myerstownherald.com » SARA HAUFF DORAN

PORTION CONTROL MUST PREVAIL

Administrator — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 23:58:22 +0000

By SARA HAUFF DORAN
Everything in your life should be in moderation. That is an idea often heard but not often practiced when it comes to food.
I am very fond of eating — but I am careful not to overindulge all of the time. I pretty much eat what I want, within reason, but I just don’t eat that much of it.
Which brings me to my next point — portion sizes. The sizes restaurants serve (especially Italian restaurants) can be obscene. More than a few times, I have been served my pasta dinner on a platter plate, as in an oval shape instead of a circle! (Who knows how many pounds of pasta there was)?
In those instances, I ate about half of it and got a doggy bag for the rest. Not only did I not feel incredibly full afterwards, but I also had another meal for lunch or dinner that week.
But if you are one who likes to finish their plate, you can immediately ask the wait staff to box up half of your meal or better yet ask if they serve half portions beforehand so that you are not tempted to overeat.
I always try to eat slowly. It takes at least 20 minutes for your body to signal to your brain that you are full. A study presented at the North American Association for the Study of Obesity reported that eating slower means eating less and still feeling “full.”
There is a misconception that there are good and bad foods. There are no good or bad foods — it is unhealthy to label them as such. Giving emotional labels to food can actually lead to binge eating and eating disorders. We should view eating as something we need to survive and that gives us energy. Of course, it can give us pleasure too, and that’s OK as long as it’s in moderation.
Also, if we label certain foods as bad, our rebellious spirits can drive us to seek out that forbidden fruit. For example, one dessert we used to think was devilish we found out is actually good for you (here’s that word again — in moderation, of course). That is dark chocolate because of the flavonoids, which act as antioxidants.
Now if you have health problems, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, then the rules are different for you because you may in fact have to avoid certain foods. But if that’s not you, then keep in mind that any food is fine, in moderation. Now if only I could practice moderation with my wine drinking!

FINDING THE RIGHT GYM

Administrator — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 20:42:54 +0000

By SARA HAUFF DORAN
Working out at home saves time and money, but if you find that you are distracted at home (like I am) or can’t find the motivation, then finding a gym may be the right move.
Perhaps you have tried to work out at home and you have not stuck with it. Prevention magazine reports that scientists at the University of Western Australia studied 126 women and found that those who exercised at a gym were four times more likely to stick with their routine than were those who worked out at home.
I have a treadmill at home (in our unfinished basement) and have various fitness DVDs, and still cannot find the drive to fit in exercise at home. For me, it’s too many distractions — our young children, our dog, housework, paying bills, writing deadlines — you get the idea and I’m sure you can fill in the blanks with what keeps you busy at home.
So if for whatever reason working out at home is not happening, then it’s time to find a gym near your home or work. I’m been a member on and off of a local gym for the last 20 years. For me, I chose a gym with the most varied group exercise class offerings. They have various types of classes at different times throughout the week.
Over the years, I’ve taken step aerobics, spinning, belly dancing, Tai Chi, yoga and Pilates. Not only does it keep me interested in exercising, it’s also good for my body to mix it up. Otherwise, muscles grow accustomed to workout routines and you may stop seeing results.
So in addition to finding a gym near your home or your work (it depends what time you plan on attending the gym), you should also look at its offerings. Do you like group exercise classes like me, or do you want to swim laps or strength train? Will you use the elliptical trainer or walk on the treadmill?
Another pointer is to visit the gym at the time that you will be regularly attending in order to see how busy it’ll be at that hour. Most gyms allow you to try out their facilities for free for the first time.
Another plus of a gym atmosphere is peer pressure! You may work harder if you are around other people working hard too! Even if you do not socialize, you may feel that you are in this thing together. And I have found that gym members are often dedicated to making exercise a top priority in their lives. And so, perhaps you can be one of those people too — who put exercise at the top of their to-do lists.

NOTHING’S BETTER THAN A GOOD RUN

Administrator — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:17:05 +0000

By SARA HAUFF DORAN
A 5K run for me is relaxing — almost as good as a massage, a dip in the hot tub or a good night’s sleep.
I associate my running with my track and field days in high school where I excelled. It took four years for me to progress in sprinting, but it was worth every exhausting day of practice.
The first day I tried out for track and field as a freshman, I remember clearly that I was one of, if not the last runner to finish four laps around the school (not sure the distance exactly, but it was further than I had run to date). I was so out of breath and quite embarrassed.
But I didn’t let my ego hold me back and luckily I attended a small school where everyone made the team if they tried out. It turned out to be my favorite sport and it gave me much pride to know that I stuck with a sport that didn’t come easy to me.
Flash forward 19 years and I’m so glad that it’s a sport that I can keep doing. I don’t run as regularly as I would like, but when I do, I am able to complete a 5K (3.1 miles) with more ease than I was able to do in my early days running.
But I often hear that I am wearing out my joints by running and that I won’t be able to continue in my older years. So far so good on that front — I have not had a major injury from running (just sprained ankles and shin splints).
But is it inevitable that I get injured running or perhaps worse yet, that I am doing long-term damage to my joints by running? The jury is still out on that one, but it leads me to my next point. Why not walk, instead of run for exercise? Well, here are my reasons I prefer running to walking:
It’s a more efficient form of exercise (in other words, I burn more calories in a shorter amount of time).
I find it more challenging than walking. I often get too bored walking and can’t get “in the zone” like when I’m running. I do some of my best thinking on a run.
Plus I still have that competitive spirit in me that keeps me coming back to running. I will probably never sprint like I used to in my teens, but I can set other goals like longer distances.
All in all, running is something I would like to continue to do as long as my body will cooperate. As I get older, I may have to change it up, such as running on softer surfaces that are easier on the joints, but the older runners I often see around my neighborhood inspire me. They don’t let their age get in the way of a good run. I hope that is me in 20 years.

AVOID STRESS EATING

Administrator — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 00:28:09 +0000

By SARA HAUFF DORAN

SARA HAUFF DORAN

Most of us know what it feels like: you’ve had a long day and for all of your hard work, you deserve a large piece of chocolate cake.
Or your newborn baby would not stop crying today no matter what you tried, so it’s time to dive into a bag of potato chips [or insert your food of choice here].
Perhaps it’s the pressure of getting everything done for the busy holiday season. You’ve been doing things for other people all day long and you want to treat yourself to something good to eat.
Yes most of us have succumbed to stress eating. Everyone has their different triggers, but often the result is the same — you eat something under the not so good for you category and you eat a lot of it.
But there are better ways of dealing with everyday stress. Instead of your usual go-to food when you are under stress, there are actually healthy foods that help you fight stress.
Foods can fight stress in several ways. Comfort foods, like a bowl of warm oatmeal, actually boost levels of serotonin, a calming brain chemical. Other foods can reduce levels of the stress hormones, cortisol and adrenaline.
Finally, a nutritious diet can counteract the impact of stress, by shoring up the immune system and lowering blood pressure, according to www.webmd.com. And a large part of a nutritious diet includes complex carbohydrates (carbs), such as whole-grain breakfast cereals, breads and pastas. All carbs prompt the brain to make more of the feel-good chemical serotonin. Complex carbs can also help you feel balanced by stabilizing blood sugar levels, according to www.webmd.com.
There are also vitamins, ideally ingested in food, or taken as a supplement, that can boost your immune system. Studies suggest that Vitamin C, found in oranges and strawberries among other foods, is one of those heavy-hitting vitamins.
Another item to add to your diet is Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish like salmon and tuna, that can prevent surges in stress hormones and protect against heart disease, www.webmd.com states. There are other healthy foods to help beat stress including black tea, pistachios, almonds and avocados.
Instead of eating, a better way to let off steam is exercising. Go for a run on a treadmill, go for a walk outside — whatever you can do — it’ll be much more satisfying than overeating and feeling guilty afterwards.
Aerobic exercise is the most effective, because it increases oxygen circulation and produces endorphins — chemicals that make you feel happy. And isn’t that the best defense against stress — being content.

FAT KIDS? MAYBE PARENTS ARE THE BLAME

Administrator — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:51:40 +0000

By SARA HAUFF DORAN
If you are not in shape right now or you don’t exercise regularly, you can blame your parents. That’s right, yet another thing to point the finger to your upbringing.
My parents continue to make exercising a priority. And not surprisingly, they are both at a healthy weight. When I was younger, both of my parents played tennis throughout the year and skied in the winters. We have fond family memories of our annual ski trips. Now in their 70s, they’ve changed their exercise regime to going to a physical trainer and walking regularly.
There was not a specific moment when my parents told me that exercise is important, but they didn’t have to. Just by their example of keeping fit, they spoke volumes.
The way to stay fit and healthy is to start at a young age. With my parents’ encouragement, I played tennis, swam in the summers, took dance lessons, and later was a cheerleader, and ran track and field in high school. Running is something I still do now regularly — competing in 5Ks.
Yes, it kept me very busy which is another reason for young people to try out different sports. Sports can keep children out of trouble, away from other less productive activities. Also, it teaches them discipline, people skills (winning and losing graciously) and starts them on the right path to staying fit for life.
Parents should allow their children to try out different sports to find ones that they enjoy or excel at. It’s harder for adults to try new things whereas children are usually more open to new experiences and more accepting of failure. It’s easier to falter while trying a new sport when most of the others are new to the sport too.
Children should also be expected to follow through with a new sport. Quitting midway through should not be an option unless medically necessary. Too often children are given an easy way out by their well-meaning parents.
You really are giving your children the best start possible by pointing them in the direction of a sport. Once your children are older and out of your house, it’s up to them to continue on the path you’ve set for them. But at least you’ll know as parents that you have done your best to make their future a fit one.