The Reality... 19 minutes?

Alright, I might be repeating myself but I have to get this out. One of my first posts I wrote I mentioned that there are 1,440 minutes in a day. And I challenged you to use 30 minutes for yourself, even better to use them for exercise. But the reality is Americans use 19 minutes for physical activity and exercise... if that. My frustration doesn't stem from 19 minutes, my frustration goes a lot deeper than this. It is the very people who make health recommendations that aren't making time for exercise. Now, don't get me wrong, I know there are health care practitioners out there that DO have balance and MAKE time for physical activity. But realistically, the majority don't.

It started a few weeks ago when I was asked by my adviser, Dr. Todd Miller, to speak to the third year medical students at The George Washington University on the importance of exercise and physical activity.  Oh the irony behind this!  Just three years ago, I was grudgingly filling out medical school applications with hopes of not going.  I would say to my dad, "I do not want to be a fat doctor!" So here it is three years later and I am lecturing to the doctors of tomorrow.

I did a little research of my own before presenting and found that as of 2010 the working American exercises an average of 19 minutes a day, see a more thorough break down by checking out the American Bureau of Labor.

Action shot ... :)

I then asked the students if they exercised on a regular basis, even if it was just 19 minutes, and approximately 10% of the 90 students I spoke with that afternoon raised their hands!  I was shocked, but not really I guess. But let's step back a minute. Here I was, presenting to the Third Year medical students at THE George Washington University, located in the heart of the nation's capital, a place where policy is created, and WE cannot even find 19 minutes a day?  Really?  Is this a joke?  Ashton Kutcher, where were you? I was waiting for him to yell Punked, but that never happened.

It's the sad reality of the world we live in today.  The people that are supposed to be leading us in "healthcare" are not leading by action.  So what do you do?  Do it yourself.  Supporting my beliefs, and inspiring my voice, is Dr. Loretta DiPietro, a pioneer for the field of physical activity in  Public Health. I will leave you with a clip from her TEDex talk that I attended this past week. Warning their is explicit content, but like Loretta says, if you can't swear, you don't belong in public health.

In closing, take the stairs and take a stand! Create your own health and be the change!  Every little bit counts.  And remember, you can't change what you did, but you can change what you do!

Healthly Italian: Spaghetti Squash and Turkey Meat Sauce

I am Italian! Thus, I love to cook, I love to entertain, and I love my pasta! However, both time and health are of the essence for myself and I am sure they are for you too! I have always had an eye and a taste for "health-i-fying" recipes. And to my dad's credit, here is one of my favorite healthy Italian style dishes! This meal is a great one for guests and will leave them in awe once they realize it is not really spaghetti they are eating. Spaghetti squash and turkey meat sauce is simple, quick, and healthy. I threw it together last night with a friend and she was amazed at how easy it was to make and how delicious it tasted! I did my best to document my process last night, let me know if you have any questions when you give it a go!

Ingredients:

Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti Squash (1-2 depending on size and number you are cooking for)

 - I picked up two small ones: serving 2-3

1 lb 99% fat free ground turkey

1 jar Trader Joe's Spaghetti Sauce

1 12 oz can diced tomatoes

12 oz of water

Pam

The Squash:

Cut and Cleaned out!

1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees

2. Cut the spaghetti squash in half vertically

3. Scoop out the guts and discard

4. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil

5. Place the squash hollow side down on the cookie sheet

6. Add and inch deep of water on the cookie sheet to keep squash moist

7. Place sheet in oven and cook for 30-40 minutes or until top of squash is soft

8. Once squash is done, remove and let cool a few minutes (they are hot!)

9. Using a fork, scrape the inside of the squash into a bowl to make "spaghetti"                 

 

    

The Meat and Sauce

**get started on the meat and sauce while the squash is in the oven**

1. Spray cooking pan with Pam

2. Cook turkey in pan until brown

3. Pour sauce into large pot on medium heat

4. Add in can diced tomatoes

5. Add in 12 oz of water

6. Add in cooked meat

7. Once sauce starts to boil, lower heat to a simmer and stir occasionally

 

Time to eat!  Dish out your spaghetti squash with meat sauce and enjoy! Serve it up with a healthy salad topped with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. If you have the chance to make it, let me know what you think!  Also, as a side note, I have made this before with ground venison and ground bison, both were amazing!

The finished dish! So delicious!

Five Quick & Easy Ways: Get Fitness In Your Day!

Following up with last week's post, I thought I would elaborate more on how to make fitness happen throughout your day.  As a full-time student and working professional, I have become more aware that life is extremely busy, super urgent, and always chaos.  I mean life is so busy that we barely have time to exercise, eat, and if it wasn’t innate, to breath.  Clearly, life is too busy!  Or is it?  If you didn’t pick up on my sarcasm, I was kidding about all of that. Like many of my peers, I get caught up in autopilot freight train mindset.  So along with myself, I am asking you to SLOOOWWW down and make time for your self and your health today.

In between meetings, classes, taking care of the family, or getting to work, I challenge you to try out these 5 ways to add fitness into your day.  I’m sure we’ve all heard the “do some dips at your desk” or “stand up and perform squats.”  But I’ll be honest, even as a figure athlete and with my education; you probably won’t catch me doing dips on a regular basis behind my desk.  However, you will catch me doing the following…..

Dr. DiPietro doing her daily work :) Why sit for 8 hours?

• Working From a Stand-Up Desk:  Dr.Loretta DiPietro, PhD, the Department Chair of Exercise Science at The George Washington University and Director of the Master’s of Public Health Focus on Physical Activity and Obesity practices what she preaches.  Instead of condemning yourself to your desk for 8 or more hours a day, why not stand?   

•  Taking The Stairs: Living on the sixth floor of my city apartment building, the six flights up and down add up over the day.  The same rule goes for work and campus buildings; the elevator is not an option. So whether you are shopping at the mall, coming out of the metro, or at work, take the time to take the stairs!

•  Walking for Transportation (as much as possible): The added perk of city living has allowed me to ditch the car and use my legs.  However, growing up in the suburbs, this wasn’t practical. My advice is, if you live in a city, walk as much as you can.  And if you are in the ‘burbs or rural towns, park in spot far from your destination, that way you can get in some extra steps!

•  One-minute Workout: These are the best!  This past weekend I was watching the super bowl with Dr. DiPietro, and she was getting in her core workouts on commercial breaks! 60 second that’s it.  Now, you can catch me doing those squats I didn’t do in the office in my kitchen while making dinner.  Lunges, squats, planks, you get the picture.  Throw in a few one-minute workouts today.

• Multitasking Cardio and TV Time:  Not having cable this past year has made my life much more productive!  Time I would spend watching TV, is now used for writing, reading, and catching up on sleep.  However, when I get the urge to watch my addiction, The Real Housewives, I compromise by going to the gym and getting in a cardio session. Don’t worry you don’t have to watch The Real Housewives to make this work!  It can be the morning news, the evening shoes, or anything else – just remember the cardio part too!

My sister, Krissy, and I getting in our incline walking while catching up on life.
Getting  it done and having fun...always!

And there you have it, five quick and easy way to get fitness into your day!

We Have 1,440 Minutes...

If you are reading this you have it. You can waste it or use it. But once it is gone you can't get it back.  What is it?

One of the excuses I hear consistently from clients and loved ones is “I don’t have time.” That couldn’t be further from the truth. Whether it’s not having time to eat breakfast, not having time workout, not having time to pack meals, or not having time to sleep, I have heard them all.  But the reality is we do have time, and what we choose to do with our time is our choice. There maybe the occasional crisis that comes up that challenges they way we use our time, but all in all, we have time.

The average American, as of 2007, spends over four hours a day watching TV!  That is just TV¹, not even counting the time spent surfing the Internet!

That is 240 minutes that can be used for exercise, meditating, preparing healthy meals, and spending time with loved ones.

The reality of it is, we chose what we do with our time deliberately based on our priorities and values. So what are your values? Priorities? Now, take a minute, and think about your time. What have you chosen to do today with it?  Have you used any of it for your health?  Whether it is 30 minutes for a workout, 30 minutes to prepare healthy meals, or 30 minutes restoring balance, time is your best friend when it comes to your health.   

Although my schedule gets a little crazy from day to day between clients, teaching classes, writing my thesis, going to class, and getting in office hours, I still choose to spend time everyday for myself and my health.  It isn't always easy, but for me, it's a value and priority I hold high.  I have learned that ultimately, I choose how to spend my time, and you have the same awesome ability!

There are 24 hours or 1,440 minutes today.  I am willing to say you can spare at least 30 out of 1,440 for your health.  What will you choose?

Let me know what you will do TODAY! ^{(By the way, that's the answer.)}

Nothing is worth more than this day.  ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

¹Herr, Norman, PhD. The Sourcebook For TeachingScience. Television & Health.