Monday, December 30, 2013

Want to know the most common New Year's Resolution?

LA Fitness conducted a poll of the top New Year's Resolutions last year and found the number 1 answer was:

Read More Books.

I bet that's not what they were expecting! 

Losing weight made the top 3 resolutions in every poll I saw. Why does it appear every year? Because it is not easy! Sure there are hundreds of approaches that can help you lose weight, but most are temporary fixes and none of them are easy to do alone.

Consider working with us to help you in 2014. Our 10 Week's Nutrition Program is proven to help you take weight off and keep it off all year. Sign up by tomorrow (12/31) to get $30 off the base price of $225. Whether you are in Michigan or California, this virtual program will make you feel like you are part of a team getting healthy together.

Call 734.644.5483 or email mark@betterliving.biz to find out how you can get even healthier in 2014.

Oh, and let's all try to read more books next year! 

Happy New Year!
Mark

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Enjoy your holidays!

If you were crazy enough to open an email from me on a holiday, rest assured, this message is free of guilt, warnings or don't-touch-the-chocolates language!

If you are anything like me, you've already had a few too many sweets over the past couple days. Thanks, Louisa, and your irresistible brownies! In fact, a day or two of indulgence does little if anything to affect our long-term health. All we need to do is listen to our bodies for feedback. Follow these tips:

  • When your stomach feels satisfied, take a break from eating. 
  • Eat smaller portions of proteins (ham, chicken, turkey, beef) and carbohydrates (potatoes, rolls, pasta) so that you have room for the extras like eggnog and pie.
  • Stand. Research says we burn a lot more calories if we stay off our derrieres. Grab a cookie and stroll around the house!
Rather than focusing on being food-virtuous on the holidays, think about joining our 10 Week's Challenge. Spend the first 2.5 months of 2014 forming healthy habits that could improve your energy, sleep and overall vitality. Email me at mark@betterliving.biz to enroll or get more information.

Happy Holidays!
Mark


Monday, October 28, 2013

Seafood Butternut Squash Bisque

In Michigan as the weather gets colder we gain a plethora of different vegetables from fall harvests. One of my personal favorites is butternut squash. Today I am going to share my secret recipe for seafood butternut squash bisque with you.

This recipe makes 6-8 servings:

4 cups skim milk
1 whole butternut squash peeled, seeded, roasted and puréed
2 cups steamed and puréed Cauliflower
1 cup steamed and puréed red onion
1 cup crab or lobster
1 cup bay scallops

Throw it all together in one big pot and let simmer for 45-60 minutes. I hope you enjoy it and it keeps you warm on these chilly fall days.

-Mallory
Mallory@betterliving.biz

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Grin and Bear It??

"Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, other times your smile can be the source of your joy."
- Thich Nhat Hanh


Many studies throughout the years have proven the benefits of smiling. Smiling reduces the stress hormone, cortisol, and increases the production of endorphins. Smiling usually makes you look more attractive and draws people to you. Smiling can also help you exude an aura of confidence even in uncomfortable or stressful situations. According to some studies a smile may even prolong your life.

However, up until recently, no one thought to study the effects smiling has on physical exertion.  A current study from German Sport Cologne Bielefeld University (Amsterdam)  researched the effects of smiling on exercise.

The goal of the study was to find out if purposefully adopting facial expressions would effect the way the test subjects felt about the exercise and the level of exertion they felt during it. Two different groups were placed on stationary bikes and pushed to 50-60% of their maximal heart rate reserve. After analyzing the data and interviewing the participants, the results of the study were evident. Both groups found that they had a more enjoyable experience and felt less fatigued when smiling as opposed to frowning.

We'd be happy to show you how to put a smile on your face during exercise!

Mallory Ghrist

Better Living
734.747.0123


Reference:

The Effects of Smiling and Frowning on Perceived Affect
SMILING AND FROWNING IN EXERCISE



Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Fitness gadgets beyond the gym

We live in an age where technology is king. As it pertains to health, fitness and wellness most questions you need answered, you can look up on the Internet, follow a blog or join a web group or something of the like. The problem with all of this easy access to information is knowing how to find the right information that is the best fit for you.
      Today I want to talk about fitness gadgets. In addition to your time in the gym, it is helpful for overall health to track your activity through the other 15 hours of your day. There are many products that do this. With so many out there it's hard to know which strap, pedometer, monitor, bug or device is the most accurate, user friendly and cost efficient. So I've done research for you, and this is what I've found.

According to Consumer Reports:

 An award winning, accurate, user friendly and reasonably priced pedometer would be the Yamax Digi-Walker CW-701. It is small, light weight and durable and clips on to your  pants at the waistline. The Digi-Walker tracks your steps taken, distance traveled, and calories burned. It also has a clock and a two week memory. All for under $45.00.

If you want to know everything you've ever wondered about yourself, the Fitbit might be your best option. With features such as step counter, calorie tracker, calorie intake log, sleep efficiency monitor, and real time results provided to you throughout your day, what more could you ask for? If you're willing to spend at least $100 then the Fitbit may be right for you.

Lastly and my personal favorite of the three is for you parents who have trouble getting your younger kids to be active. The Geopalz Pedometer tracks moderate to vigorous activities and will reward kids for their hard work with prizes and time in the Geopalz online arcade. With fun designs and animals that clip onto the waistline or shoe, they're a great and inexpensive way to get sedentary kids up and moving for under $30.


-Mallory
Mallory@betterliving.biz

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Taste of Summer - Eat this fresh, simple, delicious salad

Wow I have a lot of cucumbers and tomatoes coming out of my garden right now! Today I whipped up an incredibly tasty mix with them that was ready in minutes. You can't go wrong with this recipe. It is rich in vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and healthy fat. Snack on it when you are hungry at night and it is sure to help you burn some body fat while you sleep. Serve it as a side dish with a lean protein (chicken, fish, turkey) for dinner and your plate will be a beautiful array of colors and fresh tastes.

Check out the pictures on Facebook. Remember to "like" us while you are there.

Enjoy!
Mark

Mark's Twist on Cucumber Salad
3 cucumbers, peel half of skin leaving strips of green, diced
2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, rinsed and dried
1/3 red onion, diced
1/2 green cabbage, shredded
1 1/2 cups green or yellow beans, chopped and steamed 5-7 minutes then ice bathed
1-2 T olive oil
2-4 T apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp pepper (I used white pepper)
1/2 tsp salt
1-2 T agave nectar (cuts acidity from vinegar)

Toss and serve.

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Can exercise REALLY be FUN?

I participated in 2 mud runs this year. I've told several people about them. "Why would anyone want to crawl through mud?" and "You could not pay me to do a race that involves climbing ladders and running through water!" were recurring comments I heard. Yet for the thousands of participants in Michigan's various mud events, doing these things is PLAY.

Remember your childhood play - running, jumping, spinning around until you fell down dizzy and laughing? There is a unique joy in seeing what your body can do. Exercise is not just going to the gym to walk/jog on a treadmill. It can be any movement that puts a smile on your face - dance, shoot hoops, play tag... Perhaps return to your childhood. A hula-hoop is a great abdominal exercise. A jump rope is an incredible weight loss tool.

Looking back on my childhood, my neighbor and I could entertain ourselves for hours with a frisbee. Can you add some play back to your fitness routine?

To see my before/after MS Muckfest pictures, check out https://www.facebook.com/BetterLivingAnnArbor
While you are there, please hit the "Liked" button.

Happy exercising!
Mark

Monday, March 18, 2013

Who is ready for swimsuit season?

The answer to that question is the 6 fearless participants in this round of 10 Week's to 10lbs Lighter.  Collectively down 56lbs since the start of the challenge 9 weeks ago.  They have been increasing their step counts with our program pedometers and getting creative with their eating. Last week's challenge was to come up with a creative way to eat more vegetables.  We've got a recipe for Vegetable Biryani and a Brussels sprout/Cranberry Slaw which you can access below.

Print off the recipes and try them yourself.

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Snack smarter - Mark's Granola Bars

Every Sunday I spend a couple hours in the kitchen cooking food for the week and testing new recipes. I like the challenge of making delicious food with healthy ingredients. Lately, I've been working on a granola bar that is crunchy, sweet and satisfying. The one I developed keeps me energized through an entire tennis match, plus it is loaded with healthy fruit, almonds and oats. One batch should feed the household for a week or more.

Check out the recipe on my website.  While you are there, read up on the latest things going on at Better Living. We've developed a great cardiovascular training program done in small groups, called CVT, and have a new web-based weight loss program called 10 Weeks to 10lbs Lighter

As always, please let us know if we can help you with your fitness goals.

Happy snacking!
Mark Thiesmeyer, MS, MPH, RD
Better Living, Dietitian/Certified Personal Trainer

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Last Chance to Sign Up!

Today is the deadline to sign up for 10 Weeks to 10lbs Lighter - our coached-approach to eating better, exercising more and weight less.  The program starts this Saturday and runs (obviously!) for the next 10 weeks.

As Joey mentioned in the last blog, it is a lot easier to manage your weight with the help of trained professionals and a team of enthusiastic participants.

Email me at mark@betterliving.biz if you would like more information or to sign up.
Program cost: $195
Program details: http://www.betterliving.biz/10weekprogram.pdf

- Mark Thiesmeyer, MS, MPH, RD

ps. I'm putting pedometers in the mail tomorrow; please sign up now!