TECH: Nike Training Club App

For the ladies who love to workout: try the Nike Training Club app...it is amazing! #cuzimnotcreativeat6am

HEAL: Sugar Detox Failure Led to Lessons Learned

My sugar detox was going so well; a full 30 minutes of my 1.5 hour workout this morning was spent jogging while repeating the mantra "sugar is not my friend", I made myself all types of sugar-free and wholesome snacks,  and I maintained my commitment to "no added or refined sugar"...until 8 pm.  My husband unintentionally taunted me with his regular evening snack of crisp toast topped with Nutella, and I snapped...like a doberman.  I ran to the freezer and grabbed a Trader Joe's mini-ice cream cone; "it's only 70 calories and 5 grams of sugar...it's not that bad," I reasoned.  It unfortunately didn't stop there.  In my dopamine/serotonin induced stupor, I went on to shamelessly consume a chocolate cookie. My detox was officially over.

Onwards and upwards, a few good lessons were found in the ruins of my detox:

• Consuming sugar makes you want more
• What does this mean? Once I gave in to my first sweet treat, I immediately wanted more. There is a logical reason to all of this (a big thanks to Dr. Aaliya, @DrAaliya, for enlightening me on this process); as you consume sugar, your brain's pleasure center the nucleus accumbens receives a dopamine signal.  You consume more sugar because it makes you happy, but with  prolonged exposure, the signal weakens.  You have to consume more sugar to get the same effect.  Does this sound like the story of drug addiction or is it just me?  Check The Atlantic for a deep dive on this topic.
• For serious addicts: minimize sugar consumption earlier in the day or delay it entirely until as late in the day as possible
• Based on the process above, it seems to me that addicts should try to delay their initial sugar consumption (outside of fruit) as much as possible (in terms of time of day) so as to prevent the urge to consume more sugar after a first "exposure"
• Following this strategy will also let you "save" your sugar intake for the goodies you absolutely must have
• Set a daily sugar limit for yourself and don't exceed it
• Sugar addict or not, it's almost impossible to avoid sugar entirely.  Just like most of us set a general calorie intake level for ourselves, we should also figure out a limit per day of added sugars (refined sugar, high fructose corn syrup, agave, honey, etc).  For women, the American Heart Association recommends capping daily intake of added sugars at 6 teaspoons or 24 grams of sugar.  For men, the maximum recommended limit is 9 teaspoons or 36 grams of sugar per day. Some perspective: a can of coke contains 39 grams of sugar.   Also, set a cap on calories that come from sugary treats. 
• Get creative with your snacks
• Instead of reaching for honey to sweeten my afternoon yogurt, or adding a squirt of chocolate syrup to my morning yogurt-peanut butter smoothie, I came up with better snack alternatives to keep me full and sugar-free throughout the day
• Cottage cheese topped with topped persian cucumbers and half an avocado
• Spice with pepper, salt, and cayenne pepper
• Yogurt, peanut butter, and banana shake
• No sugar needed
• Raw almonds and walnuts
• That's it
• Tea or coffee with plain non-fat half-and-half or your favorite plain creamer
• You save yourself several grams of sugar from this small change alone
• Be sure to drink plenty of water to prevent hunger that really stems from thirst
• I have a BPA-free, clear bottle by Aladdin that I fill up at least twice a day - seeing my water consumption makes water more bearable to me than drinking it in a steel Sigg

I hope my failure provides you with valuable insights.  I know it did for me.

HEAL: 7 Day Sugar Detox Plan

If you read my blog, I do a ton of preaching about reducing fat and refined sugars; unfortunately, I need to take my own advice, especially as it pertains to sugar and sweet treats.  I recently realized that my previously in-control sugar problem had spun out of control...like widely out of control. What was previously a weekly splurge or a daily sweet alternative (peanut butter in yogurt, vitamix banana ice-cream, etc) turned into the consumption of indulgent treats on a daily basis...you know things are bad when you're embarrassed to admit to your significant other that you bear full responsibility for the empty bag of chocolate chip cookies...that was full yesterday. The worst part was my Pavlovian response to any mention of a sweet treat...salivating at the mention of a cupcake makes you really second guess how much control you have over your fatty tendencies.

I've been trying to talk myself out of reaching for sweets due to the negative health impacts of sugar, but have had little to no success. Fortunately, my vanity forced me to admit my problem, and plan a swift plan of attack.  After all, I work dang hard to fit into my size 2 jeans, and I don't plan on giving that up because I had one (or five too many) macarons. By the way, the picture featured here are the treats I had in the last 10 days...not good!

There's a great WebMD slideshow that talks about the body's relationship with sugar and resulting addictions - check it out to better understand the problem before diving unto my solution below:

1. I am eliminating all added sugars for the next 7 days
1. This includes honey, agave, stevia, etc, etc
2. I am reducing my fruit intake...slightly
1. I love, love, love fruit, but I plan on reducing my fruit to vegetable ratio  I'm thinking 4-5 servings vegetables to 2-3 servings of fruit (I know this sounds like alot of fruits and vegetables per day, but some pretty authoritative sources are recommending between 5-13 servings per day vs the old 5) during this detox
3. I am creating a "tolerance" plan for when my sugar cravings hit...and they will hit
1. I plan to drink plain green tea, drink a glass of water, do a few jumping jacks, and maybe even take a walk
2. I also plan to avoid situations that encourage social sweet consumption like frozen yogurt or cupcake outings with friends
4. If the cravings continue at day 7, I'm extending my detox and repeating steps 1-3 for another 7 days

Watch out for my blog posts over the next week; hopefully, I'll be able to contain my jitters for long enough to write them...

FITNESS: Stretching with Foam Rollers

You know those people who religiously stretch after every workout, and enjoy it? I'm not one of them.  I have historically avoided stretching at all costs, and only due to sheer guilt resorted to using the otherwise untouched stretching chair at my gym.  This all changed when my lovely trainer (Callie at Equinox San Mateo) insisted that I give the foam roller a shot as an alternative to traditional stretching.


She had me at "alternative to traditional stretching"...what I didn't expect, was the fact that this foam roller actually hurt...and it hurt BAD.  It turns out that this tool actually is an alternative to a sports massage.  It stretches muscles and tendons, and also breaks down scar tissue. It breaks up painful trigger points, soothes tight fascia, increases blood flow and circulation to the soft tissues, and DIMINISHES CELLULITE! Yes, you read that right.  Not sure how that works, but I'm thinking that the combination of increased blood flow and massage makes those dimples go bye-bye.

How do you get started with the roller?  It's fairly easy - you simply move the foam roller and body to stretch your back, your glutes, hamstrings, IT bands, shins, and calves.  Also, you can opt for the traditional rollers (longer and are made of, you guessed it, foam) or the shorter Trigger Point alternatives that have some beneficial features associated with the varying densities across the roller.

This piece on Runner's World gives a great overview on how to use the roller and includes great videos: http://www.runnersworld.com/running-tips/roll?page=single  Enjoy!

FITNESS: Super Gym Deal: 24 Hour Fitness Memberships at Costco?!

I have been a member of a great, but seriously overpriced LA gym until a recent shift required me to change gyms.  I came across an amazing deal at Costco: $299 for a two year, all-club (except the Super Sport and Ultra-Sport) 24 Hour Fitness membership.  This works out to $12.50 a month - I was paying almost seven times that at my old gym.  I got my membership today, and it was a total breeze.  I went in to a local 24 Hour Fitness, showed the membership representative my id, and was on my way. Whether or not you go for the prepaid Costco card,  I highly recommend visiting the Sherman Oaks Galleria location and signing up with Brady, he's super nice, funny, and doesn't try to upsell you on anything...oh, and supposedly Britney Spears stalks him...

FITNESS: Griffith Park Night Hikes

I can't be the only one who feels like passing out while hiking in full sun...right? Well, it turns out there is a great alternative for the sun-phobic amongst us (or more realistically, those who don't have time during the day): night hikes! 

The Sierra Club hosts night hikes a few days a week at Griffith Park in Los Angeles.  Here is what I know for sure:

• Who: The Sierra Club, 213-387-4287
• Where: Meet at the Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round, 4730 Crystal Springs Dr Los Angeles, CA 90027
• When: 6:45 p.m. (don't be late), Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays
• What: Night Hike, silly

I will definitely upload pix when I finally make it to the hike; thus far I have been curtailed by high winds, strep throat, a fender bender, and a number of other random, but minor tragedies.  Enjoy!

HOTSPOTS: Honolulu for the Healthy

How many times has one of your traveling companions urged you to indulge in some not-so-healthy habits (typically some serious dessert or pasta) because, "you're on vacation".  Don't fall into this trap my friends - moobs, and muffin-tops never, ever go on vacation, and your diet shouldn't either.  Here are some healthy-spots/ideas worth considering in and around Honolulu:

• Food
• Breakfast/Lunch
• Whole Foods
• 4211 Waialae Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96816-5340 
• Ruffage Natural Foods
• 2443 Kuhio Ave, Honolulu, HI 96815, (808) 922-2042
• Marie's Health Foods - Organic Cafe 
• 2155 Kalakaua Ave, Ste 110, Honolulu, HI 96815, (808) 926-3900
•  The Cheesecake Factory
• I know this place is notoriously bad news for the healthy, but make your own omelet (I recommend all egg whites, mushrooms, green onions, tomatoes, and avocados)
• 2301 Kalakaua Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96815, (808) 924-5001
• Dinner 
• Tokkuri-Tei
• You'll see way more locals here than tourists - amazing sushi
• 611 Kapahulu Ave, Ste 102, Honolulu, HI 96815, (808) 739-2800
• Duke's 
• You can't go wrong with their salad bar (included with all entrees - stay away from the fresh caesar and go straight for their fresh veggies), grilled fish, steak, or poultry
• 2335 Kalakaua Ave, Ste 116, Honolulu, HI 96815, (808) 922-2268
•  Roy's
• Stick with their grilled poultry, fish, or steak (make sure you get a lean cut)
• 226 Lewers St, Honolulu, HI 96815, (808) 923-7697

• Activities

• Surfing Lessons
•  DCX Surf School
• Supposedly the best - it's right on Waikiki beach and it's a great deal - $35 
• 2410 Koa Ave, Honolulu, HI 96805, (808) 926-1414
• Hikes
• Manoa Falls Hike 
• Amazing, and you're under full shade for the majority of the hike
• Diamond Head State Monument 
• Diamond Head Rd, Honolulu, HI 96816, (808) 587-0300
• Mariner's Ridge Hike   
• Kaluanui Road, Honolulu, HI 96825
• Kayaking
• Kailua Beach Park
• Great kayaking and the beach is gorgeous
• Rent a kayak and head to the Kaneohe Bay Sandbar (miniature dissapearing island) or a nearby bird sanctuary
• Twogood Kayaks - highly recommended 
• 345 Hahani St, Kailua, HI 96734, (808) 262-5656

FITNESS: LA: Great Local Hikes

Two hikes I recommend for beginner/intermediate level hikers are Topanga Canyon (stick to the Eagle Rock trail to start) in the Santa Monica Mountains and Temescal Gateway Park in Pacific Palisades.  Both are relatively challenging, have clean trails, and are easily accessible.  Here are a few links to both:

• Temescal Gateway Park 
• Map 
• Topanga Canyon 
• Eagle Rock Trail 

Enjoy!