Lowering Your Cholesterol

I came across this video that Mark Hyman did on lowering your cholesterol and triglycerides and was totally floored.

Here's the question... Could having higher cholesterol actually be good for you? Check out this video and listen to Doctor Hyman break it down for you in just 7 minutes.

CLICK HERE

Okay, but seriously... if you haven't clicked about.. just do it. You won't regret it.

Assuming you have watched the video... Here is some of the main take away's from the video.

Cholesterol is Important

It helps make hormones, brain cells, & cell membranes

Not enough cholesterol causes low testosterone (and what man wants that?), effects cell function, block the making of coQ10 enzyme causing brain issues.

Side effects of cholesterol medications:

Muscle damage

Brain damage

Memory issues

Parkinson's-like symptoms

Muscle pain and muscle aching

5 years, one drug, to prevent one heart attack

You have to treat 50 people to prevent one heart attack

You have to treat 890 people to prevent one death from a heart attack

Not a very good drug

The Truth

Get the right cholesterol test-that gives the number and size of your cholesterol particles.

Increase the right kinds of fats, decrease sugar and grains. It's not fat that causes your cholesterol to go up-- IT'S SUGAR

Sugar causes your cholesterol-producing factory in the liver to turn on.

Good fats to increase in your diet:

Avocado

Nuts

Seeds

Coconut butter

Olive oil

Fish oil

It's not about lowering your cholesterol... it's about having the right type of cholesterol.

(And this is not the right type of cholesterol)

Two other important factors:

Exercise

Deal with stress

Supplements that can help NATURALLY:

2-4 grams of fish oil daily

PGX-super fiber 5 grams before every meal

Red rice yeast

Phytosterols

This post might have turned your idea of cholesterol upside down and that's good! Hopefully, this post has brought you one step closer to reaching optimal health. 

Until Next Time,

Hope

xoxo

I Need A Coffee Break

I need a coffee break, seriously. After a night of nine hours of sleep (which is my sweet spot), a stressless week I feel like I'm walking around in a daze. I feel like I need coffee to really wake up and to avoid a 2:30pm nap. What is my deal?

As I have reflected on the last couple month of my life and beyond, I have realized a few things.

1. When I'm tired, I typically just drink coffee to give me a needed "pick-me-up"
2. If I know I have to get to wake up super early and/or will get to bed late resulting in little sleep, I typically don't worry about it and just tell myself I will get some coffee

For the most part this works. I will hit a wall eventually and end up taking one of my "famous" 3-4 hour naps but that's okay, that's just what I do.... right?

Wrong.

What am I really doing to myself when I participate in this behavior? 

I was recently putting together a budget for myself with my moms help (she's cool like that). As we were talking about my monthly spending I made an off handed comment about how I was going to have to start making my coffee at home to make this budget work. My mom looked at me and said, "But you don't need to drink coffee." I have heard this from her before but it just hit me differently based on what I had been thinking about the past week. You know, I don't actually need coffee, do I? I never drank coffee growing up and both of my parents have never drank coffee.

As I continued to process, I began to see our "coffee culture" and what it has really done. In Minneapolis, everyone meets for meetings or with friends at coffee shops. You do your homework at a coffee shop. You go on first dates to coffee shops and the list goes on. There is nothing wrong with coffee shops but let's dig a little deeper.

I think coffee has given us a good means of neglecting our health in some ways. We have gone to coffee as our fuel to get us through the day at the expense of what we eat (real food) and how much we sleep.

The biggest issue I see with this is the effect it has on our Adrenal Glands. Our Adrenal Glands play a big part in our hormone regulation. As you might have read in some of my previous posts, hormone regulation has EVERYTHING to do with weight-loss and metabolism. When our Adrenal Glands get fatigued, it can result in our hormones getting all out of balance leaving you tired and frustrated, especially if you are trying to lose weight.

There are some great health benefits from drinking good coffee. That is, coffee without all the artificial creamers and syrups, loads of sugar etc. Some of these benefits include lowering risks of different cancers and diseases, type 2 diabetes, and increases overall mortality.

There are some awesome benefits to drinking coffee, but we need to be careful we don't abuse it. 

With all this being said I am going to try something. I'm going to try to live without coffee (until the New Year). For me I think this will do a few things:

1. Make me be intentional about going to bed at a reasonable time.
2. Break any addiction I have to coffee (I really don't want to live addicted to anything)
3. Make me richer (I won't be spending all my pennies on coffee)
4. Give my adrenal glandes a chance to recover
5. I wonder if I'll lose weight? (That is more of a question based on the fact that I can't drink coffee black... ie I put lots of sugar and stuff in it...eeekkk!!)

If after reading this you have any desire to try and join me, let me know! (Leave a comment below) I find it so much easier to do things like this with others!

Until Next Time,

Hope

xoxo

P.S. I just want to reiterate that I LOVE coffee shops... I'm at one right now! :) It's not the WHAT, it's in the HOW. 

Rest

Rest. Sometimes, it can be as simple as that. The American lifestyle holds being busy in high regard. We must be involved with this and that and striving to continually reach such and such goals, climb the corporate ladder etc. Let's face it. As a culture we like being busy. It makes us feel important.

This is something I have struggled with myself. In the end it has left me run down and unhealthy. I used to avoid taking naps at all cost because I thought if I was asleep I would miss something exciting. Let me tell you, this is not the best way to live.

I struggle with an overachiever complex. I don't just want to DO everything but I want to be the BEST at everything. There have been too many days when I wished there were more than 24 hours in a day. Or I go to bed thinking that I didn't get half of the things done that I needed to. Thankfully, my perspective have changed a lot on this lately. 

Living a life of rest sometimes means not completing the "to do" list today. There is always tomorrow. It is easy to let little things in life (usually they seem big at the time) get the best of us causing unneeded stresses and anxiety. When in the end, it always works out. Maybe not exactly how we planned but it does.

I want to fully enjoy my life today. For me that means making sleep a priority. I am a much better/nicer/happier person when I've had a good nights sleep. ;) I also need to make people a priority. At the end of the day when I am old and laying on my death bed, all my projects, work, etc. wont be what is with me, but the people I chose to invest in.

Living a life of rest also has a TON of health benefits. Your gut is where your whole immune system comes from. When you are stressed you inadvertently put stress on your gut, leaving you susceptible to all sorts of sickness. It is also very harmful for you brain. Did you know that your brain only functions at 50% when you are under high stress? That is a scary thought..... 

We can't expect to be healthy if we aren't willing to live a lifestyle that makes rest a priority. So don't forget, there is always tomorrow. Make sure to put truly important things first and leave margin in your life. You wont regret it. 

Until Next Time,

Hope

xoxo

P.S

Disclaimer: 

I know that this does not apply to everyone. Some of us need to get off our butts and get to work. This doesn't apply to you. ;) 

Cheers!

Getting Healthy For Dummies #1

For starters, I hope no one finds the title of this post offensive. I spoke on the phone with a dear friend and she expressed her desire to get healthy but didn't know where to start. She has a personality much like mine where you either do something all or nothing. There are some great things about this, but also some drawbacks. She told me I need to make a "Getting Healthy For Dummies" guide. Welp, here it is. 

When it comes to "getting healthy" many people make a New Year's resolution, stick with it for awhile and then go back to their normal way of living. What my friend wants is to get healthy and STAY healthy. She wants to change her lifestyle. I don't know about you, but most people are not able to change habit patterns, that have been with them the majority of their life, over night. That just doesn't happen. An all or nothing approach to changing a lifestyle habit no matter what it is, is usually not going to change over night. So why should we treat our "get healthy" mission otherwise?

After this talk with my friend I have decided to make a series, Getting Healthy For Dummies, for people who have no idea where to start and feel totally overwhelmed by all the information out in cyberspace.

Let's make this super simple.

Here is how we are going to do this. I will give you 2 maybe 3 things to work on. I want you to try and apply these things to your life for at least 6 weeks before trying to implement the next step. Comprendo? 

Here are 3 things to work on these next 6 weeks:

1. On either Saturday or Sunday PLAN. Try to have an idea of what you are going to eat for the week and go grocery shopping. You might think this seems super simple. It is. However, if you plan or even have some ideas as to what you are going to eat you will eliminate your fast food or should I say fake food intake. This also has a ton of other benefits but we will get to that later. 
2. No fast food. ^^^ If you must pick something up on the fly you can get a great salad bar at Lund's or Byerly's. Cub even has a salad bar although I prefer the first two.
3. Eat before you go grocery shopping. I ALWAYS buy things I shouldn't when I go grocery shopping on an empty stomach. EVERYTHING looks good. By taking your illogical, hungry brain out of the equation we can make better food choices at the grocery store. This will set us up to win. 

I may or may not post #2 before the next 6 weeks is up. BUT REMEMBER! You must complete 6 weeks of step #1 before moving on to step #2. This is about building a foundation for living a healthy lifestyle. It doesn't and it wont start over night. Give yourself time. Be patient, and don't let yourself live in condemnation. That won't get you anywhere.

Happy 6 weeks! Let me know how it goes! Leave a comment below or comment on our Facebook page!

Until Next Time,

Hope

xoxo

P.S. Helpful hints:

Try to do a little cooking at the beginning of the week or whenever you have time. It gives you a head start. Have salad on hand with some cooked chicken, dried fruit, sunflower seeds, carrots and such so you can whip up a tasty salad on the spot. I also love crockpot recipes. They are typically quick and delicious. Also, if you make some extra food, rather than having leftovers for a week, freeze some of the leftovers and have them ready for the future. 

The Abs You Always Wanted

As a personal trainer I am always asked, "How do I get nice abs?" Or, "How do I get rid of this belly fat?" I think most people are looking for a magical answer that doesn't exist. We can slave away in the gym for hours doing thousands of crunches but the truth is....

Abs Are Made In The Kitchen!

Yes, it is important to have strong core muscles but if you want to see abs like the ones in fitness magazines and on Pinterest, we have to take a closer look at what we are eating.

The truth is, our body fat percentage has a lot to do with our ability to see our abs. You can't target one part of your body, do a ton of exercises and expect to see results. The key to having nice abs is to have a low body fat percentage. For the average woman you need to be at about 14% body fat to really be able to see your abs like the girls on Pinterest... but who wants to look like the girls on Pinterest!?!? ;) However, you will have a nice flat stomach if you are around 20% body fat. (These percentages are all generally speaking.)

There are also two other components to having "the abs you always wanted" that I think are grossly overlooked. These being SLEEP and STRESS.

Both your sleep schedule and your stress levels have a large part in controlling your cortisol hormones. When you live under extreme stress and get little sleep (usually these things go hand-in-hand) your bodies cortisol gets WAY out of wack. Leaving you with excess cortisol hanging out in your body which in turn stores in your belly fat. That is a super simplified, nonscientific way of putting it. :)

To get The Abs You Always Wanted you need to mainly do these three things:

1. Eat clean i.e. Limited carbs, dairy, sugar and processed garbage. Increase protein, vegetables, and healthy fats. Eat the right, and just enough.
2. Get at least 8 hours of sleep every night.
3. Live a stress free life (you might think this is impossible.... but it's not... More on that later)

There is no magic exercise that will get you the abs you want. Abs are the result of living a disciplined life. Unless, you are one of those people who have a ridiculously high metabolism... which in that case.... I don't want to talk to you. ;) (I'm totally just kidding with that last part.)

Until Next Time,

Hope

xoxo

A Fat-Loss Lifestyle

I finished work at about 8pm and was hungry. Not hungry enough for a meal, but a snack. I walked to Lunds across the street. Nothing in the prepared food section is grabbing my attention.... so I continue wondering. I end up in front of this.... of course...

It would be really easy to justify getting a pastry. I had a great workout this morning, I haven't overeaten today, it's hot outside.... etc. BUT I recently read a great write up by my mentor Jen Sinkler talking about sustainable fat-loss and the problem with dieting. It's all about living a lifestyle that encourages fat-loss. The great part about lifestyle change is that it never ends. There is no end of the program, just tomorrow, the next day and the next. So I asked myself, does this fit into my fat loss lifestyle? The answer--NO. On top of that my gluten allergy would make this for a painfully sweet experience (pun intended). ;)

I continue walking--the thought of something sweet still on my mind. I end up in the produce section and decide to treat myself to a peach AND a plum. I grab some raw almonds on my way to the checkout line and am on my way.

I will have to say, that peach was one of the best I've had in a long time! I at my two pieces of fruit with no regret and I feel good. Had I eaten one of those beautiful pastries I would have regretted it. My stomach would have hurt and I would have felt lethargic the rest of the night.

I don't think the fat loss lifestyle means never having something tasty and sweet. However, what it does mean is that you have to pick and choose. I was able to curb my craving for something sweet with a piece of fruit that didn't wreak havoc on my blood sugar. I also grabbed some raw almonds to give me sustained nourishment (protein).

Life is about the little choices. A sustained lifestyle of fat-loss is about the little choices. I can't change the food choices I made yesterday but I have control of today. :)

Until Next Time,

Hope

xoxo

If Granny Can Do It... Deadlift

Sandra Foli, mother of three and 73 years of life under her belt just went on to score a powerlifting recorded. She completed a clean deadlift of 181.5 pounds. WOW!

(Sandra Foli, 73 years old)

Foli started exercising just 5 years ago after suffering from septic shock and look what has happened! I listed to an interview she did and something she said struck me. She said many people her age are beginning to lose their mobility, having to use walkers and wheelchairs. She said she doesn't want that to be the case in her situation. If she continues what she's do I'm sure it wont!

Here are three points I would like to make:

1. It's never to late to start Deadlifting--or lifting heavy weights in general
2. What you do know will determine where you end up later (walker, wheelchair, nursing home)
3. The benefits of deadlifting

Foli was 68 when she started lifting. The article wasn't very specific but I'm pretty sure she had never lifted weights like that before. If a 68 year old woman can pick up weightlifting in her spare time, I think it's safe to say just about anyone can. No matter your age, gender, or athletic ability--you can and you probably should start lifting. It could be what keeps you moving and healthy in your later years.

Turning around your lifestyle NOW is better than later. If you are young in years you can potentially save yourself from experiencing an illness like Foli did. If you are farther along in years the great news is it is never too late. There are so many health benefits to lighting weights which include increased muscle mass and bone density, decrease in stored fat and improved cardiovascular function. The lists go on and on and on....

Lastly, but definitely not the least, why should you deadlift? Deadlifting is a great lift to make you strong, and who doesn't want to be strong? You can lift heavy things around the house and yard and not have to worry about not being able to lift it and getting hurt. Being strong is convenient. Deadlifts predominately strengthen your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. I don't think I've ever met anyone who didn't want a strong, firm backside, men and women both.

Increased strength in these three areas will not only increase athletic performance but will also help prevent back and knee injuries such as ACL tears, patello-femoral pain, and patellar tendinosis to name a few. 

So, if you want to look good, move well and keep yourself from injury... start deadlifting. 

Until Next Time,

Hope

xoxo

P.S. Here is a great article by Mike Robertson giving you all the information you need to start deadlifting like a champ! Check it out!

http://robertsontrainingsystems.com/blog/deadlift/