Summer 2008 Beat the Heat Issue

LAUREN'S COMMENTARY

This summer I recommend shopping at a farmer’s market, a break from the gym and time away. Plus download my FREE recipes that will take the heat off and please your family or the company picnic crowd. Read about how I helped Canadian Dance Champions create a winning nutrition plan. Enjoy the summer!  

Its Alfresco Season

Summer is a wonderful opportunity to get out of the kitchen and dine alfresco. It is also the perfect time for raw fruits and vegetables, salads and even soups…and so relatively easy to maintain healthy habits established during a spring detox. Make an effort to support your local farmer’s markets and you will find local produce is plentiful and cheaper, and just tastes better. Here is a list of what fruit and vegetables are in season during July and/or August:

Fruit: Apples (Red Delicious, Northern Spy, Golden Delicious, Crispin), Apricots, Blueberries, Cherries, Currants, Gooseberries, Blue Grapes, Nectarines, Peaches, Pears, Plums, Yellow Raspberries, Strawberries, Watermelon.

Vegetables: Asian Vegetables (Choy sum, Mustard greens, Snow pea shoots, Asian Broccoli, Nappa, Lo Bok (Daikon), Bok Choy), Asparagus, Green and Wax beans, Beets, Broccoli, Red and Green Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Corn, Cucumber, Eggplant, Garlic, Leeks, Lettuce, Mushrooms, Onions, Green and Snow Peas, Peppers, Potatoes, Radicchio, Radishes, Rapini, Spinach, Sprouts, Squash, Tomatoes, Zucchini. 

While you are shopping, look for certified organic sources, or keep in mind some produce can be very high in pesticides. Choose produce with low levels of pesticides, or from sources which use lower levels. Here are some examples:

High levels of pesticides: Strawberries, Bell Peppers (red and green), Spinach, Cherries (US), Peaches, Apples, Apricots, Green Beans, Grapes (Chile), Cucumbers, Pears.

Low levels of pesticides: Avocados, Corn, Onions, Sweet Potatoes, Cauliflower, Grapes (US, Mexico), Plums, Watermelon, Broccoli. 

FREE Recipe Download:

Get out of the Gym

Summer’s here and the heat is on. It’s time to get out of the gym and move your workout outside. A change of pace and activity is good for both your mind and body. Not sure how to substitute your regular workout? Here’s an approximate comparison of outdoor activities and the calories burned per 30 minutes versus general aerobics (281 calories) and Pilates yoga (255 calories) at the gym. The amount of calories burned varies according your muscle mass and body weight:

Basketball 255 calories
Cycling outdoors 19-22km/h 332 calories
Golf 204 calories
Jogging 8km/h 332 calories
Power walking 153 calories
Rollerblading 306 calories
Soccer 306 calories
Swimming-leisure (not laps) 255 calories
Tennis-singles 332 calories

Heat/Smog Alert:
When working out when it’s hot/poor air quality, its best to observe a few precautions:
Carry a bottle of water with you and drink up-and often. If you're thirsty, you're already dehydrated, so sip continuously before you crave a cool one.

Time your training. Rearrange your schedule to work out when the temperature is cooler. Choose early-morning or late-evening workouts.

Dress light. It makes sense to wear workout clothes that wick away sweat during your exercise. But did you know that the color of your clothes plays a role in keeping you cool? Ditch the black and go for light-colored workout wear that reflects rather than absorbs; wear loose fitting wicking clothing so sweat can evaporate. Better yet, invest in some clothes that wick, like Cool-Max and DriFit.

A wet bandana or ice pack scarf around the neck can also help with staying cool.

Pick your spot. If you are running, walking, cycling, rollerblading, etc, choose the shaded trails and wooded areas. You’ll find these to be at least a few degrees cooler.  If there are smog or humidity warnings, working out indoors in air conditioning might be a good idea, especially if you have respiratory problems.

PRODUCT REVIEW

New fabric technologies work hard to keep you cool
There’s no need to be uncomfortable or embarrassed by sweat soaked clothes and soggy, heavy t-shirts that bog you down in your workouts. Today plain cotton and Lycra has been replaced with advanced fabric technologies offering built-in cooling, wicking and odor resistant workout fabrics.

My personal fabric favourite is by Nike called Dri-Fit Sphere. I have run my last four marathons wearing this fabric, and although I am an extreme sweater, I crossed the finish line feeling dry and comfortable. Dri-Fit Sphere is a fabric composed of an inner layer that grabs moisture and pulls it away from your skin while an outer layer pushes the moisture to the surface where it is able to evaporate. The entire fabric is covered with textured mini-spheres, which are little domes with only the tips touching the surface of your skin so you don’t get that clingy sensation. The spheres also add a little space so that the air can circulate, which improves the breathability of the fabric. This makes the clothes designed from this fabric extremely comfortable and enables you to focus on your workout and not on uncomfortable clothing!
Another good option for moisture wicking are products made of Coolmax™ which is a special fibre construction from InVista. The polyester fibre is not round, but has the shape of a flattened double eight. Due to this construction the Coolmax™ fibres have a 20% larger surface, ensuring superior wicking. With Coolmax™ clothing the wearer remains comfortably dry, even during strenuous effort. Coolmax™ prevents latent heat and shivering during rest periods and supports the natural cooling process during periods of exertion.

Odorless technology
Everyone who has established a regular exercise habit knows the unpleasantness of punky smelling clothes! This happens when the sweat and body oils of multiple workouts has infected the clothes and bacteria and fungus that feed off these fluids infested in the fabric. These bacteria and fungus create an odor, and once it is in the fiber it can’t be removed and will become prevalent when they get wet again—like in the middle of a workout!
Brooks has recently introduced a line of fitness clothing called HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning). They even put it in one of their sneakers, the Trance. The technology behind this revolutionary fabric is the inclusion of silver fibers, which are a natural conductor. These silver fibers are infused into fabrics like polyester and nylon and function to move heat away from the hot spots like the underarm and backs of knees where sweat production is highest. The silver infusion has anti-microbial properties; silver ions actually stab the cell wall of the bacteria and fungus causing a natural “electrocution”. No micro-organisms equals no odor!
There are now a variety of anti-odor fibers available. You will even find socks with this technology because bacteria invade socks more frequently due to a higher prevalence of bacteria on the bottom of feet. Then, when you wash your socks with other clothes, the rest of the laundry will pick up the odor. Not pleasant! Odorless socks will help you avoid this.

These new high tech fibers and clothing are a bit more costly then their low tech counterparts, but the experience of comfortable, dry, cool and enjoyable workouts is priceless! Look for these fabric technologies and brands a specialty fitness clothing retailers such as The Running Room.

SOME HOT FACTS

Environment Canada says the number of hot days above 30°C in Ontario was two to three times the normal in 2007 and both Environment Canada and The Weather Network predict above normal temperatures in Ontario for the summer of 2008

Last summer, Toronto saw 29 ‘smog advisory days’, the second most on record. Hopefully The Weather Network forecast for the jet stream to be our hero and push the bad air away this summer.

VACATION COACH

Three steps to help make your vacation great
Do family and vacations mix? Summer is when we most often gather as families or extended families. But how do you keep your cool and get the break you need when your lifestyles and emotions get too hot? As one of your few opportunities to spend time with your partner, friends, family or just by yourself, it’s important to get the most out of it. Her are three ways to help you and those you are with enjoy your time away.

Step One: Do your homework. You don't have to plan every minute of every day (although some people prefer this), but at least book a place to stay if you are taking an overnight trip. Get a feel for the attractions, activities and eateries in the area you'll be going to. A spontaneous romantic getaway can add excitement to your relationship, but driving around trying to find a place with a vacancy with a car filled with tired kids will almost guarantee you a miserable time. The biggest cause of stress on a vacation involves making decisions. The bigger the group, the harder it is to get everyone to agree about where to eat and what to do. Taking everyone's wants and interests in mind prior to your trip will allow you to plan activities that appeal to everyone. When vacationing with a family, find ways to satisfy a little bit of everyone's needs. Help children realize that they have to make some tradeoffs too. Plan group as well as "alone" activities. An early morning walk on the beach can be the best part of a vacation.

Step Two: Separate business from pleasure. Especially on a family vacation your loved ones may feel neglected if you are constantly “checking in”. Just because your Blackberry allows you to stay in touch with the office, it doesn’t mean you should. In fact, some companies are insisting their employees ‘switch off’. Taking a real break from your work will bring you back refreshed. If you are in a line of work where you are expected to always be on call, try to schedule time each day for work. Get up an hour before everyone else so you can check and respond to your messages, or block off hours where you've set the expectation at work that you won't be available.  

Step Three: Don't get worked up over small things. Forgetting small items like a toothbrush, baby food or a camera can cause a lot of unnecessary stress. Simply go to a store and pick up replacements. Most ‘essential’ items can be replaced at a modest cost. The worst thing you can do is get into an argument over who forgot to pack the item. And, don't let other people ruin your day. Some people are rude and obnoxious so don't let the fact that they cut you off, smoked in a non-smoking area, or used inappropriate language eat away at you for the whole trip. After the incident, they've gone away and probably will never think of you again, so why let them continue to torture you?
Vacations should be happy and pleasurable. Take time to genuinely appreciate where you are, what you're doing and whom you're with. Tell those with you what you appreciate.

SUCCESS STORIES

High Performance Dance

Canadian Ballroom dance partners needed to stay fit and focused on their upcoming championship competition, but they were feeling exhausted from not eating enough calories regularly throughout the day and including protein with their meals. With some minor changes Lauren made to their diet, supplements and mealtimes, the pair soon felt more energized and equipped for the demands of their schedule. 

“Thank you for giving us the protein powder and the drink for us to try. We really liked them, and want to continue to use these brands. We feel really good, last week was very busy with lots of lessons training and practicing and we went through it quite well. I feel I have more energy and when I eat more often I feel I don't eat as much and then don't feel so bloated.”

Delicious and Nutritious Corporate Picnic

Does your company host an annual company picnic? Give these menu ideas to the party planner at your company for some tips and suggestions to make sizzling family-friendly food for the party that taste great and is guilt free. Traditional picnic foods like fried chicken and potato salad can wreak havoc on one’s diet. The good news is that with a little tweaking, picnics can offer healthy foods sure to delight all ages without compromising waistlines.

Download Lauren Jawno's FREE Summer 2008 Recipes

SALADS & SIDES
Grilled vegetables corn, peppers, mushrooms.
In starchy salads, substitute whole-grain pasta for white pasta and sweet potatoes for white potatoes.
Break free of tradition and try a brown rice salad or whole-wheat couscous salad.
Use dressings made with less oil and more vinegar or other added liquids such as fruit juices.

A colorful fruit platter or fruit salad is sure to satisfy even the most discerning sweet tooth. Most kids (adults, too) also love diving into big wedges of drippy watermelon.

MAINS
Wraps with lean meat, salsa and veggies. Wraps are easy to eat and transport, and can be super nutritious.
Lean beef burgers or ground turkey breast burgers. They will shave fat and calories over regular ground beef. Skip the cheese and save even more.
BBQ chicken or skinless chicken breasts, pork tenderloin, and veggie burgers are other delicious picnic food ideas. Try them brushed with barbeque sauce and topped with lettuce, tomato, and other veggies.

REFRESHMENTS
Take plenty of ice water, sparkling water, unsweetened iced tea, juice diluted with water. If alcohol is served, select light beer and wine spritzers. Both are more refreshing in the mid-day heat and lower in calories. Other options to satisfy thirst include: frozen fruit pops, lemonade with a splash of cranberry juice or fruit juices mixed half and half with water.

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