Fiber! Boring? Well maybe, but from what I know most Americans have very unhealthy colons mostly caused by poor diets. The problem with most people’s diet is that it doesn’t include enough fiber. There are two kinds of fiber one is soluble,  which can be digested, but takes longer than simple foods to break down. The second type of fiber is insoluble. It doesn’t digest but just passes through the digestive tract.

It is the second kind – insoluble – most people do not get enough of.

Why?

Most processed foods do not contain any insoluble fiber. Insoluble fiber includes the bran and germ from grains, and is found in many fruits and veggies. (celery and apple peels are a good example).

Think about how much of these types your family takes in as a whole. If they’re like mine it is not as much as you think.

Some benefits of fiber? According to the ADA,

Fiber normalizes bowel function in its effect on transit time & nutrient absorption.

Insoluble fiber exerts a laxative effect, accelerate intestinal transit, increased fecal bulk, & reduced gastrointestinal pressure.

Dietary fiber plays both a therapeutic & a preventive role in management of gastrointestinal diseases & is used extensively in clinical practice to treat constipation.

The effect of dietary fiber may also be beneficial in the treatmen t of diverticular diseases & related disorders including hemorrhoids.

Epidemiologic evidence supports the role of dietary fiber in reducing risk of colon cancer. (However, evidence from clinical trials is still divided about the relationship between dietary fiber & colon cancer in human beings.)

Dietary fiber is known to be beneficial in the management of certain diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, & obesity, via its effect on nutrient metabolism.

Soluble fiber have been shown to improve glucose tolerance & serum lipid profiles.

Clinical evidence suggests that dietary may play a role in improving glycemic control in individuals with diabetes, & it provides a high satiety benefit in weight-reduction & caloric-controlled diets.

Epidemiologic observations suggests that high-fiber diets contain less calories & and are less likely to contribute to the development of obesity.

Research has reported that dietary fiber in whole foods or soluble fiber supplements function to increase satiety, delay gastric emptying, speed intestinal transit & reduce nutrient utilization.

Think about it.

If the colon and the digestive track in general are healthy and clean and can do their job well the next part of the body effected would be the liver and kidneys. The liver takes out toxins from our body. If the colon does it job well this makes the livers job manageable. If the colon is already doing double duty and is clogged up with gunk it can’t expel the toxins and therefore the liver has to do more work and it can get clogged up too (in a different sort of way).

Then we hit the skin. The skin also works to expel toxins from our body after they have reached the blood stream. So now the skin is working extra hard to keep up. Make sense?

Processed foods and white sugar will make your body go into glucose shock and mess up lots of things. Good nutrition is key for healthy looking skin. Cleaning out the colon and digestive track will be the starting point. The next step is keeping it clean with healthy foods and lots of fiber. There are many products you can find online for a colon cleansing. That is a quick way to clean out the colon but it sometimes takes two or three cleansings to see the results the site says you will. (Too gross to describe.) You are better off discussing a cleanse with your doctor, and considering a doctor supervised cleanse from a qualified practitioner as our strategic health partner Dr. Laura Jones.

Cleansing your body as a whole is not a quick thing. It will take more than a day, more than a week, more than a month. The cleansing kits just speed up the initial process. Most people’s colons look like a kitchen sink drain with a grease clog in it. Draino might work the first time but it might take two or three bottles too. (nasty analogy, sorry) To keep it clean you’ld need to add lots of fiber and water to your diet.

I don’t think there will be an overnight cure to the skin issue. I do believe in the process. Clean colon, healthy diet, beautiful skin.

To your health,

Coach Nancy

Mealtime can be one of the most strenuous times of the day around our household. The kids are hungry and complaining a half hour before I even start dinner. After reading several articles on child hood eating habits and experimenting with my own kids I have found kids are natural mealtime grazers. Let me explain.

As each tiny newborn entered our house, they were put on a three hour feeding schedule until they could sleep through the night.  Some parents choose to feed newborns on demand. The point is babies eat often.

When I ran a childcare center for infants to age twelve, the USDA regulated how often we offered food to the kids. Their rule was every three hours no matter what the age. We had to offer them food.  They didn’t have to eat but the option was there.

Did you catch the similarity in eating every three hours?

Suppose I ate every three hours.  How many meals would I be eating? Depending on sleep patterns, that would require five to six meals per day.  But the typical American diet contains only three meals a day, Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. When and why do we transition them to this pattern? Is it the best for them? Is it the best for us?

Now lets take that tip from our tiny ones. Remember the fussiness that accompanies a hungry tummy?  “A child’s demeanor often parallels her eating patterns. Parents often notice that a toddler’s behavior deteriorates toward the end of the morning or mid-afternoon. Notice the connection? Behavior is at its worst the longer they go without food. Grazing minimizes blood-sugar swings and lessens the resulting undesirable behavior.” www.askdrsears.com

And Dr. Tim Reynolds says “Eating more often with less food makes sense no matter how old you are. It raises insulin levels less, which allows you to keep hormonal changes in better balance.  If you eat six small meals a day, you will also be less hungry when you do eat. This means you will have a much better chance of eating nutritious foods instead of reaching for something high in sugar.”

From personal experience letting my kids have small meals more often in the day has made for a much happier home. My kids are much more content, less whiny, and that makes for a happier mom!

To your health,

Coach Nancy

I am so cranky I don’t even want to be around myself. That’s a very bad thing. I was going to blow off Bootcamp because I didn’t want to subject anyone else to my ‘dark cloud self’. I won’t get into the why of my mood, that just leads to an angry whiner. No one likes a whiner, unless of course I’m trying to be a funny whiner. Right?! Please tell me my funny whining is well, funny.

So, I’m little Miss Black Cloud today. I’ve even growled a few times. Low and behold… I have gained an extra conscience. Her name is Donna and she got a fair share of my woes/texts blasted her way today. When I told her I was not going to Booty, she immediately said, “GO! it will get my endorphins pumping and I won’t be so miserable”. She didn’t say miserable but she could have as it would have been the truth.

So I’m trudging into Bootcamp, Nancy sees my black cloud trailing behind. I can see the worried look in her eye, so I told her I would keep to my bad self and  keep my trap shut. For everyone’s sake and mine. YIKES! it’s partner day… uh oh…

Mark took one for the Team and volunteered to warm up with me. As we finished the warm up, someone was talking… oh hey, that was me! And wait, I have a ‘snap the yap shut’ rule and I’ve broken it. Seems the endorphins must be kicking in because I believe I even smirked. Not a full fledged smile, but close.

So now we move on to ladders… LADDERS!!?? Nancy took pity on Mark and made us switch up partners. I partnered with Lisa, a little less scary looking . Lisa will love me even if I am miserable to be around (Thanks Lisa-xoxo!) I can count on her to, if nothing else, pound me into the ground. Nothing says love like an attitude adjustment.

The good news is that today’s workout totally worked. No breathe to yammer, just a little stammer. Sweat pouring out the body with it all my evilness. Unfortunately, for Nancy and the class, our ‘quiet’ cool down was filled witha rejuvenated chatty patty in the corner. Yours truly is now cleansed, reborn, and giggling~ glad to see ME back from the darkness.

All due in part to having a second conscience. I recommend a second one to everyone who have days that they just need a little nudge, or a shove in the right direction. Look around next time you are in class. Exchange email, or phone number, you never know when you may need your second conscience. Or a good swift boot in the behind. You will be glad you did, I am, that’s for sure.

So, thank you to Donna, Mark, Lisa, and the 4p Bootcamp class for putting up with me today. YOU ROCK!

Blog you later,

gretchen

Holy cow! This whole week I can’t get away from Abs. There’s a Bootcamper that wants work on their abs… so, Dean and Nancy have been working our abs. Not with silly crunches, you can do that at home! Nope they sneak the ab work in on pushups, speed rows, mountain climbers, side planks… do I really need to go on with abdominal exercises?! I didn’t think so. Just reading the exercises, makes you tighten and feel your abdominal muscles clench doesn’t it?

Then there was my friend who went for a physical this week and asked the doctor about achieving the 6 pack abs. She was told nicely of course, that age may be a factor, not to expect the visual 6 pack. Ok, who wants to hear that?! That can’t be true… can it? (Dean: you can step in here anytime during my ramble…).

(From Dean – what a crock! I have seen healthy  men AND women in their 60′s and 70′s with defined abdominals; they train hard and support their desire for leanness with proper nutrition. Why do we insist on putting limitations on ourselves because of our age? If you don’t have a visible 6 pack, it’s because you haven’t earned it. That being said, it ain’t easy! Your actions must be congruous with your goal, and frankly not too many people are willing to do what it takes. Could age be a factor? Of course! But so are the desserts, glasses of wine, and “treats”.  The abs are there, but if you want to reveal them, you have to do the hard work, and the hardest work usually has to do with nutrition)

Not enough abdominal topic du jour… I’m on the internet and see “5 foods for 6pack Abs”…oh I gotta check this one out (can you say, ‘sucker’??). After about 5minutes of hearing about this wonderful trainer who developed this plan- blah blah blah… my attention lost except: a few key points. Abs exercisers and most exercises… do not work. Huh?! Well tell that to my abdominal muscles that are in place holding me upright. I may not be able to see them exactly… unless of course I turn a certain way, stand tall, suck it in and voila! I have abs!! Gotta tell ya a little secret- I think, no, I know… its from Bootcamp!!

Now I have to get on my soap box for just a minute… for the next bit that my infomercial ‘enlightened’ me on. The dude said “it’s not your fault you are obese”… what??!! replay… yup it’s not my fault!?! Oh, you mean to tell me it wasn’t my fault I ate the whoopie pie, cake and icecream that made me obese. That just fried my brain- oops did I say ‘fried’, I meant ‘steamed’, cuz frying anything is not healthy. Well, so is not taking responsibility for our actions! Which just sends my brain into the whole – ‘softer society’, it’s not your fault, there are no failures. Man up already! It is my fault, my body is the way it is because of me, my choices. I take full responsibility. More people should… that said: I’m also taking action to make the changes I can, make better choices, having goals and working towards them. OK, now breathe! I’m stepping off my soapbox before I get myself into trouble…

I never did find out what the 5 foods to 6 pack abs where. I can pretty much guess it was something Green, from the Earth and hmm! Healthy for me!! I’m wondering where the next sign for Abs are going to come to me. Probably – Tabata Abs is my guess! (Hello Dean and Nancy, that sooo was not a suggestion – just saying).

Blog you later.

gretchen

If you are sore today; raise your arm… (too sore to raise your arms?)

If you are sore today; wave your hand… (oh wrists are sore too?)

If you are sore today; stand up… (hmmm… too sore to stand up?)

Ok, how about this: If you are sore today; just blink your eyes… (ah ha! Score one for Dean and Nancy… we cannot move on our day of rest)

One Word:  EMOM!!! (and if you aren’t sore… you didn’t work hard enough!!)

So as I’m sitting here thinking about where to go from here, with as little movement as possible… I’ve written a parody (atleast I think that’s what it’s called)

WEIRD AL-gretch YANKA-wolfe… spoofs John Cougar Mellancamp’s ’ Hurts So Good!’ …

When I go to Bootcamp. Said put away those useless gyms. Now that I’m getting stronger, so much stronger. I long for these Bootcamp days. With a group like you, with a Bootcamp like you. Lord knows there are pushup variations we can do baby. Add starjumps and speedrows, come on 15 reps.

Hurts so good. Come on EMOM makes it hurt so good. Sometimes Bootcamp don’t feel like it should. EMOM makes it, a-hurt so good.

Don’t have to be so exciting. Just tryin’ to give myself a little bit of fun, yeah. EMOM always looks so inviting. You ain’t as green as you should be. Hey EMOM it’s you, come on EMOM it’s you. Sink your teeth right through that EMOM. Lets see what we can do, come on, ‘make it happen’.

Hurts so good. Come on EMOM makes it hurt so good. Sometimes Bootcamp don’t feel like it should. EMOM makes it, a-hurt so good.

I ain’t talking no whimpin’ out. I ain’t made no plans to quit. I ain’t talkin’ no high knees. Maybe, we could just EMOM, all day long. Add more reps, all day long. UGH!

Hurts so good. Come on EMOM makes it hurt so good. Sometimes Bootcamp don’t feel like it should. EMOM makes it hurt so good.

TA DA! Enough said…

Blog you later.

gretchen

‘Partner Band Rows’, that was Mondays workout. How many of you used the ‘green’ band? I’m sure the Concord peops did… the Epsom bunch is a little behind in jumping on the … ‘green band’-wagon (heehee, yes, I crack myself up).

Okay, okay…how many of you had Nancy as a partner? AKA: the ‘green’ monster experience? Well… I did.

Our class had 9 peops, if you do the math for ‘partners’, that left an odd man out. I won(??). By default, since Nancy had me demonstrate ‘partner band rows’, she was my workout partner… with the ‘green’ band!

It was like we were transposed into the Wild West.

The Wild West meets Epsom Bootcamp. (Cue in ‘The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly’ music)

We met at high noon (ok so it was 4:30pm); in the middle of town (room/town its all the same); both Bootcamp Slingers, with a gleam in our eyes, a smirk on our face, and its a ‘show-down’.

We start off trying to knock the other off-balance, pulling the band in tight, grinning our sadistic smiles, the pace speeds up. Arms swaying back and forth, burning, neither one giving in ~ stop! We stand up, stare the other down… we will meet again, and again, and again (in a few minutes actually- 6 times for 40 seconds).

For those of you that do not know, Nancy has arms and shoulders that make me… ‘green’ with envy. (yes a small jump back to the ‘green’ scene)…Someday… For now, my goal is to make her sore the next day. Of course during our ‘show-down’ (oops back to the WildWest, ADHD: its a beautiful thing ‘oh look! shiny bauble’)… I’m thinking, ‘never mind her soreness, I’m not going to be able to lift a pencil tomorrow’.

I reckon, it was a draw by the end of the ‘partner green band show-down’. As we ride off into the sunset…  Tomorrow is another day. (Cue in ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly sound bite)

By the way: Nancy was not sore the next day but, neither was I… much!…

Blog you later.

The Green Outlaw Gretchen Wolfe

1.  Get quality sleep

You’ve heard us say it many times but sleep is important. Getting 6-8 solid hours of sleep is essential for your body to rejuvinate, replenish, and repair itself. Your body is doing a lot while you sleep. Beyond the health benefits, think how much happier, smoother, and relaxed your day goes when you wake up ready to tackle the activities of your day.

2. Surround yourself with people that encourage you.

Most people are hard on themselves to begin with. We blast ourselves for not being perfect. Perfection in our diet, looks, actions, talk, relationships, and work will not happen. We need to be our best but don’t beat yourself up for a failure; learn from it and move on. The last thing we need to do is spend time with people that are critical toward us or people that are always bleak and downhearted. Spend time with people who see you and value you for who you are. They are the ones who make you feel like you can accomplish anything.

3. Exercise regularly

Exercise raises your serotonin levels. You know those happy ones. The physical challenges you overcome in your training will boost your confidence outside of the gym as well. Exercise sends you a message that you are worth the time and effort you make for yourself.

4. Eat a clean healthy diet

Eating clean healthy food is another way of sending a message to yourself that you are worth it. You are worth the best foods, the time to plan your meals and prepare them. Avoid processed foods. Focus on foods fresh fruits and vegetables and a variety of protein.  Remember to healthy diet keeps your hormones in balance, which helps activate the cycle of a happier, healthier you.

5. Finish what you Started

Something motivated you to start each and every action you do each day. An angry boss might motivate you to be on time each day to work, while a small paycheck might motivate you to show up to work. There are also motivations to do laundry, plan meals, make bootcamp each time you are scheduled. Once you start something you will soon find there are often obstacles that get in our way. Laundry might be put on hold while dealing with a sibling dispute, dinner might be late on the table because an unexpected phone call interrupted your prep time. Each time you overcome an obstacle and succeed by finishing your task it adds to your sense of accomplishment. Taking the obstacles seriously will enable you to focus on it and then get back to your plan. It is a great feeling to start something and cross it off your daily list. It is even a bigger boost to cross things off your weekly or monthly to do list.

6. Eliminate “Can’t” and “But” from your vocabulary

Those obstacles that get in your way when working toward a goal will come. How we handle those obstacles define our success. When we start allowing those obstacles and life to get in our way we often start making excuses. You’ll start off by saying “ I can’t get the laundry done today because the kid were acting up.” “I didn’t get my workout but I did walk a lot while doing errands.” Those words are self-defeating. Turn those two little words into possibilities. You can do anything you truly set your mind to.

7. Focus on yourself

All of us were created differently with special talents and abilities. They define us, they give us character and personality. We all have something we are really good at. Focus on those things. I’m not saying we shouldn’t stretch our selves in our weaker areas but comparing ourselves to others is unfair. You are unique. Enjoy that part of you that makes you special.

To your health,

Coach Nancy

Normally that would be me. I won’t disagree… but I’m actually talking about the Pittsfield Balloon Rally. It’s happening this weekend. If you have never attended, it really is spectacular. Imagine 20+ Hot air balloons all leaving from the soccer fields at Drakes Field at the same time.…

It all starts Friday night at 5:30PM with the first flight. The town gets crazy busy with people everywhere. Excitement stirs, the vendors are setting up, and the helicopter rides have begun. The balloonists are rolling into town and preparing for the first flight of the weekend. Weather permitting they will go up. If you are trying to just pass through town you may want to take the back roads.

Saturday morning it’s rise and shine, early! Of course a lot of you are already up and at em’. Grab the baseball hat because the hair monster attacked you last night, grab your coffee and head out the door. Its amazing to see so many people so early, congregated at the field. Around 5:30AM the balloonists start rolling out the balloons, the mega fans are set up to semi-inflate the massive balloons, the baskets are prepped and readied for flight. As the sun continues to rise the mist is over the Suncook River, there are a few balloons that like to ‘skim the water’ it’s prime photo opportunity. There are balloon chase vehicles that head out to follow the paths of the balloons. Upon landing, and they will land anywhere and everywhere including the middle of Rte 28! For those property owners that graced by a rather large balloon, are greeted with a traditional little bottle of champagne (add a little oj and mmm! mimosa morning – maybe I’ll just follow the balloons). The rest of the day the park is abuzz with vendors, arts ,and crafts booths, helicopter rides, the BoyScouts have a dunking booth, a few carnival rides and music. Its a fun family time! The Balloonists take flight once in the morning and again at 5:30PM. Following this flight, is a night inflation. A few of the balloons light up like fireflies while tethered to the ground. Once it’s truly dark the BEST Fireworks in the State takes place.

Sunday morning at 5:30AM is the last flight for the Pittsfield Balloon Rally. Following this flight is a 5K Roadrace at 9AM. Any Bootcampers planning to enter this year?! Maybe Dean and Nancy want to try out their ‘finger-toe shoes’??!!

Well, hope to see you all out there this weekend.

Ooops, see … I really am filled with HOT AIR!!

Blog you later.

gretchen

Women like to look and feel beautiful. For most of us that means standing in front of a mirror primping, grooming, plucking, preening, polishing, drying, and that is just for our face! Not to talk about holding our breath while the jeans get zipped, walking in heels that leave blisters, doing our nails, using self tanning lotions, and other concoctions.

This is a drug store fix. It’s the mask we wear to cover up what we really look like. I’m not against making fashion fun, but our skin gives us clues as to what is going on inside our bodies.

Skin is the largest organ of the body. It’s also the only one visible. Skin is the mirror to our other organs. Skin has the ability to rid your body of toxins. If you don’t believe me think about what happens when a small speck of dirt gets trapped under our skin; Pimples. What about a sliver that is left too long under the top layer of skin? Your body does its best to expel the sliver on its own.  Skin also expels many toxin via sweat and perspiration. These toxins are brought into our bodies from the food we eat and the environment we live in.

Skin should look and feel beautiful. When it looses it elasticity, becomes thin and pale, or becomes dry it is a sign of something wrong inside of us. A clear pathway from the inside of our bodies to the skin we see, is essential. It is the only way to ensure true long lasting health and beauty.

It’s a vicious cycle. The modern women stamps out her own beauty with the wrong foods, always on the go lifestyle, little exercise and then requires her to buy products to help her look younger and beautiful and appear healthy!

The solution? Throw out everything in the makeup bag, slip on frumpy clothes, and never use anything that uses electricity again? No, but balance has to be there. As women we need to focus on the inner care of our bodies like we focus on the mask that hides what we truly look like.

To the beautiful women we all are,

Coach Nancy

A woman’s strength is not always measured by how much weight they can lift in the gym or how many crunches they can crank out.

As a wife and a mom I often measure my strength by how well I got through the day. You know how many items on my To-Do list was crossed off. I hate to admit it but I sacrifice my family at times in order to get the list done. Even worse my hubby suffers from lack of attention from the one person who claims to love him the most, me.

Sometimes as busy women in today’s society we are so focused on the kids and our career that we take our spouse for granted. Have you ever stressed about not getting a household chore done that we take it out on our spouse?  Here are three little tips to avoid arguments and remind us to keep the spark going:

• Resist the urge to ‘win’ every argument.

• Be vocal about your adoration.

• Hold hands when you’re sleeping.

Measure your strength not only in the gym but use your family and your hubby as your grading scale. How much energy are you using to love them?

From the heart,

Coach Nancy