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I just read some good news – studies have shown that 20 minutes of high-intensity interval training can yield the same – or better – results as a longer, moderate workout when it comes to weight loss and cardiovascular benefits.

So for those of you (like me) who feel you have to set aside a chunk of time most days to get your “recommended daily allowance” for exercise, apparently the new studies are saying that just by amping up your intensity and reps when exercising, you can – in theory – burn as many calories in 30 minutes then in longer 60- or 90-minutes sessions. Now that’s great news!

I am not an avid tennis player but I like to smack the ball around every now and then, so when my daughter asked if I wanted to play, I was up for the challenge.

What I noticed almost immediately was, my fine-tuned aim always landed the ball within a two to three foot radius of where she was standing.  In other words, she hardly had to do any moving – aside from raising her arm up every now and then to return the ball to me.

I on the other hand was doing more diving, sprinting, grunting, groaning, and leaping then what I can remember in recent history.

Let’s just say she was having an “off night” and seemingly could NEVER get the ball right to me. I was pushing myself to run after the out-of-bounds ball, or rushing the net for a ball that barely made it over, or stretching and jumping just to return the mile-high volley.  In other words, I was working 10 times harder than her just to play the same game.

Do you ever have moments like that – where you’re feeling like you’re putting in a lot of effort and getting very little in return. While the other person seems to sail through the exact same experience and hardly breaks a sweat!!

I thought about all the life lessons my little tennis game turned out to be and here are 6 ways to handle those little frustrations, stresses and set-backs:

1.  Life isn’t fair. In fact, some people may always appear to breeze right through things with the greatest of ease.  In spite of that, accept where you’re at, do the best you can, and count the blessings you have on this day.  It helps you put things in perspective.

2.  If you can make changes, do. Work smarter at your goals – not harder.

3.  If you’re putting a lot of ‘energy’ into projects, relationships, your job, family, emotions, or other things that always bring out the drama in your life, figure out what is important to get through that moment and re-evaluate how to make things more manageable for future reference.

4.  Sometimes you can’t control the situation you’re in, know who you are, suck it up, and find the best way to deal with it.

5.  When you are feeling overwhelmed, and can’t get out from underneath the stress, find a support system.

6.  There’s nothing wrong with being the tortoise – slow and steady wins the race. Go at your own pace, and let the hare’s fly by you.

All I can say is thank goodness my daughter and I play for fun, and while I hope to be more evenly matched next time, I did a weeks worth of exercise all in one night!

Research has shown that when people exercise by walking, they walk 30% longer if they walk to music.  (So turn up the tunes)

Are you familiar with The Old Farmer’s Almanac? It’s typically chuck full of information about predicting weather patterns and forecasts as well as many other gardening and nature-related tips.  But did you know it can also help you with your diet?

Well, I had to laugh when I heard about this but apparently it will also give you the best day to start a diet if you want to lose weight, AND, the best day to start a diet if you want to gain weight. Yes, you read that right – gain weight!

Well….I looked it up (almanac.com) and under “Best Days To” I found it. So I thought in honor of all the other gimmicks that we try to lose weight – and some of us go to great lengths to try anything, do anything – apparently the best day to start a diet to lose weight is (drum roll please) July 18th and 23rd.

I can always see a powerful message in some quotes, and especially a powerful message as it relates to the on-going, daily struggle of watching your weight. So I give you the following quote from Wayne Dyer, who said…..

Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it’s always your choice.

What is it about vacations that you find yourself doing things you wouldn’t normally do at home. As I mentioned in a post earlier this week, my husband and I set off for Nevada and Arizona to explore all that this country has to offer – and boy, are we taking advantage of that.  I’ve been wearing my pedometer all week and am AMAZED at how many miles we are walking per day.

We found this beautiful area North of Las Vegas called Mt. Charleston. The elevation was high and the temperatures were low and we went all over that mountain. In fact, we walked 8 miles! How does that happen?!? My husband and I were laughing about the thought of us being at home and saying to each other “…let’s take a walk, in fact, let’s walk 8 miles…”  – it would never happen, and yet walking has come so easy this week. Back home you have your little ol’ route all planned out, a timeframe to stick to, and you don’t detour too far from the schedule. On vacation however the sites and sounds are sensory overload and your routine-of-life is thrown off, so you find yourself doing….things you wouldn’t normally do.

With some health and work issues this winter it was easy to find myself being down, slightly depressed, and quite frankly just going through “life’s motion’s”.  Then to top it off, Michigan hasn’t quite had the stellar Spring we were all looking forward to get us out of the dark days of Winter.  But with the beginning of June it seems I have found my strength this week, along with the sunshine. Have I ever mentioned how ‘healing’ the sun can be for you physically, mentally and spiritually – it’s like free medication. Oh yes…I do believe I’ve mentioned the benefits of Vitamin D and the gorgeous sunshine a time or two before.  (After 10-15 minutes though put on your sunscreen – can’t forget to mention that).

We have more days ahead of us with lots of walking planned – after all, we are in Vegas – so I hope to log in many more miles on my pedometer.

Physical activity, sunshine, and a week with husband is just what the doctor ordered. Oh, and a good pedometer!!

Confucius says “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in getting up every time we do.”

Can the way you eat really have an effect on your metabolic rate? Are there types of foods that will burn fat more efficiently than others? The answer to both questions is yes.

Beyond the calorie in-calorie out theory, you can help control the timing of your eating and how your body responds to food. Check out the following guidelines to see if you are practicing any of these healthy eating habits. If you’re not, it’s time to start.

Eat lots of small meals
Split up your calories between breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks.
Don’t make dinner your largest meal.
Eat every three to four hours. Your body works hard to digest and absorb the food we eat, and your metabolism revs up in response.

Don’t skip breakfast
Eat a healthy breakfast to jumpstart your metabolism.
Have breakfast within two hours of waking. Studies show that if you do this, you are more likely to control your weight.
Don’t let coffee ruin your appetite.

Never starve yourself
Don’t skip meals. It’s like going on a mini-diet. Going long periods of time between meals each day may slow your metabolic rate so that you burn calories more slowly.
Stop dieting. The same metabolic slowdown that kicks in when you skip breakfast also works against you whenever you drastically cut back on the amounts of food you eat.
Don’t take in too few calories or your body will try to store more fat.

Don’t eat late at night
Your metabolism is slowest in the evening, so don’t overeat then. Give your body at least three hours before bedtime to digest.
Remember, you are going to eat within one hour of waking up.
If you do shift work, your metabolism will fall in line with your eating and sleeping schedule, not the clock.

Eat protein with almost every meal/snack
Eating protein boosts your metabolism more than carbohydrates or fats.
Eating enough protein will help you maintain and build muscle mass.
Keep protein intake anywhere from 0.5 gram to 0.8 gram of protein per pound of body weight. Use the higher end only if you exercise vigorously.
Good sources of low-fat protein include lean meats, turkey breast, skinless chicken breast, fish, cottage cheese, low-fat yogurt, tofu and beans.

Balance your other nutrients
Choose whole-grain carbohydrates instead of refined. That means oatmeal, brown rice, whole-wheat bread, barley, sweet potatoes, whole-wheat pasta, beans, etc.
Eat enough healthy fats. These include avocados, olive oil, nuts and seeds, natural peanut butter, ground flax seeds and fatty fish.
Round out your diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables. The more color and fiber, the better.

Exercise!
Exercise to burn calories and speed up your metabolic rate.
Move your body to stimulate fat-burning enzymes to break down fat.
Do aerobic exercise (at least 30 minutes) four or five times a week. Your metabolism rises every time you work out.
Do strength training at least twice a week. Lifting weights and doing push-ups or crunches will help you increase muscle tissue, which burns slightly more calories than fat.

Sample Meals
Breakfast
Cottage cheese or yogurt with fresh fruit
One or two eggs and a slice of whole-grain bread
Lunch
Turkey burger on a whole-grain bun and a salad
Salad with grilled chicken and small amount of dressing
Dinner
Fish with vegetables and a baked potato
Shrimp and vegetables over a small amount of brown rice or pasta
Snacks
1 tablespoon of natural peanut butter on a large rice cake
A pear and a piece of low-fat string cheese

(Information provided by Jane Harrison, R.D., healthAtoZ.com)

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.
Henry David Thoreau

Are you living the life that you have imagined? If not, what small thing can you do this week to start changing that? Start to visualize what that dream is and HOW you’ll go in the direction of it. May you have a powerful, successful, healthy thinking thin week!

Can you visualize this patient giving his Doctor excuses as to why he can’t exercise. We’re all BUSY – find time to move your body every day but in the meantime, read on and have a good chuckle!