The Blondissima

April Highlights

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

They say one of the traits of happy people is keeping a gratitude journal so I wanted to write down here for me the highlights from the month of April.

Fashion for Paws - a fundraising event for the Humane Society where they have a doggie runway show. I got to wear this dress that Brooklyn Decker wore by the same designer:

Cherry Blossom Festival - opening night with fireworks on the riverfront with lighted koi boats and floating lanterns.

Started running again in preparation for the Color in Motion Race.

Went to a couple comedy shows, which I think is always good for the soul to spend time laughing.

Read a couple enriching books that I talked about in this post and this post.

Started my weekly yoga practice up again after a two month hiatus and boy does it feel good. I even took a headstand workshop to improve my practice! Did you know that practicing head stand flushes nutrients and oxygen to your face, creating a glowing effect on your skin. It increases your blood flow to your all of your glands, alleviates pressure on the heart, stimulates digestion, calm the brain, reduce stress and mild depression, and be therapeutic for insomnia due to the soothing effect of the pose on the nerves. It engages all of your ab muscles and strengthens your arms and shoulders. Keeping with the yoga theme I watched two very interesting yoga related movies Kumare and Enlighten Up!

Attended a weekly game night party where we played things like Pictionary, Apple to Apples, Scrabble, and Life.

I'm enjoying planning my summer vacation.

Finally got some long awaited new reggae tunes.

I changed my cell phone case 3 times. lol

I always try to watch the top nominated Oscar films and the one I was dragging my feet to see was 12 Years as a Slave, I thought it would be too hard to watch, but I truly learned a lot about the history of slavery from the movie. I highly recommend everyone watch this film.

Next month I'm going to my first baseball game!

Dr. Amen - Brain Controlled Weight Loss

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Your brain is the CEO of your body, so why wouldn't you want to feed it the proper fuel it needs to function properly to keep your blood sugar balanced and your metabolism up? Dr. Amen did numerous studies on the brain through scans and found that brains of people who eat healthy look different than those of obese people. He says that you have to retool your diet to be rich in healthy foods to reverse the damage to your brain. One part I really like was the idea that you have you treat your willpower as a muscle and practice it often.

"With a better brain you also get a better body and a better mind" - Dr. Amen

"Food is medicine and can help you be trim, vibrant, happy, and focused, or it can make you plump, sluggish, sad, and stupid. It can also help keep you healthy or increase your disk for disease." - Dr. Amen

Dr. Amen emphasizes that you're never going to lose weight if you have a low thyroid, low blood sugar, imbalanced hormones, trouble sleeping, and negative thinking. Your doctor can help with your thyroid and the rest you can manage through diet and supplements. Before I start, you should know that there's no magic pill that is going to do all the work for you because supplements don't work by themselves if you eat too much or do not exercise. However what natural supplements can do, is to help optimize your brain so it will be easier for you to be able to follow a "brain healthy program." Dr. Amen professes that, "It'll be amazing to finally discover that the reason you can't lose weight isn't because you aren't trying hard enough, it's because your brain needs a little help."

As I said in my post yesterday, there are three supplements he recommends to all of his patients because they are critical to optimal brain function: a multivitamin, fish oil (or omega-3), and vitamin D.

Boosting omega-3 fatty acids in your diet is one of the best things you can do for your weight, mood, and brainpower. The reason being is that low levels of omega-3 fatty acids have been associated with depression, anxiety, obesity, ADD, suicide and an increased risk for Alzheimer's disease and dementia. In fact if you want to lose fat, you should eat more fat - of the omega-3 variety. Same thing McCaffrey says. Increasing omega-3 intake has been found to decrease appetite and cravings and reduce body fat. I was recently very excited to learn that my LDL Cholesterol level was 134. Basically anything above 40 is good, so to be at 134 means I'm off the charts! That's because on a regular basis I consume avocados, various nuts, chia seeds and omega-3.

Dr. Amen recommends the supplement 5-HTP for compulsive overeaters. It increases serotonin, which helps to control stress, improves sleep, and increases mood. Exercise and 5-HTP are natural ways to boost serotonin (the happiness hormone). But it's not meant for long term use.

The book spends a good portion on getting rid of your negative thoughts. Challenging your thoughts is critical to winning the battle of the bulge. When talking to yourself don’t use words like "always, never", as is "I will always be fat" or "I will never lose weight." You are self-sabotaging yourself by not believing in yourself, know that your thoughts can lie to you! This goes back to keeping your serotonin levels up. Focus on the positive which will improve your mood so you can feel better about yourself and kill the negative thoughts in your head. Stay strong and don’t let food pushers sabotage your weight loss at work or with family and friends. Surround yourself with people with good eating habits. If you're going out to eat with healthier eaters, you will feel encouraged to order something healthy off the menu too.

In short believe that you can do it, or you'll never achieve your goals. You're not the first person that needed to lose weight, look around you there are tons of people just like you who were successful at it. Don’t be discouraged if the scale doesn't move fast enough for you. It just means you need to look at your diet again, switch up your workout routine, and most importantly be consistent with it. Don't let the weekends ruin your progress! You deserve to achieve your goals! You need to remove the mindset of being a quitter and turn off that negative voice in your head that says you will always be where you are now.

The Brain Healthy Way to Lose Weight and Keep It Off

Monday, April 28, 2014

Dr. Amen is the last name of the doctor who wrote the book. He got his medical training in the military and works with many ex-NFL players on concussion issues. His first book Change Your Brain, Change Your Life was a best seller as it was geared toward people who have experienced anxiety, depression, impulsiveness, excessive anger or worry, and obsessive behavior. He also co-authored the book The Daniel Plan: 40 Days to a Healthier Life which is a book my church and many other churches follow for fasting. According to the Washington Post he's "the most popular psychiatrist in America." He runs a chain of clinics called the Amen clinics in NYC, Atlanta, VA, CA, and WA and sells his own brand of expensive supplements.

The Amen Solution basically says that if your brain isn't healthy you won't be successful at losing weight. It’s your brain that gives you the will power not to eat something and it’s your blood sugar that determines your food cravings. There are three supplements he recommends to all of his patients because they are critical to optimal brain function: a multivitamin, fish oil (or omega-3), and vitamin D because they will help decrease your cravings. He says that when you don't have enough vitamin D, you feel hungry all the time, no matter how much you eat. As I said in my last post about vitamin D, make sure you have your doctor have your vitamin D levels checked.

He recommends the first thing you need to do is write down your specific motivation for losing weight so you can look at your list daily for encouragement and to keep a daily gratitude journal. He said that the best ways to boost your mental power is to set SMART goals to help you achieve your goals.

Dr. Amen doesn't agree with the people who say "everything in moderation." For example he says that sugar is more addicting than cocaine, thus cocaine in moderation is not a good idea. He says that the less sugar in your life, the better your life will be. This is the same advice Dee McAffrey gave in her book. Dr. Amen admits that he used to think weight loss was simply about calories in versus calories out. The logic being that if you stay within a certain calorie range, you should fine. That’s how some people justify a sugary treat because they saved up calories for it. He explains that the problem with that is eating sugar activates your cravings and makes it very hard to stay away from things that are bad for you. He says you have to focus on eating "high quality calories." You know when you drink wine you want to eat more? That’s because alcohol is metabolized in the body the same way sugar is, so drinking alcohol can trigger sugar carvings.

Here's a picture of the kitchen at my job. We always have bananas, and then the fruit rotates between kiwi, plums, mandarins, pears, tiny apples or whatever is in season. Pretty awesome my office does this instead of having a vending machine or candy jar. However there's also a basket full of cereal bars from Trader Joe's. Now while calorie wise they're pretty low, however Dr. Amen says that "a lot of those 'diet' snacks have enriched flour, which is just like eating sugar. The effect on the brain when you eat sugar or enriched flour is the brain asks for more." Thus once again the less sugar and flour one eats, the better. I've literally had to eat one of each over a period of time before I was finally able to quit these bars! lol

You can only conquer your cravings by keeping your blood sugar balanced because self-control failures are more likely to occur when blood sugar is low. Low blood sugar levels can make you feel hungry, irritable or anxious. So eat a nutrient-rich breakfast to help get your blood sugar off to a good balanced start. Add cinnamon to your oatmeal, because this spice has shown to help regular blood sugars. Eat snacks throughout your day to keep your blood sugar level.

Dr. Amen says that eating breakfast increases your attention and focus. Breakfast protein helps to balance your blood sugar. So a high carb breakfast like a bagel with cream cheese will just make you want to sleep through your morning at work. That's another breakfast I had to quit 8 years ago when I realized it was just empty calories with very little protein to keep my full long. People who maintain a weight loss eat a nutritious breakfast.

The book explains that physical inactivity is the "fourth most common preventable cause of death." Exercise increases your brain’s ability to regulate insulin and sugar. Exercise improves your heart’s ability to pump blood throughout your body, which increases blood flow to your brain. Exercise increases your memory, your ability to think clearly and your ability to plan. Weight lifting increases your metabolism to help you burn more calories throughout the day.

Something new I learned was not to eat bread first in restaurants because it just makes you hungrier so you eat more. Bread spikes your blood sugar, it’s a simple carb, so then you’re more likely to get dessert. Bottom line: Eliminate sugar and refined carbs from your diet.

Here a video with Dr. Amen explaining this himself.

My Sleep Solution

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

How I Ended Insomnia Naturally! Did you know that how you sleep can affect how you eat? Studies have shown that people who have trouble sleeping are twice as likely to eat sugary foods and simple carbs just to make it through the day. The reason being is lack of sleep plays a role in cravings and reduces your overall brain function by affecting your moods. You should also understand is the science of sleep. When it gets dark outside, your body senses the lighting change and starts making the hormone melatonin, which communicates to your body that it is time to prepare to sleep.

I once went to a health expo at my local convention center and spoke to a sleep doctor. He told me to implement a no screen time before bed (phone/computer/TV). My compromise was to not sit at my computer desk with the desk light on because sitting at such a bright desk told my body it wasn't bedtime (slowing down its melatonin production). I created a bedtime for myself- 10pm and set an alarm on my phone to be sure to be in bed by then. I tried my best to create the right kind of environment for healthy sleep yet still it took me a long time to fall asleep and if anything woke me up (like my phone) I couldn't go back to sleep. Not wanting to take sleeping pills, I decided to solve the puzzle of why I couldn't sleep and researched my options.

I'm going to share some popular natural supplements that may help you sleep. I've tried all of these and have had the most success with the last one. Everyone's body reacts differently so what might have worked or not worked for me could be the opposite for you. What I didn't include on the list are Montmorency Cherries (the juice and dried fruit are available at Trader Joes) which are high in melatonin but just have too much sugar in it for me.

Melatonin - Is a hormone your body makes in the evening to help you sleep. As I explained your body signals its production when the sun goes down. That's why experts said don't sit in front of a computer right before going to sleep because it throws off your body's natural wind down clock. But of course if you have a shift job, your clock is going to be off. Children have a lot of melatonin, thus they can sleep for hours however it decreases with age. For many taking melatonin supplements helps them to fall asleep, but after awhile it stopped working for me.

5-HTP – I have to get a little technical here explaining how your body makes melatonin and 5-HTP. So the amino acid L-tryptophan (which is also in turkey) in your body is converted into 5-HTP, then 5-HTP is converted to serotonin, which is then metabolized to create melatonin. If you’re still with me here, serotonin is your feel good hormone that controls whether or not you feel happy. Thus 5-HTP is most commonly used for depression because it works like serotonin antidepressants.

So putting it all together, the idea being if you take 5-HTP, it will increase your serotonins levels which then allows your body to increase its melatonin which will help you sleep. The pill form of 5-HTP comes from the seeds of an African plant. Trader Joe’s sell a combo melatonin/5-HTP supplement for $15. Be aware it's not meant for long term use so just check with your doctor first.

Magnesium Citrate is magnesium with citric acid, whose combo is considered the best magnesium supplement on the market. You don't hear much about magnesium, yet I read that about half of Americans are deficient in this important mineral. This is because our soil has been depleted of minerals and magnesium can be lost from your body from alcohol, coffee, black tea, calcium supplements and a host of other things.

When your body is deficient of magnesium, your melatonin is affected. (Melatonin is what makes you fall asleep remember.) Magnesium balances out your stress hormones so you can relax at night and not be up worrying about things. Magnesium loosens tight muscles, which I've found has really helped me after I took up running again. It also regulates important nutrients like calcium, potassium and vitamin D in the body, helps to keep bones strong, regulates blood pressure and sugar levels, supports the immune system, and helps your body to maintain a regular heart beat. Magnesium helps return the body’s pH balance and is a necessary electrolyte essential for proper hydration.

I read an interesting article that said that calcium does not build strong bones, that's just what the dairy industry wants you to believe. Rather most of us get enough dairy through foods but we need Vitamin D and Magnesium to absorb the calcium. Foods with high in magnesium include spinach, pumpkin seeds, nuts (brazil, almond, cashews), beans, soy (edamame), lentils, brown rice, avocado, bananas, figs, artichokes, and dark chocolate. However when you are chronically stressed, you can become magnesium deficient even if you eat these foods regularly.

As you can see, the fourth most abundant mineral in your body is very necessary for proper functioning and just about half of us are short on it. I used to have problems falling asleep but now that I’m taking magnesium at night my insomnia is gone! I take Magnesium Citrate with a little raw honey because honey has magnesium and helps to facilitate the action of Tryptophan (that I talked about before) which helps makes you sleepy and it totally knocks me out! Insomnia is actually a common symptom of magnesium deficiency, which makes sense when you understand all that magnesium does for your body.

Color in Motion 5K Recap

Monday, April 21, 2014

This weekend was full of fun events with family, friends, comedy, food, and some running… all my favorite things! The weekend started off bright and early on a chilly Saturday morning. I was worried about running in 60F degree weather but it turned out to be the perfect temperature. I took up running again a week ago and realized it's time already for new running shoes. What's I've learned through running is that I don't always want to do it, but when I do, I am so happy that I have. I feel better and know that I am mixing things up for my body and going to get better results from it. My thighs and abs were so sore the first two times I ran so I know it's working!

My first color run was the Color Me Rad race so I was curious to see how these two compare! If you don't know what a Color Run is it's a 5K race (3.1 miles) where you run through color stations where you are bombarded with blasts of color as you go along the course. The color is colored cornstarch and this idea came comes from the Holi holiday in India.

Everyone was given a packet of color and before the race we threw them at each other and random strangers if we had a color they didn't have. It was so much fun!! Luckily my boyfriend was kind enough to pick up our race packets the night before so we didn't have to stand in the enormous line to pick one up the day of the race.

The run itself was a bit challenging for me this time but having a running partner really pushed me to run the whole thing. Waiting to get the water station at the middle of the run was the hardest part. I ended the race totally covered in color and a blue tongue! For my next race I definitely need to wear a fun costume! I saw so many people in tutus! The race was family friendly lots of kids and strollers. In fact one 6 year old was running faster than me and that pushed me to pick up speed! lol

Tips:
Be sure to bring a t-shirt to change into and baby wipes to clean up with so you don't get your car dirty afterwards. If you're a blonde like me, be sure to put olive oil in your hair before the race which will allow the color to come out easily. I've never put olive oil in my hair before and was worried I would look like a greasy shiny mess. But it absorbed so fast immediately after putting it on I couldn't even tell I had put any on so I did a second coat just to be sure I didn't miss a spot. lol Some women wore bandannas. My Flipbelt was incredibly useful, you need one!

The Color in Motion 5K is certainly a great race for anyone who has never run a 5K before, wants to take it slow, or is just looking for a fun way to spend a Saturday. However I was disappointed that there was nothing at the finish line besides water. Every other race I've done had granola bars or some kind of snack because you're famished! Plus there were no fun backdrops for photo opts. In conclusion, if you want to do a color run, don't do Color in Motion, pick another one. Color in Motion was pretty bare bones.

Since this is the anniversary of the Boston Marathon tragedy Adidas is selling a line of clothing to support a charity that helps the victims. Natalie Morales is wearing the whole line in this pic, I think the orange is really pretty!