Too Old to Exercise? For Real?

One of my regular blog readers, sent me an email a few days ago and asked me if she is too old to exercise. She gave me a bit of her history in the email but I needed to know more. I emailed her requesting her phone number. Then when I called her we had a lengthy conversation so I can get to the core of what she meant.

Turns out she is 59 and everyone around her says she is old; her kids, her friends (who are mostly about the same age) and her colleagues at work. Her friends complain of this and that other health issue, all of which are non-issues for her! Her kids, well, they are kids.

She actually thought that perhaps she was disillusioned by the way she left and the way everyone actually saw her. When I got to the bottom of it, the truth was, she was in great shape, took great care of herself and had no major health issues - except doubt inflicted by those around her! Even after my pep talk didn’t work, I asked her if I can feature her in my blog to make a point and if she would then take my word for it and she agreed.

I want to first explain something that is the cause of Rose's self-doubt. It's a concept called belief systems. Unfortunately, whether it goes back to childhood or newly inflicted belief systems, we go through our lives being told certain things that we internalize and make a part of our belief systems. This is of course not true of everything. The opinions of those closest to us, of those we most respect and love are usually internalized.

If we imagine for a moment, that we use more than the average 10-20% of our brain capacity to shatter these belief systems, we will have an awesome power. A power to create our own beliefs based on what we want to achieve in every aspect of our lives. This is not something that can happen overnight and certainly requires continual work. This is a whole other blog in itself!

Okay, now I will admit that scientifically, we lose physical power with age. Science shows us that our hearts and lungs are not as efficient at processing oxygen, our muscles lose power, our bodies recover and heal more slowly from exercise and our eyesight isn’t as good as it was when we were younger. Having said that, this is the majority and does not mean it must include YOU!

Over and above this, there is good news too. According to Masters Athletics, a person’s athletic endurance peak is between 30 and 35. At 50, you are still 90% as durable and 80% at 65. In addition, no matter what age you begin an exercise routine, you will get relatively the same improvement as a younger person.

So in Rose's case, she has been working out regularly since her teen years, and when she says she feels like she is 25 not 59, chances are science will show this to be accurate. So when your 59 year old friends complain of aches and pains, take a look at their physical activity. If they have a sedentary lifestyle, chances are they are scientifically older than their chronological age.

The final issue I want to address is muscle strength with age. I’m sure you’ve all heard that you lose 10% of your muscle fibers per decade after age 50. As with everything else I’ve mentioned, this can be negated with proper strength training. In fact, if I were to compare my active 59 year old case study to a sedentary 40 year old, I can guarantee that Rose's body muscle content will be considerably higher than the 40 year old!

Bottom line, create and maintain an active lifestyle, eat healthy and add smart supplementation to your day and you will shatter what science shows us about aging!

If you have any questions about any of the above or would like a list of my recommended smart supplements, contact me at 647-405-4471 or 1-877-405-4471.

Wishing all my blog readers an active and healthy 2011!

To your health,

Nadia

Your weight loss partner

1-877-405-4471

healthyweightdancingfeet@gmail.com

http://healthyweightdancingfeet.com

Recipes for a Healthy Holiday Season

Looking for some healthier options for your holiday meal?

Here is a collection of recipes you can try out:

Roast Turkey

Ingredients:

12 lb Turkey, giblets removed, washed inside and out

2 sprigs of thyme

2 sprigs of oregano

2 sprigs of sage

3 sprigs of fresh parsley

3 T olive oil

2 T dry white wine

2 T paprika

3 each small oranges, peeled and cut into wedges

2 each onions, cut into wedges

1 C low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth

fresh pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. With your fingers, lift up skin of turkey breast and slip thyme, oregano, sage and parsely underneath skin. Combine oil, wine, paprika and pepper. Rub this mixture over the surface of the turkey. Place the oranges and onions inside the turkey.

Place turkey, breast side down in roasting pan. Pour the chicken broth into bottom of pan. Cover loosely with foil. Roast for 20-25 minutes per pound, basting periodically. Halfway through, place turkey breast side up. During the last 45 minutes of roasting, remove cover. Continue to roast until the leg moves easily and juices run clear. Let stand for 20 minutes to help let juices settle for easier carving.

Makes 8 servings.

Calories: 203/serving

Nutritional information per serving:

28g protein

9g carbohydrates

6g fat

80mg sodium

72mg cholesterol

2g fiber

Yukon Mash Potatoes

Ingredients:

3 large shallots

2 t olive oil

½ C low sodium, low fat chicken broth

2 t minced thyme

1/8 t ground pepper

1 dash salt

1 lb Yukon gold potatoes (or russet), unpeeled and cut into chunks

½ C evaporated skim milk (for no dairy substitute with low fat soy milk)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place shallots, oil, broth, thyme, pepper and salt in a small casserole dish. Cover and roast until shallots are very soft and brown, about 45 minutes. Remove the casserole from oven.

Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling water until they are soft, about 30-35 minutes. Drain the water from the pot and place potatoes back in pot over low heat to let them dry a bit. Heat the milk over medium-low heat.

Add it to the potatoes and whip. Add the roasted shallots and whip again until the potatoes are the desired consistency.

Makes 6 servings

Calories: 119/serving

Nutritional information per serving:

4g protein

23g carbohydrates

2g fat

103mg sodium

1mg cholesterol

2g fiber

Pesto Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients:

1 T balsamic vinegar

1/2 T olive oil

Dash of salt

Dash of ground pepper

1 C sliced new potatoes

1 C sliced zucchini

3/4 C mushroom halves

1 C broccoli flowerets

Non stick cooking spray

2 T pre-made garlic pesto

Directions:

Combine vinegar, oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add vegetables and toss well. Arrange vegetables in a shallow roasting pan coated with non stick spray. Bake at 475 degrees for 10 minutes. Turn vegetables over with a large spoon or spatula and bake for another 10 minutes or until tender and browned. Once vegetables are cooked place in a bowl and add pesto and toss to coat evenly. Serve as a side dish.

Makes 2 servings. Serving size is 1 cup

Calories: 157/serving

Nutritional information per serving:

6 g protein

15g carbohydrates

8 g fat

98 mg sodium

0mg cholesterol

3g fiber

Cinch™ Holiday Eggnog Shake

Ingredients:

• 1 serving Cinch™ Vanilla Shake Mix

• ¾ cup nonfat milk

• ¼ cup light eggnog

• ¼ tsp. rum flavoured extract

• Dash of nutmeg (or to taste)

• Dash of cinnamon (or to taste)

• 4 – 6 ice cubes

Directions:

Blend Cinch™ Vanilla Shake Mix, with nonfat milk, light eggnog, rum extract, spices and ice cubes in a blender until frothy. Sprinkle with additional nutmeg. Serve.

Nutritional information per serving:

305 calories

24 g protein

44 g carbohydrate

5 g fat

6 g fiber

29 g cholesterol

And finally for desert, Apple-Cranberry Bake

Ingredients:

1 C dried cranberries

1/2 C chopped pecans

1/4 C brown sugar

1/2 C water

1t cinnamon

1.5 lbs apples, Fuji, fresh, chopped

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a large dish (microwave safe). Microwave at high for 10-12 minutes or until apples are soft. Stir occasionally.

Makes 15 servings. Serving size is 1/4 cup

Calories: 73/serving

Nutritional information per serving:

0.5g protein

14g carbohydrates

2 g fat

2mg sodium

0mg cholesterol

2g fiber

Enjoy these recipes and feel free to let us know how they turned out!

To your health,

Nadia

Your weight loss partner

1-877-405-4471

healthyweightdancingfeet@gmail.com

http://healthyweightdancingfeet.com

Plans your meals, release the excess weight!

Are you planning your meals everyday? A simple plan for the next day can result in the release of your excess weight in no time. The more time is spent planning, the more thought goes into your meals and ultimately the healthier your meals! Aside from the obvious reasons, this is due in large part to subtle differences in what you consume making a large difference in the waist-side.

Obviously with the holidays just around the corner, there are allot of social gatherings and lots of high calorie treats to sink your teeth into. It’s hard to say “No” to all the goodies offered to you this time of year. My suggestion is that you take a healthy treat with you along with the bottle of wine you were planning on bringing. This way, you know there is at least one healthy treat you can enjoy.

As for the rest of the goodies, don’t sweat it - or rather - sweat it all! What I mean is, workout an extra hour or just workout more intensely to make up for the extra calories you’ll be consuming.

There is nothing wrong with enjoying your turkey. It’s a great source of protein however, if you drown it in gravy and eat allot of stuffing along side it, you are eating allot of excess calories you’ll likely regret later. Enjoy your holiday meal in moderation.

Some other simple suggestions that will go along way to maintaining your waist-side:

Go easy on the eggnog

Don’t consume allot of alcohol

Eat Yams instead of Potatoes

Eat some fruit instead of fruit cake

At the end of the day, you are likely to maintain your current weight. After the holidays, you can go back to your daily meal planning and fitness routine to release your excess weight.

To your health,

Nadia

Your weight loss partner

1-877-405-4471

healthyweightdancingfeet@gmail.com

http://healthyweightdancingfeet.com

Halibut Anyone?

With Thanksgiving behind us and now Christmas around the corner, are you sick of Turkey yet? Well, we wanted to give you a break from the Hen with a healthy Halibut recipe. This recipe makes 4 servings at only 295 calories per serving!

Halibut Kabob: Ingredients:

1 lb halibut steaks, 1 inch thick

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup olive oil

3 shallots, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

1/2 large red onion, cut lengthwise into thirds

Directions:

Preheat broiler. Cut fish into 1 inch cubes and set aside. In a bowl, mix lemon juice, oil, shallots, herb seasoning and thyme. Add fish and toss to coat. Marinate in refrigerator for at least 5 minutes, but no more than 1 hour. Pry onion apart in single layers. Thread each skewer, alternating with onion and fish, using four pieces of fish and five pieces of onion. Place skewers on a broiler pan and broil four inches from heat 2 to 2 ½ minutes on each side or until fish is no longer translucent. And Enjoy!

Nutritional Information per serving:

30g protein

4g carbohydrates

17.5g fat

82mg sodium

48mg cholesterol

Let us know how the Halibut turns out when you try it!

Until next week....

To your health,

Nadia

Your weight loss partner

1-877-405-4471

healthyweightdancingfeet@gmail.com

http://healthyweightdancingfeet.com

75* POUNDS HEALTHIER!

We had such an overwhelming response to our request for more testimonials that we’ve decided to feature one more this week. I hope you enjoy Amy’s journey!

Amy says, “Sugar was my own personal demon."

A few years ago, Amy was in "a bad space." Her weight (220 pounds) had hurt her self-image, crippling her relationships with family and friends. Her business was floundering. Whenever Amy felt stress, she reached for sweet relief—often in the form of sugary snacks, which did not help her weight or her self-image.

Because of Amy's family history, she feared for her long-term health. Amy lost her mother and aunt all too soon, and her grandmother had passed away before Amy was born. As a mother herself, she wanted to see her 10-year-old daughter grow up to have a family of her own. Amy says "I felt like I was destined for a health crisis like others in my family had experienced. I wasn't worth anything more than what my destiny was. That's a terrible way to feel."

But Amy persevered. Even though her mind was telling her she was a failure, her heart told her it was time to take a stand and make some positive changes in her lifestyle.

Shortly before her 40th birthday, Amy started the Cinch® program. By the time her birthday rolled around, she already had dropped from a size 20 to a 16. After one year on the Cinch Inch Loss plan, she has lost 75 pounds and she's now a size 8!*

"I feel dramatically different now." Amy says, "Before, I would make excuses to avoid going to family functions because I did not want to be around people and be seen. Now, no more excuses!"

It's been over a year since Amy can remember eating any desserts, and she says the natural sugars she gets in fruits, vegetables and other whole foods have satisfied the cravings. While healthier eating habits have helped Amy to conquer her personal sugar demons, she also has introduced exercise into her everyday routine—and she recently laced up her running shoes for the first time in more than 15 years!

With her recent surge in self-confidence, her business is no longer floundering—it's flourishing.

"Shaklee has been in my family since I was in third grade, and I have a firm belief in the products," Amy says. "And before, when I tried to run my business, my self-esteem would always get in my way. I would have a hard time calling people, thinking, ‘Oh, they don't want to talk to me.' And now I find myself reaching out to so many more people, working my business again. I've got a different outlook now, it's amazing!"

Thanks Amy for sharing your story. I’m happy to hear that you are still maintaining your ideal weight and healthier lifestyle. I hope this has touched some of my blog readers to do something about their health.

Why not give the gift of health to yourself or to a loved one with our products and/or services. Check out our weight management and other holiday specials this month ONLY! Call us at 647-405-4471 or 1-877-405-4471 to learn more.

To your health,

Nadia

Your weight loss partner

1-877-405-4471

healthyweightdancingfeet@gmail.com

http://healthyweightdancingfeet.com

*Results not typical.