Health

4 Tips for Top-Notch Health

May 16, 2013 at 3:31 am
By mohrresults

I am surrounded by estrogen.

My wife and I have two daughters. We run Mohr Results Women Only Fitness Boot Camp. I am a Registered Dietitian, a profession that is 97% female. And I currently have pink toenails after our almost 4 year-old thought it would be fun to “paint daddy’s toenails like mine.”

It’s fitting, then, that I would be writing about ways to celebrate YOU — for National Women’s Health Week.  Of course, at Fitness magazine, every week is women’s health week…but now the rest of the country jumped on board and this whole week has officially been a week to celebrate YOU.

So: How do YOU celebrate YOU?

Taking care of your body from the inside out (and the outside in) is surely a great start. That means fueling your body with quality nutrients to perform at your peak, physically and mentally.  Physically, it may be at the gym and/or playing mom and chasing little ones around all day.  Mentally, it may be at the office and THEN chasing little ones around all day.

Regardless, the foods you fuel your body with can make or break you.  After all, don’t you want to have the most energy possible instead of wanting to curl up and excuse yourself from the rest of the world?

Here are 4 ways to support your health:

1. Two words: Move. More.  We are not meant to sit all day, every day.  If you work a traditional 9-5 type job, though, this is exactly what happens.

2. Hydrate. Your goal is to drink half your body weight in ounces (if you weigh 150 pounds, that is 75 ounces, or around 9 cups of water daily). Try adding some citrus fruit to water, or a splash of juice to seltzer, to make it more appealing.

3. Snack smart. Eating frequent meals can keep your energy up, curb cravings and help feed your body the fuel it needs to chase after kids, stay focused at work or whatever it may be. The key is that snacks should: 1) include some protein, 2) include healthy fats, 3) be convenient 4) include fiber (bonus!).

KIND Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate + Protein (OMG!) is one of our faves—it has a little added protein boost, healthy fat AND 3 grams of fiber all packaged in convenient awesomeness.  These are awesome because they A) taste great, B) offer satisfying protein and fiber C) provide healthy fats.

4. Fuel Your Body with Fresh, Quality Foods.  This is an important one.  Outside of the snacks you choose, the other meals you eat are important too.  Start with a quality breakfast (eggs, oats, a homemade smoothie, or even just a piece of fruit and some nuts) and then follow it up with a quality lunch and dinner.

Now, the lunch and dinner parts can be tricky.  You’re on the go, challenged on what to eat, or maybe don’t like to cook.  The same “rules” apply for meals as they do snacks — protein + healthy fat + fiber = awesome.  For an on the go option, I love Subway’s Double Chicken Chopped Salad.

There you have it.  Four super easy, practical strategies to take care of you.  When you take care of you, you aren’t just taking better take care of everyone else, you’re also celebrating YOU.

RELATED: Get more nutrition and women’s health advice from Chris and Kara Mohr.

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Angelina Jolie’s Brave Decision for Her Health

May 14, 2013 at 12:08 pm
By Marianne Magno

In a brave, must-read editorial for The New York Times, Angelina Jolie reveals that she underwent a preventive double mastectomy earlier this year to reduce her risk of breast cancer. Jolie explains that it was her mother, who died of breast cancer at 56, who motivated her to take charge of her health. The actress, director and humanitarian explains that she is a carrier of a “faulty” BRCA1 gene, which puts her at an estimated 87% risk of breast cancer and 50% risk of ovarian cancer .

Jolie hopes that sharing her story will encourage others to be proactive about their own health:

“I am writing about it now because I hope that other women can benefit from my experience. Cancer is still a word that strikes fear into people’s hearts, producing a deep sense of powerlessness. But today it is possible to find out through a blood test whether you are highly susceptible to breast and ovarian cancer, and then take action.

…For any woman reading this, I hope it helps you to know you have options. I want to encourage every woman, especially if you have a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, to seek out the information and medical experts who can help you through this aspect of your life, and to make your own informed choices.”

We here at FITNESS applaud Jolie’s decision to take preventative measures against cancer and to use her celebrity to encourage other women to do the same. We’ve been inspired by other women who also chose to have preemptive mastectomies: our marketing manager, Kristin Guinan, who underwent the same procedure at age  27, and marathoner, soldier and mom Margaret Smith who decided to forgo reconstructive surgery after her mastectomy.

Early detection and action are important, and it is up to us to take control. In Angelina Jolie’s words: “Life comes with many challenges. The ones that should not scare us are the ones we can take on and take control of.”

Resources for Your Healthy Breasts:

• How to Do a Breast Self-Exam
• What You Need to Know to Prevent Breast Cancer
• “Why I Gave up My Breasts”
• “My Battle with Breast Cancer”

 Read Angelina Jolie’s full op-ed here.

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Superfood Salads

May 13, 2013 at 4:00 pm
By Guest Blogger

By Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD

Superfoods help keep us healthy and youthful. They potentially fight diseases such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease and may even help slow the aging process. So what better foods to toss into your salads?

With the help of The Dole Taste of Spain Salads, I am posting 31 salad recipes throughout the month of May — enough for a different salad every day. This week, the 7 featured recipes have a Mediterranean vibe and are packed with suprfoods.

These salads are high in flavor, easy on the waistline and will supercharge your health and energy so you can enjoy all the activities summer has to offer from volleyball to paddle boarding to playing frisbee on the beach.

Southern Spanish Market Salad

SUPERFOOD SPOTLIGHT: Avocado. Avocados are worshiped for their heart healthy unsaturated fat, filling fiber (14 grams per avocado!) and essential nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin K and folate.

INGREDIENTS 

• 1 package (11.3 oz.) DOLE All-Natural Ultimate Caesar Kit
• 1/4 cup sliced black olives
• 1 avocado, peeled, and cut into chunks
• 1 medium bell pepper, cut into short thin strips
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 4 anchovy fillets (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, combine all DOLE® All-Natural Ultimate Caesar Kit ingredients except Caesar Dressing. Add olives, avocado, bell pepper, balsamic vinegar and toss with dressing.
2. Transfer salad to shallow bowls or plates and garnish each with an anchovy fillet, if desired.
3. Family Friendly Suggestion: So you’re a poultry person…no problem! Try swapping anchovies for a half-cup of pulled or diced cooked chicken to add extra protein that pairs just as easily with olives, cheery bell peppers and balsamic.

Serves 4. Serving size: 1/4 salad. 252 calories and 19g fat per serving.

Here are  more Superfood Salad recipes. Check back next week for a new round of salads!

Seville Potato Verde

SUPERFOOD SPOTLIGHT: Potatoes. Potatoes contain resistant starch, which is a compound that works overtime to help you feel fuller longer. Also, potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C and potassium.

Raspberry Avocado & Mango 

SUPERFOOD SPOTLIGHT: Raspberries. Raspberries are loaded with anti-cancer and anti-inflammation compounds. Plus they are a low-cal, high nutrition way to curb a sweet tooth.

Beet Salad w/ Citrus Goat Cheese

SUPERFOOD SPOTLIGHT: Beets. Thanks to a unique pigment, called betalain, biting into a beet provides antioxidants, reduces inflammation and may help flush toxins out of the body. Beets are also rich in blood pressure lowering nitrates.

Crunchy Broccoli Salad

SUPERFOOD SPOTLIGHT: Broccoli. Raw broccoli provides high amounts of immune-boosting vitamin C and bone-beneficial vitamin K.

Endless Summer 3-Bean Salad

SUPERFOOD SPOTLIGHT: Beans. Beans provide protein, heart smart fiber and energy enhancing iron. Beans also help keep cholesterol in check and blood sugar balanced.

Caprese Chopped Salad 

SUPERFOOD SPOTLIGHT: Tomatoes. Tomatoes are rich in antioxidants (particularly the trifecta of carotinoids: lycopene, lutein and zeaxanthin) which may improve the health of particularly your eyes and heart.

About the Author: Dawn Jackson Blatner, RDN, CSSD is a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified specialist in sports nutrition based in Chicago. She is the author of The Flexitarian Diet. Dawn is working with Dole throughout the month of May to inspire more salad eating.

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What You Need to Eat to Be Heart-Healthy

May 13, 2013 at 9:28 am
By Lauren Cardarelli

According to a recent statement made by the American Heart Association, heart failure costs are expected to more than double by 2030, potentially costing Americans a whopping $244 per year! Time is tickin’ to beat the rising heart disease incidence—the leading cause of death in women. Insert omega-3 fatty acids, which has proven study after study to reduce the risks. Opt for food sources of supplements, says New York University adjunct nutrition professor and FITNESS Advisory Board member Lisa Young, Ph.D., R.D. It’s as easy peasy (and affordable) as cracking open a can of tuna—just two servings of seafood a week! Now isn’t that just fin-tastic?

Jazz up the versatile canned good with your favorite spices, Dr. Young suggests, and fold it into a cold pasta salad, wrap or form into burgers. Another great idea? Tasty crostinis made with thin baguette slices, fresh rosemary and Kalamata olives. No more fishing for heart health excuses. Here’s a quick and easy recipe that pairs perfectly with a glass of white for a summer soiree app. Your friends and heart will thank you later.

White Bean and Tuna Crostini
(Recipe courtesy of Melissa d’Arabian)
Makes 4 servings

• 10 thin baguette slices
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon rosemary, finely chopped
• 1/8 cup dry white wine
• 1 15-ounce can white kidney beans, drained
• 1 5-ounce can chunk-light tuna packed in water, drained and flaked
• 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1/4 cup finely chopped pitted Kalamata olives
• 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Directions: Preheat oven to 350° F. Arrange baguette slices in single layer on baking sheet; brush slices with 3 tablespoons olive oil. Bake until bread is crisp and golden, about 15 minutes. Set aside. In a preheated skillet, cook onion, garlic, rosemary, and salt and pepper to taste in the oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until the onion is softened. Add the wine and simmer the mixture until the wine is reduced by half. In a food processor, purée the beans and the onion mixture and salt and pepper to taste, transfer the mixture to a bowl and chill it, covered, until it is cool. In a small bowl, toss together tuna, onion, olives, parsley, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.Spread bean puree among baguette slices and top with tuna salad. Garnish each with 1 small rosemary sprig.

For more recipe ideas and information on heart healthy fish, visit getrealaboutseafood.com.

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Getting Younger Women Involved: How to Walk for Breast Cancer Research

May 10, 2013 at 9:24 am
By FITNESS Intern

Written by Carrie Stevens, editorial intern

Sadly, chances are most of us know someone who’s been affected by breast cancer. Many of us know about the Susan G. Komen 3-Day walk program to help raise funds in the fight against the deadly disease. But a new campaign has come to town for the younger women looking to get involved—Young Women Walking (YW2)—and we’re ready to don our hottest pink hues in support.

Designed for women between the ages of 16 and 23, YW2 lets participants experience one day of the Komen 3-Day walk. While the 3-Day walk has women cover 60 miles in three days and raise $2,300, the YW2 contingent will clock 20 miles and raise $750.  Sounds like a great way to dip your toes into the water, right?

Here’s what we really love:  While spending the day alongside their elders, the YW2 girls learn breast cancer facts and discuss action steps necessary to reduce their own risk.  Forget the clichés: knowledge is power.

Oh, and don’t forget about the after party!  After completing a day on their feet, walkers celebrate with a pink (of course!) party and enjoy well-earned foot massages, inspirational speakers and a dance party.

Interested? Visit their website for more information, or to find an event near you.

Now you tell us: What’s the farthest you’ve walked in one day?

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Super-Satisfying Salads

May 7, 2013 at 9:55 am
By Guest Blogger

By Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD

As summer approaches, we start craving fresh foods. Hello healthy salad season—and just in time to help us slim down for summer!

With the help of Dole Salads, I am posting 31 delicious and simple salad recipes throughout the month of May—enough for a different salad every day.

Here’s the thing about salad: If you make one that’s too light, you’ll be hungry in an hour. But add the wrong ingredients, and your salad can have more calories and fat than a burger and fries. The trick to making a healthy salad that’s a satisfying meal is in the ratio of ingredients.

This the general equation for the perfect entrée salad:

2-3 cups veggies
+
3/4 cup or 3 ounces cooked protein
(~150 calories; beans, egg, turkey, tuna, etc.)
+
3/4 cup cooked grain or starchy carb
(~150 calories; brown rice, whole grain pita, quinoa, baguette, etc.)
+
2-3 Tablespoons fat
(~100 calories; dressing, cheese, nuts, etc.)

Each of this week’s salads has the perfect ratio of ingredients to fill you up without weighing you down. Try one for dinner tonight!

Garden Tapas with Tuna
Who says a salad has to be served in a bowl? This one is served on top of thinly sliced baguette pieces…

INGREDIENTS

• 1 package (6 oz.) DOLE Tender Garden, coarsely chopped
• 2 (2.6 oz.) pouches chunk tuna or 1 (5 oz.) can chunk light tuna in water, drained
• 1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 2 tablespoons chopped pimento
• 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped parsley leaves
• 2 teaspoons bottled capers, drained
• 1 hard-boiled egg, coarsely chopped
• Juice from 1 medium lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
• 1 (8 oz.) baguette French bread, cut into 12 slices, toasted
• Salt and pepper, to taste (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, mix and toss all ingredients together thoroughly, except baguette. Season to taste with salt and pepper if desired.
2. Top bread slices with salad mixture.
3. Transfer to plates and season with fresh pepper, if desired.

Serves 4. Serving size: 1/4 salad. 317 calories and 7g fat per serving.

Here are  more Super-Satisfying Salad recipes. Check back next week for a new round of salads!

• Mediterranean Salad with Grapes and Sausage
• Miso-Garlic-Roasted Tofu Caesar Salad
• Quinoa Salad with Shrimp, Mango and Butter Lettuce
• Bulgur, Chickpea, Pistachio Salad
• Peanut Tempeh Thai Salad
• Grains & Greens Salad with Hummus Dressing

About the Author: Dawn Jackson Blatner, RDN, CSSD is a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified specialist in sports nutrition based in Chicago. She is the author of The Flexitarian Diet. Dawn is working with Dole throughout the month of May to inspire more salad eating.

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Heart Health Tips to Live By

May 6, 2013 at 11:11 am
By mohrresults

A few months ago, we were reminded during “heart month” about how heart disease kills way too many women. As the seasons change and some of us feel reinvigorated to revamp their diets and routine, we want to urge you to remember these super-simple steps to reduce your chances of heart disease. By employing these easy strategies, you’re helping to make sure you don’t wind up a statistic.

1. Engage in at least 30 minutes of structured physical activity, 5 days/week.  This isn’t for weight loss but basic heart health.  Whatever exercise you like — walking, cycling, weight lifting, swimming — works, though variety is ideal.  No matter how busy you are, everyone has the time, so try to make it!

2. Stand up.  Sitting is the new smoking.  Where can you find time in your day to stand and move , beyond structured physical activity?  Maybe rather than watching TV, you go for a family walk before or after dinner.  Start a walking group at work or investigate stand-up desks if you work at home.  If you have dogs, take them for a walk instead just letting them out back.  There are a lot of opportunities to move — you just need to be creative, take control and make a conscious effort to make you a priority.

3. Eat more omega-3 fats.  Omega-3 fats are amazing for us. The best way to get them in the diet is from foods like wild seafood (salmon, tuna, sardines, anchovies), among others.  Read more

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Flat-Belly Salads

May 1, 2013 at 11:30 am
By Guest Blogger

By Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD

Happy May! Beach season is right around the corner, so now’s the time to get bikini ready with some delicious and nutritious salad recipes. That’s right—you can eat your way to flatter abs!

With the help of Dole salads and in honor of National Salad Month, I am going to give you yummy, healthy and simple salad recipes every week this month for a total of 31 recipes—enough for a different salad every day. You’ll give your taste buds a treat (no boring salads here!), get more veggies and reach your better-body goals.

Each of the salads below has ingredients proven to help you slim down and fight belly fat. Dig in and you’ll be rocking a two-piece on the beach in no time!

Blue Watermelon Feta Salad
Flat-Belly Ingredient Spotlight: Watermelon
Watermelon has high water content and research shows foods with high water content may help you naturally eat hundreds less calories per meal.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lime, juiced (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 bag (5oz) Dole arugula
• 1 cup cubed watermelon
• 1/2 cup blueberries

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix lime juice, onion and feta until combined.
2. Toss with arugula.
3. Top with watermelon and blueberries.
4. Culinary Notes: Mixing the lime juice with the onions mellows the onions’ flavor. For a quick dressing anytime, mix your favorite citrus juice with your favorite shredded/crumbled cheese.

Serves 2. Serving size: 3 cups. 130 calories and 5g fat per serving.

Here are  four more Flat-Belly Salad recipes. Check back next week for a new round of salads!

Mango Salad with Ginger Raisin Vinaigrette
Flat-Belly Ingredient Spotlight: Red Wine Vinegar
Vinegar at meals may help increase feelings of fullness, decrease calorie intake by about 70 calories per meal, improve blood sugars after meals and lead to less body fat over time.

Fresh Fruit Salad with Baby Spinach and Yogurt Poppy Seed Dressing
Flat-Belly Ingredient Spotlight: Pineapple
Pineapple contains bromelain, which improves digestion and decreases post-meal bloating.

Granada Seafood Salad
Flat-Belly Ingredient Spotlight: Sardines
Sardines contain omega-3 fat which may control appetite, increase calorie burning and decrease the amount of fat your body stores.

Spinach Salad w/ Thousand Island Yogurt Dressing
Flat-Belly Ingredient Spotlight: Mushrooms
Mushrooms are the only plant-based source of vitamin D, which research suggests may aid in the loss of belly fat.

About the Author: Dawn Jackson Blatner, RDN, CSSD is a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified specialist in sports nutrition based in Chicago. She is the author of The Flexitarian Diet. Dawn is working with Dole throughout the month of May to inspire more salad eating.

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Why There Will Always Be Another Finish Line After Boston

April 17, 2013 at 2:12 pm
By Betty Wong

The day before the Boston Marathon, I crossed the finish line of the More/Fitness Women’s Half-Marathon in New York City’s Central Park. About a month before Boston, I had crossed the finish line of the Los Angeles Marathon. Both times my tired legs somehow found the energy to surge through the last few hundred yards. With arms held high, a smile on my face and the cheering crowds drowning out whatever playlist has been pumping for hours through my earbuds, something magical always propels me forward as I run toward joy, exhilaration and complete satisfaction.

Crossing the finish line brings relief, pride and bliss, and there’s never a moment you want it more than that last .1 of a 13.1-mile half or the final .2 of a 26.2-mile marathon. On Monday, thousands of runners in Boston had that same drive and focus shattered by two cruel, horrific bombs.

The blasts shook them out of their thoughts of elation, of accomplishment, of post-race celebrations over beer and burgers. In seconds, their hearts went from swelling with gratitude and love for family and friends who had supported them on race day and through months of training, to pounding with fear and panic over when and how they would reunite with their loved ones, if ever.

I was not in Boston on Monday, but from my desk at Fitness magazine, I was there in spirit. That morning, still high on endorphins from the wonderful race we hosted the day before with New York Road Runners, I wished the runners in Boston the same exuberance, strength and determination that were so palpable from the women runners at our half-marathon. I excitedly logged onto the Boston Athletic Association’s website so I could track the progress of my friend and Fitness colleague Amy Macauley as she ran a strong pace through every split of her 26.2-mile trek into downtown Boston. When her final finish time popped up on my screen, I was thrilled and elated, just as I’d been the morning before.

News broke of the explosions less than an hour later. My heart sank for Amy, for the thousands of runners, spectators, organizers and volunteers. How could a day meant to be a celebration of all that is good about the human spirit—from the runners whose athleticism, dedication and grit are so deserving of admiration to the spectators who stand on the sidelines for hours hoping to catch a glimpse of their loved one and scream encouraging hoots and hollers at the sea of strangers running by—go from so right to so wrong?

Those two bombs placed in such close proximity to the finish line were intended to maim and kill, to stop us in our tracks. They robbed us of precious lives and limbs, and my heart breaks for those innocent spectators who were hurt and for their grieving families. The crimes took away our moments of celebration, but they did not end our journey. As any runner will tell you, every race is measured in much more than miles and the time it takes to cross the finish line. Whether in your training you went from fat to fit, weak to strong, doubter to believer, the course keeps going long after the race is over. The bombs in Boston will never take away our collective will to move forward, to sprint toward what is good in life. Already thousands on Facebook have committed to running 26.2 miles in the coming days, weeks and months to honor Boston. We run because we have to. We run for those who can’t. We run because that is how we keep reaching, growing, healing. There will continue to be many more start lines to join, and this weekend our thoughts will be with marathoners lining up in London, as they will be thinking of their running comrades in Boston. In tragic times like this, we simply keep moving forward. We run for joy. We run for good health. We run for peace. That is how we finish strong.

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Guess What the Most Motivating Tool to a Healthy Lifestyle Is?

April 12, 2013 at 3:00 pm
By Colleen Moody

Now that I have finally jumped the hurdle of being an early morning runner, there are a number of reasons I lace up instead of hitting the snooze. Fun weekend plans. My brother’s wedding. My wedding. Wanting to PR in the Pittsburgh Marathon next month. The list goes on. And of course, there are dozens of reasons that inspire others that aren’t on my list. To figure out what motivates healthy lifestyles among its consumers, Tyson Foods on behalf of the Tyson® Grilled & Ready® product line surveyed over 2,000 participants all across the country and found out what really sparks the masses to eat healthier and work out harder. Below, some findings we found particularly interesting:

• Nearly everyone surveyed–94 percent–is looking to make a positive change related to his or her health this year. Of those, 79 percent want to eat healthy. (Get started with our new Healthy Snack Finder, to make mid-morning and afternoon munching satisfying, without being total calorie bombs.)
• When it comes to motivation, 79 percent say their health motivates them to live a healthy lifestyle while 58 percent want their clothes to fit better. Around 52 percent stay motivated for their family (aww!) and 28 percent do it for an upcoming social event.
• In terms of the most motivating tool, there’s no surprise here–social media! About 43 percent said they were more motivated to work out after seeing a friend post or tweet about having a great workout.

Some other fun facts: For those wishing a celebrity chef would pop up in their kitchen and help them cook, 1 out of 4 picked Emeril Lagasse. As for favorite trainer, Jillian Michaels is queen by both women (45 percent) and men (41 percent).

Now Tell Us: What motivates you to live a healthy lifestyle?

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