No Fitness Center? No problem!

By Bethany Garrity

Since I work at a fitness center, the idea of not having access to one has always seemed a little far-fetched. I’ve been lucky enough that with a little planning, catching a spin class before work or pilates class on my lunch break had been pretty easy to schedule; it’s a great perk of the job! Combine working in a fitness center to working only 5 minutes from home and I had easy access to the gym seven days a week. The key word in that statement is, of course, “had”.

About a year ago my husband and I moved closer to our family... and about 45 minutes further from work. This wasn’t a problem until just two short months later when we were blessed with our first child. Along with all of the joys of a new baby, we also found ourselves with an additional 20 minutes tagged on to our already long commute in order to drop the baby off at day care. Suddenly that morning spin class seemed a whole lot earlier and that great lunchtime pilates class meant I might be late to day care. So I found myself wondering, how do people maintain a consistent exercise schedule when they don’t have easy access to a fitness center?

Sure, I’ve always made the most of my opportunities when we travel. My husband and I frequent the hotel fitness centers, go for a run or (our favorite) travel with our bikes and hit up the local bike shops to find some great routes. But, that’s just for a week. This was looking to be a long term trend for me personally and I had to imagine that I was not alone. Let’s face it, in the midst of a tough economy people are cutting corners wherever they can… and in many cases this involves dropping a gym membership to save costs. So, I became very intrigued to find out what do people do when all of their workouts are taking place in the absence of a fitness center.

It turns out that Indy has a lot more to offer than I realized and summer is a great time to take advantage of all that the city has to offer. The best part is you can start in your own back yard…. literally! According to the American Council on Exercise, an hour of gardening can burn 300 calories. Still want more? Mowing your lawn with a push mower can help you burn another 400 calories. So, slather on the sunscreen and head outdoors! What could be better than accomplishing a household chore, getting in your daily exercise and getting a nice suntan while you’re at it?

Don’t enjoy yard work? Don’t worry there are plenty of other options that allow you to leave home and enjoy your community. Of course, there’s always the Monon Trail, which is a great place to walk, run, bike, rollerblade or any other form of movement that comes to mind! The double bonus here is that you get great people watching opportunities and can always find a great place to stop for lunch along the way.

If you’re looking for a little more of a “great outdoors” experience, Indy has that, too. Eagle Creek offers great roads for a bike ride, trails for hiking or running and, of course, a great beach where you can relax after finishing your exercise. On top of 3.5 miles of trails, Holliday Park also offers gardening work days for those of you who don’t have your own yard to play in (recall the great calorie burning effects of gardening that were mentioned above) as well as family fun days where you can partake in a scavenger hunt with your kiddos as a way to get the whole family active together.

If trail runs and bike rides aren’t you’re idea of fun, don’t worry there are still plenty of opportunities out there. There are sports complexes such as baseball diamonds, tennis courts, aquatics centers and even gyms located at parks throughout the city such as Broadripple Park and Krannert Park. Many of these parks offer group fitness classes, as well. Just check out http://www.indyparks.org/ to find a sports complex or park near you.

So, it turns out that there aren’t a lot of excuses for inactivity….. even when there isn’t easy access to a fitness center. Grab your tennis shoes and gym shorts and let’s get fit while exploring the city!

Bye Bye Bisque :(

By Annie Conner


I made a disappointing discovery today…. but before I get into that let me start from the beginning.


My previous entries have been about my “low-carb” quest. For the past two months I’ve significantly decreased the amount of bread, potatoes and pasta from my diet. It’s been tough because I LOVE these foods, however, I realized that I was consuming WAY too much of them and I wanted to see what effect they had on my health/weight. As I mentioned in my last two blogs, I’ve seen many positive results which I won’t get into again but I have had a struggle with finding good “replacement” foods. Restaurants are the most difficult when it comes to low-carb foods and there are only so many salads I can handle in one week.

So, I was overjoyed when I stumbled upon a little soup called Seafood Bisque. I had never had it before and on a whim decided to try it. WOW! Love at first taste. Two amazing “Bisque stops” are George’s (off of Binford and 71st) and Joe’s Crab Shack. My mouth is watering just writing about it. Discovering this little jewel gave me new encouragement and motivation to stick with my low-carb diet because I had just found a delightful replacement. And I came to the conclusion that it couldn’t be unhealthy because it’s soup, right? (You can probably tell right about now that my “health knowledge” of food is very limited) And it’s low-carb too!

But this is what I found today in my inbox. The article below destroyed my hope and love of bisque. I almost wished that I hadn’t read it…ignorance really is bliss in this case. Unless you want to know the truth DON’T proceed.

I do have to say though, articles like these do help you make healthier choices (even if you don’t want to make the healthy choice) and provide you with great “healthy” substitutions. I highly recommend signing up for weekly “diet tips” so you can stay on course with those healthy food decisions.

I just wish it wasn’t about Bisque….

What's Healthier: Lobster Bisque or New England Clam Chowder?

Chowders seem like the perfect food for both cold, wintry days and summertime escapes to the seashore. If you're staring down a menu that features both lobster bisque and New England clam chowder, you might not quibble over which one is a healthier (or not quite as awful) choice. After all, they're both laden with fat and calories, right? Well, yes, you're right — but one of them is almost 200 calories more per serving.

New England clam chowder: 543 calories
Lobster bisque: 710 calories Calories saved: 167 calories

Why it's a bargain: While it's not a total bargain (tomato-based Manhattan clam chowder is a better bet), New England clam chowder wins the distinction because it is made with milk or cream, while lobster bisque is made with heavy cream. Bisque, after all, means thick and creamy, so what would you expect?

What to look out for: Lower calories aside, New England clam is still loaded with almost 40 grams of fat for a two-cup serving. If you have to have it, order it in a cup rather than a bowl.

http://www.dietdetective.com/daily-diet-tip.aspx?issueid=40986

My Fitness Pal

By Megan Risinger

I've always been the type of person who doesn't truly and/or accurately keep track of what they are eating or how many calories per day I'm consuming. I usually would just use the technique, "Ok, I've had ice cream yesterday, so I probably shouldn't eat it for awhile," or "I feel like I haven't eaten 'healthy' in awhile, so I'll pass on going to McDonald's today." I never really knew how much I was taking in on a daily basis or how much exercising helped in that area. Recently I was introduced to a website called My Fitness Pal (www.myfitnesspal.com). On there you can track what you are eating for every meal, including snacks! Most of time, I'll eat something and will not remember to look at the amount of calories or I go out to eat and don't know how many are included. With this website, I can simply type in a restaurant, brand, or food item and then I can look through the list to find what I ate, plus the amount! I love not having to mentally add up all calories I've eaten in a day - I let the website do it for me. Once you start adding in your foods, the tracker will tell you how many calories you have left remaining for the day (your daily calorie intake is based on a desired goal YOU set for yourself - if you want to lose 3 pounds in X amount of weeks, it calculates the amount of daily calorie intake you need to reach your goal). It's kind of like a budget for you calories. If I know I went all out for a big lunch, I know my dinner will probably be a smaller portion and/or healthier option. Sometimes I use to splurge on both lunch and dinner, so now I'm on track to watch out for that. Also on this site you can log your exercise for each day (cardiovascular and strength training). If you do cardiovascular exercises in a given day, it will let you know that you were given an extra X calories because of your cardiovascular exercise (that definitely motivates me to get that in as much as I can - you can eat more :) It's interesting how my choices will vary, knowing that I can see what I'm eating and what my "budget" is for calories. I find myself not buying that coke, because I know that will take up my calorie space. It's free to do and really puts it all into perspective! Try it out and see how it works for you!

Update on the Conner Lifestyle Program

By Megan Risinger

So the Lifestyle program is taking off...especially in one of our local client sites! A client I am currently working with has taken the Lifestyle ball and is running with it. I have met with them on several different occasions to help with the process. We set up a bulletin board in their cafeteria area that incorporates health and wellness tips/topics. When I was putting it together, I had several different employees come over to me and inquire about the information - love to see that! We created a timeline, got the executive staff on board, sent out the Lifestyle Program launch letter, customized an online survey for employees to take, and just last week had the Employee Kickoff Meeting! At this meeting, we try to show the employees that they should/want to get on board about being healthier and changing up their unhealthy lifestyle. We showed a power point and incorporated some of "The Office" clips (this season they had a wellness episode, which was just hilarious!). I think the mixture of comedy plus real-life "scary" health issues kept everyone's interest. Now that we have charged through the beginning steps, we are now moving towards creating a Lifestyle Committee, gathering the results of the surveys and health risk assessments and moving towards implementing the programs into the workplace! It's amazing to work with a group that is set to change their bad habits and who wants to see results. This group doesn't hesitate to get on board when it comes to wellness. We try to make it a fun process for the employer and for their employees. We want people to participate, have fun, and see results! If you are interested in hearing more about our program or if you'd like a reference about our program, don't hesitate to ask...Becoming healthier starts today and EVERY STEP COUNTS!

Fabulous Farmer’s Markets

By Angie Scheetz, RD
Wellness Coordinator at National Institute for Fitness and Sport

One of my favorite things to do once it is spring in Indiana is to visit the various farmers’ markets around town. As a dietitian I am a sucker for the fresh fruits and veggies but I also love the homemade desserts, candles, pasta, kettle corn, fresh flowers, and other wonderful items you can find. Here are my top five reasons why visiting your local farmer’s market is a must.

1. Support for the local community – Since the produce is grown and purchased locally, the money remains in the community and stimulates the local economy. Also, when you shop at the farmers’ market you are cutting out the middle man and the product is generally less expensive than if you purchased it in the grocery store.
2. Eating foods that are in season – Farmers’ market produce is picked ripe and sold soon after picking. Supermarket produce, on the other hand, can take up to two weeks to travel from the farm to the store, even when it is in season. The produce tastes richer and more flavorful and the nutrients are better retained. Check out the downtown City Market website for what products are available during the months the market is open: www.indycm.com/index.php?page=content_Whats_In_Season
3. It is good for you – The average American eats 4.4 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. The current recommendations are 9 servings per day. Picking up multiple servings of fruits and veggies and incorporating them into recipes, meals, and snacks is a great way to get closer to the 9 serving per day goal. This will guarantee you are meeting your recommended vitamin and mineral requirements, increasing your daily fiber intake, and acquiring cancer fighting antioxidants too. Locally grown produce is lower in pesticides and chemicals also.
4. You can talk to the farmers who grew the food you are about to eat - You can meet the farmers who grew your food, ask when it was picked, how it was grown, and ways to prepare it. When else do you get the opportunity to learn so much about what you are putting in your mouth?
5. There is certain to be one that fits your location and schedule – I love being able to go to the City Market farmers’ market on my lunch break downtown and sampling the hot, fresh kettle corn, picking up sweet corn, and getting homemade cookies on Wednesday afternoons. Saturday mornings it is off to the Carmel farmers’ market to purchase bon bons from Holy Cow Cupcakes, homemade pasta, and a whole assortment of fruits and veggies for the week. To find out where the location of a farmers’ market is close to you check out this website: http://apps.ams.usda.gov/FarmersMarkets/ .
Whether you are picking up items for dinner or for the whole week, the local farmers’ market is an inexpensive, healthy alternative to the grocery store. Try to get there early to get the best variety and options. Not all vendors accept credit cards so be sure to have cash on hand. Finally, bring along your own reusable grocery bag to put all of your goodies in so it is easier to carry home your fresh, delicious finds.

No Carbs, No Problem

By Annie Conner

I’m back and I have some good news…

I finished my two weeks of the “no-carb” diet and I’m proud to say that I stuck to it!!!…the only exception was a basket of chicken fingers on my last day of the diet which was also my birthday dinner.

I’m not going to lie…it was TOUGH!! There were a couple of days where I felt a little light-headed and sugar-deprived but that was mainly due to the fact that I failed to eat as often as I should have that day.

My results: I lost a total of 3 lbs, my pants fit much better, and I can noticeably see muscle definition now.

I’ve been so pleased with my results that I’ve stuck with some of my no-carb principles. I only have bread with sandwiches, whereas before I’d have at least 2 pieces at dinner, etc. I also only have pasta and potatoes in very limited portions, if at all. This means I’m no longer snacking on crackers and chips (goldfish crackers are my weakness) but healthier options like peanuts and edamame (Sam’s sells awesome frozen edamame)

For snack time I’ve switched to tomatoes, cocoa-flavored almonds at Sam’s (seen here in the picture - SO DELICIOUS – they taste like Oreo’s and are much healthier) and LOTS of fruit!!!

All in all, this has greatly solved the Weekend-Binge problem I told you about in my blog from last month. Since I have been focused on eating foods that are healthy and contain little carbs, that basically knocks out ALL fast food restaurants (the source of my demise) as options for nutrition.

That’s not to say I’ll never have carbs again or visit a fast-food restaurant, but now I’m more aware of the effect it has on my body and know what I can substitute in its place.

Brown Bagged Lunches: Trims away the weight and saves you cash!

By Megan Risinger

Remember the good ol' days when your mom or dad use to pack you a lunch to take to school everyday? Well, we can bring that pattern back into the workplace (even though you may have to pack your own lunch nowadays, unfortunately). I have come across some articles that specifically focus on how brown bag lunches can save you on calories as well as money. I was intrigued because I would go out to lunch many times a week. On a website I was on a few weeks ago, it said that eating out for lunch is around $6.50 each time - and that's probably at the lower end - whereas the cost of a bagged lunch is only about $3.00! The site even broke it down to show that in 1 month you'll pack 20 bagged lunches, which will save you $70.00/month. Now that brings it into focus for me! Knowing that I can save $70/month if I just pack a lunch (or eat at home) was amazing to me.

When it comes to bagged lunches here are some helpful insights I found out:

- In general, brown bag lunches tend to be smaller in portion size and lower in calories (compared to going out to eat)
- Make extra (healthy) food for dinner the night before your workday, that way you can bring the leftovers as your next day's lunch. The best way to remember to pack your lunch, is to do this before you actually sit down to dinner - you could put it into a plastic container and stick it in the refrigerator before you even sit down to relax.
- When it comes to what to pack, here are some different options which may help to keep your lunches interesting/good:

*Buy a large bag of salad mix and pre-cooked grilled strips, and low fat dressing
*Cook a pack of chicken breasts on Sunday, so that way each day following you can make some sort of chicken meal and then you can add a different side dish each day
*Add some sort of spicy mustard, hummus, or fat free mayo that you can spice up with a bit of fresh garlic, pesto, or chipotle sauce to put on your sandwiches
*Try some exotic fruits - kiwi, papaya, lychee (have to say I'm not too familiar with this one, ha), passion fruit, or mango
*Rice cakes dipped in salsa or a small bag of mixed nuts
*Try toasting your bread for your sandwich - it can contrast what you are used to!
*Mix up what you use for bread - whole grains, pitas, and/or wraps

If anyone has any ideas to add to the list above, I'd love to hear them! I'm get stuck in my same old routine when it comes to lunches, so the more ways to keep it interesting the better!

Is Racing a Sport?

By Bethany Garrity (National Institute for Fitness and Sport)

I’m not an Indiana native and I didn’t grow up around race car driving. I’m a Buckeye – I’m all about the football. So I was recently lamenting the complete absence of any good current college football on TV. I can only watch the Big Ten Network reruns so many times and I got to thinking (OK – so I was complaining) about the other sports that are or will soon be getting play time. Let’s see - there’s baseball, hockey, golf, and racing. For me, baseball, hockey and golf are sports. Not sports I love, but I do view them as athletic pursuits; though I’ll admit, it took me a while to come around to golf as a “sport”. Racing is a different story. Unless we’re talking about racing on foot, it just doesn’t resonate with me as a sport.

I originally chalked that “it’s not a sport” mentality for race car driving up to the fact that I simply wasn’t into the hype. I don’t know anything about race car driving, and to be honest, I didn’t see the physical challenge in driving a car in circles. However, with two young boys at home, I started thinking it might behoove me to get on board with something they could potentially love, and I figured that maybe I could embrace Indiana’s racing culture if I could see it as a sport.

So I started researching the Indy Racing League (IRL) to see what I could find out about stock car racing. Let me set the scene of my racing ignorance for you – I had to research and confirm that the IRL was stock car racing, and it was only after that confirmation that I actually tied NASCAR into the whole thing.

I started seeing the term “land rocket” in my search, and I noted that the drivers sometimes maintained speeds of 200 mph for four to six hours and in high heat. My education in exercise science began to kick in and I realized that those physical demands had to have some kind of traditional exercise component, and thus, perhaps stock car racing really was an athletic pursuit. There has to be something “fitness-y” about drivers expected to produce under those conditions.

My conclusion – it turns out race car driving is a sport! I found quite a bit about training regimes both on and off “season”. But what hit home most for me was a press release from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). The ACSM is one of the top certifying and educating bodies in the field of health and exercise. In a press release for a December, 2002, article in the Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise journal, they noted that drivers reach levels of exertion similar to what athletes playing basketball might attain.

They also noted that the work level for a driver is comparable to someone running at an eight to ten minute per mile pace. Now that is something I can relate to as I’m wrapping up training for my first Indianapolis Mini Marathon with a nine minute per mile pace group. It’s hard for me to imagine maintaining that pace for four to six hours with temperatures in the high 90’s to over 100 degrees.

Go NASCAR, go IRL – race your hearts out! I can’t promise I’ll watch with enthusiasm and follow like a true fan, but my appreciation has grown. Now, if we could just get more sports fans to adopt a piece of the exercise routines from their most beloved drivers, pitchers, shooters, goalies, defenders…

Nutrition On A Budget

Contributed by National Institute for Fitness and Sport (NIFS)

After I graduated from Purdue (Boiler Up!) this past December and began my venture into the “real world”, I had certain expectations of what was to come. Aside from my friends who already had real jobs telling me to change my major again and stay at Purdue as long as possible, I wasn’t too concerned. After all, I would be making a few bucks and could at least finally start grocery shopping like an adult, right? Turns out the price of those college apartments I used to complain about weren’t so expensive after all. And in this age of technology, how could I possibly survive without my HD television and digital DVR box? No wireless internet? Forget about it. Pile this on top of a severely depressed economy and I soon found myself digging once again, between the cushions of the couch, in hopes that I could scrounge up enough change to buy some frozen veggies, ground beef, and maybe, just maybe a bag of oranges.

Luckily for me, I had already honed my nutrition-on-a-budget skills while pursuing my degree in dietetics. Here are some of my tips for purchasing nutritious foods without breaking the bank:

- Buy in Bulk
o Not only will you need to make fewer trips to the store (less gas too!), but buying items in bulk just flat out costs less. A good rule of thumb is that the more work that has been put into the product, the more it will cost. For example, you can save money by purchasing a whole chicken and cutting it up at home instead of buying boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

- Learn to Love the ‘Store Brands’
o Ok, so maybe everything you buy doesn’t have to be Food Club or Great Value, but most of the time the store brands are your best bet. Think frozen vegetables, grains, cereals, peanut butters, canned goods, etc. Find out which ones work well for you because tastes can vary.

- Cut the Coupons
o I can still remember going downstairs every Sunday morning as a kid and coming across my mom clipping coupons with her cup of coffee. It was like clockwork. It was also smart. If you are willing to take a few minutes each week to practice your scissor skills, you can really reap the benefits. The coupons will allow you to get those must-have name brand products.

- Purchase Plenty of Produce
o Not only is it extremely beneficial to your health, but it’s also easy on the pocketbook. Buying what’s in season is also wise because the product will generally have a higher nutrient value and will taste better as well. Don’t want to spend $3.99 for a mini container of raspberries? Me neither. Read on.

- Be Freezer Friendly
o Ah the freezer section, what a wonderful invention! Those $3.99 raspberries we just talked about are usually cheaper when frozen and can be kept on hand for months. As an added bonus, they are frozen as soon as they are picked and therefore retain more of their nutrients. This is opposed to sitting on a boat, and then a truck, and finally your grocer’s shelves before you even get them to your pad. The same holds true for your veggies!

- Shop Sale Savvy
o In addition to clipping the coupons, keep an eye out for overall store sales. You’d be surprised at how much money you can save without cutting a single coupon. But buyer beware- those discounts are usually reserved for the elite card holders. Yes, you have to be in the club to get the discount. The good news is that those cards are free, so um… problem solved.

Conner's New Lifestyle Program

By Megan Risinger

Our new Lifestyle Program is taking off! We have had several companies get on board just within the last few weeks, which is great. It's amazing the response you get from being able to show the details of a program from start to finish right from the beginning, so employers know what they are getting into. These companies are also realizing that getting their employees healthy needs to be a top priority. Without that, our unhealthy culture will continue in a downward spiral until there's no hope, at all, for recovery. To tackle the problem areas now rather than later is key! Our program is tailor-made to each company, which is what separates us from others. We figure out what needs you have and that's where we put our focus. There are so many options to choose from when you are starting to implement the program. I think each employee will be able to find their niche! We recently met with one of the largest wellness companies in the United States a few weeks back and he was so complimentary of our program. He was highly impressed (which is great to hear from an actual wellness company)! We are excited to spread the word about the Lifestyle Program to all your companies and hope that it will be a turning factor for all.

Travel Doesn't Have to Hurt Your Wellness Regimen!

By Tom Conner

Time for my monthly blog. Oh yea!! So what have I done since I last left off? Well 2 weeks ago I was in Sarasota where the weather was perfect for running. So I ran 4 out of the 7 days I was there. Each time I ran 4 miles. The problem I noticed is that I started to feel something wrong on the front of my left knee.
While in Florida, I ate a lot of fish, which is lean protein, so I maintained my weight. Yea! So I come home and because of the small discomfort in my knee I don’t run all week. Plus the weather is lousy and I usually prefer to run outside. The only exercise I get is on the elliptical and some weight lifting, which I only do on 2 days.
So my goal for the upcoming week now that I feel rested is to at least lift weights and either do the elliptical or some running (4 miles) 4 times. By the way, my weight training consists of doing 3 sets of lifting 50lbs on my universal gym. I have 4 stations I use that work my shoulders, arms, chest and back. I also do 50 crunches sitting on a big ball. So there you go.
Let’s stay fit Indiana!

The Portion Police

By Annie Conner

For my intro blog, I mentioned that my biggest obstacle when it comes to healthy living is proper nutrition. As a child, I never had a problem eating everything on my plate – this even included the “No Thank-You” helping (the serving of broccoli, peas, etc that your mom says you have to eat in order to be excused from the table). Here’s why: my mom is an awesome cook. A typical day at the Conner household consisted of my mom cooking me eggs and bacon in the morning, she’d send us off to school with a fully packed lunch, and we’d return home from school to a delicious home-cooked dinner. Because of this lifestyle, I developed a habit of eating three huge meals a day with no snacking in between. There was no need to snack - I was always full from the previous meal.

I’ve learned though that eating 3 large meals a day is WORSE than consuming 5-6 small meals throughout the day. WHAT?? You can eat more frequently and it’s better for you?!?! That’s right. Eating larger meals throughout the day causes the individual’s blood sugar and insulin levels to spike (right after their meal) and drop very low during the period before their next meal (causing irritability, hunger, confusion, etc). By eating smaller meals, the individual’s insulin and glucose levels remain steady throughout the day and it minimizes those high spikes and low levels. Eating smaller meals more frequently will also boost your metabolism. By eating every 2-3 hours you’re telling your body that it has energy and it does not need to store calories as fat. Also, you’ll avoid overeating at each meal due to intense hunger.

Armed with this knowledge, I’ve really focused lately on eating more frequently throughout the day. I’ve been integrating peanuts, fruit and string cheese into my afternoon snack and yogurt and a boiled egg for my morning snack. As a result, I’ve felt more awake throughout the day, less hungry at lunch and dinner and more energetic. I rarely have that emptiness in my stomach right before meal-times which allows me to be productive throughout the day and not focus on how hungry I am.

A couple of problems I’ve been experiencing (and maybe you could offer me some advice) are: sometimes, I have to remind myself to eat…that sounds so weird, but it’s true. The morning seems to fly by and I’ll glance at the clock and see that it’s almost lunchtime and I’ve nearly missed my morning snack. The other problem is I’m running out of snack ideas (I end up giving my yogurt a dirty look each time I have to eat it, because I can’t stand it anymore)…do any of you have any yummy snack tips that I can use??

I definitely will continue eating small meals throughout the day, but I’m going to investigate some creative snack foods to “liven up” this new eating plan.

My lifestyle rollercoaster

By Megan Risinger

VS.

There are many successes and failures I experience when it comes to health and wellness. For instance, last week I was very proud of myself for working out 3 of the days (now that coaching basketball has come to a close, I'm starting to use more of my time for myself and for working out). I feel better overall and I know that I am getting into shape and feeling good - I hope to keep it up! I have a race coming up, which is only a 3-mile race, but I still want to be able to feel decent while I run it (and if I get passed by an 80-year-old person, so be it :) While working out is an easier task for me, eating healthy is sometimes a challenge. I love the "bad" foods, but try to limit them as much as I can. Having a busy schedule and sometimes being more frugal - it's hard for me to cook that healthy meal people always talk about. And when it's just me who I'm feeding, I don't spoil myself with a good/healthy meal. I'm on the go all the time, and like most, I use that excuse quite often. I am health conscious, although I don't always follow through - that's better than nothing, right? I might go all out on a meal, so then the next few I know to take it easy. You can ask most people who know me and they'll tell you I love to eat! I have been working on eating better and adding more fruits and veggies to my diet (veggies are hard for me - I only have a select few I like). I know that we all struggle in areas here and there, so it's just best to keep your goal in mind and always be conscientious on how you're treating your body!

Carbs, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways!

By Rachel Conner

Over the past couple weeks I've been thinking, "I eat healthy food and work out a lot...why am I not losing weight and toning up as quickly as I want to be?!?!" Then I read my dad's (Tom Conner) blog below and I realized that my old man is putting me to shame in terms of fitness and nutrition! In comparison, I'm doing about half as much cardio and I'm really not eating as well as I should be. This all got me thinking about everything I've eaten over the last few days. My biggest weakness? CARBS! I've never had a problem with sweets, but bread is my kryptonite. Then my wheel really got to turning. I thought, "I wonder how many carbohydrates I'm really supposed to consume each day..." And where better to find the answer than the world wide web! So I did a little research and found that before I can calculate my daily carb intake I need to calculate my daily caloric intake. Here's the calculator I used. It's not super scientific but it told me that based on my age, height, weight and exercise level, I should be consuming about 1,788 calories a day. On the upside, that's very close to my actual intake each day. On the downside, I'm 100% sure my food pyramid is way off kilter. Next, I went here and found out this info:

Most medical experts say that 60 percent of the calories you eat every day should come from carbohydrates. To find out how many carbohydrates you need, multiply the number of calories you need by .6. For example, if you need 2,000 calories per day, 2,000 multiplied by .6 = 1,200. So you know you need 1,200 calories from carbohydrates. There are 4 calories in a gram of carbohydrate. Take your 1,200 calories and divide by 4 = 300 grams. Knowing the calories and the carbohydrate grams you need will help you when you're reading a food label.


Once the calculator on that same website did the math for me, I learned that I need 1,072.8 calories from carbohydrates, which equals 268.2 grams of carbohydrates each day. Here are some interesting facts I discovered about carbohydrates on MyFoodDiary.net while surfing the web:

Carbohydrates are separated into simple carbohydrates (sugar), complex carbohydrates (fiber) and starch. Carbohydrates can also be separated into groups based on the Glycemic Index, which measures how high and how quickly blood glucose levels change after eating carbohydrates. The higher the Glycemic Index, the higher the rise in blood sugar and the longer it takes to return to normal. For a healthy diet, it is best to focus on foods with a low Glycemic Index (e.g., whole grains, oats, and whole wheat pasta). Foods with a high Glycemic Index have been linked to elevated risks of heart disease and diabetes.

Carbohydrates are the body's main source of energy. They are easily digested and broken down into glucose, which the body uses to perform its numerous functions. In contrast, protein and fat are more difficult to digest and are needed to build tissues and cells in the body. For this reason, most of your energy (calories) should come from carbohydrates.


The following is a list of foods that are classified by their Glycemic Index.



Low Glycemic Index:
Pumpernickel Bread, Pasta (whole wheat), Bran Cereal, Soybeans, Lentils, Baked Beans, Peaches, Apples, Oranges, Milk/Yogurt, Chocolate






Moderate Glycemic Index:
Sourdough or Rye Bread, Shredded Wheat, Banana, Pineapple, Orange Juice, Ice Cream




High Glycemic Index:
White bread, Short-grain Rice, Cornflakes, Waffles, Potatoes, Carrots, Watermelon, Soft Drinks, Jellybeans, Honey





Because these tidbits of information on carbohydrates have now been brought to my attention thanks to the internet, I have decided to keep a week-long food journal to keep me accountable to balancing out my food pyramid. I will soon post this for the world to see, so keep a lookout for that entry!

Running towards improvement

By Tom Conner

I thought I would give you a brief glimpse into what a week looks like for my diet and exercise program. Keep in mind that in my younger days I was a distance runner. Then, after a foot injury, I gained weight due to becoming sedentary and not watching what I eat. Recently, I've become active again in the sport I love and I've made some serious diet changes resulting in weight loss, a boost in energy, and a regained sense of self-confidence, all of which I am working very hard to maintain.


Sunday- Ate at my favorite buffet for lunch. Need I say more? Ate a light dinner of meat and fruit. Ran 4.5 miles at a 8.5 minute pace

Monday-Banana and OJ for breakfast, with soup and salad for lunch and pasta for dinner. 40 min. on the treadmill with 3 reps of weight training using 50 lbs weight.

Tuesday- Fruit for breakfast with salad for lunch and went to Naked Tchopstix for dinner. Basically had noodles. Left knee had some soreness, so no exercise.

Wednesday- Same breakfast as Monday and then I had chili and a roll at Longhorn for lunch. I had penne pasta with chicken and 1 piece of bread with butter for dinner. 30 minutes on the elliptical and I did 50 crunches-no weights.

Thursday-fruit and a bagel for breakfast with a salad at the Rathskeller. Dinner at Cheesecake factory and had 8oz sirloin steak with veggies. Elliptical for 30 minutes with 50 crunches.

Not a real successful week because of the soreness in the knee. Planned on running the Saturday St. Patrick's Day run downtown on Saturday but will not because of the left knee.

Did not lose or gain any weight. Better luck next week.

Newsflash: gyms have TVs, too

By Rachel Conner

When I was still interested in pursuing a career in Broadcast Journalism, I signed up for this newsletter composed of headlines that update me on the happenings throughout the world of journalism. Despite my career path redirection, I haven't unsubscribed because I still like reading the daily news about the news when my friends still involved in the business aren't personally sending me updates. Here's a headline I came across this morning:

"Television Viewing at All-Time High (LAT) - The Nielsen Co.'s 'Three Screen Report' -- referring to televisions, computers, and cellphones -- for the fourth quarter said the average American now watches more than 151 hours of TV a month. That's about five hours a day and an all-time high, up 3.6% from over 145 hours in the same period last year."

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-tvwatching24-2009feb24,0,6282287.story

5 hours a day?!?! That's a little much, people! Now, I'm not going to sit here and pretend like I'm completely innocent. I average about 2 hours of Family Guy (you're welcome for the plug, Seth MacFarlane) a night. And that doesn't include the other countless hours of mindless sitcoms that snatch up all my time and attention. But it's usually AFTER I go to the gym. So my point is this: by all means, sit and enjoy your favorite TV shows after a long day at the office. Just try not to let a sedentary lifestyle completely envelope your life. While you're still up and moving right after work, take a walk around your neighborhood, use the elliptical at your apartment complex, or take advantage of the cheaper membership fees currently being promoted at your local gym thanks to our economic slump. Besides, there's a pretty good chance your gym has at least one TV in it for you to watch while you burn fat and build some muscles!

The blame game is over

By Rachel Conner

For years now we've been blaming technology for making us lazy. Well, you iPhone users are going to have to find a new excuse. Thanks to this popular do-it-all which has revolutionized the cell phone industry, technology is quickly shifting from an excuse for you to waste your day on the couch to your own pocket-sized Jack LaLanne. I've picked 3 out of 20 of Apple's favorite free Healthcare & Fitness Apps listed on the App Store. Yeah, I said free. So you can't even use the economy as an excuse this time either. Here they are in no particular order:

If you're anything like me, you eat almost every meal out. I moved back to Indy almost 6 months ago and I've only been to the grocery store 3 times. However, if you're thinking, "I'm not THAT bad" but you do live in Indy or a similar city, there's a good chance you eat every lunch out during the business week. That's why I like this app. It allows you to either look up a certain part of town or search for a restaurant by popular location. The app then calculates the healthiest thing on the menu for each restaurant in the area you searched. For example, I typed in the zip code "46250" and it pulled up 20 different restaurants in my specificied area of Indianapolis. Here's one of the results I got:

Sorted By: Distance Lowest Fat Lowest Calories Lowest Carbs

T.G.I. Friday's

Healthiest Choice: Dragonfire Chicken
Within 0.1 miles View Menu

Fat 10g Calories 500 Carbs 44g

Notice how I can also rearrange my search results by lowest fat, calories or carbs by clicking on the above links. But the best part of this app? It's not limited to the iPhone! I actually composed the above search on the website and also downloaded the free app onto my Blackberry. It's little things like this that keep me from kicking myself for buying a Curve when my friends brag about their latest iPhone downloads.

Next on the list is the iPump Free Workout! by PumpOne.

This app allows you to try it before you buy it by setting you up with 2 free total body workouts. Not only does it take you through each exercise step by step, it also provides you with images (as you can see in the picture above), videos, and audio coaching. From there you can even log your workouts. PumpOne even takes it a step further by also allowing you to sample an exercise from each of the other 19 Apps they offer on the App Store. I could go on all day about the incredible bang you get for your non-buck with this app, but I'll just let you check it out for yourself on PumpOne's website or on the App Store. Once again, this app isn't limited to the iPhone. Those of you with the iPod Touch can also download this program.

Last, but not least, is the application that ties the results from the previous two together: Lose It! by FitNow.

As seen in the picture above, you can enter your initial weight, set up your own daily calorie budget, and establish your fitness goals. From there, you can use the program's database to find and log the food you've eaten out and the exercises you complete each day. Not only will the app then track your weight loss progress, it will even predict the specific date you should achieve your goal!

So all in all, the iPhone can act as your own personal trainer and nutritionist...without the nagging or overpriced one-on-one sessions.

The bottom line: financial stress hurts us at the office

By Rachel Conner

Based on the results from our survey on the right hand column of this blog, stress is a big lifestyle concern within many of your companies. The pressure of meeting deadlines and company goals is hard on its own. But in this economy, that's no longer enough. Employees are now forced to outperform their company's expectations in order to ensure that they aren't included in the company's next round of layoffs. Now, I know you're probably thinking, "Isn't this a blog about fitness and nutrition? What does this have to do with either?" And you're right...this has nothing to do with hitting the gym or eating healthier foods. But it does have plenty to do with lifestyle. Concern over being able to pay off this month's bills is a concern that is taking a toll on more and more people every day throughout the country. Despite the fact that this stress is personal, it is hitting at least 25% of the employees within your company. Many employees faced with financial problems will openly admit that it negatively impacts their workplace productivity. This means it's not just hurting these employees' personal lives. There's a very good chance it's also affecting your company's bottom line. So I want to take this opportunity to plug a program we'll be implementing within the next 6 months to help you and your employees relieve some of your financial stress.




In May, my cousin, Ben (CFO, Conner Benefits), and I will be taking a roadtrip down to Nashville to get licensed to teach Dave Ramsey's Workplace Edition of his Financial Peace program. We will then take interested employees and their spouses through a 12-week program. Here are the main points we'll cover:


- Reducing your personal financial issues at home so you can focus on your jobs
- Why pension plans are a thing of the past
- A retirement plan for employees that really works
- The importance of disability and long-term care insurance
- How to stop 401(k) loans


If this perks your interest, let me know. I will be more than happy to get you more information on how we can educate you and your employees in the near future!

Conner Benefits Lifestyle Team

From left to right: Rachel Conner, Tom Conner, Jake Lucas,

Megan Risinger, Annie Conner

Thank you so much for visiting our new Lifestyle blog! We wanted to start 2009 off by introducing you to our Lifestyle team at Conner Benefits. I'm sure you'll see that our personal struggles with staying active and eating right are very similar to your own.



Megan Risinger:
I have been involved in sports as long as I can remember. I participated in basketball, soccer, and track throughout high school. When I went to Purdue University, I decided not to play basketball and just to participate in intramural basketball, soccer, flag football, and workout at the co-rec throughout all 4 years. I missed not having sports take up a majority of my life. Intramurals are more laid back (I am a competitive person!) and games aren’t as frequent as they had been in my earlier years. Today, I still try to get to the gym often and play basketball. Being active makes me feel good on all spectrums - from the physical aspect to the mental. By coordinating the Lifestyle Program at Conner, I've been able to be a part of the exercise and sports world again. I get to see everything vendors offer on top of all the other opportunities out there (whether that is physical activities or just learning more about health and wellness). I look forward to watching our program grow while helping myself and others get healthier!

Annie Conner:
One of my biggest struggles when it comes to healthy living is nutrition. The last thing I want to do when I get home from work is spend two hours cooking, so I often eat things that are fast but lack proper nutrition (a.k.a. a bowl of Cheerios). My goal for 2009 is to find quick, easy, inexpensive, and most important, HEALTHY meals that I can fix in order to change my eating habits. In the summer, I love to bike, wakeboard, rollerblade, run (only for a little bit!) and go for walks with my dog, but the winter is challenging to find effective exercise routines since it’s too cold to be outside and I don’t really enjoy being trapped in a gym. I also have no desire to REALLY push myself as I did in high school and college when it comes to exercise. This often doesn’t provide the results that I’m wanting to see…obviously. No pain, no gain, right?! This year I want to strive to increase the intensity of my workouts in order to maximize the time and effort I spend working out. I co-designed and coordinated our Lifestyle Program here at Conner with Megan. I look forward to helping companies in the Indianapolis area get back on track while I do the same.

Rachel Conner:
I played soccer and tennis in high school so fitness became an expected part of my daily schedule that I really never had to think about. I practically lived off of fast food and never gained a pound. Then I went to Indiana University and lost that fitness schedule but I didn’t lose my appetite. I basically ate and slept for 4 straight years and the 20 pounds I gained my freshman year proved that. I was no longer considered the “fit” one in my group of friends and I began noticing that when I was no longer receiving compliments. I didn’t feel good about myself anymore. I knew getting fit again would make me feel better – both physically and mentally. I started watching what I ate and picked up running about 6 months out of school. I was right – I gained more energy and a boost in self-confidence. Here at Conner Benefits I’ll be blogging on my struggles to maintain a healthy lifestyle, which will include posting helpful info from experts on fitness and nutrition, as well as promoting our new lifestyle program through sales and marketing.

Tom Conner:
Hi I’m the VP at Conner Benefits. I am 54 yrs old and about 2 ½ yrs ago I was diagnosed with a compressed disk in my neck. While I was going from doctor to doctor trying to figure out what to do, I would go home every night from work and eat dinner and then lay in my bed for the rest of the night. So, being 5’10”, I quickly gained weight and reached my all time high of 180 pounds. I have always been in decent shape because before my wife and I had kids I would run 5 to 6 miles almost every day. So putting on 10 pounds because of a medical problem really bothered me and at times I suffered from depression. Once I started seeing my chiropractor and I started feeling better, I decided to do something about my weight. First, I cut out all bread and soda for 90 days (I used to drink 6 cokes a day). To this day I still do not drink soda.
I then started to walk in my neighborhood every other day for 2 miles. In 90 days I lost 15 pounds due to simply changing my lifestyle from sedentary to active and by making certain diet changes. Like Rachel, I’ll be marketing and selling our new Lifestyle program to different companies throughout the Indianapolis area.

Jake Lucas:
YUP – IT TOOK TV TO WAKE ME UP – Part 1

Strangely enough, college years were the most fit I had ever been. My story after college however, may be familiar to several young dads. The excuse “work time is getting in the way of gym time,” really didn’t seem as acceptable as when it was “class time”. While time spent with my growing family and at the office was increasing, time working out slowly decreased. Imagine that! Yet, even with all my time being devoted to everything unrelated to being healthy, I’m still living as though my metabolism is stuck in the college years. It took a few things to happen before that really sunk in. Here’s a short list:

- When attempting to jog, I had to stop at the end of my driveway to catch my breath (it’s only 20 yards)
- When taking a walk, I had to stop at the end of my neighbor’s driveway to catch my breath (only another 30 yards)
- I only went on a walk if we planned to stop at Handle’s Ice Cream
- The word “diet” became an acronym for Double – It – Every – Time
- I got excited to finish off what my son didn’t eat at dinner
- Then I would wait anxiously to finish off my other son’s plate
- And my wife’s plate
- After I already had seconds
- I developed the Fit-In-This rule: Don’t worry about Fitness, as long as I “Fit-In-this”
- When 5 hours of TV after work wasn’t enough, I had to set up the DVR so I wouldn’t miss other shows while watching my “preferred shows”

Of all those things, one finally made an impact … TV. That’s right, who ever said watching too much TV is unhealthy … well, they probably are correct, which is why it’s ironic that watching TV may just save my life. Stay tuned for my next blog which will explain how that’s true. On top of blogging about my personal struggles with fitness and nutrition, I’ll also be working with Megan and Annie to help fine tune our Lifestyle program over time.