like a paragon of nutritious eating, yet the numbers reveal it to be just the opposite. The chicken here is actually fried chicken, and the spinach is little more than a small bed for bacon and cheddar cheese. You could snarf down six pancake short stacks and still take in less fat. Save yourself the waistline damage and opt for the Simple & Fit Simply Chicken Sandwich instead.

Click here for all of today's nutrition, health, and fitness news!

Eat This Instead!

Simply Chicken Sandwich with fresh fruit, side salad, and reduced-fat Italian dressing

565 calories, 12.5 g fat (3.5 g saturated), 1,085 mg sodium

2. FAT OFFENDER #2: 'HEALTHY' FISH: Applebee’s New England Fish & Chips

1,930 calories, 138 g fat (24 g saturated), 3,180 mg sodium
The American Heart Association recommends eating fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids at least twice a week. By doing so, you lower your risk of such chronic diseases as heart disease and cancer. But if you prepare fish by deep frying it in a tub of bubbling fat—like Applebee's does with this artery-clogging monstrosity—you reverse all those benefits. Opt for Applebee's Garlic Herb Salmon instead. It offers 109 fewer grams of fat, nearly two-thirds fewer calories, and a heap of flavor that will still leave you satiated.

Eat This Instead!

Applebee’s Garlic Herb Salmon

690 calories, 29 g fat (8 g saturated), 1,460 mg sodium

1. FAT OFFENDER #1: PASTA: Cheesecake Factory Fettuccini Alfredo with Chicken

2,300 calories, 103 g saturated fat, 1,517 mg sodium
Cheesecake Factory prefers to keep its nutritional stats hidden, but a law in California forced it to reveal saturated fat. Total fat is still a mystery, but this meal breaks through the 100-gram ceiling on saturated fat alone! The culprits here are the oversized portion and the thick, fat-riddled alfredo sauce. The typical restaurant recipe for this sauce relies on some combination of cream, butter, oil, and cheese, and there's no reason to believe that Cheesecake's version strays from the norm. Unfortunately, the chain offers no single pasta dish with fewer than 1,100 calories, so keep yourself safe by sticking to the new Skinnylicious menu.

Tally Tuesday - VOTE TODAY!!!!!!!

Make It Happen Monday

I DID IT!  I DID IT!  If you have no idea what I’m talking about, in yesterday’s Sleepy Surprise Sunday blog, I said I was trying to start a new routine where I’d get up at 4am each morning in order to make the most of those early hours before work to get more accomplished.  Okay, maybe the photo isn't exactly a completely fair representation of my stance as I got up, but it was how I felt on the inside!  

I actually woke up at 4am this morning to the strains of Mandisa’s “Good Morning” ring tone!  I made my tea, had my morning quiet time, got myself ready for work, put the finishing touches on my lunch, put away some laundry, read my emails and responded, did a few stretches… and all without rushing about in my usual morning frenzy! 

Last night I prepared by getting most of my lunch cooked and prepared, set out all my clothes for this morning, put my things by the door – anything I thought would help me.  It’s amazing how the small little things will help you along the way in hitting your target.

Wild women, believe me, if I can do this, ANYBODY CAN!  I am the least likely person to haul my booty outta bed one second before absolutely necessary.  But the satisfaction of achieving this goal is almost heady - I am on top of the world!  It is one day at a time as I try to condition myself to do this every morning.  Now the next leg of this little challenge will be to get to bed earlier so I get my appropriate amount of sleep. 

So… what can you do today, what one small step can you take towards attaining one of your goals?  What would it look like, sound like, feel like if you were able to do that one thing?  Now exercise that “MAKE IT HAPPEN” muscle and start today.  You’ll be amazed at what you can do!!!

Blessings,

Coach Linda

(…and be sure to stay tuned to see if I can do it again tomorrow!)

Sleepy Surprise Sunday

The end of Daylight Savings Time in the fall is by far the most wonderful night of the year, and at this point in my life rivals Christmas Eve and my birthday, because I get the gift of 60 whole minutes more in my life to sleep.  Such a rare thing, this sleeping oddity!  The joy I feel when I go to bed on this most magical of bedtimes almost keeps me away like a child on Christmas Eve.

So what happens this morning?  I wake up at 4am and can’t get back to sleep!  Nature’s cruel joke?  No, not at all really.  One of my goals is to become more morning-oriented.  Okay for anyone out there who knows me personally, you can stop laughing now.  No really, you’ll fall off your chair if you don’t stop laughing so hard!!  I got so much done this morning (as I write this it’s now 7am)!!!  I feel great.  Of course, ask me again at 3pm and you may find me using duct tape to keep my eyelids open. 

I have several friends who are naturally early risers, and while I have always thought them somewhat demented or having some morning gene that escaped my DNA, I secretly have envied their ability to accomplish more between 4am-7am than most can do all day (myself included).  I quietly long to have my eyes pop open at 4am, ready to meet the day all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed (as my Grandmom used to say).  Instead, at 4am if I awaken, it’s usually to groan, hit the bathroom, crawl back into bed and pull the covers over my head, snuggling down into the warmth of my blankets to hibernate until the last possible thrice-pounded snooze button minute.

But now here is a new opportunity to use my body clock to the best possible advantage.  My brain/system still thinks its 5am instead of 4am, so is it possible to trick it and begin getting up at 4am this week?  Admittedly it may be a crazy, impossible dream, but it’s worth the shot – timing is everything, and what better time to try it than now?  I’d like to have a time of prayer and Bible reading without falling asleep (and waking up suddenly saying, AMEN! – Oh yeah, like God didn’t know I fell asleep while talking to Him?!??!!?) and I’d like to toss a load of laundry in, exercise, have a relaxed cup of tea at my kitchen table instead of running like a madwoman out the door.  I’m getting really jazzed about this plan, I really am!!!!

So… anybody up for joining me in this new fresh page on the morning journey?  I’m going to set up alarm(s) – yes, I use several – I’m telling you, stop laughing!  As I was saying… I’m going to set up alarm to go off at 4am tomorrow morning hoping and praying I can exercise my new body clock muscles (as well as my “I will do this” muscles) to begin a whole new morning routine.  Tomorrow morning I will report (and be held accountable by all of you) on whether I was able to pull off this seemingly unattainable feat!  Are you with me?  If so please post your comments here or write me at Linda@coachlindabush.com.

Blessings,

Coach Linda