If you have read this blog before you know that I was gently coerced into signing up for my first triathlon this summer.  Although I wasn’t as prepared as I would have liked to been, I had an absolute blast and can’t wait for the next race!  I know that it can be scary to try something new, especially when you don’t know the first thing about training, but there are so many resources now to help, not to mention the outpouring of support from family and friends who all want you to achieve a personal goal.  I think what amazed me the most was the amount of advice that came from individuals that I didn’t know had ever completed a triathlon.  My openness about training and the race led to many great conversations and new friendships!  Talk about a support network!

Anyway, I know you are all dying to know how it went, so here’s the skinny.  My friend Katie and I set a time goal of 2 hours.  We figured (both being newbies) that this was a realistic starting point, and we would be satisfied finishing in any time under that.  We got up to the race site before dawn on Sunday to set up our transition site.  I cannot begin to tell you how nervous we were, but seeing all of the athletes there (some veterans and other first timers) was actually very reassuring.  We weren’t there to compete with anyone but ourselves and had a new “family” of 650 out there trying to accomplish the same.  How refreshing it is to see so many people really testing themselves!

We were in the last heat due to our experience level and age, so we started a 19 minutes behind the 1^st group.  It gave us a little extra time to see that people were successfully completing the swim, and the likelihood of us drowning was slim to none…whew, one hurdle down.  It was now our turn.  The countdown ended with us running and diving in the lake in a massive heard which was a tad bit unruly.  I got tossed around a bit and learned that next time I need to stick to the outside to avoid the crowd!  I managed to finish in a slow but acceptable time and ran to my transition station, which went quickly.  On to the bike.  This is what I considered to be my strongest leg.  While I didn’t really practice much on the road bike, years of riding as a child and the massive soccer legs gave me the confidence that I needed to start off strong.  I thought I was booking it, but looking at the results in retrospect, I was really middle of the pack- but I felt great nonetheless!  The ride was only 13 miles, but gave me enough time to catch back up to those that flew by me in the swim.  By the time I made it back into the transition station, I had a second wind and flew out of the gates into the run.  Unfortunately, that second wind was short lived as I blew by the first turn only to see a massive hill that immediately warned me of impending doom.  A good many of those in front of me decided to walk the hill, which I decided was a good choice since my legs still wanted to move in the circular pedaling motion.  I lunged up the hill stretching out my quads and hamstrings and at the top decided to really push myself and run the remainder of the route.  I was pretty successful in that challenge; minus the moments I had to walk while taking a drink of water.  Turns out I am not very coordinated and running while drinking resulted in a wet shirt opposed to hydration.   

I finished the race as strong as I could, leaving everything on the course.  My mom said I was pretty green running through the gate, but I regained color within a few minutes and felt good about the last push to the finish.  I found out that I finished in 1 hour and 38 minutes, well below the 2 hour mark!  While this honestly is pretty middle of the pack, I was ecstatic, as this was my first experience and I had not drowned, crashed, or passed out!  It was a Success!  In fact, Katie had an incredibly strong finish and the other girls that we had trained with/met at the event all seemed so satisfied with their accomplishments as well!  It was such a great event and we are already planning on other triathlons to train for.  I want to thank all of those who supported me and especially my Good Measure family who helped with pre race nutrition and advice on making the most of my nutritional intake and post race recovery!

Now I am on to my next challenge… any suggestions?  I was thinking maybe rock climbing, kayaking, or some sort of dance class.  If you are interested in taking up a new fitness challenge, let me know and just maybe you’ll see me training with you!  Here’s to being active and always having fun!

The internet can be a powerful tool when researching resources and information regarding health and wellness topics (or anything for that matter!).  While I am a big fan of the ease and efficiency that web searches provide, there are still some major caveats and instances when you cannot take information at face value.  After sifting through some health and wellness articles on the web today,  I realized that there might be a need for some of our clients and readers to access legit resources on nutrition that they can share with their families, friends, and co-workers.

At Good Measure Meals, we strive to meet the science-based nutrition guidelines set forth by several key organizations.  These guidelines allow us to create meal plans for those not only looking to lose or manage weight or time, but also those needing assistance in managing a chronic disease.  The goal is to create a balanced menu that promotes health.  These organizations not only set the guidelines, but also provide tons of great resources which I am linking you to below!

Check out the American Dietetic Association Website

The American Dietetic Association has a wealth of knowledge on their website.  My favorites are their 1 page pdf’s on smart snacking, reading food labels, and eating right for a healthy weight.  If you are looking for concise info, these docs are easy to read and great to hand out to others who would benefit from the information!  http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=206

The American Diabetes Association has a lot of tools to use!

The American Diabetes Association has a great section on Food and Fitness with great ideas on recipes and exercise for folks dealing with type 1 and 2 diabetes.  There is also an entire section dedicated to healthy weight loss with great tips on goal setting,  motivation, food and potion size and diabetes management.  If you are looking to shed some pounds, this is definitely a site that provides some tools to assist you in your pursuit!  http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/fitness/weight-loss/

Another great organization to turn to when looking for information on health and wellness is the American Heart Association (www.heart.org). This site provides all sorts of information on how to keep your ticker kicking!  From Stress Management and nutrition to smoking cessation and physical activity, the AHA gives all sorts of advice on how to improve your quality and duration of life.

Another site to visit is http://everydaychoices.org which is a collaborative effort of the ADA, AHA, and the American Cancer Society to encourage the prevention and early detection of disease and cancer.  The site helps guide you to what tests you should be taking to monitor your health.  It only takes a minute and is completely worth the time!

There are many valid and reliable resources available on the web, but always check to see where the information is coming from.  Are there citations or links to citation.  It is a trustworthy website/organization.  If you come across information that you are unsure about, you should ask a health expert!  There are no stupid questions and those of us in the industry welcome and encourage discussion of health issues!  Please let me know if you found these resources helpful!

In Health,

Jess

Get Your Co-workers Active!

It’s that time of year again!  Get your co-workers active and be a part of the “MOVE”ment!  The KP Corporate Run/Walk exists to promote health, wellness and fitness among Metro Atlanta companies and their employees.  If you don’t have a job, don’t worry!  You can sign up as an individual or with a group of friends!  The event takes place on September 16^th, but the best part of signing up is the information and training that are provided to help you achieve your goals.  It’s a 5k event, so whether you walk or run with your friends and coworkers, you will have a blast seeing the city streets filled with the “movers” and shakers!

Running expert (and U.S. Olympian!) Jeff Galloway has put together an 8-week training program for both walkers and runners, as well as collected a plethora of resources on health and fitness through Kaiser and other community organizations.  You even get a free month of gym membership just to help you train!  As one of the sponsors of the event, Good Measure Meals™ has taken it a step further and put together weekly e-blasts with wellness and nutrition tips, Jeff’s Training Program and weekly wellness challenges.  If you think this might help you and your coworkers prepare for the Run/Walk email me your name, company and captain’s info at jparsons@goodmeasuremeals.com.  We provide the education and support; now all you have to do is invest in your health!

To find out more about the event, please visit http://www.kpcorporaterunwalk.com/index.html . If you are already signed up or have done the event in the past, let me know!  I love to hear success stories!  If you have any questions about starting a Corporate Wellness Program at work, please contact me at work and I will get you started!  It’s never too late to get started!

The best part is: The Run/Walk benefits the Braves Foundation and the Atlanta Community Food Bank!  You can get healthy while being socially responsible and supporting the health of others in our community!

As we head into the hottest days of summer (the high today is 99!), I thought it would be a good idea to address proper hydration.  Whether you are extremely active or mostly sedentary, hydration plays a vital role in your personal health! 

Let’s start with the facts:

Water is an essential component of your body’s make up, accounting for around 60% of your body weight. Every physiological system depends on water to carry out its function – from carrying nutrients to cells to flushing out toxins and much, much more.

If you aren’t consuming enough water, you can become dehydrated.  Basically, this means that your bodily functions cannot be performed efficiently which drains your energy and leaves you feeling fatigued.  So how much water should you consume each day?  There is no simple answer to this relatively simple question, but we can explore some tips and goals that are sure to keep you properly hydrated throughout the hot and humid summer months!

First off, remember that consumption of water doesn’t just mean drinking straight up water.  You can also rehydrate through eating foods with large water content.  An average diet usually accounts for 20% of your water intake, mostly through fruits and veggies, but also through beverages such as milk and juice.  Although there is water content in beer, wine, and caffeinated beverages, these sources should be used sparingly as they can also be diuretics and have adverse effects on hydration.  The dietitians here at Good Measure Meals™ advocate for water consumption with our meals is to ensure that you are not adding extra calories to your plan (altering the daily nutrition balance) and also to keep you properly hydrated!

For the average Joe there are several schools of thought on hydration.  The most common approach is the 8 by 8 rule, which basically states that one must consume 8 glasses of liquid per day.  Although this is not supported by scientific evidence, it is an easy guideline to follow.  According to the Institute of Medicine, men are advised to consume around 3 liters of beverage per day and women around 2.2 liters.  Another study by the Mayo Clinic said that proper hydration could be determined using the following equation:

Body Weight(lbs) / 2 = ounces of water needed

This is the total consumption though, so you would need to take the equation one step further and account for the 20% water from food, so the equation would look something like this for a 140 lb women:

140 lbs / 2 = 70 oz.

70oz * 80% = 56 oz.

56 oz / 8(oz in a cup) = 7 cups of water per day

Obviously these are the baseline consumption guidelines, so for those participating in physical activity, we must increase the intake to account for the water loss due to perspiration.  A good guideline is to add an additional 8oz. of water or sport drink for every 20 minutes of vigorous activity.  I found a great resource addressing Exercise Hydration that was put together by the Dietitians from the Sports, Cardiovascular, and Wellness Nutrition group of the American Dietetic Association.  Click on the image below to read through the 1 page fact sheet about how to properly stay hydrated and rehydrate throughout bouts of exercise!

I hope you found some of this information useful and are ready to fight the summer heat with proper hydration!  Let me know if you have any questions regarding exercise, dehydration, or water consumption!

In Health,  Jess

#2 – Dried Cherries, A little Bit of Honey and Pecans!! Thank you so much to everyone that voted. I have to be honest. I wasn’t expecting #2 to win. I am so glad I asked for your opnion. I really want the menu to reflect what the majority of our customers want to eat.

If you didn’t get a chance to vote – don’t worry! I will be doing more of this type of voting in the future. I love hearing your opinion and getting you all involved in the menu. It makes it more fun! Do you have an idea for another vote that we could do related to the menu? Let me know!

Thanks again everyone! I can’t wait for you all to try the new oatmeal. It is really going to be comforting and warming on cool fall/winter mornings.

Being in health and wellness, I am often forwarded articles from friends and family about new studies, diets, exercises, etc. that pertain to our communities well-being.  The majority of the forwards are tagged with, “Is this true?” or “What is your opinion on their recommendations?”  I understand that the vast majority of the population is either oblivious to the health epidemics surrounding our culture or oversaturated with links and conflicted messages about the ways to get fit fast or the magic bullet to solve all health issues.  It really is confusing to seek out what messages are important and what action steps to take to obtain optimal health.

A friend sent me an excerpt from the Atlanta Business Chronicle this morning that sparked the idea to write this blog.  I included the original report from the Trust for America’s Health below for you to check out the findings:

http://healthyamericans.org/reports/obesity2010/

Basically the article summarizes the findings from a recent report titled: “F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future.”  The alarming statistic that provoked my reflection on health was that Georgia ranked 17^th in obesity out of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.  More alarming was that 28.1 percent of Georgia’s population was categorized as obese; not just overweight, but obese.  It’s not a wonder that insurance rates are skyrocketing and chronic disease is sweeping the nation, when a vast majority of health risks are linked directly to obesity.  Another distressing statistic was that 21.3 percent of Georgia youth is categorized as obese, ranking it 2^nd in the most childhood obesity.   The south harbors the majority of the leading states in obesity, and upon reflection there isn’t much wonder as to why.  The southern culture uses food as a symbol of pride and love. Soul food and southern cooking are infamous for the use of butter, gravy, and other sources of flavor that incorporate bacon fat and cream.  While I am the first to admit that southern style green beans and fried green tomatoes are among my favorites, there is a certain amount of reflection that eating these comfort foods leads me to. 

On top of the southern flavors is the lack of physical activity.  If you step out around noon today, it’s easy to understand why taking a seat in an air conditioned room is more favorable than a mile jog outside, but at what cost.  What do we sacrifice for comfort?  Honestly, it is years off of our lives.  I know it sounds a bit dramatic, but looking at the big picture we see that all the little choices we make not only impact ourselves, but the people that surround us, our communities, our nation.  What are we doing to reverse the trend of obesity in America?  What role does each of us play?

This is my challenge to you.  Think about your actions.  Are they healthy?  Do you impact the choices of others?  When you cook, do you look for healthy alternatives?  When eating out, do you opt for a healthier side or ask to go light on the mayo?  Do you make a habit of exercise and encourage others to participate with you?  Each of us can have a positive impact on our communities, even if it is simply making an example of yourself.  People notice when you becoming health conscious, they are more apt to become aware of their own health states.  I know when I see runners/walkers/cyclist out exercising on my way home  I am much more likely to be active when I park the car.  When my coworkers bring in their new healthy recipes, we start brainstorming on how we could incorporate even more healthy options into our diets.  Set the stage to make a difference, not only because it will prolong your life, but because you might just light that fire for someone else.  It takes a revolution to change a culture, but the even the smallest effort can get the ball rolling! 

Please feel free to share ways in which you encourage others to be healthy!  Do you go on a walk through your neighborhood after dinner or organize a healthy potluck/recipe share for your co-workers?  Do you bring your GMM meals into the office to show others what a balanced meal looks like?  I would love to get ideas on how our readers/customers are sharing their passion for health and wellness!

Two weeks ago we asked you to vote on which oatmeal topping you would like to see on the new Fall, Winter Menu. Don’t worry…. there is still time to vote!!!  You have one week from today to ponder your favorite topping and vote. I will announce the winner on Tuesday, July 6th. As of right now #2 (dried cherries, a little bit of honey and pecans) is winning, but by only ONE vote. #3 is runner up. It could go either way at this point!

Here are the options again:

#1 – raisins, a pinch of brown sugar and almonds

#2 – dried cherries, a little bit of honey and pecans

#3 – dried bananas, a little bit of maple syrup and granola

Vote by leaving a comment on this post. I seriously can’t wait for the results!!

Like a lot of people, I have a busy schedule, and I don’t have the time to explore all the great events in the city as much as I’d like to.  However, when I heard about the opening of the Atlanta Botanical Garden’s new edible garden, I knew I needed to check it out.  The garden, which opened in May (and will be open year-round), shows many edible plants that can be grown in Atlanta’s climate.  Produce from the garden is used in on-site classes and donated to the Atlanta Community Food Bank and other local charities. 

The huge outdoor kitchen is used for cooking demonstrations and parties. I got to see a chef demonstrate how to prepare a recipe for healthy coleslaw.  She prepared it with vegetables and parsley from the garden, and it was delicious. 

I saw edible flowers called calendula, asparagus plants, peach trees, sweet basil, an assortment of herbs and other plants growing from a vertical wall, and blueberry bushes—with berries almost ready to be picked! There were also simple recipes posted on plaques in the garden that highlighted a certain fruit/vegetable.

I’m sure I’ll be back to the garden again soon—it’ll be inspiring when I’m creating the next spring menu! Have you visted the edible garden? What did you think?

So the Triathlon that my best friend researched and decided on was an All Women’s Sprint up in Acworth, GA.  This race benefits Ovarian Cycles, Inc., a charity that promotes ovarian cancer research.  I tend to gravitate towards activities that support the health of our community, as this is my passion(Just like Good Measure Meals Supports Open Hand!)!  The Acworth Triathlon is good start for beginners.  The distances are shorter and limiting the gender makes the race a little less intimidating to me.  It starts off with a ¼ mile swim, which is equivalent to 8 laps (there and back) in a Junior Olympic Pool.  Sounds doable, but after my first few swim sessions, I am realizing that this challenge is going to give me a run for my money and I have a new found respect for Olympic Swimmers!  After the swim, we have a 13 mile bike ride.  Although I haven’t really ridden a bike in years, I am confident that this will come back to me fairly easily.  I live near the Silver Comet Trail, so I have a built in training route in my backyard-so no excuses for me!  Once the bike ride is completed, we have to run a 5K.  Now on any normal day, I would think a 5K would be the extent of my exercise, and while challenging, I know I can complete it without too much problem.  The trick here is having the energy left after a tough swim and long bike ride to get my legs moving.  I hear that it can be a difficult transition from the bike to the run because your legs still want to move in a cyclical motion… that will be a funny sight!  I have to make sure that I am consuming enough calories and water before and during the race to supply the energy that will get me through the day.  For training, I have opted to increase my daily intake to the 1700 calorie plan, due to all the training I am doing.  This still gives me a calorie deficit to lose weight, but ensures that I am not starving my body while participating in intense training!  It is always a good idea to meet with a dietitian when wanting to change your eating behaviors to understand what your optimal intake is to reach your goals.  Luckily for me, I share an office with 5 Registered Dietitians that help answer my questions about staying healthy while taking my fitness to the next level.  If you are looking for a consultation, check out the Dietitian Consultation page on the Good Measure Meals site.

The Triathlon is August 8^th, so I am really starting to ramp up the training with the help of my friends, but would love advice from anyone out there that has completed one before, especially tips on the swimming! 

If you are interested in participating in a triathlon, check out:  http://www.trifind.com/ga.html They have all the triathlons in GA posted so that you can find one that fits your experience level.

If you are a true beginner like myself, there is a site specifically for us: http://www.trinewbies.com/ that gives tips on starting your training!

Click on this image to find more great Triathlon Training Tips!

My advice?  Find something that motivates you to become physically active over a set duration of time.  By registering for a race, exercise class or sports league- you commit yourself to continual training and possibly an end goal.  This is a great way to build a habit!

This recipe is oh so healthy!

Oatmeal has soluble fiber which can help you lower your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels and possibly reduce your risk of heart disease.

Flaxseed is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids.  Omega 3s are polyunsaturated fats, and you need them for good health.  Our bodies can’t make omega 3s, so we have to eat them.  That’s why it’s good to eat foods like flax, walnuts, and salmon.

Check out this link to see how The American Heart Association answers questions about “better” fats

Cinnamon may help lower cholesterol and help you maintain a lower blood glucose level, but the research isn’t solid yet.  One thing we do know is that it tastes great in oatmeal!

So what do you want on top of these wonderful oats?

Here are the options again:

#1 – raisins, a pinch of brown sugar and almonds

#2 – dried cherries, a little bit of honey and pecans

#3 – dried bananas, a little bit of maple syrup and granola

I can’t wait to see which topping wins!! Vote by leaving a comment.