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Category: Healthy Living

Can exercise improve your ability to learn?

Can exercise improve your ability to learn?

Can exercise improve your ability to learn?  Yes!  The link below will take you to an article found in the New York Times, “How exercise benefits the brain”.  In short, research has shown that after strenuous activity a high level of a protein known as brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF, was found.  BDNF proteins act to promote neurogenesis which is the creation of new neurons.  

Harvard psychiatrist, John J. Ratey, M.D., is the author of Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, calls the BDNF molecule “Miracle-Gro for the brain.”  He says it fuels most of the activities that lead to higher thought. With regular exercise, the body builds up levels of BDNF, which results in the branching out of brain neurons and the creation of new interconnections among them. Consequently, neurons communicate with one another in new ways.

Cardio activity and strength training are extremely beneficial.  But, if you really want to help your brain out take part in a sport like, tennis, basketball or soccer once a week.  If you don’t want to play a sport no problem, go for a brisk 45min walk and when you are finished play a couple games of twister!   Seriously!  If you have someone important in your life who is elderly, put a twister board on the wall and play that way.  They will have to think about what limb they have to move to what color (very beneficial for attention and memory) and get a good stretch as well!  Please email me with any questions 🙂

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/30/how-exercise-benefits-the-brain/

LA Fitness Corporate Rate

LA Fitness Corporate Rate

Hi Everyone!

We are pleased to offer a discounted membership benefit available through McKinley Inc. and LA Fitness!

LA Fitness Gym Membership Discount

 

 Premier Membership (All clubs in the U.S. excluding Signature and NY Elite)

  • Membership includes Racquetball Courts.
    • $0 initiation $29.95 Monthly Tax Included. No contract month to month. Pay First and Last to join $54.02 monthly EFT
    • Add Guest Privileges  to your  membership  $21.65  monthly 
    • 2 Guest age 14 or older any time you visit the club. Same Guest or different guest each time. (Guest option first and last on EFT price good at enrollment only)
      • Kids Club, in club child care. Only $10 monthly per child. (This rate applies to new members only at time of enrollment first and last)

Call or email  :

Jon Taliaferro
LA Fitness Corporate
214-223-0657
txlafitness@gmail.com

OR

connect with Meredith at (734) 717-1900, meredith.mitchell@mckinley.com

With your membership you will enjoy the following amenities:

  • The finest strength and cardio equipment
  • Selectorized strength and free weight centers
  • Unlimited Group Fitness Classes – Any class, any time!
  • Personal Training*
  • Complete access to Pool, Sauna, and Aqua Fitness classes*
  • Basketball and Volleyball*
  • Racquetball*
  • Sports Leagues*
  • Kids Klub – Babysitting*
  • Juice Bars*
  •  And more!

*Amenities and classes may vary from club to club; extra charge for some amenities. Family members must live at the same address as the employee and family memberships must be paid for with the same account as the employee membership.

 

Yours in Health and Wellness,

Meredith

734-717-1900

Dining Out the Healthy Way!

Dining Out the Healthy Way!

Dining Out the Healthy Way:

Whether it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner take the following tips with you so you can enjoy dining out without the guilt.

Drinks: Stick to water and try to drink at least half the glass before any of the freebies arrive.  By freebies I am referring to chips and salsa, bread and butter… fat and carbs that will fill you up before you even have a chance to eat your healthy main dish.

Freebies:  Ask your waiter or waitress not to bring the bread and butter or chips and salsa.  If you are with a group of people make the suggestion to not have whatever freebie is offered…don’t be shy, be an example of Healthy Living J  If the group you are with still wants the freebie, no problem, continue sipping your water until your appetizer or entrée comes.

Appetizer and Entree: If you like having a variety of food sharing an appetizer before your meal is a good idea.  Ordering an appetizer and a salad instead of an entrée can be a good option as well.  Consider the following when ordering:

–          If they have a “Healthy Option Menu” try ordering off that first

–          Avoid dishes labeled deep-fried, pan-fried, basted, batter-dipped, breaded, creamy, crispy, scalloped, Alfredo, au gratin, or in cream sauce because they are usually high in calories, unhealthy fats, or sodium.

–          Ask for sauces on the side if they are offered

–          Skip the cheese unless they have a low fat option

–          Choose chicken or fish instead of beef, bacon or pork and ask how they prepare it.  A lot of restaurants use butter to cook their food and while it tastes great, the saturated fat content is ridiculous! Having your food cooked in Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a great alternative.

–          Choose rice, steamed veggies or a baked potato instead of fries or mashed potatoes

When ordering a salad avoid the following:

–          Croutons

–          Bacon

–          Cheese

–          White or creamy salad dressing; if you choose a dressing high in fat ask for it on the side and use it sparingly by dipping your fork in the dressing first and then in your salad

Things to try when ordering a salad:

–          Squeeze fresh lemon, lime or orange juice on your salad

–          Ask for oil and vinegar separately on the side, pour a little bit of oil on first and then the vinegar

–          If you’re not too picky chose whatever low fat dressing option they have

When ordering a sandwich choose from the following:

–          Whole grain bread or bun

–          Grilled Chicken, turkey burger, bison burger, ham, turkey

–          Lettuce, tomato, onion, peppers of any kind, carrots, celery

–          Oil and vinegar, mustard, ketchup, low fat mayo

When ordering a sandwich avoid the following:

–          White bread

–          Cheese

–          Mayo

–          Fried onions and mushrooms

Deserts:  If you need something sweet after you eat and you can’t wait for the apple waiting for you back at the office or at home choose from the following options:

–          Fresh fruit

–          Sorbet

–          Frozen Yogurt

–          Angel Food Cake

Please feel free to leave comments about tips you find helpful when you dine out J

How to Cut and Burn 500 Calories!

How to Cut and Burn 500 Calories!

Everyone is going to have a different result when it comes to burning calories because it is based on what you weigh.  Take a 200lb person and a 165lb person.  Put them both on treadmills for the same amount of time, at the same speed and the 200lb person will burn more calories just because they are carrying around more weight.  Go to the following website to get accurate calorie counts for the activities you do.  Simply fill in your current weight, the activity you did and duration and it will calculate how many calories you burned!

http://www.caloriecontrol.org/healthy-weight-tool-kit/lighten-up-and-get-moving

To give you some examples here is a list of workouts that will burn 500 calories:

At the Gym:

Step Aerobics – 45 minutes
Elliptical Machine – 50 minutes
Circuit Training – 55 minutes
Calisthenics (jumping jacks, sit-ups, push-ups, pull-ups) – 55 minutes

Get Outside:

Jump Roping (moderate pace) – 45 minutes
Bicycling – 55 minutes
Jogging – 1 hour
Brisk Walk (5 miles/hour) – 55 minutes
Moderate Walking (3.5 miles/hour) – 2 hours

Around the House:

Gardening – 1 1/2 hours
Mowing Lawn – 1 1/2 hours

 

If you’re getting serious about losing weight, you may want to take it one step further and start cutting 500 calories from your diet on top of the 500 calorie burn.  This way you can work your way up to losing 2/lbs weekly…cool eh!?!?  The following is a list of 15 ways you can cut 500 Calories from your diet.  The list came from www.fitbottomedgirls.com…Gentlemen, do not be fooled by the name of the website.  The list has some great ideas so please read on 🙂  I will post the link to the website just in case you would like to check it out.

15 Easy Ways to Cut 500 Calories

15 Simple Ways to Cut 500 Calories

1. Make a trade. Cutting calories is as easy as swapping one food for another!

  • Bagel for an English muffin to slash 220 calories.
  • A glass of whole milk for skim to save 70 calories.
  • Three-egg omelet for one egg and two egg whites.
  • Pork sausage for turkey sausage to cut about 125 calories each.

2. Measure portions. So many of us have serious portion-distortion. Measuring out one serving can save you hundreds of calories and help you to realize what foods give you more bulk for the bite. For example, a cup of granola can have up to 600 calories, while a cup of high-fiber cereal has only about 120.

3. Move on your lunch hour. Walk during your lunch for five days and burn 500 extra calories. Also, try wearing a pedometer and aim for 10,000 steps a day, or about 5 miles—you’ll automatically burn 500 calories without even hitting the gym.

4. Order wisely. Use hummus or mustard instead of mayo, and a roll for sliced bread on your sandwich, and cut about 200 calories. Opt for a salad instead of fries to save another 300 calories for a total of 500 saved.

5. Chew your food. Slow down when you eat! Women who chewed at least 20 times before swallowing ate up to 70 calories less at mealtime. Because it takes 20 to 30 minutes for your body to register that you are full, eating more slowly allows you to get to the point where you feel satiated on fewer calories.

6. Downsize your plate. Simply going from a 12-inch plate to a 9-inch plate will allow you to cut 500 calories without feeling deprived.

7. Wait to have seconds. Wait 20 to 30 minutes to have a second helping. Then if you do opt for seconds, you’re likely to get a smaller helping because hunger hormones won’t be driving your appetite.

8. Make over your sweets. Save up to 400 calories by making grilled fruit kebabs: Slice one peach and one small banana into quarters, thread four pieces fruit each onto two skewers and brush with one tablespoon honey each. Grill each side for about 4 minutes, or until flesh is tender but still firm. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Or, if you want to have your cake and eat it too, cut a thin slice of pound cake, layer on berries and top with light whipped cream for a decadent-tasting dessert for less than 150 calories.

9. Leave something on your plate. Leaving a quarter of the meal on your plate can save up to 500 calories. Leaving a few bites of any potato or noodle dish cuts up to 100 calories alone.

10. Take a stand. Did you know that you can burn up to an extra 500 calories a day by standing rather than sitting? Try standing to make a phone call or read a report or even shut your office door to squeeze in 5 minutes of push-ups or jumping jacks to burn another 50 calories.

11. Drink up. Swapping water for soda can save you about 300 hundred calories a day if you drink two cans. Also, drinking 20 to 60 ounces of water daily might also help boost your metabolism so you burn even more calories. To make water more appealing, try adding sliced cucumbers, or low-calorie flavor packets that offer fizz and a shot of vitamins.

12. Try commercial cardio. Doing some kind of cardio, such as jumping rope or jogging in place, burns about 10 calories a minute. If you watch an hour of TV a night and add cardio moves during the 10 commercial breaks that typically air, you could blast up to 300 extra calories without missing your favorite shows.

13. Sleep in. People who get less than 6 hours of sleep eat up to 300 calories more during the day because a lack of sleep triggers the production of the hunger hormone, grehlin. Each extra hour of sleep could save you 100 calories!

14. Run some errands. Spend an afternoon food shopping and unloading groceries to burn close to 500 calories. Cook dinner to burn 136 more.

15. Switch it up. You can burn up to an additional 250 calories in a half-hour, or 500 in an hour, by incorporating intervals instead of just exercising at the same pace. Increase the calorie burn by picking up your pace to the point where you are so out of breath that you can’t even talk for 30 seconds, then slow down for one and half minutes to recover. Repeat for as long as you can!

An apple (or 2) a day will keep the WEIGHT away!

An apple (or 2) a day will keep the WEIGHT away!

Hey People!
It’s true!  Eating 2 apples a day can help you lose and/or control your weight.  This does not mean you should start eating apple pie in order to consume 2 apples 😉  Eat an apple either in the morning with breakfast, BEFORE your lunch or dinner (this will help you to consume less calories at your meal time because you will feel fuller) or in the evening when you might be craving something sweet.
Here are 3 reasons why apples are such a great weight loss food:
1. Apples are a good sources of fiber.  Fiber makes us feel fuller for longer periods of time.  More importantly the fiber in apples is primarily apple pectin, which slows the absorption of carbohydrates. This helps maintain a balanced blood glucose level that discourages weight gain and development of type 2 diabetes.
2. Apples are a low-glycemic food.  Low glycemic foods won’t greatly impact your blood sugar levels and can help sustain energy levels for longer periods of time.  They can also reduce your hunger overall!
3. Apples are a low calorie food containing only 116 calories for an 8oz apple.

Give it a try…my favorite apples are Honeycrisp but there are so many to choose from!  Enjoy:)

Meredith Mitchell
Wellness Director
meredith.mitchell@mckinley.com