Today I had the honor to be a guest of kathy barrett on Behind the Curtain
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/behindthecurtain/2011/08/09/wake-up-call Do you need a wake-up call? Not a good time to hit the snooze button. Your life might be in danger. Wake-Up! BEHIND THE CURTAIN's Kathy Barrett Joins Laura O'Reilly, Author, registered nurse and creator of "Fit To Go Health & Fitness, www.fittogohealthandfitness.com AND Cancer Survivor, Mary Mazzarella, For a no-nonsense talk about how they turned their health crises into an opportunity to heal their lives. Through Mary's generosity we take the opportunity to tell all that regular screeenings save lives!!!! Studies reveal that Americans are getting heavier and developing obesity related chronic illnesses.
Losing weight is not just about how you look in a bathing suit! If you are overweight (that is not he same as having curves--- if you are 'curvy' and your body mass index is within normal limits then your health is not at risk.) What is your Body mass Index? Find out here: http://www.aarp.org/health/fitness/info-05-2010/bmi_calculator.html Losing as much (or as little) as 10 lbs. can make a difference in improving your health. Your joints, your blood pressure and blood sugar, cholesterol, etc. can all benefit from maintaining a healthy body weight. I know someone who recently lost ten lbs. who told me, "Imagine holding a 5lb. bags of potatoes in each arm. That is how much weight I lost.". That is one of the many reasons people feel better after they have lost weight. "New Report: Adult Obesity Increases in 16 States in the Past Year." Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Press Release 7/07/11. "Today, the state with the lowest obesity rate would have had the highest rate in 1995," said TFAH executive director Jeffrey Levi. "There was a clear tipping point in our national weight gain over the last twenty years, and we can't afford to ignore the impact obesity has on our health and corresponding healthcare spending." According to this report in State By State Adult Obesity Growth Ranks since 1995, Oregon, Florida and New Jersey are tied for 32nd. To read the entire article open this link: http://www.rwjf.org/newsroom/product.jsp?id=72574 Obesity and obesity related illness are reversible. It is never too late to embark on a fitter lifestyle which includes nutritious food and regular exercise. Please see Fit To Go Tips to learn how cardiovascular exercise helps to control weight, which in turn, reduces the risk of certain chronic illnesses. As little as 30 minutes of moderate exercise 3 times a week can help to improve our health. Everyone has different perceptions of how they would like to look. Being 'ultra thin' or 'buff' as a body builder are not necessarily the pictures of perfect health. A healthy Body Mass Index and Body Fat Percentage are guidelines to help you to maintain a healthy body weight. You do not need to train as if you are trying out for the Olympics. Well, if you do God Bless You and Your Greek God-Like Body---you go!!! But for those that only have a limited amount of time outside of hectic work/parenting schedules, the reality is you have to do something because your health depends on it. How many books or videos have you purchased? So then try mine! You have nothing to lose...except a few pounds. (That's in my book!) Now on Kindle-http://www.amazon.com/Get-Fit-To-Go-ebook/dp/B00572ARQS/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1309827783&sr=1-2
If you are always struggling with your weight and wish you could be in better shape you may enjoy my book, Get Fit To Go. It is an anecdotal motivational guide with success stories, personal insight, compassionate advice, and exercise and nutrition tips. (A former personal training client suggested I write an exercise manual and the seed was planted!) For those who may have read fitness books that were purported to be self-help books but rather made the reader feel more discouraged- or led to a fad that fizzled out after it got 'old', then my book may be the right one for you. Small steps, gradual, doable changes that become permanent NEVER get old. They become a way of life. Tweak the diet, get up and go for walks, join a gym (or not- but BE active), burn calories and build muscle. You do not need to train as if you are trying out for the Olympics. Well, if you do God Bless You and Your Greek God-Like Body---you go!!! But for those that only have a limited amount of time outside of hectic work/parenting schedules, the reality is you have to do something because your health depends on it. How many books or videos have you purchased? So then try mine! You have nothing to lose...except a few pounds. (That's in my book!)
Who cares about people who are struggling with weight gain and chronic illness related to weight gain and lack of exercise? I DO!!!!!!
It's all in the book. Get it To Go on Amazon, and now on Kindle- http://www.amazon.com/Get-Fit-To-Go-ebook/dp/B00572ARQS/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1309827783&sr=1-2 The rain may have put a damper on weekend plans but it also cooled things down by about 20 degrees. Record-breaking heat engulfed the Northeast this week. It boils down to this:When it's hot we need to take care! As the temperature rises we sweat more, our bodies lose fluids through the simple act of breathing, and we are at risk for dehydration. Some signs of dehydration are sunken eyes, dry mouth, cramping, headaches and muscle fatigue. When the body becomes dehydrated our total blood volume is decreased. Since blood plasma is mostly made up of water, the oxygen carrying capability of our blood is decreased causing our working muscles and organs to be deprived of oxygen. Sometimes we misread our body's signals when we are feeling fatigued or hungry. Instead of going for a quick and easy snack, drink 8 ounces of water and see if you feel better. Sometimes a glass of water is all that's needed to improve physical performance and curb the appetite. Eight glasses of water a day is recommended for adequate hydration. If you fall short of the mark it's okay. Snacking on fruit such as watermelon, peaches, oranges and grapes helps you to meet your water quota. Lazy days of summer have made an early appearance. Please out your personal safety first and stay cool and hydrated. Please read GET FIT TO GO for more health and fitness tips. It is now available on Amazon.com and Kindle! Today I am a guest on Kathy Barrett and relationship coach Jane Harris' radioblogtalk show "Behind The Curtain". Today's topic is At War With Muffin Tops. One key contributer to the ole muffin top is wearing clothing that is too tight. THEREFORE I am recycling one of my favorite Blog Posts from last June- Squeezing too much into too little. To learn more on winning the war with muffin top click on the link Muffin Tops link on my home page for some tone abdmonal tips excerpted from my book, Get Fit To Go. Squeezing too much into too little 06/20/2010 0 Comments How does that expression go....you can't fit a 2 pound sausage into a one pound case? Something like that...right? If you know it, please let me know. Speaking of stuffing too much into too little, my new perimenopausal shopping habit is to buy clothes in the same size 9 I always identifed with, even though my larger than ever before perimenopausal bustline does not allow the top three buttons on any size 9 blouse to close. Go figure. So, what do I do? I buy anyway, thinking I can knock off ten pounds in no time. Exercise pro or not, shedding those clinging-on-for- dear- life ten pounds just ain't as easy as it once was. So now I have a lot of shirts that I wear open as vests. Me, my sister Bern, and my fashionista step mom Diana recently went on a jaunt to Marshalls (my favorite store- it's hit or miss-but Bloomies just costs too much). We were quite a crew- dressing Bern, dressing me, and watching Di ponder whether she really needed a new blouse. I think she walked out emptyhanded. Here I am trying to stuff the perimenopausal sausage into the size 9's and really insisting that I looked good. (I use the dressing room mirror that's far away from the changing stall- the skinny mirror.) My beautiful, retired police officer step mom does honesty as well as she does fashion. She boycotted all of my sausage-looking outfits. I huffed and puffed like a 15 year old, but went with her choices in the end anyway. A stranger who could not help overhearing us was shopping by herself and trying on dresses. She approached us and told Di, that she knew Diana would be honest with her, and asked her to decide which dress she should buy to wear to her son's communion. She went with Di's choice. So did I. It hung in the closet for a couple of weeks, but when I finally wore my new, well fitting, slightly loose, attractive, fashionable, age appropriate (NOT DOWDY- I am still a young hipster in my heart!) shirt for the first time, I felt fabulous! I'm still working on the ten pounds, but just not torturing myself about it in the meantime. No sausages for me. Get Fit To Go is now available on Amazon.com. Eligible for Super Saver Shipping! Woohoo. Will soon be available on kindle as well. This is your new blog post. Click here and start typing, or drag in elements from the top bar.
Laura O'Reilly and Cynthia Murphy will be among the presenters at the Women's Wellness Weekend - April 1-3, 2011 Dingman's Ferry, Pa. If you live in the Tri State Area and want to enjoy a weekend of hiking, yoga, exercise classes, and education seminars- it's not too late to sign up. To Register contact: Julie Jester Program Director YMCA Camp Speers-Eljabar www.campspeersymca.org I am honored to be invited by my cousin Maureen Seipp to lead the group warmup for Hoops for Hope, the annual 3 on 3 women’s charity basketball tournament that raises funds for the Miles of Hope Breast Cancer Foundation. This year’s event will take place on Sunday, March 13, 2011 at the McCann Recreation Center at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY. Copies of 'Get Fit To Go' will be available for sale at the event. The profits of all books sold on this day will be donated to the foundation. If you order online on my website and mention the Miles of Hope Breast Cancer Foundation, profits from the sale of that book will be donated as well.
Miles of Hope Breast Cancer Foundation is a non-profit foundation with a mission to provide funds to support programs for people affected by breast cancer in New York’s Hudson Valley. For more info. or to donate visit http://milesofhope.org/index.html For "Get Fit To Go's" book appearance on News 12 to Your Health! I was joined by Cynthia Murphy who Expertly (with a capital E) demonstrated exercise concepts described in my book. Since this was a busy week this week's 'Fit To Go Fit Tips' appear in this segment which will be posted on the site at a later date. New Jersey friends, tune in this weekend at 6:30 am, 9:30 am and 1:30 pm if you have a few minutes between grocery shopping, kids' sports, your own workouts (we hope :) and the gazillion other things we fit into our weekends. We are last up in the lineup of three guests. We hope you find we are worth the wait! This is your new blog post. Click here and start typing, or drag in elements from the top bar.
Excerpt from "Get Fit To Go" Copyright 2010
Shedding Layers When springtime rolls around, colorful fashions in store windows always remind us that it is time to shed those layers of clothing. Does the thought of peeling off your cardigan put you in a panic? As friends and neighbors come out of hibernation, we run into people in shops, on the street, at Little League. There is inevitably talk of how we feel and look. We hear about diet successes, and failures. Weight loss programs promising quick results dictate how we shop for groceries and order our meals in restaurants. Which is best: Low carb or low fat? Can we really live on grapefruit? It’s enough to make anyone’s head spin. Starvation, deprivation and celery-only diets are not the answer. Exercise combined with a balanced diet is the key to long term health and weight control. Meeting all of your body’s nutrition requirements without overeating keeps your weight stable. Exercise works, so work it. It speeds up your metabolism (the speed with which your body uses energy). Burn calories while you are in motion, and keep burning calories long after you put your walking shoes back in the closet. Results come with consistency. Put some air in the bike tires, or wear comfortable sneakers and explore your neighborhood on a brisk walk. On the way home stop by the market to pick up lots of fruits and veggies and enjoy them in abundance. Cabbage slaw with Asian noodles. So good, and filling and healthy! A Vegan restaurant opened in my area. I drove by about 20 times before I made the decision to go in. My primary diet is vegetarian and I do eat fish and dairy so I am not a Vegan. But I enjoy Vegan food- which is no animal products. I had the cabbage slaw and veggie Philly cheese steak. (Don't knock it til you've tried it, I say!) It satisfies the taste sensation and leaves the arteries as they were before the meal! The Loving Hut is a chain with locations all over the world. There is one in NYC. If you like Zen Palate you will love this! If you are interested in trying something different (the soy based cheesecake rocks!!) and eating healthier, this food is delicious. This is not an official endorsement, nor do I do restaurant reviews, (that would be fun....) but in the name of health and fitness I strongly recommend more veggies in the diet than any other foods. I went back twice in the first week, and I went with my friend Tammy last week and she cannot wait to go back. Getting hooked on healthy food is not a bad thing! At the Roxbury Public Library in Morris County New Jersey tonite- Will be there with bells and whistles...and of course books! This is your new blog post. Click here and start typing, or drag in elements from the top bar.
I have an event at the Roxbury Public Library in New Jersey on Tuesday night, January 25. I drove over with my poster hoping I could advertise the event ahead of time. I was surprised to pull up at 3:30 PM to find the doors closed. I guess Ill have to go back on Monday, I sighed to myself. So I got back in my car, and imagine my surprise as I looked straight ahead at the Library's sign announcing my very own Fitness event. I could relax now- they know I am coming and are telling the neighbors about it! But that did not stop me from frolicking through a foot of snow up to my knees to take a blissful shot of the sign! As I always say, Fresh food is Best! It takes a few extra minutes but there are nutritional benefits to be gained by using fresh chopped herbs rather than dried. And the flavor that is unlocked when fresh parsley or basil is sprinkled over a hot dish of pasta or soup is simply... delectable. In my house you know I am getting down to do some serious cooking when I break out my Mezza Luna (half moon knife) and large wood block cutting board. No skilled chef or kitchen should be without one. When I use it I cannot help but laugh while recounting the time I purchased my very own Mezza Luna during one of my lengthy stays in Liguria (beautiful Genoa, specifically) Italy. Some of the best cooking in the world happens there, and to claim to be a good cook and not have a mezza luna of my own would be a personal travesty. With a hunk of Parmigiano Reggiano, fresh focaccia, and my newly acquired Mezza Luna I was headed to my flight back to the Good Ole 'Stati Uniti'. My luggage was being searched by an agent, who held my new utensil up to me with a questioning look. I said "E una Mezza Luna" (in a 'no duh'-'ish yet respectable way). He looked at it, at me, and the passports of my children with their very Italian names and looks, and waved me on saying,"Va Bene Signora." (Very well Ma'am). I knew then that this young man's mamma and nonna working in the kitchen with their own Mezze Lune offered the promise of a delicious midday meal. I don't think anyone with a mezza luna would be able to board a plane these days, but when it comes to cooking, the Italians understand priorities! Dig This! Even a little bit of exercise every day improves your health and physical stamina.1/12/2011
Another good reason that physical activity should be part of your everyday life: Shoveling snow is vigorous exercise. Unless you are physically conditioned, it can cause back injuries and put certain persons who are older, deconditioned and those who have heart conditions at risk for a heart attacks. Visit the American Heart Association Website to learn the warning signs of a heart attack. Get out and enjoy a walk in the winter wonderland. It's good for your health! Dig This! Regular exercise keeps us tuned up for life's physical tasks.
Excerpt from "Get Fit To Go- Motivation to Exercise and be Healthy!" Unltd. Publishing LLC, Fit To Go H&F Copyright 2010 May not be reprinted without the author's permission. Feel free to try it though! Staying motivated is the biggest challenge Every New Year’s Eve folks gather together to reflect on their lives and proclaim to make changes for the better. In between bites of cheesecake we ease our guilt with a firm promise that in the New Year we will lose weight and exercise once and for all. While the champagne is still bubbling, we look ahead to thinner, healthier days. More often than not, our good intentions are swept away in the morning with the confetti. Have faith. Next year can be the year of your success. Starting now. The key to getting fit is sticking with an exercise program year round. Do what you can, whenever you can, for the good of your health. Knowing that you can prevent a variety of diseases caused by a poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle is a strong incentive to exercise. Healthy employees are happy and productive employees!
Now matter how large or small the business or company you work for is, there are ways to incorporate fitness into your workplace. If you spend days at the desk, get up and stretch and walk around periodically. Choose healthy snacks. Drink water and stay away from soda and sweetened beverages. De-stress and stay energized. Get a fitness evaluation and personalized exercise prescription. If you are an employer why not offer lunch time or after work fitness motivation lectures, or create an onsite fitness center? Lifestyle is about everyday choices- choose a fit way of life What keeps you from exercising and eating better? This time of year the Holidays seem to be holding people back! I address that issue on Page 97 of my book, Get Fit To Go...tips to make it through your workouts during the holiday season. To quote myself, "While the champagne is bubbling we resolve that this will be the year of our fitness success. Sometimes the best of intentions are swept away in the morning with the confetti". It doesn't have to be that way.
Much of the advice offered in my book comes directly from people whom I interviewed for my articles. I share THEIR stories to show that people achieve success in different ways. I also rely on the knowledge of my talented colleagues in the fitness industry. My friend and colleague, an amazing dancer and instructor Cynthia Murphy offers this advice:
Second, if your weight loss goal is important enough to you, add an accountability agreement to your diet and exercise plan. When forming new habits, we are all susceptible to weakness. Help yourself to follow through by being accountable to someone other than yourself. Get Fit To Go: Motivation to Exercise and Get Healthy! By Laura O'Reilly R.N. AVAILABLE NOW! Just in time for the Holidays! Give a special someone a gift that will last a lifetime- A bright new perspective, and tools and tips to get fit and stay healthy. This quirky and colorful book is attractively packaged and will surely brighten the days and lives of those who receive it! Click here and order your copies TODAY! http://www.unlimitedpublishing.com/fit Please leave a message and any fitness questions on the contact link on this website. Wishing you a blessed and peaceful Christmas, Hannukah, and Holiday Season! I saw the "buy one get one free" sale on Reese's PB cups (my favorite) and figured I should stock up early for Halloween. Bad move. I justified the extra calories because the night before I ran my tail off at my nursing job. Yeah right! No excuse. So, I drank some extra water, squeezed a little lemon in for good measure, and ate a big salad to keep things moving along, if you know what I mean. The power walk in the chilly autumn air with golden leaves flying by hardly felt like a penance for a childish binge. It was delightful!
Next year I don't care if I have to pay extra to buy candy on the 31st, or if I have to give cash to Trick or Treaters. This is one case where being an early bird will not benefit me. If I am to practice what I preach, and write, and blog, I need to catch myself in the act. ( I have a special relationsip with chocolate, especially chocolate with peanut butter in the middle.) Everything in moderation, I tell myself. So, while at a pumpkin farm today, I bought only enough apple cider donuts for each member of the household, instead of a dozen. I was not being cheap- I was fighting off gluttony! Treats are great... in moderation. I am not trying to be Debbie Downer (wamp wamp), but I guess I should point out the obvious: Too much sugar can lead to diabletes, and too much trans fat can clog the arteries. It's more than just weight gain, especially at 50. 40 is the new 30, 50 is the new 40, blah blah blah. Tell that to my knees and my arteries (wamp wamp). So here I give myself some of my own professional advice: Eating lean, healthy foods this time of year helps to provide us with nutrients to help our immune systems fight off illness during cold and flu season. I'm sold. |
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