Inspiration & Wellness Newsletter
Make Life Great in 2008! |
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Greetings and Happy Spring!
Welcome to the March issue of "Making Life Great in 2008!" May you find your "spring" this Spring and take small, easy steps each day that will lead you towards reaching your goals. I hope this month's newsletter inspires you to heed your inner voice and get started.
Each issue we look at two topics: Life Choices and Eating & Exercise Tips. This month the life choice focuses on planting the seed, and the tip explores nutrition. Please visit my website www.andrea-gaines.com, where you'll find new information on coaching - how & why it's an effective tool to keep you moving forward.
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Plant the Seed
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What seeds are you ready to plant so your self-care becomes a growing priority? Lose weight, get fit or find more satisfaction in your everyday life? Whatever they are, it's those small, easy decisions that add up to make all the difference. If you choose to exercise, eat healthy or be especially kind today, those decisions over time will add up. Simple choices are easy to make and easy to ignore:
- Walk or run 30 minutes each day (or 5-10 minutes to start!)
- Eat a salad with a lean protein & green vegetables
- Read 10 pages of a good, uplifting book
- Spend time with positive people who energize & support you
- Take 5 minutes to reflect, meditate or pray
Every small decision you make leads you in a more positive or more negative direction. These positive, daily decisions have a compounding effect over time and can change your life. When you are taking steps to change, evaluate your success on whether your actions are aligned with your values, not whether you see immediate results. If your actions are aligned with your values, you can feel proud. Be inspired that you are making small, positive changes each day that, over time, will move you forward to a better life.
Lasting change takes time. Think of your efforts as planting seeds of change, cultivating your soil and, over time, harvesting a better you - one small step at a time!
Food for thought:
- What seeds could you plant today to start moving forward?
- How would you feel if you consistently made positive choices each day?
If you are ready to move forward to become your best self, please contact me for a complimentary coaching call. Call (847) 971-3643 or email: coach@andrea-gaines.com
To learn more about how small changes can make a big difference, check out the audio book, The Slight Edge, by Jeff Olson. |
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| Nutrition 101 and Portion Control |
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Eating "clean" and watching your portion sizes will leave you more energized and feeling good. Eating clean means consuming a diet primarily of lean protein, fish, fruits, nuts and vegetables - unprocessed and still full of color and nutrients!
Here are the top 6 questions I get asked on how to eat optimally & improve energy:
What and how much should I eat?
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Eat every 2-3 hours (combo of meals & snacks that include: protein plus a fruit or vegetable)
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9-11 Servings of fruits & vegetables daily
What's a serving size? Here are standard portion sizes for 1 serving:
- Meat, fish or poultry - size of a deck of cards or the palm of your hand
- Fruit & vegetables - about the size of your fist; 1 cup
- Brown rice or whole wheat pasta - 1/2 cup, bulb part of light bulb
- Nuts - a handful; about 1/4 cup
- Cheese - size of two, 9V batteries; 1.5-2 oz.
- Peanut butter - size of roll of film; 1 TBL.
- Whole wheat pancake or waffle - size of compact disc
- Whole Wheat Bread - 1 slice
How much protein do I need each day?
- Protein provides energy and is important in growth & repair.
- .8 grams per 2.2 pounds of body weight for the average man or woman (1-1.5 grams if you do regular endurance training or are highly active)
How much fiber do I need each day?
- Fiber removes toxins, bile and sugar out of your intestine.
- 25 grams for women
- 35 grams for men
- The average person consumes only 7 grams per day. 7-9 servings of fruits and vegetables will help you meet your daily requirement. Beans and bran are also good sources of fiber.
How much calcium do I need every day?
- A calcium rich diet will facilitate passing fat that reaches your intestine. Calcium meets up with the fat in your intetestine & forms a soap that will excrete the fat & not get re-absorbed in the intestine.
- 1000-1200 milligrams. If you take a calcium supplement combine it with 600-800 milligrams of magnesium to avoid constipation.
- The average person get 250 milligrams of calcium per day. Foods rich in calcium such as dates, prunes, dark green leafy vegetables will help you meet your calcium requirement.
How much Omega 3 Fatty Acid's do I need every day?
- Omega 3's have a calming effect on the body, reduce cortisol & DHEA (stress hormones), improve your memory, can lower triglyceride levels, increase HDL (good) cholesterol and help minimize inflammation & blood clotting.
- 600 milligrams a day. Great sources of Omega 3's include grass fed beef, fish (wild-caught Alaskan salmon, Atlantic mackerel, black cod, sardines, Atlantic herring), green leafy vegetables, flax seed, eggs with added Omega 3's and walnuts.
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If you are curious about learning more, I'd love to hear from you! Please write with any questions on today's topics or if you want more information on how Life & Wellness Coaching can move you forward. My coaching will enable you to achieve your goals and stick with a well designed plan. It will assist you to focus on self-care and balance. It will motivate you to have a consistent exercise program & healthy eating habits. It will enable you reach a particular goal. Whatever it is, when it comes to the 'good life' I can assist you to successfully make important life changes. Contact me for a complimentary coaching call and see for yourself! Call (847) 971-3643 or email: coach@andrea-gaines.com Read more at: www.andrea-gaines.com
Andrea Gaines
Life & Wellness Coach, CWC
Personal Trainer, ACE
Group Fitness Trainer, ACE
847-971-3643
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Are you part of a group that would appreciate a speaker on these or other related Wellness topics? Please contact Andrea for more details.
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