Fix Up My Body by Jackie O.

Advice from The First Lady of Fitness, Fashion, and Fun and Pittsburgh Certified Personal Trainer (CPT), Independent Beachbody Coach, TurboKick Instructor, and life coach, Jackie Omotalade:

(1) Drink lots of water! Water is important for good health. Your body is estimated to be 60-70% water. Your body needs water to regulate body temperature and to provide the means for nutrients to travel to all your organs. Water also transports oxygen to your cells, removes waste, and protects your joints and organs.

Photo by Andy Newson

Image: Andy Newson / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

(2) Drink green tea without sugar instead of soft drinks or juice. It is said that green tea raises the metabolism and increase fat oxidation.

Tea is healthy!

(3) Workout with others. To make sure you do a workout, there’s nothing like the social pressure of knowing someone else is waiting for you. So make an appointment to work out with a friend or two.

(4) Smile. A smile is one of your greatest asset because of the signals and messages it gives to others about who we are, what we want and how we wish to be. Smiling improves your health, your stress level and your attractiveness. People are drawn to people who smile. We see a person smiling and want to know what is so good. Smiling makes us feel better. Smiling is contagious.

(5) Volunteer. When you volunteer your time for a great cause; the rewards you reap are far greater and deeper than any you receive from work or school, because you can’t help but feel more positive about life and more thankful for the circumstances in your life that allow you to volunteer and help others.

(6) Read a good book. Reading is nourishment for your mind. Knowledge is powerful food for the mind and soul. It encourages us to think as well as increases our thirst to learn more.

Fashion is Fierce - Photo by Salvatore Vuano

Image: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

(7) Develop a wardrobe around a staple.  You know what look good on you, so why not always look good by developing a wardrobe around that staple piece.  For me this spring that item is the bustiere. I know they look good on me, so I plan to incorporate them into my outfit at least 2-3 times per week this spring.  Find the item that works for you and WORK IT!

(8) Send a friend or loved one a card – just because. It is always great to know that someone is thinking about you.  Share that special feeling of knowing someone thinks you are special with a friend by sending them a card or note via snail mail. ..YES SNAIL MAIL. . .letting them know that you are thinking about them. It will brighten their day as well as yours!

(9) Make a play date. Yup, I said a play date.  Play a day of fun either alone or with a good friend.  Visit an amusement park or museum.  Try paintball.  Do something that you will enjoy and do it without guilt.

(10) Eat at least 10 servings of raw fruits and vegetables a day.  TRUST ME. Your body will thank you for it and reward you ten-folds!

Eat your veggies

Image: m_bartosch / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Health and Fitness advice from the First Lady of Fitness, Fashion, and Fun, Jackie Omotalade, a Pittsburgh personal trainer, lifestyle coach, and Independent Beachbody Coach:

Have you been diagnosed with metabolic syndrome? Metabolic syndrome is a group of disorders linked to heart disease, stroke, and some cancers. Some of the symptoms included abdominal obesity, blood fat disorders — high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol and high LDL cholesterol — that foster plaque buildups in artery walls, blood clotting problems, inflammation, elevated blood pressure, and insulin resistance.

The American Heart Association and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommend that the metabolic syndrome be identified as the presence of three or more of these components:

* Elevated waist circumference:
Men — Equal to or greater than 40 inches (102 cm)
Women — Equal to or greater than 35 inches (88 cm)
* Elevated triglycerides:
Equal to or greater than 150 mg/dL
* Reduced HDL (“good”) cholesterol:
Men — Less than 40 mg/dL
Women — Less than 50 mg/dL
* Elevated blood pressure:
Equal to or greater than 130/85 mm Hg
* Elevated fasting glucose:
Equal to or greater than 100 mg/dL

A study conducted by Duke University and published in the American Journal of Cardiology found that walking 30 minutes 6 times per week for 8 months caused a reduction in symptoms of metabolic syndrome in middle aged men and women without changing their diets.

The study involved groups who either ran, jogged, or walked 12 miles per week and a group which did no exercise (control). The study found that people who participated in moderate exercise gained the most benefit from physical activity.

So what are you waiting on? Start walking today!

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Advice from Pittsburgh personal trainer and life coach, Jackie Omotalade, The First Lady of Fitness, Fashion, and Fun:

Did you know that according to a recent report, 92 percent of Americans know they should avoid trans fat, but only 21 percent can name three sources?

Trans fat is the common name for a type of unsaturated fat with trans-isomer fatty acid(s). Trans fats may be monounsaturated or polyunsaturated.

In a nutshell, trans fat is made when a manufacturer adds hydrogen to vegetable oil–a process called hydrogenation. Hydrogenation increases the shelf life and flavor stability of foods containing these fats.

Trans fat can be found in vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, cookies, snack foods, and other foods made with or fried in partially hydrogenated oils. Unlike other fats, the majority of trans fat is formed when food manufacturers turn liquid oils into solid fats like shortening and hard margarine. A small amount of trans fat is found naturally, primarily in some animal-based foods.

Trans fat, like saturated fat and dietary cholesterol, raises the LDL cholesterol (Low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, is known as “bad” cholesterol) that increases your risk for coronary heart disease (CHD). Americans consume on average 4 to 5 times as much saturated fat as trans fat in their diets.

Although saturated fat is the main dietary culprit that raises LDL, trans fat and dietary cholesterol also contribute significantly.

Major Food Sources of Trans Fat for American Adults

(Average Daily Trans Fat Intake is 5.8 Grams or 2.6 Percent of Calories)
40%

cakes, cookies, crackers, pies, bread, etc.
21%

animal products
17%

margarine
8%

fried potatoes
5%

potato chips, corn chips, popcorn
4%

household shortening
3%

salad dressing
1%

breakfast cereal
1%

candy

Data based on FDA’s economic analysis for the final trans fatty acid labeling rule, “Trans Fatty Acids in Nutrition Labeling, Nutrient Content Claims, and Health Claims” (July 11, 2003)

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