Thanksgiving Day

Juan, personal trainer at Fitness First of Reston working out Thanksgiving Day on the stair climber! We are thankful to Juan for his hard work with BALANCE participants!

This is a great machine for a good cardio workout or warmup!

BALANCE T SHIRTS NOW IN!

For those of you who have yet to get your official BALANCE trial T shirt. They will have your shirt at the front desk of Fitness First of Reston.

Here is Kimberly proudly wearing her new shirt this morning! On the treadmill, still trying to whittle her middle!

Wear it proudly!

Dr. Chalid Ashry Comes Back to the U.S.

GREAT NEWS!

Dr. Ashry is planning to return to the U.S. and Reston on December 8, 9, 10th, 2008. That is just a few weeks from now. If any of you would like an individual meeting with him, or if you want us to organize a group meeting, please email Dr. Ashry with what would most interest you. He will meet with you at the Reston gym.

Kimberly

Email from Alice--a Happy BALANCE Person!

Hi, Bridget! I just wanted to let you know that things are going well with my BALANCE USA program in the Chantilly Fitness First. It got off to a rocky start because they weren’t aware of the program at all when I stopped into activate my membership with them and make an appointment with a trainer—but I must compliment the staff on their willingness to help. Kudos to Chris, the MOD and Kelly, the young lady at the desk that day. They bent over backwards to meet my needs!

The Chantilly site is very well kept and a pleasant place to go to. I especially enjoy the “virtual reality” bike—Expresso, I think? I was working out on it at the end of my session on Tuesday and was determined to either keep up or beat the “pacer”—and I did!!!

Currently I’m training with John, a delightful young man, and he’s dealing very well with this old lady!!!

I want to thank you and any of the other parties from Fitness First who joined with Dr. Ashry to help us in this BALANCE USA program. This year, Fox News. Next year—all of us success stories on Oprah!!

Alice M.

Great Holiday Tips from Alana Sugar

I thought this was such great information, I wanted to post it on the blog!
Thanks, Alana ... I'll have to share these tips with my friends as well.
Here's to surviving the holidays!

TIPS TO GET THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS

• Always plan ahead for parties so you don’t show up starving - try not to go to a party really hungry (same goes for grocery shopping).
  
  
• Make sure you balance your meals throughout your day with proteins, healthy fats, and fresh vegetables, along with a moderate amount of whole grains (for something different, try 100% whole dark rye bread).
  
  
• Don't eat dessert during the day if you know you are likely to eat it at a party.
  
  
• Keep your exercise up during the holidays – it’s a stress-buster, a blood-sugar godsend (!), and you always feel so much better in your own skin!
  
  
• Try as best as possible not to overeat at parties, on Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukah, or New Years Day - remember your internal scale: 0 = starving, 10 = so full you need a stretcher back to bed - stop eating when you are between 5 and 6, meaning you are done and satisfied, but NOT FULL where you feel the weight of the food in your belly and you are uncomfortable! In other words, linger over your food as though you are savoring every bite!
  
  
• Allow yourself dessert on certain days only such as Christmas, Christmas Eve, New Years, Thanksgiving, Hanukah, a party - but do not eat dessert every day during the holiday season.
  
  
• If you know you will be faced with bread, pasta, chips, rice, pastries, and desserts, it is best to choose one, and preferably the one made with the best ingredients…cheesecake is healthier than a frosted party cake… an oatmeal-walnut cookie made with eggs and butter is better than sugar cookies or peppermint candies, or other very sweet confections.
  
  
• Only eat what is absolutely delicious - DON'T "WAIST" the CALORIES on what does not taste wonderful to you. If pumpkin pie is not a favorite of yours, don't eat it just because it is there – rather, save yourself for a dessert that is delicious - something that you will savor and truly appreciate.
  
  
• Don’t eat sugary foods alone. They must accompany food that contains proteins, fats, and fiber in order to slow the absorption of sugar down into your system.
  
  
• Sip your drink - try to stick to one alcoholic beverage, if that, at each event and sip it slowly. Refill glasses with sparkling water and lemon or lime.
  
  
• For sugar cravings, eat a tablespoon of almond butter or natural peanut butter (no hydrogenated oils or sugars added), or a small handful of macadamia nuts or walnuts. Extra virgin olive oil is readily available and helps to stabilize blood sugar, give you a feeling of satisfaction, raise your HDL cholesterol, and lower your triglycerides (when combined with other healthy foods).

What is Metabolic Syndrome?

Definition of Metabolic Syndrome:

Metabolic Syndrome is a name that is given to a list of risk factors that can increase a person’s chance of having a chronic illness such as heart disease or diabetes. If a doctor tells you that you have metabolic syndrome, it means at least 3 of the following are applicable to you:

1. you carry excess weight in your belly – not your hips or thighs, but belly fat
2. you have a low HDL level
3. you have high triglycerides (blood fat)
4. higher fasting blood sugar level
5. higher blood pressure

People can develop this due to lack of adequate physical activity, poor diet, and weight gain. Insulin resistance is also a factor. This is where the body resists the hormone insulin and doesn’t respond to it, so glucose levels stay too high. This can lead to type-2 diabetes.

Posting Ideas for BALANCE Participants

This blog is for you! Please post your ideas, dietary changes, frustrations and successes! The blog hopefully will let other BALANCE folks know they are not alone!

Other Ideas for Posts:

What you have punted from your pantry
Foods you now avoid
Foods you have added to your daily diet
How your life has changed since Balance
What recipes you think are good for the program
Other websites that you are finding helpful
Blood sugar measurements, changes, discoveries from self monitoring
How you make room in your schedule for workouts, what is working, not working for you
Your grocery list
etc. etc.

Kimberly