Secrets to Achieving the High

Secrets to Achieving the High
Article By: Vanessa Voltolina


Looking for some extra incentive to get up early and work out? Learn how to reap the feel-good benefits of exercise and you won't even need to set the alarm.

You've taken the first step toward a toned body and better health by trashing the container of Häagen-Dazs and tearing yourself away from the television. You're pumping and sweating on the treadmill for 30 to 45 minutes, three to five days per week before work, after work and on weekends. But you still feel like something is missing. You’ve heard others talk about it, and you want a piece of it: The exercise high.

It’s actually an endorphin high, and it occurs when endorphin hormones (and others) are secreted by the pituitary gland in response to physical stress. During exercise, these endorphin hormones have the power to block pain, decrease appetite, elevate mood, rid the body of stress hormones and make your workout far more enjoyable, says Debbie Mandel, a stress management specialist in Lawrence, NY.

Because of our physical and chemical differences, some people may experience a very good feeling from a 30-minute workout, while others may find that they need a longer or more intense workout in order to feel that high. For years, the exercise high was mostly medical speculation, but recently, German researchers reported in an issue of the journal Cerebral Cortex that the exercise high is more than just folklore — and surprisingly attainable. Here are three ways to get closer to achieving the workout high.
Give it time
"To get the [endorphin] high, I find that people have to work out for a while," says Karen Voight, a Los Angeles-based trainer who has worked with stars including Tina Turner and Bette Midler. "Some magazines say that five-minute spurts or quick workouts do the trick, but I suggest a nonstop power session — just keep it going."

Many women put pressure on themselves to find a workout formula guaranteed to achieve this euphoria after every workout. "One size certainly does not fit all," says Mandel, author of the book Addicted to Stress. She swears by a belly dancing session for her high. Voight agrees: "Work out until you're out of breath, however long or intense that may be." For some gym-goers, a 40-minute run at a 10-minute-mile pace is enough to achieve an endorphin high; for others, it may take a hip-hop dance class or a spinning session.

Everyone’s high is different
Steepin has figured out the formula to achieve her personal high: a routine, 45-minute kickboxing session, which elevates her mood and gives her an endorphin high almost every time. Whatever routine you find fits you, Voight, who is also the creator of her own line of fitness DVDs, recommends maintaining a heart rate of at least 140 beats per minute for maximum endorphin potential.

Even on the days when a workout seems futile, Christina Steepin, an IT business analyst from Seattle, suggests giving yourself the benefit of a full workout. "If I feel ill, haven't gotten enough sleep or am having family issues, I try to push through and at least get a workout in because I always feel at least a little bit better after I go,” she says.

Stop obsessing
If you find yourself scanning the gym to see how many eyes are on you, or sizing up your bod in the mirror, you'll lose the mind and body synergy necessary to reach your goal. Mandel assures exercisers that although it may feel as though you're being watched and judged, “Trust me — other gym-goers are totally narcissistic. They're not even paying attention to you!”

Although there is no foolproof way to achieve this stress-relieving, mood-enhancing exercise high, being conscious of your personal method, as well as external factors, can get you closer to feeling the full benefits of a workout. "The best thing to do is create an exercise synergy. My personal favorite is the triple synergy: music, sunlight and rhythm. Get outside, put on your headset and hike or run on the beach.” For Mandel, this is a surefire way to an exercise high every time.

This week's meeting topic

Be sure to come in this week to hear about: Celebrating LFG (Lose For Good) Victories. Please feel free to share yours here!

Italian Casserole

Italian Casserole
8servings@8 each
8 oz uncooked rotini pasta
14 oz can tomato sauce
14 oz can diced tomatoes, Italian style
8 oz RF cream cheese, at room temp
1 c part skim ricotta
1⁄2 lbleangroundroundbeef,browned
1 c shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
Cook pasta as directed; place in sprayed 9x13bakingdish. Combinetomatosauce& diced tomatoes. Combine cream cheese & ricotta. Layerbeef,cheesemixture,andthen tomatomixtureoverpasta. Bakeuncovered30 min @ 350. Sprinkle mozzarella on top last 5 minutes of cooking. Makes 8 servings.

Good for you breakfast foods

What do bagels, bran cereal and bananas have in common? They're good-for-you breakfast foods that might help keep you on the weight-loss straight and narrow.

Research has shown that people who skip breakfast may not be as successful with weight management as those people who eat breakfast regularly. Why? Eating breakfast may help you reduce snacking and avoid overeating.

Food is fuel
Eating breakfast is like filling up a gas tank. When you wake up in the morning, your body is low on fuel, like a car running on empty, explains Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD, LD, director of nutrition for WebMD. A morning meal can kick-start your engine by giving your body energy.
Zelman warns that skipping breakfast may make you more likely to overeat later in the day to make up for the missed meal.

In fact, a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that breakfast eaters fall prey to impulse snacking less often than non-breakfast eaters.

Unleaded or diesel?
Not all fuels are created equal. Most people will get more mileage from a small bran muffin and a cup of fat-free milk than they do from a large glass of juice. That's because the sugar in the juice is a much more rapidly used energy source than that derived from the muffin and milk.

"The ideal breakfast is based on carbohydrate and protein," says G. Harvey Anderson, PhD, professor in the department of nutritional sciences at the University of Toronto. He theorizes that the most satisfying breakfasts deliver a quick shot of energy (by raising blood sugar levels rapidly) and then a longer term energy boost from high-fiber, complex-carbohydrate, protein-containing foods that slow digestion.

What does that mean for your sugar cereal? Toss a handful into a bowl of low-fat yogurt and then mix it up with some fiber-rich fruit. Other tag-team breakfasts include:

Low-fat cheese and tomato slices on a whole-wheat English muffin

High-fiber cereal with fat-free or lowfat milk and dried or fresh fruit

Peanut butter and jelly on multi-grain bread

Hard-boiled or scrambled eggs (or egg whites) with a couple of wheat crackers

Low-fat yogurt and a grain-rich cereal bar

A banana and a small handful of peanuts or almonds
Banish no-time-for-breakfast excuses
Excuse: I don't have time to make myself breakfast. The only things available to me at work are doughnuts and cookies from the vending machine.
When time is of the essence, think portable. Try a hard-boiled egg (keep a few in the fridge at all times) and a couple of crackers or string cheese and a piece of fruit. And for those real crunch times, keep packets of instant oatmeal, high-fiber breakfast bars and mini boxes of raisins stashed in your desk drawer.

Excuse: I just can't eat before 1:00 p.m.
You don't have to eat when the roosters crow, but it is a wise idea to eat within several hours of waking up. If you can't stomach much, try a few grapes or a wheat cracker and half a glass of juice. After a few days, your body might naturally look forward to this a.m. fuel-up and you can try more substantial meals.

Excuse: I'd like to eat breakfast but I'm afraid it will set my hunger into overdrive.
Many people experience less erratic eating patterns (like mid-afternoon and after-dinner munchies) when they eat several small snacks and meals throughout the day. Anderson says that in addition to being leaner, frequent nutritious mini-meal eaters — as opposed to those who eat one to two big meals per day — are often associated with cleaner bills of health.

breakfast in the crock pot

Course: breakfast
PointsPlus® Value:    4
Servings:  6
Preparation Time:  15 min
Cooking Time:  300 min
Level of Difficulty:  Easy

Cook in crockpot set on low for five hours

Ingredients
4 cup(s) water  
1 cup(s) uncooked oatmeal, steel cut oatmeal  
1/4 tsp table salt  
      2 small apple(s), cut up apple in small pieces leave skin on  
1/3 cup(s) Ocean Spray Craisins Craisins® original flavor  
      1 small mango(es), cut small  
1 tsp ground cinnamon  
1/4 tsp ground cloves  
1/4 tsp ground cardamom  
2 Tbsp SPLENDA® Brown sugar blend  
1 Tbsp molasses  
Instructions

Put all ingredients in a crockpot set on low.

30 min cardio

One 30-minute cardio session pumps extra blood to your brain, delivering the oxygen and nutrients it needs to perform at max efficiency. Cardio also floods the brain with chemicals that enhance functions such as memory, problem solving, and decision making. And new research has found that this kind of exercise may even cause permanent structural changes to the brain itself

FREE YoGa!

YogaWorks (Newhall Ranch/McBean)
23951 Newhall Ranch Road
Valencia, CA 91355
(661) 799-2645

EVERY Monday from 1:15-2:15 pm, FREE Level 1 Gentle Yoga Community Class. All fitness levels welcome. Bring a mat if you have one, otherwise they will provide one for you. Dress in comfy clothes.
FUN!

White Bean and Ground Turkey Slow Cooker Chipotle Chili

White Bean and Ground Turkey Slow Cooker Chipotle Chili

Course: main meals
PointsPlus® Value:    7
Servings:  8
Preparation Time:  18 min
Cooking Time:  250 min
Level of Difficulty:  Easy

This slightly spiced white chili is the perfect freezer staple to have on hand for too-busy-to-cook-nights.

Ingredients
1 spray(s) cooking spray  
2 pound(s) uncooked ground turkey breast  
      1 large onion(s), chopped  
2 clove(s) garlic clove(s), chopped (medium)  
      32 oz fat-free chicken broth  
1 tsp Durkee ground cumin, or other brand  
1 tsp dried oregano  
1 tsp chili powder, chipotle variety  
      30 oz canned white beans, drained and rinsed  
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice  
1/4 cup(s) cilantro, fresh, coarsely chopped (plus extra for garnish)  
Instructions
Coat a large skillet with cooking spray. Cook turkey, onion and garlic over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until turkey is browned, about 10 minutes; drain off any fat.

Add turkey mixture and remaining ingredients to a 3 1/2 quart or larger slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat setting for at least 4 hours. Yields about 1 cup per serving. (Note: For additional color, top with extra freshly chopped cilantro just before serving.)

This recipe is part of our Make Ahead Soups, Chilies and Stews series.

Pumpkin-Oat Bread Weight Watchers Recipe

Pumpkin-Oat Bread
Weight Watchers Recipe





Course: cakes
PointsPlus® Value:    4
Servings:  24
Preparation Time:  15 min
Cooking Time:  45 min
Level of Difficulty:  Easy

A fabulous fall snack. You get a generous piece of cake, topped with a crunchy walnut and an underlying hint of caramel flavor.

Ingredients
1 spray(s) cooking spray, flour-variety recommended  
1/2 cup(s) regular butter, softened  
1 1/2 cup(s) packed light brown sugar  
      3 large egg(s), beaten  
      2 cup(s) canned pumpkin  
1/4 tsp table salt  
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice, or more to taste  
1 1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour  
1 1/2 cup(s) uncooked quick oats  
2 1/2 tsp baking soda  
24 half walnut halves  
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a 10- X 15-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Using an electric mixer, in a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and pumpkin; beat well. Add salt, pumpkin pie spice, flour, oats and baking soda; mix thoroughly. Pour batter into prepared baking dish and place walnut halves on top so there will be 1 walnut in the center of each piece of cake. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, about 40 to 45 minutes.

Cool in pan and cut into 24 pieces. Yields 1 piece per serving.
Notes
Spice up the batter with a dash of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pepper, ginger or allspice.