Vtrim Community Blog      Vtrim Online

Our March inperson classes on the UVM campus are just around the corner. And to get you all excited, we interviewed our inperson facilitator Sally Ross Nolan for you all to get to know her better and learn what she loves about Vtrim. We think you’ll all love Sally’s down to earth personality and way of telling it like it is!

Facilitator Name: Sally Ross Nolan

Education/background: M.S. from St. Michael’s College in VT.  I worked for years in several counseling/education positions at Planned Parenthood of Northern New England.  My day job for the past 11 years or so is at The Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit at UVM doing research studies.  I’ve been a Vtrim facilitator since 2006.

Years experience in health area: 30ish years (where’d the time go?!)

Favorite form of exercise: snow shoeing in the winter, tennis in warm weather

Favorite meal or snack: tamari almonds

My top 5 favorite foods: Chocolate-need you ask?, Tofu-there’s so much you can do with it and it can be put together quickly,  my mother’s chicken salad- pure comfort food,  turkey sandwich the day after Thanksgiving (and don’t tell, but I use white bread this one time).

What do you enjoy about facilitating Vtrim weight management groups? It’s a privilege for me to witness people taking hold of their life and making positive changes.  And it’s fun-we laugh a lot!

If you had a day to do whatever you wanted, how would you spend it? Working with a documentary film crew

What is one of the most common hurdles you see people face in changing behaviors and what are 1-2 things you find helpful for overcoming that hurdle? Negative self talk can keep people stuck..  It takes awareness and then conscious practice to change an attiude/belief AND it can be done.  Replace negative thoughts with a positive ones.  And if you’re not there yet-”fake it till you make it”.

One thing you would love to do in the future/personal goal for the future: Spend more time doing photography

Any favorite tip you love to share about behavior change: Just keep learning from each challenge and keep getting “back on the horse”.

Interested in one of Sally’s classes? She’ll be teaching on Tuesdays beginning later this month. Check out our schedule at http://www.uvm.edu/vtrim/register/

January is officially Family Fit Lifestyle Month and even though January is nearly over, you can still take part.  But winter workouts are often a challenge for people. Being based at the University of Vermont, where snow and ice abound this time of year,  Vtrim understands the challenges of exercising in the cold winter months. But we encourage you to brave the snow and cold and get active outside.  And  what better way to get fit than with the entire family?  Here are five of our favorite active winter activities that can be enjoyed by both you and the kids.

Photo source: http://www.everydayhealth.com

1) Downhill skiing and snowboarding:  Hitting the slopes is a great way to get fit with the family.  Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned expert, skiing and snowboarding are a major workout (don’t forget your helmets).  If you haven’t been before, try taking a lesson with the entire family or stick to the easy trails while you get a feel for it.  If money is a factor then try to find a family rental package and family ski pass.

2) Sledding:  This activity doesn’t just have to be fun for the kids.  Sledding is a rush for all ages and trekking back up the hill will definitely get you to work up a sweat despite the cold.

3) Snowshoeing: Feet upon feet of fresh snow is no reason not to get outside and participate in an active family outing.  Snowshoeing is a fun way to take in nature while getting a great workout in at the same time.  Just like skis, snowshoes can be rented and come in small sizes so the kids can enjoy this activity too.  Unlike downhill skiing, this is an activity that you can enjoy just about anywhere there is snow.

4) Cross-country skiing:  If downhill just isn’t for you, cross-country skiing could be the perfect fit for you and your family.  Save some money on a ski pass by skiing in a local park or even a golf course.  This activity is a bit easier to pick up than downhill skiing and, just like snowshoeing, it is a great way to take in the sights.

5) Ice skating: Whether it’s on a frozen pond or at your local skating rink, this activity is fun for the entire family.  Skating can be a challenge if it’s your first time, and again, helmets are a good idea.  Also, many public skating rinks have milk crates or other devices to help you keep your balance until you get the hang of it.

Remember, you don’t have to limit yourself to these five activities.  The important thing is to get outside during the winter and participate in any activity that keeps you fit and that the whole family can enjoy. Have some ideas of your own for family fitness in the winter? We’d love to hear your favorites, too!

photo source: http://exercise.about.com website

For many of us, having to go to a gym to exercise is an all too easy excuse to skip a workout.  Don’t get me wrong; gyms can be a great way to get fit.  For some people, however, gyms serve more as a deterrent than a means.  Regardless of the reasoning, you needn’t be discouraged and give up on working out altogether.  Working out at home can be just as effective as going to the gym.  In fact, research has shown that having home-based exercise plans and equipment, along with dividing your workouts into short increments several times a day, can add up to greater long-term commitment to exercise and weight management. The most important thing to remember when it comes to working out at home though is to choose something that works best for you.  The following are some of my favorite home-based workout ideas.

1.  Cardio Equipment: When entering a gym, you will undoubtedly observe numerous pieces of equipment intended for aerobic exercise.  These machines range from treadmills, ellipticals, stair climbers, and others too numerous to name.  Though it is a bit of an investment, purchasing a piece of equipment like this for your home can seriously pay off in the long run in terms of your health…if you use it.  I personally recommend a treadmill or elliptical machine.  Using a treadmill allows you to walk for a less intense workout or turn up the speed and incline for an intense cardio workout.  An elliptical is a good alternative to the treadmill because it allows you to get a good cardio workout without putting as much stress on your joints.

2.  Free weights, medicine balls, and balance balls: This can be a great way to strengthen and tone and requires very little space.  Start out with a small assortment of varying weights and add to your collection as you discover more exercises or increase your resistance. A balance ball works your core and when combined with free weights you can get in a total body workout. An added bonus…many of the workout balls come with instructional DVDs or charts to help you get started.

3.  Exercise DVDs: In any video store you will find an entire library of exercise DVDs offering an easy way to try countless numbers of workouts at home right in front of you own TV.  Exercise DVDs are great because they allow you to do different kinds of workouts at home with each exercise demonstrated to ensure you do it correctly.  But it can be quite overwhelming picking out which type of exercise is right for you; pilates, kickboxing, abs, dance, yoga, and just about every workout under the sun.  When selecting a DVD choose a type of exercise that appeals to you, one appropriate for your level of fitness, and try to avoid videos that promise a “quick fix.” Not sure you want to invest in a DVD you might not like? Try a video/DVD rental program or your local library to try out some workouts at little or no cost.

4.  Wii Fit: This Nintendo game has received a lot of press and is being promoted as the ultimate at-home exercise device.  Not only does the Wii calculate your BMI, but it provides a number of workouts that can appeal to the entire family.  By utilizing a “balance board” the Wii Fit can offer instruction for different exercises, track your weight, and act as a personal workout mentor.  The Wii now has more fitness options that are also a great option for getting in shape. But like the treadmill and other aerobic exercise machines, the Wii Fit only works if you put it to use.

5.  Dance Dance Revolution:  This was the go-to workout video game before games like Wii Fit hit the market and is still a fun way to work out.  Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) requires a large dance mat.  Then you step on directional arrows in time with the corresponding onscreen arrows.  Upbeat songs make it a fun workout and the game even tracks how many calories you’ve burned for each song. The DDR workout plan has even been put to use in research studies aimed at helping adolescents get in shape and manage their weight in a fun way. Don’t have a DDR game? Crank up the music at home and dance to your heart’s content…we won’t tell.

It may seem like only yesterday that you were in the kitchen slaving away over Thanksgiving dinner, but the days of feasting are upon us again.  Cooking for the holidays can be tricky when you are trying to stay healthy.  This is especially true when your guests may not  make  eating healthy a priority and when they expect to be treated to the great flavors of their traditional holiday favorites.  Fortunately you can make everyone happy, including yourself, with these healthy holiday recipes that are deceptively tasty.

It wouldn’t be the holidays without a spread of delicious appetizers to stave off hunger pangs as guests wait for the main course.  You can keep it simple with shrimp and cocktail sauce or whole-wheat crackers with a low fat cheese.  If you want to whip something up in the kitchen then check out this Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms recipe that is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Most holiday meals aren’t complete without some mouthwatering side dishes.  Mashed potatoes, a holiday classic, is often packed with calories and fat, but this dish doesn’t have to be taboo for the health conscious.  This recipe from The Eating Well Diet is one of my favorite sides for the holiday.

*  2 large Yukon Gold potato, peeled and cut into chunks

* 2 cloves garlic, peeled

* 2 teaspoons butter

* ¼ cup nonfat buttermilk

* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs

* Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste

Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with water.  Add the garlic.  Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender.  Drain then add butter and buttermilk and mash with potato masher to desired consistency.  Stir in fresh herbs and season with salt and pepper.

The main dish for your holiday dinner can be a healthy protein-packed dish if you avoid fatty meats and heavy sauces.  Pork makes  a delicious yet healthy entrée especially when paired with a sweet fruit to give it some extra flavor.  This Pear Stuffed Pork Loin recipe from Taste of Home certainly fits that description with its sweet stuffing and glaze.

It wouldn’t be a holiday meal if it wasn’t finished off with homemade cookies.  These delectable cookies, appropriately named “Lusciously Nutty Holiday Logs” from eatingwell.com, are a great way to complete your holiday meal.

With a little pre-planning, you can satisfy the most finicky guest and take pleasure in knowing that your holiday meal was a healthy one.  Happy Holidays.

Just recently the European Society of Cardiology stated that obesity is not just an important risk factor in heart disease, but more specifically for heart failure. At the 2009 Heart Failure Congress, researchers explained that obesity is at least as great a risk factor for heart failure as it is for heart attack or stroke, and that obesity doubles the risk for heart failure. Researchers confirmed a similar risk for diabetes and found that when the two risk factors are present together (obesity and diabetes), treatment becomes very difficult.

Weight loss will not only help lower BMI and risk of heart disease, stroke, and heart failure, it also helps to lower risk of developing diabetes or better manage diabetes in those diagnosed with the disease. Healthy habits and behaviors, as taught in Vtrim, all work together to help improve health risk factors and improve quality of life through less disease risk.

Red meat has often had a bad rap in the nutrition world, with fingers pointed at its higher content of fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol. But a recent study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine may back up that thinking. The results of this newly published study suggests that a high consumption of red meat and processed meats may actually be associated with greater risk of mortality.

The study of over 500,000 people looked at intake levels of red meat and processed meats with all other factors being held constant. The results showed that, with all other things being equal, men and women who consumed the most meat were likely to die earlier. The increased risk of mortality was a modest risk of about 20-40%, and was tied to the biggest health risks of heart disease and cancer.

Does this mean you need to swear off all red and processed meats entirely? No. Healthy behaviors are about being able to sustain your habits for a long term, not just a temporary change. So look at your current dietary intake of meat. Is there room to cut out a hamburger or steak here or there? Can you slim down the portion size a bit? When you have meat, can you choose leaner cuts of meat (look for the terms “round” or “loin” in the name to indicate less fat) or fewer processed meats? You don’t need to go “cold turkey” on meat, though choosing more fish and poultry like chicken and turkey is a great way to get some protein in with your meals without as much fat. Another important point–the people in the study with the lower mortality rates were those who also consumed more fruits and veggies.

To put it simply, the same goals you have for managing your weight–smaller portions, monitoring frequency of higher fat/calorie foods, more fruits and veggies, more whole foods and fewer processed foods with added fat/sugar–will also help cut risks for diseases like heart disease and cancer.