Taking your workout into the heat...

It is HOT here in Kansas City all of a sudden. But that doesn’t mean that you need to stay inside in the AC. As long as you take a few precautions and use common sense, your outdoor workouts can work for you this summer.

Exercising in the heat:

• CHUG-A-LUG! Down about two cups (16 oz) of water and hour or two before exercise. Drink ½ cup (4 oz or about 2-3 gulps) every 15-20 minutes during exercise. And be sure to continue drinking water even after your workout is complete to ensure that you are properly hydrated.
• TAKE IT OFF: Wear light colored, breathable clothing. If you’re starting your workout in the morning and it is cool out, make sure to wear layers that you can remove as your body heats up.
• SLATHER IT ON: Working out in the sun is a great way to work on your tan, but also an easy way to get too many rays. Don’t forget the water proof sunscreen, hat and sunglasses to protect your skin and eyes from the sun’s damaging rays.
• SLOW IT DOWN: Your body may need up to 14 days to acclimate itself to warmer weather, so when you start out, slow down for the first few workouts to see how your body responds to overloading when in the heat. Slowly increase your duration and intensity as your body becomes used to the heat.

The biggest thing when working out in the heat is to stay hydrated. As long as the body is hydrated it can regulate its temperature, but if you aren’t ingesting enough water, your body starts to store heat inside, raising your core temperature which puts your organs and central nervous system at risk…yikes!

So what happens if you get overheated? You can be at risk for heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Check out the symptoms of each in case you or someone your know needs help.

Heat Exhaustion:

• Dizziness, fainting, headaches
• Moist skin
• Upset stomach/vomiting
• Weakness

Heat Stroke

• Dry, hot skin (no sweating)
• Confusion
• Loss of consciousness
• Seizures

If you or someone your know is experiencing heat exhaustion or heat stroke:

• Call 911 immediately

While waiting for help:

• Move to a cool, shaded area
• Remove any heavy clothing
• Drink cool water

Lighten up at your next BBQ

Tis the season for BBQs…you know, those fun filled get together with tons of food and friends. BBQs are a fantastic way to celebrate the great weather and catch up with people, but they can really do damage to your waist-line.

Two weekends ago, my husband Nate and I went to a BBQ on Friday night, Saturday night and Sunday night…totally fun, but challenging to eat right. For instance, I watched as one of my girlfriends at the get together ate over 1,700 calories, 86 grams of fat (26 of them being saturated), 357 mg of cholesterol and 3,508 mg of sodium. That is too high for the entire day in all of those calories for that particular person…and that was just at one meal! Here’s what was on her plate: a hamburger on a bun, a bratwurst, a brownie, potato salad and baked beans. Now separately, those things are not the worst foods in the world, but pile them all high on a plate and devour them in one sitting, and it’s a calorie catastrophe.

So what’s a BBQ lover to do? Just follow these simple tricks to keep your heart and waistline healthy throughout the summer.

1. Choose the right meat. If you have a choice, choose grilled chicken, turkey burger or very lean hamburger (93% lean). You will get a great protein pump without the all the calories and fat (especially saturated fat) of the fatty burgers and brats.
2. Don’t fill up on bread. Stay away from rolls and buns. Generally, these are made with refined, white flour anyway, so they can pack in the calories without providing an ounce of nutrition…just say no.
3. Fill up on grilled veggies. They are low calorie, fiber-filled and nutrient packed.
4. Satisfy your sweet tooth with fruit salad. Again, it’s nutrient packed and much lower in calories than the typical baked goods.
5. Only eat what you really really want to eat. If you LOVE baked beans, have a little bit…not spoonful after spoonful…but get a nice little taste (like ¼ cup) and be satisfied. If it’s brats that you drool over, have a half of one for your “meat” and call it a day.
6. Bring a good-for-you side. Most BBQs are potlucks, so set yourself up to succeed with a healthy side dish such as a green salad, fruit skewers, vegetables for the grill, etc.

The lighter way to eat at a BBQ.

Check out this tasty, healthy and very full plate!

• Grilled chicken breast
• Grilled aparagus (10 spears)
• Fruit Salad (1/2 cup)
• Baked beans (1/4 cup)
• Coleslaw (1/4 cup)
• Chocolate chip cookies (1 cookie)

For all of that…including a cookie treat…it’s only about 550 calories, 15 grams of fat (5 saturated), 159 mg cholesterol, 509 mg sodium.

So go forth and enjoy your next BBQ!

Lighten-up your breakfast sandwich in a hurry!

Breakfast food is delish, is it not? And though it might seem like it’s most convenient to run through a drive-thru to pick up a breakfast sandwich, I can assure you that it is not convenient for your health.

Check out this quick and healthy way to make-over your drive-thru run at home.

Cheesy Egg Sandwich

• 2 slices of light bread toasted (I like Sara Lee’s 45 calorie slices)
• 1 American cheese slice made with 2% milk
• 1 large egg, fried to perfection with 2 sprays cooking spray

Nutrition info:

Calories: 212

Fat: 9 grams

Saturated fat: 3.5 grams

Fiber: 5 grams

Protein: 16 grams

Sodium: 580 mg

Cholesterol: 220 mg

Let’s compare to Sonic’s Toaster Breakfast Sandwich (without bacon)

Calories: 430

Fat: 24.2 grams

Saturated fat: 7 grams

Fiber: 2 grams

Protein: 14 grams

Sodium: 1,054 mg

Cholesterol: 303 mg

Wow…so with that comparison, more that double the calories, saturated fat, sodium and then less of the good stuff like protein and fiber, it seems that it might be a good switch. Enjoy!

Get outside to exercise...safely!

Walking, jogging, running and bicycling are all great ways to burn calories, keep your heart healthy and a perfect way to get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather on your own or as a whole family. Just keep a few things in mind when taking to the streets.

When you’re biking:

1. Ride with traffic, not against it. This makes you more visible to motorists on the street and especially in intersections.
2. Follow traffic laws. Just because you’re not in a car, doesn’t mean that you don’t need to follow traffic signals such as stop lights, signs, etc. Not doing so can put you at risk for an accident.
3. Wear a helmet. A helmet is a MUST when bicycling. And not just for children…for adults as well. Over 700 people died in bicycle crashes in 2008, 70-80% of those deaths are cause by brain injury. Wearing a helmet protects your brain from 88% of injuries (from the Brain Injury Association of America). With those statistics, there is no reason not to take 1 minute to strap on a helmet to your head or to your kids’ heads.

When walking/jogging/running:

1. If you can’t walk on a sidewalk, you should always face traffic when exercising on foot in a street. Though it might seem counterintuitive, you do this for several reasons. First, you can see motorists on your side of the street to avoid being hit by a absent minded driver. It’s also a good idea because motorists expect you to be on that side so you are more predictable.
2. If it is dark, either in the morning or in the evening, you should wear light colored clothing or even reflective clothing so that you are more easily spotted by traffic. Remember, only ninjas need to dress in all black at night!
3. Pay attention. You should also be following traffic signals such as stop lights and always, just like when you were a kid, look both ways before crossing the street.

Things that apply to all:

1. Check the weather before you leave the house and dress appropriately. Layers are always a good idea when the weather is chilly so that you can take clothes off when you start to warm up.
2. Carry a cell phone and I.D. on you in case of injury or an emergency.
3. Be alert, not only of traffic but also of other people so as not to collide with others and also to protect yourself from assault.

Newest E.H. Fitness Addition: Fit Mama KC

Check out the newest fitness blog from E.H. Fitness! Fit Mama KC is for mom and moms-to-be and is chalk full of nutrition and fitness information to keep pregnant girls like myself and new moms from falling off the health wagon.

The latest post is about alcohol removed wine...and how it can make a wine lover feel a little more at home with a pregnant body without damaging her baby OR taking in hundreds of drinkable calories! A GREAT option for those of you who are trying to cut back on calories during a night out...or in...as well!

Or read about how to make your cravings a bit more nutritionally sound and why exercise is so important for the pregnant woman.

Pass it on to moms and moms-to-be that you know!

Smoothies: the good and the bad

It’s getting warm out and that means that frozen drinks are popping up everywhere to keep us cool during the sizzling summer months. But before you order your next smoothie, consider the following smoothie info and calorie content.

The “bad” of the smoothie

• Many smoothies are made with a high sugar base of sherbet or frozen yogurt or worse yet, fatty and sugary ice cream
• Some “fruit” smoothies don’t have an ounce of actual fruit in them, just sugary syrups and flavoring
• Your stomach doesn’t feel full after drinking your calories. So even if you are drinking a 500 calorie smoothie, your stomach will tell you it wants “real food”

There is good in a smoothie as well. If made with real fruit, fat free milk or yogurt, it can be a powerhouse of energy raising vitamins!

Smoothies to avoid:

• Smoothie King’s The Hulk Strawberry: 1,035 calories in a 20 oz (that’s their small!)
• TCBY’s Pina Paradise: 520 calories in a 24 oz
• Cold Stone Creamery’s Mango Strawberry: 600 calories in a Gotta Have it
• Sonic’s Strawberry Smoothie: 542 calories in a regular

Smoothies to order:

• Smoothie King’s Skinny Slim-n-Trim Vanilla: 153 calories for a 20 oz
• Robeks’ Awesome Acai: 146 calories for a 12 oz
• Cold Stone’s Berry Trinity: 210 calories for a Gotta Have It

Check out the nutrition before ordering your next smoothie.

Smoothie King

Robeks

TCBY

Cold Stone Creamery

Sonic

Better yet, make your own!

Mix 1 cup of your favorite fruit with ½ cup of non-fat yogurt, 1 cup water, 1 packet calorie free sweetener. Viola! 150 calorie smoothie!

Try a E.H. Fitness Berry Green-ish Smoothie!

Erin's Berry Green-ish Smoothie

1.5 cups water
Huge handful of fresh spinach (should fill about half the blender...unpacked)
3/4 cup frozen mixed berries
1/2 container non-fat Yoplait yogurt (about 1/4 cup)...your fav flavor...I used vanilla
1 teaspoon Stevia in the Raw
Handful of ice

Blend until creamy! And check out the stats on this tasty treat:

130 calories
0 grams of fat
4 grams of protein
7 grams of fiber (YEAH! That's about 30% of your daily recommended intake!!)

Drink it up people!

First EVER green (as in the color) smoothie

Okay...I have always been a bit wary of the green colored smoothie...I mean...who can drink something that looks like that. Well...apparently I can. If you can see past the baby puke green color or even sometimes brownish color, it is amazing. A great energy boost and low in calories!

Check out what I'm drinking as I type.

Erin's Berry Green-ish Smoothie

1.5 cups water
Huge handful of fresh spinach (should fill about half the blender...unpacked)
3/4 cup frozen mixed berries
1/2 container non-fat Yoplait yogurt (about 1/4 cup)...your fav flavor...I used vanilla
1 teaspoon Stevia in the Raw
Handful of ice

Blend until creamy! And check out the stats on this tasty treat:

130 calories
0 grams of fat
4 grams of protein
7 grams of fiber (YEAH! That's about 30% of your daily recommended intake!!)

Drink it up people!

Desert Diaries...

So tonight I am going with to celebrate my mom’s very last day of classes EVER in seminary. And after 7 years…she totally deserves a drink and mini-desert from Houlihans. I don’t deserve a drink…apparently it’s totally a faux pas to drink while pregnant J, but I think a mini desert is just what the doctor ordered. So like the rest of the world, I’m thinking “oh…a MINI desert just can’t be that bad…maybe I’ll have two!” Think again, world…and me! I just looked up the info on these cute and tasty little minis…they might be small portions, but they are HUGE when it calories and fat content…beware!

Caramel Nut Crunch Pie

523 calories, 28 grams of fat

Cappuccino Cake

613 calories, 26 grams of fat

Crème Brulee

343 calories, 22 grams of fat

While Chocolate Banana Cream Pie

510 calories, 27 grams of fat

Bourbon Pecan Pie (my personal favorite L )

954 calories, 57 grams of fat

Italian Style Donuts

1,137 calories, 34 grams of fat

S’mores

985 calories, 26 grams of fat