Being a trainer gives me the license to ogle people. Not that they know it but I do it anyway. I both blatantly and discreetly check out butts, chests, waists, arms, thighs, hips and when they’re really nice, even (gasp) calves. Sometimes I find myself thinking of these body parts in comparison to mine. A pert little butt doesn’t send me into throes of envy but I do occasionally think ” is mine like that?” every once in awhile. 90 % of the time, though, I am actually thinking of what lifestyle change that person needs to make to look their best. Yeah, I’m a proud nerd. So this brings me to the topic of comparison. How often do you find yourself envying something someone else has? How many times have you heard yourself say something truly mean about yourself either because you mean it or because you wanted to join the conversation? “Yah, I’m huge today” , ” huge? Well, I’m
ENORMOUS!” and so the low self esteem Olympics continue. Here’s the thing though. Nothing that you’re complaining about is as bad the complaint your making. It is, by far, the ugliest thing you can do. In case you haven’t heard today, you’re pretty awesome at being you! Who else could do it better? Why do you think you think you’d make a better them or because they aren’t you are better? Would you let anyone else talk about your friend that way? Keep this in mind : ” Comparison is the killer of all joy”. Be your own best friend and Don’t kill yours.

Your weekly bucket list

Like love, inspiration is all around us. We just have to be open to accept new views of old things. Remember when you were a young kid ( think back if you can) and everything excited you? New sights, sounds, experiences, all if it was filled with boundless potential and so were you. Some would say life knocked that wide eyed wonder out of them pretty quickly and that’s partially true. Experience does change us. Age hardens us for survival and desensitizes as we grow to think we’ve seen it all. But here’s the thing: that is not entirely true. There is still plenty of potential in us and a great many things to still wonder about in the world. All it takes is a change in perspective. This week, I would like you to consider the thing(s) happening in your life right now that you are having a really hard time with. Be it work, weight,  friend & family drama, or your own personal procrastination ridden, anxiety loving demons.

The simplest perspective changing tactic is the death bed game. It only sounds morbid because it forces you to consider what it is you will regret the most or remember fondly when that day comes. Will you regret whatever it is that’s bugging you now, things like work, money or will it be not living, seeing and doing more in life?Kids aren’t the only ones that gain confidence accomplishing things even if that accomplishment is just a to-do list (see below)

Write 3-4 goals  in order of importance for your week by tonight. Put them somewhere visible and write down the steps you take in attempting them. I wouldn’t  make them ridiculously difficult “climb a mountain” type of goals. If you feel like climbing a mountain but don’t have time this week, maybe you can look into the sites you’d like that mountain to be in and price the trip.  Otherwise, it could be something like try a meatless day or cooking x number of meals at home, taking two 30 minute walks…you get the drift. The point is to get into the habit of motivating and holding yourself accountable. The Death Bed game is enough to light a fire so if you climb  under anyone and if you DO climb that mountain this week, you’ll be my new hero. 

Renee Walker Food Label ( NYTimes)

The metamorphosis of the Food Pyramid into the more common sense Food Plate might be the mojo behind the food label project at UC-Berkeley. Let’s face it: we are all visual creatures and the current food labels in use are as boring as they are confusing. If I weren’t a nutrition nut I’m not sure I could make heads or tails of them myself! What does 2000 calories mean to a regular person? what are those percentages about? Stop the confusion! Which is exactly what a team of visual designers and food activist Michael Pollan are setting out to do. Check out the designs on the NY Times Well Blog. Which one do you like? ( post comments below)

Coconut rice

Ah the post Meatless Monday pride. Do you feel it too? Yep, I’m patting myself on the back for making it through; Of course it helps to have really tasty recipes to make sure I don’t fall back into my curry chicken and rice pattern. How did it go for you meat-eaters? I know some people struggle with not eating meat or animal products just out of habit or fear of bland food. Trust me ( and the Health Department), giving your arteries and gut a rest from meat and meat by-products does wonders for health and the earth. It also gives you an opportunity to focus on getting enough fruit and vegetable into your diet. So to keep things interesting, I tried to make coconut rice. My inspiration came from  a delicious version sold at Sushi Samba Dromo in Miami. This recipe came from CheekyChicago.com’s recipe department and called for shredded coconut, almond milk, coconut milk, almonds and brown rice. ( Click here for recipe)

My Take

3 Spoons up ( out of 5)

First, let me say that my version was nowhere as pretty but that was to be expected. I also used Vanilla Almond Milk instead of unflavored which gave it a sweeter taste which was definitely unexpected but nice. I used light coconut milk and skipped the almonds because I felt it tasted rich enough without the additional calories and I used brown rice instead of white. The result is a creamy, rich tasting carb fest that is sure to make you feel juuuust a wee bit guilty. Could only eat a small portion because it was so deliciously rich which is a good thing. If you want yours to taste more like  the decadent restaurant version, don’t make the changes I did….caution!

Okay, I don’t mean to scare you but ( get ready) our metabolisms slow down by 1% every year after the age of 35…that’s 10% every decade…!! If you didn’t have a super fast one to begin with this can be troubling. Still, it gets more difficult to avoid the dreaded “middle age spread” even with the boost of genetics. Add childbirth into the equation and…let me stop there, no need to depress us further. That is the bad news. Wanna know the good news ( is there any, you ask?) There is and it’s that yes, you can tweak your metabolism to work with you and not against you. Here they are:

1. Eat more fiber. That should be: eat more in fruit and vegetables since that is where most beneficial fiber is found. Consider your metabolism a furnace that needs wood (plants) to keep it burning bright. Not enough wood causes the fire to burn out leaving barely burning embers. ** Not getting enough calories will slow your metabolism down! Remember your body will always outsmart you.
2. Interval Training. You don’t have to be an elite athlete to reap the benefits of  interval training. Intervals are usually characterized by short  but intense bursts of  cardiovascular work during your regular workouts. They could be sprints, jumping jacks, speed rope jumping etc. but the main point is that they are intense enough for you to be unable to maintain that level of work for more than 30 to 120 seconds. Intervals boost your metabolism by increasing a calorie burn which carries over into the less intense part of your workout. Bonus: intervals increase your cardiovascular capacity and can increase your speed in the long run.
3. Eat more lean protein. Your body’s preferred form of fuel is carbohydrates which is taken up into the blood quickly for energy. Protein, on the other hand, is taken up more slowly by your muscles, a process which expends more calories.
4. Get more rest. Not getting enough rest can cause your metabolism to function improperly and cause you to eat more carbohydrate rich calories to offset your weariness. Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep per night and try to keep your wake up times consistent throughout the week. Consider sleep a bank from which you withdraw renewal and rejuvenation. When that bank gets disturbed or depleted it can throw your entire body and metabolism off kilter.