Happy New Year!

(multiply.multiply.com)

New Years Resolution

It's that time of year again! January 1st is a day that makes people reflect on the year that has passed and project to the year ahead. This seems to be the perfect time to kick a bad habit, unfortunately NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS seem to be the HARDEST to keep! Follow these steps this year when setting YOUR resolution.

(bookpeopleblog.wordpress.com)

1. Pick a REALISTIC goal that you want to achieve, whether it be:

1. To floss your teeth more often
2. To exercise regularly
3. To spend less money
4. To loose weight

2. QUANTIFY your goal, in other words make it MORE SPECIFIC:

1. I want to floss my teeth 7 days a week
2. I want to exercise for 45 minutes 4 days a week
3. I want to spend $50 less each month
4. I want to loose 15 pounds in the next 6 months.

3. OUTLINE A PLAN. What are the steps you need to take to make this goal reality?

1. I need to buy floss and make a note to put on my nightstand as a reminder every night.
2. I need to join a gym, print out the class schedule and fill out my calendar with what time each day of the week works for me to workout.
3. I need to write out my monthly budget, downgrade my cable package, and make a log to keep in my purse with money I spend at the mall.
4. I need to start a food and workout journal, print out some healthy meal ideas, clean out my pantry, and re-instate my gym membership.

4. FOCUS on the DESIRED OUTCOME as a constant reminder of WHY this resolution is important to YOU.

1. I want to have good dental health to decrease my risk of gum disease that runs in my family.
2. I want to improve my cardiovascular endurance and overall health to control my blood pressure and cholesterol without medications.
3. I want to save more money to take a European vacation.
4. I want to feel good about myself to have more confidence and fit in my clothes better.

Winter Minestrone

MMMMM DELICIOUS! This recipe by one of my favorite celebrity chef's, Giada DeLaurentiis, is PERFECT for a cold winter day. Make extra to freeze or pass on to a friend. I love MINESTRONE because although it is a soup it is FILLING and HEALTHY. The cannellini beans and pancetta in this recipe add PROTEIN and all of the various veggies make the soup HEARTY and FLAVORFUL.

WINTER MINESTRONE

(www.foodnetwork.com)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 3 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, coarsely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 pound Swiss chard, stems trimmed, leaves coarsely chopped
• 1 russet potato, peeled and cubed
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
• 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
• 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed, divided
• 2 (14-ounce) cans low-sodium beef broth, divided
• 1 (1-ounce) Parmesan rind
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

In a large, heavy stockpot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, pancetta, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the Swiss chard and potato. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and rosemary sprigs. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the chard is wilted and the tomatoes are very soft, about 10 minutes.

In a food processor or blender, combine 3/4 of the beans with 1/2 cup of broth. Blend until almost smooth. Add the pureed bean mixture, remaining broth, and Parmesan rind to the vegetable mixture. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potato pieces are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the remaining beans and the parsley. Simmer until the beans are heated through and the soup is thick, about 2 minutes. Discard the rosemary stems (the leaves will have fallen off) and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.

Best New Workout Buddy

Have you ever found yourself fighting a battle with your elliptical or treadmill TRYING to get the magazine or book you're reading to stay balanced? I have LOST this battle too many times to count... book pages flying back to page one, magazines falling to the ground. I HAVE A SOLUTION! For Christmas I received an Amazon Kindle and I LOVE IT already! It balances perfectly on any treadmill, elliptical, or stationary bike AND it is EASIER than ever to flip to the next page by simply pushing the large button on the side. ALSO you can access your favorite WORKOUT MAGAZINE to motivate you and give you new ideas RIGHT ON YOUR E-READER. Also, unlike a computer, E-READERS have NO GLARE at all making them EASY TO READ in any room lighting or even OUTSIDE in the sun. Get your Kindle Workout Buddy Today!

(news.cnet.com)

Home Gym For Under $100

This TIME OF YEAR it is REALLY easy to make excuses for not going to the gym... it's too cold! it's dark at 4pm! I can't dig my car out of the snow! WELL although I encourage you NOT to make these excuses for yourself... I DO recommend you have a few pieces of KEY EQUIPMENT at HOME for those days that you JUST CAN'T make it to the GYM. The ENTIRE HOME GYM below can be yours for UNDER 100 DOLLARS!

1. JUMP ROPE: A jump rope is a cheap, tiny little piece of equipment that helps you burn MEGA calories! You can jump rope with both legs, or jump just hoping on one leg for more of a challenge. Jumping rope is a great way to train your entire body for almost any sport. You can BURN 200 CALORIES in only 15 minutes!

Harbinger Speed Jump Rope

2. YOGA MAT: This can be used for yoga and other fitness DVDs or just for your usual stretching and ab routine. Yoga mat's are inexpensive and take up very little space in your closet.

Gaiam Yoga Mat

3. DUMBBELLS: If you're just looking to buy one pair of dumbbells instead of an entire set, I recommend choosing a weight that you can lift (biceps curl or overhead press) 8-10 times without stopping. A great way to get in your strength training at home!

Cap Dumbbells

4. CHIN UP BAR: This little piece of equipment can be adjusted to fit into your doorway and taken down when you're done. You can work on your upper body strength with pull ups and your ab strength with leg lifts or knees to chest.

Sunny Chin Up Bar

5. SWISS BALL: Probably the single BEST piece of equipment. The swiss ball can be incorporated into nearly any workout move to give your muscles an added challenge.

SPRI Swiss Ball

Christmas Ham Leftovers

Stuck with a TON of LEFTOVER Christmas HAM? Try these delicious recipes to enjoy your ham leftovers in a HEALTHY way for breakfast, lunch, AND dinner.




Ham & Cheese Breakfast Casserole

Ingredients

• 4 large eggs
• 4 large egg whites
• 1 cup nonfat milk
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 5 cups chopped spinach, wilted (see Tip)
• 4 cups whole-grain bread, crusts removed if desired, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 1/2 pound, 4-6 slices)
• 1 cup diced ham steak, (5 ounces)
• 1/2 cup chopped jarred roasted red peppers
• 3/4 cup shredded Gruyère, or Swiss cheese

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat a 7-by-11-inch glass baking dish or a 2-quart casserole with cooking spray.
2. Whisk eggs, egg whites and milk in a medium bowl. Add mustard, rosemary and pepper; whisk to combine. Toss spinach, bread, ham and roasted red peppers in a large bowl. Add the egg mixture and toss well to coat. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and push down to compact. Cover with foil.
3. Bake until the custard has set, 40 to 45 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with cheese and continue baking until the pudding is puffed and golden on top, 15 to 20 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Prepare casserole through Step 2; refrigerate overnight. Let stand at room temperature while the oven preheats. Bake as directed in Step 3.

• Tip: To wilt spinach, rinse thoroughly with cool water. Transfer to a large microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and punch several holes in it. Microwave on High until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Squeeze out excess moisture before adding the spinach to the recipe.

Nutrition

Per serving: 286 calories; 10 g fat (4 g sat, 3 g mono); 167 mg cholesterol; 23 g carbohydrates; 23 g protein; 4 g fiber; 813 mg sodium; 509 mg potassium.

Smoky Ham & Corn Salad

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon paprika, preferably smoked (see Shopping Tip)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 cups trimmed frisée, (about 1 large head) or 8 cups mixed salad greens
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels, (from 1 large ear; see Tip)
• 1 cup croutons, preferably whole-grain
• 3/4 cup diced ham, (about 4 ounces)

Preparation

1. Whisk sour cream, vinegar, paprika and salt in a large bowl. Add frisée (or salad greens), tomato, corn, croutons and ham; toss to coat.

Tips & Notes

• Shopping Tip: Smoked paprika is a spice made from ground smoke-dried red peppers. It's available in some large supermarkets with other spices and at tienda.com.
• Tip: To remove corn from the cob, stand an uncooked ear of corn on its stem end in a shallow bowl and slice the kernels off with a sharp, thin-bladed knife.

Nutrition

Per serving: 182 calories; 7 g fat (2 g sat, 2 g mono); 23 mg cholesterol; 20 g carbohydrates; 13 g protein; 6 g fiber; 679 mg sodium; 707 mg potassium

Ham & Swiss Rosti

Ingredients

• 1 large egg
• 1 cup diced ham, (about 5 ounces)
• 1 cup shredded part-skim Jarlsberg, or Swiss cheese, divided
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary, or 1/4 teaspoon dried
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups frozen hash brown potatoes
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Preparation

1. Beat egg in a large bowl. Stir in ham, 1/2 cup cheese, shallot, rosemary, pepper and salt. Add frozen potatoes and stir to combine.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Pat the potato mixture into an even round in the pan. Cover and cook until browned and crispy on the bottom, 4 to 6 minutes.
3. Remove the pan from the heat. Place a rimless baking sheet on top. Wearing oven mitts, grasp the pan and baking sheet together and carefully invert, unmolding the rösti onto the baking sheet. Wipe out any browned bits from the pan. Return it to the heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Slide the rösti back into the pan. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese, cover and cook the second side until crispy and browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Slide onto a platter, cut into wedges and serve.

Nutrition

Per serving: 262 calories; 13 g fat (3 g sat, 8 g mono); 94 mg cholesterol; 15 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 21 g protein; 2 g fiber; 276 mg sodium; 174 mg potassium

Thank you www.EatingWell.com for the great ideas!

Merry Christmas

MERRY CHRISTMAS! I hope everyone has a very happy and healthy holiday with your family and friends!

(raftertales.com)

LAST MINUTE GIFT IDEA

LAST MINUTE GIFT IDEA FOR THE CHEF IN YOUR FAMILY!

I LOVE this new COOKBOOK which also doubles as a GREAT coffee table BOOK!

ONE BIG TABLE by Molly O'Neill includes a massive 600 recipes from the nation's best home cooks, farmers, fishermen, pit-masters, and chefs... and the best part is all the BEAUTIFUL PICTURES. If you're like me you will only make a recipe out of a cookbook if it is one of the ones photographed!

(Barnes & Noble)

NEW Move of the Day!

WORKOUT MOVE OF THE DAY! Here is another one of my favorites. Add it to your workout routine today and you will feel a good burn. This is a great combo move incorporating CARDIO and STRENGTH.

It sounds complicated, but you will get the hang of it after a few repetitions.

1. Start standing up with feet shoulder width apart and dumbbells in your hands that are a weight you can lift 12 times without stopping.

2. With just a slight bend in the knees and keeping back flat lower forwards until dumbbells are on the ground.

(womenshealthmag.com)

3. Jump legs backwards such that you are in plank position with hands resting on dumbbells

(flickr.com)

4. Row right arm with dumbbell up to chest and back to plank. Repeat on left arm.

(oprah.com)

5. Jump feet forwards to meet your hands.

6. Keeping back flat and a just a slight bed in knees return to standing upright by performing a deadlift.

(fitsupermom.com)

7. Perform a bicep curl with dumbbells.

(karenmorisonfitness.com)

8. From ending position of bicep curl rotate arms outwards (so palms are facing forwards) and perform an overhead press.

(healthline.com)

9. Lower weights back to starting position and immediately repeat entire sequence.

(fitnessideas.org)

10. Perform 2 sets of 12 repetitions with a 1 minute break in between sets.

This past weekend I got my first ever SLOW COOKER and I have to say I LOVE IT ALREADY! You literally throw all the ingredients in, turn it on, go about your day, and like magic your DINNER is perfectly ready and waiting for you. You can experiment with different combinations of meats, veggies, and seasonings. Check out this delicious recipe to get you started... with only 5 MINUTES OF PREP WORK, 296 CALORIES, and 3.4 grams of fat, it doesn't get much better!

Provençale Chicken Supper

Ingredients

• 4  (6-ounce) skinned chicken breast halves
• 2  teaspoons  dried basil
• 1/8  teaspoon  salt
• 1/8  teaspoon  black pepper
• 1  cup  diced yellow bell pepper
• 1  (16-ounce) can cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained
• 1  (14 1/2-ounce) can pasta-style tomatoes, undrained

Preparation

Place the chicken in an electric slow cooker; sprinkle with basil, salt, and black pepper. Add the bell pepper, beans, and tomatoes. Cover with lid; cook on low-heat setting for 8 hours.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 296 (10% from fat) Fat: 3.4g (sat 0.6g,mono 0.8g,poly 1.3g)  Protein: 34g Carbohydrate: 32.5g Fiber: 5.1g Cholesterol: 66mg Iron: 4mg Sodium: 785mg Calcium: 81mg

Cooking Light, SEPTEMBER 1999

Try Something New this WINTER

Over the next few weeks many of you will be taking extra time off of work to enjoy the holidays. This is the perfect opportunity to TRY SOMETHING NEW. Yesterday I decided to tack a crack at SNOWSHOEING and it was so much fun! Snow Shoes are GREAT because they are easy to use, fairly inexpensive, and can be used anywhere there is SNOW.

Fitness Magazine states that a 150-lb. person will burn 551 CALORIES while snowshoeing. Snowshoeing burns about 45 percent more calories than walking running when done at the same pace and on the same type of terrain. WOW!

What new activities are you going to try this winter???

Sunday Night Dinner

Trattoria-Style Spinach Fettuccine

This small town Italian recipe is delicious and VEGETARIAN. It's very easy to prepare (20 MINUTES) but tastes as though it took hours!

(www.my.hearthealthyonline.com)

Thanks Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book! For any of you who don't own this it is a MUST HAVE. It is more than worth it's $20 price tag and will soon become your favorite go-to cookbook. I love that it has SO MANY recipes and for each one it lists the complete NUTRITIONAL information along with estimated COOKING TIMES. Buy the most recent edition... mine is about 5 years old and is edition 12, each year they revise and add more great recipes.

Estimated Cooking Time: 18 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients:
1 9oz package of refrigerated spinach fettuccine
2 Tbl chopped green onion
1 Tbl olive oil
4 red and/or yellow tomatoes, chopped (2 cups)
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1/4 cup oil-packed dried tomatoes, drained and snipped
1/2 cup crumbled garlic and herb feta cheese or peppercorn feta cheese (2 oz)

Directions:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and return to hot pan.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet cook green onions in hot oil over medium heat for 30 seconds. Stir in fresh tomatoes, carrot, and dried tomatoes. Cook, covered, for 5 minutes, stirring once. Spoon tomato mixture over cooked pasta; toss gently. Sprinkle each serving with feta cheese.

Nutrition:
318 calories
13 grams protein
12 grams fat
2 grams fiber

Gym Move of the Week

The Jackknife Plank- I dare you to try this challenging move and you will be rewarded with killer abs! I love this move because it works EVERYTHING... literally your arms, chest, back, abs, and legs will all feel the burn after a few sets of the JACKKNIFE PLANK.

Level 1:
Jackknife Plank with Tuck

Begin in plank position with lower legs resting on swiss ball. Pull knees to chest rolling ball towards your arms. Slow and controlled roll the ball back out, extending the legs and returning to starting position. Repeat for 2 sets of 12.



(www.lacystaekwondo.com)





Level 2:
Jackknife Plank with Pike
Same as Level 1 except instead of bending knees, roll ball forwards by keeping legs straight and pulling your bottom up towards the ceiling.

(www.burnmybellyfat.com)

My Signature Holiday Party Treat For Only 35 CALORIES Each

This is my signature treat that I make for every holiday or special occasion. I LOVE that they are so easy to MAKE easy to EAT and allow you to be a little CREATIVE. There are endless possibilities of different combinations of pretzels, kisses, and M&M's you can use. The best part is that you don't have to few TOO GUILTY if you pop a few in your mouth at ONLY 35 CALORIES a piece!

(chelseagetsmarried.blogspot.com)

(fabulesslyfrugal.com)

(housewifebarbie.com)

(flickr.com)

Ingredients:
Pretzels
Hershey Kisses
M&M's

Directions:
1. Place the pretzel squares on a baking sheet, and top each one with a Hershey Kiss.
2. Cook for 3 minutes in a 200 degree oven.
3. Press an M&M into the center of each Hershey Kiss. Refrigerate for approximately 15-20 minutes or until cool.

Ward Off The Holiday Weight

I was watching Good Morning America yesterday and caught these great tips from DOCTOR OZ. Some are kinda common sense but others are pretty creative!

Every year 50% of Americans gain at least 2 lbs during the time between Thanksgiving and New Years, with 10% of the people gaining 5 lbs! The worst part of this statistic is that the large majority of these people DO NOT LOSE THIS EXTRA WEIGHT come the new year.

1. Write down everything you eat. Keeping a food journal is always a good idea, but especially during this time of year. It's easy to keep popping little things in your mouth at holiday parties, but the shear hassle of having to write each thing down should SLOW YOU DOWN.
2. Weight yourself frequently. As I've previously recommended 1-2 times a week is ideal.
3. Always have emergency 100 calorie snacks on hand in your purse or car. If you are ever racing to a holiday party or event where you know there will be endless unhealthy food and you are RAVENOUS make sure you take a minute to have a string cheese or a hand full of nuts FIRST. This will prevent you from attacking the buffet like a wild animal.
4. Want to bring a dessert to a holiday party? BUY instead of BAKE. When we BAKE we tend to EAT A LOT along the way... snacking on chocolate chips, licking the extra batter off the spoon, and sampling a few cookies at the end. If you buy something prepackaged from a trusted bakery you can leave it in the wrapping, bring it straight to the party, and leave it there when you home.
5. Always keep a CLUB SODA handy at a holiday party. You can mix it in with wine or alcohol to make a spritzer thus decreasing the alcohol content AND the calories.
6. During this 5 week period of extra eating between Thanksgiving and New Years, try to add 20 extra minutes of exercise to your daily routine.

The Buzz on Probiotics

Dan Active

PROBIOTICS have been getting a lot of BUZZ lately... they are suddenly being added to our yogurt, granola, and multi-vitamins. Literally probiotics are bacteria that are naturally found in our intestines to help with digestion and immunity. These bacteria protect our digestive tract lining by displacing harmful disease carrying particles.

Robb Wolf author of The Paleo Solution humorously writes, "I could write a book on probiotics along, and the title would be amazing: Bacteria, Poop, and You: How Beneficial Bacteria Can Make You Healthier and Look Great in a Bikini. Seriously though, probiotics are massively underrated and are just now receiving the research focus they deserve."

So how do we get these PROBIOTICS?

1. You can find probiotics naturally in fermented foods: yogurt, kiefer, miso, kimchi, and raw sauerkraut.

• Check out The Conscious Life for more information on these sources of probiotics. 
• Best Probiotic Products listed the top 10 rated probiotic sources found at the grocery store: Nutraelle Digestive Care, Align, Florastor, Yakult, Culturelle, Dannon Activia, Renew Life Ultimate Flora, Jarro Dophilus EPS, Kashi Vive Cereal, and Garden Primal Defense

2. Probiotic supplements such as Jarro-Dophilus or New Chapter

Remember that anything containing probiotics, or LIVE CULTURES, needs to be REFRIGERATED!

Easy Weeknight Meal for a Chilly Evening

I came across this recipe and LOVED that I already had all of the INGREDIENTS, it only takes 20 MINUTES to prepare, and it's HEALTHY, low calorie and packed with nearly 30 grams of PROTEIN.

White Bean and Sausage Ragout with Tomatoes, Kale, and Zucchini
(Thank you Cooking Light's The Essential Dinner Tonight)

Ingredients:
1 Tbl olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 links chicken sausage cut into 1/2 inch slices (I recommend AmyLu Chicken Sausage in your favorite flavor)
1 zucchini quartered and cut into 1/2 inch slices
3 garlic cloves (I just used garlic powder)
6 cups chopped trimmed kale (I went with Baby Spinach instead- delicious)
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 cans cannellini beans or other white beans rinsed and drained
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained (opt for organic- I had a can that was seasoned with garlic and onion)
1 pkg sliced mushrooms (not on the original recipe but adds a nice variety)
*I added red pepper flakes too for a little kick
Directions:

• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat
• Add onion and sausage, saute 4 minutes (if you are using AmyLu chicken sausage it comes pre-cooked so you don't have to add it yet- wait until the end to add)
• Add zucchini and garlic, cook 2 minutes
• Add kale and remaining ingredients, bring to a boil
• Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes

• ENJOY!

Magnesium

(Food Sources of Magnesium)

Magnesium is one of those minerals we don't hear a lot about... it tends to be over shadowed by Vitamin D, Calcium, and Omega 3's.  Don't let this foot you Magnesium plays a CRITICAL role in many of our body's processes including blood clotting, energy production, muscle contraction, and nerve transmission.

Studies have shown that only 32% of people in the United States actually get the daily recommended value of Magnesium. This is terrible considering that Magnesium deficiency is linked to asthma, diabetes, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease,  high blood pressure, and chronic fatigue.

Magnesium is also thought to decrease stress and promote rest and relaxation, which is why many people have Magnesium prior to bedtime.

You can find magnesium NATURALLY in your diet in spices, nuts, cereals, coffee, cocoa, tea, and vegetables, especially green leafy veggies like spinach. The recommended daily allowance for magnesium is 300-400mg BUT due to our modern day diet I have seen recommendations as high as 1,200-2,000mg per day. Magnesium can be found in many multi-vitamins, as it's own vitamin, or as a powder to be mixed with water.

Check out Natural Calm Raspberry-Lemon Magnesium


References:
1. The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf
2. www.calmnatural.com
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnesium

Lose the Stress!

Here are a few ideas to REDUCE STRESS in your BUSY LIVES:

1. Yoga
2. Working out
3. Reading (a book of pleasure, not a work or school book)
4. Listening to music
5. Writing in a journal
6. Decrease clutter in your home and office
7. Keep a calendar to manage your time
8. Make time for your friends and family
9. Get pampered (try a relaxing massage or pedicure!)
10. Get enough sleep at night
11. Plan something special to look forward to (whether it be a vacation or trying a new restaurant)
12. Partake in your S.S.B.
• As an avid Sex and the City watcher I remember when Carrie Bradshaw described her favorite SSB or Secret Single Behavior. For Carrie it was standing up in the kitchen in her pajamas reading Vogue magazines and eating saltine crackers with grape jelly on them. It's anything simple you can do that JUST MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD! For me I enjoy a glass of wine and a good book OR a walk by the lake front with a warm latte... I know that anytime I do these things I will be stress free for those moments in time. Figure out what your SSB is and make time to do it!

The Cortisol Culprit

We live in a FAST paced society where there is always too MUCH to do in too LITTLE time. The result of this GO GO GO lifestyle is CHRONIC STRESS! Cortisol is a hormone the body naturally produces in response to stress and can be beneficial in small quantities, but when the level of CORTISOL stays elevated for long periods of time it can be very DETRIMENTAL to our HEALTH.



(http://www.stress.about.com/)


Here are a few of the harmful effects of chronically elevated cortisol:

• Decreased cognitive performance
• Decreased thyroid functioning
• Hyperglycemia
• Decreased bone density
• Decreased muscle mass
• Elevated blood pressure
• Decreased immunity
• Increased abdominal fat
• Increased cholesterol
• Increased risk of heart attack and stroke
• Increased difficulty loosing weight 

Pretty NASTY stuff right?! Not to fear, check back tomorrow for some IDEAS ON REDUCING STRESS IN YOUR LIFE!

SHOE Fit Follow-up

A follow-up to yesterday's RUNNING SHOE ideas:



I found a GREAT resource for your next SHOE PURCHASE at ZAPPOS:

http://www.zappos.com/running-shoe-fit-guide

There is a guide to help you determine what type of FOOT you have and then there is a SHOE FINDER where you type in your GENDER and TYPE OF FOOT and they suggest shoes for you. ALSO if you order SOON they are offering FREE SHIPPING!

New Running SHOES are a GREAT inspiration to keep you working out this WINTER.

The RIGHT Running Shoe For YOU

BUYING new RUNNING SHOES to fit YOU!

THE HIGH ARCH FOOT:

• Look for shoe designs that say "flexible" or "cushioned"
• Have your foot size frequently remeasured as your arches may fall over time lengthening your feet
• Try These:



WOMENS ASICS GEL PULSE 2 $85



WOMENS PEARL IZUMI CRUISE $115



WOMEN'S SAUCONY PROGRID GUIDE 3

WOMENS NEW BALANCE WR1064 $130

MENS SAUCONY PROGRID TRIUMPH 8

MENS ASICS GEL SPEEDSTAR 4 $85

 THE FLAT FOOT:
• Look for shoes that say "motion control" and "stability"
• You may also need to purchase orthotics to support your collapsed arch
• Try these shoes:

WOMEN ASICS GEL KAYANO $112

WOMENS THE NORTH FACE SENTINEL $100

WOMENS BROOKS TRANCE 9 $140

MENS NEW BALANCE MX1210 $120

MENS ASICS GEL 1150 $75

MENS SAUCONY PRO GRID OMNI 9 $110

THE 'NORMAL' FOOT:

• Pick shoes that say "neutral". You can shop shoes made for mildly low or high arches but avoid shoes with a large amount of motion control as they may hinder your foots natural tracking.

MENS ASICS GEL DS TRAINER 15 $110

MENS SAUCONY PROGRID KINVARA $90

WOMENS RYKA REVIVE $65

WOMENS ASICS CUMULUS 12 $100