Boost Your Body Image

When you think of your body, what thoughts come to mind? Do you focus on what's "wrong"? Do you feel embarrassed about your body? Like so many people who struggle with weight, you may find it difficult — or perhaps not even know how — to work toward a healthier relationship with your own body. But you can learn to accept and appreciate yourself.

A healthy lifestyle is about more than eating well and exercising — it is about accepting and embracing your body and treating it well. It's not about waiting until you've reached some ideal weight or some particular goal before learning to notice what's good about yourself and your body. After all, staying motivated requires that we celebrate every success. Maybe your clothes feel a little looser or you're feeling better about the way you look — it's important to notice all the steps along the way.

Remember, few people fit into or can ever obtain the supermodel standard of beauty. Yet, media images bombarding us with cellulite-free thighs, rock-hard abs, and flat tummies create unreasonable, expectations and can leave us feeling inferior if we feel we don't measure up.

This week, pay particular attention to the messages you send yourself about your body. Are they mainly negative? If so, practice replacing them with more self-accepting thoughts. Take a look in the mirror and find the things about your body that you like, and say that you like them out loud. Start thinking of your body as something special that deserves your great care and attention.

Are You Doing Crunches the Right Way?

Stomach crunches are a great way to tone that common problem area — the lower-stomach pooch. But if you aren't doing them correctly, you won't get the rock-hard results you want! Here's how to do them the right way: Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. If you are a beginner, or have neck problems, you can place a pillow under your head and neck. Press your lower back firmly to the floor; there should be no arch at all during the entire movement.

Rest your head in your hands, keeping your neck and shoulders relaxed. Tighten your abdominals to slowly lift your shoulders off the floor about six inches. Exhale as you crunch up. Remember to squeeze your abs to do the lift. Don't rock in an effort to gain momentum, or try to pull your head up with your arms. It helps to keep your elbows back and your chin up, as if you were holding an apple between your chin and your chest.

Slowly relax your stomach muscles to lower your shoulders back to the floor. Don't rush it. Focus on your form as you move through the crunch from start to finish. Do two sets of 8 to 12 crunches each. Fabulous!

Healthy Preworkout Snacks

Do you often have a snack before your workouts? While eating before you exercise may seem a little counterintuitive — after all, isn't one of the aims of exercise to burn calories? — it can actually be a good move. If it's time for your workout but you haven't eaten anything for a few hours or more, a snack can give you the energy you need to get going. And it can prevent you from being so hungry when you're done exercising that you make poor food choices.

The best preworkout snack is one that includes carbohydrates, which provide an energy boost, and protein, which sustains the energy boost and helps you feel satisfied longer. Here are some ideas:

• Half a bagel with low-fat cream cheese
• An apple with reduced-fat cheddar cheese
• A banana with peanut butter
• Yogurt with berries
• A few crackers with tuna
• One slice of bread with turkey

The key is to keep your portion small — around 50 to 100 calories. Eat your snack 30 minutes to an hour before you work out, keeping in mind that the body takes a little longer to absorb the energy from foods containing fat.

And before you stock up on energy bars or other products that promise to give you a boost during your workout, take note: While these products can be a convenient option, they can also be high in calories. If you do choose a sports bar, look for small ones that contain 100 calories or less.

How to Read Medical Headlines

Being able to separate the credible from the hype is key to understanding what the latest medical research means for your health. When you're reading, watching, or listening to a medical news story, look for the following criteria:

Original studies: A medical news story should tell you who did the research, when it was done, and where the research was published or presented. Stories that don't say where the research comes from should be questioned.

Rigorous research: Pay attention to the details of how the study was done. Were many people involved (hundreds or more) or just a few? Was it a human study or one done on animals? Was there a control or placebo group? How long was the study period? Who funded the research?

Balanced information: Oversimplified or one-sided stories often leave out key facts. There's often far more to the story than is presented in a short broadcast or news article.

Multiple sources: Count the number of experts quoted in the article. There should be several experts quoted, and ideally, ones with different perspectives on what the research means.

Related studies: One study taken alone does not provide the complete picture. Ideally, the article should mention past studies done on the topic and explain how the current study fits into the big picture.

Legitimate reporting: Who wrote the article, and where does it appear? Is it from a recognized news source or someone's personal Web page? Is it really an advertisement disguised as news? Question if the writer is pushing a hidden agenda.

Remember, you can't believe everything you hear or read. If something sounds too good to be true — such as a promise that you can lose weight without changing how you eat or how much you exercise, that one particular food is the answer to weight loss, or that a pill can replace a healthy lifestyle — it probably is.

What’s the Best Exercise for Anxiety?

Exercise of all types is a good mood booster and anxiety reliever. Ask people how they feel after a workout, and most will say they feel calmer and less stressed. The mood-elevating effects of exercise come partially from the endorphins released during a workout. These natural hormone-like chemicals the brain produces are thought to be responsible for the “runner’s high”, the feeling of peace and calm, that runners feel after running a long distance. But what’s the best exercise for relieving anxiety and for boosting mood? According to one study, it may be yoga.

Is Yoga the Best Exercise for Anxiety and Depression?

Doctors often recommend that patients who feel anxious or depressed slip on their walking shoes and take a brisk walk. Walking, especially outdoors in nature, is a proven mood lifter. Who doesn’t feel better after they get up off the couch and start moving around? But yoga may be better than even walking for lifting the mood.

Researchers at the Boston University School of Medicine compared the benefits of walking vs. yoga for reducing anxiety and depression. They divided participants into two groups. One group practiced yoga for an hour three days a week, while the other group walked for the same period of time.

To measure the benefits they used a special type of brain scan that measured levels of a brain chemical called GABA. GABA is a neurotransmitter that’s reduced in people who suffer from mood disorders or feel depressed or anxious.

The results? The participants who did yoga felt less stressed and anxious and more optimistic than the group who walked. They also had higher levels of the brain neurotransmitter GABA after the study. Medications used to treat anxiety and depression boost GABA levels, and yoga seems to do that naturally.

Yoga for Anxiety Has Benefits over Walking

It’s not surprising that yoga offers mood-boosting benefits. Many people who are anxious and stressed breathe more shallowly. Yoga encourages deep breathing and emphasizes control of breath. Yoga is also meditative and directs a participant’s thoughts towards the present rather than on the past or future. This helps to reduce obsessive worrying that contributes to anxiety and depression. With yoga, a person gains greater control over their body and their thoughts.

Yoga also reduces cortisol levels, a hormone that’s been dubbed the “stress hormone,” because it rises during periods of stress. High cortisol levels suppress immunity, increase insulin resistance and promote fat storage in the deeper layers of the abdomen around organs where it can do the most harm. Obviously, lowering cortisol levels has multiple benefits for mood – and for overall health.

Exercise for Anxiety: All Types Are Good

All types of exercise boost mood and help to relieve stress, whether it’s taking a walk in nature, running a few miles or doing yoga moves. But with its emphasis on deep breathing and mind and body control, yoga may be one of the best forms of exercise around for relieving stress and anxiety.

References:

The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. Volume 16. Number 11. 2010; pages 1145-1152.

Multivitamin Supplements

Should you take a multivitamin supplement? If you eat a healthy, balanced diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and lean protein, you probably don't need one. But if you want to be sure you're getting the recommended daily amounts of important vitamins and minerals, a multivitamin pill can be a good way to do so.

Vitamins and minerals are nutrients found in foods that your body needs to function optimally. Because your body can't make these nutrients on its own, they must come from food or other sources. Some important ones include the following:

• Vitamin A: Needed for healthy vision and cell development; also acts as an antioxidant, protecting the body's cells from substances called free radicals. Food sources of vitamin A include liver, fish, fortified dairy products, carrots, and sweet potatoes.
• Folic acid: Helps the body make new cells. It's especially important that women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant get adequate amounts of folic acid. It's found in dark leafy greens, dried beans and peas, oranges, and fortified grain products.
• Vitamin C: Plays a role in building connective tissue and keeping the immune system healthy; also acts as an antioxidant. It's found in citrus fruits, broccoli, green peppers, spinach, and other fruits and vegetables.
• Vitamin D: Contributes to bone health, in part by helping the body to absorb calcium; also plays a role in the immune system. Your body makes vitamin D when your skin is exposed to sunlight, and it's also found in fortified dairy foods and cereals.
• Vitamin E: Helps to repair body tissues and acts as an antioxidant. Vitamin E is found in fish, milk, egg yolks, vegetable oils, nuts, and other foods.
• Calcium: A mineral used to build bone. It's found in dairy products and, in smaller amounts, in greens like broccoli and kale.
• Iron: Helps to carry oxygen to the body's cells. Food sources of iron include organ meats, beef, poultry, beans and lentils, and fortified cereals.

Before you purchase a multivitamin, read the label to see what percentage of the recommended daily amount (RDA) of each vitamin it contains. As you'll see, some brands contain much more than the RDA, while others contain less. It has not been proved that taking more than the RDA is beneficial, and taking very high doses of any vitamin can be harmful. Choose a multivitamin that covers the bases but stays at 100 percent of the RDA or less. In addition, check that the label carries the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) symbol. This will ensure that the supplement's manufacturer adheres to certain purity standards and that the supplement can be easily broken down in your digestive system and absorbed.

And remember, taking a multivitamin doesn't mean you can forgo eating well. No pill can replace the benefits of eating a healthy, balanced diet, but a multivitamin supplement can provide a little additional assurance that your body is getting the nutrition it needs.

Healthy Steak Tacos

Craving Mexican food? There's no need to go out for a heavy, calorie-loaded Mexican dinner. Forgo the extra fat and calories, and instead create this delicious steak taco meal for your family. It combines savory and sweet flavors and can be prepared in less than 25 minutes!

Chipotle Flank Steak Tacos With Pineapple Salsa

Ingredients

• 12 soft whole-wheat or whole-grain tortillas
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder plus 1 pinch, divided
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, divided
• 1 pound organic flank steak beef, trimmed of fat
• 1 organic pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick rings
• 1 organic red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1/2 cup minced red onion
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh organic cilantro
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Preparation

Preheat grill to high. Stack tortillas and wrap in heavy-duty foil. Combine oil, 1 teaspoon chipotle powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small dish. Rub mixture into both sides of steak. Place the tortilla stack on the coolest part of the grill or upper warming rack, if possible, and heat, flipping once, until warmed through and very pliable.

Meanwhile, grill the steak for 4 to 6 minutes per side for medium, or until desired doneness. Grill pineapple rings until moderately charred, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove the tortillas, steak, and pineapple from the grill. Let the steak rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing very thinly crosswise into strips.

Meanwhile, dice the pineapple and transfer to a medium bowl. Add bell pepper, onion, cilantro, vinegar, the remaining pinch of chipotle powder, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; toss to combine. Serve the sliced steak in the warm tortillas with the pineapple salsa.

Makes 6 servings.

Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 16 mins
Total Time: 21 mins

Nutrition Facts
Number of Servings: 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 283
Total Fat: 8 g
Saturated Fat: 3 g
Cholesterol: 29 mg
Sodium: 378 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 36 g
Dietary Fiber: 5 g
Protein: 19 g

Recipe reprinted with the permission of EatingWell.com.