I've moved to Wordpress

Peace & blessings,

I've moved my blog to Wordpress. Please visit me at www.fitesteem.wordpress.com
Thank You.

Chesna

I'm under construction

Peace & blessings,

This blog is under construction so sit tight and look for my new and improved blog powered by wordpress. I'll keep you posted. In the meantime, keep it moving!
Chesna

What Chesna Does In The Shower

Peace & Blessings,

Now you know that this is a PG-13 blog (smile) so if you came here expecting something raunchy and crass, all I can say to you is get your mind out of the gutter! I love to STRETCH in the shower, especially after a strenuous workout.

Think about it for a moment. The best time to stretch is when your muscles and joints are warm so why not use your shower or bath time to help relieve tight muscles? When showering, I like to stretch my hamstrings by turning away from the shower head, crossing one foot over the other, bending the knee of the forward foot and hinging forward (bending from the hips, not curling the back) while using my front thigh as support. Sometimes, I stand with my ankles together, turn my head to the side (so as to avoid getting water in my nose) and touch the floor of the tub with my palms. I did these this morning after my workout and it made a big difference.

Reach out to me if you'd like to try the stretch(es) but suffer from back pain. And yes, you can stretch immediately after your shower if you prefer.

keep it moving y'all

Dara Torres Flaunts It in Beijing

Learning how to swim is on my To do list. I took a private lesson once but never followed through. If you're wondering why, my instructor's nickname for me was Rock Girl ("Who you calling Rock Girl?!....."). I had a hard time floating and his teaching style left much to be desired.

So you can imagine how excited I am over Dara Torres. At 41, she's the oldest Olympic swimmer to win a medal. Yesterday, she won silver in the 400-meter freestyle relay. It was her 10th career Olympic medal. How's that for inspiration?
Let me tell you, I'm feeling inspired and will enroll in swimming lessons in September.

Is there something you've been wanting to do but have not? Carpe diem my friend, Carpe diem!

Today is the last day of my Breakfast of Champions journal. My goal was to give you ideas on how to add some variety to your morning meals. I hope that I've succeeded. Well, I started off this morning's meal with 2 glasses of water and fresh blueberries, followed by a bowl of oatmeal and egg whites. I added cinnamon, raisins and a drizzle of honey. I found it filling and satifying.

Oatmeal is high in fiber but low in fat and it helps to lower cholesterol. There are many varieties to choose from and I suggest steel cut because they're whole oat groats which means they're less refined.

Regular, old-fashioned oatmeal will do if you cannot find the steel cut variety. What I don't want you to do is buy instant oatmeal because that variety tends to be full of crap, um hmmm, I said it.

So there you have it... a week's worth of breakfast meals. Mangiare!

2008 Olympics Video Coverage at NBC Olympics.com!

Breakfast of Champions: Saturday

It's Saturday and I'm feeling particuarly lazy today. By the time I got it together this morning, I did not have time to fix breakfast. My solution: Whole Paycheck. I stopped there in the hopes of finding fresh chicken and vegetable soup. Well, my timing was right on because there was a full crock of it waiting just for me. I helped myself to 16 oz and ordered a few slices of turkey breast. I did not have my usual cup of green tea until lunch time today.

A few weeks ago, I mentioned that I would begin to experiement with the all-natural sweetener Stevia. Today, I realized that I never shared my experiences with you. I found Stevia Extract in vanilla flavor at Whole Paycheck. It's extremely sweet so I caution you to use it sparingly. So far, I've tried it in oatmeal and herbal tea. The vanilla flavor enhanced the taste of both. Give it a try and let us know what you think. Please note, diabetics and people with blood sugar problems should consult a physician before using it.

Breakfast of Champions: Friday

Hello and Happy Friday,

Today marks the 5th day of my breakfast journal. To be honest, I wanted a hot, fluffy stack of pancakes this morning but I stuck with my original and healthier plan to finish my leftovers. So, rather than gratify my indulgence for the flapjacks, I ate a grilled chicken breast with the remainder of my kale medley (see below) and green tea. In case you're wondering about those pancakes; I do allow myself to eat a healthier version but not too often because they simply don't agree with me.

If you find it difficult to make the right food choices, ask yourself the following questions before you indulge:

How does that food make you feel after eating it? If you notice gastrointestinal discomfort or a change in your mood or energy level, your body is trying to tell you something.

How is the food prepared? If it is fried, smothered in cream, gravy, etc., or prepared with lots of additives, sugar and preservatives, you should limit the amount you eat.

What is it derived from? For instance, if it comes from white flour or a "chemistry lab," leave it alone!

There are many factors that influence the choices we make when it comes to food. I think most of you will agree that those choices and eating habits tend to be ingrained deeply and thus, hard to break. My advice is to identify the most dangerous foods you eat and to eliminate them one at a time. But before doing so, create your own little contingency plan by figuring out a healthier version or substitute and always plan your meals so that you don't find yourself feeling ravenous and unprepared. As for the other, not-so-dangerous foods, allow yourself to enjoy them in moderation. "Moderation is the key."

The Incredible Edible Egg

Peace and Blessings,

I love eggs and decided to have some for breakfast today. As usual, I sipped on a cup of green tea first thing this am. I ate a roasted apple and a handful of pumpkin seeds (you can check them out below) before my meal. The actual breakfast consisted of 4 egg whites and 1 yolk cooked with Pam cooking spray. I wrapped the eggs in a whole wheat, spinach tortilla...the rest is history.

Often, I am asked how many eggs one should eat in a week. Eggs have gotten a bum wrap because of the cholesterol content found in the yolk. According to Dr. Gerald Gau, a cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic, one large yolk has approximately 213 milligrams (mg) of cholesterol. He advises healthy individuals to limit their daily intake to less than 300 mg. Individuals suffering from cardiovascular disease, diabetes or high "LDL" cholesterol - also referred to as "lousy" cholesterol- should limit their intake to less than 200 mg.

So how many should you eat? Well that depends on your health status, as mentioned above, and your overall eating habits. And don't forget, it's the yolk that is harmful, not the white of the egg. The egg white is an excellent source of protein. Back to the question. If you're going to blow your daily limit of cholesterol at breakfast by scoffing down the egg special at the local diner, then you should limit the amount of cholesterol you consume for the remainder of the day.




OK, I stumbled accross these at Whole Foods the other day. They're pretty tasty and low in saturated fat but high in the omegas. Look for them at your local "whole paycheck" or health food store, or go to www.Gerbspumpkinseeds.com. I'm just an email away if you'd like more info on cholesterol or the omegas.

Keep it moving!

Good Eats

Happy Wednesday,

No breakfast on the run for me today. I snapped this picture before chowing down. You're looking at kale cooked with orange pepper, red onion and roasted red pepper turkey sausage, and broccoli cooked with garlic and onions. I enjoyed a large glass of water and a broiled apple approximately 40 minutes prior to the meal. It was tasty y'all!

My workouts for today consisted of 30 minutes of leg work this morning and 30 minutes of core work in the afternoon. It is common for me to split up my workouts because of my client and work schedule. Don't let "lack of time" prevent you from getting your exercise. If you cannot find the time to perform all of your exercises or cardio at once, do what I do and break it up. You'll still get the benefits of exercising and the multiple sessions will help speed up your metabolism even more. Email if you have questions. In the meantime,

keep it moving...

Breakfast of Champions: Tuesday

Hello fellow fitness enthusiasts (and aspiring fitness enthusiasts)! This is day 2 of my breakfast entries. I did not have the time to whip up a fancy breakfast this morning so I got it on the run from a local deli. I ordered a grilled chicken breast, seasoned with lemon, herbs and garlic, on a whole grain, scooped-out bagel. Yes, a bagel! It's all about moderation. My beverage was 12 oz. of decaf green tea. Stay tuned for tomorrow's breakfast as I'll have the time to get creative with my meal.

In case you're wondering, I do not object to an occasional bagel as long as it is made from whole grains and eaten without butter, cheeses, etc. When consuming a bagel, be sure to include some type of clean protein to help stabilize your blood sugar.

My exercise for today: Power walking for 5 miles and lots of stretching

Chesna's Breakfast of Champions

If I've said this once, I've said it a million times; "You must eat breakfast" and regular meals throughout your day. Your metabolism slows down and your body becomes more efficient at storing fat when you skip meals. That said, today I'm answering a question I get all too often... "So Chesna, what do you eat for breakfast?"

For the next week, I will post my breakfast meals and hopefully it will encourage you to start thinking outside the (cereal) box when it comes to your first meal of the day.

Today, my breakfast of champions consisted of decaf green tea and an apple upon rising. One hour later, I had another cup of decaf green tea, a huge serving of squash cooked with red onions and garlic, 2 slices of Applegate Smoked turkey breast and water.

I realize that some of you might prefer traditional breakfast foods so how about an egg white, veggie omelet or oatmeal with peanut butter?

Food choice, per se, doesn't matter as long as you aim to eat clean, balanced meals as often as possible.

I'm just an email away so let me know if you'd like more info^_^

Pie Eating...at its finest.

Don't Attempt This At Home!!!



I can appreciate a good key lime pie but this takes the cake.
I am, for the most part, a non-judgemental person but the idea of
competitive eating, especially as a "sport," and ESPECIALLY when
it involves children, vexes me. It's not healthy to subject oneself
to gorging, period.

Don't get me wrong here. I am not referring to the binging that
takes place when one suffers from an eating disorder. I take
offense to the voluntary, mass-consumption of food for the sake
of winning a contest. I find it hard to justify eating contests
when millions of people are starving worldwide. How about donating
the equivalent of all of that food to charity and sponsoring
exercise contests instead?

What's your take?

The late, great Morjorie Newlin

This one is for all of you who think it's too late to start an exercise program....Check this out!

www.momsonthemove.com/show_detail.asp?id=45

Ok....I hope that clip inspired you! Morjorie died this past February, may she rest in peace, but what she represents lives on. It is never too late to start a workout program. Morjorie started in her 70's. Please consult your physician if you would like to start an exercise program.

As promised, I'm going to share my thoughts on aspartame; Don't consume it! Why? Because I said so (how many of you have heard that as a kid?)! Seriously, aspartame breaks down into unhealthy acids in the body. Aspartame and other artificial sweeteners can cause a host of symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, heart palpitations, joint pain and weight gain to name a few. And according to Young & Young, authors of The pH Miracle, artificial sweeteners can trigger or worsen fibromyalgia, diabetes, MS and Alzheimer's.

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a sugar substitute that is used in practically everything these days. Start reading food labels the next time you're in the local supermarket and you'll see what I mean. Manufacturers use it because it is cheaper and sweeter than sugar. The problem, however, is that it's been associated with obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

Dr. Ann Louise Gittleman wrote a good book called Get The Sugar Out. According to her, HFCS is a sweetener your body doesn't recognize as a sugar and "by replacing sugar with HFCS, you can override your body's natural ability to feel full, so you eat more."

I've been experimenting with an all-natural sweetener called Stevia. I'll give you the 411 in my next post. It's time for me to do my PM stretch....

5 Reasons to Avoid Sugar

If you are like most people, you grew up eating lots of candy, ice cream and other sugary treats. As a child, I loved the taste of sugar so much that I even tried it on spinach once! To this day, I love sweets, especially pumpkin bread and key lime pie. Hey, I’m not the stereotypical, health fanatic “trainer” you might assume me to be! I come from a southern background and I love rich, hearty foods. I’m human like the rest of you.

I digress.

Apparently, I am not alone when it comes to having the proverbial “sweet tooth.” The average person eats over 100 pounds of sugar each year. But you know what? Too much of the stuff can wreak havoc in your body.

The following is my list of 5 reasons to avoid sugar. You will notice that I have not included some of the more obvious reasons, such as sugar’s effect on your teeth, or the correlation between sugar consumption and diabetes. Hit me back (email me) if you’d like more info on sugar and diabetes.

First, sugar fuels cancer cells. Although it is still unclear whether sugar causes healthy cells to become cancerous, research has shown that once a cell becomes cancerous, it feeds on sugar. Insulin levels soar when high amounts of sugar are ingested and according to Dr. Christine Horner, author of Waking the Warrior Goddess, high insulin levels are one of the biggest risk factors and promoters of cancer. Insulin attaches to breast cells thus increasing cell division. And get this, women with high insulin levels have a 283 percent greater risk of developing breast cancer.

Second, sugar lowers your resistance. I’ve found this to be true on many occasions when I was trying to fight a cold or illness. Without fail, my body would always succumb to illness if I consumed too much sugar. Dr. Ann Loiuse Gittleman, author of Get The Sugar Out, classifies sugar as an immunosuppressant in that it has the following effects: It reduces the germ-killing ability of white blood cells for several hours after ingestion; it reduces the effectiveness of antibodies; it interferes with the transport of vitamin C; it causes mineral imbalances; and it neutralizes essential fatty acids, thus making cells more susceptible to invaders.

Third, consuming excessive amounts of sugar makes you look older. YES! This is my attempt to appeal to your sense of vanity. When sugar enters your bloodstream, it attaches to protein and forms harmful molecules called Advanced Glycation End Products (AGES). AGES damage the collagen and elastin in your skin causing it to lose its elasticity and become dull in appearance. According to Dr. Fredric Brandt, a New-York based dermatologist, these effects begin to take place in the mid thirties and accelerate rapidly thereafter. And if that weren’t enough, AGES proteins have a harmful effect on your body’s natural antioxidants which protect your cells from damage.

Fourth, excessive amounts of sugar will make you fat. When you eat large quantities of sugar, your blood sugar rises significantly. Foods such as cakes, cookies, pastas and breads, especially breads made with white flour, will have this effect on your blood sugar. This explains the quick burst of energy you feel immediately after food(s) with a high sugar content. Large amounts of sugar in your bloodstream can be harmful so your body releases insulin to control the surge. This explains the subsequent drop in energy you feel not too long after eating those sugary foods. Insulin cleans up the extra sugar by causing your body to store it as fat if you do not burn it as fuel. So, keep it moving!

Fifth, your body gets sugar from the fruits, vegetables and grains you eat so you should limit your intake of sweets as they constitute empty calories. Now, if you’re thinking that artificial sweeteners are the answer, think again because they’re not as sweet as you think.So, chew (pun intended) on this for a while and be sure to come back to find out what my take is on artificial sweeteners. In the meantime, go do something physical and Flaunt It!

Looking Fit & Being Fit

I've been working with people of all ages and fitness levels for over 12 years now. And let me be the first to tell you that just because a person looks fit does not mean that he or she is fit. I've worked with chisled men who looked the part but smoked, suffered from high blood pressure and didn't have the flexibility to touch their toes. On the other hand, I've worked over-weight women who had ideal blood pressure, healthy hearts and great flexibility.



Last week, a "muscle head" (and before anyone gets offended, I used to be a muscle head and I love muscle heads! Their passion for and dedication to the art of bodybuilding is inspiring. So, don't get all bent out of shape) scoffed at a core exercise I was doing with a client. "Muscles" could bench 300 lbs but he didn't have the core stability or balance to do some basic exercises with a stability ball.



Ok, my point is that physical fitness means more than fitting into a certain dress or suit size. It entails more than having the brute strength to bench several hundred pounds. What's your blood pressure? Resting heart rate? Blood chemistry (cholesterol and triglycerides)? How flexible are you? Do you lead a balanced life?