YOUR LIFE A-Z:BREAKFAST

A HEALTHY CHOICE WHEN EATING OUT

BREAKFAST

The first rule of good physical self-care is to always eat BREAKFAST.  BREAKFAST starts our metabolism for the day and signals the body that it is time to get on with the process or living well.  BREAKFAST is considered by most health experts to be the most important meal of the day.  However, not all BREAKFAST meals are the same, so this is not a license to eat whatever you want. However, it is a license to eat something.  Good BREAKFAST choices are always less than 500 calories and often you can have a good breakfast less than 300 calories.  Portion control is important in all of our meals.  BREAKFAST needs to be balanced with protein choices.  Thus an egg omelet with fresh veggies, yogurt with nuts and berries, apple with peanut butter, whole grain carbs with any of the above can complete the meal for you.  Some of you enjoy variety, so be sure to think ahead and have several healthy choices on hand and pre-plan it the night before so that you get in the habit of making sure you eat before you leave the house or have a breakfast to go ready and waiting for you in the fridge.  Some professionals recommend that you eat protein with your BREAKFAST meal and that you eat within thirty minutes of being up.  If you are not a BREAKFAST eater, then make this meal a priority and keep it simple in order to get into the habit.  The simpler it is for you the more successful you will be. 

YOUR LIFE A-Z:ENERGY

ENJOY THE POWER AND LIGHT OF ENERGY

ENERGY

Wow, there are so many forms of energy that it becomes hard to focus on one with a 250 word maximum.  What was the first thought that came to mind when you saw that ENERGY is the Twenty Minute Coach’s word of the day?  Was it kinetic ENERGY? That is ENERGY that moves an object.  Get up out of your computer chair and do 10 jumping jacks.  You have just practiced the use of kinetic ENERGY by moving your body.  If you walk outside and stay in the light for twenty minutes you acquire your vitamin D for today from the radiant ENERGY of light.  If you lift weights, you use gravitation ENERGY.  If you wrap up in a blanket you are using thermal ENERGY.  If you purchase a Starbucks you are exercising economic ENERGY.  If you brew your tea outdoors you are using solar ENERGY.  If you touch your toes or reach for the stars you are practicing elastic ENERGY.  If you are pulled toward another book, most likely magnetic ENERGY is at play.  If you eat a healthy lunch you are providing your body with metabolic ENERGY to fuel your afternoon activities.  If you observe a lightening strike you have observed 500 megajoules of electric potential ENERGY converted in light ENERGY, sound ENERGY, and thermal ENERGY.  ENERGY surrounds us and available and potential ENERGY is at our beckon call.  It cannot be destroyed nor can it be created.  It is there for our use always.  In the meantime take a nap and practice resting ENERGY.